Inside Every Fat Person (Health)

[Mick Harper]

I had a high ferritin level, you worm. It turned out that, because I had been prescribed an iron tablet for anaemia, I started taking them, as prescribed. But then, because iron tablets are cheaper to buy over the counter than by prescription, I was no longer being monitored. So I took two a day just to be on the safe side. Doh!

Before we all rush out to buy Lumbrokinase, can you tell us whether it's had an effect on your day-to-day life? I take your point about the long terms dangers of high blood pressure but since I have a nice day-to-day life I am reluctant to start messing with it.

[Brian Ambrose]

It is hard to lower the ferritin, donating blood works a bit but there’s an age limit.

The effect of the worms on me was I got woozy (a bit dizzy). That was because my blood pressure went too low. The cure for that was cutting down the BP drugs. Other than that my head is clearer and my chest is no longer slightly achy (that was probably from the calcium channel blocker.) The diuretic means I wee less. I was at the gym this morning and no dizziness after the leg press. I may be imagining it but I felt better, more energetic.

The only thing I am concerned about is that the supplement will be pulled from the market. It’s too good.

[Brian Ambrose]

PS I am not saying your ferritin is causing your high blood pressure, just that there may be a connection (unless your BP suddenly went up when you started the iron.)

[Mick Harper]

[Mick Harper]

We are told three million Britons are on Ozempic, so presumably the obesity panic is now over. It cannot be being used for its prescribed use, the control of diabetes, so presumably everyone is getting their supplies off the internet. (So NHS expenditures should be slimming down overnight too.)

This has led to the customary equal and opposite panic that breaks out whenever humankind finds a health cure that doesn't involve endless hard graft:

[Mick Harper]

Listening to The Fibre Factor by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on Radio 4, I resolved to increase my fibre intake. So I looked on the internet for the nearest thing to my preferred option in these types of things: taking a teaspoon of something every day.

I didn't find it but 'raspberries' got mentioned with great regularity. As it happens I have a mild compulsion to have raspberry-flavoured things--flavoured fizzy water, yoghurts, chocolate minirolls and so forth. Is this my body's way of telling me I'm not getting enough fibre or completely coincidental?

PS Fresh or frozen raspberries are the sort of thing available from any supermarket except the sort of minimarts I patronise.

[Mick Harper]

I am only putting it forward as the merest of anecdotary evidence but I have found taking five psyllium husk capsules spread across the day as a fibre supplement has been accompanied by a remarkable diminution of appetite.

Since you can get a hundred and eighty (to quote the darts commentator) of them for a tenner (o.n.o.) from Holland & Barrett's (in the Portobello Road) it's worth it even if the whole thing is down to placebo effect.

Usual finder's fee to me though.

[Boreades]