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Weight loss

Fucoxanthin: This may sound like a character in the latest videogame, but this compound is the future of weight loss. Some of you may know this already but fucoxanthin is found in seaweed, yes, seaweed. According to this article from Irish Health, wakame is a brown seaweed commonly used in Asian soups and salads. Fucoxanthin is the compound in wakame that promotes weight loss and even has anti-diabetic effects.

Dr. Kazuo Miyashita from Hokkaido University told the American Chenical Society National meeting in San Francisco that significant reductions in fat tissue were reported in rats and obese mice fed the edible seaweed carotenoid fucoxanthin.
Fucoxanthin induces expression of the fat-burning protein UCP1 that accumulates in fat tissue around the internal organs. Mice fed fucoxanthin showed clear signs of the fat-burning protein in fat tissue, whereas mice fed a control diet showed little sign of this protein.

Translation? You watch, wakame cafes will take the country by storm (How do you pronounce that kind of cafe?). Soon, one will be near you. They will be serving the "Seaweed Soup and Salad Special." (Say that three times fast) Fucoxanthin will be shortened to "F-thin," and the marketing will be huge. "The F-thin Factor" will be a best selling book, etc. Remember, you heard it here first.

Or, this research will be proved wrong, and you can go back to eating donuts and drinking diet coke again. I'm not a big seaweed fan anyway. Calamari, maybe...

Groundhog Day

Has anyone seen this movie, because I feel like that's what I'm going through today - no whining here, just this weird feeling today. For those who have not seen it, the movie is about a guy who lives the same day over and over and over again.

I was on call last weekend and I'm on call today. For us, if you're on call the weekend, then usually no call until the next week. One of the docs here is on vacation this week (Did you really need to know all these details? I'm thinking no.) So, for today, some quick thoughts on some topics, because my blogger withdrawl is driving me crazy!

On Call: It was a rough weekend for one of my patients. He had to be transferred to the intensive care unit. I had some long conversations with his family. Overall, things do not look good. He's a very nice gentleman, too, and one of my favorite patients. Really hard to see someone suffering like that, even though we are doing everything that we can. This is a part of my job that I do not enjoy.

The Path to 9/11: For those who have not heard of this, it's a TV miniseries that was broadcast on ABC television the past two nights. I did not get a chance to watch it yet, but I do have it on videotape for me to watch later this week. Apparently, there was a lot of discussion last week about this tv show. I can't wait to watch it and judge for myself. Did anyone see this miniseries?

9/11/2001: It was really interesting to read as people were retracing their steps. I did a little reflection as well, because none of us will ever forget where we were at and what we were doing that fateful day. Maybe someday I'll try to recreate that day on my blog. I was just too busy yesterday (with work) to put together a detailed account of what I was doing and feeling on that day.

Bestest Blog of the Day: So, Sunday at around midnight, my pager went off and I answered the call. Before going back to bed, I checked my e-mail, as I usually do before drifting off to sleep again. I was pleasantly surprised to find an e-mail congratulating me on being the Bestest Blog of the Day for 9/11. My first thought was, hmmmm, that's interesting. I felt kind of awkward. It was a definite mix of emotions. I was happy for myself, naturally. But, those feelings were mixed with all of the emotions of 9/11 and my fatigue of being on call. Maybe I should have just blogged about it.

I've got my blogging fix for now. Back to work. Maybe more later...

National anthem

I was frantically running late trying to get to the stadium for the soccer game. (In case you don't know, I'm the team doc for our boys high school soccer team.) Trying to find a parking spot is usually crazy as game time gets closer. Fortunately, things weren't too hectic because the junior varsity game draws a smaller crowd. So, the parking lot was not that bad.

I got out of my car, put on my cap, grabbed my "doctor bag", and rushed into the stadium. Actually, it's not your stereotypical looking doctor bag (like my profile picture). It's just a gym bag with tape, ace wraps, and other items for injuries.

Fortunately, the junior varsity was still warming up. A couple of our players asked me to tape up their ankles prior to the game. I also talked with some players who were managing injuries, and they seemed fine.

You can definitely feel the electricity in the air before a game - particularly before a varsity game. We play at the (gridiron) football stadium. And, before the varsity warm up session, the stadium lights are turned on. This definitely adds to the excitement.

Before each game, the referrees bring both teams to the center of the field and review items of sportsmanship - for example, being careful of overly rough play, intolerance of profanity during the game, etc. Following this, the team captains remain with the referees to determine who will get the ball first. The rest of the team has a final pre-game conference with the coaches.

After the captains return from the center of the field, the drama and the excitement continue to build as each player is announced over the loud speakers. Now, the crowd really starts to get into it. No one can wait any longer for the game to get started. Just when things are about to reach a fever pitch, the loud speakers blare with this announcement: "And now please stand for the playing of our national anthem as we honor America...."

Time pauses at that point. I believe that this is the most beautiful moment in sport. Even if it's our arch-rival high school, who usually brings a loud crowd and a good team with them, at this moment, we are unified and we are one. The crowd goes from a roar to absolute silence as all of us look to at the farthest point of the stadium where the flag is seen in the night sky. For a moment, all of us forget about soccer, forget about sports, and focus on what's really important...

Oh, say can you see,
By the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed
At the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars,
Thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched
Were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets red glare,
The bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there.
O, say, does that
Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free
And the home of the brave?

According to Blogger, this is my 100th post. I'm on call this weekend, so I'll see you next week, sometime. Remember Monday. God Bless America.

Update 1: Thanks to all of you who put tributes up on your blogs over the weekend. I've been reading a lot of them and they are so moving. None of us will ever forget.

Update 2: I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I've been named the Bestest Blog of the Day by Morgen from It's a Blog Eat Blog World. Morgen is of the newest members of Blogaholics Anonymous. Thanks Morgen for the selecting me today, and thanks to Bobby Griffin from Bestest Blog for the opportunity to be a member of your blog list.

Modesty gown

Interesting story from London today. Apparently, two English hospitals will be offering head-to-toe hospital gowns for Muslim women who request them. A picture of the gown is on the link for the article.

"I noticed a gap in the market and thought that it would be great if there was a gown that helped to preserve a patient's modesty," said Karen Jacob, linen services manager for the trust, who designed the product.

In looking at various media stories today, some call it a "Muslim gown" and others call it a "modesty gown." How things are phrased is so interesting to me.

Some people would call this action cultural sensitivity and others would call it cultural favoritism. Personally, I don't have a problem with the gown. But, it does set a cultural precedent of sorts. Does this mean now that African and Asian religious/cultural customs and values will be observed at this English hospital in addition to those from the Middle East? Something to watch for and something to think about...

Artificial heart

The New York Times is reporting that the US Food and Drug Administration approved the sale of the first fully implantable artificial heart. Apparently, this device allows the patient to move about freely for up to two hours at a time.

The approval was given even though the grapefruit-size device was implanted in just 14 patients at four hospitals from 2001 to 2004. All of the patients, who agreed to receive the heart as an experimental device, were men, and all have died.
Two died from the implant operation. A third never regained consciousness, and the rest survived an average of five months. The longest survivor lived 512 days, when the mechanical heart failed.

Did I read that right? Fourteen patients in a four year period? All who received the device eventually died? If this was a medication, then it would be laughed out of the room instead of being approved.

The company is approved to sell 4,000 a year. But, in all likelihood will only be about 25-50. The cost? A cool $250,000. The company is not even sure if it will receive insurance coverage for the device yet.

For me, this is under the category of "just because we can do something, doesn't mean we have to do something." Granted, I realize that there are thousands of people who die each year waiting for a donor heart. The article also states that in the last six months of live, the slowing dying heart patient incurs an average of $1 million in ICU expense alone.

But, 14 patients in a four year period? Fourteen months ago, according to the article, the FDA voted to deny this same device because of concerns of complications like bleeding, strokes, and infection. Like the FDA is not embroiled in enough controversy with Plan B, Vioxx, Bextra, and other medications in the news.

In my opinion, these are just lawsuits waiting to happen. And, there are attorneys salivating out there just waiting for something to go wrong so that they can swoop in to defend these "victims" against the evil entrepreneur doctor who is seeking fame and fortune at the expense of a patient with a failing heart.

Update: I didn't realize the New York Times site only has limited access. Here's the article from The Washington Post. Hopefully, there are no access problems with this.

Stingray tape

The initial postmortem examination confirms that a stingray's venomous barb pierced Steve Irwin's heart causing his death, according to this article from National Geographic News.

It's not surprising to imagine that this entire incident was caught on tape. But, this article does confirm that there was video footage of the attack. This footage will now be examined by the coroner.

Irwin's friend, director, and producer, John Stainton, who was on Irwin's boat Croc One when the attack happened, says it is too early to release the footage of his friend's fatal encounter to the public.

What? Does anyone actually want to see this footage? I know that I don't. But, you know what will happen. The tape will be leaked out in some way and eventually end up on the internet and probably YouTube.Com as well. His family, friends, and fans are suffering enough. I hope this video is never released.

Update: Health Psych made this comment, "And the Steve Irwin backlash kicks off..." This article from the Guardian clearly exhibits this.

As a Melbourne boy, Irwin should have had a healthy respect for stingrays, which are actually commoner, and bigger, in southern waters than they are near Port Douglas, where he was killed. The film-makers maintain that the ray that took Irwin out was a "bull ray", or Dasyatis brevicaudata, but this is not usually found as far north as Port Douglas. Marine biologist Dr Meredith Peach has been quoted as saying, "It's really quite unusual for divers to be stung unless they are grappling with the animal and, knowing Steve Irwin, perhaps that may have been the case." Not much sympathy there then.

Blaming the guy who got killed? What the hell is that about? It's worse than kicking a guy when he's down. It's kicking a guy when he's dead. This really gets me upset. Of course, the next paragraph of the article mentions the controversial episode where he had his one month old son in one hand when visiting a crocodile in an Australian Zoo. The press just get me fired up sometimes.

Here's what I predict is going to happen. Politicians both in Austraila and in the US will use the hype generated by the press to pass laws preventing less direct contact between animals and people. The politicans will get a hold of the videotape from the Irwin episode and will broadcast it to make their point. The consequence of this will be significantly less wildlife/nature shows for television. And, television networks like Animal Planet will eventually become extinct. To be honest, I don't even watch nature shows. Am I overreacting to all of this?

Blogaholics Anonymous

Hello, I'm Dr. A, and I'm a blogaholic... Here's a question: Is it possible to tag yourself? (Insert joke here.) Anyway, in catching up on my bloglines, I was over at The Granola Rules and she got tagged by the latest meme to circulate the blogosphere. Title of the meme: What does blogging mean to me?

With everything going on lately (at least in my circle of bloggers), I figured, why not have a BA meeting and go through these questions! Now, BA meetings are only for those addicted to blogging (see my sidebar for details). If you're not, then this post is not for you - except if you're in denial of your blogging addiction - HA! Since, I'm hosting the meeting, I'll answer the questions first.

1) Are you happy/satisfied with your blog's content and look?
Uh, since day one of my blog, I've been obsessed with my sidebar and I have kept adding things to it. If people have cool sidebar stuff, please let me know (am I allowed to say that at a BA meeting?) As far as the content, I've been asked if I know any receipes and I can affirmatively say NO! (I'm not a cook, I only play one on TV) HA!

2) Does your family know about your blog?
Are you kidding? No way. Even if they did know, they wouldn't find it interesting. I don't talk a lot about my family in my blog. Not that I have a problem with talking about your family, I just choose not to.

3) Do you feel embarrassed to let your friends know about your blog? Do you consider it a private thing?
I presume this means your non-blog friends. I've been struggling with this question since I started. I guess I'm still of the mind set that it is a private thing. I've had some of my blog friends try to get me out of my shell to reveal myself, and I've been hesitant. Still thinking about my "semi"-anonymous status.

4) Did blogging cause positive changes in your thoughts?
I have no idea what this question even means. I'm glad I started blogging and I'm glad that I'm continuing. There were times when I considered stopping. But blogging definitely fills a need I have to express myself and connect with other people.

5) Do you only open the blogs of those who comment on your blog or do you love to go and discover more by yourself?
When I first started, I loved discovering blogs on my own - mainly by hitting the "Next Blog" button to see where I have ended up. Now, that my blogroll and my bloglines have increased, I've had less time to randomly stroll around the blogsosphere. I miss that.

6) What does a visitor counter mean to you? Do you like having one on your blog?
Great question. Yes, I do have a counter. I'm very competitive, and I have to admit that I'm jealous of those of you out there who have hundreds and hundreds of hits a day. I'm resigned to the fact that I will probably always be a Slimy Mollusc and will always be around 100000 on Technorati. But, I come back to telling myself that I do not blog for rankings or popularity. I blog for myself. If I lose sight of that, then that's the time for me to stop.

7) Did you try to imagine your fellow bloggers and give them real pictures?
I know fellow bloggers imagine me *waving at wolfbaby*. But, seriously, I have not given a real picture out, yet (see question 3 above)

8) Admit it. Do you think there is any real benefit in blogging?
Of course there is, or else none of us would be doing it. I tell people blogging is like putting a podium in the public square and speaking your thoughts. People can choose to listen, or not. People can choose to interact with you, or not. But, in a way, you feel like you're heard by someone, and that's comforting.

9) Do you think that blogger's society is isolated from the real world or interaction with events?
I think bloggers are part of the world in general. Do some bloggers choose to isolate themselves from current events? Yes, but some non-bloggers isolate themselves as well.

10) Does criticism annoy you or do you feel it's a normal thing?
I think I criticise myself more than anyone else. I don't know why, but I've gotten that feedback my entire life, "Don't be so hard on yourself." Criticism is normal and necessary. It just has to be constructive and not destructive.

11) Do you fear some political blogs and avoid them?
I don't fear political blogs, but I do avoid them. Especially now, politics is not about ideas and vision and leadership. Politics now is about total obliteration of a person's character and reputation. That's why the people who should be in politics to change things for the better - they avoid politics, and that's very sad.

12) Were you shocked by the arrest of some bloggers?
Technically, I was not arrested, I was only questioned. Just kidding. Were bloggers arrested? I did not hear of that.

13) What do you think will happen to your blog after you die?
I think it will be at the Library of Congress for future generations to study and learn from. Yeah right. I don't know what will happen to me tomorrow, let alone about my blog after I die.

14) What song do you like to hear? What song would you like to link to on your blog?
My Way but sung by Elvis Presley

15) The next "victims"?
I'm not going to tag anyone. This is a good set of questions. Blog about it if you like, or just comment on my answers. Thanks for stopping by!

Labor Day

If you ask any American what Labor Day is, you will probably get a variation of answers. It's not like Independence Day or Thanksgiving where there is a story that gets repeated every year. How did Labor Day start? When was the first Labor Day? I have no idea.

For most school kids in the US, Labor Day means the last weekend of summer. Most schools begin classes the day after Labor Day. One distinct memory I have of this holiday weekend is going to our local fair. This is a huge annual event around here. I never lived on a farm, but I had a lot of friends who did. Their entire summer was centered around this fair. Some had prized animals that would be shown and judged every summer (horses, cows, etc). Others helped their parents in the garden and had prized vegetables that would be shown every year. We have a diverse community and there would be a showcase of different ethnic foods, arts, dancing, etc, during fair week. Lots of great memories from back then. There are times I wish I could go back to those innocent days. The days when my biggest worry was whether my friends and I would have the same teacher for school the next day. Ahhhh, those were the days.

Another memory I have is watching the US Open tennis tournament every year with my parents. I still do this, and I'm planning to go over there today. In high school, I was really into tennis (when I was more athletic than I am now). And my friends and I would follow the tournaments all through the summer with the pinnacle being the US Open. Yesterday, one of my childhood heros played his last professional tennis match: Andre Agassi. I have watched this guy for the past 20 years, at different stages in his career and in his life. I'm always inspired by a superstar athlete who admits when things are not going well. I learned a lot about tennis and a lot about life. Thanks Andre.

The final memory that I'll mention is the annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Pk has had some very informative posts this weekend about muscular dystrophy. I encourage you to check them out. I had no idea what a telethon was until I started watching this as a child. I would ask my parents, "If the show goes on all day and all night, when do people sleep?" This was also one of my first introduction into fundraising as a child - not a bad thing, just a new concept that I learned as a youngster - the concept of philanthropy. I kept asking myself, "Why would people help other people that they don't even know?" I soon learned the answer to that one. Finally, it was one of my first introductions into medicine, or, at least, learning about a disease process. As a child, and even now, it was/is hard for me to imagine a child suffering for any debilitating disease.

Finally, I'm glad just to get August behind me. That was a very turbulent month on a lot of different levels. Thanks to May for giving me some closure and the ability to move forward. I'm ready to satisfy my blogging addiction again.

Break

On call today/tonight, and may start the holiday weekend early.
Back soon...

Dr. Mike Sevilla | Family Physician