Looking for Research Opportunities

[Guest guest]

Like any typical college undergraduate, I want to spend my summer...

doing research

I am searching for opportunities to work with a researcher this

summer, preferably in studies directly applicable to the CRON

lifestyle, whether soley biochemically or with the addition of

psychological factors. I write to ask if anyone knows of anything in

which I might have a possibility to get involved. Any guidance would

be much appreciated, as well.

Money (for once) is not the most important issue at this point. I am

looking at some grants for research funding. There is also money

available for self-designed proposals. The proposals may be of any

sort but mostly highly regarded would be those which contribute

something innovative and beneficial. It would be great if I could

figure out something related to CR, but hell if I can come up with

anything. So - hey - if you've ever had a pet project idea of such

that you always wanted to try, let me know!

There is an author/physician here (New Haven, CT) with whom I've

discussed working - Katz ( " How to Eat, " " Guide to Clinical

Nutrition, " etc.) - but I am really looking to delve into something

less mainstream...and something in a coastal city =)

And now, hooray, I have 2 weeks off for Spring break. I've only been

informally studying longevity for 3 years, but I'm really dead-set on learning

more. There's so much I don't know - I definitely don't proclaim to

be an expert or that I even know what I'm talking about (although

such refutations have not left me without such labels as " health

freak " and " salad girl " at school) but all that I find is

fascinating, I'm a believer and I'm intent on experiencing and

learning more. What I would really love to do is observe a true

CRONer and simply interact and see how he/she manages this

lifestyle. It's so easy to become bombarded with conflicting

messages and, while I know this will always be a factor and that

lifestyle maintenance and decisions can only truly be individual, I

think it would help immensely to be able to see how one really does

their own thing. Sooo, I guess I'm saying I'd like to shadow a CRONer.

I'll be traveling to NYC next week. Any takers? It's kinda psycho,

I know, but thought I'd give it a shot.

And I thank you!

-Eri Gentry

[Guest guest]

Hi Eri:

So you are looking for suggestions for a research project? How about

this:

" Marketing Hype versus Scientific Reality in Consumer Health Issues " .

Why did I think of that? Because I just accidentally tripped over

Sears' website!!! God, I have never seen so much marketing hype in

my life! Page after page of it. Clearly very carefully aimed at a

potentially very profitable target market - those over age 40,

beginning to suffer from age-related illnesses, and beginning to find

they have some extra cash available.

I don't know whether there is any scientific validity to his stuff,

but I do know the hype persuades me to avoid him like the plague.

While not wishing to prejudge the results of such a project, my guess

is your conclusion might be that the 'industry' is 96% hype and 4%

valid content. I have become persuaded that we here at this website

right now may account for about half of that 4%.

Rodney.

> Like any typical college undergraduate, I want to spend my summer...

> doing research

>

> I am searching for opportunities to work with a researcher this

> summer, preferably in studies directly applicable to the CRON

> lifestyle, whether soley biochemically or with the addition of

> psychological factors. I write to ask if anyone knows of anything

in

> which I might have a possibility to get involved. Any guidance

would

> be much appreciated, as well.

>

> Money (for once) is not the most important issue at this point. I

am

> looking at some grants for research funding. There is also money

> available for self-designed proposals. The proposals may be of any

> sort but mostly highly regarded would be those which contribute

> something innovative and beneficial. It would be great if I could

> figure out something related to CR, but hell if I can come up with

> anything. So - hey - if you've ever had a pet project idea of such

> that you always wanted to try, let me know!

>

> There is an author/physician here (New Haven, CT) with whom I've

> discussed working - Katz ( " How to Eat, " " Guide to Clinical

> Nutrition, " etc.) - but I am really looking to delve into something

> less mainstream...and something in a coastal city =)

>

> And now, hooray, I have 2 weeks off for Spring break. I've only

been

> informally studying longevity for 3 years, but I'm really dead-set

on learning

> more. There's so much I don't know - I definitely don't proclaim

to

> be an expert or that I even know what I'm talking about (although

> such refutations have not left me without such labels as " health

> freak " and " salad girl " at school) but all that I find is

> fascinating, I'm a believer and I'm intent on experiencing and

> learning more. What I would really love to do is observe a true

> CRONer and simply interact and see how he/she manages this

> lifestyle. It's so easy to become bombarded with conflicting

> messages and, while I know this will always be a factor and that

> lifestyle maintenance and decisions can only truly be individual, I

> think it would help immensely to be able to see how one really does

> their own thing. Sooo, I guess I'm saying I'd like to shadow a

CRONer.

> I'll be traveling to NYC next week. Any takers? It's kinda

psycho,

> I know, but thought I'd give it a shot.

>

> And I thank you!

> -Eri Gentry

[Guest guest]

more

about Market-hype!

http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/health/ghostwriting/

Medical ghostwriting. You may not have heard of it, but you'll probably want to know about it. It's a world that could make your doctor prescribe the wrong drug.

~~~ snip ~~~

People with scientific backgrounds — often, with PhDs— are paid to stay in the shadows and crank out favourable reports for

companies. Then, drug companies get doctors to put their names on the studies — for money, prestige, or perks.

~~~ snip ~~~

[writers are] paid to write up positive reports. So bad side effects that could affect patient safety, are sometimes completely ignored.

~~~ snip ~~~

“Doctors don’t have time to write those articles. The people who have

their names on those articles are very busy professionals.”

~~~~

....make over $100,000 a year as a medical ghostwriter. An article that makes its way into a prestigious medical journal — like the Lancet, British Medical Journal, New England Journal of Medicine — will earn up to $20,000.

~~~~~

You’re being told what to do. And if you don’t do it, you’ve lost the job.

~~~

This article goes on to say that writers compete by submitting written draft ... the winner is the one with best slant that ignores any negative.

Rodney wrote:

Hi Eri:

So you are looking for suggestions for a research project? How about this:

"Marketing Hype versus Scientific Reality in Consumer Health Issues".

Why did I think of that? Because I just accidentally tripped over Sears' website!!! God, I have never seen so much marketing hype in my life! Page after page of it. Clearly very carefully aimed at a potentially very profitable target market - those over age 40, be

[Guest guest]

Sears wrote a lot of books and they have a lot of detailed tech data, but they are so incongruent, I could never figure out how to do the zone diet. His family cranks out a lot of books. I put them in the category between a library book and a textbook, but certainly way above the typical library book. Most books if I had an electronic copy I could remove the irrelevant, historical, repetitive info (BS) and MAYBE extract a single page of helpful data. Usually just reused hype.

The only sears book I own is the anti-aging zone.

I don't find the 30P-30F-40C ratio particularly useful, having found for myself 19-17-64 ratio works at the 1800kcal intake level. Some have reported needing more protein.

Hard to find a "legitimate" url. Look at the ricediet.com if you want to see a program that's been in existence since about 1940. Used for therapy then, now basically a weight-loss for obesers.

Regards.

----- Original Message -----

From: Rodney

Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2004 4:34 PM

Subject: [ ] Re: Looking for Research Opportunities

Hi Eri:So you are looking for suggestions for a research project? How about this:"Marketing Hype versus Scientific Reality in Consumer Health Issues".Why did I think of that? Because I just accidentally tripped over Sears' website!!! God, I have never seen so much marketing hype in my life! Page after page of it. Clearly very carefully aimed at a potentially very profitable target market - those over age 40, beginning to suffer from age-related illnesses, and beginning to find they have some extra cash available.I don't know whether there is any scientific validity to his stuff, but I do know the hype persuades me to avoid him like the plague.