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Showing posts with label duncan jefferson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label duncan jefferson. Show all posts
Monday, November 11, 2013
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Some real facts on Vaccinations
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It's that time of year again when vaccinations are in the news. Down under in Oz, it's the start of the Flu vaccination "season" whilst up in the northern climes, there is an outbreak of Measles in Wales that is causing great concern because of the recent low vaccination rates amongst infants.
So what is it about vaccinations that seems to scare so many people? Are we starting to believe all those Zombie movies that tell of rogue scientists creating 'orrible vaccines that turn us all into dribbling maniacs?
Point one: Vaccines have become far "smarter" than they were a decade ago. Back in the last Millenia - think the 1990's - although there were fewer diseases covered in a single vaccine such as diptheria tetanus or measles, the number of antigens that were actually injected into the infant was around several thousand. Today, we might have more diseases covered in each vaccination, but the actual number of antigens with those vaccines is down to 365! Smarter, safer and better targeted.
Point Two: Thimerosal. Many parents have been alarmed by media reports of the rise in Autism Spectrum Disorder and the possible link with Thimerosal, BUT the scientific facts differ radically from the inflammatory headlines screamed from certain Newspaper Headlines. Several large and reliable studies have shown that Thimerosal is not linked to Autism and despite that fact that Thimerosla was removed from vaccines back in 2001, the rate of Autism has continued to increase!
Point Three: I have patients who tell me that each year I give them a Flu shot, they get the flu! The Influenza vaccine doesn't contain any live virus so cannot cause an infection. The vaccine contains certain protein markers from 3 or 4 influenza strains and these are given to stimulate your body's immune system to be prepared for those viruses - should they appear in your community - so that they don't overwhelm it and "give you the flu" before your immune system is able to produce enough killer T cells and wipe them out! But we have to remember that there are approximately 100 influenza viruses continually circulating and mutating around the world and the Flu vaccination will only protect you against the three most likely and most unpleasant of those.
Vaccinations have saved millions of lives and will save millions more: low immunization levels not only put you and your family at risk, they endanger those in your community who are less able to fight off infection - those who are aged, the pregnant and those on chemotherapy. If you have a concern, then ask an expert and don't rely on the headlines in the newspaper or the latest rumour circulating on the web: your health is worth more than that.
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So what is it about vaccinations that seems to scare so many people? Are we starting to believe all those Zombie movies that tell of rogue scientists creating 'orrible vaccines that turn us all into dribbling maniacs?
Point one: Vaccines have become far "smarter" than they were a decade ago. Back in the last Millenia - think the 1990's - although there were fewer diseases covered in a single vaccine such as diptheria tetanus or measles, the number of antigens that were actually injected into the infant was around several thousand. Today, we might have more diseases covered in each vaccination, but the actual number of antigens with those vaccines is down to 365! Smarter, safer and better targeted.
Point Two: Thimerosal. Many parents have been alarmed by media reports of the rise in Autism Spectrum Disorder and the possible link with Thimerosal, BUT the scientific facts differ radically from the inflammatory headlines screamed from certain Newspaper Headlines. Several large and reliable studies have shown that Thimerosal is not linked to Autism and despite that fact that Thimerosla was removed from vaccines back in 2001, the rate of Autism has continued to increase!
Point Three: I have patients who tell me that each year I give them a Flu shot, they get the flu! The Influenza vaccine doesn't contain any live virus so cannot cause an infection. The vaccine contains certain protein markers from 3 or 4 influenza strains and these are given to stimulate your body's immune system to be prepared for those viruses - should they appear in your community - so that they don't overwhelm it and "give you the flu" before your immune system is able to produce enough killer T cells and wipe them out! But we have to remember that there are approximately 100 influenza viruses continually circulating and mutating around the world and the Flu vaccination will only protect you against the three most likely and most unpleasant of those.
Vaccinations have saved millions of lives and will save millions more: low immunization levels not only put you and your family at risk, they endanger those in your community who are less able to fight off infection - those who are aged, the pregnant and those on chemotherapy. If you have a concern, then ask an expert and don't rely on the headlines in the newspaper or the latest rumour circulating on the web: your health is worth more than that.
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reference
Monday, April 8, 2013
Bowels, Bugs and an unfolding mystery.
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I've written a few blogs on the evolving, largely unexplored, universe that is our very own "Bio-sphere": those Gazillions of bacteria and microscopic organisms that call "yours truly" Home Sweet Home. Just to re-cap on how many there are: if you imagine your body as representing the total number of cells that you call "you", then the area below your left knee represents the number of human cells in your "body" and the rest represents the number of organisms that make up that svelte human being you call you!
But it's in the gloomy recesses of our bowels that mystery unfolds upon mystery. Now it appears that there could be links between what sorts of bacteria are in our bowels and perhaps a gut based immune imbalance that can lead to Diabetes. Then there are theories that certain types of gut bacteria may be linked to why people develop Obesity. Now there are suggestions that bugs in our bowels may feast on the red meat we consume and increase the risks of having a heart attack!
The red meat bit has been around for a long time as vegetarians and vegens have a lower heart attack risk than red meat eaters, and for a long time we have linked the fat in red meat with the increased risk - hence the push for less red meat, make sure it's lean and try to replace it with fish and chicken. But now scientists are saying that there is a chemical in red meat called Carnitine - also found in energy drinks by the way - that might be another link in the Cholesterol/red meat chain. Carnitine is found naturally in red meat and the more you eat then the more Carnitine gets in to your guts. Certain bacteria love the stuff too and create a metabolite (a cute word for chemical) that enhances our body's ability to make cholesterol in the blood stream more likely to stick to the wrong spots!
Yet again, it's early days but my take is that we all eat too much red meat (and urban legend has it that "they" pump our cattle full of antibiotics and chemicals anyway) and that we can get most of our protein and iron needs from other sources. So cut back the red meat to once a week, eat more fish, chicken and all those amazing fresh veggies that are in the supermarkets and stores ( and growing your own is even more fun!) and let those bugs in your bowel get on with the job the good Lord intended for them: and that's to make our lives healthier and happier!
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But it's in the gloomy recesses of our bowels that mystery unfolds upon mystery. Now it appears that there could be links between what sorts of bacteria are in our bowels and perhaps a gut based immune imbalance that can lead to Diabetes. Then there are theories that certain types of gut bacteria may be linked to why people develop Obesity. Now there are suggestions that bugs in our bowels may feast on the red meat we consume and increase the risks of having a heart attack!
The red meat bit has been around for a long time as vegetarians and vegens have a lower heart attack risk than red meat eaters, and for a long time we have linked the fat in red meat with the increased risk - hence the push for less red meat, make sure it's lean and try to replace it with fish and chicken. But now scientists are saying that there is a chemical in red meat called Carnitine - also found in energy drinks by the way - that might be another link in the Cholesterol/red meat chain. Carnitine is found naturally in red meat and the more you eat then the more Carnitine gets in to your guts. Certain bacteria love the stuff too and create a metabolite (a cute word for chemical) that enhances our body's ability to make cholesterol in the blood stream more likely to stick to the wrong spots!
Yet again, it's early days but my take is that we all eat too much red meat (and urban legend has it that "they" pump our cattle full of antibiotics and chemicals anyway) and that we can get most of our protein and iron needs from other sources. So cut back the red meat to once a week, eat more fish, chicken and all those amazing fresh veggies that are in the supermarkets and stores ( and growing your own is even more fun!) and let those bugs in your bowel get on with the job the good Lord intended for them: and that's to make our lives healthier and happier!
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Monday, August 27, 2012
Kiwi Magic
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I recently was diagnosed with Coeliac disease which means that anything with Gluten in it causes the lining of my small intestine to get very grumpy and lose it's ability to absorb important nutrients. What this boils down to is avoiding anything with flour, wheat or cereals in it - and this includes bread a beer! Happily for me there hasn't been too much of an alteration in my diet as the Young Bride has me on a fairly strict "leash" anyway when it comes to eating healthy food. But for many, I can see that becoming "Gluten free" could be a big challenge..... but then again on the scale of "things that can go seriously pear shaped", it is a relatively minor issue.
I was reminded of this when we went shopping and as I was waiting for the YB, I sat and observed a large black van parked in the disabled zone with the number plates of "Kiwimagic". At first I thought that some selfish person was incorrectly using the bay when it dawned on me that I knew the person who owned that car and I couldn't think of a more worthy user of the disabled bay than this guy. I literally leaped out of my car to go and find this amazing man, and found him buying fresh meat at the butcher. Well actually, he wasn't doing the buying as he's a Tetra-plegic on a respirator, but his carer and driver was doing his bidding and buying the meat!
My dear Kiwi mate grinned from ear to ear - about the only muscles he can control, and ones that he uses all the time - when recounting how the Wallabies had been "flogged" by his beloved All Blacks at the weekend. He then told me that he had spent 4 weeks traveling around NZ during the Rugby World Cup and as a by-the-by that he had also spent 3 weeks in Intensive Care as a result of a clot whilst touring the "Shaky Isles". When I told him of my experience 3 years ago for 2 days in ICU he winced with genuine care and compassion, such is the generosity of spirit of his humanity.
This is a young man who many years ago was "cleaned up" by a motorist whilst waiting for traffic lights to change: a devastating accident which has left him at the mercy of a mechanical machine and the genuinely tender care of a team of care-givers that he needs 24/7. In the ensuing time he has found time to sponsor an orphanage in Asia, fund sailing adventures for fellow spinal cord victims such as himself, and give inspirational talks to school kids on how to make the most out of the precious gift of life.
For me, this man is a one in a thousand, a man whose powerlessness is his real strength and who has disarmed the world with his smile. When it comes to dealing with our minor adversities, we can all learn from him.
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I was reminded of this when we went shopping and as I was waiting for the YB, I sat and observed a large black van parked in the disabled zone with the number plates of "Kiwimagic". At first I thought that some selfish person was incorrectly using the bay when it dawned on me that I knew the person who owned that car and I couldn't think of a more worthy user of the disabled bay than this guy. I literally leaped out of my car to go and find this amazing man, and found him buying fresh meat at the butcher. Well actually, he wasn't doing the buying as he's a Tetra-plegic on a respirator, but his carer and driver was doing his bidding and buying the meat!
My dear Kiwi mate grinned from ear to ear - about the only muscles he can control, and ones that he uses all the time - when recounting how the Wallabies had been "flogged" by his beloved All Blacks at the weekend. He then told me that he had spent 4 weeks traveling around NZ during the Rugby World Cup and as a by-the-by that he had also spent 3 weeks in Intensive Care as a result of a clot whilst touring the "Shaky Isles". When I told him of my experience 3 years ago for 2 days in ICU he winced with genuine care and compassion, such is the generosity of spirit of his humanity.
This is a young man who many years ago was "cleaned up" by a motorist whilst waiting for traffic lights to change: a devastating accident which has left him at the mercy of a mechanical machine and the genuinely tender care of a team of care-givers that he needs 24/7. In the ensuing time he has found time to sponsor an orphanage in Asia, fund sailing adventures for fellow spinal cord victims such as himself, and give inspirational talks to school kids on how to make the most out of the precious gift of life.
For me, this man is a one in a thousand, a man whose powerlessness is his real strength and who has disarmed the world with his smile. When it comes to dealing with our minor adversities, we can all learn from him.
image
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Vaccinations are vital.
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In the US there is increasing concern about the prevalence and spread of West Nile Virus.This is a very nasty infection spread by Mosquitoes and which has no known treatment and currently, no obvious cure - although there are vaccines for similar mosquito-spread viruses which does give a modicum of hope for an eventual breakthrough. So far there have been 700 cases of West Nile Virus reported this year with many sufferers contracting meningitis or encephalitis. Since it first appeared in the US back in 1999, 3 million people have been infected and much research is currently being carried out into the mechanisms of the disease and ways of developing an effective vaccine.
Down in Western Australia we are battling with a much older foe - Whooping Cough - which this year has affected over 4,000 people, mainly children. This is a disaster on any public health level! Whooping cough is a contagious disease that should have been eradicated decades ago if parents had listened to professional advice and had their infants correctly immunized. Now, thanks to misinformation, there is a large group of non-immunized children in the community that has provided fertile ground for the spread of this potentially deadly disease.
Whooping cough is not just a bad cough that sounds like a "Whoop": it is an awful illness where the sufferer coughs, vomits, goes blue and is exhausted for sometimes up to 6 months! For most of my professional career it was a rarity to come across an isolated case, but over 4,000 officially confirmed cases in less than 12 months has returned it to centre stage. Yes, there is a significant group of older people who can suffer from a less severe form of Whooping Cough as their childhood immunity has waned over the decades, but the only reason their immunity has waned is because they failed to keep up to date with their immunizations!
It is imperative that all parents vaccinate their children against the infectious diseases of childhood that are known to put their lives at serious risk, and if you have any doubts then seek professional advice from those who know about how serious these infectious diseases are. It is just as important that all adults maintain a good level of immunity to community acquired infectious diseases too because when you protect yourself, you break a link in the progression of the disease to another. Again, if you have any concerns, ask someone who knows about infectious diseases and not someone who heard something about a neighbour who read a magazine article .......
In the US much effort is now going into finding an effective vaccination against West Nile Virus - a relatively new disease for that country. Lets hope that when it does arrive, it is rapidly and effectively used in the communities where it is most needed.
Vaccinations save lives: and when you get vaccinated, it's not just your life you're saving, you're protecting your neighbour too.
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Ampersands & angle brackets need to be encoded.Follow @DrDJsScript
Down in Western Australia we are battling with a much older foe - Whooping Cough - which this year has affected over 4,000 people, mainly children. This is a disaster on any public health level! Whooping cough is a contagious disease that should have been eradicated decades ago if parents had listened to professional advice and had their infants correctly immunized. Now, thanks to misinformation, there is a large group of non-immunized children in the community that has provided fertile ground for the spread of this potentially deadly disease.
Whooping cough is not just a bad cough that sounds like a "Whoop": it is an awful illness where the sufferer coughs, vomits, goes blue and is exhausted for sometimes up to 6 months! For most of my professional career it was a rarity to come across an isolated case, but over 4,000 officially confirmed cases in less than 12 months has returned it to centre stage. Yes, there is a significant group of older people who can suffer from a less severe form of Whooping Cough as their childhood immunity has waned over the decades, but the only reason their immunity has waned is because they failed to keep up to date with their immunizations!
It is imperative that all parents vaccinate their children against the infectious diseases of childhood that are known to put their lives at serious risk, and if you have any doubts then seek professional advice from those who know about how serious these infectious diseases are. It is just as important that all adults maintain a good level of immunity to community acquired infectious diseases too because when you protect yourself, you break a link in the progression of the disease to another. Again, if you have any concerns, ask someone who knows about infectious diseases and not someone who heard something about a neighbour who read a magazine article .......
In the US much effort is now going into finding an effective vaccination against West Nile Virus - a relatively new disease for that country. Lets hope that when it does arrive, it is rapidly and effectively used in the communities where it is most needed.
Vaccinations save lives: and when you get vaccinated, it's not just your life you're saving, you're protecting your neighbour too.
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