WINTER 2019/2020 BANTER

[winterwx21]

7 hours ago, weatherpruf said:

Umm not "elderly" but middle aged with diabetes or high BP. Which is millions of people. The virus is much worse than the flu as no one has immunity. Kids do not get the disease, but they carry the virus. Probably because their systems are set to be exposed to new viruses; adults are not. Health care workers are also dying because of viral load. How serious is this? Every school system in NJ is expected to close within the next two weeks. Plans have been made to deliver lessons at home. The days do not have to be made up. Attendance policies for both staff and students have been suspended. My wife is a researcher in pharma and they have been told to be ready for long term closure. In 31 years, through the brutal winter of 94, and weeks long closures due to Sandy, districts have never been told they don't have to make up days. And requests to do online lessons in lieu of snow days have been denied by the state. Not this time. I expect this will ultimately change the way things are done moving forward; snow days will be a thing of the past, and it is setting a precedent for cyber learning. It's going to be one big experiment. Universities are telling students they can stay there on break, but if they go home be ready to continue lessons online. I have never seen anything like this. We were called in the other day with administrators and told this is not if, it is when....let's hope to God this is all hype and comes to nothing. Because frankly, our medical system is a mess and cannot handle this. There are not enough respirators, masks, hospital beds, or health care workers. The current mortality rate is around 3.4%. It could be lower if it turns out far more people are infected with milder disease, but with not enough testing kits,  hard to say . If, as expected, 60-70% of the population becomes infected, do the math. And around 20% of nonfatal cases are serious and require hospitalization. The only hope is that the virus peters out in warm weather, but experts do NOT expect that to happen. And even if it does, they expect it to be back in the fall. Now, I am not a scientist. I am trained in social sciences, but I am married to a biotechnologist engaged in muscular dystrophy research. We talk. And I read. A lot. And I know we have a few PhD's here who are better able to delve into the particulars, and if they have some more reassuring data, please post it. 

I'm sure the death rate is much lower than 3.4%. Since this is so similar to the flu and most people get fairly mild symptoms, it's obvious that many people that get it just assume it's the regular flu and don't even bother to go to the doctor. They just get better on their own. So if those people were in the statistics, the death rate would be much lower.

 

I was talking to my doctor about this the other day. She agrees that the hype about this Coronavirus is ridiculous. It's basically just another form of the flu. Remember 2 years ago we had that season with an extra serious strain of the flu that was causing much more severe illness and death rates. Why didn't the media go nuts over that? That was much worse than what we're seeing now with Corona. The media right now is just mega hyping this for ratings, and it's very unfortunate because it's causing a mass panic. People that are up in age or have underlying medical conditions need to be careful about catching this any kind of flu or flu-like illness, so yes there should be concern and caution. But not the epic panic that we're seeing right now, and younger healthy folks shouldn't be any more concerned about this than the regular flu. Yet people are hoarding at such great levels that you can't find a bottle of hand santizer anywhere, and even bottled water is becoming harder to get. It's insane and so annoying.

 

There are companies working on Corona vaccines right now, and human testing starts in April. Some companies are projecting that a vaccine could be ready by the end of this year or start of next year. The stock price of Inovio Pharmaceuticals went from 4 dollars to 15 dollars in just 5 days on this news.

 

Also, I don't know why you say experts don't expect it to peter out in warmer weather. I see many experts saying it's reasonable to assume it will go away with warmer weather, because it's so similar to cold/flu and cold/flu does go away in warm season. What they are saying is they can't say that for SURE, since it's a new virus. But there's a good chance it will, and that would at least give us several months without the virus.

[MJO812]

Of course  the EPO now wants to freefall 

How come this never happens during the winter ?

[matt9503]

Amazing how many people just discovered the existence of soap, hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes. Did they not clean or practice basic hygiene before this hysteria began?

[Brian5671]

24 minutes ago, matt9503 said:

Amazing how many people just discovered the existence of soap, hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes. Did they not clean or practice basic hygiene before this hysteria began?

So true-if we did all this every winter there would be alot less spread of colds, flu, stomach viruses etc

[Brian5671]

30 minutes ago, MJO812 said:

Of course  the EPO now wants to freefall 

How come this never happens during the winter ?

Euro has a steep drop, but let's see if it can overcome the SE ridge.  We might end up with a rainy pattern again if we end up in a battle zone.

[MJO812]

3 minutes ago, Brian5671 said:

Euro has a steep drop, but let's see if it can overcome the SE ridge.  We might end up with a rainy pattern again if we end up in a battle zone.

Agree

[weatherpruf]

12 hours ago, winterwx21 said:

I'm sure the death rate is much lower than 3.4%. Since this is so similar to the flu and most people get fairly mild symptoms, it's obvious that many people that get it just assume it's the regular flu and don't even bother to go to the doctor. They just get better on their own. So if those people were in the statistics, the death rate would be much lower.

 

I was talking to my doctor about this the other day. She agrees that the hype about this Coronavirus is ridiculous. It's basically just another form of the flu. Remember 2 years ago we had that season with an extra serious strain of the flu that was causing much more severe illness and death rates. Why didn't the media go nuts over that? That was much worse than what we're seeing now with Corona. The media right now is just mega hyping this for ratings, and it's very unfortunate because it's causing a mass panic. People that are up in age or have underlying medical conditions need to be careful about catching this any kind of flu or flu-like illness, so yes there should be concern and caution. But not the epic panic that we're seeing right now, and younger healthy folks shouldn't be any more concerned about this than the regular flu. Yet people are hoarding at such great levels that you can't find a bottle of hand santizer anywhere, and even bottled water is becoming harder to get. It's insane and so annoying.

 

There are companies working on Corona vaccines right now, and human testing starts in April. Some companies are projecting that a vaccine could be ready by the end of this year or start of next year. The stock price of Inovio Pharmaceuticals went from 4 dollars to 15 dollars in just 5 days on this news.

 

Also, I don't know why you say experts don't expect it to peter out in warmer weather. I see many experts saying it's reasonable to assume it will go away with warmer weather, because it's so similar to cold/flu and cold/flu does go away in warm season. What they are saying is they can't say that for SURE, since it's a new virus. But there's a good chance it will, and that would at least give us several months without the virus.

 More likely she is trying to calm her patients down. Panic isn't really going to help. The flu infects some tens of millions each year, and all of us have been exposed to flu viruses. This virus is novel. However, the only way we will know if the death rate is lower is if a lot more people get infected and survive. And that means testing, which we are way behind other countries in. There is support for that theory, but we don't know that.  Even so, a shocking 20% require hospitalization, and it has now been shown that the disease causes pulmonary fibrosis. This is incurable and could mean many people will become permanently disabled. A vaccine is not on the horizon, at least not in time to make a difference for this outbreak. My wife worked in vaccines at Sanofi. By the time the vaccine comes out the virus will either have done its damage or petered out. Once again, experts do not see it winding down in warm weather. It is NOT like the flu other than superficial symptoms. How do we know? COVID-19 can actually cause mild symptoms in people ( who can than spread it easier ) but the flu will knock you out, every time. This is a real threat to many people. People who have common, co-morbid ailments are dying from this, not just the immunocompromised. Oh, and if it peters out in warm weather ( it could, but they don't think it will ) it will likely return in the fall. I am only saying what the experts are saying. Let's hope they are all wrong. However, mass panic is never a good thing.  People should stock up on nonperishable items they can eat in case they have to self quarantine for 14 days, and should have backup supplies of needed medicines for blood pressure and such. Hoarding sanitizer will not do much. Again, only reporting what I have heard from experts that I have listened to; they could all be wrong. That possibility exists. Oh,most young people today live with and work with older people with chronic conditions. So they need to be just as vigilant. And the pre-existing conditions? Asthma. Diabetes. High BP. These are extremely common conditions. People have every reason to be concerned, especially with the level of incompetence that has been demonstrated thus far by the people in charge. But panic is not warranted.

[JustinRP37]

One thing I keep seeing both on the media and social media is people talking about “well my doctor said this or my doctor said that”. Most medical doctors have no formal training in epidemiology. Most Medical doctors are also not infectious disease specialists. A general practitioner will have som familiarity with diseases of course, but not in their spread. Listen to what epidemiologists are saying along with CDC. The issue with COVID-19 is not people under 39. It is people over 70. Above 80 the death rate is over 14%. If my grandparents were alive today, that is not a risk I’d take by visiting them. That said be as clean as possible. And avoid large gatherings for now. If you have the option to work from home, take it!!

[JustinRP37]

One other thing, people keep comparing this to the flu and how the flu numbers dwarf it. I even see medics doctors saying this. The swine flu outbreak in 2009 began in April  it went on to infect over 600 million but had a lower death rate. It was a pandemic and still continues to circulate today. If you compare the numbers by time since first discovery, COVID-19 is way ahead for countries infected, case numbers, and deaths.

[weatherpruf]

38 minutes ago, JustinRP37 said:

One thing I keep seeing both on the media and social media is people talking about “well my doctor said this or my doctor said that”. Most medical doctors have no formal training in epidemiology. Most Medical doctors are also not infectious disease specialists. A general practitioner will have som familiarity with diseases of course, but not in their spread. Listen to what epidemiologists are saying along with CDC. The issue with COVID-19 is not people under 39. It is people over 70. Above 80 the death rate is over 14%. If my grandparents were alive today, that is not a risk I’d take by visiting them. That said be as clean as possible. And avoid large gatherings for now. If you have the option to work from home, take it!!

Thank you . I wanted to point that out. And quite a few doctors around here went to med school in the Caribbean or Mexico. Most of mine were trained in countries where they issue a bachelor of medicine. it is more like professional training than the kind of education a scientist with a PhD in epidemiology gets. Some of the experts on these viruses are zoologists, not MD's. 

[weatherpruf]

14 hours ago, matt9503 said:

There’s always next winter.

And we likely won't see any before that. Gonna push 70 this week I am hearing.

[Brasiluvsnow]

17 hours ago, MJO812 said:

I want snow

Next Year 812,,,,we get em next year

[JustinRP37]

Looks like a few ski areas are throwing in the towel after today. What a garbage southern NY/New England ski season. Really feel for the local hills. Hopefully northern NY/New England can still have a decent spring. 

[winterwx21]

5 hours ago, weatherpruf said:

 More likely she is trying to calm her patients down. Panic isn't really going to help. The flu infects some tens of millions each year, and all of us have been exposed to flu viruses. This virus is novel. However, the only way we will know if the death rate is lower is if a lot more people get infected and survive. And that means testing, which we are way behind other countries in. There is support for that theory, but we don't know that.  Even so, a shocking 20% require hospitalization, and it has now been shown that the disease causes pulmonary fibrosis. This is incurable and could mean many people will become permanently disabled. A vaccine is not on the horizon, at least not in time to make a difference for this outbreak. My wife worked in vaccines at Sanofi. By the time the vaccine comes out the virus will either have done its damage or petered out. Once again, experts do not see it winding down in warm weather. It is NOT like the flu other than superficial symptoms. How do we know? COVID-19 can actually cause mild symptoms in people ( who can than spread it easier ) but the flu will knock you out, every time. This is a real threat to many people. People who have common, co-morbid ailments are dying from this, not just the immunocompromised. Oh, and if it peters out in warm weather ( it could, but they don't think it will ) it will likely return in the fall. I am only saying what the experts are saying. Let's hope they are all wrong. However, mass panic is never a good thing.  People should stock up on nonperishable items they can eat in case they have to self quarantine for 14 days, and should have backup supplies of needed medicines for blood pressure and such. Hoarding sanitizer will not do much. Again, only reporting what I have heard from experts that I have listened to; they could all be wrong. That possibility exists. Oh,most young people today live with and work with older people with chronic conditions. So they need to be just as vigilant. And the pre-existing conditions? Asthma. Diabetes. High BP. These are extremely common conditions. People have every reason to be concerned, especially with the level of incompetence that has been demonstrated thus far by the people in charge. But panic is not warranted.

Again, I don't know where you're getting the idea that experts are saying it isn't likely to peter out in warmer weather. I've read quotes from numerous experts, and most of them are optimistic that it will peter out in warmer weather. Corona is a viral respiratory illness just like the flu, and flu peters out in warmer weather. Here is a quote from Dr. Nancy Messonniere, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases....

 

"Other viral respiratory diseases are seasonal, including influenza and therefore in many viral respiratory diseases we do see a decrease in disease in spring and summer. And so we can certainly be optimistic that this disease will follow suit."

 

And that type of quote is what we're seeing from most experts. Again they're not GUARANTEEING that this will happen, since it's a new virus. They can't be 100% sure. But since it's very similar to the flu, it's very likely that it will peter out in warmer weather. It spreads in the same way as cold/flu, so common sense says it's likely to peter out in warm season just like the other respiratory illnesses.

 

Just like it's reasonable to assume that the death rate is much lower than what's being reported, it's also reasonable to assume that the reported 20% hospitalization rate is also much lower. Again, most people get mild symptoms similar to flu and many of them don't even realize it's Corona. They don't go to the doctor because they assume it's flu, so those people do not go into the statistics. If they did go into the stats, both the death and hospitalization rates would be much lower.

 

The reason why we're seeing the mega panic and hoarding going on, is people don't do well with things/concerns that are totally new. This isn't much different than the flu, but it's completely new and that scares people. You put on the tv and half of the news is dedicated to this virus. That's absurd and it causing a lot of the panic. Again we have flu outbreaks that kill thousands of people. It is estimated that the flu has killed 18,000 people in this country already this year. The flu is a MUCH bigger threat right now, yet the media is covering Corona like it's the much bigger threat. It's very unfortunate and leading to this horrendous hoarding that's going on. At least the grocery store that I go to is now putting a limit on how much water each person can buy, but it's really sad and disturbing that it has come to that.

[nycwinter]

13 minutes ago, winterwx21 said:

Again, I don't know where you're getting the idea that experts are saying it isn't likely to peter out in warmer weather. I've read quotes from numerous experts, and most of them are optimistic that it will peter out in warmer weather. Corona is a viral respiratory illness just like the flu, and flu peters out in warmer weather. Here is a quote from Dr. Nancy Messonniere, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases....

 

"Other viral respiratory diseases are seasonal, including influenza and therefore in many viral respiratory diseases we do see a decrease in disease in spring and summer. And so we can certainly be optimistic that this disease will follow suit."

 

And that type of quote is what we're seeing from most experts. Again they're not GUARANTEEING that this will happen, since it's a new virus. They can't be 100% sure. But since it's very similar to the flu, it's very likely that it will peter out in warmer weather. It spreads in the same way as cold/flu, so common sense says it's likely to peter out in warm season just like the other respiratory illnesses.

 

Just like it's reasonable to assume that the death rate is much lower than what's being reported, it's also reasonable to assume that the reported 20% hospitalization rate is also much lower. Again, most people get mild symptoms similar to flu and many of them don't even realize it's Corona. They don't go to the doctor because they assume it's flu, so those people do not go into the statistics. If they did go into the stats, both the death and hospitalization rates would be much lower.

 

The reason why we're seeing the mega panic and hoarding going on, is people don't do well with things/concerns that are totally new. This isn't much different than the flu, but it's completely new and that scares people. You put on the tv and half of the news is dedicated to this virus. That's absurd and it causing a lot of the panic. Again we have flu outbreaks that kill thousands of people. It is estimated that the flu has killed 18,000 people in this country already this year. The flu is a MUCH bigger threat right now, yet the media is covering Corona like it's the much bigger threat. It's very unfortunate and leading to this horrendous hoarding that's going on. At least the grocery store that I go to is now putting a limit on how much water each person can buy, but it's really sad and disturbing that it has come to that.

no vaccine for corona unlike the flu. lot's of people are elderly or middle age with chronic medical issues..there is good reason to panic for people in those categories..to compare it to the flu  is insulting.. it is  a lot for deadlier then the flu especially in people in high risk categories...

[winterwx21]

5 minutes ago, nycwinter said:

no vaccine for corona unlike the flu. lot's of people are elderly or middle age with chronic medical issues..there is good reason to panic for people in those categories..to compare it to the flu  is insulting.. it is  a lot for deadlier then the flu especially in people in high risk categories...

Older people and people with medical conditions need to be careful. There's no question about that. But there's no reason for the mega panic that's going on right now. Young healthy people are hoarding because they're so afraid. It's ridiculous, but the media hype is scaring people.

I also think people need to take better care of themselves in general. People allow themselves to get into really bad shape due to bad diet and not exercising. It's stunning that two thirds of people in this country are overweight. That leads to diabetes and high blood pressure, which ends up putting people in higher risk categories. You can reduce your risk of getting sick by eating properly and exercising a lot. I used to get quite a few colds during cold/flu season. Then I started a serious exercise program. I run 25 to 30 miles every week, and I run at a vigorous 8 to 9 minute per mile pace. Since I started doing that, I almost never get sick. I've had only 1 cold in the last 5 years. The exercise has strengthened my immune system that much. I also lost over 30 pounds, going from 167 to 135. It's a shame that so many people are not willing to take action to improve their health. They let themselves get into such bad shape that they're prone to all kinds of diseases as they get older. These risks can be greatly reduced by eating healthy and exercising a lot.

[matt9503]

3 minutes ago, winterwx21 said:

Older people and people with medical conditions need to be careful. There's no question about that. But there's no reason for the mega panic that's going on right now. Young healthy people are hoarding because they're so afraid. It's ridiculous, but the media hype is scaring people.

I also think people need to take better care of themselves in general. People allow themselves to get into really bad shape due to bad diet and not exercising. It's stunning that two thirds of people in this country are overweight. That leads to diabetes and high blood pressure, which ends up putting people in higher risk categories. You can reduce your risk of getting sick by eating properly and exercising a lot. I used to get quite a few colds during cold/flu season. Then I started a serious exercise program. I run 25 to 30 miles every week, and I run at a vigorous 8 to 9 minute per mile pace. Since I started doing that, I almost never get sick. I've had only 1 cold in the last 5 years. The exercise has strengthened my immune system that much. I also lost over 30 pounds, going from 167 to 135. It's a shame that so many people are not willing to take action to improve their health. They let themselves get into such bad shape that they're prone to all kinds of diseases as they get older. These risks can be greatly reduced by eating healthy and exercising a lot.

Completely agree. We just don’t take very good care of ourselves in this country. Bad diet, poor sleep habits, hardly any exercise, too much stress. It takes a toll and people age faster than they need to.

[weatherpruf]

2 hours ago, winterwx21 said:

Again, I don't know where you're getting the idea that experts are saying it isn't likely to peter out in warmer weather. I've read quotes from numerous experts, and most of them are optimistic that it will peter out in warmer weather. Corona is a viral respiratory illness just like the flu, and flu peters out in warmer weather. Here is a quote from Dr. Nancy Messonniere, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases....

 

"Other viral respiratory diseases are seasonal, including influenza and therefore in many viral respiratory diseases we do see a decrease in disease in spring and summer. And so we can certainly be optimistic that this disease will follow suit."

 

And that type of quote is what we're seeing from most experts. Again they're not GUARANTEEING that this will happen, since it's a new virus. They can't be 100% sure. But since it's very similar to the flu, it's very likely that it will peter out in warmer weather. It spreads in the same way as cold/flu, so common sense says it's likely to peter out in warm season just like the other respiratory illnesses.

 

Just like it's reasonable to assume that the death rate is much lower than what's being reported, it's also reasonable to assume that the reported 20% hospitalization rate is also much lower. Again, most people get mild symptoms similar to flu and many of them don't even realize it's Corona. They don't go to the doctor because they assume it's flu, so those people do not go into the statistics. If they did go into the stats, both the death and hospitalization rates would be much lower.

 

The reason why we're seeing the mega panic and hoarding going on, is people don't do well with things/concerns that are totally new. This isn't much different than the flu, but it's completely new and that scares people. You put on the tv and half of the news is dedicated to this virus. That's absurd and it causing a lot of the panic. Again we have flu outbreaks that kill thousands of people. It is estimated that the flu has killed 18,000 people in this country already this year. The flu is a MUCH bigger threat right now, yet the media is covering Corona like it's the much bigger threat. It's very unfortunate and leading to this horrendous hoarding that's going on. At least the grocery store that I go to is now putting a limit on how much water each person can buy, but it's really sad and disturbing that it has come to that.

I have read others saying they don't know and don't expect it to peter out in warm weather. As evidence, they cite the presence of COVID-19 in balmy Singapore, Australia ( where it's summer ) and Iran which is already warmer at this time of the year. Since this not the flu, is more infectious than the flu, there is no good reason to compare it to the flu. Maybe you are young or in good health and can afford to be less concerned. Millions can't. I have listened to what the local government officials are telling us in the schools. They are crapping their pants. I'm talking board of health here.And i am reading a lot. And the person you quoted in one article I read was immediately contradicted by another expert, who himself was challenged by another. We HOPE it will peter out, but IF it does, it MAY come right back in the fall. The Spanish flu was mild then came back in the fall and killed tens of millions, mostly young people. Best case scenario for a vaccine is 18 months. And the amount that will be needed is staggering;  millions will not be enough. That isn't going to help right now.But let me say, I hope to God you are right. Because the death rate over 50 and a pre-existing condition is over 16%. I did read one expert just now, a guy named Nicholls, who thinks it will peak by May then dwindle, but he was quite angry he was quoted as he didn't intend that for public release. Since sunlight kills viruses, and since SARS didn't like the heat, there is some logic to this as they are related. But the better comparison, in his view, is the common cold, which is in the same family. Easier to catch. Another expert I read ( Dr. Gray ) said it just gets harder for viruses in the warm weather because of sunlight and humidity. Others say the dry mucous membranes in winter make us more vulnerable. In warm climates they get just as many viruses, but they are spread out over the year. And some, like Ebola, don't mind the heat at all. So make of that what you will. Hopefully we are all well and arguing about snow amounts next winter.

[weatherpruf]

55 minutes ago, matt9503 said:

Completely agree. We just don’t take very good care of ourselves in this country. Bad diet, poor sleep habits, hardly any exercise, too much stress. It takes a toll and people age faster than they need to.

Just take vitamins and exercise right? And don't get older. And don't get any underlying disease. And choose your genes very well. And you might be ok. Maybe.

[weatherpruf]

1 hour ago, winterwx21 said:

Older people and people with medical conditions need to be careful. There's no question about that. But there's no reason for the mega panic that's going on right now. Young healthy people are hoarding because they're so afraid. It's ridiculous, but the media hype is scaring people.

I also think people need to take better care of themselves in general. People allow themselves to get into really bad shape due to bad diet and not exercising. It's stunning that two thirds of people in this country are overweight. That leads to diabetes and high blood pressure, which ends up putting people in higher risk categories. You can reduce your risk of getting sick by eating properly and exercising a lot. I used to get quite a few colds during cold/flu season. Then I started a serious exercise program. I run 25 to 30 miles every week, and I run at a vigorous 8 to 9 minute per mile pace. Since I started doing that, I almost never get sick. I've had only 1 cold in the last 5 years. The exercise has strengthened my immune system that much. I also lost over 30 pounds, going from 167 to 135. It's a shame that so many people are not willing to take action to improve their health. They let themselves get into such bad shape that they're prone to all kinds of diseases as they get older. These risks can be greatly reduced by eating healthy and exercising a lot.

Yes,yes, let's blame the patient! That'll solve it!

[snowman19]

Less than 10 days away from the Equinox now, who’s excited??

[winterwx21]

3 minutes ago, weatherpruf said:

Yes,yes, let's blame the patient! That'll solve it!

Blame the patient? I'm just saying people would be a lot healthier if they would eat healthy and exercise. There's no need for most people to be overweight and at greater risk of all kinds of diseases. A lot of it can be prevented, but sadly many people aren't motivated to do it.

[weatherpruf]

Just now, weatherpruf said:

 

 

3 minutes ago, snowman19 said:

Less than 10 days away from the Equinox now, who’s excited??

Excited? Not really. Ready for spring? Yes.

[weatherpruf]

1 minute ago, winterwx21 said:

Blame the patient? I'm just saying people would be a lot healthier if they would eat healthy and exercise. There's no need for most people to be overweight and at greater risk of all kinds of diseases. A lot of it can be prevented, but sadly many people aren't motivated to do it.

Obesity is a disease.

[winterwx21]

3 minutes ago, weatherpruf said:

Obesity is a disease.

I realize obesity is a disease. But most people that are overweight, can lose the weight by going on a diet/exercise program. Most people do not need to be overweight.

[MJO812]

37 minutes ago, snowman19 said:

Less than 10 days away from the Equinox now, who’s excited??

No one

[winterwx21]

32 minutes ago, weatherpruf said:

Just take vitamins and exercise right? And don't get older. And don't get any underlying disease. And choose your genes very well. And you might be ok. Maybe.

I'm not sure what your issue is. We're just pointing out that healthy habits (like eating lots of fruits-vegetables and exercising a lot) reduces the risk of being overweight and getting many diseases (like heart disease and cancer), and it also reduces the risk of getting sick during cold/flu season. The study results are overwhelming and those are facts that all medical experts agree with. Of course there are unlucky people that do everything right and still get diseases due to bad genes, but engaging in healthy habits does greatly reduce the risk overall. There's nothing wrong with encouraging people to get healthier, is there?

[weatherpruf]

12 minutes ago, winterwx21 said:

I realize obesity is a disease. But most people that are overweight, can lose the weight by going on a diet/exercise program. Most people do not need to be overweight.

Need? It's not something they can control very well. If they could, no one would be overweight. i am glad you lost weight ( though you were not close to obese to begin with, unless you are not very tall or female ) but you stand a 94% chance of gaining it all back and then some. And l have nothing but praise for your success. It's also much harder to lose weight once you reach middle age. I'd say keep up the good work. It is not easy, as you know. 

[winterwx21]

1 minute ago, weatherpruf said:

Need? It's not something they can control very well. If they could, no one would be overweight. i am glad you lost weight ( though you were not close to obese to begin with, unless you are not very tall or female ) but you stand a 94% chance of gaining it all back and then some. And l have nothing but praise for your success. It's also much harder to lose weight once you reach middle age. I'd say keep up the good work. It is not easy, as you know. 

I have a 0% chance of gaining it back as long as I can keep exercising. The studies have shown that people that lose a lot of weight through diet alone, usually gain most of it back. But the people that combine diet/exercise keep the weight off. Exercise is the key to keeping the weight off. I run 5 days a week and each run I do burns almost 1000 calories. It's not possible to gain weight when you're burning that many calories and not overeating. That's why my weight has stayed at about 135 for the last few years. Sometimes I have to increase the amount of food I eat because I don't want to fall to underweight. The running burns that many calories.

[weatherpruf]

2 minutes ago, winterwx21 said:

I'm not sure what your issue is. We're just pointing out that healthy habits (like eating lots of fruits-vegetables and exercising a lot) reduces the risk of being overweight and getting many diseases (like heart disease and cancer), and it also reduces the risk of getting sick during cold/flu season. The study results are overwhelming and those are facts that all medical experts agree with. Of course there are unlucky people that do everything right and still get diseases due to bad genes, but engaging in healthy habits does greatly reduce the risk overall. There's nothing wrong with encouraging people to get healthier, is there?

I'm a cancer survivor. We get tired of people blaming us for the illness. Go down to Memorial and walk around. You will see plenty of people who were struck ill who were in good health a year before. Marathon runners, cyclists, hikers, body builders. And everyone's immune system declines with age. You cannot exercise that away. There are few firmly established causes of cancer: sunlight, smoking, asbestos, and radiation. And no, all medical experts don't agree. You may be able to reduce risk, sure. But you will not eliminate it. if you really want to know about mortality, ask an insurance expert. By the way, exercising a lot is not advised. Moderate exercise is best. 30 minutes of walking briskly 3 times a week. I'd highly recommend the book Secrets of the Eating Lab, by a social psychologist who has spent decades studying obesity.