A core functionality of biological organisms is to track regularities in the environment and utilize those regularities as a substrate for predictions. In general, organisms that can identify markers of risk, danger, and safety and respond appropriately to those markers are better adapted than organisms that lack this functionality. Thus, the largely reflexive fight-flight-freeze responses… Continue reading The Wanderer
Tag: chronic disease
Fountain of Youth
Maximum lifespan is defined as the maximum number of time members of a species have been observed to live. According to the Hebrew Bible, Methuselah lived until the age of 969. More contemporaneously, Jeanne Calment, holds the distinction for the longest recorded human lifespan of 122 years. When she was born in 1875, the germ theory of… Continue reading Fountain of Youth
Mobility and Mortality (M&Ms)
Mobility is defined as the ability to move freely and easily. After the initial magical moments when we take our first steps and until we begin to lose this mobility under the insidious burden of chronic disease, this mobility is mostly taken for granted. However, it is the hallmark of our humanity, evolutionarily and developmentally.… Continue reading Mobility and Mortality (M&Ms)
Hunger games
Hara hachi bu is a Confucian adage that dates back 2500 years and instructs people to eat until they are 80% full. The Okinawans from Japan use this mantra before every meal, enabling them to be mindful of their food consumption. Elderly Okinawans have among the lowest mortality rates in the world from a multitude… Continue reading Hunger games
Between a Carbohydrate and a Fat Place
For the vast majority of human history, survival has been a desperate effort with a mixture of luck and lot of vigor. Energy sources have been scarce, and consequently, traits that optimized energy storage and conservation have gained prominence. In response to this history, we have utilized technology to create an environment where energy sources… Continue reading Between a Carbohydrate and a Fat Place
Over-Pharmaceuticalized
I recently read an interesting book titled, Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in Pursuit of Health. In the book, Dr. Welch talks about the dangers of over-diagnosis and how it is “biggest problem posed by modern medicine.” Over-diagnosis is defined as the diagnoses that will never cause symptoms or death and generally occurs because doctors seek… Continue reading Over-Pharmaceuticalized
What’s the DALY
Aging is the defined as the gradual functional and structural decline of an organism, resulting in an increasing risk of disease, impairment, and mortality over the life span. It is thought to be reliant upon a balance of exposure and resiliency. By 2050, the world population aged 80 years and above will more than triple… Continue reading What’s the DALY
Fat Outside, Fit Inside
In a recent study in JAMA, nearly 75% of men and 65% of women between the ages of 25-54 were classified as overweight (BMI>25) or obese (BMI>30). These numbers have dramatically increased in the last 40 years. In response to this rising epidemic, a multibillion dollar weight loss industry ranging from diet companies and supplement… Continue reading Fat Outside, Fit Inside
Metabolic Ghetto
The staggering increase in the prevalence and incidence of metabolic syndrome and its various components is especially alarming amongst minority populations worldwide and within the United States. For example, the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes has doubled in India in the last 30 years, obesity rates have increased 3 fold or more since 1980 in… Continue reading Metabolic Ghetto
Technology Driven Triple Aim
The triple aim is a framework developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement that describes an approach to optimizing health system performance. The goal is to improve the quality of care and the health of population while decreasing the cost of health care. The Patient Protection and Privacy Affordable Care Act (PPACA or ‘Obamacare) was… Continue reading Technology Driven Triple Aim
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