Points I pondered this week are as follows:
Popcorn, Cotton Candy, Soda: I went to an awesome event this weekend that I find hard to explain. It is a production called Cavalia - part circus, part rodeo, part gymnastic expo, part ballet. It is all about horses and phsyicality. It is an amazing show with insanely fit artists. So I have to wonder, WHY - Why oh Why do people need buckets of popcorn and sticks of spun sugar during this two hour splendor? What do you think parents say when the children ask if they can ride horses or swing on a trapeze just like that? "Sure you can - as long as you are not obese , hypertensive, arthritic and diabetic, and could you please pass the soda?"
Property Tax Cometh and I am glad!: I saw an article regarding a court case from Illinois where a nonprofit hospital was found to be NON exempt from property taxes. That is good news to me. Why does it matter and why is it mentioned in this blog? Well, I believe that we need our personal, city, county, state and federal budgets to be in good shape in order to function at our best. In NC I remember thinking that the city would do well to tax one of our local hospitals that kept buying up all the property around it - for which the city would LOSE revenue. And since the hospital had gift shops and pizza joints - well - it was only fair. (btw, the hospital never referred to the money they made each year as a profit, but excess revenue - as it was a nonprofit entitity). I hope this Illinois case sets a precident.
The Bake Sale Dilemma: Okay, we all know that I am not the biggest fan of cakes, cookies and brownies and certainly do not think that they should be in our schools and offices, and I am not alone. However, the state that was highlighted on NPR one day this week has got the argument all wrong. I do not remember where this occured, but the "mom's" staged a protest and brought all their baked goods to the school board or city council or some such thing, to voice their outrage on the bake sale ban. They did make some good points about school snacks not always being healthy themselves (though they are calorie controlled). Anyway, right, wrong or indifferent - all one has to say to squelch the debate is that the goods are not allowed because of concerns on hygiene and food borne illnesses. DUH>
Eat with Intelligence: Diets never have been and never will be the way to maintain a health promoting weight. Calories absolutely matter and they matter all the time. The best thing a person can do is learn about food - energy density, nutrients, blood sugar, fiber, antioxidants, caloric demand, calorie expenditure, Volumetrics, whole foods - how to eat the best foods with the least calories and most nutrients - nutrients being protein, carbs, vitamins and minerals - and mono or poly unsaturated fats - Knowledge is Power - Knowledge is Satisfaction - Knowledge is NOT going hungry OR gorging - it is eating in a health promoting, palate pleasing way.
Women at 30: OKAY, I heard someone describe a woman with these words, just this morning. "She is a 30 year old YET slight woman." Excuse me? YET? Are 30 year olds not typically slight? What the heck was that about?
The Number of Pills: I have said this before, but the commercials are back at it and I cannot let it pass by. Less pills does not automatically mean less MEDICINE - the dose and the milligrams - they have to be considered as well. I say this so that you don't let the ONLY factor the influences your choice be the number of pills you can take in a day - less is not always less.
A Multivitamin Claim: I only caught the tail end of this commercial, and only once - but multivitamins do NOT improve your blood pressure or cholesterol levels - that is a misleading claim.
Dadblame-it - Fooled Again: Okay, dang it. I have been tricked by those 100 calorie packages before - and again today. You know, those super expensive 100 calorie packs are really taking off - they are everywhere - and many snacks are covered. To be clear, the 100 calorie serving size does not make it a HEALTHY food, only a calorically moderated one. So I have learned that the package itself might contain two itty bitty muffins (i.e lite bites) or contain two little cakes (the chocolate rolls) and the 100 cals refers to ONE, and today - the package said 100 calorie bars - one per package, but when I got home and opened it, it was nearly half the size of most 100 calorie bars - ridiculous waste of calories and NOT a volumetric food!
Appetizer! Ah I almost forgot this one, but heard it again. Fancy Feast or some such cat food brand is selling appetizers - for your pet. Okay, sorry - but none of us, human or animal really need appetizers. If you don't believe me, check out this website for the Prevention of Pet Obesity.
Speaking of web sites - you can see to the left of this post that I have added a link to my website. My niece Kerry Corcoran is my web designer and master - so please check out our work. We still have a few adjustments to make so I hope you will bookmark the page and check back on occasion.
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