Get Off Your Butts Old Ladies!

Too Much TV, Too Little Exercise Tied to Depression

More time spent being active might boost self-esteem and women's sense of control, as well as the endorphins in their blood, although the study could not prove directly that watching too much television and avoiding exercise caused depression, she added.

Boohoob Tube

I think that's one of my most clever titles yet. Don't mind if I pat myself on the back.

TV might make you sad. Or maybe if you're sad you just watch more tv. It's probably one of those vicious circles. That's my guess. Those are the worst. Well, maybe when people say "equally as" or "myself" (when they mean "I"). Those are worse. Or when people put celery in tuna salad. I hate that.

TV provides an escape from reality and if you're not so crazy about your reality, a pretty quick and easy way out is to dive into the glamorous lifestyle of someone whose job or adventures are something about which you would only dream. You know, like Ocean's 11 or James Bond.

If you're stressed out about something, you might put it off to be entertained by a comedian who makes you laugh and forget about your worries. Well, when the show's over you have the same problem, but instead of doing something about it, you've put it off and not taken any steps to correct it. We're all guilty of this from time to time, but there are definitely people out there who need to snap themselves out of it and live.

This is bumming me out. I'm going to go watch the Ricky Gervais special that I dvr-ed on Saturday night.

From MSN Health & Fitness -

Short-term pleasure, long-term malaise

"These conflicting data suggest that TV may provide viewers with short-run pleasure, but at the expense of long-term malaise," said researcher John Robinson, a sociologist at the University of Maryland, College Park.

In this scenario, even the happiest campers could turn into Debbie-downers if they continue to stare at the boob-tube. The researchers suggest that over time, television-viewing could push out other activities that do have more lasting benefits. Exercise and sex come to mind, as do parties and other forms of socialization known to have psychological benefits.

Turning Japanese

A study at Osaka University has concluded that people who eat quickly and until they feel full are much more likely to be overweight or obese. This comes from Japan, a country that has one of the lowest obesity rates in the developed world. Japan's obesity rate is around 3% to the USA's 30%. They are doing something better than we are and some of it is diet, some of it is custom.

Aside from eating lots of fish and cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and cabbage), there is a Japanese custom embodied in the phrase "hara hachi bunme". It means "eat until 80% full". I've lived in Japan and it really seems like everyone there is thin.

From MSN Health & Fitness -

"Until recently, most adults didn't have the opportunity to consume enough energy to enable the body to store fat, according to background information in the study. But eating behaviors have changed due to increased availability of inexpensive food in larger portions, fast food, fewer families eating together, and eating while distracted (such as watching TV)."

I grew up having dinner with my parents and three brothers. I don't know how a family spends time together and family members know what's going on in every one else's life if not at dinner time. It's not going to happen sitting in front of the boob tube, that's for sure.

Oh there's a big surprise! That's an incredible - I think I'm going to have a heart attack and die of not surprise! - Iago (from Aladdin)

From the Washington Post article, "How Rich People Spend Their Time" -

"People who make less than $20,000 a year, for example, told [Nobel Prize-winning behavioral economist] Kahneman and his colleagues that they spend more than a third of their time in passive leisure -- watching television, for example. Those making more than $100,000 spent less than one-fifth of their time in this way -- putting their legs up and relaxing. Rich people spent much more time commuting and engaging in activities that were required as opposed to optional. The richest people spent nearly twice as much time as the poorest people in leisure activities that were active, structured and often stressful -- shopping, child care and exercise."

I wouldn't say that I "hate" people who watch a lot of TV, but it sort of disgusts me. Maybe that's putting it a little strongly. Hate the sin, love the sinner. Some smart dude said that once. I feel sorry for them, really. George Carlin, the late comedian, said this in an Esquire article once - "I wish that we could measure how much the potential of the mind to expand has been stunted by television." So do I, George. So. Do. I.

The Science of Sleep

Very interesting stuff on Time.com. People who sleep too little (fewer than 6 hours/night) or too much (more than 9 hours) are less healthy than people who sleep juuuuuust the right amount (7 to 8). Normal sleepers drink and smoke less, are of healthier weight and have lower rates of depression. As usual, there is no proof of a cause-and-effect relationship, but it's good to know this stuff if you're trying to take control of your life and move in a better direction.

Columbia University sleep researcher, James Gangwisch -

"We're getting to the point that they may start recommending getting enough sleep as a standard approach to weight loss and the prevention of obesity."

As my brother Mark says, "if you're not exercising or getting enough sleep, then you have your priorities screwed up". Which reminds me that I read in Forbes last night that the average American household watches 8 hours of TV a day! That horrifies me.

One last thing. "The Science of Sleep" is a great movie. Especially if you like weird European movies that employ several languages at the same time (English, Spanish, French, in this case).

Come and Get It (and by "it", I mean communication, manners, nourishment, encouragement to try new things, better grades, saved money...)

Well, the author (a licensed dietician) doesn't propose how a family is to get over the many hurdles cited to scheduling family meals, but I don't remember that being an issue when I was growing up. We did eat later than most families (around 7:30, usually), but other than dinner time, when would a family even have a chance to learn what is going on in everyone's life? It certainly won't happen sitting in front of the boob tube together. According to A.C. Nielsen Co., Americans watch an average of 4 hours of television per day. How can the average American complain about not having enough time? After earning the money to pay for the meal, what could possibly be more important than spending time with one's family?

Read the list of benefits to a family that eats dinner together on SparkPeople.