Wellness Weekly

Time for another entry and I feel like I have not read as much about health and wellness this week or at least I have not read anything thoroughly. A few highlights or thoughts then.

Caffeine and Alcohol: Not a good idea really especially as drinks that combine them are often marketed to young adults who mistakenly think that they can consume more alcohol without having their wits affected because the caffeine makes them feel alert. And so this week MillersCoors has agreed to stop selling the drinks, called SPARKS though they deny any intent to encourage under age drinking. Or they may still sell SPARKS but change the ingredients.
Exercise and Energy: It has been said by experts and repeated by me, that exercising will actually increase your energy level. It is a hard concept to sell to people who feel tired most of the time, but lack of cardiovascular exercise could be the very cause of their lethargy. And this week we can add my anecdotal contribution to the research. I, when the gods are for me and the stars align perfectly, exercise nearly seven days a week and accumulate 40 miles of running along with a few other activities. Neither has been the case since October and besides feeling quite out of sorts (emotionally, mentally, physically and socially) I am TIRED! It especially hit me yesterday when I started out on a four mile run, my second run of the week. (the old me would have been on my third or fourth six mile run) and I felt sluggish, tired, weak. Geez I thought, you’d think I’d be refreshed but instead I was beat. I felt much better at the end of course and then got up early and rode my bike this morning as not exercising is clearly not the answer to my woes.
Smokeless Tobacco: My knowledge is growing in this area but no where near complete. Still, it helps to repeat what I read or hear so that it gets into my long term memory. And for that, I thank you faithful blog reader! So, recently it came to my attention that most oral cancer is NOT caused by smokeless tobacco products but by cigarettes. The carcinogens are in the smoke and of course the smoke does pass through the mouth on its way to the lungs where it does the most of its damage. That being said, though smoking causes oral cancer, smokeless tobacco does not cause lung cancer. There are carcinogens in chew, spit, snuff and snus but at varying levels by product. In fact, most of the tobacco available today is lower in carcinogens than the tobacco used in research which connected the product to oral cancer. Of course, there is still plenty of nicotine which may increase heart disease risk and either nicotine and or tobacco specific nitrosamines are correlated to pancreatic cancer as well. I learned at a workshop yesterday that smokeless tobacco products are not made the same way. A product called snus and originally from Sweden is a fine ground oral tobacco as is our Skoal and Copenhagen snuff . Both are called moist but made so differently. Snus are made through a pasteurization process but our products are fermented. The tobacco has to be processed this way to kill microbes. Any ways, the traditional American made product actually has more carcinogens to begin with and while the cans sit on shelves for sale more are created. I know a tobacco treatment expert who supports or at least doesn’t object to the sale and use of Snus as an alternative to smoking. He said that the absolutely worst thing a person can do is light anything and inhale it. However, smokeless tobacco products do contribute significantly to oral disease. And though tooth loss does not equate to lung cancer, it is still something that can be avoided. Also from smokeless tobacco comes gingival recession, bad breath, lesions that can become cancerous and poor oral treatment outcomes.
Sweetener Goes Mainstream: A sweetener that has been available for sale at Whole Foods for some years now and which is said to be calorie free and containing fiber, (it is made from an herb or plant), is now approved to be used as an additive. What does that mean for you? That soon sodas and perhaps foods will have this as the sugar free, calorie free sweetener instead of aspartame, saccharin or splenda. I wonder how long until someone sends an email about how Stevia will kill us. The only reason I kept using other sugar free products when I first heard about Stevia is because sold as a “sugar” it is very expensive. I wonder if this price difference will be reflected in our sodas and such. Be ready though, Pepsi and Coke have products ready and the first you may see is a new Sobe Lite.
Oatmeal: Just briefly, I see that some of our dining chains, like smoothie shops and maybe Starbucks are going to be offering oatmeal. The reason is because it is warm, filling, cheap and shouts, heart healthy. That being said, if nutrition info is available where ever you are inclined to buy this oatmeal do yourself a favor and check it out. It is very possible that your oatmeal could contain the same fat and calories as a donut by the time Starbucks gets through with it.

Okay I got a load of vegetables at the farmer’s market this morning and think I will go slice, dice and bake….

PS I asked Santa for a little camcorder and even if I happen to be the after Christmas Santa, I do think I will get one so that I can upload videos of some of my cooking techniques in the New Year.

PSS We do not gain so much wait on Thanksgiving and Christmas indulgence as we do by eating our way FROM Thanksgiving to Christmas… so slow down already.