 |
| Mortality curve, by Body Mass Index. Data from Britain. Source |
Anti-coagulant therapy for Covid
 |
| A summary slide showing the findings of pooled studies with regard to reduced mortality and "thrombosis" likelihood based on when anticoagulants are used. Vertical, red, dashed line added by ERJ. Based on the data shown in this slide, one could credibly claim that anticoagulants have the potential to reduce Covid mortality by 30% |
 |
| This slide shows the dispersal of data for various studies investigating anticoagulants administered after Covid is diagnosed. One study shows increased mortality. The other four show improvement. |
One thing this meta-study (a study that combines the data from several other, similar studies) is that the results can be skewed by which studies you include, which you leave out and how you choose to weight them.
As a parenthetical note: That 81mg aspirin you might be taking every day is considered an anticoagulant and a NSAID, that is, Non-steroidal, Anti-inflammatory Drug.
Moderate exercise as an a way to reduce inflammation markers
One of the things that sucks about BMI studies is that it takes a long time to move your BMI any significant amount. That is, unless you choose to have your leg amputated.
It is accepted as common knowledge among doctors who study inflammation that "moderate" exercise significantly reduces the chemical markers for inflammation.
That may be more significant than it appears. Those markers may be the chemical switches than turn various reactions on-and-off.
It might take half a year of relentless dieting to move your BMI from 31-to-26 (or from 40-to-35). Wouldn't it be nice if you could get the same benefit by squeezing three or four hours of walking into your week? Not only that, but that protection would show up within a few weeks of when you started walking.
Putting my money where my mouth is
 |
| Counters |
The weather is unsettled today.
Mrs ERJ convinced me to put an alarm on my phone for those periods when I am most likely to be ensconced in the official ERJ Blogging Recliner.
The "snooze" is set for 30 minutes with ten repeats.
The expectation is that I will hop out of the recliner and do SOMETHING physical every time the snooze goes off.
Today I am putting on a backpack (47 pounds) and climbing the stairs down to the basement 10 times.
Six sets of ten is about 500 feet of elevation.
Low-dose aspirin is cheap. Climbing stairs is cheap. In a highly politicized environment, it is impossible to shake-down donors who take matters into their own hands.
ERJ, BMI is hard. As someone who weight trains, I constantly peg out on the "almost obese" portion of the scale, but really am not. If helpful, here is a calculator that presents the data in multiple formats:https://www.calculator.net/body-fat-calculator.html?
ReplyDeleteActually, based on my height, age, weight, neck, and waist size, it claims I actually need to gain a little fat to reach the ideal.
DeleteYup !!!
DeleteMost of the times I have had to get weighed at the Dr's office and got the BMI, I also made a point to say that the BMI is wholly unrealistic (and the Drs and nurses all agreed). Like you, I was into weight training and at 6'1 and 215, I was obese. The BMI was made for people in 3rd world countries that only eat once a week.
I believe that BMI chart as it relates to the Shanghai Shivers....
ReplyDeleteI see Covid patients at work ALL THE TIME. And the vast majority that get admitted....and they are usually REALLY SICK....are overweight. There's a lot of reasons to keep your weight under control. The Rice Rabies is just one more of them.
Your method of receiving mini workouts sounds promising. When I walk the dog, I've got into the habit of taking a 10 pound barbell to simulate the weight of a rifle. Uou can choose several exercises as you walk and move.
ReplyDeleteBe very careful turning around with the weight on your back. Twisting my back carrying a weight (lawnmower loaded into truck bed by myself) gave me a bout of sciata like pain.
It's my understanding that the first weight charts, the forerunner of todays BMI charts, were created in the military after WWII by men who ran alot.
ReplyDeleteThey believed their own body type was ideal and looked down on weightlifters and other with heavier builds.
I believe that systemic bias continues to today, though I'm not sure why.