Random Thoughts: Fun with Size & Scale

I thought this graphic presentation was fantastic.  It lets you zoom down in size from a coffee bean to a carbon atom.  On the trip we pass human cells, bacteria and viruses.  A neat presentation for adults and kids that only takes a moment but can fascinate for quite some time.  Do you know how big a virus is compared to a grain of salt?  Go look and get an idea.

Check it out here.

Random Thoughts: Can business save the world?

Is business part of the problem?  Can it be part of the solution?  In this inspiring TED talk by Ray Anderson, founder of a carpet company (one of the most petroleum intensive businesses around) talks of his transformation from part of the problem to part of the solution.  He’s guiding his company toward their 2020 goal of being carbon neutral.  So far they’ve made it halfway and made a boatload of money doing it.  Inspiring.

 

Watch the video here.

 

Recipes: Delicious Gluten Free Pizza

I work with a good number of patients who cannot tolerate gluten, whether they are celiac or suffering from a wheat reactivity, removing wheat from their diet often brings about dramatic improvements in their health.  But there is no doubt that going gluten free can be challenging.  Not nearly as challenging as it used to be with the proliferation of gluten free items, but still very challenging.

So, when I came upon this recipe for a gluten free pizza, I thought I would give it a try (originally found here).

Random Thoughts: Charter for Compassion

Beautiful words to live by.  This 2 minute video for the charter for compassion calls for all of us to work to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures.

In case you can’t view the video, or would like the words they are:

The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.

It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others—even our enemies—is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.

We therefore call upon all men and women ~ to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate ~ to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures ~ to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity ~ to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings—even those regarded as enemies.

We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensible to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community.

What is Evidence Based Medicine (EBM)? Part II

Part I of this series

In part I of this series, I explained what I believe evidence based medicine (EBM) should be:  the equal use of clinical experience and external evidence to make the best decisions about the care of patients.  In this interpretation of EBM both clinical experience and external evidence are important and necessary.

 

Clinical Experience <—-> External Evidence

Unfortunately this interpretation is rarely used in current discussions of EBM.  Instead we find this version of EBM widely promoted.

Do your drugs have gluten in them?

For people with celiac disease (CD) even small amounts of gluten can keep the disease active.  It has been shown that consuming more than 6mg per day of gluten can trigger the autoimmune process.  This is a truly tiny amount of gluten, and vigilance on the part of the person with CD is very important in maintaining their health.

What is Evidence Based Medicine (EBM)? Part I

Evidence based medicine (EBM) has emerged as one of the key concepts being debated in leading medical journals, doctors offices and conventions, insurance boardrooms, and government agencies  as a major piece of  the effort to reduce costs and improve outcomes.  In this series I’ll be explaining what evidence based medicine should be (part I), is (part II), and how I use it in my practice (part III).

One of the Most Reasonable H1N1 Articles I’ve Read

H1N1 or “Swine Flu” has been huge in the news this year, with a fresh batch of stories airing lately with the start of flu season.  One of the most reasonable articles I’ve read lately on H1N1 is by Sanjay Gupta, MD.  I’ve clipped out and rearranged the pieces I found most worthwhile (for the full, unedited article click here).  My comments are in [ ].

Bottom line:  “Remove the term H1N1 from the equation.” If your child had regular flu, would you take him to the hospital? If the answer is no, then don’t take him/her to the hospital now.

Book Review: Black Powder War, Empire of Ivory, and Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik

I posted the review of Naomi Novik’s first two books in the Temeraire series His Majesty’s Dragons and Throne of Jade here.

The bottom line: if you like sci-fi/fantasy and the idea of 1800s Europe with dragons sounds interesting, this series is right up your alley. The writing is good, the books are interesting, full of likeable characters, interesting scenery and backdrops, and well-thought out stories.

Celiac Disease & Osteoporosis

Bottom line:  Osteoporosis is a long-term serious consequence of celiac disease.  Traditionally thought to be a problem of poor absorption of nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D, a new study suggests that it might also be the result of autoimmunity against a person’s bones.

Celiac has been getting a lot more attention lately, but I find in my practice there is still a lot of confusion about what celiac actually is.