Healthy Diet Tip #10

These days, you don't have to go far to see an inordinate number of products competing for your consumption, and beverages are certainly one of those categories.  But among all of the various soft drinks with and without sugar, or caffeine, or artificial flavors, or carbonation, the only one that is really natural, the only one your body craves, the only one that is healthy, is water.  There is nothing wrong with having a commercial beverage as a treat, for recreation, or socialization; but at mealtime, drink water.  It goes with everything, and helps to promote good digestion.  Not only that, it has no calories, no caffeine, and nothing else to get between you and good nutrition.  And, for the most part, tap water is fine.  If there is a suggestion of chlorine, or fear of contaminates, using a filter on your tap or a filtered pitcher can solve that issue.  But buying water in bottles does not, as bottled water is not subject to the stringent requirements that tap water must satisfy, and those plastic bottles have to go somewhere.  And bottled water is not cheap, often approaching the price of gasoline in some brands.  Save the money, save the planet, save your health, and drink the water! Do you want more evidence?  See my post called Water - Enough or Too Much Of A Good Thing!

Healthy Diet Tip #9

We live in a world where multitasking has become the norm.  Checking the computer while talking on the phone, grabbing a bite to eat on the way to the car, is not farfetched.  But when eating becomes a secondary action, accurate monitoring and control of that action is lost. This even can occur just with reading the newspaper or watching television while eating.  One so concentrates on the accompanying process that the eating fades into the background as a mechanical act.  The food is not really enjoyed, and normal limits on consumption may be ignored.  But if eating becomes the primary activity, without distractions, then the food can be enjoyed, portions and selections can be appropriate, and control of intake can be achieved.  I am not suggesting sitting at a table quietly eating your food; there is nothing wrong with a social meal, that is likely preferable, even background music is nice, it's the direction of attention and concentration that becomes the issue.  By keeping the meal as the primary activity, other distractions won't grab your attention, so that you can control what, and how much, you consume.

Healthy Diet Tip #8

For many, there is an unwritten rule that you have to clean your plate, not leave a morsel of food behind.  This can be a problem when there is no quantification of how much is on that plate.  If you look at the nutrition labeling of packaged foods, they always start out by defining a "portion." It is that portion size, expressed in ounces, cups, grams, pieces or whatever, that form the basis for all of the nutrition facts that follow.  And it is that portion size that nutritionists feel is the right amount of that food to eat at a meal.  No more, and no less.  Now you may say that it is not enough for you, or maybe it's too much.  Here is where an individual plan needs to be constructed, to understand what your nutritional needs are, and the best way to satisfy them in a healthy fashion.  Clearly, you can't follow the suggestions strictly, without question; but you can use them as a guide to help prevent overeating, and supply the correct level of nutrients to maintain good health.  

 

Healthy Diet Tip #7

 Anyone with a pet, or anyone who has been to the zoo,  knows that animals, in general, eat standing up.  People, in general, don't, or at least, shouldn't.  Standing up while munching a meal makes it difficult to quantitate and control just what you are eating.  Sitting down at a table, with a plate - even a paper one - allows you to define the time and space for eating.  And, after all, placing some definition on your eating is what getting a diet into a healthy mode is all about.  So even if you go out for some fast food, find a way to sit down and enjoy it.

Healthy Diet Tip #6

Getting your diet under control take some structure, and one such structure is where you eat.  If you associate your eating with only one place in your home, and keep it there, you can go a long way to break the pattern of snacking, or even eating meals, all over the place.  In addition, by defining the place that you can eat, you will likely restrict the amount that you eat, as you cannot eat when you are not in that place.  And that can give a natural boost to your achieving a more healthy diet.
 

Healthy Diet Tip #5

I know which food I find hard to resist, do you know your favorite?  You just can't resist some foods, and always take one more bite, just a bit more, until you are overboard and sinking because of it.  You have a problem setting a limit for such foods, but that is exactly what you need to do.  Such a limit can be accomplished by deliberately setting aside a small portion of that favorite food, and set it aside.  Don't eat it.  Leave it on the plate.  You can do this, and by leaving what you love the most, you can gain control on what you eat overall.
 

Healthy Diet Tip #4

Are you sensing a pattern here?  First, you took a pause in the meal, then a little pause with each bite.  Now I'm asking you not to overlap your actions.  The idea is not to wolf your food down, eating was never meant to be a race.  The only prize for finishing your food in record time is heartburn, or packing in calories that you don't need.  Slow down and enjoy your food.  All of these actions help to let your stomach send those signals of fullness to your satiety center, allowing you to feel more full even though you've eaten less.  Finishing what's in your mouth before putting your hands in gear helps with that effort

Healthy Diet Tip #3

 So you've taken a pause and put down your fork, why would you want to look at the next serving of food staring you in the face, telling you to take more?  Once everyone is served, remove those serving dishes from the table.  Not having them in front of you, you can put temptation behind you.   It's still in the kitchen if someone is really in need of more food, just not there as to sabotage your diet.  If you don't see it, you likely won't take it, you won't miss it, and you'll miss the weight you would have gained even less.

Healthy Diet Tip #2

Here's the second tip in a series of little actions that help with dieting.

So you're good at taking one pause while you are eating.  Now, work on putting your fork, or your spoon, down between bites.  That will help you establish a slower pace of eating.  And eating slower lets you enjoy the food more -- the taste, the smells, the experience.  And when you are finished the meal, you will feel more satisfied by what you have eaten.  It's a small act, but it will help you to be more conscious of what, and how much, you are eating.  After all, when your utensil is on your plate, it's not in your mouth.

 

Healthy Diet Tip #1

 

Over the years I was in practice, the need to address weight, and along with that diet, was one of the most common issues discussed.  This week, the beginning of a series of tips, based on a scheme from the last century, which may help some people.  Each graphic is a tip, which can be printed out as a card to put on the table.  I will include a little text to elaborate, but I think you will get the idea.

The first tip is to plan a pause during your meal.  Uninterrupted eating can lead to overeating.  That's why it is an excellent practice to plan a two or three minute pause at about the midpoint in your meal.  This gives your satiety center a chance to "catch up" with your stomach and what you have eaten, so that you will begin to feel full.  Some use an egg timer to time their pause, or you could use the timer on  your phone, or take a break to check the news feed or email.  It doesn't matter.  The important things is to take that break.  You will likely eat less, and yet feel fuller.

Myths and facts about coronavirus COVID-19

With the global pandemic of the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19 disease, there are lots of facts circulating on the Internet and other vehicles. While there is a lot of very good information, particularly at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at cdc.gov/coronavirus, not everyone goes to that authoritative site for information. Below is a list of “facts” which has been widely circulated, with my comments, in italics, after each point. The important message is to use some common sense, and check the reliable sources for full information.

* The virus is not a living organism, but a protein molecule (DNA) covered by a protective layer of lipid (fat), which, when absorbed by the cells of the ocular, nasal or buccal mucosa, changes their genetic code. (mutation) and convert them into aggressor and multiplier cells.

Not exactly. This is an RNA virus, not a DNA virus. The action of the RNA is to infiltrate a cell and turn the cell into a machine to produce more replicas of the virus, not "convert them into aggressor and multiplier cells" -- that sounds more like cancer!

* Since the virus is not a living organism but a protein molecule, it is not killed, but decays on its own. The disintegration time depends on the temperature, humidity and type of material where it lies.

Sure, kind of.

* The virus is very fragile; the only thing that protects it is a thin outer layer of fat. That is why any soap or detergent is the best remedy, because the foam CUTS the FAT (that is why you have to rub so much: for 20 seconds or more, to make a lot of foam). By dissolving the fat layer, the protein molecule disperses and breaks down on its own.

Actually, the foam is not cleaning, it is the layer of soap on your skin that does. Manufacturers often add foaming agents to allow you to see the foam so that you feel the soap is working better. It is the abrasion by rubbing for the 20 seconds that accomplishes the cleaning. Compounds in the soap called “surfactants” reduce the surface tension of the water, enabling lifting of soil and microbes from skin better than with water alone. One also tends to wash longer with the visible foaming of soap, which is why the foam is there!

* HEAT melts fat; this is why it is so good to use water above 25 degrees Celsius for washing hands, clothes and everything. In addition, hot water makes more foam and that makes it even more useful.

First off, 25 deg Celsius is 77 deg Fahrenheit, which is hardly hot water. To get the water hot enough to "melt the fat" would likely burn your skin. Again, the foam is irrelevant. The CDC guidelines include both hot and cold water for washing, both are equally effective.

* Alcohol or any mixture with alcohol over 65% DISSOLVES ANY FAT, especially the external lipid layer of the virus.

Alcohol about 60% concentration is necessary to denature the protein of the virus. But go too high and it starts to denature the protein of your hands. It seems that 60% to 70% is the best range.

* Any mix with 1 part bleach and 5 parts water directly dissolves the protein, breaks it down from the inside.

Bleach is a potent germicide, but it can be quite irritating as well. The CDC recommends a 2:100 dilution of household bleach, not 1:5. That’s four teaspoons of household bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite) per quart of water. Remember to never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser.

* Oxygenated water helps long after soap, alcohol and chlorine, because peroxide dissolves the virus protein, but you have to use it pure and it hurts your skin.

Not sure what the writer means by "oxygenated water." Hydrogen peroxide, a different compound than water, does have an extra oxygen atom per molecule, and is a good contact disinfectant, but should not be used on your skin routinely. 

* NO BACTERICIDE SERVES. The virus is not a living organism like bacteria; they cannot kill what is not alive with antibiotics, but quickly disintegrate its structure with everything said.

Sure, I agree that bactericides do not necessary kill virus.

* NEVER shake used or unused clothing, sheets or cloth. While it is glued to a porous surface, it is very inert and disintegrates only between 3 hours (fabric and porous), 4 hours (copper, because it is naturally antiseptic; and wood, because it removes all the moisture and does not let it peel off and disintegrates). ), 24 hours (cardboard), 42 hours (metal) and 72 hours (plastic). But if you shake it or use a feather duster, the virus molecules float in the air for up to 3 hours, and can lodge in your nose.

First, you are assuming that the virus is present in your environment, presumably with no one ill. Washing clothing clearly kills the virus, so shaking washed clothing would be no problem. The most potent vector is your hands, not random airborne virus particles. So, if you contact clothing that, for some reason, you think might be contaminated -- such as by going to a store and touching something -- wash your hands well before touching your face.

* The virus molecules remain very stable in external cold, or artificial as air conditioners in houses and cars. They also need moisture to stay stable, and especially darkness. Therefore, dehumidified, dry, warm and bright environments will degrade it faster.

It is not clear if transmission of the virus or effects on the virus particle, itself, are temperature and humidity dependent. Also, different viruses respond differently to changes in the environment. There is not enough data on the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 to know the specifics of how it responds to such changes in temperature or humidity.

* UV LIGHT on any object that may contain it breaks down the virus protein. For example, to disinfect and reuse a mask is perfect. Be careful, it also breaks down collagen (which is protein) in the skin, eventually causing wrinkles and skin cancer.

Ultraviolet light is germicidal, but to obtain a sufficient dose one would likely need to lie in a tanning bed or use special UV lamps. Neither of these is a practical measure. And, yes, such radiation is associated with the development of skin cancers.

* The virus CANNOT go through healthy skin.

Yes, I agree.

* Vinegar is NOT useful because it does not break down the protective layer of fat.

Yes, I agree

* NO SPIRITS, NOR VODKA, serve. The strongest vodka is 40% alcohol, and you need 65%.

Yes, I agree.

* LISTERINE IF IT SERVES! It is 65% alcohol.

Original strength Listerine is about 27% alcohol. Others are lower, and some have no alcohol at all. So “no” to Listerine or other mouthwashes.

* The more confined the space, the more concentration of the virus there can be. The more open or naturally ventilated, the less.

Sure, kind of. But it is the virus that enters your body that causes disease, not the ones that are in the environment.

* This is super said, but you have to wash your hands before and after touching mucosa, food, locks, knobs, switches, remote control, cell phone, watches, computers, desks, TV, etc. And when using the bathroom.

Let's start with the last statement, you always had to wash your hands after urinating or defecating, and you still do. Because the primary vector for infection is your hands, after touching anything that may be contaminated, this mandates good handwashing, per CDC guidelines, after contact. There is nothing new or magical about this, it is something you should have been doing since you were a child. But remember that the vector for transmission is the virus entering your system through your mouth, nose, or eyes. It is most critical that you wash your hands before touching any of these orifices, eating, or such.

* You have to HUMIDIFY HANDS DRY from so much washing them, because the molecules can hide in the micro cracks. The thicker the moisturizer, the better.

You should use some moisturizer on your hands after washing as the frequent washing can lead to drying and cracking of your skin. Virus considerations aside. When using most moisturizers, use a quantity about as big as a pea to treat all surfaces. More than that and your hands may remain greasy and slippery, and you’d likely wash them again to get all of the moisturizer off, and never use it again.

*Also keep your NAILS SHORT so that the virus does not hide there.

Sure, and wash under your nails when you wash your hands. If your nails are long, use a hand brush.

Please check out my other posts on the current situation, on Hand Washing, Flying, and DIY Hand Sanitizer!

Flying in the age of Coronavirus

With all of our self quarantine and social distancing, sometimes you may need to go somewhere further than a tank of gas away.  How about flying?  Is it still a safe way to travel?  Here is an article where I participate in a discussion of some of the factors to consider before you board a plane.

ARE AIRPLANES ACTUALLY THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING THE CORONAVIRUS?

Sanitizer: Don’t Do It Yourself

So the news tells you of the latest new pathogen, Coronavirus now, but who knows what the next one will be, likely to cause serious disease. You read about risks of contagion, social distancing, and personal hygiene., your anxiety level is rising as you picture swarms of viral particles clinging to your hands, ready to enter any bodily orifice and wreak havoc with your health. Looking to remove the perceived imminent threat, you turn for a squirt of solace in the form of hand sanitizer. And you are out, empty, none in the house. A trip to the store reveals only empty shelves. So you scour the Internet for a recipe to make your own., should you use 70% or 91% isopropyl alcohol, 90% ethanol, vodka, or something else; and how about using essential oils, or aloe gel?

No. Don’t. Please.

In an earlier post,I discussed why washing your hands is better than using a hand sanitizer. But let me review the problems with a home brew version. First of all, the “sweet spot” for alcohol content in these products is about 60%. to 70%. Less than that does not create an effective germicide. Higher concentrations of alcohol can actually damage the protein in your skin. So if you start with anything less than the desired concentration, such as 70% isopropyl alcohol, you can’t get an effective level once you add gels or other liquids. And forget vodka or such. Eighty proof vodka is only 40% alcohol. Great to drink, but not to kill microorganisms. And if you use 98% or 99% grain alcohol, or ethanol, you run the risk of having too high a concentration, with drying out, cracking, and bleeding skin. And that certainly is not a good thing.

Then the are those additives, essential oils, coloring agents and the like. They do nothing but add a fragrance. They have no part in a product designed to kill microbes. And adding Aloe to the alcohol is not enough to keep your skin soft and supple, the alcohol overrides that.

Also, the many suggestions for using other agents, such as witch hazel, or tea tree oil, are just ill informed. These agents are not antibacterial, antiviral, or antifungal. They just don’t belong in a sanitizing product.

In order to produce an effective hand sanitizer, you need a lab quality facility, with precise measurements, sterile containers (why introduce germs into your sanitizer?), and instruments capable of verifying the strength and quality of your product. You don’t have that in your kitchen.

Look, I am not saying that using the commercial product when other means to clean your hands are not available is wrong. A few years ago I wrote a post telling you to carry some with you just in case. But even then I detailed the preferred method of cleaning your hands.

Soap & water.

Up until 1988, we did not have hand sanitizer. But we still had clean hands and were able to prevent disease. That was done with the time honored technique of washing one’s hands with soap and water. And that still works. In fact, it works better than hand sanitizer, does not dry out the skin, and does not promote resistant organisms, as the sanitizer does.

So please reread my post about washing your hands and practice it until you get it right. Avoid touching your face or any body orifices with hands that are not clean, and you will go a long way towards preventing nasty microbes from invading your body and causing disease. It is not foolproof, guaranteed, 100% effective, but what is?

Thank you for washing

With the current concerns over Coronavirus, COVID-19, infection, or for that matter any year during cold and flu season, keeping one’s hands free of infectious agents is a concern. For many people, this means multiple squirts of alcohol based hand sanitizer, one popular brand is Purell, throughout the day. Shortages on store shelves attest to the popularity of this product and its use. But you don’t need to use hand sanitizer, and there are problems associated with frequent applications of this type of product. What you do need to do, what the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends you do is just

Wash Your Hands!

Washing hands with soap and water is clearly the best way to cleanse your hands of debris and pathogens. Studies have shown the effectiveness of such handwashing, and professionals include handwashing as part of a routine health care practice. We all remember being told to wash hands as children, and some of us even followed the advice. But now, more than every, it is important to make this part of our daily routine.

All you need is soap and water. Any soap is fine, it does not have to be an antibacterial soap. It can be inexpensive hand soap, fancy smelly soap, or liquid soap that you pump from a bottle. And while washing your hands in warm water is more comfortable, cold water can be used as well, if that is what is available. It is the action of the washing, not the temperature of the water, that is important.

Just to be clear on how to accomplish this miracle of cleansing, first wet your hands with clean water – hot, warm or cold. Then use bar or liquid soap to lather up your hands – front, back, between your fingers and under your nails. Scrub away all that grime and germs for about twenty seconds – sing “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear right hand, happy birthday to you,” and then repeat it for the left hand. Sounds banal, but the timing works out and it might just make you smile. Rinse off the soap and stuff with clean water and dry your hands with a clean towel or air dryer. Was that so difficult?

When should you wash your hands? Well, obviously, when they are dirty, but also whenever there is a chance to infect yourself or others. So any action which involves food or drink, such as preparing, serving, or eating food, should be done with clean hands. Often, food preparation includes opportunities for contamination, such as with raw poultry, which requires hand washing even while preparing food. Exposure to feces or urine, your own, a child or child’s diapers, or someone for whom you are caring, should be followed by a good hand washing. If you are ill, after that cough or sneeze, or after throwing away used tissues or such, wash those hands. Pets, pet food, or pet excrement are also triggers for washing, as would be just taking out the garbage. In short, if there is any chance that your hands harbor pathogens or germs, wash them.

Now, a word about hand sanitizer, since I know that in the back of your mind you want to do a squirt and avoid all that “Happy Birhday” stuff with your hands. That said, let’s have a look at the stuff. The CDC points our that hand sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs, and may not be effective with dirty or greasy hands. Having said that, if you have no other option, it may be your best bet until you can get to soap and water and wash. But, be aware that there are several types of sanitizers. While most on the market use alcohol as their active ingredient, and you need at least 60% alcohol to be effective, some products use other agents, such as triclosan. There are a variety of reports about triclosan, ranging from allowing bacterial to develop resistance to real physical side effects that it can produce in suseptable individuals. It is best to avoid any such products.

And before you start squirting away, be aware that frequent use of hand sanitizer produces a dermatitis of the hands, which has been seen in hospital and other workers who use the stuff on a frequent basis. Somehow, I don’t think that red, cracked, painful hands would be the result you seek in using hand sanitizer. So if you do use it, use of some emoliant cream after application might help, as would periodic soap and water to remove any residual from the sanitizer.

Although it may seem trivial, do discuss this with your personal physician if you have any questions. We use our hands throughout the day, grabbing and touching objects and people that may be clean or not. Taking good care of them helps our health, and the health of others.

To Clip or Not To Clip

With a history that goes back thousands of years, documented in the Biblical book of Genesis, circumcision remains an active topic these days.  Now there is a question about a song lyric speaking to the issue.  So Mel Magazine asked me a bit about the procedure, and I tried to respond in a balanced manner. My portion is only a bit of this article, have a look.

IS THE SONG ‘BAD TO THE BONE’ 

ACTUALLY ABOUT CIRCUMCISION?

A danger lurking in pool water

There are lots of articles warning about water safety and the dangers of drowning in backyard pools.  Less well known are the potential dangers hidden in the water.  Here is an article that stresses the point that pool water is not "clean," and certain precautions need be taken to prevent disease.  An important read for anyone who goes to a pool over the summer, or any time of year!

NO, YOU FOOLS, THE SWIMMING POOL IS NOT A BATH

Can your bowels bowl you over?

Being a professional athlete takes everything - mind and body - working together at a peak level.  When NBA player Joel Embiid suffered bowel problems, some questioned if that could really impact his performance.  Here is an article from MEL Magazine in which I helped look at that question.  The bottom line, pun intended, is that there really is a connection.  

Joel Embiid's issues he cannot outrun

Retire with a plan, not a safety net

After a career in primary care medicine spanning over 40 years, the light of retirement became visible on my event horizon.  With planning and thought, the transition from working to retirement has been as smooth as possible, and the future remains bright.  Here are some thoughts I shared with Mel Magazine about the process.

RETIREMENT IS HARDER THAN IT LOOKS. THAT’S WHERE THERAPY COMES IN

The writer, Quinn Myers , asked me to expound on this topic, so let me share with  you the brain dump that I shared with him.

Truth be told, this question is one that address both the younger worker and the older retiree.  That’s because to have a successful retirement, you need to start planning while you are young, employed, and able to make plans.  Financial concerns impact a great number of retirees, and starting to put away money into a retirement account when you start working is vital to being able to retire when you want to.  Whether it is a company plan, like a 401k, or a conventional or Roth IRA, or some other form of squirreling away funds for the future, this is a vital first step.

Next, you need to have more in your life than work.  If asked to describe yourself, your occupation should not be your primary identifier.  Family and friends, community and organizations, hobbies and passions may not be able to consume a significant amount of your time while you are working, but the seeds need to be planted so that they can germinate when you have the time to devote to them.

Now, when the reality of retirement looms on the event horizon, start the process several months before the event, itself.  See if you can cut the work hours a bit, see if you can engage some of those pent up passions a tad.  You may discover new interests, rekindle old favorites, or buddy up with someone trekking the same path.

During these last few months, make sure that your finances are in order.  Perhaps meet with a financial planner to insure that you will be able to pursue the retirement goals that you have set.  Have honest talks with your partner and family, be sure that you are all on the same page.  Clear up any misunderstandings or unrealistic expectations.  Don’t forget about health insurance, and any other obligations which will need to be addressed.

Then comes that day when you wake up, and you don’t have to go to work.  When I retired, we had planned a vacation not long after retirement, and were able to extend it a few days just to relax and break the cycle.  Coming back to home and a loving family, without the stress of needing to go back to work, was wonderful.  And then one needs to establish a new schedule, a new normal, to use the cliche.  I, and many of my friends, established a daily routine of classes, exercise, and family activities.  Nothing so strict that it could not be bent to accommodate an exception, but enough to insure that we were not sitting around watching TV all day.  Sure, some of those old “chores” could be included as well.  Basements are being cleaned, fences are being mended, some are taking new interest in lawn and gardens, and others clear swaths of time to be able to care for grandchildren or aged parents.  

Speaking for myself, now retired about eight months, I am free of the daily stress that had burdened me for more than half of my life.  I have time for my family and interests, and still can take a break when I want it.  I can retain an interest in my profession, without being constrained by it.  It takes planning, support, and a willingness on your part to “let go” of your work and take control of your life.  

Tidy way to a clean hiney?

From ads for toilet paper to articles about bowel cleansing, people are often obsessed with their bowels.  Getting the area residue free is one goal that may take some doing for some people.  Here is a little article from Mel Magazine, where I was interviewed about thoughts of attaining the desired result.

THESE ONE-SQUARE CRUSADERS ARE PREACHING A BETTER WAY TO POOP

Getting Over the Hangover

Through my years in practice, a not uncommon question was what to take, do, or use to help relieve that awful feeling the morning after the night before.  I was asked to evaluate a series of potential hangover cures by Mel Magazine, and here is a rather informative article detailing what you may want, and not want, to do.

RANKING HANGOVER REMEDIES BY HOW EFFECTIVE THEY ARE AT KEEPING YOUR BRAIN FROM FALLING OUT OF YOUR EARS OH GOD