Wow, (positive) comments on two issues in a row; makes an editor’s day. Gene Sacks wrote to the editor:

I appreciate the efforts of Gary and Richard as I enjoy each of your newsletters. Richard’s musings on the many quotes of Joshua Heschel moves me to share with my friends of FJMC the experience I'm currently having as I write this from some leisure time in Vienna. The morning I awoke after visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial, I thought about the amazing progress and rebirth of the Jewish community of Poland by the efforts of men such as Ambassador Lauder as well as the worldwide Jewish community. Miraculous does not even begin to describe how this community has risen from the ashes of the Shoah to become such a vibrant example to the world of what Jews can accomplish. In a world that will likely never be rid of the plague of antisemitism, it is so inspiring to see what is happening here.

Overcoming Motion Sickness

By Stephanie Chan

Compliments of the “Village Pulse” and Cherry Ka Yan Lam,
Research Coordinator, NYC Pain Specialists

The idea of traveling can be a negative one if you are someone who is affected by motion sickness, even if the effects are not extremely severe. Whether it is traveling by car, train, airplane, or boat, for some people, motion sickness can suddenly and easily kick in. Fortunately, however, there are many tips that one can implement to overcome motion sickness, both medically and non-medically.

It is suggested that one tries out the non-medical remedies before taking medication, which should be done only for severe motion sickness. A common tip is to be careful of what one consumes before a trip-- foods that are heavy, spicy, rich in fats, or have strong odors are generally suggested as foods to avoid. In addition, excessive alcohol and smoking are also not recommended for traveling. On the other hand, consuming ginger, water and clear beverages, crackers, toast, bananas, and applesauce are recommended for combating nausea. Waiting to eat something delicious after traveling instead of before may be a better decision to make! However, one should not travel on a completely empty stomach either. A 2004 study from Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics showed that a light meal with protein reduces the effects of motion sickness.

Other suggestions are based on the specific situation one is in. For example, some find that they do not suffer from motion sickness if they are driving the car. Rather, they experience it when they are in the passenger seat. If one is sitting in a train, it may help to pick a seat that faces the forward direction instead of one that faces the back of the train, or a seat that is closer to the front than the rear, which tends to be bumpier. If one is on a ship, it may also help to move closer to the front. A change in position, if possible, may be helpful -- some find lying down to be better, while others find standing up to be better. If possible, fresh air may help with motion sickness, but if not, fans and air vents may provide the same assistance. Other sources of motion sickness symptoms include reading, watching movies, or playing games on a smartphone. This is due to the sensory disconnection that forms between the eyes and the inner ear, as our eyes do not perceive movement, but the inner ear does. An alternative option would be to listen to an audiobook or to music.

A remedy that may help makes use of the acupuncture pressure P6 (nei guan), which is located three fingers below the wrist of the inner forearm. It should be found in the depression between the two wrist tendons, and by applying firm pressure for four to five seconds, it may help alleviate nausea and dizziness. There are wrist bands that one can wear, which has the same purpose of applying pressure on this pressure point. There have been studies performed to study the role of P6 in alleviating nausea and dizziness for both pregnant women and post-operative patients (Werntoft, E. et al. Werntoft E, Dykes AK. Effect of acupressure on nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. A randomized, placebo-controlled, pilot study. J Reprod Med. 2001; Nunley, C. et al. The effects of stimulation of acupressure point P6 on postoperative nausea and vomiting: a review of literature. Perianesth Nurs. 2008.)

If natural and non-medical remedies fail, one may turn to medicine for motion sickness. Common brands include Bonine, Antivert, Meni-D, and Antrizine. Depending on the medication, it can be taken before traveling to prevent motion sickness. However, like many other types of medicines, it does not come without side effects and so it should be taken with caution. Side effects such as drowsiness and tiredness are extremely common for these anti-motion sickness medications.

There are many options that one can take to overcome motion sickness, and if it is not completely overcome, it can at least be alleviated. Motion sickness should not be a reason to dread traveling or to not travel long distances, especially when there are many available remedies. It comes down to finding the most effective method, which is on an individual level. Hopefully, traveling can become enjoyable again!

References:

https://www.onemedical.com/blog/live-well/motion-sickness-cures/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-to-eat-when-nauseous#section8

https://www.healthline.com/health/motion-sickness-remedies#quick-tips https://vestibular.org/news/06-18-2013/new-views-motion-sickness

https://exploreim.ucla.edu/self-care/acupressure-point-p6/

The 5G Revolution Has Begun (part 2)

By Gary Smith

I will discuss a little more about 5G technology touching on Phase II and Phase III (see the first article in this series in HWR #74).  This technology will present some exciting opportunities.  I believe for many of us at or near retirement age this is an early exposure to a major change in our lives.  It is imperative that we have as much understanding as possible about what is happening so that we can be prepared for the future.

Two issues ago we discussed the 1st of three phases of the 5G revolution.  Phase I being the building out the 5G infrastructure.  That has begun and is well on its way within the cellphone industry.  As a recap 4G is what is responsible for us being able to stream programs, watch video movies and download music.  It had an impact on the medical profession as well.

In the coming months and years, all 4G phones and technology will not work on 5G networks. The 5G technology is so advanced we can compare it to the 70s-80s-90s and the advent and development of personal computers and the internet.  5G networks will be 100 times faster than our average 4G connections.  We are looking at replacing over 3 billion phones in the US in the next three-four years.

Wireless carriers are lighting up their cities with 5G technology as this is being written.  Each month arenas, business districts, and tourist spots are moving to 5G.  Verizon has installed 5G in over 15 cities.

Phase II 5G Technology – Enabling Devices

This is already happening with Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Motorola, LG, and more.  We are in the early phases of 5G with many more companies grabbing the technology.  There are 3.3 billion smartphones and the industry is growing each year.  The total of all phone users today is approaching 7 billion.  These will not run on 5G and will need to be replaced.  The average smartphone costs around 535 dollars but by 2023 that will drop to 400 dollars.  The feature phones (flip phone) that now cost an average of 33 dollars will have to switch to 5G phones. Why will consumers have to upgrade their phones?  Because the 5G upgrades are revolutionary, not evolutionary.  Download speeds for 4G are about 16.3 Mbps in the US.  You typically need about 5 Mbps (megabits per second) to stream high-quality videos.  In comparison, the new 5G phone will yield speeds over 1.7 gigabits per second which are about 108 times the average speed and 40 times the best in class 4G US phones.  

The Final Phase of 5G  Technology Development

Think about this.  Services like Lyft, Zoomcar, and Uber were not possible on 3G.  Google Maps, Waze, and other video apps were not possible with 3G but only available with 4G.  Facetime video calls only came into existence with the evolution to 4G.  96% of Facebook users access the site over mobile services. 

Science fiction type growth and revolution are coming with 5G.  Soon we will see self-driving and remotely controlled semi-trucks rolling down the highway.  Surgeons will operate on patients from hundreds even thousands of miles away by controlling robotic arms.  One day you will “Holo-Commute” to work - a holographic projection of you will be beamed-in to your next meeting.

One more enormous and critical difference between 4G and 5G will be network slicing. Network slicing is the ability to slice up radio frequency spectrum used by 5G networks to are for the delivery of 5G services.  This technology will be used in self-driving cars for instance.  Cars will be able to stream ygigabytes of information to a fleet control center every day.  This technology will be crucial for operational self-driving efficiency as well as safety.  This service will need real-time low latency connections to all the cars that are active in their fleets.  Uber and Lyft (shared autonomous vehicles - SAV companies) will benefit from this.  For this process to be successful the SAV companies will have to have contracts with wireless carriers like Verizon and T-Mobile.  Network slicing will open up new revenue streams that were not possible with 4G.

I hope you enjoyed this general overview of the coming 5G technology.  I am very excited.  Each day there is more information on 5G.  I will share one more article soon to bring more applicable ideas and investing thoughts to our FJMC brotherhoods and brothers.