Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Lenten Resolutions

As an liberally-minded Anglican/Episcopalian, I realize I am not bound to keep a Lenten resolution - however, I like the idea of keeping to something for forty days and forty nights. There have been the years I have sworn off various foods (chocolate, coffee, junk food in general...) and even in these somewhat 'light' resolutions, I have learned things about myself. For example, the year I gave up chocolate meant I couldn't drink Cafe Mochas - my caffeinated beverage of choice at that time. So I switched to Vanilla Lattes - ostensibly just for the season - but I haven't gone back to Cafe Mochas since.

I wanted to have a non-food related Lenten resolution this year, and the idea I came up with should be fun. You have all heard the saying "You learn something new everyday" before. We probably learn this new thing and promptly forget it. Well, maybe not forget - but that nugget fades the with the advent of the next new thing. What I am going to do for the next 40 days is not only learn something new each day - but record it. Maybe you will learn something, too.

Day 1: Three of the top 10 selling drugs in the USA are anemia-treating medications.

I work in the pharmaceutical industry, so don't be surprised if many of my bits of info are about drugs. This fact about anemia drugs surprised me. I would have expected (and they were represented) blood pressure drugs, statins, and mental health drugs to take up all of the top 10 spots, but it just wasn't so. I discussed this with a coworker and it was her opinion that these drugs get prescribed for many things other than run-of-the-mill anemia - most importantly, for people recovering from chemotherapy. In any case - that is my factoid of the day.

5 comments:

chris said...

I wouldn't have guessed that, either. I think you're probably right about many of the prescriptions being for people recovering from chemotherapy. During both pregnancies, I was diagnosed as anemic... I wonder if the prengant population contributes to that number, too? Take care, Jo! :-)

Anonymous said...

I am reading Natural Cures and what they don't want you to know about by Kevin Trudeau, and I believe what you are saying. I know that you work for a pharmacuetical company Jo, but it amazing what kind of drugs are out there, that don't do nothing except make money for certain companies. Anyways Jo I like your new lent resolution idea.

tara said...

Sounds like fun. I dont know that I have even given up anything for Lent. Oh, I thought of something. When does it end?

Jo said...

Tara,

Lent ends on Easter :) What will you give up?

Jo

tara said...

I am giving up (and already regretting the morning after) Pepperidge Farms Goldfish Crackers, Cheddar. I am crediting the mass consumption on my inability to lose the baby weight.