Steams of Consciousness

It is amazing how streams of thought get started. In biochemistry we are discussion lipid metabolism and got to talking a bit about conversion of sugars to fats and fat deposition at the molecular level. I am totally fascinated by the diseases, issues and concerns surrounding obesity and have been for a long time. I was really lucky to have had the opportunity to work with some wonderful minds in this area back at the Diabetes Hospital in the "Halls of Kudzu" and gained great insight into the role that obesity played in this disease. Even way back then,  as Galen discovered the cell, obesity was understood to be a core player in diabetes.  Goes to show that with a good "teacher" you remember stuff. They were great teachers.

My mind wandered to the present as my current professor talked.  And then I read this mini article that came thru my email alert service:

Study links higher body mass index to arthritis in hips, knees. (Los Angeles Times, 10/25 as presented at the American College of Rheumatology) "The first and largest study examining the association between overweight, body mass, and osteoarthritis...found that overweight people are more likely to suffer the pain of arthritis in their hips and knees as they age... increased weight accelerates "the progressive damage done to the cartilage around joints," which "can lead to fluid accumulation, bony overgrowth, and loosening and weakness of muscles and tendons around the joints."

My mind streamed to my last job, first assisting in orthopedic surgery; A position that required me to "hold" and manipulate a lot of legs for total hip and knee surgery. A LOT of BIG legs. The article was no shock to me and I have the biceps to prove it. I can't remember we operated on a skinny total joint patient. Obesity has become a central focus on disease development, and the culprits (sugar, overeating, sedentary lives) keep on culpritting.

And how about the cost? $25,000 and up! With peripheral costs, as high as $75,000 in one study.$100,000+ if you have to go on and get the "other" one done. This is not cheap. Can you imagine the health spa, exercise facility experience that could be created with that money to keep people thin?

But in the words of that wonderful professor, years ago walking the halls of the hospital, teaching me extraordinary things...American medicine is predicated on people doing things to themselves. If everyone stayed healthy and actually did something about those preventable things in their lives, there wouldn't be the demand for the 200,000 projected physician shortfall in the next decade. So, for my sake and that sake of my colleagues...keep eating America. It's good business. Don't "step away from the chicken!"