Health and Fitness Journal

I have been searching for a way to improve my reading skills and one thing that came to mind was getting rid of these glasses I wear. I have been wearing glasses for 13 years and they have always been a nuisance when I am reading articles on the computer screen or books in the living room. I would love to help my eyes see better by doing some corrective surgery. I have been uncomfortable with the process but I think I have to go for it and trust the doctors doing the operation. My niece suggested going to her city in Orange County because there are a lot of specialists in the area there. I asked her about laser vision correction orange county specialists that offer competitive pricing for their services and she said they are all skilled and offering about the same price. That is what I needed to hear, that they are skilled. I need to have a skilled surgeon that works on my eyes because I would hate to have something go wrong.

I have a few friends who have completed the surgery and they love it. They say it takes about 45 minutes and there is no pain. The healing time is about 2 days with low lighting and no medications. I need to stay with my niece for a few days if I go down to Orange County for the treatment. I hope see will not mind.

Salad is good for you, right?  Filling up on Romaine lettuce and fresh field tomatoes at the salad bar is a step in the right health direction, don’t you agree? Cucumbers and carrots can only act to boost your immune system and combat workaday fatigue, wouldn’t you say?  It turns out the answers to these seemly simple questions aren’t quite what you’d expect.

Greg Lawless, of the University Of  Seattle, an award-winning microbiologist, claims in a new study, while you are what you eat, you may be eating a whole lot of things you don’t even know about. “Fruits and veggies, contrary to widespread public opinion, often do more harm than good when consumed in a diet unsupervised by health-care professionals; and I’m not just saying this because my wife’s a health care professional,” said Lawless. “Salad is more detrimental to your mental health than reading Dawkins“.

While eating veggies in small amounts is still considered a dietary plus, large helpings “fuel bacterial growth” and may lead to “late life memory loss,” said Lawless. “I don’t think it’s asking people a whole helluva lot to eat their veggies more responsibly, just as they eat their cheeses and sweetmeats,” added the bespeckled microbiologist.

I don’t know what to think - is the sun good for me, or bad for me? I just cut my hair and I’m worried I’m gonna get spots on my head because now more of me is exposed to the sun. My girlfriend Drew says I’m not worried enough about the sun’s dangers. She says it’s okay if I cut my hair, but that I should leave it “long on the top, and just cut the sides.”

I told the barber to shave the sides only, but he thought I wanted a Mohican. Now I’m so afraid of those incoming spots. I mean, I don’t want to look like Gorby; no offense to Russia’s people. I understand different countries have different fashion customs, so maybe it is okay over there to have big splotchy sun spots on your head. Who knows?

I tried rubbing a smooth coating of Goalch Sun Cream on my pate. It stung, so I wiped it off. I also tried wearing a baseball cap, but it just caused further fashion friction: I didn’t know if I should wear the thing backwards, or forwards, or what. So, at the moment, I am still risking it all, for fun in the sun.

Ever notice how most health discussions are aimed at women? Men, it seems, are more interested in body building than eating to stay healthy.

Today I’d like to discuss a few common sense mens health topics. Top three myths, in my book, are:

1. Men are Muscular

Not necessarily. Most women would agree that masculinity is defined by body mass. Women prefer intelligence and inner strength to mere body mass.

2. Virility is the Domain of the Young

Sexuality is an important part of intimacy, and studies show that being sexual active prevents a lot of ailments. If you suffer from erectile dysfunction, why not grab yourself some cheap Viagra and get re-acquainted with your wife?

 3. Real Men Smoke and Drink

Remember the Marlboro man? Wow, he was masculine, eh? Yeah, and it was probably super sexy when he was coughing up a lung.

These stereotypes are outdated and unhealthy. Forget them. Real men live healthy lives.

If you still smoke, quit already. If you don’t smoke, don’t start.

Two coffees and a delicious muffin later, I had my Seattle buzz up and working. I thought of doing something new today but had no idea how to get out of the normal everyday routine. What to do?

After thinking for a minute, I decided to try my luck at some online dating sites to see if I could find a date for friday. I only needed to go to one to figure out it was kind of scary. Even with a coffee buzz I felt reluctant. I found a free dating site called Meet You Later and it was very detailed and well updated. I made a profile and asked 5 ladies to join me for dinner sometime.

I left the house for the day and when I came back, my inbox was full of ladies! Well, actually there were more dudes than ladies who wanted a date with me. i didn’t know I that kind of appeal. Well, all the ladies turned me down, so I will have to think of something new to get some attention.

I attend a school full time. It is called Collins graphic design school. As a full time student it is hard to eat right asnd stay healthy. My diet mostly consists of fast food, instant ramen and the occasional donut. Along with a very large dose of Starbucks coffee.

What should I do?

First of all, eating right is not impossible while you’re in school. Many fast food restaurants nowadays have salad bars. Eat sushi, eat salads, eat less meat, less friend foods and more whole grain foods.

And when in doubt, go to Subway. With dozens of sandwiches under 400 calories, you can’t go wrong at Subway.

Just recently one of my friends (who suffers from an eating disorder) decided to buy two Suzuki motorcycles. At first I was a little shocked by all of this, I couldn’t imagine my friend who weighs 135kgs riding around town on a motorcycle. Upon further investigation it came clear to me that this was in fact a substitute for eating. My friend loves eating and always has, but it has come to stage where that is all he does. Eat, eat, eat. By having the motorbike it takes his mind off of food and substitutes it with an adrenalin rush.

I don’t quite know why he bought two bikes, maybe in case he breaks one or wants his friends to go riding with him. He has asked me a few times, but as I don’t have a bike licence I had to decline. He says that in the short period that he has had the bike he has lost a few kilos and rarely thinks about food. He is more interested in getting that buzz the moment you turn the throttle on the bike. He says it’s exhilirating and freshing to be out on the open road with the wind blowing in your face and the power between your legs. Maybe something to think about for those looking to occupy themselves with something other than food.

I’ve always thought that having a dog would benefit me both fitness wise and health wise. On the fitness side of things, you can enjoy a brisk walk in the park, on the beach or even a little run around in the backyard playing fetch. On the health side, animals, be they dogs, cats or anything else provide a positive vibe when you’re feeling blue.

The pit fall however is the sheer cost of owning a pet. I’ve had my Golden Retriever for many years now and I tell you the vet bills are more expensive than a trip to the doctors. Luckily, I have pet insurance that covers about 50% of the costs. Without it I don’t think I would be able to afford a dog. Almost everyday I go for a power walk with Rocky and he absolutely loves to run around chasing the ball. This has seen me keep in shape and at the same time feel positive every morning after our run. I highly recommend a dog as a good fitness partner for those looking for one.

Just a little bitching session from me today…I recently visited an online health food site to buy some of this super duper weight loss powder and I was totally shocked when it came to the payments section that they didn’t even offer online merchant services. I mean really! If you are going to sell a product online, at least have the common sense to offer credit card payments.

I’d spent at least 10 minutes filling in my information only to be told that they accept Western Union money transfer as their form of payment. Sounds totally dodgy to me. I won’t be going back to that site in a hurry. I am amazed at just how many people stupidly fall for the Western Union money transfer scam. Send your money and the goods never arrive. And guess what…no insurance coverage from the Western Union site what so ever.