this post was submitted on 30 Jul 2026
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I saw an article on Cuba's healthcare recently. It pointed to how they have very good life expectancy and low infant and maternal mortality rates, even subjected to decades of brutal blockade.

Thought about preventive healthcare

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[–] luthis@lemmy.nz 21 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Weight lifting reduces risk of death from all causes.

Wierd, I know.

[–] MalReynolds@piefed.social 7 points 2 days ago

Not really weird, the mechanisms are pretty well understood. In an easily accessible nutshell, resistance training combats frailty (muscle loss, bone density decline, heart insufficiency), frailty is a really big contributor to mortality (yes, even for middle aged desk jockeys).

[–] CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What about the risk of death by getting crushed under heavy weights? Checkmate, atheists.

[–] FluorideMind@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

That's why you did so much training lifting then up, duh.

[–] 1Malayali@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Would bodyweight exercises be a good equivalent?

[–] SmokeInFog@midwest.social 3 points 1 day ago

I imagine "resistance training" is a better phrase for what the commenter was saying. Lifting your body weight is lifting weights

[–] cRazi_man@europe.pub 12 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Floss. Poor dental health affects overall health significantly.

Eat well. Sugar is hidden in everything and home cooked food from basic ingredients seems to be going out of style.

Keep active.

Get healthy sleep.

Meet other humans and do stuff with them.

People will do lots of other things and have small "health hacks". But if you don't get the basic things right then it's not really something you can fix by taking "antioxidants" or other measures.

[–] mo_lave@reddthat.com 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Floss. Poor dental health affects overall health significantly.

One proverb that stuck to me is "Brush your teeth in the evening to keep your teeth. Brush your teeth in the morning to keep your friends."

[–] Reality@feddit.org 1 points 1 day ago

I liked: not flossing is like pooping but only cleaning the cheeks.

[–] Uranium_Green@sh.itjust.works 12 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

What's fascinating is that Cuba also has the most medical doctors per capita (IIRC), they also provide more Drs to the third world than any western nation.

Essential preventative healthcare which is particularly effective during childhood;

Fluoridated water (teeth are pretty essential, also don't rinse your mouth after brushing as you want that fluoridated toothpaste being in contact for a while)

Iodized salt (Iodine deficiency in pregnant women and young children can massively effect IQ, it causes a specific goiter around the neck)

Essential multivitamins and minerals, and fish oil.

(There's also an argument to be had here for supplementing lithium at about 1mg daily, as it reduces violent crimes, depression rates and suicides)

[–] whalesmoker@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 days ago

I heard that Cuba is also a world leader in pharmaceutical product research and production.

[–] TomMasz@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Keep moving. Doesn't matter how, just keep moving.

[–] OhVenus_Baby@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 days ago

I've asked all my grandparents what's the best advice you'd give for a young person. Every one if them even unrelated grandparents I claim that aren't blood family. They all said this unknowing of each others answers.

[–] Jimbabwe@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

My local state park has a $250/year golf pass. I play 9 holes 2-3 times a week and it’s 2.5 miles each time. Best gym membership I ever had!

[–] whalesmoker@lemmy.ml 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Reducing stress. It doesn't mean that you should ignore your problems. It's all about trying methods that allow you to cultivate calmness through meditation and breathing, slow conscious breathing is known to have an effect on the brain

[–] CrabAndBroom@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 days ago

I try to live by a sort of chill flow chart:

CAN I DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT?

        |           |
       YES          NO
        |           |
        |           |
   DO THE THING     |
        |           |
        |           |
        -------------
              |
              |
    DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT
[–] FUCKING_CUNO@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Don't try it force a poop, you'll fuck up your asshole

[–] 1Malayali@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Are there any ways to make pooping more easier?
Especially when one has to wake up earlier and the regular timing is different.

Have heard that squatting is better. Are there other simple things?

I use powdered fiber supplement from Costco and dump two scoops in my morning coffee to supercharge jt. Poops just come flying out of me now.

[–] FUCKING_CUNO@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Caffeine/nicotine can help things get moving, but I have the best luck just chugging a big glass of water or two first thing in the morning. Fiber supplements will give you great poops, too, just make sure youre drinking a lot of water with them, especially psyllium husk.

I don't care much for stool stools myself, but I've also got hemorrhoids (guess why), so having my feet kicked up like that seems to aggravate that issue, so YMMV. I also found it annoyingly in the way all the time

Socialising is the less talked-about one

[–] thal3s@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

WEAR SUNSCREEN!

(And daily moisturizer)

[–] CaptainMan251@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

I got a Cerave lotion I keep in my satchel that has 50 spf. It is nice to have everywhere i go

[–] Naich@piefed.world 6 points 2 days ago
[–] MantisToboggon@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] Uranium_Green@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Is this because of the risk of worms or halitosis?

[–] MantisToboggon@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago

Your mom gets all clingy and shit.

[–] TheLeadenSea@sh.itjust.works -2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

When a child is age 11, tell then the effect estrogen or testosterone will have on them, and give them the choice if they're sure they want to continue with their endogenous hormones, if they're sure they want to start exogenous hormone therapy, or if they're unsure to pause the decision with puberty blockers for up to a couple of years

Edit: wow, a lot of transphobes in these comments, that's surprising for Lemmy tbh

[–] HieroProtagonist@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I hope anyone who lets an 11 year old make decisions of this magnitude gets visits from the cops and / or loses custody of their child...

[–] TheLeadenSea@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You'd rather force a decision equally as irreversible on them because it's "natural"?

[–] HieroProtagonist@lemmy.ml -1 points 1 day ago

You cannot force a biological fact on someone

[–] SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Despite what you just said, not letting the kid express themselves and have a safe space to do it is literally child abuse.

Having to pitch the option and make a safe space for a child to express themselves as gay or fem or masc or whatever gender is literally the job of the parent. If you take that away and force the child to hide themselves from you, you're stunting them.

Most children, as long as you allow them the space, generally have a pretty good idea of what they are and want. Also keep in mind, a lot of sexuality and gender and expression is not permanent and they can change at any time. Especially puberty blockers, those are LITERALLY designed to be non-destructive since the wrong puberty can be destructive and all blockers do is temporarily pause that. As soon as you take the kid off blockers, they'll go through puberty like normal. It happens literally all the time and it's fine. Puberty blockers were designed for precocious puberty -meaning a kid starts getting puberty WAYYY earlier than they should, making their life difficult for a number of social, medical, other reasons.

The more you push on kids to not express themselves or be "different", the less they're likely to feel safe to do so and find themselves and basically end up a self hating, closeted asshole. Let people explore and experiment safely. As a parent, it's literally your job to provide a safe, healthy environment for your child to grow and learn about themselves and the world. Shutting down exploration of self always causes often irreparable psychological and physical damage...And that extends to whether they like boys, girls, a mix, nobody, something in-between, or even if they change their minds over and over - or, in the case of gender, how they see themselves and how they want to express that, that's okay!

Unlike you, we aren't saying to make the decision about who they are for the kid, but to allow them space and safety to explore it on their own, without shame or prejudice, in a way that isn't going to hurt them, to the best of our abilities.

Because of far right politics and far right disinformation everywhere, though, that freedom to seek peace, self acceptance, and true happiness in life is hampered and confused and, sadly, emotionally charged. So, even as parents, we must do the best we can to provide for our children in the best ways we can, and not oppress them unless it's dangerous for them.

Let kids be silly, let them explore in safety, let kids be kids. Don't tell them who they are, let them figure that out for themselves.

[–] HieroProtagonist@lemmy.ml -1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There are only two genders in nature (with a few and very rare biological freak case exceptions). Letting your child subscribe to that trans cult as a way to 'express themselves' is for me personally completely inexcusable.

[–] Hadriscus@jlai.lu 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

You're just misinformed, man