Nick Oliva - Health

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"Third-hand smoke" is not a viable concern. Not something to worry about... just worrying about second-hand smoke is fine.

I do not use lip balm regularly.

I do not worry about growing older. I worry about my health, of course, but I'm not particularly worried about being older. As you get older you always see the people that are much older than you as "old", so I expect that trend to continue.

Insurance premiums should not be tax-deductible. No more tax deductible than a brake job.

Acupuncture is not effective at treating back pain. Acupuncture is a placebo with pins.

Chain restaurants should be required to display calorie counts on their menus. Absolutely... there are different ways of preparing things and people should know that the flavor they love comes with more butter than you need to break the fall of a small truck.

The identity of sperm donors should remain anonymous. If that was the arrangement when the sperm was donated, then yes.

Silicon-gel breast implants should not be allowed on the market. Not in the way they are today. For someone that is having a reconstructive surgery... yes. Purely cosmetic surgery should be a violation of the Hippocratic oath.

Antibacterial soaps are not more effective than regular soaps. Can't see that they would be...

Irradiated food is safe to eat. I have to think it's safe at this point, but it just may be less nutritious somehow. Something could be happening to nutrients that we don't understand.

Online pharmaceutical purchases should not require in-person pre-screening exams. I don't see what makes it any different than a purchase in a store. As long as you have a valid prescription from a doctor... who cares what the clerk (i.e., pharmacist) says?

Healthcare reform should include a government-sponsored health insurance option. Absolutely... it's the only way that invisible Americans will get coverage.

A universal healthcare system would not require a tax increase. There is so much fat in the healthcare process... and so many rich people enriching themselves further, that it's not impossible to fix it without a tax increase.

Media coverage of the swine flu outbreak has been overblown. Changed my mind and am agreeing with Bill Maher... it was just a "flu".

There are persuasive health reasons not to eat genetically modified foods. What you don't know could kill you. There are way too many incidents of "nobody ever thought that" to justify the lax attitude humans have to nature-altering efforts.

The government should require labeling of genetically modified food. If we must have genetically modified food (and I don't believe we must) then it should absolutely be labeled as such.

The use of Bisphenol A in plastic bottles does pose a risk to human health.

The benefits of skin tanning (via UV light) do not outweigh the risks. Nothing purely cosmetic that carries the slightest risk of injury is worth the cost... just ask anyone whose relative died from a bad boob job.

The use of antibiotics in food animals poses a risk to human health. Just because a link hasn't been proven, that doesn't mean one can't be there. I'm not saying that there is one, just that there's a "risk" that there is one that we have not yet identified. There are certainly a lot of ailments whose causes are not completely understood, what's to say antibiotics aren't directly or indirectly causing one of them?

Tap water should not be fluoridated. Tough call. I can see where it's an easy way to reach the population... and prevention is better than cure... but there are a lot of other ways to do this, and not everyone drinks tap water.

Drinking in moderation is a viable treatment for alcoholism. Absolutely. I think it's the only healthy treatment for people that genuinely enjoy a drink.

There should be no limits on the amount of damages awarded in medical malpractice suits. No... I think juries and judges ought to be able to decide what is right. That they don't always do so is unfortunate.

I would not consider non-pharmaceutical treatments if diagnosed with pneumonia. No way! For diseases, give me Western medicine.

A mother should stop breastfeeding her child sometime between 1 to 3 years. My wife stopped breastfeeding our son after six months. I realize the whole thing is really inconvenient, but it sounds like there are benefits to doing it for longer.

Healthcare reform is not directly related to improving the U.S. economy. No... the economy can improve without healthcare reform. So in the sense of whether it's a necessary condition... no.

Scientists will find a vaccine for the common cold. I think with better information a cure will be found. It may not be worthwhile until patents run out... and it may not be in the long-term best interests of our species, but I think it'll exist by 2020.

Employer health care plans should offer equivalent benefits for both mental health and physical conditions. Why would you want unstable employees?

The U.S. should implement a single-payer health care system. Regulation is good for health care. There are too many people getting fleeced in this business, and very often at the worst possible time in their lives.

It is not ethical for doctors to prescribe placebos to unwitting patients. I don't even know how this works... doesn't the pharmacist have to be in on it? Who pays and how much? It's not like doctors give you the pills you're supposed to take. But in a larger sense, patients should first have to sign something that says that the

Health insurance pricing should favor those who meet physical standards. All premium calculations for all insurance policies have to be based on risk.

The use of birth control is not equivalent to abortion. This is ridiculous.

Viagra should not be available over-the-counter. I think people that need it can go through the trouble of getting prescriptions. From what I understand of the side effects and risks to people with heart conditions I can't think it's a good idea for men to use it without discussing the risks with their

Physician-assisted suicide should be legal. Poeple have an unalienable right to end their own lives.

Bottled water is safer than tap water. I don't care what they say - there are just too many points along the way where things can get ugly for tap water to be as safe for drinking as bottled water.

Alzheimer's disease is preventable. I think with enough time and study we'll eventually find that there's some particular flavor of gummy bear or something that will prevent the onset of the disease.

HIV tests should not be mandatory. What's next... mandatory reporting of people that test positive? There ought to be a mechanism for somebody to voluntarily make their test results available to a third-party, but I can't imagine requiring such a thing.

Pets do not improve their owners' health. Pets improve your happiness, and the behavioral changes that you make when you have pets improve your health - such as all that walking. But... it's not the dog, it's the walking. You can walk without Fido, dude!

Congress should strengthen regulations on direct-to-consumer advertising. Ask your doctor about Vitameatavegamin today! What possible public service does this serve?

Adults should be required by law to purchase health insurance. Or sign a waiver saying they (a) can't afford it, or (b) refuse taxpayer-funded care. Put your health where your mouths are, you small-government hypocrites!

Masturbation is healthy. Like most other things, it's fine "in moderation"....