Here’s this week’s compendium – comprising eight health-connected items. This week…
1. research showed regular sunscreen use significantly cuts melanoma risk [1]. It cuts the risk of squamous and basal cell cancers too.
2. research showed sunlight exposure cuts the risk of mature-onset diabetes – mediated via vitamin D [2]. But even weak sunscreen – e.g. for melanoma prevention – markedly lowers vitamin D production.
3. research showed daily low-dose aspirin reduces the all-cancers death rate by 34% (and the stomach and bowel cancer death rate by 54%) [3]. It protects against stroke and heart attack too.
4. research showed overweight and obesity are associated with an increased all-cause mortality; and to a lesser degree so is underweight [4]. All-cause mortality is lowest when the Body Mass Index [BMI] is normal or just below normal, i.e. 20.0-24.9.
5. research showed lap band surgery’s effective in people with a lower BMI than that presently deemed acceptable by the US FDA [5]. Thus the FDA’s considering lowering the minimum BMI from 40 to 35 (and from 35 to 30 for people with other health problems).
6. the 16th UN Climate Change Conference [COP16] began in Cancun, Mexico [6a, 6b]. The health connection? It’s obvious. But COP16’s a giant ho hum.
7. I saw this fascinating video about what sits on Oliver Sacks’s office desk [7]. The health connection? He’s a neurologist.
8. darling Indi began a duck egg business unit within Daylesford Organics [8]. The health connection? Indi has the flu. Get well soon, Indi. xxxxx
