Morning:
Bowl of Cheerios (about 1.5 cups) w/Silk Lite Soy Milk, Vanilla
One cup Green Tea, w/2 tsp sugar, sipped throughout the morning
One tsp Carlson Fish oil
Noon and After
One serving Tabatchnick Yankee Bean soup, from Kroger, 160 calories, 1.5 g fat
One serving Tabatchnick Potato soup, from Kroger, 100 calories, 1.5 g fat
Cup of Green Tea, w/sugar sipped throughout the afternoon
Bought some plums, but they were not good. Going out to eat tonight. 97 degrees outside.
Evening
At the cafeteria I had tossed salad w/nonfat dressing, white rice, plain broccoli. I’ve got to stop eating at the cafeteria, or be very very careful. The other day the beans looked too greasy, so today I didn’t eat any at all. Besides, they were pinto, and I didn’t feel like having them. The broccoli usually seems like it has butter on it. I’ve asked them before how they cook it, and they say they boil it, but it still often seems like there is butter there, which I DO NOT WANT!!! I also bought some sliced tomatoes, but brought them home instead.
Walked 30 minutes at the mall.
Bought some hummus ($2.00) at the mall. Had hummus, a piece of pita bread, and a slice of tomato to finish off dinner.
One peach.
Night
2 glasses of wine
2 nonfat rice cakes from Kroger’s
Handful of roasted pumpkin seeds
1 slice whole wheat bread with grape jelly
1 slice whole wheat bread with bruschetta
Need to watch my fat intake. Key is low fat or non fat food. Also watch calories. Hopefully this is all I ate. I try to be conscientious and accurate.
cholesterol, diet, exercise, fat, food, health, heart disease, LDL, longevity, obesity, vegetarian, weight loss,
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Monday, June 18, 2007
Checking on That Cholesterol
I went to the doctor for a checkup recently and I just got the results of my blood work back. For the first time ever my cholesterol, lipids, etc. were relatively good. I am ecstatic.
When I had a checkup about 25 years ago the doctor told me for the first time that I had high triglycerides. This knowledge bothered me a lot at the time, but I didn’t know what to do about them. I tried to find out, but had no success. So as far as I know my triglycerides continued to be high. At about that time I quit smoking and started walking a lot, so those were two positive things I did for my health.
When I had a checkup in 2000 my cholesterol was still high as were my triglycerides. I still didn’t know what to do about any of that, so I am sure they continued to be high for quite awhile. In 2000 I started drinking a glass or two of wine in the evenings, and in 2001 I stopped eating meat as well as dairy and I adopted a low fat diet. For awhile I was a vegan. I lost a bunch of weight.
Fortunately my blood pressure is really good. I don’t know why. I think that is because of my exercising and my weight loss. Blood pressure is supposed to rise as you get older. Something like 120/85 is supposed to be normal. Whenever I go to the drug store I check it on their free machine, and usually it is about 110/70, which is low. When the nurse checked it the other day during my checkup it was 98/70.
Over the past several years I have done some more things to improve my health. In the past year I lost about 15 pounds. I now weigh 137 and have a better Body Mass Index (BMI). I started drinking two cups of green tea per day. I started consuming more soluble fiber, whether from foods like bananas and oatmeal, or from products like FiberSure. I started exercising more. I lost five pounds by just eating salads with nonfat dressing for lunch every day for a couple of weeks. Of course I continue to be a vegetarian. It was also important for me to limit my calories. I also ate a few walnuts every day, and watched my snacks in the evening, concentrating on fiber. My diet is complicated. I’ve touched on some things. I suppose I could be more specific. Maybe I will at some point. (Oh, don’t forget the fish oil.) Anyway, my diet has led to good results from my blood test about two weeks ago.
I am a sixty year old man. I am not on any medication whatsoever, thank God. Currently my total cholesterol is under 200 (181). My triglycerides are under 150 (128). My HDL is greater than 40 (52), and my LDL is 103. My VLDL is less than 40 (26). All in all I am very happy with the results of my blood test. OK, so my LDL is a little high (>100), but my LDL/HDL ratio is <2, so that is not bad. I am really glad that I had my blood checked. I have been wondering for a long time how I was doing with my diet, etc. Now I know. What I am doing actually works, at least for me. Following a low fat vegetarian diet, along with some other things like the green tea, fish oil, wine, exercise, etc., have helped me get my lipids to more healthy levels. Now that I know where I am I can take steps to try and improve my blood. I need to reduce my LDL and my total cholesterol. I also need to increase my HDL. I have some ideas about what to do now.
By the way, I don’t think it is ever too late to do positive things for your health. Seven years ago my lipids were still bad, and yet now they are good. What you do can have an impact on your health.
A lot of people are surprised when I tell them I am not on any medication. Sure, I am a sixty year old man, but not a typical sixty year old man. I avoid fast food restaurants like the plague. I exercise 30-60 minutes per day. I watch my diet carefully. I do research on how to eat healthy and live naturally. I cook. I consider that I am constantly evolving. The results of all that show up in my blood test. Hooray.
(BTW, I am lucky I was married to Arlene Malinowski for 18 years before she died. Many of the things I am doing now with my diet I learned from her.)
cholesterol, diet, exercise, fat, food, health, heart disease, LDL, obesity, vegetarian, weight loss, triglycerides
When I had a checkup about 25 years ago the doctor told me for the first time that I had high triglycerides. This knowledge bothered me a lot at the time, but I didn’t know what to do about them. I tried to find out, but had no success. So as far as I know my triglycerides continued to be high. At about that time I quit smoking and started walking a lot, so those were two positive things I did for my health.
When I had a checkup in 2000 my cholesterol was still high as were my triglycerides. I still didn’t know what to do about any of that, so I am sure they continued to be high for quite awhile. In 2000 I started drinking a glass or two of wine in the evenings, and in 2001 I stopped eating meat as well as dairy and I adopted a low fat diet. For awhile I was a vegan. I lost a bunch of weight.
Fortunately my blood pressure is really good. I don’t know why. I think that is because of my exercising and my weight loss. Blood pressure is supposed to rise as you get older. Something like 120/85 is supposed to be normal. Whenever I go to the drug store I check it on their free machine, and usually it is about 110/70, which is low. When the nurse checked it the other day during my checkup it was 98/70.
Over the past several years I have done some more things to improve my health. In the past year I lost about 15 pounds. I now weigh 137 and have a better Body Mass Index (BMI). I started drinking two cups of green tea per day. I started consuming more soluble fiber, whether from foods like bananas and oatmeal, or from products like FiberSure. I started exercising more. I lost five pounds by just eating salads with nonfat dressing for lunch every day for a couple of weeks. Of course I continue to be a vegetarian. It was also important for me to limit my calories. I also ate a few walnuts every day, and watched my snacks in the evening, concentrating on fiber. My diet is complicated. I’ve touched on some things. I suppose I could be more specific. Maybe I will at some point. (Oh, don’t forget the fish oil.) Anyway, my diet has led to good results from my blood test about two weeks ago.
I am a sixty year old man. I am not on any medication whatsoever, thank God. Currently my total cholesterol is under 200 (181). My triglycerides are under 150 (128). My HDL is greater than 40 (52), and my LDL is 103. My VLDL is less than 40 (26). All in all I am very happy with the results of my blood test. OK, so my LDL is a little high (>100), but my LDL/HDL ratio is <2, so that is not bad. I am really glad that I had my blood checked. I have been wondering for a long time how I was doing with my diet, etc. Now I know. What I am doing actually works, at least for me. Following a low fat vegetarian diet, along with some other things like the green tea, fish oil, wine, exercise, etc., have helped me get my lipids to more healthy levels. Now that I know where I am I can take steps to try and improve my blood. I need to reduce my LDL and my total cholesterol. I also need to increase my HDL. I have some ideas about what to do now.
By the way, I don’t think it is ever too late to do positive things for your health. Seven years ago my lipids were still bad, and yet now they are good. What you do can have an impact on your health.
A lot of people are surprised when I tell them I am not on any medication. Sure, I am a sixty year old man, but not a typical sixty year old man. I avoid fast food restaurants like the plague. I exercise 30-60 minutes per day. I watch my diet carefully. I do research on how to eat healthy and live naturally. I cook. I consider that I am constantly evolving. The results of all that show up in my blood test. Hooray.
(BTW, I am lucky I was married to Arlene Malinowski for 18 years before she died. Many of the things I am doing now with my diet I learned from her.)
cholesterol, diet, exercise, fat, food, health, heart disease, LDL, obesity, vegetarian, weight loss, triglycerides
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Food Diary, Sunday, June 17
Morning:
Bowl of Cheerios (about 1.5 cups) w/Silk Lite Soy Milk, Vanilla
One cup Green Tea, w/2 tsp sugar, sipped throughout the morning
One tsp Carlson Fish oil
Cut the grass, front yard and back, before it got too hot. Good workout.
Noon and After
One banana, organic
One bowl Quaker instant oatmeal, heart healthy, with a tsp of FiberSure added plus extra cinnamon
One serving Tabatchnick Cabbage soup, from Kroger, 100 calories
Cup of Green Tea, w/sugar, sipped throughout the afternoon
Evening
One bowl blackeye peas with elbow macaroni, tomato sauce, onions, garlic, vinegar which I cooked from “scratch”. Really good.
4 nonfat Nabisco saltine crackers
Walked 30 minutes at the mall
Night
3 plums
One peach
2 glasses of wine
1 nonfat rice cake from Kroger’s
1 slice whole wheat bread with grape jelly
Need to watch my fat intake. Key is low fat or non fat food. Also watch calories. Hopefully this is all I ate. I try to be conscientious and accurate.
diet, exercise, fat, food, health, heart disease, LDL, obesity, vegetarian, weight loss,
Bowl of Cheerios (about 1.5 cups) w/Silk Lite Soy Milk, Vanilla
One cup Green Tea, w/2 tsp sugar, sipped throughout the morning
One tsp Carlson Fish oil
Cut the grass, front yard and back, before it got too hot. Good workout.
Noon and After
One banana, organic
One bowl Quaker instant oatmeal, heart healthy, with a tsp of FiberSure added plus extra cinnamon
One serving Tabatchnick Cabbage soup, from Kroger, 100 calories
Cup of Green Tea, w/sugar, sipped throughout the afternoon
Evening
One bowl blackeye peas with elbow macaroni, tomato sauce, onions, garlic, vinegar which I cooked from “scratch”. Really good.
4 nonfat Nabisco saltine crackers
Walked 30 minutes at the mall
Night
3 plums
One peach
2 glasses of wine
1 nonfat rice cake from Kroger’s
1 slice whole wheat bread with grape jelly
Need to watch my fat intake. Key is low fat or non fat food. Also watch calories. Hopefully this is all I ate. I try to be conscientious and accurate.
diet, exercise, fat, food, health, heart disease, LDL, obesity, vegetarian, weight loss,
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Food Diary, Saturday, June 16
Morning:
Bowl of Cheerios (about 1.5 cups) w/Silk Soy Milk, Vanilla
One cup Green Tea, w/2 tsp sugar, sipped throughout the morning
Noon and After
Bowl of Chili and Beans, low fat, vegetarian, from Kroger, with couscous added
4 nonfat Nabisco saltine crackers
Cup of Green Tea, w/sugar sipped throughout the afternoon
Evening
Went out to eat at local cafeteria: tossed salad w/nonfat French dressing, Veggie plate with Great Northern beans, white rice, and plain broccoli. Drink water as needed. It looked like there was grease in the beans, but I ate them anyway. These beans are cooked with meat, Southern style, but you rarely see any, and usually they seem relatively fat free.
Night
2 glasses of wine
10 pistachio nuts
1 non fat rice cake from Kroger’s
1 slice whole wheat bread with grape jelly
Need to watch my fat intake. I thought it would be interesting to start and keep a food diary. It is really difficult to limit your fat intake. As I've said before, a bowl of Cheerios in the morning with soy milk can amount to substantial amt of fat. I tried this in 2001 and had very good success, but as time has gone by it has been easy to relax. If I want to be really healthy, though, I think I need to limit my fat intake even further. I want to get and keep my cholesterol down, and that is one way. I'll talk about that further in a couple of days.
cholesterol, diet, fat, food, health, heart disease, LDL, obesity, vegetarian, weight loss,
Bowl of Cheerios (about 1.5 cups) w/Silk Soy Milk, Vanilla
One cup Green Tea, w/2 tsp sugar, sipped throughout the morning
Noon and After
Bowl of Chili and Beans, low fat, vegetarian, from Kroger, with couscous added
4 nonfat Nabisco saltine crackers
Cup of Green Tea, w/sugar sipped throughout the afternoon
Evening
Went out to eat at local cafeteria: tossed salad w/nonfat French dressing, Veggie plate with Great Northern beans, white rice, and plain broccoli. Drink water as needed. It looked like there was grease in the beans, but I ate them anyway. These beans are cooked with meat, Southern style, but you rarely see any, and usually they seem relatively fat free.
Night
2 glasses of wine
10 pistachio nuts
1 non fat rice cake from Kroger’s
1 slice whole wheat bread with grape jelly
Need to watch my fat intake. I thought it would be interesting to start and keep a food diary. It is really difficult to limit your fat intake. As I've said before, a bowl of Cheerios in the morning with soy milk can amount to substantial amt of fat. I tried this in 2001 and had very good success, but as time has gone by it has been easy to relax. If I want to be really healthy, though, I think I need to limit my fat intake even further. I want to get and keep my cholesterol down, and that is one way. I'll talk about that further in a couple of days.
cholesterol, diet, fat, food, health, heart disease, LDL, obesity, vegetarian, weight loss,
TrueBlue Encore
In this article, apparently blueberries are better at lowering LDL cholesterol than even statin drugs. Wow, isn’t that cool? Some people, like me, will opt for the blueberries. Most everyone else will opt for the statins, even though there could be some troubling side effects involved.
HOWEVER, this article says that blackberries are better at lowering LDL cholesterol than blueberries are. How cool is that? I’m always looking for ways to naturally lower my cholesterol, and now all I’ve got to do is have a few berries for my snack.
Of course some of this research is a few years old, but the bottom line on all this, I think, is that berries are good for you. They’re good at helping control cholesterol. They may help fight cancer. What’s not to like about them?
I spoke recently about TrueBlue blueberry juice. Thing is, TrueBlue puts out a juice cocktail I guess that is a combination blackberry and blueberry juice in addition to their regular blueberry juice. I’ve tried the blueberry/blackberry and it is really good. And apparently, according to research regarding the blackberry, it might be really good for you, particularly in helping lower cholesterol or fighting cancer.
aging, blueberries, blackberries, antioxidants, juice, cancer, pterostilbene, anthocyanins, cholesterol, polyphenols, diet, memory, fat, food, health, heart disease, berries, LDL, statins, vegetables, vegetarian, weight loss, women,
HOWEVER, this article says that blackberries are better at lowering LDL cholesterol than blueberries are. How cool is that? I’m always looking for ways to naturally lower my cholesterol, and now all I’ve got to do is have a few berries for my snack.
Of course some of this research is a few years old, but the bottom line on all this, I think, is that berries are good for you. They’re good at helping control cholesterol. They may help fight cancer. What’s not to like about them?
I spoke recently about TrueBlue blueberry juice. Thing is, TrueBlue puts out a juice cocktail I guess that is a combination blackberry and blueberry juice in addition to their regular blueberry juice. I’ve tried the blueberry/blackberry and it is really good. And apparently, according to research regarding the blackberry, it might be really good for you, particularly in helping lower cholesterol or fighting cancer.
aging, blueberries, blackberries, antioxidants, juice, cancer, pterostilbene, anthocyanins, cholesterol, polyphenols, diet, memory, fat, food, health, heart disease, berries, LDL, statins, vegetables, vegetarian, weight loss, women,
Sunday, June 3, 2007
TrueBlue Blueberry Juice
There used to be a program on TV in the 1950s called Tightrope. Sometimes I feel that dealing with my diet and health is like walking on a tightrope. I drink a little wine, take a little fish oil, have a cup of green tea. I try to maintain a healthy weight, so I don’t have too many calories, but all the while I want to have stuff that I like, not torture myself with stuff I don’t like.
Recently I came across a great new drink called TrueBlue Blueberry Juice.
If anyone knows me they know I am really big into taking antioxidants, watching calories, avoiding stuff like high fructose corn syrup, etc. TrueBlue Blueberry Juice addresses all of those concerns: blueberry juices are full of antioxidants. They are very healthy, especially when compared to soft drinks and most other juice products. I know I sound like a commercial here, but it’s all true. TrueBlue only has about 110 calories per serving, it contains none of that corn syrup, and is FULL of stuff that is good for you.
Recently I have occasionally tried to add juices to my daily diet. For awhile there I was drinking pomegranate juice. The only problem with that was that it was so sweet that I stopped drinking it, even though it was supposed to be good for me. I found that TrueBlue blueberry juice was not all that sweet, which is a good thing because it made it easier to drink. I personally don’t want a really, really sweet drink.
So, where can I get TrueBlue? Well, I found it at my local grocery store, Kroger. There it was, up there with all the other fruit juices, but of course totally unlike all the other fruit juices. And it was only $3.99 for a half gallon, compared to my pomegranate juice which was six or seven dollars a quart. So TrueBlue is a really great value, with a lot of health benefits concentrated in one glass of juice, and for a very reasonable price. When you visit the TrueBlue website they have a link where you print off free coupons, as well as a link where you can find stores that carry the product. Also there is a wealth of information, including the fact that blueberry juice is supposed to help lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease, which I did not know. That is really cool. You all know how concerned I am about heart disease.
So, I plan to continue drinking TrueBlue for quite awhile. Not only is it good but it’s good for me.
blueberries, aging, juice, pterostilbene, anthocyanins, polyphenols, memory, cholesterol, diet, food, health, heart disease, inflammation, LDL, longevity, sugar, weight loss, women,
Recently I came across a great new drink called TrueBlue Blueberry Juice.
If anyone knows me they know I am really big into taking antioxidants, watching calories, avoiding stuff like high fructose corn syrup, etc. TrueBlue Blueberry Juice addresses all of those concerns: blueberry juices are full of antioxidants. They are very healthy, especially when compared to soft drinks and most other juice products. I know I sound like a commercial here, but it’s all true. TrueBlue only has about 110 calories per serving, it contains none of that corn syrup, and is FULL of stuff that is good for you.
Recently I have occasionally tried to add juices to my daily diet. For awhile there I was drinking pomegranate juice. The only problem with that was that it was so sweet that I stopped drinking it, even though it was supposed to be good for me. I found that TrueBlue blueberry juice was not all that sweet, which is a good thing because it made it easier to drink. I personally don’t want a really, really sweet drink.
So, where can I get TrueBlue? Well, I found it at my local grocery store, Kroger. There it was, up there with all the other fruit juices, but of course totally unlike all the other fruit juices. And it was only $3.99 for a half gallon, compared to my pomegranate juice which was six or seven dollars a quart. So TrueBlue is a really great value, with a lot of health benefits concentrated in one glass of juice, and for a very reasonable price. When you visit the TrueBlue website they have a link where you print off free coupons, as well as a link where you can find stores that carry the product. Also there is a wealth of information, including the fact that blueberry juice is supposed to help lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease, which I did not know. That is really cool. You all know how concerned I am about heart disease.
So, I plan to continue drinking TrueBlue for quite awhile. Not only is it good but it’s good for me.
blueberries, aging, juice, pterostilbene, anthocyanins, polyphenols, memory, cholesterol, diet, food, health, heart disease, inflammation, LDL, longevity, sugar, weight loss, women,
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Health Notes
The Bad News
The Good News
aspirin, aging, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, cognitive, blood pressure, decline, naproxen, cancer, Ibuprofen, stress, cholesterol, fuel, diet, exercise, fat, food, health, heart disease, ethanol, inflammation, LDL, environment, omega-3, curry, turmeric, salt, chocolate, cocoa, pollution, obesity,
Low dose aspirin does not protect women from cognitive decline.
Apparently Naproxen does not prevent Alzheimer’s disease, but what about Ibuprofen?
If a single high-fat meal is bad for you, just think of what those people who eat nothing but high-fat meals are doing to themselves.
Using ethanol fuel may be healthy for the environment, but what good is a great environment if you kill all the people?
The Good News
Consuming omega-3 fatty acids appears to slow cognitive decline as we age.
Alzheimer’s disease is fairly uncommon in India, where they eat a lot of curry and turmeric.
Eating less salt could be good for your heart.
Eating chocolate or cocoa appears to help lower blood pressure, although I don’t think they are talking about eating a bunch of Hershey bars to get this effect. It is possible to buy and eat cocoa while at the same time avoiding the fat, calories, and cholesterol associated with candy bars. (I think I’ll have some now. I microwave about a half cup of water for a minute, then mix in two teaspoons of sugar and two teaspoons of cocoa. I like it.) You don’t have to go overboard in order to enjoy a little chocolate.
aspirin, aging, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, cognitive, blood pressure, decline, naproxen, cancer, Ibuprofen, stress, cholesterol, fuel, diet, exercise, fat, food, health, heart disease, ethanol, inflammation, LDL, environment, omega-3, curry, turmeric, salt, chocolate, cocoa, pollution, obesity,
A Great Deal
I saw an advertisement on TV recently that said every hour you exercise may add two hours to your life. To me that seems like a great deal. Exercise is not a waste of time. Not only do you get back the hour spent exercising, but you get another hour on top of that. It is like investing in yourself, with a wonderful rate of return.
Anyway, this is the website to which the advertisement was referring. If you press on the START button you get a lot of information about leading a healthier lifestyle. I have explored it a little and it is all very interesting.
walking, aging, cooking, calorie restriction, cholesterol, diet, exercise, fat, food, health, heart disease, immunity, inflammation, LDL, longevity, obesity, smoking, sugar, vegetables, vegetarian, weight loss, women, life expectancy,
Anyway, this is the website to which the advertisement was referring. If you press on the START button you get a lot of information about leading a healthier lifestyle. I have explored it a little and it is all very interesting.
walking, aging, cooking, calorie restriction, cholesterol, diet, exercise, fat, food, health, heart disease, immunity, inflammation, LDL, longevity, obesity, smoking, sugar, vegetables, vegetarian, weight loss, women, life expectancy,
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Influenza Causes Heart Attacks?
Now I am really confused. This article says “flu is a trigger of heart attacks.” It goes on to say that “vaccinations could save thousands of deaths from heart disease.”
I am nearly sixty and have never had a flu shot. Why not, you might ask? For one reason I never saw the need to get one before. Also, I have changed a lot in the past twenty years or so. I used to be all for vaccinations. Now, not so much.
But the above article got me to thinking, and this article also says “flu shots prevent cardiac death.” I am very afraid of having a heart attack. If flu causes heart attacks, then I should probably get a flu shot, right?
I don’t know. This article says that the first article above “doesn't prove that flu caused fatal heart attacks or other heart disease deaths. For instance, the researchers don't know the medical history, medications, or heart risks of the people who died of heart attacks or other types of heart disease -- or whether those people actually had the flu about the time of death.”
OK, well that makes me feel better. Maybe this was all just a false alarm, and maybe I just got scared for nothing. Besides, there are, I think, a lot of reasons not to take a flu shot. There seems to be some question as to whether or not the flu shot might contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, or Guillain-Barre Syndrome. There is some question as to whether or not the flu shot protects against the correct strains of influenza. And there are substances in the flu vaccine – such as mercury, aluminum, and formaldehyde – that you might not want to have injected into your blood. I know I don’t want them.
Here is more discussion. And Doctor Bob doesn’t seem to be for getting a flu shot. And here is something else. I may have already included it, but better safe than sorry.
(By the way, they say more people die from heart attacks during flu season, but more people have heart attacks in the winter anyway.)
This article says it is important to have a flu shot if you have heart disease. Maybe that is true. I don’t know. But so far I don’t have a diagnosed medical condition, so I still don’t see any real reason to get vaccinated. I think I am pretty healthy. The last time I got really sick was about seven or eight months ago. That was definitely not during flu season, although I may have had the flu. I really felt bad for more than a week. I was glad, however, that it gave me a chance to lose some weight I had wanted to lose. Since that time I have occasionally been around people who had the flu, but fortunately I dodged those bullets.
Here are articles from Wikipedia on the Flu Vaccine, Vaccines generally, and Vaccine Controversy. And here is a link to the National Vaccine Information Center.
I remember that I had a tetanus shot (which I think was unnecessary) when I was about twenty years old. I had a bad reaction to it. I was in the bed for several days afterwards. I don’t want to go through anything like that again.
As I say, I think I am fairly healthy now. I don’t see any reason to do anything. And I don’t see any reason to inject something into my system that might not even work; that I might not even need; and that might compromise my health. If I were in imminent and real danger, then maybe I would do something, but as of right now I don’t see an imminent or real danger from the flu. And certainly not serious enough to warrant my getting a flu shot, which seems to have enough threats and dangers of its own.
influenza, aging, shot, Alzheimer's disease, heart attack, vaccine, vaccination, flu, death, adverse, reaction, mercury, illness, sick, controversy, health, heart disease, immunity,
I am nearly sixty and have never had a flu shot. Why not, you might ask? For one reason I never saw the need to get one before. Also, I have changed a lot in the past twenty years or so. I used to be all for vaccinations. Now, not so much.
But the above article got me to thinking, and this article also says “flu shots prevent cardiac death.” I am very afraid of having a heart attack. If flu causes heart attacks, then I should probably get a flu shot, right?
I don’t know. This article says that the first article above “doesn't prove that flu caused fatal heart attacks or other heart disease deaths. For instance, the researchers don't know the medical history, medications, or heart risks of the people who died of heart attacks or other types of heart disease -- or whether those people actually had the flu about the time of death.”
OK, well that makes me feel better. Maybe this was all just a false alarm, and maybe I just got scared for nothing. Besides, there are, I think, a lot of reasons not to take a flu shot. There seems to be some question as to whether or not the flu shot might contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, or Guillain-Barre Syndrome. There is some question as to whether or not the flu shot protects against the correct strains of influenza. And there are substances in the flu vaccine – such as mercury, aluminum, and formaldehyde – that you might not want to have injected into your blood. I know I don’t want them.
Here is more discussion. And Doctor Bob doesn’t seem to be for getting a flu shot. And here is something else. I may have already included it, but better safe than sorry.
(By the way, they say more people die from heart attacks during flu season, but more people have heart attacks in the winter anyway.)
This article says it is important to have a flu shot if you have heart disease. Maybe that is true. I don’t know. But so far I don’t have a diagnosed medical condition, so I still don’t see any real reason to get vaccinated. I think I am pretty healthy. The last time I got really sick was about seven or eight months ago. That was definitely not during flu season, although I may have had the flu. I really felt bad for more than a week. I was glad, however, that it gave me a chance to lose some weight I had wanted to lose. Since that time I have occasionally been around people who had the flu, but fortunately I dodged those bullets.
Here are articles from Wikipedia on the Flu Vaccine, Vaccines generally, and Vaccine Controversy. And here is a link to the National Vaccine Information Center.
I remember that I had a tetanus shot (which I think was unnecessary) when I was about twenty years old. I had a bad reaction to it. I was in the bed for several days afterwards. I don’t want to go through anything like that again.
As I say, I think I am fairly healthy now. I don’t see any reason to do anything. And I don’t see any reason to inject something into my system that might not even work; that I might not even need; and that might compromise my health. If I were in imminent and real danger, then maybe I would do something, but as of right now I don’t see an imminent or real danger from the flu. And certainly not serious enough to warrant my getting a flu shot, which seems to have enough threats and dangers of its own.
influenza, aging, shot, Alzheimer's disease, heart attack, vaccine, vaccination, flu, death, adverse, reaction, mercury, illness, sick, controversy, health, heart disease, immunity,
Thursday, April 26, 2007
PFOA AGAIN
Researchers found the chemical PFOA in 100 percent of newborns examined. This just makes me sick. Even newborn babies are not safe in their mother’s wombs from PFOA.
I have talked about some of this before, most notably on Jan. 29 and 31, 2006, as well as Feb. 6 and 13, 2006 (to which you can refer for background material.) PFOA is a chemical byproduct of Teflon. It is used in many packaging materials to prevent sticking, including microwave popcorn bags, storage bags for frozen french fries, pizza boxes, etc.
PFOA persists in the environment for a very long time. It is in virtually everyone’s body. And I do not believe it is a harmless chemical. And I am extremely dismayed that it is found in the blood of newborn babies. Don’t they deserve a chance to develop in an unpolluted environment? Is no one safe from pollution these days, not even unborn fetuses?
They’re presumably going to stop using PFOA by 2015. That’s great, but is it too little too late? The PFOA that is already here will continue to affect us for years to come. And apparently it will even affect those who are as yet unborn. There is no escaping it, and I also think there is no avoiding it because it is apparently ubiquitous. So the only thing we can do, it seems, is just hope it doesn’t kill us or cause anymore dreaded birth defects than we already have. I am not very optimistic.
PFOA, pollution, prenatal, babies, children, pregnancy, food, health, chemicals, environment, birth defects, Teflon, nonstick,
I have talked about some of this before, most notably on Jan. 29 and 31, 2006, as well as Feb. 6 and 13, 2006 (to which you can refer for background material.) PFOA is a chemical byproduct of Teflon. It is used in many packaging materials to prevent sticking, including microwave popcorn bags, storage bags for frozen french fries, pizza boxes, etc.
PFOA persists in the environment for a very long time. It is in virtually everyone’s body. And I do not believe it is a harmless chemical. And I am extremely dismayed that it is found in the blood of newborn babies. Don’t they deserve a chance to develop in an unpolluted environment? Is no one safe from pollution these days, not even unborn fetuses?
They’re presumably going to stop using PFOA by 2015. That’s great, but is it too little too late? The PFOA that is already here will continue to affect us for years to come. And apparently it will even affect those who are as yet unborn. There is no escaping it, and I also think there is no avoiding it because it is apparently ubiquitous. So the only thing we can do, it seems, is just hope it doesn’t kill us or cause anymore dreaded birth defects than we already have. I am not very optimistic.
PFOA, pollution, prenatal, babies, children, pregnancy, food, health, chemicals, environment, birth defects, Teflon, nonstick,
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Green Tea and Autoimmune Disease
This article says that green tea may help prevent autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren’s Syndrome. I was curious to know what that is, so I looked it up. Sjogren’s Syndrome is a condition in which immune cells attack and destroy tear glands and salivary glands, leading to dry eyes and dry mouth. About nine out of ten people with this syndrome are women. There is no cure or prevention available. But in the research reported above the doctors said, “Those treated with the green tea extract beginning at three weeks, showed significantly less damage to those glands over time.” And in China, where they drink a lot of green tea, only 5 percent of the elderly suffer from dry mouth, compared to 30 percent of elderly Americans. Who knows, maybe green tea could help.
I was having dry eyes recently. I remember I was blinking them repeatedly because they were uncomfortable. I think it was associated with using the heater in my car, though – the warm air blowing up and into my eyes. I don’t have that condition much anymore, but I was interested to read about Sjogren’s Syndrome, and I will definitely pay more attention to the condition if my eyes become dry again.
I know that people who smoke often have dry eyes, and perhaps dry mouth as well. That is just a function of having heated smoke swirling around your face and being inhaled all the time. I guess the point is, sometimes dry eyes are a result of something quite simple like air blowing in your face, or cigarette smoke irritating them. Sometimes it is a result of something more serious. If you think you might have Sjogren’s Syndrome, or anything similar, please see your doctor. He or she might be able to help. In the meantime I will continue drinking my two cups of green tea per day.
aging, autoimmune, health, immunity, inflammation, autoimmunity, EGCG, green tea, Sjogren’s Syndrome, dry eyes, smoking, women,
I was having dry eyes recently. I remember I was blinking them repeatedly because they were uncomfortable. I think it was associated with using the heater in my car, though – the warm air blowing up and into my eyes. I don’t have that condition much anymore, but I was interested to read about Sjogren’s Syndrome, and I will definitely pay more attention to the condition if my eyes become dry again.
I know that people who smoke often have dry eyes, and perhaps dry mouth as well. That is just a function of having heated smoke swirling around your face and being inhaled all the time. I guess the point is, sometimes dry eyes are a result of something quite simple like air blowing in your face, or cigarette smoke irritating them. Sometimes it is a result of something more serious. If you think you might have Sjogren’s Syndrome, or anything similar, please see your doctor. He or she might be able to help. In the meantime I will continue drinking my two cups of green tea per day.
aging, autoimmune, health, immunity, inflammation, autoimmunity, EGCG, green tea, Sjogren’s Syndrome, dry eyes, smoking, women,
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Depression and Diabetes
This article says that depression may cause a person to be diabetic. If this is true, then I think we want to do all we can to treat depression, because we certainly do not want to get diabetes or any other health disorder.
The above article mentions cortisol, a stress hormone, as a possible cause of diabetes in depressed people. This just goes back to what I have said for a long time, that stress is potentially a big problem, and we should do all we can do to deal with it effectively. Here is an extensive discussion of stress which also mentions cortisol.
The question arises, however, that if cortisol is a problem, is there any way to lower it in our blood? I think the answer to that is maybe. Here is an article that discusses cortisol at some length, and here is an article that talks about ways to possibly lower cortisol levels. I do not vouch for the accuracy or validity of these two articles, but I present them in hopes that you can make your own determination of their accuracy and validity. And maybe you will get some ideas about how to deal with cortisol.
This is a very complex issue that is not going to be solved right away. But if we become aware of it because of articles like these, maybe that can lead to a solution in the future.
aging, health, heart disease, inflammation, diabetes, depression, cortisol, stress, hormone,
The above article mentions cortisol, a stress hormone, as a possible cause of diabetes in depressed people. This just goes back to what I have said for a long time, that stress is potentially a big problem, and we should do all we can do to deal with it effectively. Here is an extensive discussion of stress which also mentions cortisol.
The question arises, however, that if cortisol is a problem, is there any way to lower it in our blood? I think the answer to that is maybe. Here is an article that discusses cortisol at some length, and here is an article that talks about ways to possibly lower cortisol levels. I do not vouch for the accuracy or validity of these two articles, but I present them in hopes that you can make your own determination of their accuracy and validity. And maybe you will get some ideas about how to deal with cortisol.
This is a very complex issue that is not going to be solved right away. But if we become aware of it because of articles like these, maybe that can lead to a solution in the future.
aging, health, heart disease, inflammation, diabetes, depression, cortisol, stress, hormone,
Bypass the Bypass?
I still think I may eventually need some sort of cardiac intervention, mainly because of my earlier unhealthy lifestyle, so I am constantly interested in any discussion of bypass operations, angioplasties, stents, etc.
When I think about having a bypass or having a stent, I think that these procedures in large measure take care of the problems that existed before they were performed. And in most cases, of course, they do. But some people have major complications, such as heart attack, following the procedures: five percent of patients who had drug-eluting stents, and 3.8 percent of patients who had a bypass. Also, research suggests that about six percent of patients die within three years of having a bypass, compared to about nine percent treated with drug-eluting stents. This whole discussion is complicated, so please read the entire article for fuller understanding.
Here is another article that discusses the same research. It makes the point that about 50% more people die following stent therapy than following bypass. One expert is quoted as having said, “So the trend is not in favor of drug-coated stents.” And another person said, “When we tried to tackle the tougher patients -- those with greater risk, like the typical patient sent to bypass surgery -- our complication rate went up. We can no longer say we are safer with stents than with bypass at the time of procedure." Once again, read the entire article for fuller understanding.
In the meantime, I am thankful that whatever my condition is, I seem to be healthy enough at the present time to avoid both of the interventions mentioned above. I hope to stay healthy long enough for doctors to figure out how to have safer cardiac procedures. Besides, I have plans for the next three years, and I don’t want to be part of whatever percent of patients it is who die following a trip to the hospital.
health, heart disease, heart attack, stent, bypass, death, recovery, complications, surgery,
When I think about having a bypass or having a stent, I think that these procedures in large measure take care of the problems that existed before they were performed. And in most cases, of course, they do. But some people have major complications, such as heart attack, following the procedures: five percent of patients who had drug-eluting stents, and 3.8 percent of patients who had a bypass. Also, research suggests that about six percent of patients die within three years of having a bypass, compared to about nine percent treated with drug-eluting stents. This whole discussion is complicated, so please read the entire article for fuller understanding.
Here is another article that discusses the same research. It makes the point that about 50% more people die following stent therapy than following bypass. One expert is quoted as having said, “So the trend is not in favor of drug-coated stents.” And another person said, “When we tried to tackle the tougher patients -- those with greater risk, like the typical patient sent to bypass surgery -- our complication rate went up. We can no longer say we are safer with stents than with bypass at the time of procedure." Once again, read the entire article for fuller understanding.
In the meantime, I am thankful that whatever my condition is, I seem to be healthy enough at the present time to avoid both of the interventions mentioned above. I hope to stay healthy long enough for doctors to figure out how to have safer cardiac procedures. Besides, I have plans for the next three years, and I don’t want to be part of whatever percent of patients it is who die following a trip to the hospital.
health, heart disease, heart attack, stent, bypass, death, recovery, complications, surgery,
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Aspirin and Cancer
This article says that “A daily dose of adult-strength aspirin may modestly reduce cancer risk in populations with high rates of colorectal, prostate, and breast cancer if taken for at least five years.” I thought this article was interesting, although I personally would not take aspirin of any strength for five years because I would be afraid I might get tinnitus, which is one common side-effect of aspirin use. But this article is interesting not only because of the cancers against which it may protect, but also because of the cancers against which it does not protect, namely lung cancer, bladder cancer, melanoma, leukemia, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, pancreatic cancer, and kidney cancer. More research needs to be done.
Here is another article that says aspirin may help protect against cancer, while other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may not.
If you Google this you get a number of articles that suggest aspirin protects against cancer. In fact one article, in seeming contradiction of the first article above, says aspirin may reduce lung cancer risk.
Sorry, I still don’t plan to take aspirin.
aspirin, prostate cancer, lung cancer, smoking, breast cancer, leukemia, Ibuprofen, cancer, NSAID, colon cancer, health, tinnitus,
Here is another article that says aspirin may help protect against cancer, while other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may not.
If you Google this you get a number of articles that suggest aspirin protects against cancer. In fact one article, in seeming contradiction of the first article above, says aspirin may reduce lung cancer risk.
Sorry, I still don’t plan to take aspirin.
aspirin, prostate cancer, lung cancer, smoking, breast cancer, leukemia, Ibuprofen, cancer, NSAID, colon cancer, health, tinnitus,
Omega-3
This article says that Omega-3 fatty acids – and DHA in particular – may help prevent two types of brain lesions found in Alzheimer’s disease: neurofibrillary tangles and an accumulation of beta amyloid.
The article goes on to talk about the unhealthy amount of omega-6 fatty acids found in a typical American diet, with ratios of at least 10:1 to as high as 30:1 omega-6 versus omega-3.
It concludes by saying that we may be able to prevent Alzheimer’s disease if, in addition to consuming more omega-3 we exercise, get mental stimulation, quit smoking, and avoid stress.
omega-3, aging, omega-6, Alzheimer's disease, diet, exercise, food, health, fish oil, DHA, stress, smoking, fatty acids,
The article goes on to talk about the unhealthy amount of omega-6 fatty acids found in a typical American diet, with ratios of at least 10:1 to as high as 30:1 omega-6 versus omega-3.
It concludes by saying that we may be able to prevent Alzheimer’s disease if, in addition to consuming more omega-3 we exercise, get mental stimulation, quit smoking, and avoid stress.
omega-3, aging, omega-6, Alzheimer's disease, diet, exercise, food, health, fish oil, DHA, stress, smoking, fatty acids,
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Aneurysms of the Abdominal Aorta
We have talked about this before, and I thought we pretty much had it settled: male smokers and former smokers over a certain age (65, I think) needed to get checked regularly for aneurysms of the abdominal aorta. It is a dangerous condition that could lead to death, and it is just good to get it checked. I did not realize there was any controversy surrounding the whole thing, but apparently there is. Read this article, and discuss any questions you may have with your doctor. I have known two people who had successful surgery to repair an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta. I knew another person who died of a ruptured abdominal aorta, AND there was a big story in the Raleigh News and Observer in the 1960s or 1970s about a famous Raleigh resident (I forget his name now, sorry) who died unexpectedly of a ruptured abdominal aorta, so this is not some obscure condition that never comes up. And as I said, it can be dangerous.
aorta, aneurysm, surgery, smoking, men, health,
aorta, aneurysm, surgery, smoking, men, health,
Monday, April 16, 2007
Juice
This article says that flavonoids are only contained in citrus fruit. Since I love to prove statements like that wrong, or at least verify their accuracy, I found that they are also contained in onions, green tea, wine, etc. I will say, however, there may be some natural substances that are found only in citrus fruit, and for that reason alone they deserve to be included in a healthy diet.
At another point the above article says Americans consume 21 quarts of orange juice per year. That is amazing – amazing that it is so little! When you consider the fact that Americans consume 55 GALLONS of soft drinks per year, and that children consume about 80 gallons of soft drinks per year, is it any wonder that we are a sick, obese society? We should consume more juice and less soft drinks.
soft drinks, juice, citrus, orange, green tea, wine, flavonoids, diet, food, health,
At another point the above article says Americans consume 21 quarts of orange juice per year. That is amazing – amazing that it is so little! When you consider the fact that Americans consume 55 GALLONS of soft drinks per year, and that children consume about 80 gallons of soft drinks per year, is it any wonder that we are a sick, obese society? We should consume more juice and less soft drinks.
soft drinks, juice, citrus, orange, green tea, wine, flavonoids, diet, food, health,
DMAE
If you go someplace like Amazon.com and type in “DMAE” you come up with lots of products including nutritional supplements and anti-wrinkle cosmetics. This article talks about some of the effects of DMAE on the skin. I must say that any article that uses words like “pathological swelling” and “mortality rate” tends to frighten me, but maybe that’s just me. Needless to say, I don’t use cosmetics, and I am glad I don’t.
aging, wrinkles, DMAE, supplements, cosmetics, skin, health, face lift, women,
aging, wrinkles, DMAE, supplements, cosmetics, skin, health, face lift, women,
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Cauliflower
After my recent bout with cooking soups I had some unused cauliflower left over. I did not know what to do with it, and I certainly did not want to let it spoil or anything because it was organic and a little pricey. Anyway today I had another bout of cooking, so I decided to find some way to use the cauliflower. (It was about the size of the back of my fist.)
I steamed it for thirteen minutes. When it was finished cooking and had cooled off enough I cut it apart some with my paring knife, put a little salt on it, and ate some. I was surprised at how good it tasted. I have eaten cauliflower a lot over the years. I always try to get some when I eat at Whole Foods. But usually the taste is bland and hardly appealing. My cauliflower, however, actually tasted good. Even my son agreed.
The fact that it tasted so good will encourage me to eat it more often. Cauliflower is in the same family as broccoli, which I LOVE, and Brussel sprouts. They are very healthy for you, particularly when eaten with turmeric or curry.
Here’s to discovering that not only is cauliflower good for you, but also it can be quite good to the taste. Hooray.
cauliflower, recipes, cooking, diet, food, health, vegetables, vegetarian, vegan,
I steamed it for thirteen minutes. When it was finished cooking and had cooled off enough I cut it apart some with my paring knife, put a little salt on it, and ate some. I was surprised at how good it tasted. I have eaten cauliflower a lot over the years. I always try to get some when I eat at Whole Foods. But usually the taste is bland and hardly appealing. My cauliflower, however, actually tasted good. Even my son agreed.
The fact that it tasted so good will encourage me to eat it more often. Cauliflower is in the same family as broccoli, which I LOVE, and Brussel sprouts. They are very healthy for you, particularly when eaten with turmeric or curry.
Here’s to discovering that not only is cauliflower good for you, but also it can be quite good to the taste. Hooray.
cauliflower, recipes, cooking, diet, food, health, vegetables, vegetarian, vegan,
Health Notes
Here is an article that says some brain functions actually improve with age. And here is an article about a possible new tool for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
This article has a discussion of stroke symptoms, as well as treating ischemic stroke with intravenous clot-busting drugs. And this article says that after heart surgery, using corticosteroids may reduce risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke. It also mentions inflammation, which is often a problem after heart surgery, so presumably administration of steroids helps reduce inflammation as well? The article was not totally clear on that point, but that would be something to discuss with your doctor.
Exercise is supposed to reduce our risk of developing high blood pressure. Is this really news? I have assumed for some time that was true.
There is a link between the immune system and high plasma lipid levels? I would not be surprised. High levels of cholesterol and triglycerides are not good. Lowering those levels is definitely a worthwhile goal.
I talk a lot about weight loss and diet. These are serious subjects, mainly because I think our health depends on them to a large extent. For a more humorous look at these subjects, though, check this installment of Miss Cellania’s blog.
brain, memory, diagnosis, Alzheimer's disease, EEG, dementia, stroke, ischemic, corticosteroids, blood pressure, cholesterol, surgery, diet, exercise, bypass, food, health, heart disease, immune system, inflammation, LDL, hypertension, triglycerides, humor, jokes, blood clot, immunity,
This article has a discussion of stroke symptoms, as well as treating ischemic stroke with intravenous clot-busting drugs. And this article says that after heart surgery, using corticosteroids may reduce risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke. It also mentions inflammation, which is often a problem after heart surgery, so presumably administration of steroids helps reduce inflammation as well? The article was not totally clear on that point, but that would be something to discuss with your doctor.
Exercise is supposed to reduce our risk of developing high blood pressure. Is this really news? I have assumed for some time that was true.
There is a link between the immune system and high plasma lipid levels? I would not be surprised. High levels of cholesterol and triglycerides are not good. Lowering those levels is definitely a worthwhile goal.
I talk a lot about weight loss and diet. These are serious subjects, mainly because I think our health depends on them to a large extent. For a more humorous look at these subjects, though, check this installment of Miss Cellania’s blog.
brain, memory, diagnosis, Alzheimer's disease, EEG, dementia, stroke, ischemic, corticosteroids, blood pressure, cholesterol, surgery, diet, exercise, bypass, food, health, heart disease, immune system, inflammation, LDL, hypertension, triglycerides, humor, jokes, blood clot, immunity,
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