This post is a little off topic from what I usually write about, and more controversial than my usual subjects. It’s likely that most people will feel very strongly about this subject one way or the other. The subject being Pit Bull Terrier dogs, specifically if any special restrictions or regulations should be placed on those dogs as a breed, or their owners.

Wow, easy there Pit Bull owners and supporters! Before you growl and snap into a rage of angry comments, hear me out. It’s well documented that Pit Bulls or Pit Bull mixes are the number one offender when it comes to attacks on humans and other dogs, so there is really no point in arguing about that. At least a few times a year I hear a local story on the news or elsewhere of an attack from a Pit Bull. Here is a local article from last month of an incident very close where we live. If that didn’t sound convincing enough for you, then here is another high profile incident that took place across town a couple of years ago. The second article demonstrates just how ferocious Pit Bulls can be, and how they are perfectly capable of killing a grown adult- which fortunately didn’t happen in this case.

These are just two stories out of dozens I found online for our metro area in the last couple of years, although it’s not just a local problem. Every place I’ve lived there have been local news stories about Pit Bull attacks seemingly every few months. I’m sure many more go unreported. To get an idea of the scope of this problem take a look at this random website (one of many) I found, which lists hundreds of Pit Bull attacks and killings over a period of a couple of years. The shocking thing is that many of these attacks resulted in a human death!

My personal experience with Pit Bulls is mixed. I’ve known people with Pit Bulls that were very well trained, behaved, and likely had good genetics. I like them enough that I considered adopting one when we were looking for a dog. However I quickly ruled it out because they are too dangerous, and I don’t think you can ever fully trust them. I wasn’t worried so much about myself as I was my wife or anyone who might visit our home. Just because a dog behaves well around its owner doesn’t mean that it will act the same way when a neighborhood kid pulls on its tail.

Since we have adopted our dog Mulder (a Chesapeake Bay Retriever Mix) we’ve been frequent visitors to the dog park where I’ve gotten to know different dog breeds and their behaviors quite well, including Pit Bulls. The dog park is a great way to socialize your dog to other dogs and people while letting them stretch their legs and get good exercise they might not be able to do otherwise in a small yard. Unfortunately we’ve had to limit our dog park visits to times when it’s not busy such as early afternoon weekdays. The reason is that when it’s crowded there are almost always incidents, either with aggressive dogs or small children running around unattended. I can never understand how parents can let toddlers run around and play in a park that is full of dogs weighing up to 200 pounds and running at speeds up to 30mph. It’s just asking for trouble. The other problem is with aggressive dogs, most often Pit Bull Terriers.

Two teenage puppies greeting one another

In a recent incident at the dog park Mulder and I pulled into the parking lot only to witness a dog fight in progress which involved a Pit Bull and a Boston Terrier, along with several other dogs and people crowding around. It wasn’t really a fight but more like the Pit Bull attacking the much smaller Boston Terrier who didn’t stand a chance. The Pit was darting and lunging aggressively towards the Boston and then pinning him into submission on his back while growling at him with his mouth at the dogs throat. The owner would grab the Pit Bull and within 30 seconds release him only to witness the same thing happen again. A Great Dane, another Pit, and about 10 other dogs were all circling around as the intensity level grew. One guy started picking up all the small dogs and throwing them over the fence to get them out of danger as this was unfolding.

I had seen enough so I left Mulder in the car then walked over there and asked who owned the Pit Bull. A lady announced “he is mine and he is usually very good in here”. I bluntly told her that she needed to get her dog out of park because he’s too aggressive. I don’t think she was very happy about my request, but everyone else was either in shock or too scared to speak up. Her idea of disciplining the Pit Bull was to hold him, and then release him again to see what happens. This was only encouraging the behavior and training the dog to think it is ok to be aggressive and attack. In this case both the dog and owner were at fault since the dog was aggressive by nature, and the owner didn’t know how to handle it. She did leave without further incident and took her lady friend who had the other Pit Bull and a Great Dane with her. The terrified Boston Terrier owner was in shock and left immediately.

How a big dog should greet a little dog

I can tell you at least 10 other stories of Pit Bull incidents and near maulings I’ve personally seen at the dog park, and I know for a fact that some dogs have been killed at the park by other aggressive dogs. To be fair it’s not always Pit Bulls. Any dog is capable of biting, even ankle biters. Just ask Mulder who got a nasty bite on the nose from the 10 pound dog down the street. I’ve seen violent aggression at the park from Rotweillers, Great Danes, one German Shepherd, and even a Husky. Except for the Rotti those were rare aggressive dogs that weren’t typical of their breed, from all the ones I’ve seen in the park and elsewhere. Although any dog can be aggressive or bite Pit Bulls have the worst reputation and statistics. This article and others I’ve read indicates that nearly half of all fatal dog attacks are from Pit Bulls, with Rottweilers coming in second.

The argument from Pit Bull supporters (including some you might see on TV) is that any dog can be trained, and it’s always the owners fault, not the dogs. They say there are no bad dogs, just bad people. In some cases I agree with this depending on the dog and behavioral issue. However in all cases I agree with science that points to breeding and genetics as defining behaviors of certain dog breeds. Retrievers are bred to retrieve, Hounds are bred to track, Greyhounds are bred to race, and Pit Bulls are bred to fight, attack, and kill. No matter how hard you try, those genetic traits can’t always be controlled by training and discipline. Try training a Greyhound not to run, or a Hound Dog not to howl, it just doesn’t work.

Some of the aggressive traits have been bred out of Pit Bulls by responsible breeders. Unfortunately you have as just as many or more irresponsible backyard breeders who keep breeding killer traits into Pits in order to produce killing machines, either for fighting or as guard dogs. Some of these unfortunate dogs end up with a dismal life getting chained to a tree or isolated in a backyard simply there to bark at intruders. The females will typically only be used to breed and eventually end up in the pound, along with older dogs or retired fighters that survived. Pit puppies will either be taken in by breeders, or end up at the local pound where families looking to adopt a cute little puppy will pick them up. Search any humane society web site where Pit Bulls are legal and you will find they make up a large percentage of the dogs up for adoption. While most people that adopt them have only good intentions, they usually have no idea of the breeding history of their newly adopted Pit puppy, and what it might be capable of down the road.

So what is the solution to the problem that most people don’t care about until it affects them?

1. I believe that only certified breeders should be allowed to breed Pit Bulls in an effort to remove some of the nasty traits from the dog breed. Any Pit Bull that is not owned by a licensed breeder should be neutered to prevent more Pit pound puppies.

4. Additionally I’d like to see an aggressive dog breed training class required for Pit owners, and required obedience classes for the dogs. This will deter a lot of irresponsible people from getting Pit Bulls, and ensure that the people that really do want a Pit are educated about the dog’s behaviors. Additionally the dogs themselves will be less likely to attack after some obedience training.

I don’t like to single out a specific breed because there are a lot of good Pit Bull dogs, but there are plenty of bad ones too, and the bad ones can be killers. An attack from a Pit Bull is not going to have the same outcome as an attack from a Golden Retriever. Once a Pit Bull goes into attack mode it won’t quit, which is why police officers so often have to shoot them in order to stop an attack. You may or may not know what your Pit Bull is capable of until it’s too late; every dog can have a bad day just like a person. These restrictions will be for the good of the public, along with the Pit Bull owners and dogs themselves.

If you still don’t agree with me then consider the alternative, which I do not support, but only report. Many cities and even countries have banned Pit Bulls in response to the outcry over so many maulings. My old hometown of Denver is one of the places that have implemented a ban on Pit Bulls after a 3 year old boy was killed by one. The city has taken an extreme approach by having animal control confiscate all Pit Bulls and Pit mixes from their owners to have them euthanized. I do not support this Hitler-like movement in any way shape or form. To have your family pet taken away is an awful thing to have happen.

On the other hand if you choose to adopt a dog that could potentially kill, then you are taking a big risk for your family. It’s when you bring that risk with you to the dog park or let it loose in the neighborhood that I have a problem, because then it becomes everyone else’s risk too. If you are going to own a Pit Bull you have to own the responsibility that it could kill, and take the appropriate measures to make sure you and your dog don’t end up on the 6 o’clock news.

As I said before I like Pit Bulls and think the ones that are well bred and behaved are really cool dogs. However, in my opinion it’s just too much of a risk to trust them in the home; especially when there are so many other great family dogs out there waiting to be adopted. Furthermore it’s irresponsible for Pit Bull owners to go around promoting them as perfect family dogs who love kids and other pets, just because they haven’t had any problems with theirs. When your neighbor picks up a Pit Bull at the pound per someone’s recommendation, and that dog’s genetics are true to what the dog was originally bred to do, then it could be your kids and pets at risk.

Just like people pets need exercise too, so why not stay active together.

I’ve known a few people that have had news like that from the doctor. One person I know that was over 300 pounds finally decided to have gastric bypass surgery done after the doctor told her she may not live long enough to see her kids grow up. I saw her several months after the surgery when she had lost over 100 pounds and looked like a completely different person. I’m not saying that surgery is a great thing but if you neglect your body then tough decisions like that will have to be made down the road. If a fortuneteller had told this girl 10 years previous that she would require surgery to reduce the size of her stomach unless she changed her lifestyle and diet then maybe things would have been different for her. What I’m trying to say is why not have better health, fitness, and lifestyle before getting to the point of needing surgery for a health related problem that was preventable.

To wrap up the last part of the healthy series blog here are a few suggestions for changing the final aspect of lifestyle. If you haven’t read part 1 and part 2 yet then be sure to check those out.

Be honest and open with yourself and others
Be honest with yourself about your weight, and don’t be afraid to talk about it with friends and family. The topic of weight is a touchy subject to most people. Women are especially sensitive about their weight, but they shouldn’t be. When you are too sensitive or afraid to deal with the subject of your weight you are really just hurting yourself. You will get more support from your internal network than you might think. Additionally by talking the talk you will be expected to walk the walk. For some people the support or expectations they get from others is all they need to get moving in the right direction.

If you are going to be your own boss make sure you are doing the job
Think of this example; kids can get into all kinds of trouble and danger if left unsupervised. That is why they need adults to oversee them. Adults can likewise get into trouble when suddenly they grow up and nobody is there to tell them what they should or shouldn’t do. Good upbringing and education go a long way but nobody can be completely prepared for adulthood. One good thing my mom did when I was a kid was limit my sister and I to one treat each per trip to the grocery store, which wasn’t that often. These days I’m my own boss and despite that early discipline it is still hard to leave the store with more food than treats. In fact my wife doesn’t like it when I shop because I buy so many random items that don’t add up to meals. I can only imagine how bad some people can be who are their own bosses but basically give themselves permission to do whatever they want. More problems can ensue if you decide to let someone else who isn’t qualified be your boss. By nature most people want to follow someone else’s lead because it’s just easier than making their own conscious decisions. That easiness can turn into laziness, complacency, and misguided trust in sources that are unreliable. Just because your coworkers eat a big mac for lunch everyday doesn’t mean you should too. If someone else is your boss then fire them and/or recommit yourself to being a better boss.

Don’t let society determine who you are
Our over-polite and politically correct society is increasingly sending out the message that it is ok to be overweight, or to “be comfortable with who you are”. That’s great in concept and certainly accurate in some regards, but when it is in context to body weight that statement really tells people is its ok if you are overweight and there is no need to change. When surrounded by so many people that have this carefree attitude it’s easy for anyone to get off track. If you want to be successful YOU have to take the initiative to make it happen. This means independent thinking, self discipline, and having a proactive attitude. Don’t let society influence who you are. Decide for yourself who and how you want to be, and then make it happen!

Tune out the media
Even more than society, media pre-programs us with misconceptions and all kinds of propaganda. Just because Subway’s 5 dollar foot-long sandwich is only 5 dollars and supposedly healthy that doesn’t mean it’s ok to eat the whole thing at once. I’ll admit Subway is better than most fast food, but that I just can’t get that annoying jingle in their commercial out of my head. It makes me want to spear the TV with a foot-long sandwich so I never have to hear it again! Unfortunately this is exactly what these advertisers want, a commercial that you will remember one way or another for a very long time. Because even worse than hating them is forgetting them or not knowing they are there at all. This is just one bad example of media influence. There are also magazines, actors and actresses, politicians, billboards; just all kinds of advertisements and images coming at us from all directions vying for our dollars and interest. It’s all so overwhelming that people start to forget who they are and just become vessels of popular society. Just as you have to be proactive with exercise and diet, be proactive with your mind. Turn off the TV and read, study, learn; basically decide to think for yourself again. You will have a more studious approach towards life and an overall healthier attitude, which translates into a better lifestyle.

Get enough sleep
This should be a no-brainer, but many people can’t seem to get this sleep thing right. Your body and mind need sleep to recuperate from the day’s activities, and if you are exercising you need more sleep than normal to rebuild your muscles. Some people do have sleep disorders, but others just sacrifice sleep to make up for lost time or because of a poor personal schedule. I’m a late night person myself so swing shift works well for me. I worked a very early AM shift with a brutal commute for a year, and that made my circadian rhythm go haywire. During that time I only averaged about 5 hours of sleep per night. I was always tired and even though my job was very active I gained weight from eating more than normal to try to make up for the lack of energy. Once I got a swing shift job that was closer to home I went back to sleeping 8 hours a night with a normal diet. Without even trying I lost almost 10 pounds in a month to get back to my typical weight around 170.

Lay off the booze
This is a tough one for many people, myself included. I like to enjoy a good microbrew or glass of wine now and then which has just become part of my lifestyle. In limited quantities this is no problem, and many studies show that it can indeed be healthy in some aspects. The problem is most people don’t or can’t limit themselves to just one or two drinks. When you drink excessively this hurts your health, motivation, budget, waistline, workout routine, and brain functionality. I’ve decided to take a serious layoff from booze in 2010 to see what effects it has on my lifestyle. Initially I planned to go dry for the entire year but with summer coming I decided 6 months is long enough. It’s been 5 months already and the only thing I miss about not drinking is the social aspect. I guess for me it has been a good experiment and will permanently change the way I think about drinking alcohol. I will likely be more conscious of how much and how often I drink just like I have been about the food I eat after going on the South Beach Diet some years ago. In fact one thing I learned from the South Beach Diet was that instead of drinking beer which is full of Maltrose (a form of sugar), or mixed drinks loaded with sugar, try wine. Vino is much healthier, full of antioxidants, and easier on your waistline. What you do in this department depends on your lifestyle, but limiting or cutting out the booze for a while can really contribute to your overall success in the area of health and diet.

Walk after eating
We learned about the effectiveness of this after traveling in Europe for 4 months. Although the portions were smaller we still ate well and usually had a beer or two with our meal because it was so good over there, and usually the cheapest beverage on the menu. We always walked after eating because other than taking the train it was the primary way of getting around so we really had no choice. After that trip I was down to almost 160 pounds which was the lightest I had been since my early 20’s. After putting some thought to this I came to the conclusion that your stomach really does a lot of work to digest food which naturally makes you tired, and after eating you feel somewhat bloated and full so naturally you want to just relax. If you go against this natural desire and do something mildly active like walking after eating then your food will settle easier and you won’t feel so lethargic.

If you can’t work out find another way to stay active
In the year 2000 I went snowboarding for the first time on a very icy day and ended up separating my shoulder. The doc said there was nothing he could do for me short of surgery which wasn’t necessary unless I was a professional athlete. He simply suggested taking an Advil whenever I participate in an activity like racquetball or weight lifting that involved my shoulder. For about 5 years I had to go light on the weights, and at times went for months without lifting but I still managed to keep in pretty decent shape doing other things. When I did work out I skipped the Advil (which will eat holes in your stomach) and just lived with the pain. Eventually I did have to quit playing racquetball because the pain was too much by the time I would finish a few games. Instead I got more involved in other activities like hiking and ironically snowboarding, which made up for what I missed in the gym. I’m the kind of person that just needs to stay active so I had to adjust my lifestyle to accommodate that need and I think that adjustment turned out to be a very good thing. The gym is a great way to get in shape, but to have a healthy active lifestyle you need other sources of exercise than lifting weights or running on a treadmill.

Make your goals dynamic to match your lifestyle
Don’t get so set on obtaining a certain goal that you fail altogether and lose your overall confidence. If you’re goal is to lose 100 pounds in order to get down to your high school weight, but you are only losing 1 pound per week, then you will likely get frustrated and eventually give up altogether. If you do see yourself getting frustrated then modify your goal to be more obtainable. Make it a goal of losing 25 pounds, and then once you do that try for another 25 pounds. Even if you only lose the initial 25, but manage to keep that weight off in the long term, then it’s still a winning scenario from where you started.

There are no shortcuts
Plastic surgery, liposuction, TV gimmicks, diet pills, steroids- forgedaboudit! Two wrongs don’t make a right. It amazes me what people will put themselves through to try to take a shortcut. Oftentimes the shortcut takes more effort than the normal and correct course of action. The bottom line is if you want to be fit and healthy you need to exercise and eat better; so go exercise and then cook a nice healthy meal- now repeat over and over again.

Listen to your body
In today’s modern society we’ve lost touch with nature and ourselves. Your body often tells you what it needs and when enough is enough, but we usually don’t listen. Make it a goal to have a harmonious relationship with your body so you can naturally know what is right and wrong when it comes to eating, exercise and sleep. Most people don’t want to take the time to prepare healthy meals, exercise, or get a good night of sleep, but this is really just an excuse. These are not things you make time for; it’s just something you incorporate into your lifestyle. You wouldn’t say you never have time to do laundry or pay bills would you? Of course not, you have to do those things so you just do them. Eating healthy, exercising, and sleeping should be the same way. That’s not to say that you won’t occasionally get off track, but that is ok as long as you get back on track before your body derails. Just remember losing weight and getting in shape isn’t something you do just to look good for the summer, it’s a lifetime commitment to a healthier body and mind.

Does this count as Exercise? You Betcha!

This post is part 2 of 3 in the Healthy 2010 series.

There are only a few basic material things in life a human needs to survive; air, water, food, and shelter. Beyond that everything else is a luxury. Air is a given and I’ve talked about water in previous posts. Food is pretty important so why do people take it so lightly, or should I say heavily? Most people (myself included) have a few basic problems with their diet that can cause health and weight issues. In some cases people know what the problem is but ignore it. In other cases they let their lifestyle dictate their diet, or they just don’t take the time to care about what they eat. Occasionally an individual may be disillusioned into thinking their diet is perfectly fine when in fact it is not.

For most people the biggest problem in their diet is eating more calories than they burn. This doesn’t always mean how much you eat, but also how much of what specific foods you are eating at certain times. Too much of anything is usually bad for you. I’ve gone through many tweaks and improvements in my diet over the years for various reasons. Besides having a fairly healthy diet I’ve been fortunate enough to have pretty good harmony with my body so when I eat I’ve always been able to tell when enough is enough. Furthermore when I eat or drink something that isn’t good for me my body is usually affected in some kind of negative way. For example when I eat something with too much salt I will usually get a terrible headache which makes me think twice before making the same mistake again. I do have a little problem with snacking and sweets (especially chocolate), but I don’t want to be a bad influence on anyone so I won’t outline all the different kinds of chocolate I have in my snack attack arsenal. Instead I hope to be a positive influence by outlining some of the finer points that I have learned over the years to maintain a healthy diet, and maybe I can work on my own snacking problem too…

Eat a balanced diet
Sounds cliché eh? Well you all know this fact well, but too many people still eat subsistence junk food just to get by. The false notion is that if you are filled up then you are good to go, but your body is not like a car where you can get by on whatever fuel happens to be the cheapest and easiest. Do your research and take the time to plan out a quality balanced diet that meets all of your health needs. Here are a few things to think about when you are considering what is right or wrong in your diet. People need protein but too much meat can be unhealthy, especially fatty meats like beef. Try eating grilled chicken breasts or sliced turkey sandwiches instead of double cheeseburgers or fried chicken. Healthy alternative sources of protein include beans, nuts, lentils, dairy, quinoa, etc. Fish is very healthy, but can contain high levels of mercury depending on the type. Do your research to find out which types of fish are sustainable and contain less mercury. Dairy is a good source of protein, but can have other issues with RGBH hormones and lactose which affects most people to some degree or another. Try buying organic milk that is free of RGBH, or convert to soy milk. We drink Silk brand organic soy milk which is excellent. For carbs there are what is known as good carbs and bad carbs. The bad carbs have a high glycemic index, or in other words they are rapidly digested. Examples of those are potatoes and white bread. Good carbs would include whole grains and healthy fruits. The South Beach Diet book does an excellent job of explaining this and is a good read even if you don’t do the diet. More on that in the next section.

Go on a diet (guys this means you too)
I know there are a lot of fad diets out there and I don’t believe in any diet that says eat all carbs or all protein, because anything that doesn’t include a healthy well balanced meal just isn’t healthy in the long run. Many of the all protein meat crazed diets that have come out in the last decade do help you lose weight, but it doesn’t always stay off and certainly is not healthy. Likewise being vegetarian isn’t always a healthy choice either. I’ve known vegetarians that make up for the lack of meat by eating sugar filled goodies. Going vegetarian will usually mean you eat less overall because you have less options, but you still have to eat quality food. A good diet is all about eating well balanced meals. One diet I do think is good is the previously mentioned South Beach Diet. It initially starts you off on a shocker diet of mostly protein, and then reintroduces good carbs back into your diet after the 2 week introductory phase. Even though I was not overweight I went on this diet some years ago with my wife I still lost 15 pounds over the course of the diet. For me this was a little too skinny and I eventually went back to my original weight after eating normal again, but I have always been more conscious of my food selections since then.

Eat the right foods at the right times, and likewise avoid the wrong foods at the wrong times.
As you know breakfast is a very important meal in the day. I’ve never been a big breakfast person and often skip it altogether, so this is something I also need to work on. Generally speaking you should eat a good meal early on to get your body fueled for the day. Whatever calories you eat in the morning should be burned off during the day so if you are going to eat something indulgent this is the time to do it. On the flip side of this dinner and especially midnight snacks or anything around your bedtime is something you have to be very careful of. What you eat during this time will not be burned off like your earlier meals so they can make a big difference in your waistline. Nevertheless some people like me feel the need to eat something before bedtime. I stay away from sweets and large meals and usually opt for a small bowl of whole grain cereal in soy milk to hold me over. As an overall rule you usually want to eat most of your daily caloric intake earlier in the day, and try to eat a healthy low carbohydrate meal in the evening.

Learn how your body needs and uses food
There are a lot of theories and ideas on what and when you should eat. Read up on these ideas, try them, and then follow what works for you. One of many examples I can think of from reading fitness magazines is to make use of what is called a protein window. The idea is you eat a meal with high protein content during your protein window so your body will utilize that protein to help rebuild muscles. The two main protein windows are within an hour of working out, before or after, and just before you go to bed. You body is active and looking for protein (and carbs) to recover during and after your workout so this is obvious and should be considered. The theory on eating before bedtime is that your body will utilize the protein you eat to rebuild your muscles during the night. Pure protein meals like a grilled chicken breast (by itself) are usually low in calories and won’t make you gain weight so this isn’t a bad thing at all. You might keep this in mind if you work out frequently, but late night is not the time to carb up, nor do you need to make a practice of eating a midnight protein meal unless you are a serious body builder. The idea here is to take the initiative to learn what your body needs to be healthy and don’t be afraid to change your diet to see if you get better results.

Stop the mindless eating
Everyone should be conscious of what and how much they are eating rather than just blindly shoveling food into their mouths. Mindless eating is snacking, eating too much, and not paying attention to what you are eating. You don’t want to deprive yourself to the point that you eventually binge, so remember that moderation is the key here. It is always better to eat overall smaller meals with healthy snacks now and then to hold you over, as opposed to 2-3 large meals with long stretches of growing hunger in between. Some examples of healthy snacks are mixed nuts, yogurt, fruit, raw veggies, etc. Aim for a healthy balanced diet with the right amount of healthy carbs and protein; and don’t be afraid to throw in an occasional treat. For me the treat is one bite of 72% dark chocolate after a meal (about half an ounce). Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants and a great choice for a healthy snack in moderation. Be warned though, it does contain some caffeine so it’s not a good choice for kids, and it is poisonous to dogs (along with grapes and raisins) so keep it out of their reach.

Portion your Food
After Charlotte and I got married she gained a little weight and one night asked me why I thought this was happening. I told her simply it is because she is eating exactly the same amount of food that I was. I am quite a bit taller and heavier than her, not to mention being male which means I need more food and burn more calories. Even though I eat less than the average American, when she was eating the same amount as me she was still eating more than her body could handle. She started weighing her portions of food out on a kitchen sized digital scale, and would eat only that predetermined portion. I thought this was funny at first but it turned out to be very effective for her, and she still does this with most meals! Another habit to get into is if you go out to eat at a restaurant try splitting a dish with your significant other, or split your dish in half before you start eating so that you can eat the half portion for lunch the next day. When I was working out heavy in the past I would sometimes force myself to eat more than I naturally would so that I’d gain weight. Once I stopped working out frequently my appetite took a long time to return to normal. This is something to keep in mind for anyone who eats more than they should for any reason.

Cut down on the Salt and Sugar
American food is full of salt and sugar and both of these come in many forms. All of the processed, prepackaged, and fast food we eat is loaded with both of these culprits along with many other undesirables. Sodium makes your body retain water causing you to feel bloated. Your body needs to sweat to cleanse itself, but when you eat too much salt you end up holding water and other impurities that your body should be purging. Too much sugar is obviously not going to help matters either. Soda, candy, and anything with corn syrup (see Children of the Corn blog) is just packing the pounds on your waistline, so exclude those from your diet as much as possible. The French are known for their deserts (believe me they do eat them), but you rarely see overweight people in France, or Europe for that matter. What’s the difference? People over there eat more natural foods from markets, and much less processed foods; a good example to follow.

Make a drastic change in your diet such as cutting out MSG, Corn Syrup, or both!
I stopped eating foods with MSG about 10 years ago. My diet was instantly transformed because suddenly about half of the food I normally ate was eliminated, which meant I had to cook and buy more natural and organic foods. We recently cut out corn syrup as well, which cut out many more of these junk foods that we previously thought were ok. While adjusting your diet in this way may seem like a hardship, just think of it as a positive change in lifestyle. Remember its ok to fudge once in a while. I’ve found good alternatives to Heinz ketchup at Trader Joes and Whole foods that don’t have corn syrup. However if I’m at a restaurant and have French fries in front of me I’m still going to use whatever ketchup is available, because what’s a French fry without ketchup? By the way fries or pommes frites as we like to call them are another big weakness in my diet…

Eat lots of fiber
It’s a dirty topic but someone’s got to talk about it. You need fiber in your diet to keep your digestive pipes clean. Take care of your body just as you would a vintage car. Eating fiber is like putting fuel injection cleaner in your gas tank. When you don’t get enough fiber digested food hangs around making you feel bloated and clogging up your intestinal track. Fiber helps your digestive system run clean and keeps you regular. Fibers can be naturally found in fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains to name a few. If you feel like you can’t get enough of these foods naturally then you can buy fiber supplements at any vitamin store. There are many varieties of soluble and insoluble fiber so if one doesn’t work well then try others. Anything with psyllium husks usually works very well. Additionally fiber is thought to help reduce the risk of prostate cancer which is very common in American men.

Hit the health food store
You can get great products and free advice at the local vitamin and supplement store, or in the equivalent department of an organic grocery store like Whole Foods. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and try new products. Items like protein powder, fiber supplements, multivitamins, and flax seed oil can be great additions to your diet. I’ll cover some of these topics in more detail with future posts. Just don’t overdo it with any one product, and be sure to ask get the opinions of multiple people in addition to online research before taking anything new.

Eat slower and chew your food better
Instead of eating until you feel stuffed try to estimate how much food you should eat before you even start your meal and stick to that amount. It takes about 15 minutes for your brain to get the message that your stomach is full so if you eat slower you’ll be less likely to overeat. When you eat slower you generally tend to chew your food longer which makes your brain feel like you are eating more. Well chewed food will be easier to digest. Taking your time to eat a healthy nutritious food should be an enjoyable experience preferably shared in the company of others, rather than a cheap fill-up at a fast food joint. An added bonus to eating healthy and slow is that you will have less gastric disturbances with good food that is eaten properly, in comparison to fast food that is quickly consumed.

Eat at home
Somehow people have the misconception that restaurant food is actually good for you since it looks and tastes so good. This is usually not the case. Fast food is almost always low quality junk food, and restaurant food is more often than not high quality junk food. Many of the chain restaurants serve little more than overpriced frozen and processed foods that are loaded with MSG, salt, preservatives, corn syrup and other junk. This article outlines examples of sandwiches from both fast food and chain restaurants that sound healthy but are anything but. Instead of falling into the convenient trap of eating out all the time take the time to shop for good quality groceries and cook your own meals. Don’t just buy the same frozen, bagged, and canned junk food at the grocery store though. Buy the good stuff and try shopping at the farmers market for fresh wholesome foods. Cook large meals so you can eat leftovers for a couple of days rather than going out. Cold cut sandwiches are healthy, easy, and cheap too. Even convenient delivery pizza on occasion (thin or whole grain crust is better) can be good for multiple meals and is usually healthier than most other fast foods as long as you are conscious about the toppings. Implementing some of these strategies into your food routine will help you shed the excess padding off of your waist and put it back in your wallet where it belongs.

This post is part 1 of 3 in the Healthy 2010 series.
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With a new year comes New Year’s resolutions. For most people (in the U.S.) one of the top New Year’s resolutions is to shed the extra pounds gained over the holidays, or over the years. To document my own goals and hopefully help some others out I’m writing a multi part blog series about health and fitness. The Winter Olympics this February should be further inspiration for all of you who have goals of dieting and getting fit.

Excluding Olympians, it’s no surprise that two-thirds of Americans are overweight according to this Reuters article, and more than half of those people could be considered obese. Obesity is described as having more than 30% fat mass on the BMI (body mass index) scale, while being overweight is 25-29%. Apparently 40% or more is called morbidly obese, yikes!

Those of you who know me might be surprised to find out that I’m overweight according to the standards of most generic BMI calculator websites. I’m 5’10” and about 175 pounds, so I don’t consider myself overweight even though I could probably lose an inch or two on my waistline. Along with different body types one of the factors that can skew the results of a generic BMI index is muscle mass. This is the case for me since I’ve lifted weights for most of my adult life. Just remember the generic BMI index doesn’t necessarily provide an accurate reading, but it is a good guideline. You can get a much more accurate BMI reading from your doctor, nutritionist, or a personal trainer. Chances are if you are overweight then you already know it, you just might not know by how much, or what health risks you are facing because of it.

Despite being “overweight” myself people ask me all the time how I manage to stay so fit and trim. My short answer is usually this- eat healthier foods in smaller portions, and exercise more frequently. Sounds simple doesn’t it? Well it is! This is really the basic bottom line of how to stay healthy, fit, and lean. I could write a book about all the details expounding on that point, but since I haven’t written a book yet I’ll just start with this blog series. In the series I will outline some easy things you can do that will get you started in the right direction to fulfill your New Year’s resolutions of losing weight and getting in shape. There will be a lot of info to digest here and not everything will work for everyone. Focus on what works for you, and doing what it takes for you to be successful. If this post helps even one person lose 5-10 pounds I’d be happy. We’d love hear about any success stories (resulting from this blog or by other means) in either comments or email. Before I get on with the meat of the blog first let me give you some background history on my diet, weight, and lifestyle.

I’ve lifted weights on and off for 20+ years since I was in high school. Aside from this I generally lead an active lifestyle of hiking, biking, and snowboarding among other activities. My diet is generally healthy and as a result of all this I’ve maintained a steady weight range for most of my life. Currently I weigh in at about 175 with a height of 5’10”. My weight over the last 15 years has ranged from 160-180, but is usually in the low 170’s. When I was in high school I was super skinny weighing in at 145. I lifted weights like crazy to try to put on more muscle mass. Nothing happened until I hit 23 years old, and then I finally started filling out. With the help of lots of protein supplements, hitting the gym 5 times a week, and a serious body builder diet, I got up to 183 pounds that year and maxed out on bench press at 295 pounds!

I worked really hard to get to that point and never took any kind of steroids. The following year I started to focus on other activities and transitioned to a more casual workout routine. I dropped back under 180 pounds and have never weighed more than that, or less than 160 since. My workout routine has been on and off in recent years due to various injuries and moving around, but this year I’m feeling good and my gym is expanding to a huge new facility just down the street from my house. Never being one to miss a good opportunity I’ve decided to make my goal for 2010 to bench press 300 pounds. I don’t necessarily want to gain or lose any more weight, nor will I go the extra mile by taking boatloads of supplements and eating a body builder’s diet. My normal healthy diet along with an occasional protein shake or fruit smoothie will have to be good enough this time around.

I guess it just kinda bugs me that I never hit 300 (the 300 club) or 315 (triple plates on each side of the bar) on the benchpress, so I figure why not give it one more try before I get too old. The worst thing that can happen is I get in really good shape but only bench 250ish, which wouldn’t be half bad. When I started seriously hitting the gym in the beginning of December last year I weighed about 165 and my max bench-press was about the same. 2 months later I’ve gained 10 pounds and I’m working out with 205 and could probably max around 225 with a spot. I’ll keep you posted on my progress throughout the year. In the meantime here are my tips for getting physical in Part 1 of the Health and Fitness 2010 series.

Have a good workout or exercise routine
This is the first key to your success. It doesn’t really matter what you do as long as you burn calories and get your blood flowing on a consistent basis. This also helps you sweat out impurities in your body and relieves stress. Weight lifting is what I most often do to stay in shape. I like lifting because it’s very accessible and easy to do. You can also do this anytime, and you get a lot of benefit while using little time. The only activity easier to do is jogging, only because you don’t have to drive to the gym, and you can do this anywhere. Lifting weights doesn’t give you as good of a cardio workout, but you can work every muscle in your body. To avoid injuries always stretch out before hitting the gym. After you workout your muscles usually get sore or at least tense. They are actually breaking down and rebuilding which generally takes place over a few days. This means that your body’s metabolism rate is elevated and burning calories to rebuild your muscles even after your workout is over!

Find a workout facility
Before you go to the gym you have to find one. The first time you work out in a new place it may feel a little uncomfortable so try to go during a slow time of the day which is usually anytime other than 4-7pm when most people are just getting off work. You’ll find that once you push yourself to go the gym the awkwardness will disappear after a couple of visits. Going to the gym is a great way to motivate your exercise routine simply by surrounding yourself with motivated and fit people. If you think a gym membership is too expensive, or you’re not sure you will follow through with your commitment, then try going to the local high school or college gym which is sometimes free or cheap during certain times of the day. Community centers are even better options which are also free or cheap with additional activity options to choose from.

Start active habits
If you just can’t find the motivation or willpower to go to a gym then try exercising at home. There are plenty of activities that can be done from virtually anywhere. Exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, jump-rope, running, stretching, and yoga, are just a few examples. Another option is to get an exercise DVD program to follow along with. It sounds cheesy but if it gets you moving and burns calories then do like Nike says and “just do it”! Going on a daily walk, or doing little things like taking the stairs instead of using an elevator is another a good way to be more active. My active habits include walking or running with our doggie Mulder nearly every day, and when the weather is nice I sometimes opt to walk for 15 minutes during my work breaks instead of sitting in the breakroom.

Charlotte skiing at Loveland, CO- 12,700 elevation

Turn off the TV and start a hobby or activity
How many hours per week do you watch TV and surf the internet; 10, 20, more? If you have that much free time then that is great, but try to cutting it back, or make it a reward for yourself after you’ve done something active. Personally I think activities that involve all of your body’s muscles like swimming, karate, yoga, or rock climbing, work best to keep you in shape and should be complementary to a basic exercise routine as mentioned previously. Even hobbies like gardening or sports like softball are much better than lounging around. You can check with your local community center to see what’s available in your area. This will help you meet like-minded people and give you more of a sense of belonging and pride in your community. If you aren’t into group activities then there are other things you can do. For example if you live in CO and have never skied then go get some skis or a snowboard and hit the slopes. If you live in Florida get a kayak and start paddling. If you live in one of the overweight southeastern states listed in this article then step away from the BBQ and head to the gym immediately!

Me kayaking in Vero Beach, FL

Remember, muscle has memory
Bodybuilders know that muscle has memory. There are scientific definitions for this phenomenon which basically says something like once your muscles learn how to do a new activity such as walk they remember those motions so it is easier from then on. Bodybuilders on the other hand are interested in a different version of muscle memory. One that allows them to regain their maximum strength in a much shorter period of time than it did the first time. Experts can’t agree on whether or not this type of muscle memory is fact or fiction, but I do know from experience that it does seem to happen. Although I’ve had long intervals where I’ve gone without working out at all such as when I separated my shoulder, I’ve still been able to regain my peak physical condition within a few months once I start hitting the gym again. The same principles apply to everyone. If you are an active person or work out on a semi-regular basis you can always get back to your peak condition much easier than someone hitting the gym for the first time ever. Think of it like learning a second language. If you don’t use it for a while then you get a little rusty, but once you start using it again it comes back to you quickly.

It’s ok to take a break from working out
Things happen to break your exercise routine, that’s just the way it goes. You might get sick, go on vacation, or get extra busy with activities around Christmas or summer time. Don’t let this discourage you from getting back in the gym. Sometimes that first visit back after a break is the hardest one. The key to a successful workout routine is consistency and momentum so if you do take a break just do something to get started again and you’ll thank yourself later. Even if your first workout is only 10 or 20 minutes that will usually be enough to get you back on track. If you can’t muster the energy to go to the gym then try a quick 10 minute jog around the neighborhood or do some exercises at home to get the blood flowing. Don’t feel guilty or get frustrated about the downtime. Once you get going again you’ll find that sometimes you feel better after a short break from the gym, and if it’s a longer break you’ll regain your muscle strength and size much faster than you did the first time. Remember exercising is something you should do over the course of your entire life so if you get off track just be sure to get back on track again.

Tips for the newbie
If you have never worked out before don’t worry about missing the muscle memory advantage, you’ll get that eventually. The even better advantage you have is that your muscles will be shocked when you first start working out forcing them to adapt and grow. During the first few months you’ll notice significant increases in muscle strength and changes in the density and shape of your body. This is exciting, but it can be just as frustrating when you start to level out and see your progress slow down. When that happens just keep shocking your muscles by trying different things. You can experiment with new exercises, and try fewer repetitions with heavier weights, or more reps with lighter weights. Be sure to watch what other people do in the gym, and if you have the chance talk with them so you can get different opinions and ideas about working out. One more thing to focus on when your initial gains are slowing down is perfecting your form. This is especially important in back exercises. Your muscles should be doing the work, not your joints. In most cases you want to avoid jerky motions that can cause injuries and do little to benefit the muscles. Typically its easier to practice your form with lighter weights so you can focus on the muscles instead of the weight. A personal trainer and/or weight lifting magazines can provide more workout tips.

Girls, don’t be afraid to lift weights
I’ve heard it so many times from girls, “I don’t want to look manly, or lose my feminine shape”. This is a ridiculous myth and in some cases a big excuse. In all the years I’ve been working out I’ve never seen a girl at the gym that looked too muscular. They do exist however; I’ve seen them in the bodybuilder mags. Those manly girls, just like the muscle-head guys with veins popping out of their necks, are probably on steroids IMHO. That is why in the bodybuilding world you have fitness contests, and then you have bodybuilding contests. The fitness contests are the ones with contestants who are very fit and muscular, but not bulked out on roids. The popular bodybuilding contests that you see on TV more often are full of contestants that look anything but natural. Many women in these contests do look manly, which is as much a side effect from all the testosterone in the steroids as it is from the muscle mass. Normal women have a very difficult time getting the bulky manly muscles you see on female bodybuilders or other roided out athletes like wrestlers. All women can however get toned and curvier from working out. The women I’ve seen with the best bodies in the gym are the ones who aren’t afraid to bench, squat, and use free weights. Cardio and machines do a good job too, and certainly get better results than the alternative- which is sitting on the couch.

Get a professional opinion
Besides getting physical you should get a physical. It is always good to see the doc every few years to check your heart rate, get blood-work, etc. They may find a problem you didn’t know about or suspect; for instance you could be borderline diabetic, or have gluten intolerance and not even know it. Nutritionist and personal trainers can also be excellent sources of information and advice. Many gyms offer specials on introductory packages for personal trainers. I went through a 6 week personal training program once when I signed up at my gym because it was included in the introductory package. I figured it would be a waste of time but it turned out to be very helpful and informative. A professional can give you a more accurate BMI count, and a confidential honest opinion about your physical condition. If you think you might have a weight or fitness problem (or if you aren’t sure) then getting professional advice is highly recommended. Remember the first step to finding the answer to any problem is seeking the answer; inaction is your worst enemy.

Don’t blame your genes
This is a very important point about exercise and physicality that is a huge stumbling block for many people. Some people use or believe this excuse so that they give up before they even get started. They tell themselves “I’m big-boned, or everyone in my family is overweight” and then simply resign from even trying to improve their fitness. To use myself as an example you might think I got lucky with skinny genes, but I’d say it’s more like I inherited a skinny lifestyle. I believe that the fact that I grew up eating almost 100% healthy home cooked meals, having very few snacks in the house, and being very active during my younger years contributed more to this than my genes did to keep me skinny. Kids have little control over what food is on the table, so if the parents are overweight then it’s likely the kids will be too because the same food and lifestyle is being followed. Genetics may play a small role but I think it is way overblown. We all have to work with what we have physically, and in some cases overcome previous physical and dietary neglect. Many champions from different sports have beaten genetic odds to achieve their goals. Everyone’s metabolism slows down eventually as mine did in my mid-twenties. I can tell you with confidence that these days as I approach the big 40, I have to make a conscious effort to maintain my weight and fitness level. If I became complacent and ate whatever I wanted I could easily balloon over 200 pounds and beyond within a year. Doesn’t seem like much but add another year, or two, or five to that and I’d be super-sized. I don’t know about you, but for me that just isn’t an option.

Improve your self-image
Getting fit and healthy is not just about your appearance, it means improving all aspects of your life- physical, mental, and psychological. When these things improve you will notice a significant improvement in your overall well being and attitude. Just imagine if you are going on an interview or first date. Do you want to make an impression as someone who is satisfied to just waste life away playing video games and watching TV; or do you want to appear as someone who is self confident, proactive, and genuinely interested in the surrounding world? If you’re stuck in a cycle of redundancy the first step you have to make to break the cycle is forcing yourself to get out of your comfort zone to make a change. Remember motivation and momentum build on themselves like a snowball rolling down the hill, so get the ball rolling and good things will happen.

Stay tuned for Part 2 and 3 in the Health and Fitness blog series

Many children growing up in the U.S. today are overweight, or at least weigh more than they should be for their age. I’m not even 40 yet and I can still remember back to my grade school days when there were only a couple of kids in the whole school that were really overweight, and most kids were skinny as a rail. Today you only have to go to your local mall or other teen hangout to see that times have changed. There are many factors involved here but today I’m going to try to shed some light on Corn Syrup or High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) which has made a hefty difference in the diets of children in this country.

Although invented much earlier, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) was really introduced in the mid 70’s, and then became heavily popular in the 80’s when it eventually replaced sugar in almost all processed foods and drinks. Most conventional grocery stores sell primarily processed foods outside of the meager produce section. Next time you go shopping at a conventional grocery store take a closer look at the ingredients in some of your regular items. You’ll likely see that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), or some form of it is surprisingly high on the list of ingredients in a wide variety of food products. Ketchup, jelly, fruit juice, Gatorade, most soda, waffle syrup, salad dressing, and energy drinks, are just a few examples of things that you would think might be somewhat natural, but aren’t. They are all powered by HFCS, typically one of the main ingredients.

Corn also known as Maize is very common in the U.S. If you drive through the Midwest you will see miles and miles of nothing but corn. All of this corn has to go somewhere, and with the help of the Corn Refiners Association, it does. Where there is big money, there is also propaganda, advertising, lobbyist, and government. It’s cheap to grow, and cheap to buy. There is nothing wrong with natural corn which has many uses and forms such as delicious popcorn. However in its dumbed-down commercialized U.S. version, corn is not all it can be, and in many cases like HFCS corn is more than it should be.

So what is so bad about HFCS you might wonder? It does come from good ol’ corn after all, right? Well yes, but HFCS is not so natural and wholesome. I’m no chemist but I know that HFCS is a result of a complex refining and genetic modifying process which is done in a pollution emitting factory. This cheaper sugar alternative works out great for soda manufacturers and other processed food companies who save millions using it as a sugar replacement and preservative. Unfortunately this savings comes at the expense of your health!

Since HFCS is not sugar it is likely that the body does not metabolize it in the same way that it does natural sugar. You would think most people would have learned by now that pretty much all sugar substitutes are bad. Saccharin causes cancer, Aspartame (NutraSweet) has been linked to Alzheimer’s, Xylitol is poisonous to dogs, and Splenda the latest craze is highly controversial? HFCS doesn’t get the same bad rep as these other sugar substitutes because it isn’t designed or marketed to be a healthy sweet substitution like the others. The products it resides in are generally not diet or low fat foods. People who eat and drink products containing HFCS generally aren’t concerned about their health, so why would they complain about something that tastes like sugar and acts like sugar².

For those of us who are concerned about our health one solution is to stop buying products that contain HFCS. If consumers boycott HFCS, and instead purchase products that contain natural sugar or cane sugar, then eventually manufacturers will have to go back to making products with real sugar the way nature intended. Some products like jelly bought from a farmers market might have nothing more than crushed fruit, which is really all you need. Fruit is nature’s candy, why the smuckers would anyone corn-coat it?

If you are concerned about eating real sugar, don’t be. Deprogram yourself from the media and diet fads so you can reevaluate what your body really needs. Protein, carbs, and sugars are natural ingredients to a healthy body and diet, especially for energetic growing kids. Too much sugar can be a bad thing, but too much HFCS is likely much worse. You wouldn’t sprinkle sugar on your salad would you? If not then why would cover it in salad dressing that is loaded with HFCS? Knowing is half the battle. Being selective and educated about what, when, and how much you eat is the key to winning the battle. To learn more than you’ll ever want to know about HFCS read this three part blog posting. Part-1, Part-2, Part-3.

Most school cafeterias today have vending machines serving up HFCS in the form of processed drinks, food, and candy to the kids of Generation Corn Syrup. It’s not like the old days when the only option was a brown bag or a school lunch that included the 4 food groups. When I was in elementary school milk was the only option for a drink, and we could only have chocolate milk on Wednesdays. Today’s kids seem to eat whatever they want and their choices are usually influenced by what their friends are eating or what they see on TV. Don’t leave it up to the schools, government, media, or other kids to teach your kids what to eat. Take it upon yourself to learn what is and isn’t good to eat, and then pass this information down to your kids so you don’t end up raising Children of the Corn Syrup.

I’ve always been a cell phone slacker. You know the type, that carries around an outdated phone that just isn’t cool anymore. I would usually get a basic semi-cheap phone with the smallest footprint possible just so I can carry it around in my pocket like a pack of gum. In most cases I’ve been willing to stay one step behind the latest technology, especially when it came to cell phones because I have a computer that can perform all of the same tasks. Besides it was only ten years ago that I painstakingly figured out how to call my home phone number and enter a code into the answering machine to get my voicemails. I would have to quickly enter the code before the greeting was over to prevent burning another quarter on the pay phone I was dialing from. I’ve come a long ways since those days, or so I thought.

Like so many people that have been pushed reluctantly into the the computer age, I’m being pushed into the Smartphone age. The cell phone I was using just wasn’t cutting it. Text messages were nearly impossible to send, and at times during a call I’d get a violent screeching sound out of the blue. Dropped calls were a daily occurrence, and most of the time I couldn’t even get a signal in my own home. The best or worst problem (depending on whose perspective) was that the phone would turn off after my wife called me. No ring and no missed call indication; the phone would just power off. Oddly enough this almost always happened when my wife called, and rarely when anyone else called. Some friends would joke that was really just a bonus feature, but my better half didn’t think it was so funny.

I found out that I get a healthy discount on cell phones through my employer, and my current cellular contract was about to expire, it was time to upgrade! I started my research in typical fashion by reading reviews posted on cnet and amazon wireless. When I mentioned to a (much younger) coworker that I was thinking about getting a Blackberry he said nonchalantly “don’t get the 8300 model because it has one of the highest radiation levels of all phones”. I’ve always known that cell phones emit some sort of signal that could potentially be bad for your brain, but beyond that I didn’t really have much more knowledge of the issue, nor did I initially consider factoring that into my buying decision.

I located the article my coworker told me about on cnet called Cell Phone radiation Levels. The article explains what the SAR (specific absorption rate) is for RF signals into the body, and how that number is regulated by the FCC on cell phones. In the U.S. the maximum allowable amount is 1.6 watts per kilogram. Surprisingly the allowable SAR limit is higher in Europe at 2.0. In the side column of the CNET article there are links to different manufacturers so you can look up the SAR rating of most cell phones out today.

The CNET article states just like many others including this one from CNN that there is no conclusive evidence that cell phones are dangerous. Common sense does however tell us that anything unnatural like radiation coming out of a device we put next to our brain can’t possibly be a good thing over long periods of time. There has been so much made over this subject in the last 10 years or so since cell phones have become commonplace that you have to wonder if there really is something to all of this. Consider this, people have always known that smoking is a bad thing, even before surgeon general warnings and links to lung cancer. They just didn’t know how bad it was until the last few decades.

Even before I researched this topic in detail I always took precautions when using my cell phone by using a wired headset when on long conversations. It’s safer anyway when you are doing any type of activity while talking on the phone, and in many states (including Oregon starting next year) a headset will be required by law while driving. Keep in mind Bluetooth devices still have their own SAR levels, but most likely its much less than the phone itself.

While in the cell phone store I asked a few different sales associates about cell phone radiation levels and they all seemed to be very knowledgeable about radiation and the SAR subject (not to be confused with SARS). Most of them just dismissed it as “it’s just a fact of life” and suggested getting a Bluetooth headset (additional sale) to reduce your exposure. One salesman commented that living within 3 miles of a power plant is a greater radiation risk than using a cell phone. I was unable to substantiate that via google search, but did produce this Wikipedia article on the topic which outlines a dizzying amount of information that basically translates to- he says, she says, but who really knows for sure.

I’ve often wondered if living in an urban area with all of the radio frequencies of radio, tv, phones, wifi, power lines, and everything else that goes along with city life is in itself more dangerous to our health than living in a small remote town with a population of around 10,000. Certainly living in a downtown area would be the most harmful when you add in other factors like pollution, however your quality of life might be more rewarding if you can walk to the local store, bar, coffee shop, and weekend festivals. This of course only applies if you live in a nice downtown like Portland. The bottom line is you have to figure out what gives you the most reward, and what you are willing to sacrifice for that reward; be it health, time, money, or otherwise. This applies to many other things in life as well. Reward vs sacrifice; its a delicate balance.

As I pondered this philosophy I reviewed all of the phones I was interested in. The Blackberry Bold I was initially interested in had one of the highest radiation levels at 1.51 which I deemed unacceptable. Another phone by Sony Ericson boasted the best camera available in a cell phone at 8 megapixels which was very cool, but it wasn’t even a smart phone and had SAR levels of 1.32, plus no qwerty keypad. Non smart phones typically seem to have a much lower SAR level on average, but that isn’t always the case. Check this article for a list of the 10 best and worst SAR level phones.

I eventually decided on the RIM Blackberry Curve 8900 which had a relatively low SAR level for a smart phone at 1.01. Note that other Blackberry and even some curve models do have higher SAR ratings like the Curve 8300 which is 1.51 like the Bold. The BB8900 I chose allows me to send a text message about 10 times faster than my old phone, makes a good iPod impersonation, and I can check the weather at the trailhead in a web browser; outstanding! The real deciding factor for me was that the Blackberry is the email king of cell phones, it’s like having Outlook on your cell phone!

To me I feel it was worth it to enhance my life and communications with others by upgrading to a smartphone. I’ll still keep an eye on this topic though, and use my headset whenever possible. Additionally I won’t be carrying this new phone around in my pocket 24/7 like I have with phones in the past, but that is ok because I won’t need to, this phone actually rings before it disconnects the call.

As a follow up to my last post about clean drinking water I wanted to add a post about water conservation. Everyone knows how important this is but rarely takes the subject to heart. Water flows freely here in this country as it does in many other places with little pressure on conserving it; except in places like Colorado and California where there are frequent shortages. When we lived in Denver, CO some people would post signs in their brown front lawn saying “water conservation in progress”. One of our favorite Thai restaurants there had a sign at each table saying “due to the water shortage we are making an effort to conserve water, so glasses of water will only be served upon request”. While both of these examples are mildly amusing they actually have a good point.

I recently read a very good article on water conservation called “This is a turn off“. The article focuses on the fact that the average American uses about 151 gallons of water per day and gives suggestions on how to cut that consumption in half to 75. Some of the ideas are pretty farfetched, some are obvious, and others are uniquely interesting and make good sense.

Where you live may determine which new ideas you might be inspired to try out. For example in Denver I could hang up my pants or a second layer shirt like a long sleeve on a clothes rack and wear them a second time. It was so dry there that you barely sweat so your clothes wouldn’t get that stuffy or smell like mildew as they do in humid climates. That doesn’t work so well in Oregon, but here we don’t have to worry about running sprinklers; in fact we just disabled our preinstalled sprinkler system. There is hardly anything more annoying than seeing a sprinkler system running while it is raining. Instead we just water our lawn by hand when needed in the summer, and the rest of the time the rain covers our needs.

Plants need more water than grass but you can’t beat the travel distance of a tomato from your garden to the table vs one from the supermarket, so in my opinion a home garden is worth its weight in water. To conserve water with our gardening projects we water plants in the evening or early morning. This allows the water to soak in when the soil is cooled down; otherwise most of the water will just be burn off. Our hose also has an attachment with different settings like mist, shower, jet, soaker etc so that we can water according to the needs of the plants, and that enables us to turn the hose off from the attachment so it is only running when we are actually watering the plants or yard.

We do plan to implement a few new ideas we haven’t thought of before from the web article “This is a turn off“, such as using cooking water for gardening. I think I’ll skip using the bathwater option though since I probably wouldn’t be able to eat a tomato without wondering if there was a hint of safeguard in it. The clean toilet hack sounds reasonably easy, but I’ll leave the dirty toilet hack to the hippie communes. I’ve seen more than my share of composting toilets at hiking trailheads-YUK!

There are a few other things we already do around the house to conserve water. We’ve installed a low pressure shower head in our bathroom, and I turned down the water pressure on all of the facets to about 1/3 the normal amount, which is fine for our purposes. We have energy compliant appliances which use less energy and water, costing less in the long run. Whatever you decide to do everyone should at least think about how much water they personally use. At a bare minimum avoid doing wasteful things like leaving the water running while you are brushing your teeth or shaving, or running the dishwasher half empty; that’s just plain wasteful.

A photo from India courtesy of Lukasz Maciejczyk

One last water conservation trick I do that some people may find extreme, but I think is perfectly sensible, is follow the old rule of “if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down”. I first heard this from my college astronomy teacher who was the old hippie type. We all laughed when she said that, but it makes sense so I started practicing it. Of course I don’t always let it mellow otherwise the toilet would need to be cleaned constantly. Think about it though, if two people are going #1 in succession do you really need to flush two times and waste the extra 5-6 gallons of water? Millions of people in third world countries don’t even have running tap water, much less a flush toilet. I wonder what they think of our 150 gallon per person per day usage in the U.S.A.

As kids most of us were taught to flush the toilet after every use as a courtesy to the next person, but maybe we need to change our perception of what courteous is. “Honey don’t flush the toilet” may not sound very romantic but next time you think you might use the bathroom right after your significant other those six words could save six gallons of water. That much water may only be a nickel off your water bill, but over time it will add up. Over your lifetime and millions of others that little change in habit could mean the difference between our great-great grandkids in the 22^nd century having running tap water.

Water is everywhere so people tend to take it for granted. Approximately 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by water, and the human body is made up of about the same percentage. Naturally this means you need to keep your body hydrated on a daily basis with good clean drinking water. By drinking beverages such as soda that are full of ingredients other than water you are just making your body do extra work to get what it really needs.

In some parts of the world people are lucky to have any clean drinking water at all, much less water to bathe or cook with. Here in the good old USA water flows freely, which means many people use and unfortunately waste it without an afterthought. This easy access to the world’s most important resource has led Americans and residents of other first world countries to take water for granted. It was only recently that those same people began to question the purity of water that comes out of their tap. That is when the bottled water craze began.

Some of you might think drinking bottled water is a good solution, but I’d argue against that notion. Plastic bottles are clogging up our landfills, and it has been exposed that most bottled water is merely tap water or filtered water given a fancy name with a high price. If you do drink bottled water you should use your own reusable bottle that is BPA-free (you can get these at REI), and fill it with filtered water from home or work. Using your own water bottle or mug can save several paper or styrofoam cups every day.

So if bottled water isn’t the answer then what is? Let me tell you a little story that led to my path of clean water enlightenment. Many years ago, in a previous life I lived in Dallas, Texas. During these years I was more worried about what was in my beer than in my water, but one day I had a water revelation. I was playing tennis on a hot summer day and couldn’t help but notice that I wreaked of chlorine smell. I began to notice this after any activity where I sweat profusely, which in Texas can be something as simple as walking out to your car since temperatures often get into triple digits during the summer. All of this sweating of course means you have to drink a lot of water to rehydrate. The tap water where I lived in Texas was really poor quality, so bad that you could smell the chlorine in it when turning on the faucet. It only makes sense that if you drink this chlorinated water your body has to work overtime to purge your system of the chlorine.

Chlorine is a poisonous gas/liquid that is sometimes used to kill bacteria in water. You can read more about Chlorine at this web page from the CDC Chlorine Facts Page. My question is “if it is poisonous enough to kill you then why would you even want to intake it in small quantities, and wouldn’t that cause your body a lot of damage over years of exposure?” I took the first step to solving this problem by buying a cheap Brita filter from Wal-mart which did help a lot, but it still wasn’t quite enough.

When I moved to Colorado I found a local filtered water place called Water To Go  (also in Oregon) where you can bring in your 5 gallon (or whatever sized) jugs and fill them up for about 40 cents per gallon. They run their water through a 12 stage filtration system so it basically comes out completely purified. You can really taste the difference, or should I say not taste all the things that shouldn’t be there.

I know there are over the counter water filters that you can install in your sink and I think those are an excellent choice too, but usually pricey for the good ones. Currently we still fill our bottles at Water To Go, or Whole Foods Market. In the future we might get a home filter installed so we can have filtered water for all of our cooking and other needs.

Additionally we put a filter on our shower head from a company called Rainshow’r that filters out chlorine in the shower so it doesn’t dry out your skin. I immediately noticed a difference from this too. Previously my skin was always dry and sometimes itchy. When you take a hot shower your pores open up allowing your skin to become more vulnerable to absorbing harmful chlorine and other contaminants.

Whether or not you think using a filter on your shower head is a worthwhile practice is up to you, but drinking filtered water is a clear choice that everyone should consider. Everything you put in your body must be purged at some point; if it isn’t then it is unnaturally building up in your body which is likely to lead to bad news down the road. As with anything there are plenty of arguments on both sides of this issue. I’d recommend that you do your own research and decide for yourself if you think your water source is clean and safe, or if there is something funny in the water.

I “discovered” baking soda when I spilled something in the oven and made a huge burnt food mess. Sure, I’ve used baking soda forever but I never knew that it was more than just a baking agent. I tried to clean up the mess with a scraper but it seemed like it bonded with the bottom surface of the oven. Panic-stricken, I googled oven cleaning and found this wonderful tip of pouring baking soda paste (baking soda mixed with a little water) and leaving it for an hour then scraping it off. Well, I tried it and simply put, it worked. It didn’t just work but it made my oven shine, as in like brand new! I scraped the mess like I spilled it no more than a minute ago. Inspired by this “discovery”. I googled other uses for baking soda and found some interesting ones. I now use it for most cleaning tasks and it works like a charm.

Bathrooms: I threw out the COMET which is toxic anyway and now use baking soda for the whole bathroom. Sink, shower, toilet, floor, everything can be cleaned safely with baking soda.

Kitchen: Food stuck in pans? Baking soda paste is the answer. It makes our sink shine and stays cleaner longer.

Deodorizer: I keep a small partially open box in the refrigerator to keep it smelling fresh.

Shampoo Additive: About once a month, I mix a little bit of baking soda on a teaspoon of shampoo (sulfate-free) on my palm to remove product residues on my hair.

Laundry: Add ½ cup to a load for brighter whites and stain removal.

According to Wikipedia:

“Sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydrogen carbonate is the chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. Sodium bicarbonate is a white solid that is crystalline but often appears as a fine powder. It has a slight alkaline taste resembling that of washing soda (sodium carbonate). It is a component of the mineral natron and is found dissolved in many mineral springs. The natural mineral form is known as nahcolite. It is also produced artificially.
Since it has long been known and is widely used, the salt has many related names such as baking soda, bread soda, cooking soda, bicarbonate of soda. Colloquially, its name is shortened to sodium bicarb, bicarb soda, or simply bicarb. The word saleratus, from Latin sal æratus meaning “aerated salt”, was widely used in the 19th century for both sodium bicarbonate and potassium bicarbonate. The term has now fallen out of common usage.”

It also cites many other uses:

Vegetables: Used to remove pesticides. Not that I want to eat food with pesticides but it is not easy to be 100% all-natural so this is a good way to clean vegetables.

Insect Bites: Apply paste to remove sting. The poison is absorbed and therefore lessens the sting.

Medical: Used as an antacid.

As with anything, you have to do your own research and proceed with caution. Baking soda can strip a layer of material such as when it reacts with aluminum and could be very abrasive when used as toothpaste.

Forget Comet, Windex, and Bleach. I ♥ baking soda.

For further reading, check out:

About.com lists more uses for baking soda.
Care2 has several articles about non-toxic cleaning.
Arm & Hammer, the most common brand has a good website with tips and FAQs.

How about you? What do you use baking soda for?