Friday, June 23, 2006
CELL PHONES AND LIGHTENING!
Don't even hold one during a thunderstorm...
A 15 year old girl in England was using her cell phone during a storm, was struck by lightening, and is now in a wheelchair due to her injuries.
Three fatal cases were reported in China, Malaysia and South Korea. All were using a cell phone during a storm.
It's a rare phenomenon, but can be fatal. Perhaps it's listed as "rare" as other deaths/injuries may have happened but the medical reports didn't link them with the phone usage.
The very interesting aspect of this is what actually causes the injury/death while using the cell phone. When someone is struck by lightening, many times the electric charge is passed over them (called "flashover") without too much of a problem. However, IF the person is holding a metal object, the metal interferes with the flashover, preventing it from exiting the body harmlessly. That's when severe injuries or death can occur.
Please advise family and friends of this important safety item. It could save their lives.
A 15 year old girl in England was using her cell phone during a storm, was struck by lightening, and is now in a wheelchair due to her injuries.
Three fatal cases were reported in China, Malaysia and South Korea. All were using a cell phone during a storm.
It's a rare phenomenon, but can be fatal. Perhaps it's listed as "rare" as other deaths/injuries may have happened but the medical reports didn't link them with the phone usage.
The very interesting aspect of this is what actually causes the injury/death while using the cell phone. When someone is struck by lightening, many times the electric charge is passed over them (called "flashover") without too much of a problem. However, IF the person is holding a metal object, the metal interferes with the flashover, preventing it from exiting the body harmlessly. That's when severe injuries or death can occur.
Please advise family and friends of this important safety item. It could save their lives.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
ANOTHER TEA THAT IS HEALTHIER?
First I've heard of this...
"Wu Long" tea. It's billed as the "World's Most Powerful Fat Burner". I don't want to turn this into a commercial, as I have absolutely no connection to anyone who sells this. But I found it interesting and thought you might, too.
An excerpt from a Wu Long site states:
Here's the deal. Legitimate scientific research, published in the world's leading academic journals, is now showing that an extraordinarily rare tea produced at Mt. Wu Yi Shan in China's Fujian Province may carry remarkable slimming and health benefits... so much so that Chinese scientists are calling it, "The world's most powerful fat burner."
Their claims?
*** UPDATE ON THIS:
Wu Long is just another name version of "Oolong", the one usually served in Chinese restaurants. It still is very good for you, as are most teas, but I would NOT believe the claims made above. I also will NOT pay the price they charge for something that is NOT exclusively distributed by them. It's not.
"Wu Long" tea. It's billed as the "World's Most Powerful Fat Burner". I don't want to turn this into a commercial, as I have absolutely no connection to anyone who sells this. But I found it interesting and thought you might, too.
An excerpt from a Wu Long site states:
Here's the deal. Legitimate scientific research, published in the world's leading academic journals, is now showing that an extraordinarily rare tea produced at Mt. Wu Yi Shan in China's Fujian Province may carry remarkable slimming and health benefits... so much so that Chinese scientists are calling it, "The world's most powerful fat burner."
Their claims?
- Burns 2.5 times more calories than authentic green tea
- Reduces the fattening effects of carbs
- Clarifies skin; gives your face a clear, healthy glow
- Reverses signs of aging
- Promotes strong, healthy teeth
- Strengthens your immune system
- Enhances mind-body wellness
*** UPDATE ON THIS:
Wu Long is just another name version of "Oolong", the one usually served in Chinese restaurants. It still is very good for you, as are most teas, but I would NOT believe the claims made above. I also will NOT pay the price they charge for something that is NOT exclusively distributed by them. It's not.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
HIGH PROTEIN DIETS
No, not the Atkins type...
What we're talking about here is a higher protein diet that also includes a healthy percentage of carbs, unlike the low carb/no carb diet fads from yesterday.
So, why should you increase your intake of healthy, lean protein? An article on WebMD states that recent research is finding that when the protein percentage is increased, the appetite is decreased. They are not sure of the physiological mechanism, but theorize that the extra protein signals the brain to produce less of the appetite-stimulating hormone.
The recommended intake is 10%-35% of your body weight. The upper range is somewhat difficult to achieve without protein supplements and dietary modifications. I personally use a whey protein powder in a shake with flaxseed after my weight training. It gives me 30-40 grams of protein just in the shake.
Caution: you should NOT increase your protein intake IF you have underlying kidney disease. I remember the old admonition against large amounts of protein: "you'll shut down your kidneys!". That's been disproved if you have healthy kidneys to begin with.
They also recommend that you gradually increase the percentage over the course of a week to allow your body to adjust.
Furthermore, splitting your meals into 4 to 5 per day instead of the standard 3 helps control weight gain by moderating your blood sugar levels. It also prevents the hunger pangs between the standard meals.
What about the carbs? The recommended amount is roughly 50% of your daily caloric intake, and also targeting "smart carbs" -- whole grains, complex carbs, fruits, veggies, along with healthy fats such as nuts, olives, avocados, oils and fish.
Key to all of the above is to be involved in an active exercise program while modifying your diet.
What we're talking about here is a higher protein diet that also includes a healthy percentage of carbs, unlike the low carb/no carb diet fads from yesterday.
So, why should you increase your intake of healthy, lean protein? An article on WebMD states that recent research is finding that when the protein percentage is increased, the appetite is decreased. They are not sure of the physiological mechanism, but theorize that the extra protein signals the brain to produce less of the appetite-stimulating hormone.
The recommended intake is 10%-35% of your body weight. The upper range is somewhat difficult to achieve without protein supplements and dietary modifications. I personally use a whey protein powder in a shake with flaxseed after my weight training. It gives me 30-40 grams of protein just in the shake.
Caution: you should NOT increase your protein intake IF you have underlying kidney disease. I remember the old admonition against large amounts of protein: "you'll shut down your kidneys!". That's been disproved if you have healthy kidneys to begin with.
They also recommend that you gradually increase the percentage over the course of a week to allow your body to adjust.
Furthermore, splitting your meals into 4 to 5 per day instead of the standard 3 helps control weight gain by moderating your blood sugar levels. It also prevents the hunger pangs between the standard meals.
What about the carbs? The recommended amount is roughly 50% of your daily caloric intake, and also targeting "smart carbs" -- whole grains, complex carbs, fruits, veggies, along with healthy fats such as nuts, olives, avocados, oils and fish.
Key to all of the above is to be involved in an active exercise program while modifying your diet.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
COFFEE WITH A BEER CHASER?
More good news for coffee drinkers...
Yet another study mentions the beneficial effects of coffee drinking. A study in California that involved 125,000 people showed that the more coffee they drank, the less liver damage they sustained. It found that one cup of Joe dropped the risk of cirrhosis by 20%, and each additional cup also dropped it by 20% each.
It would be interesting to see a study of those who drink only Irish Coffee! I remember when coffee was said to be harmful, back in the early 1980s I think. Coffee sales plummetted and people switched to tea and other things. Since then, research has shown that coffee has beneficial effects for people with Parkinsons, Alzheimers, and now cirrhosis.
I'll have another cup, please...
Yet another study mentions the beneficial effects of coffee drinking. A study in California that involved 125,000 people showed that the more coffee they drank, the less liver damage they sustained. It found that one cup of Joe dropped the risk of cirrhosis by 20%, and each additional cup also dropped it by 20% each.
It would be interesting to see a study of those who drink only Irish Coffee! I remember when coffee was said to be harmful, back in the early 1980s I think. Coffee sales plummetted and people switched to tea and other things. Since then, research has shown that coffee has beneficial effects for people with Parkinsons, Alzheimers, and now cirrhosis.
I'll have another cup, please...
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
ANOTHER CONTRADICTION
Taking B-Complex vitamins failed to prevent heart attacks and strokes in high risk patients...
Like a lot of other people, my wife and I have been taking B-Complex vitamins to lower our blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that has been implicated in heart attacks and strokes when present in high levels.
But wait! There's more! The study, as described in the online version of the New England Journal of Medicine (12 Mar 06), was conducted on patients that had already suffered an acute heart attack. So the conclusion was that taking various B vitamins (folic acid, B6 and B12) in combination didn't prevent a second heart attack. They went even further to state that the trend towards increased risk appears to be when taking them in combination.
So what does this mean for those of us that: a) have never had a heart attack, and b) are not in the high risk category? It doesn't address that aspect, as the study only included people who have had an acute heart attack.
I guess I'll continue taking them...
Like a lot of other people, my wife and I have been taking B-Complex vitamins to lower our blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that has been implicated in heart attacks and strokes when present in high levels.
But wait! There's more! The study, as described in the online version of the New England Journal of Medicine (12 Mar 06), was conducted on patients that had already suffered an acute heart attack. So the conclusion was that taking various B vitamins (folic acid, B6 and B12) in combination didn't prevent a second heart attack. They went even further to state that the trend towards increased risk appears to be when taking them in combination.
So what does this mean for those of us that: a) have never had a heart attack, and b) are not in the high risk category? It doesn't address that aspect, as the study only included people who have had an acute heart attack.
I guess I'll continue taking them...
Thursday, June 08, 2006
HAVE YOU HEARD OF WHITE TEA?
It's chock-full of anti-oxidants...
Not many people have heard of this kind of tea. I certainly didn't until last year when I read an article describing the many health benefits of white tea.
Green tea contains a good deal of anti-oxidants and has been found to stimulate the immune system to fight disease.
White tea goes even further - it can destroy the pathogenic organisms that cause the disease. This has been borne out by studies at Pace University. The anti-fungal and anti-bacterial benefits are greater than green tea by a long shot. It also contains much less caffeine than green tea ( 15mg compared to 40 mg for black tea and 20 mg for green tea).
Because white tea is much scarcer than other varieties, it is also more expensive. What I have found though, is that the large tea companies are now putting more of it on the shelves and the price isn't too bad. It's certainly worth it for your health. I alternate drinking white tea one day and then green tea the next.
To your health!
Not many people have heard of this kind of tea. I certainly didn't until last year when I read an article describing the many health benefits of white tea.
Green tea contains a good deal of anti-oxidants and has been found to stimulate the immune system to fight disease.
White tea goes even further - it can destroy the pathogenic organisms that cause the disease. This has been borne out by studies at Pace University. The anti-fungal and anti-bacterial benefits are greater than green tea by a long shot. It also contains much less caffeine than green tea ( 15mg compared to 40 mg for black tea and 20 mg for green tea).
Because white tea is much scarcer than other varieties, it is also more expensive. What I have found though, is that the large tea companies are now putting more of it on the shelves and the price isn't too bad. It's certainly worth it for your health. I alternate drinking white tea one day and then green tea the next.
To your health!
