High BP

Now for something a little less Springer-esque. ... High blood pressure. This link tells what it is, symptoms, risk factors and treatment. My husband was recently diagnosed with it; and as a result, I think I'm turning into the World's Biggest Nag. Or Nurse Ratched. (He says not but ...) "Did you take your pill? Here's an apple. Did you call Gary (the doc)? Let's go for a walk." Blah blah blah. Even Evil Cat walks out of the room now when he sees me coming.
Hope that you, Internet, have a fabulous weekend and that you don't have to labor on Labor Day.

I miss Phil Donahue

Back in the day, (read: Good Ol' Days) I remember watching Phil Donahue shows with my mom. I best remember guests such as authors and legislators who had thoughtful, civil discussions about the news of the day or some book they'd written. I don't remember the vitriol of today's Sunday morning politico shows, in which people in separate camps pretty much spend the whole time screaming at each other. One time Phil had a show featuring a cook. His apron read Ph.D., which sort of stands for his initials. Clever.
I am especially maudlin when I come across junk
like this. (Courtesy none other than Jerry Springer.)

Weight a minute

Funny scene from the gym today: Two women were weighing themselves in the locker room. (One at a time, of course.) One of them was the other one's trainer. I heard the trainee, upon reading her weight, exclaim something along the lines of, "Oh, darn." She said she JUST KNEW she had lost weight in the 2 weeks of their workouts. They left and I got on the scale. Same reaction from me. So I asked the trainer going out, "What's with the scale?" And she said: "I think it's weighing heavy," and she was going to get it adjusted. Now you talk about making a woman's day. FINALLY--It's the scale's fault.

Emotional eating

Here are some helpful tips (but not beef tips) on how to avoid eating junk when you are emotional or stressed or bored or all of the above. Confession: In the middle of the day at work when I'm craving a snack, I tend to go overboard. Instead of going for a piece of fruit, I grab something more tasty in the short run, like icrecream or a cookie. And then inevitably I feel worse.
Hope these hints help.

Test your BBQ IQ

Carrying on with the theme of barbecue, here's a quiz about the famous Southern fare.
(I know BBQ is famous in other parts of the country but please allow us this one pride. By the way, it's PIG and the sauce is MUSTARD- BASED.)
(I also know it's not exactly heart-smart, so don't read this if you're on a diet.)
Enjoy.

Run, Forrest, Run!

It's not every day you get to don your running shoes at midnight and take off on a 5K. But here in Columbus, you do get to do that once a year. The annual Country's Midnight Run, sponsored by Country's Barbecue, is this Saturday/Sunday. The festivities begin at 4 p.m. and go into the evening. I'd be there except, well, it's at midnight. Plus it's been so hot around here lately, it's bound to be steaming, even at the late hour. For more details, check out this little ditty from our paper. The cool thing is, this event has become a long-time tradition and it benefits charity. As well as giving people the chance to run off copious calories consumed at Country's. (Rumor has it that they pass out BBQ sandwiches and tea after the run. Sweet.)

I'll second that

WASHINGTON, DC — In a surprising reversal of its longtime single-helping policy, the Food and Drug Administration announced its approval of seconds Tuesday, claiming that an additional plateful of food with every meal can greatly reduce the risk of hunger as well as provide an excellent source of deliciousness. To get the whole helping:
Bear in mind the Onion is a spoof news source.

Indispensable doc

Read this story over the weekend about one Timothy Lepore, M.D., of Nantucket, Mass. What a servant, and with a sense of humor too. A bit short on docs on the island, Dr. Lepore pretty much does everything. One time he was flagged down while running a marathon to deliver a baby. And his expertise expands sometimes to animals and people's pets. Enjoy.

Health tip-o-the day

Just got in from a walk and still sweating profusely even after a cold shower. Drink, drink, drink. This article mentions water, of course, as a great way to hydrate. Probably the best, overall. But if water bores you, try some of the others. Iced coffees or lemons in your water for a little ZING. Have a great weekend. If it's simmering where you are, keep the fluids going.

I love computer geeks

My husband was on the phone for half an hour this evening, after my incessant whining about not being able to get online. The same thing happened last night but somehow I figured it out (then promptly forgot how it worked). Plus, patient husband seemed to know the language that Computer Geek was speaking. They bonded. It was beautiful.
P.S. This has nothing to do with health and fitness but thought I'd share.

Mental boost

Did y'all read the story from the New York Times about child/teen athletes using psychologists to help them work through phobias and fears? On the one side, you have the parents (and kids themselves) seeking an edge, just like they might invest in a better golf club or tennis shoe. On the other side: Feeding fantasies (The child's? The parents'? Both?) about being the Next Great Athlete.
Said a young gymnast who overcame a phobia on the uneven bars by employing a psychologist: “It made such a difference. We worked through the fear, and that has let me relax. I would tell anyone that it’s worth it.”
To read the whole piece, click here.

Baby, it's hot

Yesterday a friend in Minnesota wrote and said: I hear it's hot down there. Yup. The heat index has been--and will be today--105. Ouch. ("Something to look forward to," as another friend said.) Our AC is working overtime. But since we are not in control of Mother Nature, here's a little advice from our friends at the CDC. Be smart. Stay cool. Drink your fluids.

P.S. Speaking of keeping your felines and canines cool, which we weren't, check out this blog from my "god dogs."

"Obsessively organic"

You have got to be kidding me. Just now in the shower, I noticed this phrase on my bottle of shampoo. (This is not my "regular" shampoo but one I grabbed off the shelf while in Atlanta recently, as we were headed north on vacation.) I picked it because I like the color green--how's that for being "non-obsessive" about one's hair product? Anyway, the shampoo has worked fine in the few times I've used it, but mostly I've gone back to the old bottle--whose brand I can't remember but I bought it because the guy who cuts my hair said it was his most economical. I can tell you it's in a blue bottle. Works for me.
Back to the organic thing. I like supporting local farmers as much as anyone (which is part of the allure of the organic trend). I like knowing where my food comes from and, in a perfect world, the name of the cow who supplied our milk in the frig. Most of the time, we don't have a clue the source of our groceries. (unless we live on a farm and we never eat anything out of a box.) Now, after reading this label, I'm thinking it's not good enough for these marketers to say something is organic. Because practically everything on the shelves these days says organic. Things like lightbulbs and toenail clippers.
So I guess we've moved up a notch to OBSESSIVELY Organic. And there's this little R symbol after it, too, which means it's a trademark. Which means I might get sued for picking on their little phrase.
To read more about what organic means, click here.

Life coaches

Feeling stuck in your career? At a crossroads? A life coach might be the ticket for you.
According to this piece from CNN, life coaches are persons who help you see your future. They are not therapists but, like therapists, they know good questions to ask. The International Coach Federation (ICF), a professional organization, reports that the number of life coaches has doubled in the past five years. Some help you re-direct your career. Others specialize in relationships. Fees vary. A friend of mine in Columbus is a life coach. Check out www.lynnwilloughby.com

Weird fitness video

Aka the Weird Fitness Chick.
The poodles take the cake!
To view, click here.

First set of wheels

It might not be two wheels, but let's just say this thing got me moving--back in the day. One companion I remember more clearly, though, was a wooden horse with a flat seat that had two wheels. I vividly recall dragging and pushing that thing around until it died. I think my parents had to shoot it. Stories of your own early forms of transportation?

17 and counting?

The famous Duggar family in Arkansas just added baby Number 17 to their brood. Michelle Duggar gave birth Aug. 2 to another girl, named Jennifer Michelle. The most amazing fact is that Michelle has been pregnant 10 years of her 40-year life. So far. To read the full story, click here.

Myth busters

Is that brown bread always going to be good for you? How about cutting carbs to lose weight? Or cutting calories?
Here are five dieting myths debunked.
The gist is, be sensible about it. If you starve your body, it will come back with a vengeance: "Ben & Jerry's Ice cream! Pizza! Potato chips!" The body can be such a drama queen. You know this.
Hope everyone has a great Thursday.