deathpixie | Verdict

So, got myself another two days off work on certificate (today and tomorrow), an inhaler (like they use for asthma) for the cough, and the notification that my bloodtest revealed that I have a B12 deficiency, which they didn't mention when I rang for my results. B12 is related to healthy blood and might have something to do with my tiredness of late, and can also be involved with stress. So in all likelihood the last year or so hasn't been kind to my B12 levels. I came back from the doctor with a bag o' medication (including some anti-histamine, since the cough may be allergy-related, score points there Benway) and I'm to rest as much as possible. If I'm still bad on Wednesday, I can ask for another certificate.

*deep breath* So, that's things health-wise.

Whilst I was out I got Mum's Mother's Day gift (late, I know, but I had intended to get it on Saturday only I was feeling crappy), plus a couple of things for myself (curse you Andrew's Bookstore!). In the shopping centre where my doctor is, there's a discount book stall, and since I was early and needed to buy a card to go with the pressie for Mum, I perused. *grins wryly* You know, I should know better - I came out with Noam Chomsky's September 11 and a new Terry Pratchett T he Wee Free Men. But it's payday on Thursday, and being sick is actually a good way to not spend anything, so I think I can manage. Besides, they were cheap. :)

Also stocked up on videos to keep me entertained for the next day: He Died With A Fal afel In His Hand (finally!) and From Hell which I've seen, but wanted to see again. I've already watched Falafel..., which was great - and prompted thoughts about the Reality Strikes RR. And the main character reminded me of [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com]. *chuckles*

Line that sticks:

"Is there a word for a man that doesn't want sex?"
"Dead."

I

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Vitamin B12 deficiency was once known as pernicious anemia, which would begin with lethargy and then continue on towards complete prostration. I seem to recall reading that wards used to be found full of such cases in larger zones, until a doctor (some time in the 20s) noticed slight improvements in people who had eaten yummy liver. After force-feeding liver to comatose victims, they were up and running about within weeks. It took another few years to figure out exactly what in liver was missing when it wasn't eaten, but vegetarians need not panic. B12 is now mostly made (at least in North America) by Eastman Kodak, who used their massive knowledge of fancy organic synthesis (developed for the photo chemical industry) to become an almost-monopoly supplier of vitamins to just about everyone (including, I suspect, many 'natural medicine' suppliers who chirp on constantly about how much better their products ffrom those made by large evil drug companies).

Thanks for that, Benway, it actually makes some sense.

As for the supplement, fortunately not every company in Australia is owned by American interests. I managed to find some B12 that was a) not contaminated by the recent Pan Pharmaceuticals (sp?) brouhaha (see previous journal entry) and b) produced by Blackmores, who aren't Aussie, but from New Zealand and that's close enough.

Something I was talking about with Gerg at one point - for countries that pride themselves on freedom of choice, the US and Canada don't appear to have that much. We were talking about healthy eating, and he was telling me how difficult it is to get stuff that is truly healthy and not produced by one of the Big Companies. Australia doesn't seem to have that problem - I've never had an issue with being able to find and alternative product to the big multinationals.

and he was telling me how difficult it is to get stuff that is truly healthy and not produced by one of the Big Companies.

Well, the problem there is A) assuming anything "Big Company" is bad, and B) equating the "Big Company" with 'unhealthy'. Anywhere you go, you can find a whole foods store or farmers' market with "natural-grown" produce and suchlike - you'll just pay more for it. Because the mass-produced stuff is CHEAPER to make and harvest, and you get what you pay for. Simple economics.

We have the cheap sandwich bread here (WONDER Bread, for example) that's got the nutritional value of cardboard, but it's also cheap. Whereas whole grain bread from a local bakery is better for you, but also more expensive.

I was having this conversation with Frito and Redhawk the other day, that vitamin supplements are part of the reason Americans have accepted a more unhealthy diet - because they can always get the necessities from a little pill. And while that's not a bad thing entirely (hey, it's more freedom for people to eat what they want, if their bodies can't handle the strain - their choice) - I do think there's a serious public misconception of what a healthy diet actually IS.

But there's loads of freedom of choice (and for all Gerg would know about US habits, being a Great White Northerner, ptui) when it comes to food. There's not a lot of informed choice, simply because people are too lazy to inform themselves. Not some evil "Big Company" at work.

~M.

Well, the problem there is A) assuming anything "Big Company" is bad,

Okay, you've got me there - I do tend to be anti-multinationals, but not just for the health reasons. But I doubt you really want to argue global economics and such. *grins*

and B) equating the "Big Company" with 'unhealthy'.

Okay, maybe not every multinational is unhealthy, however, what I found when I was there was when I read the labels of various products, there were much larger amounts of sugar, artificial flavours, artificial colours, fats and salts than I'm used to seeing in Aussie products. It's also just about impossible to get anything that isn't Jumbo Extra Large With An Added 10%. And it's stuff that doesn't last, like dip, for example, so of course you have to eat the whole thing in the same amount of time you would finish a smaller container in. Great for big families, but afaik, family sizes are shrinking, not expanding.

Anywhere you go, you can find a whole foods store or farmers' market with "natural-grown" produce and suchlike - you'll just pay more for it. Because the mass-produced stuff is CHEAPER to make and harvest, and you get what you pay for. Simple economics.

I beg to differ. Having travelled through a fair chunk of your fair nation, it is not easy to find whole foods stores etc. Yes, there are farmer's markets, so fresh fruit and veggies are easy to find, but I'm talking the other stuff - juice, margarine, milk, cheese, bread. In a lot of towns the supermarket is the only option, and within that only option there are few options.

Perhaps I noticed the difference because of where I'm from. In Australia, yes, we have those wacky healthfood type stores where everything's organic and additive free. We also have those sections in the supermarkets. I can go to my local Safeway and get fresh-squeezed orange juice with no added sugar, and cheese from Tasmania. And yes, there is a difference in price, but not always.

We have the cheap sandwich bread here (WONDER Bread, for example) that's got the nutritional value of cardboard, but it's also cheap. Whereas whole grain bread from a local bakery is better for you, but also more expensive.

Good example. Yes, we have our Wonder Bread equivalent, but within the same supermarket, on the same shelf, even, you have about ten other types of bread, including multigrain, wholemeal and rye variations. And some of it for the same amount of money, or not a lot more. And then I can go to the bakery and get another whole range of bread. That, to me, is choice. Not what I saw in American supermarkets.

But there's loads of freedom of choice (and for all Gerg would know about US habits, being a Great White Northerner, ptui) when it comes to food.

Ah, but we both saw it for ourselves whilst travelling from LA to Savannah, and beyond. ;)

There's not a lot of informed choice, simply because people are too lazy to inform themselves. Not some evil "Big Company" at work.

Yes and no. People are lazy, and the information is there for those with the resources and the questioning minds to seek it. However, if you are given only a certain amount of choice, how are you to know there are alternatives? It astounded me that in California, land of orange production, orange juice was still far more expensive than any other drink. Yes, you could probably buy good, cheap juice from the orchard itself, but how many people are going to go to that effort? Where are the small local juice company labels in the supermarket fridges? My guess is that any small company that tried to break into the market would end up being overwhelmed or bought out by the multinationals.

*shrugs* Maybe I'm too quick to decry the multinationals. But I'll stand by my comment that for all your freedom of choice, your actual choices are kind of limited. That's based on my own perceptions.,

Dude, haven't you been eating enough vegemite? Mmmm?

Also, I think there's something else, possibly folate, where if it's low you can't absorb B12. It's been a long time since I learned these things.

Also. Falafel!! Hee! Makes the perfect Pete Wisdom, yeah? And mum says that sharehouses in the 70-80's in Brisbane were like that. Possibly not so much with the cutting the house in half, but yes.

Also, write more of the Tim Hunter story!

Also, I should stop fartarsing and get back to work.

M

Verdict

Pernicious Anemia

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Re: Pernicious Anemia

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