2010 Is Gonna Be the Best Year Ever

I can't believe that I haven't posted anything this year. I've been more focused on my restaurant blog, I suppose.

Well, here are a few articles that have grabbed my attention, as of late -

Strokes Are Increasing Among Young

This is surprising, but I do have a young friend who recently had a mild one. I get queazy just thinking about it. I also feel pain in my chest when I think about heart attacks. I'm quite squeamish.

"The best way to ward off strokes, heart attacks, and a host of other diseases is to eat right, exercise, and refrain from smoking."

The Danger of Taking Aspirin Daily

Check with your doctor on this one, or tell your parents to do so if they're the ones you're worried about, like I was.

"Now, medical experts say some people who are taking aspirin on a regular basis should think about stopping. Public-health officials are scaling back official recommendations for the painkiller to target a narrower group of patients who are at risk of a heart attack or stroke. The concern is that aspirin's side effects, which can include bleeding ulcers, might outweigh the potential benefits when taken by many healthy or older people."

12 Steps To Boost Your Health For Life

A friend of mine posted this on Facebook and it's wonderful advice. Try this one - Drink more water. It'll give you more energy and "crowd out" other bad foods and beverages you might be consuming.

Woof Woof Makes for Less Wah Wah

Today I was thinking about how great it makes me feel to see my brother's and fiancee's dog, Charlie, and how that reinforced the fact that I think everyone should have a pet. This is from the heading above the video on WebMD that I watched -

"From easing depression to lowering triglycerides, spending time with a pet can boost physical and emotional health."

http://www.webmd.com/video/pets-health-see-spot-feel-happy

So, you don't even need to own one if you can get to spend regular time with someone else's pet. That's like being an uncle. It's a pretty sweet gig, let me tell you.

By the way, triglycerides are basically fat, in chemical form, in your plasma. Excessive amounts affect your heart in similar ways as cholesterol (the bad kind). Please correct me, if I'm wrong, all you people who read this wonderful blog.

Cinco de Mayo

It's approaching fast, mis amigos. In honor of the Mexican holiday that is only really celebrated in the US, I am posting Five Things Happy People Do from Oprah.com and WebMD. We all know how much I love WebMD. And everybody likes Oprah.

I especially liked the following one, which reminded me of how often I heard "must be nice" when working construction. I also hear that a lot from anchors on CNBC who probably make a pretty good living, but are always talking about billionaires, and feel relatively poor in comparison.

"They avoid 'if only' fantasies."

"If only I get a better job -- find a man -- lose the weight -- life will be perfect. Happy people don't buy into this kind of thinking."

"The latest research shows that we're surprisingly bad at predicting what will make us happy. People also tend to misjudge their contentment when zeroing in on a single aspect of their lives -- it's called the focusing illusion. In one study, single subjects were asked, 'How happy are you with your life in general?' and 'How many dates did you have last month?' When the dating question was asked first, their romantic lives weighed more heavily into how they rated their overall happiness than when the questions were reversed."

"The other argument against 'if only' fantasies has to do with 'hedonic adaptation' -- the brain's natural dimming effect, which guarantees that a new house won't generate the same pleasure a year after its purchase and the thrill of having a boyfriend will ebb as you get used to being part of a couple. Happy people are wise to this, which is why they keep their lives full of novelty, even if it's just trying a new activity (diving, yoga) or putting a new spin on an old favorite (kundalini instead of vinyasa)."

Writing It Down

From a Good Housekeeping article posted on WebMD -

"When researchers from Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research followed more than 2,000 dieters who were encouraged to record meals and snacks, they found that the single best predictor of whether a participant would drop weight was whether the person kept a food diary. It trumped exercise habits, age, and body mass index. The number of pounds people lost was directly related to the number of days they wrote in their log. (It's no coincidence that Weight Watchers, one of the most successful diet programs, asks participants to track what they eat.)"

Alli is Your Enemy

You may have seen commercials touting the next big thing in weight-loss gimmickry: Alli (pronounced "ally"). I wonder if it will sound as sexy when I put it this way- "Half the power of Xenical with 80% of the side effects." or how about "Not quite as much gas or oily discharge as prescription Xenical"? Because Alli is a lower dosage Xenical that can be sold over-the-counter. It is being marketed along with a program of diet and exercise. Revolutionary!

This article on WebMD explains the drug and program well and contains comments by some of the physicians involved in developing Alli's accompanying program.

This is nice -

"The new drug is not an appetite suppressant. Instead, Alli works by blocking the absorption of fat in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. But the blocked fat has to go somewhere, which is why many a candid commentator has said not to take Alli on a first date or wear white pants while taking it."

NOTE: People are buying it. According to PharmaTimes, analysts project, based on sales of $155 million in the first half of 2007, that sales of Alli could be $1 billion a year.

Phew!

I was beginning to worry about an invisible bruise on the back of my leg. Just today, it has seemed to be moving down my leg, from my lower hamstring, to behind my knee and now to my upper calf. As is my usual course of action, I asked others if they have experienced similar symptoms, and then checked out WebMD.

Relief washed over me in an awesome wave as I read the first paragraph -

"Bruises (contusions)develop when small blood vessels under the skin tear or rupture, most often from a bump or fall. Blood leaks into tissues under the skin and causes the black-and-blue color. As bruises heal, usually within 2 to 4 weeks, they often turn colors, including purplish black, reddish blue, or yellowish green. Sometimes the area of the bruise spreads down the body in the direction of gravity. A bruise on a leg usually will take longer to heal than a bruise on the face or arms."

To Your Health (Revisited)

More news on the health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption on WebMD.com -

"Drinking three or more alcoholic beverages per week may reduce the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a study shows."

"The study also shows that greater reported alcohol consumption was associated with even lower risks of developing RA. But researchers caution that they are by no means encouraging excessive alcohol consumption."

"The findings were presented here at the annual meeting of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) in Barcelona, Spain."

"While the exact protective mechanism of alcohol is not known, it may act by reducing inflammation, [Henrik Kallberg, a Swedish PhD student] says."

The Fast Food Diet?

Like it or not, fast food is part of American life. One way I have eaten healthier at fast food restaurants is to seldom order a value meal (one that includes a soda and french fries), though many now allow a substitution of a bottle of water for soda, and fruit instead of fries. Anyway, you'll save money, especially if you stick to the $1 menu that most of these places now have. It does take discipline. I won't deny that.

Stephen Sinatra, M.D. has written a book called The Fast Food Diet, and in it he steers readers toward the healthiest options available at such eateries. Fried foods are a no-no, obviously. Stick to options like junior burgers (do you really need a quarter pound?), grilled chicken sandwiches, chili, any fruit option they might have, baked potatoes (Wendy's has those), and to opt for low-fat and low-calorie dressings (vinaigrette rather than ranch).

"People love fast food because it tastes good and is reasonably priced, and no matter what professionals say, they are going to continue to eat there," says Sinatra. "So why not help them make healthier food choices? … If we empower people to make wiser food choices, it is a step in the right direction toward improved health and weight loss."

You can read an article here on WebMD about the book.

Lucky Number 13

WedMD has "13 Healthy Habits to Improve Your Life". You should read them, in detail, but here's the list:

1. Eat Breakfast Every Morning
2. Add Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Your Diet
3. Get Enough Sleep
4. Make Social Connections
5. Exercise for Better Health
6. Practice Good Dental Hygiene
7. Take Up a Hobby
8. Protect Your Skin
9. Snack the Healthy Way
10. Drink Water and Eat Dairy
11. Drink Tea
12. Take a Daily Walk
13. Plan