Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Acetaminophen - leading cause of liver failure

Making me sweat right now
Never underestimate over the counter drugs like DayQuil, Ny-Quil, Panadol, and Tylenol. According to the FDA,overdoses of acetaminophen have been linked to 56,000 emergency room visits, 26,000 hospitalizations and 458 deaths. Here's a video from AP News Creative Commons License photo credit: trekkyandy

Unhealthiest Drinks 2009

Dinkie Drink

According to Men's Health Magazine, the Unhealthiest Drinks in America are the following:

  1. Snapple Tropical Mango Antioxidant Water (20-ounce bottle)

  2. Rockstar Original (16-ounce can)

  3. Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino (13.7-ounce bottle)

  4. Starbucks Venti 2% Salted Caramel Signature Hot Chocolate (20 ounces)

  5. Red Lobster Traditional Lobsterita


  6. Baskin-Robbins

    Large Ice Cream Soda with Vanilla Ice Cream Float (32 ounces)

    Baskin-Robbins Large Ice Cream Soda with Vanilla Ice Cream Float (32 ounces)

  7. Così Gigante Double OH! Arctic (23 ounces)

  8. Cold Stone Creamery Gotta Have It PB&C Shake

  9. Smoothie King’s The Hulk, Strawberry (40 ounces)

  10. Baskin-Robbins Large Chocolate Oreo Shake


In my opinion, number 10 is just plain outrages, 2600 calories, 135g fat, 263g sugars and 1700mg sodium. Click here for the original article.

Creative Commons License photo credit:powerbooktrance

Monday, June 29, 2009

Product Review: Yowza



Several weeks ago I reviewed the Adidas Megabounce. I liked them so much that I decided to buy another pair. They are not cheap at $99, so I did some digging and found an iphone app call "Yowza", it is co-develop by Greg Grunberg. I went to sports authority, they had the Megabounce $20 off on sale, with the Yowza $15 coupon, I end up paying $64 plus tax! How cool is that? Yowza is free and can be downloaded on itunes.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Simple steps to avoid infections at the pool

Al agua patos

Chlorine just doesn't cut it. According to the CDC, the pool can harbour a large variety of illnesses including gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic and wound infections, but the most common illness is diarrhea.

Here are some tips:

Do not swim when you have diarrhea.
Do not swallow pool water.
Take a shower before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers.
Take your kids on bathroom breaks or check diapers often.
Change diapers in a bathroom or changing area—not at poolside.
Wash your child thoroughly with soap and water before swimming.

Creative Commons License photo credit: inocuo

Recall: Ground Beef Products Due To Possible E. coli

Sunday, June 21, 2009

YzFIT Audio PodCast ep3 - Zicam & Nestle Tollhouse recall

Down Down Down cookie dough in a tub!

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Loosing your sense of smell from Zicam? E.Coli from cookie dough? That's right!

photo credit: JOE M500 Creative Commons License photo credit: jelene

Friday, June 19, 2009

High Blood pressure

StethoscopeHigh Blood pressure also known as hypertension has been dubed the silent killer because it can go uncontrolled with no outward symptoms.  Hypertension increases your risk for serious health problems including heart attack, and stroke.  Fortunately getting a blood pressure taken is easy and accessable(most pharmacies in grocery stores even have a testing device available).  And more importantly there are steps you can take to prevent this silent killer from raging its wrath upon you!

1.) Get to and/or maintain a health weight

2.) Get physically active 5days w/30+minutes is a good goal to set

3.) If you smoke, stop there are lots of programs out there and the more times you try the more likely statisticly you are to be successful!

4.) Keep salt/sodium intake to a minimum; just stopping to add salt very possibly wont be enough, processed foods and restaurants especially fast food restaurants are very high in sodium cutting down on them can make a huge impact on intake. 5.) Make sure you are getting enough potassium rich foods: bananas, Cantaloupe, tomatoes, and spinich just to name a few.

6.) Maintain healthy level of vitamin D

7.) Keep alcohol consumption minimal

8.) Get stress level under control (the exercise should help with this)

For more in depth explanation Mayoclinic.com lays it out very well.

Creative Commons License photocredit:a.drian

Power Combo: Apples & Raspberries

Applesred raspberries
Apples, particularly Red Delicious, are known to anti-inflammatory flavonoid called quercetin, especially in their skins. Quercetin has been shown to reduce the risk of allergies, eart attack, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and prostate and lung cancers.

Raspberries contain the flavonoid catechin, an antioxidant that reduces the risks for atherosclerosis and cancer.

Catechins and quercetin loosen clumpy blood platelets, improving cardiovascular health and providing anticoagulant activity. Creative Commons License photo credit: madmoiselle lavender❤
Creative Commons License photo credit: Phillie Casablanca

New FDA chiefs vow to fix lax food safety

The FDA has been known to at times have its personal life too closely connected industry companies. So the question is when will their main focus be protecting the American Consumer? Hamburg, who just won Senate, and Sharfstein (both physicians) have pledged to restore the FDA's credibility. More...

Thursday, June 18, 2009

To use Heat or Ice

A question I get often is should I be using ice or heat.  Here are a few general guidelines to help you be able to tell which form you should be using to rehabilitate an injury or sore muscle.  If you have speicific questions webmd.com or mayoclinic.com goes into much more detail about specific conditions as my goal is to educate for general purposes not diagnose or treat.  In general if the problem is acute (or coming on suddenly) ice is appropriate or whenever there is pain, swelling, and inflammation.  It's also used for conditions such as arthritis.  Ice can be used from 10-20 minutes and may be used several times a day.  Ice can be used in the form of ice massage and ice or cold packs.  Heat is used to help muscles relax and speed up healing of soft tissue through increased circulation. Heat is also useful in treating joints with osteoarthritis and to relax the muscles before exercise.  As helpful as heat can be, if used too early on an injury it can create excess swelling (which can increase pain).  Waiting at least 48 hours seems to be a general recomendation by most experts.  Never use heat on an area that has been recently bruised.  A bruise is caused by ruptured underlying blood vessels and heat may cause the bruise to get worse.  Heat can be used in various forms: hot tub, heat packs(dry or wet), or methods like parafin wax just to name a few.  If you are wanting to use a damp heat but do not have any type of pack a cheap way is to take a hand towel dampen put in the microwave and heat for approximately 2 minutes.  Be sure to test before applying to an area.  Often it is wise to cover hot damp hand towel in a regular towel before applying to the skin.  Its important not to burn the skin!

Power Combo: Lemon & Kale

Free Unedited Mellow Yellow Lemonade Fizz Creative CommonsKale Chips
Vitamin C helps make plant-based iron more absorbable. It converts much of the plant-based iron into a form that's similar to what's found in fish and red meats. (Iron carries oxygen to red blood cells, staving off muscle fatigue.)
Next time when you make a salad, be sure to include a squeeze of citrus. Creative Commons License photo credit: ilovemypit
Creative Commons License photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

Do you filter your water?

carbon-water-filterWe live in the suburb with city water, there are 2 water filtration method that we use. One is a Brita pitcher with drop in filter for my wife, who prefers room temperature water, the other is my LG Refrigerator with a built in slide in filter.

Years ago when I used to live in Oklahoma (think small town with only 1 traffic light). I had a reverse osmosis system, it did a wonderful job, the town was called sulphur and the water lived up to its name.

Here's a great article on buying water filtration system.

So what kind of water filtration system do you use? Care to share in the comments area? submit a tip while you're at it! Creative Commons License photo credit: gocarts

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Head lice it’s almost a compliment.

Head lice it’s almost a compliment. I remember growing up and having school wide lice checks. There would be a child found with lice causing the rest of us to be lined up in the gymnasium to get our hair prodded and pulled and checked over with a fine comb for lice. (I am not sure if they do this anymore since that was many years ago) The kids found with the “outbreak” would sit in the front office waiting for an embarrassed parent to come and pick them up. Invariably these parents would point fingers and try to find someone to blame for the outbreak. Well a few misconceptions should be cleared about lice. Lice are in general thought to be because of a dirty environment but this is a myth. In fact lice love a clean environment. The cleaner the better, because the more grease or oils in the hair the harder it is for the critters to hold onto. This is one of the reasons why years ago mayonnaise (and other oily fatty substances) was used as a treatment for lice removal (typically they would have their hair coated and wear this mess over night, talk about creating aversions). There are now prescriptions as well as over the counter creams, ointments, and shampoos to get rid of these ever so clingy pests. So if you find yourself taking the “walk of shame” picking up your lice infected child remember your child’s hair is clean making them a good host. So if anyone gives you lip about not wanting to be infected by your child you can set him or her strait. Lice only like clean hair!Go ahead, jump!
Creative Commons License photo credit: Robert S. Donovan

Eat This: Turmeric

Tumeric

You'll find this in most curry dishes. Turmeric has long been studied for its anticancer properties, anti-inflammatory effects and tumor-fighting activities. Next time sprinkle a tbp of turmeric when you cook your rice.
Creative Commons License photo credit: katsuma

The Ups & Downs of High Heels,

93/365 - something blueWe all love that feeling of walking into a room knowing we look tall thin and are exhibiting sleek toned looking legs.  Heels seem to be an easy fix and they are just so much fun to shop for!  But at what cost?  We all deep down know they are not good for our feet and back. But it doesn't end there: research done by Harvard linked high heels and knee osteoarthritis, a painful, degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown of the cartilage surrounding the knee. Ouch! Now I am not suggesting that we give up heels all together(although if you can more power to you!), but we need to come up with some good compromises that allow us to keep our sence of style without putting our health at risk.  One of the ways that I have decreased my heel time is by using stylish sandals(I live in hot weather so this works for most of the year).  The key is finding attractive sandals that have good support.  I keep a pair in the car and when I am done wearing my hot little heels to church or to a special dinner date I will switch them out.  Sure I want to make a good first impression whether it be a date or a place I am speaking but I don't want it to wear on my body.  How do you cut down on your heel time?
Creative Commons License photo credit: [lauren nelson]

Nike + iPod Sport Kit

Nike + iPod

I love music and when it's combine with the right song and the right workout? I can get real excited! So when I first found out about this Nike + ipod kit, I had to get one.

The device was quite easy to use, it plugs right into your ipod, after some registration on the Nike site, you're good to go. You don't need to have a pair of Nike + shoes in order to use the receiver, there are aftermarket pouches that you can buy and velcro it to you shoe lace area.

I like the power song feature, during those uphill battles (speed bumps in Florida), it delivers that "extra push" my current power song is "Sabotage" by the beastie boys.

Ok, so what are the things that I don't like? Well, it is not cheap, considering you'll need an existing ipod. Also the user interface, it is quite messy when my wife wants to use it and the uploading is confusing when there are more than 1 user in the family. Also the "on" button on the receiver can be easily forgotten, so you may be wasting battery power without knowing it was on.

Do you have a Nike + ipod kit? How do you like using it? Got any power song you like to share in the comments area? Creative Commons License photo credit: dan taylor

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

The Race Challenge: Swim, Bike, Run

Whether you are trying to shed a few pounds, trying to branch out to a different routine or just trying to keep yourself motivated a race may be a great tool to do that with.  No I am not suggesting you training for an Iron Man although if that’s on your list best of luck to you.  But sometimes picking out a race date whether it is a triathlon, a run or a cycling adventure having a set race schedule may help with consistency.  I have done a few races and have found the environment to be a very enjoyable one.  There are people of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels encouraging each other to finish the race strong.  I have found that there are good and bad race days.  My last triathlon I ended up with two flat tires in pouring rain.  If something could go wrong that race it did.  With shoes sopping wet at mile 22 of the bike ride I decided I had had enough.  Sure I was irritated I didn’t finish the race (but the thought of the blisters I knew I would get from a 6mile run in wet shoes was the deal breaker for me), but it wasn’t just about the race it was about the training.  Those months leading up to the race I had faithfully been swimming, biking, and running.  Maybe a race is what you need to challenge yourself. What do you think? I would love to hear your race experiences!IMG_1143
Creative Commons License photo credit: thomas_sly

Are you an emotional eater?

Free Girl Eating Yummy Pink Donut Creative Commons
I think we should be more self aware, to understand why we do what we do. For me, I tend to snack when I'm watching TV, therefore my activity trigger my snacking habit. Are you an emotional eater? Do you find yourself eating based on your mood? Here's a great article by Jillian Michaels - the Biggest Loser trainer, she made a great point about emotional eating:
We are always willing to justify eating crap by saying, "I had a rough day. I deserve this." Deserve what? Heart disease? Cellulite? Diabetes? Come on! Would you reward your loved ones this way? I bet not. What do I do to make myself feel better?

Here's the full article.  Creative Commons License photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

BioFreeze and Sore Muscles

This past week I have really kicked up my workout to another level.  And ofcourse I was sore from lactic acid build up and even more so from small micro tares that are normal in the breaking down and then rebuilding of muscle.  BioFreeze has been my buddy this week.  While usually I just try to increase the amount of stretching I do, this was a great topical pain reliever that offered me some short term relief.  Basicly it allowed me to concentrate on other things than my sore muscles.  BioFreeze is basiclly a more intense version of Icy Hot(if you have sensitive skin you may want to try just a little bit on one section of your skin to make sure you wont react to it).  It is a little sticky and you will have that lovely menthol smell for a little while but over all its a really nice product.  I just order the small individual packets while maybe not as environmentally friendly as getting it in a bottle it is so convinent for in you purse, pocket, or desk at work.

Monday, June 15, 2009

High SPF Not Necessarily Better

Eat this: Almond

Almonds!

Good fats help increase lycopene absorption. Essential vitamins are activated and absorbed best when eaten with fat.

Vitamins that are considered fat-soluble include A, D, and E. Carrots, broccoli, and peas are all loaded with vitamin A and should be paired with a healthy fat such olive oil, Almond and Avocado.
Creative Commons License photo credit: mynameisharsha

Goji Berries

Goji berries ~ good for you in many ways
They are chewy, tart berries that have a hunger-curbing edge over other fruit. Goji Berries have 18 amino acids, which make them a great  source of protein. You can eat them with raisins, walnuts as a trail mix or pour them over your cereal.

Creative Commons License photo credit: Per Ola Wiberg (Powi)

Sunday, June 14, 2009

How do you select metal cookware?

Le Creuset French Oven

Years ago when we first got married, we received a set of Calphalon / Circulon non stick cook set as wedding gift. Back then we didn't know much about teflon and how it can degrades over time and be hazardous to our health. So with a little help from our house mate, we started looking at other alternatives, we did not pick Anodized Aluminum because there is a link with Alzheimer disease. The choice was between Cast iron and Stainless Steel. Do you have a preference in metal? Lets hear it in the comment section.
Creative Commons License photo credit: myhsu

YzFIT Audio PodCast ep2 - Decline in Depression?

#7 - My Inner Struggle

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Prozac nation in a depression? Not exactly, we'll explain why!

Creative Commons License photo credit: ϟnapshot 19

Musical Medicine

Musical medicine.   It’s been long thought that music has many benefits to improve mood but what about medical benefits?  Research now shows music’s potential in treating people with traumatic brain injuries, stroke, multiple sclerosis and severe depression.  Mozart anyone?  Handel's Organ
Creative Commons License photo credit: benleto

Lentils

Dahl Bat
Lentils are  belly flattener. They are high in protein and soluble fiber, two nutrients that stabilize blood sugar levels. Eating them helps prevent insulin spikes that cause your body to create excess fat, especially in the abdominal area.Creative Commons License photo credit: nosha

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Do you have "Cell phone Elbow" ?

Texting



For real? Yup! It is medically known as cubital tunnel syndrome, cell phone elbow is numbness, tingling and pain in the forearm and hand caused by compression of the ulnar nerve, which passes along the bony bump on the inside of the elbow.

As symptoms progress, they can include a loss of muscle strength, coordination and mobility that can make writing and typing difficult. In chronic, untreated cases, the ring finger and pinky can become clawed, Evans and colleagues note in a report in the May issue of the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. Solution? Go easy on your unlimited minutes and get a bluetooth headset and start talking to yourself! Creative Commons License photo credit: ydhsu