Who's.Amung.Us

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Lame Duck Sessions are "Lame"

There's a great John Woo film called "Broken Arrow" -- if you haven't seen it, you should check it out.

One of my favorite scenes goes like this:
  • Actor 1 - "What's a Broken Arrow?"
  • Actor 2 - "That's what we call it when we lose a nuclear warhead."
  • Actor 1 - "I don't know what's scarier...the fact that we've lost one, or the fact that we lose one often enough that we have a name for it."
I think we should feel the same way about a lame duck session of our governing body.

Did we elect a bunch of kinder-gardeners into office...so they could bicker, kick, and whine for us? Or, did we elect a group of mature adults to collectively work together to make our lives, country, and world better than what we could do individually -- on our own?

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Favorite Song Lyric from Pepe Deluxe

It is not irritating to be where one is...

It is only irritating to think one would like to be somewhere else.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

12 Superfoods for Faster Weight Loss

"Nuts" The New American Diet smart bombs. They’re packed with monounsaturated fatty acids, those good-for-you fats that lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and, according to new research, help you control your appetite.

"Whole Grains" When Harvard University researchers analyzed the diets of more than 27,000 people over 8 years, they discovered that those who ate whole grains daily weighed 2.5 pounds less than those who ate only refined-grain foods.

"Avocados and Other Healthy Fats" Just because a food has plenty of fat and calories doesn’t mean it’s fattening. See, certain foods cause you to gain weight because they provoke hormonal changes that trigger cravings, or “rebound hunger.”

"Meats (Pasture-Raised and Free-Range)" Grass-fed beef, chicken, and pork are leaner and healthier than conventional livestock—and can help trim away pounds.

"Environmentally Sustainable Fish" Choosing seafood these days isn't easy. Some species (swordfish, farmed salmon) contain obesity-promoting pollutants (dioxins, PCBs).

"Raspberries and Other Berries" A recent study by researchers at Yale University school of medicine discovered that after eating a high-carb, high-sugar meal, free radicals (rogue molecules produced when your body breaks down food) attack the neurons that tell us when we’re full. The result: It’s hard to judge when hunger is satisfied. Escape the cycle of overindulgence by eating foods that are rich in antioxidants. And berries top the charts.

"Instant Oats" Fiber is the secret to losing weight without going hungry. One U.S. Department of Agriculture study found that those who increased their daily fiber intake from 12 grams to 24 absorbed 90 fewer calories per day than those who ate the same amount of food but less fiber.

"Cruciferous Vegetables and Other Folate-Rich Greens" The more folate you have in your diet, the lower your risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s and depression. And a recent study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that those with the highest folate levels lose 8.5 times more weight when dieting.

"Apples and Other Fruits" What makes the apple so potent? In part, it’s because most of us eat the peel: It’s a great way to add fiber and nutrients to your diet.

"Navy Beans and Other Legumes" Study after study reveals that bean eaters live longer and weigh less. One study showed that people who eat 3/4 cup of beans daily weigh 6.6 pounds less than those who don't eat beans.

"Dark Chocolate" A new study from Denmark found that those who eat dark chocolate consume 15 percent fewer calories at their next meal and are less interested in fatty, salty, and sugary foods.

"Ice Cream and Other Healthy Desserts" Calcium-rich desserts like ice cream bind to fatty acids in the digestive tract, blocking their absorption. In one study, participants who ate 1,735 mg of calcium from low-fat dairy products (about as much as in five 8-ounce glasses of milk) blocked the equivalent of 85 calories a day.

Friday, April 2, 2010

Eat your Ketchup

I love ketchup...ketchup is made from tomatoes...tomatoes contain LYCOPENE:

Lycopene is something that is found in certain fruits and vegetables and the body uses it as an antioxidant. It is a great addition to any men's health regimen. But, there are also other lycopene benefits. Some of them have nothing to do with men's health. Here is a short list:

  • Cancer, especially prostate cancer, mouth cancer, and others.

  • Guards against aging of the skin.

  • Helps with problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular system issues and disease.

  • May prevent osteoporosis.

  • Can assist with fertility problems in men.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Use Fiber for Weight Control

Excerpt from, Fiber: The Number One Supplement for Weight Control:
When you take fiber supplements with water before meals, the water soluble fiber binds to water in the stomach, making you feel full, and therefore less likely to overeat. It also suppresses hunger. In addition, fiber supplements have been shown to enhance blood-sugar control and insulin effects and even to reduce the number of calories (adding up to about three to 18 pounds per year!) that the body absorbs. And a study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that a diet with 50 grams of fiber per day lowered insulin levels in the blood. (Remember, insulin is known as "the fat storage hormone" for good reason.)
I'm eating my fiber in the foods I eat...but, if you want to lose weight and don't like eating fiber...try supplements!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

9 Power Foods That Boost Immunity

You're washing your hands, using Purell like crazy, and sneezing into your shirtsleeves. Now add these superfoods to your family's meals for extra flu-fighting punch.

By Amanda MacMillan and Tamara Schryver, RD
Foods that Fight Illness
1. Yogurt
2. Oats and Barley
3. Garlic
4. Fish
5. Chicken Soup
6. Tea
7. Beef
8. Sweet Potatoes
9. Mushrooms