A simple quotation can inspire us to live a better life or even to fight dirty, writes Fintan Moore
I’ve always been a fan of quotations, sometimes based on the message conveyed, and others times for the skilled use of the language employed. The best of them have both of these qualities, but there are also lots of movie quotes I like that work in the context of the movie without being especially inspiring or even linguistically clever.
My movie category is fairly eclectic and ranges from the Blues Brothers line, “We’re on a mission from God” to the ultra-macho Clint Eastwood query, “Do you feel lucky?” Needless to say, neither of these has provided a motto to live by. However, over the years I’ve come across other quotes that have provided a bit more practical advice or philosophical solace, in work or in life at large, and I’ll share a few of them now. I’ll attribute the source where I know it.
- “Nobody’s irreplaceable.”
- “Don’t make decisions when you’re tired, drunk or hungry.”
- “It’s hard to do anyone a favour once, because if you do it once they’ll expect it again.”
- “If he can live with himself all his life, I can put up with him for a few minutes.”
- “What’s the worst that can happen here, and can I survive it happening?”
- “Live, help live, and screw over the occasional bollix.”
- “Look before you leap if you like, but if you really mean to leap, don’t look long.”
- “If you want to be a nice boss, then be ready to hire and fire ruthlessly. Not everyone respects or deserves nice.”
- “Trifles make perfection, but perfection is no trifle.” (Michelangelo)
- “If something’s worth fighting for, it’s worth fighting dirty for.”
- “Don’t fall out with people over money.”
- “It’s hard to second-guess a scumbag.”
- “The shortest path from despair to hope is often a good night’s sleep.”
- “Drink at your own pace. You don’t have to be the last man drinking. And when you’ve had enough, just leave.” (A rugby coach I had years ago)
- “All good ideas eventually come down to work.”
- “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.”
- “Love many, trust few, always cut the deck.” (Charles Durden, The Fifth Law of Hawkins) And from the same book, “F**k them if they can’t take a joke.”
Sore spot
Cold sores present an occasional problem for a large percentage of the population, but some people are afflicted several times a year. The sores are unsightly and painful, and the virus poses a risk to very young infants and to the immuno-compromised. Given the rate at which over-the-counter Aciclovir creams sell, it is surprising that there are so few prescriptions dispensed for anti-viral tablets.
There was a time when such tablets cost a small ransom, but those days are long gone, so price should no longer be a factor for private patients. Obviously for GMS patients, the cost was never a barrier, other than any budgetary impact. A useful and relatively inexpensive option for treatment is to use two doses of 2,000mg Valaciclovir 12 hours apart, taking the first dose at the first ‘tingle’. Keeping a course of tablets handy in the medicines cupboard avoids any delay in treatment. For people who complain of recurrent sores, it’s worth suggesting that they discuss this course of action with their GP.
Let food be your medicine
Despite the advances in so many areas of medicine in recent decades, there are still huge potential benefits yet to be uncovered or confirmed in terms of the way diet can impact on heath and illness.
A recent study in Stanford University of 20 patients suffering with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia found that a ketogenic diet (10 per cent carb, 30 per cent protein, 60 per cent fat) led to a significant reduction in the symptoms of their condition. Their psychiatric symptoms dropped by 30 per cent, and their physical health and weight also improved, with a 10 per cent decrease in BMI. The study was obviously small in scale but the findings are nevertheless hugely promising, and if further studies with larger numbers support the same approach, then it could help large cohorts of people.
Where this diet-based approach to illness can be proven to be of benefit in various conditions, then there may be a place in community pharmacy to promote the message further. I doubt if the HSE would ever come up with a funding model to give significant resources to allow for pharmacists getting involved in dietary advice, but they could support us by providing useful practical educational tools that we could provide to patients, or share via our social media reach.
We are well-placed to be able to help people, given that we are located in every corner of the country, and that we interact with the public more often than any other health professionals. Our ability to help is naturally constrained by the ever-increasing demands of the ‘day job’, but hopefully time-efficient ways for us to get involved can be devised.
