The data doesn’t lie. Sitting for hours each day does the body harm.  Sitting can reduce your lifespan, nullify the benefits of exercise, increase cancer risk, and other unhappy things.  Read why you have to get up and move.  Often!

Six Powerful Reasons to Sit LESS

WHAT BETTER moment to write about the dangers of sitting on your duff than when I am doing just that, along with a dozen others languorously sitting in this sunny Sausalito café?

I’m not a full-time blogger, nor am I a full-time (so-called) knowledge-worker, who typically massages his knowledge for employers while sitting.  And yet, my derrière can be often found spread out on a chair.

Former Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, famously used a standing desk.  Some people use a large stability ball. (Which I do too, here and there.)

Standing actually burns substantially more calories than sitting.  The stability ball is better than a chair because muscles that support your core must subtly work to keep you balanced and properly seated (aligned) on the ball, which also burns more calories than simply sitting in a chair.

So, what are you waiting for? More data?  Well, consider these six reasons that I grabbed and will here summarize from a Huffington Post article called, Sitting: 6 New Reasons It’s Bad For Your Health.

Six Reasons to Get Up and Move!

1. Sitting can diminish the benefits of exercise. Researchers from the University of Missouri published results suggesting that sitting throughout most of the day may put individuals at higher risk for diabetes, obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease — even if you clear time for daily exercise.

2. Sitting can increase the risk of death.  As HuffPost editor Amanda Chan reported, a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that women who sat six or more hours a day were nearly 40 percent more likely to die over a 13-year-stretch than those who sat less than three hours.

Men fared better… sitting for more than six hours was linked with an 18-percent higher risk of death.

3. That no-good TV.  Every hour you sit in front of the TV, you can slash your life expectancy by nearly 22 minutes.   Sound like nonsense?  Well, here’s the study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Do those hours add up to, say, six per day?  Well, couch potato, off your feat consistently for that long can cut your life expectancy by five years.

4. Sitting increases cancer risk. Is it ridiculous to suggest that sitting may be responsible for more than 170,000 cases of cancer yearly — with breast and colon cancers being the most influenced by rates of physical activity (and inactivity)?

Christine Friedenreich, an epidemiologist with Alberta Health Services told this to MSNBC: “For many of the most common cancers, it seems like something as simple as a brisk walk for 30 minutes a day can help reduce cancer risk.”

5. Sitting adds to butt fat. HuffPost UK reported this:

“In a bid to explain why sedentary behaviour causes weight-gain, scientists believe that the precursors to fat cells turn into flab (and end up producing more) when subjected to prolonged periods of sitting down, otherwise known as ‘mechanical stretching loads.’”

Translation and conclusion: Putting prolonged pressure on your bottom can produce up to 50% more fat on it.

6. Sitting is an independent risk factor for serious cardiovascular events. Men’s Health covered a study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, in which researchers from Louisiana found that people who sit for the majority of the day are 54 percent more likely to die of a heart attack.

Now, you may feel fine sitting all day long.  I feel fine.  But I can tell you that facts matter to me, and I’m going to make sure that I consciously get off my duff every hour, walk around, stretch, do a few squats, before spreading the glutes back over the cushion.

Amen.

Related posts:

1. Knowledge Workers Beware — Sitting Could Kill You
2. Nine Reasons to Drink Green Tea (and limit coffee)
3. 30 Reasons to Take Vitamin D — Watch

Since in America 2/3rds of us are overweight, knowing about the ultimate risk of belly fat is both urgent and important. The facts recently uncovered are shocking!  Learn about the damage that excess fat can do, and how to minimize the risks.

WITH THANKSGIVING one day away, this subject may be viewed as heresy because it deals with diet, but I just learned a few things from yesterday’s Dr. Oz show and if I don’t write about it now, it may elude me later.  Let me add that it’s important for you to know this.

As Dr. Oz reports, the science is clear, and what it says is disturbing given that about 2/3rds of all Americans are overweight.  What we know now is that…

Fat can cause cancer!

This eye-popping assertion was the subject of yesterday’s Dr. Oz show, where he and Dr. Kathleen Wolin, an expert on the matter, delved into how fat causes cancer, what types of cancer fat can cause and what can be done to mitigate the risk.

And the risk is substantial.  To underscore this, I’ll ask you a question.  What do you think has the greatest potential to cause cancer, smoking cigarettes or being overweight?

The answer: Both smoking cigarettes and being overweight carry the same risk of creating cancer – a 30% chance each.

What the studies now demonstrate is that belly fat not only increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease, the so called “diabesity”, but of four types of cancer as well.  The four cancers are: Pancreatic Cancer, Colon Cancer, Kidney Cancer and Endometrial Cancer.

If you’re overweight by more than ten pounds, and certainly if you’re obese, you now have a very big reason to take the bull by the horns and lose weight.  If you’ve tried before and weren’t successful, this is the time to seek help, particularly if anyone in your family had any of the four fat-influenced cancers, diabetes or heart disease.

A Special Kind of Fat

What is under scrutiny here is not all fat irrespective of where it is on your body, but belly fat.  Not all fat has the same damage potential.  The fat on your thighs is not as harmful as that hanging around your belly.

Belly fat is called the “omentum”. Omentum is defined by About.com to be:

“… a large fatty structure which essentially hangs off the middle of your colon and drapes over the intestines inside the abdomen to be It is a hormone producer that disrupts normative chemicals in your body. These hormonal chemicals can feed cancer cells and resist the immune system’s response to them.”  (Source here.)

Here’s what it looks like:  

The 4 Cancers that Fat Can Cause

The one common characteristic of the four cancers that fat can cause is that they are all in organs located in proximity to the belly fat, especially when the fat covers a lot of ground – left, right, up, down, out and round.

1. Pancreatic Cancer.  As you may know, the pancreas is deep in the abdomen below the stomach and liver, which makes it close to the belly.  The pancreas helps regulate how the body processes sugar by producing insulin.  If impaired, the pancreas may have difficulty producing insulin, which is the major cause of diabetes.  What’s now known is that a pancreas that can’t regulate sugar due to excess belly fat leaves it vulnerable to cancer.

Reduce this risk by eating foods rich in folates, such as eggs, asparagus, oranges and green leafy vegetables.

2. Colon Cancer.  The omentum lies over the colon and gets entwined within it.  The pernicious effect it has on the colon is through increasing inflammation and reducing immune function.

Reduce this risk by taking two “baby” aspirin daily in warm water so that it’s quickly dissolved. Another tip is to take a curcumin supplement, as this herb is very useful in reducing inflammation.  To increase immune function, consider the supplements listed in Power Up Your Immune System and Antioxidants Kill Free Radicals.

3. Kidney Cancer. Belly fat is a major producer of the hormone “leptin” which can fuel cancer growth as it helps the blood vessels that feed the cancer cells in the kidney.

Reduce this risk by lowering your salt consumption, increasing potassium, and eating foods such as bananas, apricots and broccoli (all high in potassium).

4. Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer.  The omenum fat excretes estrogen and bathes the uterine in it constantly, hyper-stimulating it.  This can result in cancer.

Reduce this risk by drinking a cup of coffee without sugar and cream.  The thought is that coffee helps stimulate metabolism which has the effect of reducing estrogen, although the science is not clear on this.  Personally, I rather drink green tea for the metabolic stimulating effect.  I do this and take the Green Tea Mega supplement.

A 35+ Inch Waist is Dangerous

How do you know if you’re carrying too much belly fat?  Well, I guess it’s a good sign if you’re unsure, for if it’s not completely obvious, you may not be in the danger zone.  But just to make sure, here’s how to measure your waist:

Take your tape measure and bring it across your belly button and hips.  You can suck your belly in. Look down at the tape and gasp!  If the measurement is more than 35 inches for a woman, or 40 inches for a man, you need to take some weight loss measures.

One important thing to point out here, particularly to those of you who don’t consider yourself overweight, and that is maybe tomorrow you will be. In fact, odds are that as the years unfold, so will your belly.

The reason is that the average American adds a couple of pounds each year as we get older. The weight sneaks up on us, and as it does, so do the cancer risks described here. Obviously, it’s really important that you pay attention and not be lax about what might initially seem to be the gaining of a few pounds.

[Here are Dr. Oz’s five life saving numbers you should know.]

Tips and Tricks for Weight Loss

It’s beyond the scope of this post to deeply dig into a weight loss system, and surely there’s enough information on the Web about that.  I can suggest a few things, however, to get you on your way.

1. Get educated on the subject.  On this blog, you can read Dr Oz and the 14-Day Reboot Diet Plan, Diet 101 and The Basics – My Approach to Health.

2. Choose a few things that you’re willing to do to lose weight and add one each week or so.  For instance, one week you can reduce your red meat consumption to two servings and increase your green leafy vegetables to five servings.  One week, walk x blocks, week two 2x blocks.

3. Recruit a buddy.  This person will keep you on your plan and vice versa.

4. Establish new, healthy habits that you do at specific time each day.  For instance:

- Upon waking, first thing, drink as much purified water as you can.

- Then consume 20 to 30 grams of protein, either a whey, hemp, pea or rice protein supplement, and/or eggs and beans… in any event, ALWAYS eat something balanced and good for breakfast (see #1).

- Throughout the day, drink water with apple cider vinegar in it, about one teaspoon per eight ounces, or if you can’t stand the taste that way, first put the vinegar in your mouth and then chase it with water.  Vinegar is a good fat emulsifier.

- When eating high glycemic foods (white food – wheat, rice and such, sugary foods, packaged foods) add some vinegar or cinnamon to slow down the blood glucose reaction.

- Eat fiber-rich foods and have a back-up plan in case your day is taking you away from such foods.  A back-up plan would be to have some flax seed powder (grind fax seeds in your coffee grinder, or buy them already grounded) or psyllium husk powder and scoop  a tablespoon into a shaker jar filled with water, lemon water, or water with a touch of apple juice.

Drink it down fast before it congeals.

Mobility – Use It or Lose It!

My final statement here goes without saying but I’ll say it:

Each of the risk reducing behaviors cited above for the four different cancers influenced by fat can be made dramatically more effective with exercise.

There’s no getting around the fact that our bodies are made to move.  For most of us in the modern world, they only move from a building to a car to the dinner table.  Insufficient!  If you don’t know how to exercise, find out.  As I mentioned above, recruit a buddy and make it your business to find out how to exercise.

And make sure part of your exercise program includes stuff that makes you breathe heavily (aerobic/anaerobic) , stuff that works your muscles thoroughly (resistance training) and stuff that stretches you (like yoga).  Here’s a five-minute session to get you started.

OK… it’s Thanksgiving, go be thankful, eat heartily but consciously, and resolve to do some things differently.  Please share this with everyone you think could benefit by it.  And good luck.

Related posts:

1. Dr. Oz on Preventing Breast Cancer (Watch Video)
2. The Seriously Serious Problems of Obesity, Cancer and Obesity
3. Guidelines Push Back Age for Cervical Cancer Tests

Jena la Flamme of Pleasure Camp

GIVEN THAT you’re reading this, a post on a health blog, it’s likely that you’re interested in health matters, and get health information from the Web.  I do too, of course.  I spend many hours each week exploring what’s new in the health world and how people producing information, guidance, product and the like communicate with their visitors.

Last night I listened to a webcast about dealing with weight issues.  It was presented by angelic-looking, sweet talking Jena la Flamme.  (Yes, that’s her name.)  The topic: “5 Unexpected Ways To Flatten Your Belly“.

The Pleasure Camp program is intended for women only.  And as I listened to the presentation, I immediately realized how artful the approach was in appealing to women, for it was all about creating a nurturing, safe environment.

The stories were personal and easy to relate to for women.  As a man, I found almost nothing presented that I would need to hear before joining the “Pleasure Camp” (yes, a name appealing, I guess, to women).  A “camp” that women, presumably overweight, can attend for nearly $1,000.

My intent here is not to jam a wedge between the respective decision-making matrix of men and women, but to show that men and women may respond to very different pitches before parting with their money when it comes to something that has emotional overtones.

Like fat.

Assuming that Jena la Flamme successfully fills her Pleasure Camp by the various messages, appeals and pitches I’ve watched, heard and read – and I think she does – her marketing approach to women tells an insightful tale.

Women and men respond to very different appeals.

I know, this conclusion is not particularly insightful, but I’ve never really experienced such a dramatically different approach then what Jena la Flamme uses to get women to part with their money.

During her webinar last night, she did not do what I would think any person would want to hear before deciding to sign-up for such a weight loss camp:

-No statistics were offered related to the success rates of former attendees.

-No details of the weight loss process were outlined.

-No details of the agenda were offered.

Like me, most men would want these details, and before last night’s experience, along with various marketing emails from la Flamme,  I would have thought that an approach largely devoid of such details could NOT sell women either.  Perhaps that’s true for some women, but I now believe that la Flamme’s approach works for enough women to make her businesses thrive.

Here’s my summary of what she told her audience last night:

1.  You need to alleviate stress… can’t accomplish (build) something good under stress.  Find out what stresses you and change the situation and/or reaction. Tune into this before every meal.

2.  Get your mind and body in harmony.  The mind is the rider, the body the horse.  The rider can rule the horse but why do this by overpowering the steed, who will then be unruly and rebellious? Rather, the rider should be one with the horse, moving in harmony.

3.  The excess weight on your body has a message and you must find out what it is.  Like a note in a bottle, the message must be extracted and read.  Yes, bad eating, not moving contributes, but there’s a deeper reason a woman is willing to let the weight pile on.  There’s a message there and it needs to be decoded… think of it as an exciting journey.  Oftentimes this is the issue that a personal coach most has to focus on.  A good question for yourself: What might you lose that you value if you were to lose the weight?  Keep going deeper with this question.  Thin equals sexy and being sexy might be threatening, unsafe.  Does getting attention mean danger?

4.  Create healthy pleasure “ecology” where good choices happen.  Fill your fridge and pantry with superfoods.  Green veggies will provide nutrition and energy.  Chia seeds… soak them overnight and add milk, nuts and fruit for your breakfast. Chia is nutritious and has lots of fiber.  Brown rice is good and easy to make with a rice cooker.  Make sure you have healthy staples in the house so you select them for snacks rather than the unhealthy ones.

That’s the message delivered, along with some authentic-feeling testimonials.  This is the stuff, we were told, that will be delved deeper into at the Pleasure Camp.  To my mind, this info is spot on… but is it enough to compel someone to sign-on for $1,000?

Apparently so…

The next day, today, the attendees of last night’s presentation got two follow-up emails.  The information they contained included very positive feedback emailed to Jena from some listeners, and a list of people, such as artist, doctor, “emerging” actor, etc., that are attending.

Here’s what one person wrote:

“May I tell you, that was spectacular!  Your voice was like music…so
natural, conveyed real “knowing” & warmth…beautiful job! And as
always…jam packed with insights that truly inspire!”

And to those who missed the presentation, la Flamme writes:

“Learn how to make slimming down more pleasurable than you’ve
ever known it to be–come on, don’t knock pleasure as a weight loss
approach until you try it, Jo–I’ll show you how.

Go here to access your teleseminar replay for the steps.”

My final thoughts

I learned something from Jena la Flamme.  Not about weight loss but about what women respond to.  Or some women.  For these women, the key is not to overload them with data and techniques, but to speak to the emotion behind their weight.  To share things about which they can identify. To present others like them who have succeeded.  To underscore the nurturing approach.  In effect, to invite them to join a loving family of sisters.

My final word on this topic is to underscore that I am not making a judgment about the effectiveness of la Flamme’s program.  It might be fantastic.  You women who are curious can click the link above and enter her world.  Let us know in the Comments section below what you think.

Yep

Related posts:

1. The Seriously Serious Problems of Obesity, Sleep Apnea and Obesity
2. Mind Over Food — 7 Steps for Food Control

The Food Plate is in, and the Food Pyramid is history.  The healthy diet is simpler now, is better, and comes with a host of interactive tools that aim to suggest a diet that will work for you.  But there are a few issues I have with these tools.  If you’re muscular, you won’t get the correct advice.  And what’s with the milk!?

THE USDA released today their new food plate that replaces the old food pyramid.  As I wrote in The New Food Pyramid is a Plate, the Obama administration, in part lead by Michelle Obama, has been studying how to remake the food pyramid so that information about diet is more relevant, useful and true.

This is the job of the new “Plate” which is divided into four sections – fruits, grains, proteins and vegetables, with a side of diary.  The statements alongside the Plate at ChooseMyPlate.gov are these:

Balancing Calories

● Enjoy your food, but eat less.

● Avoid over-sized portions.

Foods to Increase

● Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.

● Make at least half your grains whole grains.

● Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

Foods to Reduce

● Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.

● Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Gone are any references to sugars, fats or oils, and what was once a category called “meat and beans” is now simply “proteins.” Next to the plate is a blue circle for dairy, which could be a glass of milk or a food such as cheese or yogurt.

Doesn’t seem like rocket science, does it?  But there’s a few things that are new and good to know, such as specifying that the grains you eat are “whole” grains, not the decimated white variety that constitutes the typical bread, bagel, pasta and pizza.  Or that half the Plate should be fruits and veggies, not white grains.

There’s more, much more at the site that might be useful to people not well versed in what constitutes healthy diets, such as information for specific audiences (pregnant women, preschoolers, kids, weight loss), information for professionals, multimedia presentations, and interactive tools.

I jumped into Interactive Tools.

Interactive Tools

Here’s what’s presented in Interactive Tools:

Daily Food Plan – Get a personalized plan just for you.  Quick access to food info – food groups, calories & comparisons.

Daily Food Plans for Preschoolers – Get your child’s Plan today.

Food Tracker – Feedback on your food and physical activity.

Daily Food Plans for Moms – Start out right as a new mom or mom-to-be.

Food Planner – Plan what to eat to help reach your personal goals.

I decided to try the Daily Food Plan. I entered my stats, age, gender, weight, amount of daily physical activity and came up with this warning:

“The weight you entered is above the healthy range for your height. This may increase your risk for health problems. Some people who are overweight should consider weight loss. Click here (new window) for more information about health risks and whether you should try to lose weight, or talk with your health care provider.”

This is the long-winded version of what I usually get when using the BMI calculation, which truncates the above message into something like, “You’re Overweight”.

That’s because neither of these systems accounts for muscle mass.  Muscle weighs about 40% more than fat and if you have more than the average bear, the extra pounds associated with the muscle is measured as fat.

I’m not being delusional.  At 6’4”, I have a 36” waist and 46” chest – not the data sample for someone who needs to “talk with your health provider.”  But according to the BMI calculation and that used to determine the Daily Food Plan, 215 pounds is too heavy for me.

Why Milk?

My next pet peeve is this American love affair with milk.  People, the milk referred to here is made by cows.  Cows make the milk for calves, not people.  OK, maybe 1% or 2% milk will help you avoid growing the three pounds a day that a calf does, but why is it so valuable to one’s diet that it’s included in the new Food Plate?  Is it simply a matter of the diary lobby?

Diets for Kids

For some reason, the individually created diet plans for kids still uses the now jettisoned pyramid symbol.  I inputted data for my niece, Isa, when she was five years old for the pre-schooler diet plan.

The inputs are age, gender, and amount of daily physical activity.  This is the result for Isa:

Note that at the bottom of the pyramid are the amounts by weight of each of the new Plate food categories that are thought to be correct for Isa.  (Again, just don’t get the milk thing.)  What you can’t read is that statement at the bottom, which says:

“This Plan is a 1600 calorie food pattern. It is based on average needs for a 5 year old girl who is active more than 60 minutes a day. Your preschooler’s food needs also depend on how fast she is growing and other factors. Your child’s doctor can track her height and weight over time to identify specific needs. A preschooler should not be urged to eat these exact amounts — their needs may differ from the average.”

My 2 Cents

Overall, I’m pleased with the new Plate given the supporting material at ChooseMyPlate, the government site from which I’ve been getting the above information.  If people are willing to be guided by it, this country may divert the mounting health catastrophe that lies before us.  (If you think I exaggerate, read my five-part series on obesity staring with, The Seriously Serious Problems of Obesity.)

My two nits have already been mentioned:

1. The tool for determining if you’re overweight and thus what your diet should be does not take into account those who are muscular; and
2. Milk is not some panacea food… some people do not well digest milk sugars, and there are many healthy alternatives, such as almond milk, hemp milk (if you’re the milky type) or simply water.

Do let your friends know about the The New Food Plate, particularly those who could use a nudge in a healthy direction, and most certainly for those who have overweight children who make the rules about what gets bought at the grocery store.

Yep.

Related posts:

1. The New Food Pyramid is a Plate
2. On a Budget? Good, Healthy Food is Often Cheaper (Watch)
3. Six Best of 2010 — Food, Diet and Nutrition

About half of Americans of the fairer sex get it, and most get it repeatedly.  It’s unhealthy, a nuisance and can be avoided.  Here’s how Dr. Oz suggests you can fight back…

THIS IS a quick post that addresses what some of my woman friends claim is a common ailment among their gender, which for some is so repetitive that it’s made them chronic antibiotic users.  Not a good thing.  Use them too much, and they no longer work, not to mention the disruption to gut and colon health.

I thought to write about this after hearing one female friend complain that “it’s happening again”, the day before I watched a Dr. Oz snippet on the subject.

I’m referring to UTI or Urinary Tract Infection which plagues 50% of women in the USA.  That makes it a big problem, but it doesn’t have to be.

Simply put, a UTI happens when bacteria attaches itself to the bladder lining. The bacteria is often some form of Escherichia coli that migrates from the anus.  If you haven’t noticed, it doesn’t have to travel far.

On a female, it’s a quick trip for bacteria to go from the anus to the urethra (Guys: it’s from where a female urinates), and then up the urethra to the bladder. Once there, the bacteria sticks to the bladder wall and causes all sorts of discomforting symptoms, such as:

• A strong, persistent urge to urinate.
• A burning sensation when urinating.
• Passing frequent, small amounts of urine.
• Urine that appears cloudy.
• Urine that appears bright pink or cola colored — a sign of blood in the urine.
• Strong-smelling urine.
• Pelvic pain, in women.
• Rectal pain, in men.

Unless you’re UTIs are chronic, usually one antibiotic pill saves the day, otherwise more may be necessary.

(Should you use any type of antibiotic, concurrently take probiotics to keep the right balance of beneficial bacteria in your gut and colon for digestive health.  The antiobiotics destroy all the bacteria it can, including what you need.  Probiotics will replenish the good stuff. They’re in most health food stores, or you can eat a lot of yogurt and fermented foods.)

Tips for preventing and treating urinary tract infections include:

1. Single dose of Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxadzole antibiotic.
2. Cranberry juice.  it coats the lining of the bladder which prevents the bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall.  (Don’t drink it if on blood thinners.)
3. Wipe from front to back.
4. Pee after sex.
5. Eat horseradish – its oil has anti-bacterial properties.
6. Drink peppermint tea – the Menthols in peppermint tea are toxic to bacteria.
7. Take 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C which will acidify urine which is problematic for bacteria.

There’s more information about UTI at the famed Mayo Clinic here.

If you have a solution to UTI that’s not mentioned here, please let us know in the Comments section below.

Related posts:

1. Urinary and Kidney Health… Don’t Get Stoned!
2. Dr. Oz on Preventing Breast Cancer (Watch Video)
3. Four Solutions to Antibiotic-resistant Super Bed Bugs

Consumer Reports has added another service – Consumer Reports Health – to help demystify what is good and not so good for your health.  Take a look at what they’re offering.

I’M NOT in the business of hawking other people’s stuff, but I’d like to share an email from Consumer Reports with you that my sister just forwarded to me.

Consumer Reports declares itself to be an unbiased reviewer of many things that we buy.  For some, it’s the consumer bible about effectiveness, durability, quality, etc., particularly from a comparative perspective – one product vs another.

Consumer Reports is now offering ConsumerReportsHealth.org for $9 per year (first year).  As they say in the email:

“ConsumerReportsHealth.org provides objective, evidence-based Ratings for medical treatments, drugs and natural medicines. We rate health products and services with the same expertise and independence we use to rate cars, electronics and appliances for more than 70 years. And as long as you remain 100% satisfied you will receive the benefits of automatic renewal with continuous access to ConsumerReportsHealth.org”

Here are examples of the information that would be made available:

As someone who blogs about health matters, I can tell you first-hand that there’s a lot of conflicting and confusing information out there in the marketplace.  This might be helpful.  Know that I haven’t used the service, yet, and would not be compensated in any way by Consumer Reports if you subscribed.

If you have used this service, please let us know what you think in the Comments section below.

Related posts:

1. Newsweek’s Ms. Begley’s Five Health Care Lies
2. Debunking Health Care Mythmaking with Healthcare Journalist J.R. Reid
3. Health Advice for Women (and men) – A Sauvignon Tale

This is a long list of supplements that are thought to offer some level of protection against radiation.  By and large, these are the very same supplements that are touted to clean and rebuild the body of toxins, as well as provide essential nutrition.

I WAS on an email list that began who knows where that forwarded the following material without attribution.  I read it, mostly agree with it, have blogged about much of it already.  I post it here in its entirety without attribution because I don’t know the source.  If any of it intrigues you, you might google around for sources that confirm these supplement assertions.

Potassium Iodide: Of course, most everyone knows this one.  This can protect the thyroid gland by saturating the thyroid with iodide so it cannot absorb radioactive iodine.

“The idea of stockpiling the drug, potassium iodide, has been debated since the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island, near Harrisburg, Pa. Proponents renewed discussions of the proposal after the explosion of the Chernobyl reactor in the Ukraine, a 1986 accident that is now blamed for thousands of thyroid cancers, mostly in people who were in utero or younger than 2 years old at the time. Those people, regardless of their age, who took potassium iodide at the time were protected.”

“But the new recommendation is far more complex, establishing different recommended doses and different conditions for use for eight categories of people: newborns; infants younger than 3 years old; children 3 to 12; youths 12 to 18; adults 18 to 40; adults older than 40; and women who are lactating or are pregnant.

For those younger than 18 and for pregnant or lactating women, the F.D.A. will recommend giving the drug at a level of radiation exposure a fifth as large as advised in the 1980′s.”

What this confusing mish-mash  means is, if you get sufficient iodine in your diet, you should be protected.  Even if exposed, organic iodine can actually remove radioactive iodine that has lodged in the thyroid gland.  More dose info below under Kelp and Sea Vegetables.

The RDA according to the Nutrition Almanac - http://mutage.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/18/4/337 – is 150 mcg (millionths of a gram) per day.  The latest therapeutic dose recommendations are complicated depending on age, body type, exposure etc. General guidelines are adults and adolescents a full therapeutic dose is 130 mcg.  Children over 3-12 yrs. 65 mcg.  Over one month-3 yrs.  32 mcg.  Birth to one month  16 mcg.  By saturating the thyroid gland it is protected up to one month., which is long enough for the radioactive iodine (which has a half life of 8 days) to disappear from the environment.  Without the potassium iodide (KI) taken in advance of an attack to saturate the thyroid, its protective effect lasts about 24 hours! You should have tablets on hand

Beta-1,3 Glucan: Extracted from the cell walls of baker’s yeast it is a potent immune enhancer. It activates important macrophages and is also an anti oxidant.  Studies by the Army showed that glucan was a powerful protectant against a lethal dose of radiation. Ref 2 page 9.

Polyamines: “The free radicals generated by ultraviolet (UV) or ionizing radiation can attack cellular lipids, proteins and DNA. Endogenous free radical scavengers such as glutathione and the polyamines (e.g, spermidine and spermine) can inhibit the action of ROS (peroxides and hydroxyl radicals).”

Naringin: “Radiation is a well-known inducer of free radicals and compounds that can scavenge free radicals may reduce radiation-induced DNA damage. Naringin, a bioflavonoid predominant in grapefruit and other citrus fruits, has been found to scavenge free radicals, therefore it may also reduce radiation-induced damage.”

Dimethyl Sulfoxide: Or DMSO,  “prevents DNA Nicking Mediated by Ionizing Radiation or Iron/Hydrogen Peroxide-Generated Hydroxyl Radical.”  (This is a very valuable substance and you would do well to find out more about it.)

Melatonin: “As melatonin administration reversed oxidative organ injury, as assessed by biochemical and histopathological findings, it is suggested that supplementing cancer patients with adjuvant therapy of melatonin may have some benefit for successful radiotherapy.”

Polyethylene glycol: “There is disclosed a method of protecting animals including humans against ionizing radiation by injecting the animals with a polymer having the approximate formula H(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n OH, where n varies between 4 and 13. Particularly, it is found that polyethylene glycol (molecular weight between 200 and 600), polyethyleneglycolmonoethylether (molecular weight between 200 and 600), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (molecular weight up to 10,000) when injected into standard experimental animals, such as mice, protects them from the lethal effect of ionizing radiation.

Tetracycline: “Tetracyclin derivatives and ceftriaxone, a cephalosporin antibiotic, protect neurons against apoptosis induced by ionizing radiation. Our results suggest that some tetracycline derivatives, such as doxycycline and minocycline, and ceftriaxone, a cephalosporin derivative, protect neurons against apoptotic death.”

Vitamin C: This may be the most important thing of all to have on hand for many applications, e.g. poison, bites, viruses, etc.  The book “Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases, & Toxins”   by Thomas Levy, MD, should be one of your most prized possessions along with as much Sodium Ascorbate as you can store.  Vitamin C cannot only protect against radiation but also repair damage from previous exposure.

Vegetable Oil: Extra virgin olive oil but any cold pressed, extra virgin oil will do in an emergency.  If you are exposed or are going to be, you can drink a half cup and if will help supply protection for the cell membranes. ( I got this from the Atomic Energy Commission Report many years ago but it still is true.)  Some studies show that applying these oils to the skin can help protect against radiation skin burns. Vitamin E oil applied to the skin, along with Vitamin C and aloe vera  could help mitigate radiation burns.

Oils: Dr. James Ashikava found that mice will survive normally lethal doses of x-rays if they are given common edible unprocessed vegetable oils—especially olive or peanut oils.  It is reported from Mexico, that those who work or live near sources of radiation, such as atomic labs or nuclear power plants, eat or rub vegetable oils on their skin for greater protection.

Rutin: Strengthens the capillary walls and reduces hemorrhaging caused by x-rays. In animal studies reduced the death rate caused by excessive x-rays by 800 per cent.

Dose: 100 to 200 mg a day as protective dose. If exposed, 800 mg. or more a day. It is harmless.

Pantothenic Acid: Prevents radiation injuries.  In animal studies, the survival rate was increased by 200 per cent by giving pantothenic acid prior to exposure. Brewers yeast is by far the best source of this substance. Dose:  Preventive—5 mg. to 15 mg. for children, 25 mg. to 50 mg. for adults.  Use a double or triple dose as a therapeutic after exposure.

Brewer’s Yeast: Believe it or not, brewer’s yeast can help protect and repair damage from many types of radioactivity.

Vitamin F:Essential fatty acids or EFA, present in all crude, cold-pressed vegetable oils.

Lemon: Or lemon peel concentrate.  Probably due to the bioflavonoids.  It is always good to take Vitamin C and bioflavonoids together since the latter multiplies the effect of the C.

Lecithin: 2-3 tbsp. a day, will help counteract the effects of radiation.

Kelp: Supplement the diet with easily assimilable organic iodine, as in kelp (Norwegian or other clean water kelp if possible),  this will saturate the thyroid so radioactive iodine will not be absorbed. (It, like all sea vegetables contains an amazing substance called sodium alginate which we will get to later.) Dose:  1 to 2 tsp. Of granules daily, or 5 to 10 tablets.  Protective program for Strontium-90.

Calcium and Magnesium: both help your body to pass off Strontium 90. Get supplement not made from animal bones which contains Strontium 90. Dolomite is best. Dr. Linus Pauling says heavy calcium supplementation will reduce strontium 90 absorption by 50 percent, but be careful not to over indulge unless exposed.

From the valuable resource book, “Fighting Radiation and Chemical Pollutants with Foods, Herbs and Vitamins” by Steven R. Schechter, N.D.  (likely out of print) I have purposely left out some of the doses and other specifics in many cases to  space constraints, to avoid giving medical advice, and to encourage you to find and buy this book and the others. However, because the book is out of print I have included some dosages; keeping in mind that the book is over 20 years old. If I do err in this direction, consider it my opinion and not medical advice.  Go to the information source;  When you need it, the info will be priceless and still applicable.

Calcium: By the mechanism of selective uptake, calcium blocks or decreases the absorption of strontium-90, calcium-45 and other radioactive isotopes by the skeletal system.  Calcium also helps to eliminate radioactive isotopes that are lodged in the bones!  The National Research Council recommends that adults consume 800 mg. of calcium per day.  For children and lactating women this is 1,000 mg. and 1,400 mg.. Too much calcium can be harmful. The best forms of supplemental calcium are calcium citrate, gluconate, carbonate, lactate, or amino acid chelated calcium.  It is good to take a calcium—magnesium combination.

Magnesium: Like calcium, magnesium prevents the uptake of radioisotopes and helps to eliminate already stored strontium-90.  One reason not to use synthetic vitamin D (Calciferol) is that it can combine with magnesium and carry it out of the body.  Calciferol is contained in much commercial milk.  Fluoride also leaches calcium from the body among other horrendous things.  The optimal diet should contain about ½ as much magnesium as calcium.  The RDA for calcium is 350 mg. to 700 mg.  The high end should not be exceeded but since the Standard American Diet  or SAD does not supply enough magnesium, supplements are recommended.

Sea Vegetables: Sodium alginate is one of the more powerful protective substances in sea vegetables like kelp, which includes arame, wakame, kombu,  and hijiki.   Sodium alginate reduces the amount of strontium-90 absorbed by bone tissue by 50 to 83 percent.  (You can also obtain a great source of this in a fantastic herbal combo by Solaray called Detox Blend SP-25.)

Bee Pollen: Studies show that bee pollen can significantly reduce the usual side effects of both radium and cobalt-60 radiotherapy and also the sickness after massive abdominal x-rays. One study showed that the proliferation of cancer cells stopped in cancerous tumors induced in mice.  (This is only indicative and does not purport to be medical advice. One should go to the source and study the relevant information before drawing conclusions. Try to get real bee pollen from an organic bee keeper, uncooked.)

Bee Propolis: Besides the healing and anti bacterial qualities of this substance, it has been effective in clinical stages of radioepithelitis, i.e. inflammation of epithelial tissue due to radiation. (Same as above.  Get unheated, raw organic honey; it is a good source of pollen, royal jelly and propolis.)

Fermented Foods: Due to their multiple beneficial effect on the intestines, fermented foods help to counteract the toxins from radioactive fallout that is ingested from foods, e.g. yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, etc.

Beets: Beets have been shown to rebuild hemoglobin of the blood after exposure to radiation. Rats fed a diet of 20 percent beet pulp were able to prevent cesium-137 absorption and 97 to 100 percent more effectively than rats given no beets.

Primary-grown Nutritional Yeast:  Besides having Vitamin E,  it also contains the nucleic acids RNA and DNA, both of which have been shown to have radio protective qualities.  It has been shown to help rebuild and regenerate cells damaged by radiation, and also to produce relief from radiation poisoning and it’s many horrible symptoms.  Nutritional yeast has a good amount of many important nutrients.  Primary –grown yeasts bonds with and absorb heavy metals such as uranium, lead and mercury!

Garlic and Onions: Cysteine, also present in onions, binds with and deactivates both the radioactive isotopes and toxic metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury.  The sulfur in cysteine helps the kidneys and liver detoxify the body.  Garlic has many wonderful healing properties and should be researched.

Green Cabbage: Lourau and Lartigue reported  that green cabbage increased the resistance of guinea pigs to radiation.  The US Army  found that broccoli, green cabbage and alfalfa reduced the effects of radiation on guinea pigs by 50 percent!  (You can get a good organic alfalfa pill very cheap from Nature’s Plus.)

In one mice study, olive oil taken internally fully protected rats against progressive doses of x-rays ranging from  300 to 2,400 roentgens.  The olive oil provided optimal protection when is comprised about 15 percent of the total  calories of the diet.  Olive oil and sesame oil are more resistant to breaking down from heat while cooking and have a longer shelf life.

Vitamin A: In 1974, researchers from India found that vitamin A, when taken internally by humans, hastened recovery from radiation.  In 1984, Dr. Eli Seifter and a team of researchers fro the Albert Einstein College of Medicine….reported vitamin A and beta-carotene counteracted both partial and total body gamma radiation. It also improved the healing of wounds; reduced weight loss, thymic and splenic atrophy, and adrenal enlargement; and prevented gastro-ulceration and an abnormal decrease in red and white blood cell formation.  (The therapeutic purposes, 25,000 to 35,000 IU are recommended for adults.  During emergencies or crisis situations, intensive exposure may warrant as much as 40,000 to 100,000 IU of beta-carotene, but should be taken for no more than three to four weeks. Infants should not consume high amounts. This info is only very partial and you should consult the book for specifics.)

Vitamin B Complex: There are so many benefits to the B vitamins that there is no space to list them.  One of the many is they normalize the red and white blood cell count, because the destruction of white blood cells by radiation can last for extended periods of time. The various B vitamins have different effects and should be taken together.

Vitamin C and Bioflavonoids: Not to be redundant;  researchers at Harvard Medical School said, “Our experiment showed that vitamin C can prevent damage from radiation….it somehow keeps the radiation from killing the cells.”   Their experiment indicates that the dosage for humans exposed to intensive radiation would be approximately 10 grams per day—a mega dose. (More about C and radiation later from Dr. Thomas Levy. The literature must be studied before mega dosing but levels up to 50,000 and more have been administered for short periods with good results.  If more than 750 mg. of vitamin C is taken daily, calcium, magnesium, B6 (within the whole B Complex), and sufficient water to prevent kidney stones.  The body cannot store much C and it is used for darn near everything in the body, so make sure you get enough.)

Vitamin D: An adult therapeutic dose would range from 400 IU per day to 1,000 IU daily.  During an emergency, adult daily dosage could go as high as 2,000 IU, if taken for no longer than one month.  (I would say to find a natural vitamin D as there have been reports that synthetic vitamin D has some bad side effects.)

Vitamin E: It can protect against the effects of x-rays and radioactive cobalt. It improves anemia following exposure to radiation. It can provide internal and external protection against  cesium-137 which is a common component of fallout and nuclear power plant leaks and routine emissions. For the form of E d-alpha-tocopherol, an adult weighting about 155 would need about 900 IU per day.  (I take more than this every day normally. On exposure, I would take 1600 IU as I have many times for several weeks.  I prefer to get the dry, water dispersable E, but any kind is good as long as it is fresh. The oil can go rancid.  Also, try to get the most natural form.)  E also helps prevent the destruction of Vitamin A and fatty acids by massive doses of x-rays. If large doses of C, B and E are taken before exposure, the terrible symptoms of radiation sickness can be reduced or eliminated to a large degree.  Caution: E should be used cautiously if you have high blood pressure or rheumatic heart disease.

Selenium: Wonderful element.  Does so many positive things impossible to list.  It fortifies the immune system, reduces the rate of cancer in humans and helps to alleviate leukopenia, (abnormal decreases of white blood cells). The RDA is 50 to 200 micrograms per day.  Some recommend as much as 100 to 300 micrograms per day, but more should be under medical supervision. It is most effective when taken with vitamins A and E.

Potassium: If there is a deficiency, radionuclides like cesium-137, cesium-134, potassium-40 and potassium-42, are absorbed through selective uptake etc. RDA is uncertain  but health authorities suggest a minimum of 2,000 to 6,000 mg. in the diet.  Usually supplementation is not necessary and too much can be dangerous.

Zinc: A diet that supplies sufficient zinc blocks the uptake of radioactive zinc-65.  Zinc DTPA has been used to chelate americium-241 from a nuclear accident victim.  Natural zinc also will help the body eliminate several toxic heavy metals including cadmium, aluminum, lead, and excess copper.  Although doses over 50 mg. per day have been used it should be under a doctor’s care.

Iron: A number of studies indicate exposure to radiation significantly decreases levels of iron in the body.  Radioactive iron and plutonium, isotopes similar in structure to iron, can be carried to iron storage sites such as liver, bone marrow, ovaries or testes, and lungs if the body is deficiency in iron.  The National Research Council recommends a daily intake of 18 mg. for women, 30 to 60 mg. daily if pregnant or more if lactating;  10 mg. for men, and 10 to 18 mg. for children. After exposure to radiation or loss of blood, supplementation of approximately 10 to 18 mg. daily.

Siberian Ginseng: Eleutherococcus senticosus is the best for medicinal purposes. Soviet researchers reported that eleuthero extract has radio protective qualities, and can be used in conditions of acute or chronic radiation sicknesses such as hemorrhaging, severe anemia, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and headaches due to x-rays. It can lengthen survival time after exposure.  The list is too long.  Do some research. It is almost miraculous  protecting against infections. poisons, etc.  It increases human resistance to a remarkably wide variety of stressors.

Adult extract treatment doses: 20 to 40 drops before meals, two or three times per day.  Children: single dose one drop per each year of age, repeated twice a day.

Panax Ginseng: Studies have found this Asian version is effective against radiation as well.   Researchers observed, ginseng increases the rate of production of serum albumin and gamma-globulin as well as DNA and RNA protein, and lipid synthesis in bone marrow cells.  Also, human subjects taking ginseng root were able to acclimatize more easily to oxygen-deficient air.  Both types can be taken daily as they build up in the body in a positive way.  Best to take small amounts over a long period.

Aloe: Of the more than 200 species of Aloe, these species have shown evidence of being radio-protectants: aloe barbadensis (aloe vera),  aloe arborescens, aloe striatula, and aloe saponaria.  Emulsions can prevent the development of local reactions in radiation therapy and treating radiation burns of second and third degrees.  Aloe also accelerates the process of tissue repair and normal cell growth. It is optimal to use its fresh form direct from the juicy leaves of the plant.  It also has pain-relieving properties.  Use fully mature leaves from outer leaves first.

Chaparral: Also known as the creosote bush, one of the active ingredients is NDGA.  One thing it does is inhibit the tumor electron transport system, which denies such growths the electrical energy they require. It also corrects malignant melanoma in many cancer patients. Chaparral  is an excellent antibiotic and helps purify and detoxify the blood.  Use with caution and supervision. Dose:  If taken in tablet form take an extra 300-750 mg. of vitamin C per day to help the body process the concentrated resins and gums in the herb.

Green Tea and Black Tea: Indications are that the radio-protective effects of tea catechins are associated with the antioxidative property, taken both before and after irradiation.  Caution  with large use of black or green teas because they contain large amounts of caffeine and tannic acid.  Also, some evidence that green tea takes up large amounts of fluoride.

Nucleic acids: RNA and DNA increase the survival rate of mammals exposed to irradiation.  Bee pollen, nutritional yeast and certain sea algae such as chlorella contain relatively large percentages of nucleic acids. Onions contain RNA.

Cysteine: A natural amino acid helps counteract several kinds of radiation. Caution: Do not take as a seperate supplement. Can be a dangerous excitotoxin like glutamate (MSG) or aspartate in abnormal quantities.   Occurs in sulfur containing vegetables most of which are in the cabbage family.  Kale is by far the best source with watercress and brussel sprouts good sources too.  Make sure you get non-irradiated vegetables.

Pectin: Obtained from ripe fruit like apples.  Like sodium alginate in agar and kelp, pectin bonds or chelates with radioisotopes, especially strontium-90, and reduces the absorption into the skeletal system.

Papain: In one study, 50 percent of the rats given papain survived a normally lethal dose of radiation.

Medicinal Charcoal: Has the ability to absorb and neutralize radioactive substances and some toxic materials.  Researchers report that 10 grams or 1 tablespoon of charcoal can absorb about 3 to 7 grams of materials.

Organic Germanium: Ge-132, according to one study, “Radioactive rays release electrons that destroy cells and blood corpuscles….Germanium floating near the blood corpuscles skillfully catches those released electrons and lets them move around its nucleus.”  In other studies mutagenesis of cells exposed to cesium-137 and gamma rays, was “remarkably reduced” without affecting cellular growth or survival.  It seemed to improve the fidelity of DNA replication.  Ge-132 protects cysteine, an amino acid with known protective value. Dose:  25 mg. to 100 mg. per day is often used in Japan.  It can be derived from onions, pearled barley, and watercress.

Sodium Alginate: An effective preventive and therapeutic substance against radiation and heavy metals according to Tanaka.   In two experiments using rats, sodium alginate decreased by a factor of 12, the uptake of several radioactive isotopes—including strontium-90, strontium-85, barium, radium, and calcium. Skoryna el al. concluded that ingestion of small but regular does of alginate is effective in preventing the daily absorption of small doses of radioactive strontium and other contaminants that are present in the environment.  Brown sea vegetables such as kelp are the most effective sources.

Alginate is nontoxic and is not reabsorbed for the GI tract and appears to have no adverse affects even at high doses.  Red sea vegetables, such a dulse are most effective at binding plutonium, and green algae binds cesium most effectively.

Dose: The Atomic Energy Commission recommends for maximum protection against radioactive poisoning for humans, taking a minimum of 2 to 3 ounces of sea vegetables a week or 10 grams (two tablespoons) a day of sodium alginate supplements.  During or after exposure to radiation, the dosage should be increased to two full tablespoons of alginate four times daily to insure that there is a continual supply in the GI or gastrointestinal tract.   There may be a rare problem of constipation but this can be avoided if the sodium alginate is made into a fruit gelatin.  Agar, derived from sodium alginate in kelp, is a safe, nontoxic substance that can be used as a thickening agent or gelatin.  (Solaray has a great product I use now called Detox Blend )

Another benefit of sea vegetables is the natural iodine. If there is insufficient iodine in the diet radioactive iodine-131 will be absorbed and collected in the thyroid gland. Even if radioactive iodine is absorbed by the thyroid, taking natural iodine helps offset the side effects of exposure.  According to Dr. Russell Morgan, one mg. of iodine for children and five mg. for adults taken daily will reduce by about 80 percent the radioactive iodine accumulated in the thyroid.  Whole foods are the best source of iodine, e.g. sea vegetables like hijiki, arame, kombu and dulse.  Iodine is leached from the thyroid gland by drinking chlorinated water.  Avoid iodized salt which contains excessive sodium and no potassium.  Sea vegetables are rich in vitamins and contain most if not all of the essential minerals and trace elements.  Sea vegetables also help dissolve fat and mucus deposits.

Chlorophyll: A number of studies found that chlorophyll-rich foods can decrease radiation toxicity.  Spirulina and chlorella are two micro-algae that are rich in this substance, as are leafy greens, celery, parsley, the sprouts of any grain or bean, the young shoots of any edible grass and sunflower greens.  Chlorophyll is similar in structure to hemoglobin.

Related posts:

1. Japan’s Radiation Fallout – Protect Yourself!
2. Promising Ways to Fight Radiation Poisoning
3. Worried About the Potassium Iodide Supply?

As the Academy Awards looms, it’s time to check out how some celebrities get their bodies into such great shape.  Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, Heidi Klum and Jennifer Lopez share their “12 Celebrity Body Secrets”.

THIS POST about celebrities is a bit of a stretch for me.  Frankly, the celebrity worship thing –  what they do, how, where — confounds me.

Why do we care so much?

Perhaps most of us live lives of quiet desperation, and therefore need to absorb ourselves with those who seem to have it all.  That we do this is a paradigm worthy of psychological study.  I won’t venture there.

What I will do is capitulate.

Yes, it’s Oscar night and I’m wading into the fast running stream of celebrity consciousness this day, and am fishing for something that fits the focus of this blog, health (mainly).

I think I’ve got something tugging at the hook…

12 Celebrity Body Secrets

Now, of course, I’m not coming up with this on my own; rather, I point you to Yahoo’s Healthy Living post, 12 Celebrity Body Secrets, from which the context of this post rambling from my nimble fingers is derived, with some particular challenges and commentary.

The celebs and their workouts under scrutiny here are…

-          Jennifer Aniston

-          Halle Berry

-          Heidi Klum

-          Jennifer Lopez

So, let’s delve into the “secrets” they and their trainers offer the rest of us salivating mortals.

Jennifer Aniston

Ms. Aniston and her trainer, Kathy Kaehler, provide the first three “celebrity body secrets”:

1. Cutting too many calories makes you feel deprived and results in binging. Agreed… eat what you need, but chose the right food and drink.  Check out Diet 101.

2. Eat slowly.  Yep, one important thing that I ignore pretty much at every meal.  But it’s worth paying attention to, because the slower  you eat, the more time your stomach has to perceive it’s full and to communicate that to the hypothalamus in your brain which regulates how much we eat.  Also, when you eat slowly, you tend to chew better which aides digestion and the assimilation of nutrients.

3. Move… aka.. Exercise.  I’m all over this one.  Science now says that exercise can even prolong life.  (Read How Exercise Prolongs the Aging Process.)  Aniston and Kaehler emphasize a good overall toner and conditioner that they call the Card Shuffle.

From the Yahoo post: “HOW TO DO IT: Place 10 playing cards on the floor. Now squat, pick up one card, and shuffle four paces to the right. Squat; put the card down. Shuffle back to the pile, pick another card, and repeat until all 10 cards have been moved to the right.”

Not into cards? Well then simply place two things (like two books) on the floor spaced 10 feet or so apart and shuffle between them, touching them when squatting before shuffling over to the next thing on the floor.

Halle Berry

Next up is the marvelous Halley Berry and her trainer, Harley Pasternak.  They give us “celebrity body secrets” four through six:

4. Walk Uphill. Agree that this is one of the best cardio exercises because the incline provides resistance to your muscles and works your heart, and is gentle on joints, as opposed to the pounding they get while running.  Use a hill or treadmill at the high incline level.  The incline will work your upper thighs and butt.

5. Dumbbells rather than Machines. Yep, good advice because by using dumbbells, your muscles must work together as they do in real life rather than be isolated as many machines restrict them to be.  Also, dumbbells require better muscle balancing – the left deltoid can’t provide more effort than the right as can happen with a barbell or machine.

6. Upper Body Twist is their touted exercise. This targets the oblique muscles (sides of the waist)

From the Yahoo post: “HOW TO DO IT: Sit on a mat or rug with your knees bent and your feet flexed. Lean back slightly (at a 45-degree angle). Now reach across your body with your right hand, as though you’re grabbing something on your left, then reach to the right with your left hand. Do 10 reps (five on each side), rest for 30 seconds, then do two more sets.”

Another way to work the oblique muscles, among many, is to sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you, grab something that weighs about 3 to 5 pounds (5 to 10 for men), and with your elbows at your sides, slowly extend the weight over to one side then across to the opposite side.  Start out with just a few repetitions and gradually increase their number and the sets you perform.

Heidi Klum

Ms. Klum combines with David Kirsch to provide “celebrity body secrets” seven through nine:

7. Butt out on the elliptical machine.  Agree that by rotating your pelvis out (tilted in flattens your back, out puts that little curve at the small of your back) will put emphasis on the buttocks, but this position can be very tiring and cause a back ache.  So, if this appeals to you, try it in increments.

8. Don’t lock Joints. Absolutely, when you jump or extend any body part to its full length, stop before there’s a full lock out, particularly if you’re lifting a weight, or your own body.

9. The “Platypus Walk” is their exercise. This exercise targets the butt.  From the Yahoo post: “HOW TO DO IT: Firmly grasp a seven- to 10-pound medicine ball–or a dumbbell that weighs between four and 10 pounds–overhead with both hands (keeping arms straight). Squat as low as you can go, toes pointing out. Remaining in the squat, walk slowly forward for eight steps, then slowly backward for another eight. Repeat the sequence.”

Don’t do this if your knees bother you.

Jennifer Lopez

Ms. Lopez teams up with trainer Gunnar Peterson for “celebrity body secrets” ten through twelve:

10. Quick stepping on the stair machine. Naw, can’t really go along with this one.  The faster you step the more shallow the length of each step and the less work is done.  Those people who lean over the machine to support their body weight and then move those legs like the roadrunner are not building much cardio capacity.  Better to take longer steps and do them more slowly.  Your body will tell you right away that it’s performing more work.

11. 3-Minute maximum wait between exercises. Yes, unless you’re an Olympic lifter lifting a house during each set, it’s better to rest less so that you don’t cool off and your muscles do not fully recover between sets.

12. Triceps are their exercise focus. “Triceps” are the muscles in the back of the upper arm that work opposite the bicep – the biceps pulls and the triceps pushes. From the Yahoo post: “HOW TO DO IT: Hold one end of a five-to-eight-pound dumbbell in both hands above your head. Slowly lower the weight behind your head so elbows point to the ceiling, then lift. Aim for three sets of eight.”

It’s hard to do this movement properly without initial guidance.  In the gym, I observe many people doing it with poor form.  For a more fool proof exercise that tones triceps and engages other upper body muscles as well do the following…

Assume the push up position, but place your hands right under your shoulders.  Keep your shoulders against your sides. (If they move out, your chest will work more than the triceps.) Push up leaving your knees on the floor.  Keep your back straight and don’t drop your head, but keep your neck and head aligned in a straight line with your spine.  The closer you bring your heels to your buttocks, the easier the movement is; contrarily, the further from the buttocks you move your heels, the harder the exercise will become.

Well, I’ve given my nod to the celebrities among us on this special day for them, and – it seems – for us too.  May your favorite actor win an Oscar tonight!

Related posts:

1. How to get the Green Lantern’s, aka Ryan Reynolds, Buff Body
2. Metabolism’s Role in Burning Body Fat
3. No Excuses — A 5 Minute Exercise Routine

News about potential harmful effects of cell phones on your health is in the airwaves and print lately due to a new study.  Read about it, what Dr. Mercola’s views are, and simple precautions you can take.

REMEMBER THAT old commercial that shows an egg frying on a griddle and the voice over says, “This is your brain on drugs”?

Well, led by Dr. Nora D. Volkow, researchers from the National Institutes of Health have found that 50 minutes of cell phone use does effect the brain.

Brain scans demonstrated increased glucose metabolism happening in the area closest to the cell phone antenna, as the image above shows.

The vital question is – “Does this basically prove that cell phone use is dangerous”?

There have been several cell phone studies aimed at determining if using a cell phone is deleterious to your health.  The results have been equivocal.  Perhaps what’s different about this study is that is proves that something is happening in the brain due to cell phone use.  There’s no denying that something is going on… you can see it (note the pictures above and below).

Again, what’s important to know is whether this brain response effect is harmful.

Personally, I’m not waiting to amend my cell phone behavior until the science is conclusive.  It’s very easy to substantially reduce, or eliminate the brain’s reaction to cell phone use by doing one of three simple actions:

1. Use the cell phone’s speaker phone option.
2. Use an ear plug… but… if you really want to err on the side of health, don’t use one that has its own power source; rather one that is simply a conduit of the sound emanating from the cell phone.  (See below.)
3. Keep the cell phone away from your body as much as possible, particularly away from your reproductive parts.

Long term health problems are the ones that are most devastating to ourselves and to society at large.  They tend to happen because there’s something in human nature that ignores problems that are not banging on your head right now.  So, we blithely go about our days eating anything, sitting on the couch, drinking soda/alcohol  etc., largely without worry about the future.

Same with cell phones.  If it does wind up creating some cancer or some other major debilitation, we won’t know it for many years.  Don’t make the bet that it won’t prove to be harmful, or won’t happen to you.

My sister just bought one of those Blue Tube cell phone headsets recommended by Dr. Mercola. Watch what he has to say about the potential dangers of cell phones (below), and use the link (below the video) to check out the Blue Tube headset.

Related posts:

1. Watch: Stem Cell Research — A Father’s Fight
2. Four Ways to Build a Better Brain
3. Gotta Feed The Brain!

BLOGGERS SEEM to have a habit of providing lists.  10 best of this, and 5 greatest of that. 

There seems to be two reasons for such titles:  1.Reader like to scan blog posts, and lists are easy to scan and simpler to remember; and, consequently, 2. Blog posts with such titles are read more than those without an “x list” of something in the title.

So, in this Sunday Summary (a tradition started here two weeks ago), I’m going repost summaries of some of my diet/food focused articles of the past that are comprised of lists.

Read on and you’ll quickly get what I mean.

The 40 Best Age-Erasing Superfoods delves into the specific nutritional benefits derived from certain foods, such as flaxseeds, sweet potatoes, rosemary, blueberries, green tea, and 35 more.  Have you heard the adage, “Food is medicine”?  Well, this article tells you why each of these 40 foods is referred to as a “superfood”.  It does a body good.

86 Year-old Billionaire’s Recipe for Longevity is the companion article to the 40 Best Age-Erasing Superfoods cited above.  Oprah Winfrey interviewed billionaire David Murdock to learn about his remarkable vitality and the millions of dollars he has spent scientifically evaluating the health and longevity-boosting effects of certain foods, a list of 33 of which are reviewed, foods he calls, “The healthiest on earth”.

If you’ve made it through the above two articles, perhaps you’d like to give your eyes a rest from eating and are ready to watch a video.  In 5 Healthy Eating Nutrition Tips, fitness guru Annick Robinson walks us through the grocery store and salad bar with a running commentary of what’s best to eat and why.

So, that’s the numbers game for this Sunday’s collection of summaries.

Bon appétit!

Related posts:

1. Superfoods, Anyone?
2. On The Road? Tips to Eat Right
3. Sunday Summary: Lifespan, Superfoods and Happiness