NEWS

[JimT]

Milt Morrison told me today that John Taffin is doing better each time he sees him. His appetite has returned and he is getting around much better. He requested Milt to bring over lunch from Jalapeño’s. He wanted two cheese enchiladas beans and rice so he’s doing better and hopefully will be at lunch next month for scheduled lunch together.

He thanks everyone for their prayers and calls

I spoke with Paco this afternoon. He had a fall recently while taking the garbage out. He slipped and fell and the garbage can landed on him. He ended up with a cracked pelvis. He is doing OK .. getting around with a walker. It may be 6 weeks or more before it is healed.

Keep him in your thoughts and prayers please.

[4t5]

Thanks Jim , get well Paco.

[Ysabel Kid]

Good news on John; tough on Paco. Those injuries aren't fun when one is younger; they are just devastating for senior folks (which I am rapidly approaching).

Prayers continue for both.

[Chaser]

Glad to hear Mr. John is doing better. I have admired him thru his writing.

Very sorry to hear about Mr. Paco. Prayer and best wishes for him and a speedy recovery.

[wvfarrier]

Dang, busted pelvis is miserable. GOD speed

[CowboyTutt]

Delighted about John, worried about Paco.....Thanks Jim. -Tutt

[Grizz]

prayers up for both men to mend well

[gamekeeper]

My best wishes that both you fine gentlemen heal well, thank you Jim for passing on our prayers and keeping us informed.

[Bill in Oregon]

Thanks for keeping us in the loop, Jim. Good news from Idaho, but a tough hand dealt to Paco. Bless both their hearts and yours, too.

[Poohgyrr]

Thank you for updating us on both. A recovering appetite can be a good sign. And hip problems just plain suck. Prayers up for both, and for families and friends.

[AJMD429]

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You young folks (30-60) might want to talk with your doctors about testing and maintaining your sex hormone levels as you age; people used to only rarely live much past 50-60 (avg life expectancy 42 in 1900), so all the atherosclerosis, cararacts, degenerative joint disease and frailty we now see were just looked on a ‘normal aging for those lucky enough to live longer than average’

You don’t have docs telling patients “you’ve got cataracts, and that’s just a normal part of getting old, so you’ll have to quit reading or driving”…no, the schedule a surgery and fix the cataracts…!

Male hormones start deteriorating for most of us in our 30’s, and by even age 50, we see enough changes to start weight gain (often despite diet and active lifestyle), worsen insulin levels (long before ‘sugar’ levels detectably rise), and start a cascade of heart disease and prostate problems and frailty that kicks in after 10-20 years.

The “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” attitude, combined with the mistaken notion that if bedroom activities are ok then the hormones must be ok, lead to many early deaths and disabilities that could be avoided.

Not all docs are interested in the preventative aspects of this because the money comes from waiting until disease is manifest, then doing interventional medicine instead of preventive medicine.

The failure to address the hormonal deterioration is even worse for women, who start out more physically fragile; so many of them make it into their 90’s (they live longer than men), but spend the last decades frail and unable to do much.

We intervened a century ago with sanitation, antibiotics, and surgery to double life expectancy, but now we need to complete things by keeping people healthy and vigorous during those added 40 or so years. Waiting until the arteries clog or bone breaks or tumor is found is not the best way; find and treat the risk factors (like elevated estrogen due to glyphosate exposure, or low free testosterone) when still young and BEFORE any symptoms manifest.

Beware though that many docs will see a ‘reference range’ on a test and tell patients it is a ‘normal range’ - if the doc doesn’t know the difference, run as fast as you can, because the difference is fundamental and important. Reference range’ at the lab I use for free/unbound testosterone is 40-240, but a male with a level below 120 will be in trouble already with changes in body composition, bones, insulin resistance, and lipids. A few will be fine below 120, but just as many will be in trouble metabolically at a level of 160, and need to be at 200 to stay healthy. Too many guys don’t even think to address this unless bedroom issues become a problem, but testosterone has far more roles in the body than that.