Humour: quotes on science and religion.....

Science can purify religion from error and superstition.
Religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.

(Karol Wojtyla, alias pope John Paul II)

There are grounds for cautious optimism that we may now be near the end of the search for the ultimate laws of nature.

(Hawking, Stephen W.)

Does accident proneness exist?

Well, probably it does. Some people seem to be more prone to accidents (with injuries requiring medical attention) during most of their lifetime than others : see a review/metanalysis here. Just statistical data.

And what about multiple accidents in a row happening to a person, but 'clustering' in time?

This is my accidents/injuries list of the past week :
Last Monday I slightly burnt my arm when taking a hot dish from the oven. I held the burned spot on my arm under cold running water for some time, and after all, it was not so bad.
On Wednesday, in my office, I bumped my knee into the sharp corner of a metal drawer of my desk: big bruise, all colours of the rainbow by now....
On Thursday evening, when washing up the dishes, I cut my wet hand on a sharp knife. A lot of blood, but a bandaid did the trick.
On Saturday, when vacuumcleaning, I hit my toe – hard - on a table post. Sharp pain, you know how intense this pain can be, and it still hurts a little now.
And finally, yesterday, around 5 pm, the culmination point (at least, I hope so!): when helping unpack, move and install new furniture at my sister's house, an angry heavy garage door decided to fall with its full weight on my poor head (defective mechanism – nobody could foresee). I was knocked down to the floor by this really serious blow, managed to crawl upright after some time, and everything in the next 2 hours seemed to happen in slow motion... My family wanted to drive me to hospital, but I refused. I just wanted to sit and lie down, and be left on my own, and rest and recover. I didn't lose consciousness, but my sight, hearing, muscle coordination, etc.... seemed to have gone into a kind of 'safe mode', only allowing basic impressions and movements. Two hours later came the nausea, and I threw up once. After that I felt better, but, after 10 minutes of heavy shivering, I was left with a serious headache and felt extremely tired. Later last night I tried to watch television, but something was wrong with my vision. So I went to bed after taking a paracetamol, and had a good night's sleep. When I woke up this morning, I felt better, but my head, right ear and eyes were hurting, and I had this weird sensation of cold in the area on my head that received the blow. So I went to see my doctor: concussion, of course. 3 days of rest at home.

Until Saturday I thought I was just being a little clumsy, although not exactly more stressed or tired than normal. That stupid accident yesterday, however, that could have happened to anyone being at that place at that exact time. Not caused by clumsiness, or inattentiveness, or whatever. It just happened to me.

Any warning from the universe involved? One could wonder.
But I think I'll stick to 'coincidence' as an explanation for the time being.... and be very, very careful in the next days....

Moderate alcohol consumption cuts the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis by 50%.

Today BBC News reports on 2 studies (of the Swedish Karolinska Institutet) published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, showing that moderate alcohol drinkers have a 50 % lower risk of developing RA than non-drinkers. Smoking on the other hand, these studies report, is to be considered a very high risk factor, reinforcing findings from earlier studies.

Heavy drinking is of course deleterious for health, but moderate drinking may have some health benefits. There is also evidence for moderate drinkers having a reduced risk for other inflammatory processes, like cardiovascular disease.

Researcher Henrik Kallberg added

'the reason for this reduced risk is still unclear'

.....Hmm, I can immediately think of at least 2 reasons:

1. From a nutritional biochemistry viewpoint : Ethanol influences the activities of desaturase enzymes. These are key enzymes in the fatty acid metabolism. Some studies (see an example) indicate that alcohol stimulates their activity. Even through a broad range of alcohol concentrations. More specifically, well-active desaturase enzymes help in converting more substantial amounts of essential fatty acids linoleic acid (omega-6) and alphalinolenic acid (omega-3) in several steps into 'good' prostaglandins and thereby avoid excessive 'overflow' of fatty acid metabolites into the inflammatory arachidonic pathway.... However, very high alcohol intake over a longer period of time has shown to have the opposite effect.

2. From an ayurvedic viewpoint : Alcohol opens blocked srota's, the micro- and macrochannels throughout the body, resulting in better removal of all kinds of junkmaterial from the body (metabolic waste, toxins, free radicals, etc...) and more optimal metabolism, at least temporarily... Excess alcohol is considered a cellular poison.

ME/CFS in The New York Times yesterday

"Chronic Fatigue Syndrome no longer seen as "Yuppie Flu", that's the title of a rather good article about ME in yesterday's New York Times.
'Good' in the sense that the known triggers (viruses, toxins, etc...) and the seriousness of the disease ('as sick and as functionally impaired as people with AIDS, breast cancer, COPD, ....) are mentioned , and that some of the CDC's misconceptions on ME are discussed.
Not so good :
- the choice of a patient who recovered (partially) with 'exercise' and treatment. In general exercise worsens the condition of people suffering from ME!
- the focus on 'fatigue' again, whereas the main ME/CFS symptom is 'exercise intolerance'! Big difference...