Protective heterologous T cell immunity in COVID-19 induced by the trivalent Measles-Mumps-Rubella and Tetanus-Diptheria-Pertussis vaccine antigens — Published:August 13, 2021DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medj.2021.08.004
There is a downloadable PDF of the study at the link above. Most of the terminology and research methodology is WAY above my pay grade but the conclusion is still a WOW.
The calories that children and adolescents consumed from ultraprocessed foods jumped from 61% to 67% of total caloric intake from 1999 to 2018, according to a new study from researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University. Published August 10, 2021, in JAMA, the study analyzed dietary intake from 33,795 children and adolescents nationwide.
Tufts University. “Ultraprocessed foods now comprise 2/3 of calories in children and teen diets.” ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210810110955.htm (accessed August 10, 2021).
The largest spike in calories came from such ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat dishes as takeout and frozen pizza and burgers: from 2.2% to 11.2% of calories. The second largest spike in calories came from packaged sweet snacks and desserts, the consumption of which grew from 10.6% to 12.9%.
Frozen pizza and burgers? Is this a problem?
Findings In this serial cross-sectional study of nationally representative data from 33 795 US youths aged 2-19 years, the estimated percentage of total energy consumed from ultraprocessed foods increased from 61.4% to 67.0%, whereas the percentage of total energy consumed from unprocessed or minimally processed foods decreased from 28.8% to 23.5%.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2782866
We are doomed.
From zero in 1993 to $1.728 trillion in 2021: this is the predatory financialization of higher education which has enriched lenders, Wall Street and the Higher Education Cartel
America Is a Moral Cesspool, and Student Loans Prove It — https://charleshughsmith.blogspot.com/2021/07/america-is-moral-cesspool-and-student.html
Way back in the Dark Ages I borrowed a total of $8000.00 and worked summers and during the school years to pay for my college education. It took me ten years of payments at $69.72 a month to pay the loan off. I promised myself no matter the hardship my own children would not borrow money for their undergraduate degrees (medical school different story). There were reasons why I drove a 2006 Ford Taurus for 15 effing years.
One of the joys of aging is you get to a point where you say what you want to say and the hell with everyone else. Charles Hugh Smith is one of us who possess critical thinking skills and will always tell it like it is. Check out his blog.
And this is a perfect time to remind all of my readers that the opinions expressed in this and my other blog are mine alone and do not represent the views of any corporate entity that I may or may not be involved with either in the present or past.
I should play more and work less. https://garyskitchen.net/2021/07/24/stress-reduction/ I’m starting to become more cynical than usual.
In a sick twist of capitalism, this sharp decrease in patient volumes through the emergency department and occupying hospital beds, while non-emergency operations were put on hold, lead to decreased revenue for hospitals and physician groups.
With a lack of revenue and a lack of foresight for the possibility of further surges and the arcane and length process of applying for hospital credentials, that lead to hospitals cutting staff including nurses and physician groups cutting hours and pay or even firing physicians.
COVID Isn’t Over, And Why That Will Impact Everyone — https://tnicholsmd.medium.com/covid-isnt-over-and-why-that-will-impact-everyone-ce94766669df
We have staffing shortages in our hospitals that include not just physicians but nurses, respiratory specialists, etc. Dr. Nichols calls this “a sick twist of capitalism”. I disagree. It’s just capitalism. Capitalism worked well for several hundred years, but times change, and systems eventually become corrupt. Corrupt systems then attract corrupt individuals or gradually corrupt unsuspecting souls to perpetuate the system. Welcome to to the world of Predatory Capitalism. Eat or be eaten. Capitalism lacks compassion.
Whew. Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest back to our original programming.
Be virus aware even if you are vaccinated. You might consider masking up again while indoors, amongst crowds, etc. The situation is worse in different parts of the world. Be aware of the situation where you live and where you travel. I was in a local shopping mall for the first time since some time prior to March 2020. A small minority of us were wearing masks. The vast majority of shoppers were behaving as if the pandemic was over. It ain’t over.
I did notice that masks were on sale. You might want to pick up a few before the price goes back up.
But so many people remain unvaccinated that, nationwide, cases have more than doubled in recent weeks — a jump driven not just by Delta, but also the country’s lapsing of mitigation efforts and people traveling and reconnecting socially. Even states like Massachusetts that have comparatively high vaccination rates have started seeing upticks in cases.
How Delta is pushing the U.S. into a new phase of the Covid-19 pandemic — https://www.statnews.com/2021/07/19/delta-vaccines-new-phase-pandemic/?utm_campaign=rss
President Biden on Friday fired Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul, a holdover from the Trump administration, after Saul refused a request to resign from his position.
Biden fires head of Social Security Administration — https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/562342-biden-fires-head-of-social-security-administration
There will be more changes coming to social security.
Higher taxes, no doubt. But also improved benefits for those in need if I’m reading the Tarot cards correctly.
A study by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College found that the delayed credit is still about right, with the exception of the highest earners, who tend to outlive actuarial averages and reap the highest extra benefit. Conversely, the group hurt the most are low-income filers, who tend to claim earlier and effectively are overcharged for doing so. Moreover, the increase in FRA from 65 to 67, enacted in the reforms of 1983, effectively increased the penalty for earlier files. Claimers with an FRA of 67 will receive five years of early filing reductions rather than three.
It’s Time to Revisit Social Security’s Early and Delayed Claiming Formulas — https://www.morningstar.com/articles/1029357/its-time-to-revisit-social-securitys-early-and-delayed-claiming-formulas
The first sentence from the above paragraph caught my eye. So I went on to the BC website.
People can claim Social Security from 62 to 70, with adjustments to keep lifetime benefits the same, on average, regardless of claiming age. The question is whether the adjustments, set decades ago, are still correct, given the decline in interest rates and increase in life expectancy. For the average worker, the analysis shows that the reduction for claiming early is currently too large while the increase for claiming late is about right.
Higher earners – who live longer and claim later – get a really good deal under the current system.
Are Social Security’s Actuarial Adjustments Still Correct? — https://crr.bc.edu/briefs/are-social-securitys-actuarial-adjustments-still-correct/
People with more money tend to live longer. People who defer claiming social security benefits until beyond FRA (full retirement age) are generally healthier, expect to live longer, and are financially secure enough to delay claiming. If the SSA decides to enhance benefits for early retirees it would be a good thing for a lot of people, especially those who have been severely impacted by the pandemic.
Schroders surveyed pre- and post-retirees 45 and older and found that only 10% planned to wait until 70 to claim benefits.
Wait Till 70 for Social Security? No Way, Say Most Americans: Survey — https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2021/06/24/wait-till-70-for-social-security-no-way-say-most-americans-survey/
It is painfully obvious to me that the majority of Americans are claiming benefits at both early and full retirement ages because they need the money and can’t afford to wait until age 70. Only healthy elders on financially sound footings will be deferring social security payments until their later years.
Yikes!
Two days ago the FDA indicated it will add a warning about rare cases of myocarditis in adolescents and young adults to information sheets for the Pfizer/BioNTech, and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. This followed a decision made by CDC advisor that myocarditis in adolescents and young adults is likely linked to the vaccines, but that the benefits…
Covid-19 Vaccines and Myocarditis: Balancing Benefits and Risks in Adolescents and Young Adults — The Skeptical Cardiologist
Thank you Dr. Pearson.
These findings show that the prevalence of food insecurity in the U.S. is highest among Americans for whom a healthy diet is especially critical—Medicaid enrollees with insulin-dependent diabetes and diabetes-related eye or kidney complications (over 40% were food insecure). The problem of co-occurring food insecurity and diabetes among the nation’s disadvantaged has likely worsened during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
The Prevalence of Food Insecurity Is Highest Among Americans for Whom Diet Is Most Critical to Health — Diabetes Care 2021 Jun; 44(6): e131-e132. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc20-3116
In patients with newly diagnosed T2DM, alcohol abstinence was associated with a low risk of AF development. Lifestyle modifications, such as alcohol abstinence, in patients newly diagnosed with T2DM should be recommended to reduce the risk of AF.
Diabetes Care 2021 Jun; 44(6): 1393-1401. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc20-2607
New research published in Diabetologia has shown that if people achieve and maintain substantial weight loss to manage their type 2 diabetes, many can also effectively control their high blood pressure and stop or cut down on their anti-hypertensive medication.
Diabetologia. “Diabetes remission diet also lowers blood pressure and reduces need for medication.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 31 May 2021 — https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210531180422.htm
Sat 6/19
Spice Blend
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried chili flakes
ÂĽ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Copied from The First Mess Seven Spice Chickpea Stew recipe https://thefirstmess.com/2016/01/20/vegan-seven-spice-chickpea-stew-recipe/ so I don’t have to look it up online again if I decide to make this dish tonight.
During Pandemic Year One I lost 25 pounds. My PCP was impressed but when I told her how my diet changed she put her “doctor face” on, looked me straight in the eyes and said,
“I can’t wait to see your blood test results.”
Due to my family history my risk of developing DM2 is approximately 25% higher than the average underwriter. When I asked a prominent Endocrinologist for some advice many years ago he too put on his “doctor face” looked me straight in the eyes and said,
“Stay as thin as you can as long as you can.”
Yesterday I went to see Kevin and got a fresh flattop. The first question he asked was,
“Did you lose more weight?”
No, I haven’t. But my face definitely looks thinner without a mask.
BTW my blood work was about the same as last year even with my change in diet.
Preferred Plus NN.
lifeunderwriter.net 
You must be logged in to post a comment.