Bigger is Better

More news on the benefits of breast implants. Is there anything they can't do..?

" Study: Breast Implants Boost Self-Esteem and Sex Drive"

"Of particular interest, [researcher] Figueroa-Haas said, were increases in ratings of sexual desire, with a 78.6 percent increase from initial scores; arousal, which showed an 81 percent increase; and satisfaction, with a 57 percent increase."

Think Again

This one's for my brother, Brendan, and John Stossel. Those guys love this kind of myth-debunking.

MSN Health has a list of things that you probably think are healthy habits, and reasons why they are not. A conspicuous item on the list is the very first; anti-bacterial soap. It kills the weak bacteria and makes strong ones stronger.

Read the entire list here.

Smile

"You can never tell what type of impact you may make on another's life by your actions or lack of action. Sometimes just with a smile on the street to a passing stranger can make a difference we could never imagine."

-Ed Foreman, Congressman, Advisor to 5 US presidents

This is another Motivational Quote of the Day from Nightingale-Conant. It's not the most grammatically consistent statement, but this made me think. Little acts of kindness can have a dramatic effect on the world around us. On the flip side, negativity can spread and hurt more people than just the guy you flipped off while you were driving.

Wealth = Health

How perfect is this?

	"To get rich, never risk your health. For it is the truth that health is the wealth of wealth."
	— Richard Baker: American congressman.

"Health is the wealth of wealth." I really like that.

Oil and Water

This is a tough one for me, since I'd much rather see people buying water than soda, but there is a growing movement against the bottled water phenomenon.

Gina Solomon, a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, points out that "people complain about the cost of gasoline", but "no one seems to realize that they are paying for a picture of pretty mountains on the label and a product they could get for free from their own tap." She has a water filter at home and carries a reusable bottle for drinking tap water.

There are tons of reasons not to buy bottled water. Here are some of them on CNNMoney.

MQOTD

"One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today."
— Dale Carnegie

Healthcare Consumer Tools

It's taking some time, but the resources are becoming available to make decisions and comparisons with respect to healthcare and its costs.

The Tennessee Hospital Association has created a website on which one may generate a report to find out what a typical hospital procedure, such as a cesarean section, would cost at hospitals throughout the state (except for the ones owned by HCA [Hospital Corporation of America], the largest hospital group in the US, which promises to publish pricing information soon).

tnhospitalsinform.com

There is no quality data to compare yet, but Health and Human Services has its own website you can check out.

www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov

Don't Think Fast

People have recently been talking about the lemonade diet; sometimes called the "master cleanse". Beyonce Knowles claims to have lost 20 pounds getting ready for her role in Dreamgirls with the diet, consisting largely of lemonade, maple syrup and cayenne pepper, along with fasting.

Here's an article on WebMD -

"If you weed through all the controversy, you’ll find that most medical experts agree on one thing: fasting is not a healthy weight loss tool. "

And here is a site that goes in depth about a couple of versions of the diet.

Dangers of WiFi

My cousin has been talking about the risks of ubiquitous WiFi for quite some time now. It will be interesting to see the long term effects. Headaches, nausea, and early senility are three possible ones. Click here to see an article on the subject.

1 + 1 = 4

I was recently discussing the fact that a martini probably counts as several drinks, but I think when most people are out drinking, they think "a drink is a drink". Well, a martini is, in fact, more like 2 drinks. So, one martini plus one martini equals four drinks. That explains my wacky arithmetic in the title line, and it also explains the now standard aversion to the old-fashioned "two martini lunch" once popular among businessmen.

One alcoholic drink is the equivalent of a 12-ounce beer (standard can or bottle), a 4-ounce glass of wine, or 1.25 ounces of hard alcohol (a shot). Here is an interesting online resource from Loyola Marymount University that lists the drink-equivalent of some popular drinks among college students and young adults including the Long Island Iced Tea (4 drinks), a cup of keg beer (1 1/3 drinks), and a 40-ounce malt liquor (5 drinks).

If you're drinking Long Islands all night, you are not demonstrating moderation in your behavior.

Retire Rich

In celebration of tax day tomorrow Ben Stein wrote an article on Financial Planning for Men's Health. He outlines 5 steps towards retiring rich.

1) Figure out how much you will need to retire
2) Determine how you'll amass that kind of dough
3) Pick your investments
4) Diversify internationally
5) Forget about it (Colin really likes this one)

Certainly worth the read. Click here.

Are High Deductible Health Plans Discriminatory?

I have held off for a bit on posting any commentary about the recent study by Harvard Medical School researcher Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, who came to this conclusion -

"High-deductible plans punish women for having breasts and uteruses and having babies."

I'm not particularly keen on spreading this message (also Woolhandler)-

"When an employer switches all his employees into a consumer-driven health plan, it's the same as giving all the women a $1,000 pay cut, on average, because women on average have $1,000 more in health costs than men."

I'd like you to come to your own conclusion on this one, but the fact is that women require more routine medical care than men. This comes down to your philosophy on insurance. Does health insurance fall into its own category, or is it like any other type of insurance, where higher risk leads to higher premiums? The upcoming presidential election will shine a spotlight, and we will soon hear some ideas.

Here are two places you can read about the study -

insurancenewsnet.com

msnbc.com

The Most Important Meal of the Day (Revisited)

My brother passed along a great piece about the benefits of eating a good breakfast. It comes from Bottom Line Health and is well worth the read.

Power Breakfast I seem to have a daily fight with my teenage daughter about eating a good breakfast. She goes for the carbs, and I push the protein. However, if you don't like eggs, the remaining standard breakfast fare includes dairy products (allergenic for many) or bacon and other breakfast meats. If breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, shouldn't we select what we eat more carefully? And what exactly are the proven benefits of eating breakfast in the first place? "There's an old saying that goes 'Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper,'" said nutritionist and weight-loss coach Jonny Bowden, CNS. "But most of us do the opposite." According to Bowden, this is exactly the wrong way to eat if we're trying to lose weight. It also works against us if we're trying to keep our energy up during the day and our performance level high. "Remember, you've just completed eight hours without food," he told me. "You're literally breaking a fast. Your body is craving nourishment, and your brain needs glucose to function at its best. Skipping breakfast is one of the worst possible things you can do. You set yourself up for disaster in a number of different ways later in the day." Indeed, the research points that way. Between 35% and 40% of all Americans skip breakfast, and many kids leave for school without it. The implications are dramatic, both physically and mentally (more on that in a moment). "People who skip breakfast are more than four times as likely to be obese than people who eat something in the morning," Bowden informed me. Then there's performance. "Numerous studies over the years have shown that skipping breakfast impacts the behavior and mental performance of school kids," Bowden said. "Kids who eat breakfast have better memory, and higher math and reading scores. And kids who are hungry have a large number of behavior problems, including fighting, stealing, having difficulty with teachers and not acknowledging rules." Additionally, people who eat breakfast are far more likely to get a healthy intake of vitamins and minerals than those who don't. In one study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers found that people who ate a hearty breakfast containing more than one-quarter of their daily calories had a higher intake of essential vitamins and minerals and lower serum cholesterol levels to boot. Sounds weird, doesn't it? Getting adequate and sufficient nutrients when your body needs them is the best way to maintain optimal body function. THE BEST BREAKFAST So what constitutes a good breakfast? Is it the high-carb, low-fat "Breakfast of Champions" that was so in vogue several decades ago? Or is it a plate piled high with meat and bacon minus the bread and potatoes à la "Robert Atkins"? "Higher protein breakfasts translate into a more sustained level of energy throughout the morning and possibly the day," Bowden told me. "Protein fills you up longer, and you're less likely to have midmorning cravings. You're also less likely to overeat at lunch." And higher protein at breakfast may increase metabolism, helping you to maintain a healthy weight. "In one study, a high-protein breakfast increased the metabolism of healthy young women by a shocking 100%," Bowden said. "There are definite advantages to higher protein intakes in the morning," Bowden continued, "but that doesn't mean 10,000 calories of bacon." He recommends that at least one-third of your breakfast come from a lean protein source and the rest from healthy fats and fibrous carbs. "And if you eat eggs, for goodness' sake, don't throw out the yolks," he urged. They're loaded with good nutrition, and may even lower your cholesterol levels, he added. "Moreover, don't be afraid to think outside the box," Bowden advised. He pointed out that in Asia, the traditional Japanese breakfast consists of a small piece of fish (like salmon), some light vegetables and a tiny portion of rice, accompanied by a small bowl of miso soup. "The health benefits of fish and vegetables in the morning are huge," Bowden reported. "And the omega-3s in salmon are terrific for your skin, plus they help regulate mood." If salmon's too much of a stretch for you, Bowden has his own list of favorite breakfasts for more Western palates... Eggs. "I think eggs are one of nature's perfect food sources," he told me. "They are loaded with protein and other nutrients such as phosphatidyl choline for the brain and heart." A Bowden breakfast favorite: Scramble some eggs with spinach and sliced apples in some coconut oil, and season with turmeric and lemon pepper. "It's loaded with protein and nutrients for the eyes, like lutein and zeaxanthin," he explained. "Plus the turmeric is one of nature's great anti-inflammatories." (Note: Bowden strongly recommends free-range eggs -- from hens that had access to the outdoors where they could run around and eat more natural food, which changes the fat content and nutrition of their meat and eggs.) Yogurt that contains active cultures. "One of my favorite quick breakfasts is yogurt with nuts and red or purple grapes," Bowden said. "I always use goat's or sheep's milk yogurt because it's less likely to have hormones in it and has a better nutrient balance. Then I sprinkle on some walnuts or almonds or pecans." Peanut butter and banana sandwich. "If you're someone who can tolerate grains," said Bowden, "buy a good whole-grain bread, preferably sprouted grain, take one slice and make a 'half sandwich' using natural, unsweetened peanut or almond butter, a banana and, if you like, a dollop of yogurt on top." Whey protein shake. "Whey is my favorite protein powder," Bowden told me, because it raises glutathione, the most important antioxidant in the body, and has shown in one study to lower blood pressure by about 5 mmHg. "You can make a nutritious shake using water, whey protein and frozen berries, with a little cranberry or pomegranate juice. Or almond or rice milk. Throw in a handful of raw oats for texture -- it tastes much better than it sounds. Adding a splash of olive oil to the shake will reduce the glycemic index and help the smoothie 'stick' with you a little longer. Experiment. Peanut butter is another great add-in." Homemade muesli or granola. According to Bowden, "Raw foods have a lot to recommend them. They contain enzymes, they haven't been processed, they tend to have fiber and they're loaded with nutrients." Bowden's favorite: "Take some raw oats... soak in a little pomegranate juice... add nuts, berries or sliced apples, and flaked coconut. You can sweeten with xylitol if you need to (though it has been found to cause diarrhea in some), but it's delicious without it. You can also use raw cold-pressed honey or blackstrap molasses if you like." In my house, we actually eat a lot of grilled chicken and soup for breakfast. Even my know-it-all teenager does this when she takes a break from being a teen. Don't be constrained by recent American traditions. As a reformed blueberry muffin eater, I can attest to the fact that chicken feels much better as the day wears on.

That last paragraph is part of the article, and is not my own words. No teenage daughters here, just, you know, so you know.

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.

Better Hurry

My brother and I just sent out our tax stuff today, including our respective HSA tax forms (Form 8889). As is typical, rather than making it as easy as possible for their customers, the health insurance companies and HSA banks just tell you that you need to talk to your tax advisor about how to file your HSA contributions (which offset your income taxes).

Both forms are on the IRS website.

The instructions on how to fill the form out are here.

The form itself is here.

Good Eats

One of the toughest parts about eating healthy is the fact that it is extremely difficult to know what the nutritional value is of the foods we prepare and buy. SparkPeople has just introduced a valuable service in SparkRecipes. You can browse member recipes for healthy snacks and meals, or type in a recipe of your own in the Recipe Calculator and find out the fat, cholesterol, sodium and other information. It's really quite something.

www.sparkrecipes.com

The Taxman Returneth (Your Money)

CNNMoney.com has a simple, but good list of constructive uses for you income tax refund. It would probably be better to save the money than to go on vacation to Las Vegas.

401(k) to IRA?

"In general, I think people are better off rolling their 401(k) money into an IRA when leaving a former employer. For one thing, you can open an IRA rollover at virtually any mutual fund or brokerage firm. That gives you access to a lot more investment options than you get in a 401(k)
lineup."

-Walter Updegrave, Senior Editor at Money Magazine

Read the entire article here on CNNMoney.com. This is of particular interest to me as I have just been asked by my former employer to roll over my 401(k) and I'd like to oblige.

Mmm, Chocolate

This chart is from a SparkPeople.com article. It gets a little political, but the idea is that, given all of the good press chocolate has received, there are still some important considerations to be made.

Good for Your Health	Leave it on the Shelf
"70% Dark Chocolate"	"Milk chocolate"
Cocoa butter	Partially hydrogenated oil
Cocoa liquor	Natural or artificial color
Sugar or cane juice	Corn syrup
Dairy-free	Milk, milk fat, or lactose
Cocoa powder	Dutch processed or Alkalized
Thick, tight wrapper	Thin wrapper or exposed to light
Glossy, dark or smooth texture	Blotchy, streaky or rough texture
Fair Trade and Organic	Conventional (no distinction)

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