Archive for December, 2006

Stop Trans Fat Whining

December 29th, 2006 / Thoughts, Health Policy / Comments Off

Can bloggers and talking heads please shut up about New York City and now Universal Studios banning trans fats?

You’d think these entities were banning butter and fat outright. Trust me, there’s plenty of lard to go around, people. Plenty of people will still have the right to clog their arteries, lower their HDL, and raise their LDL. They’ll just have to work a little harder at it.

Trans fats, you will be not be missed. No one will notice the difference. Muffins and cookies have existed for much longer than trans fats. I think we’ll survive.

Bird Flu to Kill 62 000 000

December 28th, 2006 / Uncategorized / Comments Off

A bird flu pandemic could kill up 62 million people with developing countries bearing the brunt of the deaths, according to a new forecast. Researchers based the prediction on data from the 1918-20 influenza pandemic, which caused more deaths than the First World War. So far there have been 258 confirmed cases ...

Ahnold’s Femur: Steroids or Stomach Acid?

December 27th, 2006 / Links / Comments Off

From the Snarky-Comment-Slash-Breaking-Medical-Studies Department:

My governor broke his femur. I was going to recommend that he go back on the anabolic steroids, as they help bone mass (corticosteroids hurt bone mass and cause osteoporosis), but then I saw that stomach acid reducers (proton pump inhibitors like Nexium, Protonix, and Omeprazole) can cause decreased calcium absorption. Maybe the poor guy just has bad heartburn. And that I can empathize with.

Ford’s Death: Hindsight is 20/20

December 27th, 2006 / Thoughts, Links, Health Policy / Comments Off

Matthew Holt writes that the last year (or at least 6 months) of Gerald Ford’s life was a poor use of resources, and an example of what’s wrong with the health care system today. He thinks the money could have been better spent providing prenatal care to an uninsured woman.

So consider Ford’s last few months of life. He was admitted to hospital last January for pneumonia. Then spent much of July in hospital in Vail; then went to the Mayo Clinic for not one but two angioplasties in August. Then went back into hospital in California in October, and now has died in December. All that time he was obviously going to die within a year or so, and all that time he was at least 92 years old.

My guess is that over the last 12 months of his life well in excess of $100,000 was spent on his health care. And that money probably extended his life by three months at most.

Do we often perform “heroic measures” on people who might not want it, or don’t receive any quality of life benefit from it? Absolutely. Now maybe Holt has an in with the Ford family, or was following his health very closely, but there’s no way for me to know that he was “obviously going to die within a year or so.” Yes, he was 93, yes, he had had several hospital admissions. These are not Good Signs. But still—ask any doctor: internist, geriatrician, palliative care specialist—and they’ll all tell you we’re shitty at predicting when someone’s going to die. Because there’s definitely 93 year-olds out there that get a pneumonia, get really sick, but then recover and end up living 10 more years.

I’m all in favor of having people have these discussions with their family members—living wills, durable powers of attorney—but how can we tell if Ford was gonna kick it until 103?

Are You Wearing The Right Sized Bra?

December 26th, 2006 / Uncategorized / Comments Off


How many times is it written in the press, and mentioned on the news that more than 80% of women are wearing the wrong sized bra? Frequently? Well, are you? Do you know whether your bra fits correctly?

Is it important? Do we really need to be that bothered? Well, the answer really has to be yes. Younger women can get away without wearing a bra, or wearing one that doesnt support them properly, as their young muscles and tendons keep things in place. But this doesnt go on forever, and as we age, we are all too keenly aware of the dreaded droop! And anyway, an ill fitting bra under a T-shirt or close fitting top is just so ugly.

There are other, potentially more serious problems though, especially if you have a curvy figure. Breasts that arent properly supported can lead to all sorts of problems with your back, shoulders, skin irritations and self-esteem. If you have never been properly fitted, why not try it? You may well find the bras you buy in the future will completely change how you carry yourself, bringing your shoulders back and boosting your self-esteem considerably.

Although too many women are wearing bras that do not fit them correctly, there really is an over reliance on consistently buying the same size. We go into a store, are measured and told we are a 38G and off we go and buy only 38G bras.

It can often be just as well to throw away the tape measure and keep trying on bras until you get one that fits properly. If you rely too heavily on the tape measure, you stick in the comfort zone and continue to buy the same size. But there are far too many variables now in bra manufacture to be able to rely on that size as a constant. Here are just a few:

1. The type of materials used
2. How the fabric is cut
3. The level of support/elasticity offered by the fabric
4. The design of the bra
5. The style of the bra (full cup, balconette, demi-bra, strapless, bustier etc )
6. Variations in sizing between brands
7. Variations in sizing conventions in different countries
8. Variables in the production process
9. Fashion sizing (i.e.: putting smaller sizes on the label than the garment actually is )

and all this before you even start to consider how your own body alters over the course of the day, the month, the year, or events such as pregnancy, measurable weight loss or gain, or surgery.

Therefore, the best way of ensuring you get a correct fitting bra is to try it on yourself. There are many guides to buying the correct size some rely entirely on the tape measure, but many more are now moving towards the advice of trying on until the fit is right.

If the bra is right for you, it will:

1. Feel comfortable there will be no red marks or wheals
2. The back band will be parallel with the front band
3. If it is underwired, the underwires will sit comfortably at the back of the breast without digging in. The front of the underwires will sit comfortably between your breasts and rest against your breast bone.
4. The cups will be full not overflowing, and not sagging
5. The straps will not cut in, and they wont slip down.

When you do find a bra that fits properly, why not buy another one! Theres nothing wrong with having a range of different sizes. Bras from the same brands tend to be the same size, there will be different cup sizes in European and American makes and you may need different cup and back sizes to cope with changes in your body shape each month.

So, when you have bought the right bra for you, follow the care instructions to keep it doing its job as long as possible. Bras usually only have an effective life of around 5/6 months and will lose some elasticity each time they are washed. You will probably need to alter the straps and the hook position over that time to compensate for this.

Yes, there are too many women wearing the wrong sized bra.
Yes, it matters.
Yes, it is important to ensure the right fit.
No, you dont have to rely on the tape measure.
No, you dont have to buy the same size every time because you have been told to.

There is so much to choose from, enjoy trying on! Good luck in your search.

Vicki Louise, founder of VickiLouise.com, offers a stunning range of luxurious, designer lingerie and nightwear especially for ladies with a fuller bust. Gift vouchers and a luxury gift wrapping service are also available.

By Vicki Louise
VickiLouise.com
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