Blood Pressure
Posted: Wed 23 September, 2009 Filed under: Health, Weight Loss Leave a comment »Yesterday, I went to see my GP. Never my favourite way to spend time – I’m no fan of GPs at the best of times, and always go in expecting them to say “Oh, well, there’s not actually much we can do about that.”
In this case, I’ve whacked an existing scar, and opened it up again. Nothing special – it’s a fragile piece of skin, from the look of it, which is something my mother also has issues with – but more of an exploratory “Any suggestions on a) doing stuff to improve healing time on this? and b) preventing it in the future?” kind of thing. And I got exactly the expected answer. (But at least I know that for sure now)
Anyway, at the same time, the GP decided to check my blood pressure. This is one of the things that never fails to amuse me – considering I’m 6’4″ and distinctly overweight (although having now lost a stone from earlier this year) they always expect to give me a lecture on blood pressure. Bear in mind I’m rather known to be of the ranty persuasion as well, and they think it’s a no-brainer, which all goes to explain why they can never believe what it actually is.
In this case, the GP decided he’d done something wrong the first time, and checked it again.
But it still came out as 100/60. Which is ridiculously healthy and normal for someone of my dimensions and lifestyle. I don’t know how I manage it, but that’s pretty much what my blood pressure always works out to be.
Strange but true – and always fun to bemuse a GP with it.
Unsalted
Posted: Sat 19 September, 2009 Filed under: 1BEM, Health, Norfolk, People, Stupidity, Sweary, Thoughts Leave a comment »Sometimes you read a story and your mind boggles right out of its tiny capsule.
In this case, it’s a story about Norfolk’s Trading Standards launching a campaign to get people to reduce their salt intake. “How?”, I hear you cry. Well, like this…
New saltshakers with fewer holes have provided for fish and chip shops in Norfolk to help cut salt consumption. The saltshakers only have five holes and dispense 50% less salt than the usual 17-hole versions.
What ?!?
So this ‘campaign’ is only in the 400-ish fish-and-chip places in Norfolk. If you’re in a chippy, I somehow suspect that the salt in it is far less of a long-term risk than the amount of fat that’s going into that meal. But no, we’ll focus on the salt. Genius.
And what the fuck has it got to do with Trading Standards? Are people no longer judged to have enough personal responsibility to manage their own salt levels on their food?
I despair. I truly do.
Weight Loss stuff
Posted: Fri 11 September, 2009 Filed under: Domestic, Health, Weight Loss Leave a comment »What with all the other rubbish going on here, I’d forgotten to post a quick update about health, weight loss etc.
While I’m currently away during the week, I’m still working on the entire weight-loss thing, although I’m not managing to weigh myself regularly. I know I should (in theory) but I’m not doing – I’m quite happy with knowing it’s coming off.
Besides, I’ve got my own evidence that I’m still dropping weight.
For one thing my belt is now two holes in from where it used to be – that means that I’ve lost about an inch from round my waist.
The other big sign is that I’m now able to wear T-shirts one size smaller than I was when I started the weightloss. (And they’re T-Shirts from the same manufacturer, so none of this “one size in [company A], another size in [Company B]” malarkey) I’m now wearing a 2x shirt instead of a 3x.
It’s small things – and small but steady losses. I’m not wanting to drop five stone in five months, or anything insane like that. I am wanting to lose it, and keep it off. And as I do lose it, I’ll be doing more stuff in order to keep it off.
I’m happy with how I’m doing, anyway.
NHS Staffing
Posted: Thu 3 September, 2009 Filed under: Business, Charm School, Creativity, Cynicism, Health, News, Thoughts 2 Comments »Today there’s a lot of coverage about a suggestion to reduce the workforce of the NHS by 10% – and the resultant kerfuffle between Government, the NHS, and management consultants.
Currently the Government is saying that they have rejected this advice by McKinsey and Company, (Never heard of ’em? Me either.) which included closing 137,000 clinical and admin posts in order to save £20bn by 2014.
I’m pretty sure I could show how to save the NHS that much money by 2014, without losing a single clinical staff member.
Mind you, it would involve getting rid of shitloads of middle-managers, consultants, and fuckstick accountants. And of course that’s a plan that would never achieve approval – because it’s got to go through all those levels of shitbag middle-managers, consultants and fuckstick accountants before it can happen. And those self-serving fuckers are never going to do themselves out of a job. (Which is the same reason the “paperless office” will never happen)
I’m not suggesting getting rid of all the managers, as I think most people would agree that there need to be some of the buggers around, if only in order to make sure that the clinical professionals don’t drown in paperwork and procedures in the meantime. (Although of course if you get rid of enough of the middle-managers, you probably get to eliminate a whole host of the bullshit paperwork at the same time – sorry, it’s “streamlining” now isn’t it, not “getting rid of the shit”)
Still, wield a big enough axe, drop it from high enough, I’m pretty sure it’d still work…
Steps
Posted: Thu 3 September, 2009 Filed under: Health, Thoughts, Weight Loss 3 Comments »In the ongoing work towards gaining fitness and losing weight, the current work environment is actually pretty good. In work I’m on the fourteenth floor, and in the Travelodge I’m currently on the 6th.
First of all, I’m walking between Travelodge and work – it’s roughly half a mile each way, which is fine. That now takes me about six or seven minutes (my kind of commute!) and a bit longer when I’m lugging my Big Bag on Mondays and Fridays.
Now, I’m also a lazy bastard – I admit it freely. So I really can’t be arsed to walk up the flights of stairs (if I could even find them – I know they’re here somewhere, but no idea quite where) to Floor 14 – besides which, I’d be a sweaty lump of dough by the time I got there.
But I do walk up/down the six floors of stairs (i.e. twelve flights of stairs) at the Travelodge rather than using the lift. I’m not knackered at the end of it, but I know I’ve done it (well, on the way up anyway) which is probably a good indication of how out of shape I am. But at least I’m working on it.
What does bemuse me, though, is the people – both at work and at the Travelodge – who take the lift to go up one floor. Fine, if they’ve got loads of bags or whatever, I’m not going to begrudge it. But seriously, if all you’ve got is your sodding iPod or whatever, one floor of stairs isn’t going to break you into a sweat.