New Health Blog

For those of you who read this blog, if there are any of you in existence, a friend of mine and I have started a new blog about our weight loss goals, and progress. You can find it here:

http://vekttap.blogspot.com/

Twitter

Although it isn't a matter of grey matter, I have decided to start a Twitter account for kicks. We'll see how long that lasts. Anyway, I can give you brief rants there, and the longer ones, here. http://twitter.com/DalriusXavier


Salut!

Talk

You cannot expect anyone to support your endeavors, if you don't support them yourself. Talk is no more than words, if there is no action besides flapping your jaw, then don't expect anyone else to take your ideas for something possible. That is all.

The Power of Whole Grain, Vol. I

I used to be someone who was a complete advocate for white breads/white flour. I liked the taste, I liked the texture, and I despised anything with the mention of whole grain involved. I have since turned coat, and joined the whole grain team.

What is the difference between whole grain and that used in "white" breads? Whole grain means that it contains all three parts of the grain (the bran, the germ, and the endosperm). The flour used in white breads and other "white flour" products contain only the endosperm. Lets talk about the various parts of the grain.

• Bran - the bran is the outer shell of the grain and contains fiber, B vitamins, trace minerals, and phytochemicals (many laboratory studies conclude that phytochemicals help prevent certain types of cancer).
• Germ - the germ is what nourishes the grain and contains anti-oxidants, B vitamins, healthy unsaturated fats, and Vitamin E.
• Endosperm - the largest part of the grain. This is what contains the carbohydrates, and protein. Essentially it contains the energy.

So, as you can see, basically enriched flours do not contain the bran or the germ, so for the most part they just contain energy, and are of little nutritional value. That is the reason they are enriched. The enrichment process puts back some of the vitamins that are taken out in the process of creating the white flour.

Enriched flour, although it has had some of its nutritional content returned, is still lacking in many areas. The biggest and most gaping hole in the defense of enriched flour is that compared to whole grain bread it has relatively no fiber. Fiber is a very important part of the diet for a number of reasons.

For the most part, there are two types of fiber. There is Insoluble fiber which helps prevent hemorrhoids, constipation, diverticulosis, as well as helps protect against colon cancer. Insoluble fiber is found in whole grain breads, pastas, cereals, brown rice, and popcorn. Then there is soluble fiber which is found in barley, oatmeal, and rye. Soluble fiber reduces the risk of heart disease, as well as it helps lower cholesterol (reminds you of a Cheerios commercial eh?). It also helps the absorption of glucose, which stabilizes blood sugar levels.

On top of providing the benefits just above, fiber helps you feel full faster, which can equate eating less. This is a really good thing considering that most Americans eat too much food, period. Savor the flavor, not the time you spend in the bathroom, or on a gurney after your next bout of cardiovascular or digestive problems.

In my opinion, just for the benefit of the fiber alone is enough to consider joining the whole grain team. On top of it though, you receive those vitamins I previously mentioned inserted naturally, vs. after they have been processed out.

Now I understand that many people are used to enriched flours, and prefer them over the "graininess" of whole grains because of their smooth, supple nature. Conversion to whole grain takes work, but in the long run is worth it. Since my conversion, I have come to enjoy whole grains more than I do enriched, I have come to like their texture. I enjoy the heft, the body of a good whole grain loaf, and the smell of it fresh just knocks the socks off of that pasty enriched tripe.

For those of you who wish to make the conversion, but cannot take on the texture of whole grain yet, do not despair. There are a few products out there for you. One in particular I have found is manufactured by Sara Lee. It is called Soft and Smooth, 100% Whole Wheat. Make sure you get the right one, there are some that are fairly close in title, but are not whole wheat (check the ingredients list, if it doesn't say Whole Wheat Flour, forget about it). Soft and Smooth is exactly as its titled. It is very comparable to Enriched White Flour Bread in texture, but with the benefit of whole wheat.

There has been some progress of developing a white grained whole wheat flour, and you can find it in some places. It also is comparable in texture, but whiter in color.

Whole grain flour is much better for you, so I encourage you to start using it. There are a number of things that enriched processed flours are better for in theory, which are mainly dessert items. Desserts most often require a smoother texture, and if that is the case, then it may be better suited. Remember, dessert is not intended to be your main course, and that is how it should be for enriched flour. But, if you are one of those people who feel that dessert should be the most common item of your consumption, I wish you a short and happy life.



Sited sources: http://www.ynhh.org/online/nutrition/advisor/whole_grains.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytochemicals
http://www.healthcastle.com/whole-grains.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_grain

The Issue of Petroleum Transport Vol I., Addendum 1

Earlier this month I wrote about things that we can do to improve the fuel economy of our cars. In addition to the previous seven concepts, I would like to add these two:

8. Maintain Tire Pressure
Make sure that your tires are filled properly, and not running low. Although tires with less air have better traction in winter conditions (the reason behind this is that it increases the area/distribution of the tire), they do not improve your gas mileage. By keeping your tires properly inflated, it will improve the efficiency of your car.

9. Air Conditioning - If you don't need it, don't use it
Essentially the title sums it up. If it isn't too hot, try to avoid using it, it will help improve your precious miles per gallon.

High Fructose Corn Syrup, Vol I.

This week I am doing a bit of an experiment, which is not consuming items containing high fructose corn syrup, or corn syrup. I am not abstaining from all sugar, just that specific source of sugar. You may be wondering why, so I am going to tell you.

High fructose corn syrup for the most part is composed of both fructose and glucose (much like sucrose, also known as Cane or Beet sugar). As you can infer from the name, the fructose portion of the sugar is in a higher quantity than the glucose part, but that is not the only difference. Another difference is the molecular makeup of the two types of sugar, mainly that High fructose corn syrup is composed of two separate molecules for the fructose and glucose, and sucrose is composed of one molecule.

High fructose corn syrup is cheaper than Cane or Beet sugar, which becomes obviously clear when you go to a local grocery store and wish to purchase a soda. Often those labeled "Made with Pure Cane Sugar" are more expensive.

There are many theories about what High fructose corn syrup does to the body. One of the major theories is that high fructose corn syrup is more readily converted to fat by the liver, which increases the potential for blockages within the cardiovascular system.

Regardless of whether the theories are correct or not, High fructose corn syrup is bringing about a number of troubling trends. For one thing, it is in far too many foods we as an American populace consume, and it is something that many nutritionists site as one of the major contributing factors to the rising obesity levels in America. Over consumption of sugar period is not good for the system, leading to many hazardous effects on personal health down the road, and the inclusion of High fructose corn syrup in everything does not encourage moderation.

The reason I have chosen to exclude High fructose corn syrup from my diet this week is that it is included in most processed foods, which we should eat less of anyway, and also by the fact by dis-including this one major source of sugar, I will be better off because I will consume less of sugar overall. Hopefully I will take what I gather from this experience and utilize it in my life after this week.

Overall, if you're going to consume sugar period, consume it in moderation. If you are going to give it to yourself or someone else, try to find a more natural source vs. a processed source. Consuming 100% juice is much better than consuming 5% juice with added sweeteners. In fact, its much better to just eat an apple than drink it if you're going the natural route. I am not for totally abstaining from sugar, I believe it is completely fine to have some, but, please watch what you eat so we don't have to watch what you become.

The Issue of Petroleum Transport, Vol. I

Unfortunately, I am amongst the masses that regularly use a petroleum powered vehicle for their day-to-day business. I use it to get to work, to attend to errands, and to engage in more pleasurable pursuits (such as grabbing something to eat, seeing a movie, etc.). I also use it for a plethora of other reasons, just like most people.

Using a vehicle has come to be quite costly, and if I had my choice I would use mass transportation if it could do what I needed it to do. Unfortunately, the infrastructure and efficiency I require from it is currently not available, which leads to my continued use of a petroleum powered vehicle. I sincerely hope that in the future (near future would be even more excellent) this will change.

In this time of economic hogwash, we have the rising cost of fuel to deal with, as well as the decreasing value of the American dollar. The combination of the two is not a pleasant experience. Since the infrastructure for an effective system of mass transport has not been created in my area, sadly, I and many others who work the dreaded 8 hour daily shift are stuck driving our carbon emitting vehicles.

Today I do not intend to talk about long term solutions, rather, I intend to talk about what we can do now to ease this burden in the short term. I hope that the practices that I am about to talk about will prove helpful to both myself, and whosoever bothers to read this. Here are a few things we can do as ordinary average American citizens to improve our transportation situations, and the financial burdens that are involved:

1. Don't Speed
In this country many people do not abide by the speed limit laws, and most are guilty of speeding at one time or another. It may not seem like much, but by going 65mph instead of 70mph you will save on your fuel economy, and reality you don't lose much time. Here's an example: If you drive at 70mph to a location that is 15 miles away, it will take you 12 minutes and 51 seconds. If you drive that same distance at 65mph it will take you 13 minutes and 50 seconds. That is less than a single minute. Not only is the time difference minuscule, but by driving slower you increase your gas mileage.

For the most part many vehicles reach their peak gas mileage traveling at around 60mph (there are exceptions of course). According to fueleconomy.gov(please note, the following is based off of an average price of 3.96 per gallon), "You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.30 per gallon for gas." So, by observing the speed limit and driving slower, this will save you money, and increase your fuel economy. By driving slower most drivers can increase their fuel economy by 5-33%, and that is certainly nothing to scoff at.

2. Coast when you can
You can decrease your fuel consumption by keeping your foot off the pedal more. If you have the ability to use gravity to keep you moving, then do so. When you coast, your cars engine runs at a lower speed, and by taking advantage of something that's free to keep you moving -gravity and momentum- you will save yourself money.

3. Avoid idling too frequently
When you let your car idle, you are essentially getting 0 mpg. Now, idling is often unavoidable, but if you can avoid it, do.

4. Make less trips
Try to run back and forth between locations less. Plan out shopping trips so that you aren't going back and forth across town, rather in a planned fashion, or even a loop.

5. Manual Drivers: Use Overdrive
If you drive a manual and if you get up to the speed you can use your overdrive gear, do. The overdrive gear allows your motor to operate at slower speeds, which in turn increases your gas mileage.

6. Do not rapidly accelerate
Rapid acceleration consumes more gas than gradual acceleration. If you gradually accelerate this will contribute to better fuel economy.

7. Rid your car of excess weight
If you have things in your car that you do not need, and that are just dead weight, get rid of them. Removing dead weight from your vehicle will improve your fuel economy since your engine has less to haul.


For the most part these steps are not too hard to follow, but they may require some habit changes. I know that I have been guilty of some of the don'ts I mentioned above, so I definitely have some room for improvement. But, by even following these steps, which for the most part don't require any investment of funds, we can improve the fuel economy of our vehicles, as well as the state of our environment by releasing less emissions into the atmosphere, and driving smarter. I know by following these steps it will help me, so I hope this information has helped you too.



Sited Sources: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/FEG/driveHabits.shtml