Friday, February 27, 2004

Some interblogisms

Kilpikonna informs us that a "feminine woman" would never admit being allergic to fish, because women are supposed to like fish. She is pissed off at this rule. Funny, I have never heard of any such rule. Maybe that's because I like fish already? Hey, look at superfeminine fish-loving me!

Birdy disapproves of medical testing on animals. How about humans? What does Birdy think of using medications and medical techniques which were developed through animal testing? In any case, her opinion of medicine is not very high.

Apparently she has not noticed that the study that links breast cancer with use of antibiotics has only found statistical correlation, not a causal link. Which is not to say that there might not be one.

Birdy also says that many young women bone density problems nowadays. She suspects use of birth control pills and asks how come there is no research on it. There really is, of course. The link between estrogen and bone density loss is well studied: more estrogen, less bone density loss. Combination birth control pills contain estrogen. If they are not considered likely culprits for bone density loss, that's for a good reason. And if they cause you to stop menstruating for years, then you are either using them the wrong way or there is something wrong with you.

Use of Depo-Provera (a progesterone-only injectable contraceptive), OTOH, has been associated with bone density loss, and it says so in their patient information sheet.

As an extra advice for Birdy I might mention that smoking has been associated with bone density loss.

All the corrections to the above from people who know better are naturally welcome.

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