Some Health Tips

If the Feds take control over the nation’s health care system, and thus enact further massive intrusions into our daily lives, one can predict that they will make mandatory the things that might be bad for us, like vaccines, and make illegal the things that are probably better for us, such as over-the-counter supplements (as an alternative to prescription pharmaceuticals).  So, I wanted to get these health tips in now before they start going after the Internet and making blogging illegal (which we know the leftist anti-free speech nazis want to do).

Speaking of the Health Nazis, right now discussions on obesity are in the news and on talk shows. There are proposals for the government to control obesity. Michael Graham points out the absurdity in that. And here is a New England Journal of Medicine article on how the public health fascists will direct that particular agenda–for the children. Really, now. The only way for people to control their weight is to control their eating habits, and have a regular exercise routine. Government can’t do that for you by dictating to what you must or must not do. And you parents out there, it’s really your responsibility to get your kids eating good foods and discourage them from eating bad foods. Do you really want them

"The Nude Monster" by Juan Carreno de Miranda (a 17th Century painting of a dreaded obese child)

to grow up with higher risk of heart disease or other problems? Instead of giving them those twinkies etc., there are plenty of natural foods such as fruits that are naturally sweet and that should satisfy their cravings for said sweets. And parents–not government–should force their kids to exercise.

So here are my health tips: First, colon cancer prevention. Some things to avoid include alcohol, smoking, antibiotics and red meats–I’m sure you’ve heard that many times, but it’s worth repeating. What’s good for the colon are “probiotics,” the “good” bacteria that the colon needs to fight the “bad” disease-causing bacteria. The most popular is acidophilus. Now, some people have been misled to believe that eating foods such as yogurt will give you a good supply of acidophilus. While yogurts do include that, the problem is the acidophilus bacteria really can’t survive the destructive environment of the stomach and won’t make it down to the colon alive. The “good” bacteria needs to be alive in order to actually do anything good

L. acidophilus (Photo: Centers for Disease Control)

for the colon. That is why getting your daily intake of acidophilus from supplements is a good idea. To see which brands would be favorable, there are third-party testers of these and other supplements, such as ConsumerLab.com who have tested various acidophilus and other probiotic supplements.

Another thing that’s good for the colon is soluble fiber. A lot of articles note “fiber” in general, but they don’t distinguish between soluble and insoluble fiber. This is important. Fiber is found mostly in fruits and vegetables, although it’s also found in pastas and breads. While studies have shown that the fiber content of fruits and vegetables plays a large role in prevention of colon cancer (and other cancer), I believe it’s mostly the soluble fiber that does the so-called “cleansing.” In some cases, the insoluble fiber part of foods can be an irritant to the colon. That is why, for me personally, I’m  not too sure about things such as bran and whole grain foods, which contain a high amount of insoluble fiber. There are also plant-based soluble fiber supplements that have been shown to reduce risk of colon cancer, such as cellulose, methylcellulose and guar gum. Also, fresh fruits and vegetables are a good source of digestive enzymes, which is a necessity for better digestion. Another thing that’s good for colon cancer prevention is folic acid.

Also, it is a good idea to know what’s in those manufactured foods by looking at the ingredients. There are some foods in which you really ought to check the expiration date, and, in some cases, the statute of limitations.

Regarding flu shots, here is a very well researched article by Donald Miller, MD on why it’s not a good idea to get a flu shot, and to take vitamin D instead. Of course, taking other vitamins such as vitamin C is a good idea as well, to prevent colds and flu, and well as for cancer prevention.

Another health tip here is keeping stress low. There are various techniques, such as yoga and exercise for controlling stress. For those who want some sort of  chemical means of

A stressed out character (A Henry Holiday illustration in Lewis Carroll's "Hunting of the Snark: an Agony In Eight Fits")

stress reduction, drinking alcohol or taking anti-anxiety or anti-depressant drugs is a bad idea. Instead, taking B vitamins, such as in the form of B-complex, has been shown to reduce stress, particularly vitamin B-12.

Is there something that government can or should do to help us reduce stress? Yes, government can stop interfering with our lives, and stop intruding into our private matters. And if government would just stop threatening our freedom with one encroachment after another, it would make everybody’s life much less stressful.