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Drugs that tamp down inflammation in the brain could slow cognitive decline

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Re: Drugs that tamp down inflammation in the brain could slow cognitive decline

#21

Post by Retric »

Cougher wrote: post #17
knzhou wrote: post #5

From the perspective of a non-biologist reader only seeing popular articles, the past ten years have been completely bewildering. Nutrition has seemingly been boiled down to a couple of magic totems that are always simplistically either good or bad. Antioxidants are good. Inflammation is bad. Telomeres are good. Carbs are bad. All the "bad" things get associated with each other and anti-associated with the good thing…

The good versus bad narrative is also determined by the source/reader's orientation: Western medicine is corrupt and bad; natural solutions are wholesome and good. Natural medicine is anti-science and bad; western medicine = science and good. Each side is engaged in a turf war with the other. IMO, there are pros and cons to each, but the dogmatism clouds adherents to the potential of the enemy's understanding and sol…

That’s a common narrative, but science can explain what’s going on just fine.

Natural Medicine does seem to get people to change various behaviors. Several friends went through a bizarre homeopathic stage. I kept quiet because they where told the ‘magic pills’ only worked if they took care of their general heath better such as getting more sleep, and so they would comply.

I don’t think the placebo effect + lifestyle changes warrants calling these things an alternative, but it does explain why they can stick around. Sadly, some people are willing to just sell the magic pills without the advice that makes them useful.

Re: Drugs that tamp down inflammation in the brain could slow cognitive decline

#22

Post by im3w1l »

knzhou wrote: post #5

From the perspective of a non-biologist reader only seeing popular articles, the past ten years have been completely bewildering. Nutrition has seemingly been boiled down to a couple of magic totems that are always simplistically either good or bad. Antioxidants are good. Inflammation is bad. Telomeres are good. Carbs are bad. All the "bad" things get associated with each other and anti-associated with the good thing…

Inflammation is like scorched earth. You hurt yourself to hurt your enemy more. Best not to be in a position where you have to do it.

Re: Drugs that tamp down inflammation in the brain could slow cognitive decline

#23

Post by Maarten88 »

knzhou wrote: post #5

From the perspective of a non-biologist reader only seeing popular articles, the past ten years have been completely bewildering. Nutrition has seemingly been boiled down to a couple of magic totems that are always simplistically either good or bad. Antioxidants are good. Inflammation is bad. Telomeres are good. Carbs are bad. All the "bad" things get associated with each other and anti-associated with the good thing…

> magic totems that are always simplistically either good or bad.

I read a book on nutrition (forgot which) that started out with these helpful definitions:

  unhealthy - food we statistically eat too much of

  healthy - food we statistically should eat more
Food that is unhealthy is almost never plain "bad". In small quantities it is probably even "good". It's just that most people have too much of it in their everyday diet.

Re: Drugs that tamp down inflammation in the brain could slow cognitive decline

#25

Post by onetimemanytime »

vinni2 wrote: post #19
onetimemanytime wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

adopt, raise, long life. Or just live. My post wasn't meant to include everyone or exclude a specific group. (they are some who can't have kids for example, or refuse to...etc.etc. But in general we want to pass down our genes)

This is exactly the problem. In general the society expects us to pass on our genes by default. And those unfortunate feel that if they can’t pass on their genes there is something wrong with them.

What you said, is irrelevant to the main discussion (biology.) Whether not passing down your genes is good or bad for the person or society is a different discussion.

Re: Drugs that tamp down inflammation in the brain could slow cognitive decline

#26

Post by Cougher »

Retric wrote: post #21
Cougher wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The good versus bad narrative is also determined by the source/reader's orientation: Western medicine is corrupt and bad; natural solutions are wholesome and good. Natural medicine is anti-science and bad; western medicine = science and good. Each side is engaged in a turf war with the other. IMO, there are pros and cons to each, but the dogmatism clouds adherents to the potential of the enemy's understanding and sol…

That’s a common narrative, but science can explain what’s going on just fine. Natural Medicine does seem to get people to change various behaviors. Several friends went through a bizarre homeopathic stage. I kept quiet because they where told the ‘magic pills’ only worked if they took care of their general heath better such as getting more sleep, and so they would comply. I don’t think the placebo effect + lifestyle…

Retraction Watch says "hello".

Re: Drugs that tamp down inflammation in the brain could slow cognitive decline

#28

Post by Retric »

Cougher wrote: post #26
Retric wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s a common narrative, but science can explain what’s going on just fine. Natural Medicine does seem to get people to change various behaviors. Several friends went through a bizarre homeopathic stage. I kept quiet because they where told the ‘magic pills’ only worked if they took care of their general heath better such as getting more sleep, and so they would comply. I don’t think the placebo effect + lifestyle…

Retraction Watch says "hello".

I have no idea what you mean by that.

Re: Drugs that tamp down inflammation in the brain could slow cognitive decline

#29

Post by grabbalacious »

Chronic inflammation appears to be caused by persistent self-stimulation -- eating for comfort or pleasure, not getting enough sleep, chain-smoking, getting high, etc, without respite. So it's not really a biological problem. It's a widespread personal problem with complex biological consequences.

Re: Drugs that tamp down inflammation in the brain could slow cognitive decline

#30

Post by aw4y »

grabbalacious wrote: post #29

Chronic inflammation appears to be caused by persistent self-stimulation -- eating for comfort or pleasure, not getting enough sleep, chain-smoking, getting high, etc, without respite. So it's not really a biological problem. It's a widespread personal problem with complex biological consequences.

can you expand this concept?
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