Contributor Posts

"Samples collected from a well that serve more than 40 homes in the idyllic Hannah Heights neighborhood showed some of the highest levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, recorded in Washington" More at The Seattle Times ➜

The Great Alcohol Health Flip-Flop Isn’t That Hard to Understand—if You Know Who Was Behind It More at Slate Magazine ➜

"Across the life span -- from infancy to the teen years, midlife and old age -- boys and men are more likely to die than girls and women" Read more

There are children dying,
in endless wars.
There are children dying,
No Mas, No More

When a brain cell
dies,
Must we then
surmise,
there are no chances just,
tries.
To health, they say no
lies.
The Worlds has too many
whys.

"Diet-related chronic diseases have reached a critical juncture in the U.S" ,,,. "Research has examined how ultraprocessed foods can contribute to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and mood disorders. A healthier diet is one way to use food as medicine".......... Read full article. 

"Usually banks, like all companies, fail after a prolonged period of lackluster performance. But SVB, the nation’s 16th-largest bank, had been stable and highly profitable just a few months before, having earned about US$1.5 billion in profits in the last quarter of 2022. However, financial history is filled with examples of seemingly stable and profitable banks that unexpectedly failed".... Read more

"When a stubborn pain in Nick van Terheyden’s bones would not subside, his doctor had a hunch what was wrong. Without enough vitamin D in the blood, the body will pull that vital nutrient from the bones. Left untreated, a vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis. A blood test in the fall of 2021 confirmed the doctor’s diagnosis, and van Terheyden expected his company’s insurance plan, managed by Cigna, to cover the cost of the bloodwork. Instead, Cigna sent van Terheyden a letter explaining that it would not pay for the $350 test because it was not “medically necessary.”. ... Read more at ProPublica

Long before the diagnosis,
in many places we live,
are the families with illness.
Prayers for those who are terminal.
Hard to deal with, head on.
We want to be positive.
In reality, there isn't a safe place.
Just a place to go and hide.
Nothing changes, as death chases,
us down the pathway of life.

Many of the patients left in the lurch have life-threatening digestive disorders that render them unable to eat or drink. They depend on parenteral nutrition, or PN — in which amino acids, sugars, fats, vitamins, and electrolytes are pumped, in most cases, through a specialized catheter directly into a large vein near the heart..... Read full article at KHN

Broad were the smiles,
yesterday, in memory care,
as a few dogs were present,
for residents to pet and share.

As part of a growing national dialogue around hospice abuse, trade groups and government watchdog agencies are pushing regulators to make changes.
Last week, the four largest hospice trade associations jointly sent a detailed memo of policy proposals to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which regulates the end-of-life care benefit. Their 34 recommendations, which span eight pages, directly address the alarming business practices outlined by a recent ProPublica-New Yorker investigation...... Read more