Bill Day: Health and Good Living

On the move again . . .

Sat, 04 Jan 2003 04:21:01 GMT

A Web Undone 2 is moving again, but will hopefully stay put for a while in its new home at http://www.williamsonday.com.

Mon, 30 Dec 2002 00:46:35 GMT

This morning, for the second day in a row, I had some of the best coffe I have had for a long time, thanks to my Christmas present from my wife. Undoubtedly, it is the best present I received this Christmas. She gave me a briki for making Turkish coffee and a brass burr coffee grinder from Natasha's Cafe that produces the fine grind necessary for Turkish coffee. It takes a few more minutes to grind and prepare, but the reward is proportionate.

Wed, 09 Oct 2002 05:06:12 GMT

Now my cousin, as well as my father, is running marathons. No, I will not conform.

Kaleidoscope Eyes

Sat, 21 Sep 2002 05:54:45 GMT

"When I rub my eyes, why do I see black and white Op Art patterns?"

Sun, 15 Sep 2002 04:36:12 GMT

Jumping rope is about as boring as walking a treadmill, but it has the advantages of burning calories faster, being more portable, and costing a whole lot less. Of course, a half cup of Haagen Dazs has the effect of cancelling out the whole effort.

WebMD/Lycos - Article - Tea Drinking Good for the Heart

Sat, 14 Sep 2002 21:31:31 GMT

April 25, 2002 -- Tea is chock full of flavonoids -- powerful antioxidant compounds that seek and destroy dangerous substances in the body. Recently, the health benefits of tea drinking have become increasingly evident, and now Dutch researchers report that regular consumption can help stave off a heart attack.

Tea Is Good for the Heart

Sat, 14 Sep 2002 21:29:25 GMT

An interesting letter to the AMA on the purported health benefits of tea, particularly green tea, which has a higher antioxidant content than black or fermented tea.

Hall of Fame QB Unitas Dies at the Age of 69 (washingtonpost.com)

Fri, 13 Sep 2002 03:31:06 GMT

"Sam Huff, the Hall of Fame linebacker for the Giants, and later the Redskins, who played in that game, said yesterday that neither Unitas's body nor his physical presence suggested greatness on the gridiron.

"He couldn't throw a screen pass like Y.A. Tittle. He couldn't run like Fran Tarkenton. He couldn't throw like Sonny Jurgensen. He was a sickly-looking guy," Huff said. "But John, he was the general. He was absolutely awesome under pressure.""

There is something magic about the athlete who triumphs not because he has superior physical gifts, but because he is able to exploit fully the gifts he has.

Think Positively and Live Longer

Thu, 12 Sep 2002 03:34:58 GMT

"Thinking positively about getting older extends one's life by seven-and-one half years, which is more than the longevity gained from low blood pressure or low cholesterol or by maintaining a healthy weight, abstaining from smoking and exercising regularly, a study by a Yale researcher has found. "

Wed, 11 Sep 2002 05:46:15 GMT

High Fat Diet: Count Calories and Think Twice

Jane Brody writes: "But in a major report last week, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies emphasized the importance of balance of nutrients, with carbohydrates — starches and sugars — making up 45 percent to and 65 percent of daily calories and fats, 20 percent to 35 percent. The panel of 21 scientists also urged Americans to keep as low as possible their consumption of saturated fats, the foods Dr. Atkins recommends as his diet's main components." [New York Times]

Wed, 11 Sep 2002 05:46:10 GMT

Boston College has a great site that lists nutritional information for beverages, including espresso drinks.

GOT CAFFEINE?

Sun, 08 Sep 2002 05:10:20 GMT

"In fact, 43% of those responding to NSF's 2001 Sleep in America poll report that they are very likely to use caffeine when sleepy. Scientists say that when used in moderation (about 250 mg a day), consumption of caffeine poses no harm. Therefore, drinking a couple of cups of coffee or a few cans of cola a day poses no harm, as long as they're not ingested too close to bedtime and do not mask chronic sleepiness caused by too little sleep or poor sleep. If you have a question, talk to your doctor. "

The National Sleep Foundation's Caffeine Calculator shows that even two 12 ounce cups of brewed coffee is far in excess of the recommended 250 mg limit on caffeine for good health. By my calculations, I need to cut down to a 12 ounce latte or cappuccino in the morning, and a cup of tea in the early afternoon. That yields about 240 mg of caffeine, and still gives me a little caffeine boost at times when I tend to feel sleepy. I will have to see how it works in practice.

Caffeine Symptoms

Sun, 08 Sep 2002 03:44:13 GMT

Excess Caffeine
3 cups of coffee is considered an average or moderate dose, but 10 cups of coffee per day is considered excessive.

At various times I have run the gamut from average consumption to gross excess. I also drink enough to get withdrawal symptoms if I stop abruptly, although I have been down to two 12 oz. drinks a day on most days for some time now.

Tech-Smart Kids Pay in Pounds

Fri, 06 Sep 2002 05:03:30 GMT

After grim reports on the alarming increase in overweight and obese children and adolescents, the government is moving to combat an epidemic caused in part by kids sitting in chairs staring at computer screens, according to experts.

Fri, 06 Sep 2002 03:49:03 GMT

The link for the online version of the Institute of Medicine Report is http://www.nap.edu/books/0309085373/html/

Fri, 06 Sep 2002 03:49:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The experts who tell Americans what vitamins they need issued their first-ever guidelines on Thursday on fat, protein and carbohydrate consumption -- and also recommended much more exercise.

North Americans should try to get at least an hour of moderate exercise such as brisk walking every day, the Institute of Medicine ( news - web sites) panel recommended -- doubling the surgeon-general's 1996 target of half an hour. [Yahoo]

The most noteworthy finding appears to be that the report recommends an hour a day of exercise, rather than a half hour, to stay healthy. The authors acknowledge, however, that for many people with a modern sedentary lifestyle, this goal may seem hard to meet. They insist, however, that it is necessary to good health.

Reuters also reports that the authors of the study found that some fat is necessary to a healthy diet, but there is absolutely no redeeming value to trans or saturated fat.

One notion this report clearly undercuts is the idea that a healthy lifestyle is simply a matter of exercising choice and willpower. Citizens of a developed country such as the United States must usually perform large amounts of sedentary work in which long hours and efficiency are at a premium. There is little time left over for meals, meal preparation or exercise, and there are few ways to obtain prepared meals that are healthy. Most Americans do not live this way because they wish to be unhealthy, but because it is the only way that they know to support themselves and their families. It requires both imagination and determination (or independent means) to make choices that cut against the grain of modern (post) industrial society and allow people to pursue healthy activities and healthy diets. It is obviously not impossible, but it requires rejecting many of the assumptions that our society takes for granted. If more than a determined few Americans are to lead healthy lives, we need to change not only ourselves but also our society.

The full report is available from http://www.nap.edu

Wed, 04 Sep 2002 12:16:11 GMT

My goal is to drink ten eight ounce glasses of water a day, and no more than two twelve ounce cups of coffee.

McDonald's Plans to Cut Fat in Fries (washingtonpost.com)

Wed, 04 Sep 2002 02:40:29 GMT

"The nation's biggest hamburger restaurant chain says the new oil will halve the trans fatty acid levels in its french fries while increasing the amount of the more beneficial polyunsaturated fat. Health experts suggest that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated ones can help lower cholesterol levels."

While this is clearly as step in the right direction, it is hard to believe that anything will really make the french fry a healthy food choice. McDonald's is doing its customers a much greater service by offering them inherently healthy choices such as salads and yogurt parfaits.

America's Failed Frontier

Wed, 04 Sep 2002 02:36:41 GMT

"President Bush's support for agricultural welfare (with considerable Democratic backing) contradicts every value he stands for and reflects a complete capitulation to a calculus of vote-buying. America's rural policy today is about where Soviet industry was in the 1980's: the leadership knows that its policies have utterly failed but lacks the courage to reform them. "

Bad agricultural policy appears to have led to bad farming methods, which in turn leads to unhealthy food. Perhaps it is time for the nation to rethink its entire relationship to food.

Sat, 31 Aug 2002 06:43:13 GMT

The Curse of Factory Farms [New York Times: Opinion]

The Times points out what should be obvious: high concentrations of animals from narrow genetic stock, raised in close proximity under unhealthy conditions, are not good for the economy, the environment, or public health. Ironically, so called conservatives are supportive of market-distorting farm subsidies that underwrite factory farms. Clearly, we have learned nothing and forgotten nothing since the mad cow epidemic in Britain.

The Bottled Water Web

Thu, 29 Aug 2002 12:23:10 GMT

"It is not surprising, then, that those survey respondents who say they drink eight or more servings of water a day are less likely to report experiencing the symptoms of dehydration than those who drink three or fewer glasses of water daily. Low-volume water drinkers, for example, are more likely to report having dry, itchy skin or feeling tired and groggy when they wake up or at mid-day, two classic signs of dehydration."

Water and Fatigue

Thu, 29 Aug 2002 12:20:16 GMT

"The biggest trigger of daytime fatigue is lack of water."

Keeping Score

Sun, 25 Aug 2002 23:52:14 GMT

My father just ran the Helsinki Marathon in 5 hours 17 minutes. Not bad at any age.