Earlier in the month, I read and subsequently saved an insightful article written by Tara Parker-Pope in the New York Times entitled, In Obesity Epidemic, What’s One Cookie?
There a few key points the article makes in summarizing various studies that underscore how small behavioral steps can lead to significant improvements in health. Kinda like that adage: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.”
The “thousand mile journey” under discussion is weight loss. The key points include the value of making a small change, the difficulty of losing weight and how to get started.
As food gets more manufactured, we need to be ever more vigilant about what we eat. Our health depends upon it.
[Be patient… story in the video starts after a 15 second ABC commercial.]
IT SEEMS that news of food contamination has spiked recently. Every other month it’s some sorta meat that’s contaminated, hormone-filled, swimming in anti-biotics; or perhaps spinach or some other vegetable tainted with salmonella. And now it’s time for fish oil supplements and various snack foods to take their turn. Read more
It’s Simple, Easy, Simple, Easy… Just Needs Doing!
LAST NIGHT I was clicking through the channels seeking an insightful, and dare I hope — fair — review of President Obama’s Health Summit. I did find the fawning gesticulations of Chris Matthews on MSNBC, and the regurgitation of Republican talking points on FOX.
Thinking that I’d have to get the balanced review I wanted from the newspaper the next morning, I was about to shut down the idiot box, when I stumbled upon a topic close to the heart of this blog — longevity.
It appeared that CNN’s medical correspondent, Sanjay Gupta, was in Anderson Cooper’s seat at the moment directing traffic, sort-of-speak, and moderating interviews. I alighted upon his interview with Dan Buettner of “Blue Zone” fame. (Watch another interview with him here.) They were talking about common habits among those people in those geographies ( the so-called “Blue Zones”) that researchers believe is behind their startling longevity and vigor.
Without further adieu, I’ll quickly list these behaviors and then get into some details, cause the particulars are important. Read more
PRESIDENT OBAMA released his version of a health care reform bill today, Monday, February 22, 2010. Widely criticized over these many months of contentious health care debate, Mr. Obama finally put “his thumb on the scale”, to quote As Huffington Post reporter Sam Stein in the video clip above.
The drama is building. Watch the video to learn how this chess game is being played.
All sugar is not created equal. Some metabolize better than others. Beware Fructose!
High Fructose Corn Syrup Produces Fat
SUGAR CAN KILL! Reads like an alarmist, over-the-top declaration, doesn’t it? Yet the truth of it is borne out every day.
Of course, a bullet to the head kills more quickly and certainly; nonetheless, with the right genetic propensities (say for diabetes) and a diet amply laden with sugar, sugar can kill you.
Now here comes a seemingly contradictory and equally true statement: Every living thing (that would include us) requires a certain form of sugar to live.
That these two statements can be true is made possible by recognizing that not all sugar is created equal. One form of it we need, a few we can tolerate, and one in particular can kill us.Read more
1 of 3 kids is overweight or obese. Diabetes looms.
MICHELLE OBAMA is using her platform as First Lady to draw attention to childhood obesity. On Tuesday, February 9th, Mrs. Obama, kicked off a sweeping initiative to revamp how American children eat and play.
Part of this includes a task force assembled for a 90 day period to review and recommend programs and policies that will influence children’s physical exercise and diets.
Why is she doing this? Aren’t parents the gatekeepers of their children, not the First Lady? Read more
Author Dan Buettner writes about areas he calls “blue zones”, like Sardinia, Okinawa, Costa Rica (the Nicoya Peninsula), Ikaria (a Greek island), and Loma Linda, California. What these blue zone residents have in common include exercising regularly, eating more vegetables/less meat, engaging in social networking, and having a sense of purpose.
Kevin Rose interviews Dr. Weil. The bottom line on Soda, Energy Drinks, Diary, Soy, Vitamins (esp. Vitamin D), Omega-3, Cell Phone Radiation, Eye Health, Antioxidants, Atkins, Trans Fat, Depression, Exercise, Juice Cleanses and Tea… whew!
