supersized MRI
Saw the neurosurgeon today–the same man who diagnosed my bulging disc between L5 and S1 in 1986 or ‘87–to find out what’s up with my lower-back pain. Some days are great; others not so great. In any case, I’m going for an MRI this afternoon. It’ll be a relief to find out what’s going on.
While I waited, the doctor’s nurse scheduled the MRI at another facility. I heard her ask the MRI person, "What weight can it accommodate?" When she got off the phone, she said, "I wasn’t asking because of your weight." [I'm currently 137.] "I was just curious because some facilities have new larger-sized MRIs that can accommodate people up to 450 pounds."
I said, "I’ll bet that wasn’t the case 20 years ago." She agreed it wasn’t.
On the bright side, my blood pressure is great: 110 over 63. I’ll keep you posted on the MRI results.
Apropos of weighing 450 pounds, here’s an AP story on MSNBC.com about whether adults need–or are likely to attempt–the amount of exercise proposed by the latest federal health guidelines:
90 minutes of exercise a day? Not likely …
Sixty to 90 minutes of exercise? Every day? That’s what the government
now suggests. But experts say most folks won’t consider that and add
that the recommendation for 30 minutes a day is enough for most.
Brilliant concept: "experts" agree that the amount of exercise one requires is partly determined by how much one weighs. The fatter you are, the more you need.
The article includes some intriguing charts showing the dramatic rise in the percentages of Americans who are overweight or obese now and in 1960. I should have copies made for all the people I’ve heard recently suggesting that the obesity epidemic is caused by "genetics." Yes, genetic components play a part. But our genetics haven’t changed in 45 years.
