It's not smog, it's haze

With the Olympics having kicked off a few days ago (was I the only one who fell asleep during the interminable opening ceremonies? Jeez; someone needed an editor), I'm fascinated at the political tug of war over the Beijing Smog Problem. To the naked eye, it's obvious that the Chinese capital has a lot of it -- in fact the air particulate matter on opening day was nearly three time that of Los Angeles and at levels that would normally keep school kids indoors during recess in my hometown So Cal (yes, that happened here. Not anymore, because air quality is so much better, but in the 70s, at least 10 times a year).

This is why I'm laughing out loud that this ridiculous story posted by Reuters in which some UN dork chastises the media for ragging on Beijing smog. The part I like is his comparison to the massively successful Los Angeles games in 1984 and its so-called smog problem. Which is crap. I lived in LA back then, and the air quality during the games was fine. The staggering woman marathoner he refers to staggered because it was really hot the day and she was dehydrated. It wasn't smog. Jeez.

It's apparent that Beijing suffers from a helacious inversion layer (or what we call fog), in which moist air traps in the smog. Kudos to them for trying to curb traffic to cut down on emissions, but in a city of 16 million, there's only so much you can do. LA's saving grace in '84 were the ocean breezes that sweeps everything away. Beijing's air is stagnant and still. The opening ceremonies made me sweat, and I was in my cool home sucking down a brew.

The athletes can compete in this environment because they're in world-class shape. If you or I tried to ride our bikes 150 miles in the chemical soup that passed for Beijing air last Saturday, we'd collapse in an asthmatic heap.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Smoking is bad for you

OK, I'll admit it -- I like smoking. I enjoyed smoking. I miss it sometimes. But, geez, the data keeps piling up on all the bad things smoking does for you: cancer, lung problems, heart disease, and on and on and on. And you stink, too. Teeth, yuck. So the folks at Health.com put together this little survey showing what your heart attack risk is if you do or you don't smoke. (Little hint: smoking is not good for you here, either.) What was interesting is that the risk gap shrinks significantly in your 60s. So when I hit my 60s, should I start lighting up again? Na. I like breathing.

Since I live in California, my drinking establishments have been smoke free for 10 years now, and frankly, we're better off for it. It's nice to see how the rest of the country ... and the world ... is following our lead and nixing cigs in bars and restaurants. Last year I was in Paris, and I was even surprised at how few Parisian were sucking down the cancer sticks. I reminded them that they were being good Americans. That went over well.

So much for exercise?

How much exercise does it take to lose weight? Apparently a lot more than you previously believe. A new study just came out saying that daily, moderate exercise of 30 minutes doesn't do much to remove the bulge. OK. Let's think this through. A pound of fat equals 3,500 calories; so when you eat fewer calories than your body naturally burns, that amount adds up, and when it reaches 3,500, you lose one pound. Exercise accelerates that count. Now, 30 minutes of moderate exercise burns off about 6-7 calories a minute. That's about 200 calories -- not a lot, but it adds up. So, let's put this all together. If you burn off about 200 exercise calories a day but still eat, let's say, an entire pepperoni pizza for dinner, you're not going to lose weight. But if you cut calorie intake and exercise, the long term benefit will be a healthier, thinner you. So don't give up that treadmill. Just realize that exercise alone won't do the trick. Unless you run marathons.

Illustration by Duane Hoffmann / MSNBC

Victor McKusick, a titan of medicine

One of the titans of medical research has died, and we should pay tribute. Dr. Victor McKusick of Johns Hopkins University was the first to apply the developing field of genetics to medicine, and the result revolutionized health care and medical research for the betterment of everyone. But enough of me yakkin; read this wonderful obituary in today's Los Angeles Times, and this one in the New York Times. Question: Why didn't this man win a Nobel Prize? Geez.

Three cheers for Fresh & Easy!

Back in my hometown of Norwalk, Calif., I dropped in on the new Fresh & Easy market a few blocks from my parents house. I've heard about the place, but had yet to visit.

Wow. What an improvement over regular supermarkets and that evil, elitist Trader Joe's. Fresh & Easy's concept is the return of the neighborhood market, and it works. The stores are smaller, but the selections of fresh, tasty foods is quite good and at excellent prices. Shopping there was actually an enjoyable experience.

Better yet, the F&E folks are opening these clean, easy-to-shop-in stores in lower income, minority neighborhoods like Norwalk and South Los Angeles, where normal grocers fear to go, or if they do, charge higher prices for food. Having access to quality, affordable food has always been a problem in poor, minority neighborhoods and a contributing factor toward the obesity epidemic in America today. So, from me, all hail Fresh & Easy! A special Nobel prize should be coming their way.

(F&E is only in Arizona, Nevada and Cali at this point, but we want to see them go nationwide. America needs this! Oh, did I mention they're British?)

Revenge of the fembots

Think the Los Angeles Times' Health section is trying to appeal to women readers? Read this and this. You tell me.

The South rises again ... in weight

Our friends at the CDC report in their catchily titled publication Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report that the South once again is America's most obese region. I quote:

By region, the prevalence of obesity was higher in the South (27.3%) and Midwest (26.5%) and lower in the Northeast (24.4%) and West (23.1%). State-specific obesity prevalence ranged from 18.7% to 32.0% and was <20%>30% in three states: Alabama (30.3%), Mississippi (32.0%), and Tennessee (30.1%). No state met the Healthy People 2010 target of 15%, and 30 states had obesity prevalence >25%.

It's not like they ran away with the title; we're only talking a few percentage points separating the regions. Among the most obese states, you can see that only three -- all in the South -- break the 30% barrier. Could be the food; could be the poverty; could be the culture. It's probably all three. I blame NASCAR. And the CDC, which is located in Atlanta. And Waffle Houses, which are pure evil.

Deeper into these stats, we can see that college-educated men and women are less obese. What's the tie? Folks with degrees earn more money, and thus can spend more on food. And healthy food costs more than fatty, calorie-rich food. When you're poor, you're not shopping at Whole Foods.

Here is how you do it

Forget about the Atkins diets and all those other gimmicks. This is how you lose weight and keep it off. Good job.

This is crap

So here's this story on CNN.com saying, "Low-carb diet beats other diets in study." You could say that the Atkins approach -- low carbs -- beat the low-fat approach, but I'm here to tell you this is a load of duck turd. Both of these diets will doom you to failure. You will lose weight with either, but unless you address the basic math of weight managment -- where combining calorie intake minus calorie expenditure (i.e. exercise) is compared to the base level of calories your body requires each day -- you will not reach a long-term healthy solution. And you'll get fat again. Listen people: It's not carbs, and it's not fats. It's calories. Do not take in more calories than your body needs. It's that simple. And when you exercise, you can take in even more calories. And that's good. Again, there are no quick fixes, no gimmicks. I bet you know that.

Lyme disease and other things New York

Meanwhile, today let's check in with the other great American newspaper health section in the New York Times. It's part of the Science Tuesday section, and usually buried behind long, elaborately illustrated stories about evolution or ferrets. (Note: you need an online NY Times subscription to access these stories -- sorry). The Times' health coverage is noteworthy because it is one of the few newspapers that pays enough to employ the writing skills of actual MDs -- which for health coverage is actually a good thing. And then, of course, there's the grande dame of health writing, the witty and erudite Jane E. Brody, who writes an eminently readable first-person column (called "Personal Health," natch). She writes about Lyme disease this week, which admittedly is a much bigger deal in the Northeast than in my SoCal homeland. But that's OK. So, why am I spotlightinging back-to-back the health reportage of the Timeses of LA and NY? Cuz this kinda stuff is getting gutted from our print media. It'll probably get stripped from the LA Times pretty soon. Maybe it'll survive in NY. We hope so.

(Illustration by Jez Burrows for the New York Times)

Why we are fat

Amid the sad news of the impending layoff of 150 journalists and the resignation of its publisher, the Los Angeles Times published this story today in its rapidly evolving and improving Health section. Over the past few months, this Monday staple has made indepth inquiries into the matrix of body weight, diet, exercise and overall health without hyperbole or moral indignation. Plus, they write good, too. Today's exploration, called "What's making us fat?", delves into theories both ridulous (maybe we should smoke) and sublime (it's that damn corn syrup). Anyway, good reading across the board. Here's their list, and let's hope those greedy bastards who control my favorite newspaper don't can the entire Health staff.

• Maybe we're too stressed


• Maybe a virus is to be blamed


• Maybe the temperature is just right


• Maybe it's all that high-fructose corn syrup


• Maybe low-fat foods made us eat more


• Maybe we take too many drugs


• Maybe we're doomed before birth


• Maybe there's too much pollution


• Maybe we're not sleeping enough


• Maybe we shouldn't have quit smoking

(Artwork by Karen Greenberg for the Los Angeles Times.)

Back off!

Here's an interesting story on the New York Times' website tackling the "culture of shame and accusation" surrounding obesity. I find it amusing that in an age in which we are sensitive to race, ethnicity and orientation, we still get a kick out of making fun of fat people and generally making them feel even worse about themselves. As a formerly obese person, I can tell you this with absolute certainty -- overweight people know they are fat. Trust me on this. You don't need to tell them. It's the same as going to an amputee and saying, "hey, do you know you're missing an arm?" And here's another fact you can take to the bank: If it were easy to lose weight, people wouldn't be obese. There's a lot more than diet and exercise to consider; there's a deep psychology surrounding one's self image that's is intrinsically linked to obesity. Some people become fat to shield themselves and to support a negative self image. So, skinny people of the world, have a heart. Tell the obese people in your life that you love them the way they are. I guarantee that this approach will encourage someone to lose weight and get healthier. Oh, and one more thing, should that obese loved one drop 50-60 pounds, don't condescendingly say, "you look so much better!" You think?

A toast to the fuel-efficient body!

This, from today's Los Angeles Times:

The average American walks about 900 miles a year, according to a Harvard study. And the average American drinks 22 gallons of alcohol a year, the American Medical Assn. says. Concludes Jack Finarelli of SportsCurmudgeon.com: "This means, on average, Americans get about 41 miles to the gallon. Kind of makes you proud to be an American."

More good news about your heart!

Here's an uplifting story telling us that damage leading to heart disease begins early in life. Which makes me wonder ... if EVERYTHING we do hurts our body in one way or another, why are Americans living longer, healthier lives? Is medicine doing that good of a job, or are we humans a little more resilient than we give ourselves credit for? I mean, the average lifespan of Americans has nearly doubled over the past century despite increasingly sedentary lifestyles, chronic pollution and horribly fatty, salty mass-produced foods. Could it be that our genes like the abuse? (My apologies to the 20 million Americans who have or are on the verge of getting diabetes. This obviously isn't the case.)

Global warming and health

One could reasonable argue that global warming is overblown and that its impact on climate change is gradual and part of a normal cycle. But you know that's a bunch of turd -- the seemingly endless stories of drought-, hurricane-, flood- and fire-ravaged areas and the untold suffering of millions tell us that something is drastically changing with our climate, and that change is upsetting the systemic balance of what keeps society afloat ... and alive. Just read this, for example. Not to go all Al Gore on you, but the phenomenon of global warming generally accelerates and worsens climatic extremes -- meaning harsher storms, more severe droughts, stuff like that. And youbetcha that affects human health in a big ugly way. Clean water becomes less accessible; food becomes harder to grow. People starve and die of disease. Just like what's happening in West Timor. Here's something else to chew on, too.

The decline of Western civilization, part 862

I like a Nathan's hot dog as much as any red-blooded American, but, c'mon, this is getting a bit ridiculous. I mean, we're not talking Ali-Frazier here. These are guys eating a bunch of hot dogs. And isn't gluttony one of the Seven Deadly Sins? Anyway, I say if we're going to get gun-ho over "competitive" eating, let's expand the media, so to say. I want to see these folks power down Icees and then collapse as their brains freeze. That would be funny.

Watermelon for everyone!

CNN is posting a news video touting watermelon having the same, ahem, amorous effects as Viagra. I don't even have a joke to make, other than watermelon, being very low in calories and high in water content, leaves you feeling less filled and more hydrated while you're performing the physical act of love. I felt you need to know that.

Healthy makes you happier!

OK, some study published today ranks the nations with the happiest people on earth. The BBC reports:

1st - Denmark
2nd - Switzerland
3rd - Austria
4th - Iceland
5th - The Bahamas
23rd - USA
41st - UK
90th - Japan
178th - Burundi

What's the connection? According to the study, healtier nations are happier nations! And based on the top three nations on this list, access to delicious pastries and chocolates matters, too. Here in the mighty USA, Baby Boomers in large were found to be sullen and unhappy. Repeated viewings of The Big Chill will do that to you.

Here's a handy map of World Happiness

Chicken for breakfast?

It seems Time magazine is jumping on the healthy-eating bandwagon, which is a staple of editors looking for easy summer stories that allow them to take vacations. In the current issue, Joel Stein waxes philosophically about chicken for breakfast and why we eat the things we do each morning (which, by the way, are predominantly not good for you -- donuts, bacon, sugar-heavy cereals, three-egg omelets, etc.). Then, Dr. Sanjay Gupta's Fit Nation column delves into the primary reason people fall off the dietary wagon: bad food tastes good. No kidding. A solution? "When it's time for a diet, the first thing you want to do is hit the spice rack," he writes. Great idea, but honestly, how many of us know how to cook well with the abundance of spices available at the local market? To eat well, both for good health and good flavor, takes real effort. Every day. Every week. Yikes. It's like having a part-time job.

Illustration by Jack Gallagher for Time

Real advice on summer fruits and veggies

Real Simple magazine has a cool online story featuring their top-12 summer fruits and vegetables, and what to do with them. What makes this credible is that tomatoes -- only the greatest and most perfect food on Earth -- are included. Arugula? Eh ... I can live without it. But any info on what to do with eggplant is appreciated. OK, since we're nitpicking, the list doesn't feature the noble avocado. What's with that? At least, though, it doesn't offer up sprouts. I hate sprouts. They taste like dirt.

Canary in a coal mine

The CDC announced that 24 milllion Americans, roughly 8 percent of the population, has diabetes. A majority of these cases are type 2 diabetes, which is caused by lifestyle factors such as diet and activity. This staggering data should be seen as the canary in the coal mine. The evolution of the human body can not keep pace with modern life. We eat too much, exercise too little, and this diabetes news is the result. The epidemic of diabetes, especially with children (where the data is just numbing), is direct evidence that we are a sick society, and the message is clear -- we need to take better care of our bodies, because what we're doing now isn't working. Here's what the CDC has to say about diabetes.

How you can lose weight!

It's easy! Just burn more calories than you take in. And then you lose weight!

High cholesterol: the new cancer fighter?

The development of pharmaceutical drugs can lead down some interesting paths. What they're originally designed for isn't always what they end up doing, as the makers of Botox and Viagra can tell you. And now the National Cancer Institute is backing researching seeing if statins, the leading type of cholesterol-reduction drug, can prevent cancer. Specifically, studies are revealing that statins block the surface lipids of enzymes that can trigger melanomas and colon cancers (Disclaimer: a UC Irvine skin cancer specialist I'm working with is leading a clincal trial using lovastatins for melanoma prevention). Will statins work for cancer prevention? Hard to tell right now, but the failed angina drug that became Viagra certainly shows that drugs can have more than one utility. Here's what the NCI has to say on statins:

Pictured: the Super Colon!

Welcome

Hi, I'm Tom Vasich, and welcome to my Healther Shelter blog. By trade, I handle communications and PR for UC Irvine Health Sciences, but I've had a life-long interest with health issues. I want to use this blog to share a rational view of human health, which, when considering all the conflicting and sensational information we see daily, can sometimes get lost in a barrange of data. Hence the title "Healther Shelter" -- this blog is an edifice under which you will be protected from the rain, sleet and snow of the multi-billion-dollar industry.

However, I must provide this disclaimer: I'm in the PR trade for a major university medical school, so you have every right to question my views. But I promise this: the perspectives I will present will be my own, and if I present any information from the University of California, I will provide a proper disclaimer.

Now, let's go.