Who here has received the COVID-19 vaccine?

[diaduit]

are antibody tests worth it?

They're not too expensive now at €79 per person but I distrust the companies doing them.  One of them is the pcr test provider for Novartis, Irish Defence forces and DELL ....nuff said.

[GiftOfGod]

are antibody tests worth it?

They're not too expensive now at €79 per person but I distrust the companies doing them.  One of them is the pcr test provider for Novartis, Irish Defence forces and DELL ....nuff said.

They are $10 here without insurance and even then I would say "no" since I know people who have gotten COVID twice. I'm not doubting the tests, I am saying that they are pointless due to the new strain that people are getting.

[Acolyte]

I have COPD, high blood pressure barely under control, borderline diabetes, and a BMI of over 35. So could have been worse.

Wow, you have one foot in the grave.

I dunno. I feel pretty good. COPD is early stage, no oxygen. Liver and kidney function are good per Dec. bloodwork.

I just need to eat right and exercise.

Grave and all that goes with it is paid for, including a TLM mass.

[Acolyte]

are antibody tests worth it?

They're not too expensive now at €79 per person but I distrust the companies doing them.  One of them is the pcr test provider for Novartis, Irish Defence forces and DELL ....nuff said.

Mine was done at my doctor's office. Insurance or my state covered the cost. Not sure which. They drew blood out of my arm for mine. Doc says the finger prick ones are the inaccurate ones.

I wouldn't trust the indy outfits popping up here and there.

[diaduit]

https://www.ibtimes.com/who-gregory-michael-doctor-dead-after-covid-vaccine-wife-says-it-destroyed-beautiful-3116594?fbclid=IwAR3EFqKRocYFZZtQwGbZ32Yo3TjBj_pMT1HNAUarXnAO8MkaXjz2R96ZeOQ

[Acolyte]

This is just my opinion. The vaccines are too late. Whether they are safe or will make a difference remains to be seen, but the virus is having it's way.

There is a married couple at my parish that has had it and they didn't even stop coming to mass and adoration while they had it. And I have never seen either one of them wear a mask. Denial or entitlement, I'm not sure how to describe the mindset of someone like that.

This really boggles my mind..
"Federal officials have been keeping a considerable reserve in case of an emergency" ... from an article discussing Biden's plan to release all the vaccine reserve instead of storing half of it for second doses.

What ? There isn't an emergency right now ?

[Acolyte]

are antibody tests worth it?

They're not too expensive now at €79 per person but I distrust the companies doing them.  One of them is the pcr test provider for Novartis, Irish Defence forces and DELL ....nuff said.

They are $10 here without insurance and even then I would say "no" since I know people who have gotten COVID twice. I'm not doubting the tests, I am saying that they are pointless due to the new strain that people are getting.

Well, a positive result can give some folks a bit of hope since it indicates their immune system did it's job and they now have some protection.

A vaccine is given to make the immune system produce antibodies. So in a way, those who had a previous infection and now have antibodies achieved the same thing without risking whatever concerns them about mRNA vaccines.

On the mutation in question there have been indications so far that it affects younger people more.

[james03]

I dunno. I feel pretty good. COPD is early stage, no oxygen. Liver and kidney function are good per Dec. bloodwork.

I just need to eat right and exercise.

Dude, you are on the right path as you had the humility to list your medical problems and face them.  Never smoke again.  You said you use pouches.  Dip pouches over smoking, or use the patches if you can afford them.  Basically, just assume you will patch for the rest of your life.  If you aren't on oxygen, you still have enough lung function to live a normal life, and it will improve to some extent the longer you are off cigarettes.

Also, try Atkins.  Buy some sacks of your favorite nuts.  Some stores have hoppers of nuts that you can dump into a bag.  Then eat meat and fat for meals, and snack all day on the nuts.  The thing about insulin/leptin really works.  First two days, I won't lie, there is a glucose withdraw, but it passes.  Good thing about Atkins is that you are never hungry.  Also add a men's (no iron) multi vitamin/mineral to your stack.  You might be overeating because you are malnourished.  Finally, walk some to up you metabolism.  Give it a try for a month.  Snacking on nuts all day really works in eliminating appetite.

[Acolyte]

I dunno. I feel pretty good. COPD is early stage, no oxygen. Liver and kidney function are good per Dec. bloodwork.

I just need to eat right and exercise.

Dude, you are on the right path as you had the humility to list your medical problems and face them.  Never smoke again.  You said you use pouches.  Dip pouches over smoking, or use the patches if you can afford them.  Basically, just assume you will patch for the rest of your life.  If you aren't on oxygen, you still have enough lung function to live a normal life, and it will improve to some extent the longer you are off cigarettes.

Also, try Atkins.  Buy some sacks of your favorite nuts.  Some stores have hoppers of nuts that you can dump into a bag.  Then eat meat and fat for meals, and snack all day on the nuts.  The thing about insulin/leptin really works.  First two days, I won't lie, there is a glucose withdraw, but it passes.  Good thing about Atkins is that you are never hungry.  Also add a men's (no iron) multi vitamin/mineral to your stack.  You might be overeating because you are malnourished.  Finally, walk some to up you metabolism.  Give it a try for a month.  Snacking on nuts all day really works in eliminating appetite.

I'll look into the leptin.

In Dec. 2013 I weighed 289 pounds and decided to get my act together. By June of 2015 I was down to 190 pounds.

I did it by stopping fast food meals, not eating anything 4 hours before bedtime, and moving around. By moving I mean walking and always finding something to do that required physical effort.

I don't remember the exact number but my A1c went from being high enough that my doctor told me I may need insulin to a number that lead to Doc telling me to stop using my monitor at home.

But now it's back up because of junk food and my weight is 250 due to laziness. I know how to fix it though. As you said, eat right and get off my rear.

On the nicotine, I'm done with smoking for sure and I have a bunch of patches nowhere near expired. I have tried every brand and flavor of pouch I can find and Timber Wolf Peach is my favorite. And it's the least expensive as well. But I plan to stop using them after the Covid calms down.

There is a book I dug out of storage titled The Good Calorie Diet. It focuses on the glycolic index of foods and how one can eat all they want if they stick to the right foods. I'll look into the Atkins diet and see if there are similarities. I suspect there are.

[james03]

Yep.  Same thing.  Eliminating glucose spikes lowers insulin and insulin resistance.  This then lowers inflammation.

But I plan to stop using them after the Covid calms down.

  Big mistake.  Have as your mindset that you will be enjoying your Timber Wolf Peach for the rest of your life, though you'll revisit the decision in a year or two.  Consider it settled.  Also, at this point every cigarette you smoke causes a lot of damage.  You can't risk it, so just go with the pouches.  Maybe in a year after your health is great and you want to reach higher, you can quit.  But leave it for now.

 That will allow you to focus on the critical thing, which is eliminating what is called metabolic syndrome.  Easy thing, eliminate sugary drinks and replace with water, or diet drinks if you have to.  If your book focuses on glycolic index, it's a good book.

Also leptin is a hormone that gives you the fullness feeling.  It is suppressed by insulin.  Fat intake causes leptin to increase.  If you eliminate insulin spikes, your body will naturally regulate calories through healthy hunger (no cravings) and fullness.

[clau clau]

I dunno. I feel pretty good. COPD is early stage, no oxygen. Liver and kidney function are good per Dec. bloodwork.

I just need to eat right and exercise.

Dude, you are on the right path as you had the humility to list your medical problems and face them.  Never smoke again.  You said you use pouches.  Dip pouches over smoking, or use the patches if you can afford them.  Basically, just assume you will patch for the rest of your life.  If you aren't on oxygen, you still have enough lung function to live a normal life, and it will improve to some extent the longer you are off cigarettes.

Also, try Atkins.  Buy some sacks of your favorite nuts.  Some stores have hoppers of nuts that you can dump into a bag.  Then eat meat and fat for meals, and snack all day on the nuts.  The thing about insulin/leptin really works.  First two days, I won't lie, there is a glucose withdraw, but it passes.  Good thing about Atkins is that you are never hungry.  Also add a men's (no iron) multi vitamin/mineral to your stack.  You might be overeating because you are malnourished.  Finally, walk some to up you metabolism.  Give it a try for a month.  Snacking on nuts all day really works in eliminating appetite.

I'll look into the leptin.

In Dec. 2013 I weighed 289 pounds and decided to get my act together. By June of 2015 I was down to 190 pounds.

I did it by stopping fast food meals, not eating anything 4 hours before bedtime, and moving around. By moving I mean walking and always finding something to do that required physical effort.

I don't remember the exact number but my A1c went from being high enough that my doctor told me I may need insulin to a number that lead to Doc telling me to stop using my monitor at home.

But now it's back up because of junk food and my weight is 250 due to laziness. I know how to fix it though. As you said, eat right and get off my rear.

On the nicotine, I'm done with smoking for sure and I have a bunch of patches nowhere near expired. I have tried every brand and flavor of pouch I can find and Timber Wolf Peach is my favorite. And it's the least expensive as well. But I plan to stop using them after the Covid calms down.

There is a book I dug out of storage titled The Good Calorie Diet. It focuses on the glycolic index of foods and how one can eat all they want if they stick to the right foods. I'll look into the Atkins diet and see if there are similarities. I suspect there are.

I remember seeing a great video about a really fat guy that got inspiration from a body-building forum.  It was really uplifting.

Actually, the bodybuilding one was this guy.

[Acolyte]

Yep.  Same thing.  Eliminating glucose spikes lowers insulin and insulin resistance.  This then lowers inflammation.

But I plan to stop using them after the Covid calms down.

  Big mistake.  Have as your mindset that you will be enjoying your Timber Wolf Peach for the rest of your life, though you'll revisit the decision in a year or two.  Consider it settled.  Also, at this point every cigarette you smoke causes a lot of damage.  You can't risk it, so just go with the pouches.  Maybe in a year after your health is great and you want to reach higher, you can quit.  But leave it for now.

 That will allow you to focus on the critical thing, which is eliminating what is called metabolic syndrome.  Easy thing, eliminate sugary drinks and replace with water, or diet drinks if you have to.  If your book focuses on glycolic index, it's a good book.

Also leptin is a hormone that gives you the fullness feeling.  It is suppressed by insulin.  Fat intake causes leptin to increase.  If you eliminate insulin spikes, your body will naturally regulate calories through healthy hunger (no cravings) and fullness.

No hurry to stop the pouches. I'm convinced nicotine offers some solid protection if Covid gets into my lungs.

Back in the spring..
https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/nicotine-replacement-therapy/

October..
Daily active smokers are infrequent among outpatients or hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Several arguments suggest that nicotine is responsible for this protective effect via the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR).

Nicotine may inhibit the penetration and spread of the virus and have a prophylactic effect in COVID-19 infection, especially in healthcare workers who are at high risk of infection."
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04583410

There is even a vaccine trial that involves tobacco.
https://interestingengineering.com/tobacco-based-covid-19-vaccine-got-fda-approval-for-human-trials

[Acolyte]

https://www.cureus.com/articles/41018-does-nicotine-prevent-cytokine-storms-in-covid-19
"However, a retrospective cohort study in France reported that smokers had a SARS-CoV-2 infection attack rate four times lower than non-smokers [13]. Another retrospective French study reported that, compared to the general population, smokers had a dramatically lower risk of developing symptomatic or severe COVID-19 [14]. Further similar findings elsewhere [15,16] have raised the question as to whether nicotine may have any biological effect on the SAR-CoV-2 virus. "

[King Wenceslas]

Haven't got one yet but this doesn't give me a whole bunch of confidence:

Things seem to be working backwards at The Commons on St. Anthony nursing home in Auburn, New York.

Vaccinating people is supposed to reduce or end coronavirus deaths. Right?

But, at The Commons, such deaths are reported to have occurred only after residents began receiving coronavirus vaccinations.

James T. Mulder wrote Saturday at syracuse.com that until December 29 there had been no coronavirus deaths at The Commons.

December 29, when deaths of residents with coronavirus began occurring at The Commons, is also, Mulder’s article discloses, seven days days after the nursing home began giving coronavirus vaccinations to residents, with 80 percent of residents so far having been vaccinated.

Over a period of less than two weeks since December 29, Mulder relates that 24 coronavirus-infected residents at the 300-bed nursing home have died.

The nursing home began vaccinating residents Dec. 22.

So far 193 residents, or 80%, and 113 employees, or less than half the staff, have been vaccinated.

The nursing home plans to do more vaccinations Jan. 12.

Is the timing just a strange coincidence?

[dymphnaw]

This is just my opinion. The vaccines are too late. Whether they are safe or will make a difference remains to be seen, but the virus is having it's way.

There is a married couple at my parish that has had it and they didn't even stop coming to mass and adoration while they had it. And I have never seen either one of them wear a mask. Denial or entitlement, I'm not sure how to describe the mindset of someone like that.

Did they tell you that they had Covid?