Health Archives - The Casual Observer

Coronavirus: History Repeats Itself or Does It?

By Dean McCleland in Health 26 April 2020 1 Comment

Normally when there is a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, communities and countries unify and coalesce. By doing so, they all not only contribute to sharing the burden, but they also provide solace to those in mourning. Instead, bereft of leadership in both the national and international arenas, responses have become mired in selfish agendas. This is no more starkly evident than in the United States.

Why is this so?

Main picture: Face masks become a fashion accessories in pandemics.

What Science tells us about Sport & Health

By Dean McCleland in Health 12 April 2017 2 Comments

Some recent discoveries by scientists have debunked various long held theories on exercise. Certainly a new era is awakening in this regard.

As all of these revelations have been uncovered by conventional scientists at traditional universities, their results can be classified as reliable.

Main picture: Conventional exercise regimen

Polio: A Crippling Affliction now Largely Forgotten

By Dean McCleland in Health 17 February 2017 1 Comment

As my father contracted polio, or poliomyelitis as it formally known, at a young age, it is one of the crippling diseases of which the McCleland family is well aware. Before the advent of vaccines in the 1940s, this scourge could not be prevented and the treatments bordered upon the barbaric. About 10% of the victims ultimately succumbed to it. Fortunately, my father’s malady was less severe as it only affected one foot. Nevertheless, one leg was shorter than the other which precluded normal sporting and other activities.

This is the chronicle of that devastating disease, now largely forgotten.

Main picture: A polio patient in an iron lung in 1938

Absurd Adverts Promoting Smoking from Yesteryears

By Dean McCleland in Health, Other Opinion Pieces 6 July 2016 0 Comment

Once smoking bore the cachet of cool, elegance and sporting. Viewing the adverts of half a century ago they are so utterly laughable that it strains one’s credulity to believe that adverts would tout smoking as an elixir. Yet they did. Much like latter day adverts proclaiming miracle cures for obesity, their continued message is believed when manufacturers and human belief coincide.

Main picture: Amongst the many supposed benefits of smoking was weight loss

Vitamins: Caveat Emptor Definitely Applies

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Health 5 July 2016 0 Comment

Contrary to received wisdom, more vitamins are not better for one. Far from it. Mae West might have stated that more is better, but she was referring to sex and not to vitamins. The overconsumption of vitamins could be benign as in the case of vitamin C where the excess is merely excreted or it can be toxic in the case of vitamin A. Is the unregulated vitamin supplement industry unscrupulously opportunistic and is science able to substantiate definitely what levels are required?

Main picture: Is this the way that nature intend us to take our vitamins?

Genetic Engineering: The Genie is out of the Bottle

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Health 3 July 2016 0 Comment

It is one thing to predict that a breakthrough is imminent but it quite another to actual effect that leap forward. After researchers with cheery optimism had cried wolf on numerous occasions, the scientists & technologists have finally found an inexpensive and undemanding method of editing DNA.

How is this feat performed and will it be the panacea as predicted?

Main picture: CRISPR will be the game changer. The die is now cast and genetic engineering will now be a reality

The Paradox of the Ethical Carnivore

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Health 3 July 2016 0 Comment

In all likelihood I will be vilified by the Vegetarian fraternity for even posing the question of ethnics and meat eating. To them it is an oxymoron, a casus belli using their favourite weapon, the politics of rage by casting their views in melodramatic terms. Call me old-fashioned, even heartless, but I have no intention of banishing meat from my menu. This is not to say that I nonetheless face a moral dilemma. I have always concurred with the widely held view that it in spite of being bred for the pot, these animals must be treated humanely whilst being mindful of the ecological consequences of the methods in which they are farmed.

Herein lies the paradox as alluded to in the title of the blog and not the fact of eating meat.

Main picture: Caring owl feeding an injured owl with 2 broken legs and a damaged wing estimated to be 1 year old. To find out more about this incredible bird go to its very own website at http://www.thecaringowl.co.za/

Is being Overweight a Life Sentence?

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Health 2 May 2016 0 Comment

Reality TV shows in which contestants lose enormous quantities of weight seem to suggest otherwise? In what can only be described as results vindicating those who are unable to lose weight, the release today in the Obesity Journal – 1^st May 2016 – of the tests performed on those contestants seems to confirm the dismal performance of diets. In an article entitled The Science of Fat, Gina Kolata presents those findings.

Main picture: The most expensive artifact is the Space Station at USD 150 billion

Why is there an Epidemic of Heroin Overdoses amongst the American Middle Class?

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Health 22 January 2016 0 Comment

Outside of America, the mindless stupidity of heroin addiction, that is currently ravaging the white Middle Class, is a relatively unknown phenomenon. Even the Presidential hopefuls are being intensively interrogated about their plans to remedy the situation. Teenager-dom is a turbulent period in youngsters lives and experimentation is the norm, but why is there is sudden spike in heroin addiction in the United States?

Main picture: The final humiliation

What should one’s Heart Rate be?

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Health 5 December 2015 1 Comment

In the McCleland household this is a contentious issue. Always was; always will be. This bone of contention raised its head some 20 years ago when I was training heavily in order to achieve my personal best [PB in runners-speak] over all distances up to and including a marathon. Anal would be too blasé an epithet to describe how I measured my runs: weather conditions, temperature, splits per kilometre, weight loss on the run & controversially from Janine’s perspective, my daily heart rate. Science has now come to my rescue and vindicated my standpoint. At the extreme, it also issues a warning when one’s resting pulse is too high. What does science now tell us?

Main picture: An X-ray of the heart with veins coloured blue and arteries red

The Opinion Pieces are an eclectic bunch on current affairs & history often with a human interest aspect. The Movie/DVDs reviews are mainly on documentaries with a smattering of movie reviews.

Category Archives: Health