I'm not sure the grand conclusion from a new medical study out this week was to eat more cheeseburgers, but it does say that a little extra weight might be just OK.
Wait. Is 2013 bizarro world? This seems counterintuitive from just about everything we've been told all our lives. You make the call. Here's the article:
(TIME.com) -- The longest lived among us aren't necessarily those who are of normal weight, says a new study.
According to new research this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers say that being overweight may lead to a longer life.
The somewhat surprising conclusion comes from an enormous, detailed review of over 100 previously published research papers connecting body weight and mortality risk among 2.88 million study participants living around the world.
The new research confirms that obese people, and particularly those who are extremely obese, tend to die earlier than those of normal weight. But the findings also suggest that people who are overweight (but not obese) may live longer than people with clinically normal body weight.
I know a lot of people always think of Dan Fogelberg's Same Old Lang Syne as a Christmas song, but I've always thought of it as a New Year's Song. I'll try not shed a tear listening this time. (joking)
It's hard to imagine a worse Christmas activity than a family trip to the emergency room because you hurt yourself. A new survey of people over 45 by the American Osteopathic Association came up with this list of the top six ways people get hurt around Christmas. So be careful with all of these . . .
#1.) Slipping and falling on ice.
#2.) Shoveling snow.
#3.) Participating in winter sports.
#4.) Shopping.
#5.) Accidents traveling.
#6.) Wrapping presents. Yes, 7% of people said they've suffered some kind of physical pain in the past from wrapping presents.
The survey also found that 45% of women and 39% of men who hurt themselves during the holidays will try to ignore the pain until after Christmas.
Sometimes we need a reminder of the good things that happen. Thanks to Buzzfeed.com for this article:
26 Moments That Restored Our Faith In Humanity This Year
1. The parents who made their son's wheelchair into the best Halloween costume ever
2. The terminally ill man who loves receiving mail... and got more than he ever expected. Scott Widak has Down syndrome and suffers from liver disease, and he loves receiving mail. His nephew Sean posted his P.O. Box on Reddit and the site's users responded with hundreds of letters, packages, and gifts.
3. A kind stranger who stopped a day from being ruined
8. The parents who tattooed insulin pumps on their bellies so their diabetic son wouldn't feel "different"
9. The police officer who bought shoes for a barefoot homeless man
Jennifer Foster was visiting Times Square on Nov. 14 when she snapped the heartwarming moment. Here's her account of what happened:
“Right when I was about to approach, one of your officers came up behind him. The officer said, ‘I have these size 12 boots for you, they are all-weather. Let’s put them on and take care of you.’ The officer squatted down on the ground and proceeded to put socks and the new boots on this man. The officer expected NOTHING in return and did not know I was watching*. I have been in law enforcement for 17 years. I was never so impressed in my life. I did not get the officer’s name. It is important, I think, for all of us to remember the real reason we are in this line of work. The reminder this officer gave to our profession in his presentation of human kindness has not been lost on myself or any of the Arizona law enforcement officials with whom this story has been shared.”
12. The Texas A&M students that blocked Westboro Baptist Church protesters with a human wall. When students heard that Westboro Baptist Church planned on protesting the funeral of a soldier, they formed a human barricade around the funeral service to block them out.
I'll admit, I'm in the percentage of people who have an iPad.
I love it. It's a great web surfing device, email checker and I like my apps too. One thing I hate about the iPad is the lack of sleep that you get with it.
I've tried to resist the urge to grab the iPad in bed and read a book or check in Facebook/email/whatever before crashing out but I can't always.
One thing I guarantee is that the tablet will keep you up at night. Which is why adding them to hotel rooms is great for public relations, but no good for your zzzzzzz's.
A new survey finds that most US workers are very stressed (big surprise!) —and that for nearly a quarter of all employees, the top priority is simply showing up at work.
The study found that:
More than 60% of employees report high levels of stress, and another 32% report constant, but not as high, levels of stress. Low stress? Only 5% of those surveyed are that lucky.
As for that top priority, 22% listed "presenteeism"—just being present—as their main concern and the most important thing to do at work.
Why so stressed? Almost 40% say it's because their workload is increasing.
Stress causes 36% of workers to waste an hour or more each day, the study found. It also causes almost 30% of employees to miss anywhere from three to six days of work per year.
"As employers continue to take a wait-and-see approach when it comes to hiring, people who currently have jobs—many of whom have taken on extra work—are starting to show signs of prolonged stress," warns the ComPsych CEO. "This can result in burnout and reduced performance."
Again, no big surprises here. I say just showing up is 99% of the battle.
Doesn't conventional wisdom tell us that most people aren't getting enough sleep these days because of all the distractions around us?
Eight hours of sleep, researchers say, will make you thinner, happier, smarter, hornier and richer. But here's the thing. It was revealed in an extensive time use survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that most Americans are getting TOO MUCH sleep.
The average American over the age of fifteen sleeps 8 hours and 43 minutes every night. Women sleep slightly more at 8 hours and 48 minutes per night, while men average 8 hours and 37 minutes per night. People sleep more on the weekend at 9 hours and 21 minutes (which is actually bad for you), but they still get a full 8 hours and 27 minutes on weekdays. Youths age 15-19 get the most sleep at around 9 hours and 28 minutes, followed by seniors at 9 hours and 21 minutes; but even the least sleeping group, adults aged 45-54, average 8 hours and 26 minutes.
Ugh...that's too much to take. I'm going back to bed.
You know the expression about opinions. Seems like everybody's got a good solution about how you can sleep well at night. A pair of new sleep studies had some interesting conclusions. They talked about how to get good sleep while you're awake.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 percent of American workers—about 40.6 million of us—average no more than six hours of sleep a day.
Here's what the study suggested:
• Be active.Exercise not only keeps your muscles, bones, and heart strong, but it may help you sleep. A recent article published in the Journal of Physiotherapy concluded that participating in an exercise training program had moderately positive effects on sleep quality in middle-aged and older adults. Althea Zanecosky, a fellow dietician of Lafayette Hill, Penn., credits her good sleep to frequent morning and after-dinner walks. Robin Plotkin, another dietician from Dallas, Tex., agrees that exercise is key to her sleeping success. "If I don't exercise for several days, I find it takes me longer to fall asleep," she says. Because the post-exercise body needs a few hours to cool down—and a cool body sleeps better—it's best to be active earlier in the day.
• Say yes to carbs. A steady dose of carbohydrate-rich foods can energize you by day, and hit your sweet spot by night. Tryptophan, an amino acid found in eggs, chickpeas, and turkey creates serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps you settle down. It's the carbohydrate, however, that carries tryptophan to the brain to work its magic. Aim for half of your daily calories to come from carbohydrates, and choose mainly oatmeal and other whole grains, fruits, vegetables (including potatoes), legumes, and low-fat dairy foods. (Keep dinners and bedtime snacks small, since large, late meals can adversely affect sleep.)
• Be careful with caffeine. A stimulant of the central nervous system, caffeine is known to delay sleepiness and cause sleep disturbances. It also inhibits some sleep-promoting hormones. Because caffeine stays in the body for several hours, it's wise to abstain at least several hours before you hit the sack.
• Nix the nightcap. Alcohol seems to encourage excess food intake. And while it may also help you fall asleep, studies suggest it promotes a restless sleep and increases daytime fatigue. Current dietary guidelines allow for one drink a day for women, and two for men (one drink equals 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits). But if it's a good sleep you're after, drink earlier in the day (that is, if your boss lets you!) or rethink that drink altogether.
If you believe the hashtag, #johnmayerisback!
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