 | | |
| | |
|
Spaces home  MSN Health Editor's BlogPhotosProfileFriendsMore |  Tools   |
|
|
MSN Health Editor's BlogAugust 03 A weighty issueI've been reading in today's Mail about a doctor, Dr Hamish Meldrum (great name) of the British Medical Association, who has come out and said that we should treat obese people less like they have a medical problem and more like they simply eat too much and exercise too little.
Hear, hear, Hamish. The article put me in mind of a story which appeared in the press earlier in the week, which said thin people were genetically programmed to dislike fat people. The two stories aren't related, but they both made me think that, in our efforts to battle the obesity epidemic that will lead to 12 million obese people in the UK by 2010, we can't take a softly softly approach or overmedicalise things.
It really is simple - if you are carrying too much weight then take a look at your diet or exercise regime. If you're eating too many fatty or carb-loaded foods while doing little or no exercise, this (in the vast majority of cases) is the reason why you are overweight.
Dr Hamish despairs at the number of people who ask for medication or even surgery to 'cure' their weight problem. Obesity shouldn't be a problem for GPs or be described as hyper-appetite disorder - obesity is a problem for society to face up to. Parents need to bring their kids up properly, teaching them how to eat a balanced diet along the way, while others need to take responsibility for their own health.
I can't believe I'm openly supporting an article that appeared in the Mail, but Dr Hamish is right, this really shouldn't be a problem that the UK's already stretched health service has to deal with.
Ross.
August 01 July - your feedbackTime again for me to dive headfirst into the buckets of feedback you have sent to us during the last four weeks. Not surprisingly, this July you have been mostly talking about The Smoking Ban, or the Big Bad Ban (BBB) as I like to call it.
It's always good to kick things off on a positive note, so here's a word of complaint from Sebastian. "On your site you describe smokers who smoke less than 10 cigarettes as being 'light' smokers. This is very inappropriate, smoking leads to a higher risk or morbidity and mortality, whether you smoke 1,5,10 or 20. Please can you change your article immediately - otherwise it is tantamount to suggesting that smoking 10 or less is not bad for your health."
No can do, Seb, though please rest assured that we at MSN Health & Wellbeing would never suggest that smoking 10 fags a day or less is not bad for your health. I'm 100% with you on that one. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who smokes, regardless of how little or how much, may as well cut out their lungs, cook them up and eat them with some flava beans and a nice chianti.
Moving on, and Reno has this bit of advice for the 70% of smokers who claim they want to give up. "When your desire for a cigarette is intense, have an orange. It worked for me and it's the fifth year since I stopped." There you go, easy as that. Want to stop smoking? Eat an orange.
Jean, on the other hand, thinks the ban is: "Ludicrous. Pub in general are places where people go to drink, chat and smoke. Bit by bit this country is becoming communist. We are being told what we can eat, what we can or can't do in schools and in the workplace and now it seems in our homes too. I remember years ago watching a film where all books were banned and anyone having a book in their home was arrested and all books burned. I can't remember the name. We people of this country need to stand up now and say ENOUGH is ENOUGH."
Well, first of all Jean, the film you're talking about was probably the screen version of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. But I don't think we can really compare the the BBB to the burning of books, can we? I think we need to put this ban into perspective - smoking hasn't been banned, it's just been banned in places where the smoke can damage the health of other people. How can anyone argue with that?
As Karl wrote in to say: "Why take the chance?" Right on brother.
Right then, on to other things. John, it seems, enjoyed our article about the benefits of taking a regular siesta. He says: "I discovered in my early 20s that a nap after lunch was beneficial. I tend to only do it now if I actually feel sleepy and in my working days if I was in the office I would find an empty interview room and book myself into it for 30 mins to have a nap! I found I was more productive after that than I was if I spent the next two hours trying to keep awake and get on with my work!"
I'm all for it John. In fact, now that the sun's out and it's lunch time, I may just take you up on that advice. Before that, however, James has a suggestion. "I read MSN Health & Wellbeing to learn more about health. On several occasions I have written to you regarding Tai Chi and the lack of articles [on this subject] on the channel. I feel strongly that Tai Chi is a hugely misunderstood subject and I wish to bring a clear understanding of how Tai Chi can benefit to people. Practically everything else except Tai Chi is mentioned - boxing, yoga, but Tai Chi is absent."
We take your point James, consider it in the plan for the next few weeks.
End of.
Ross
July 27 Cycling in a Skoda wonderlandWell, I'm back, and it's just possible that my thighs are a little bit bigger than they were when I left. I mentioned in my previous entry that I was preparing to fly out to Geneva to watch the Tour de France as it weaved and climbed its way through the Alps, and the trip didn't disappoint. Not only did I get to see the cyclists up close and follow them in one of the official race cars, but I also got to cycle the last 16 kilometres of Stage 8 of the Tour.
First I think I should tell you something about the race as a viewing spectacle. Stage 8 of the race started in Le Grand-Bornand and finished in Tignes, 165km away. In between there are three category one climbs, taking the riders as high as 2088 metres. We were there to see them off in the morning, but couldn't hang about. We had to stay in front of the Peloton (the main group or 'herd' or riders) so jumped into our race car for the day and set off at breakneck speed. If you have been watching the Tour on telly then you'll know that Skoda is one of the main sponsors of the race. Skodas are literally everywhere, and it was one of these vehicles that was skilfully driven by our chauffeur (himself an ex-Tour rider) through the Alps to Tignes where we watched the exhausted cyclists finish just one of 20 days of hard riding.
To appreciate just how fast these guys ride, you really have to see them up close. Even on a steep ascent these chaps really fly. Such a shame then that the Tour has once again been engulfed by yet another drugs scandal, but one just hopes that this is merely a sign that the organisers are getting better at catching those who choose to cheat and ruin the fun for everyone else.
After the excitement of watching the race, it was time for me to give it a go for myself. Once the Tour caravan had rolled out of town, my travelling companions and I set off back down the mountain, to around 1000m, only to turn around and cycle back up it. For me anyway, this was something I had never tried before.
The 16km back into Tignes took us up a category one climb, at 5.4%. And it was HOT. After a few hundred metres I was puffing and panting and my legs were already feeling the strain. But then, strangely, my body seemed to adapt and I began to thoroughly enjoy myself. The views of the Alps in Summer (needless to say, the French aren't experiencing rain and floods like we are) were among the most stunning I have ever had the pleasure to set my eyes on. Simply stunning, and I couldn't help but ride with a huge smile on my face as I pedaled slowly up towards the glorious town of Tignes.
When I arrived at the finish, more than half the group was already there, perhaps preparing to send out a search party for me. But I didn't care, I'd become hooked on cycling and - despite all its faults that I pray it soon leaves behind forever - the Tour de France. I'd always had an fondness for it, now I'm making plans to go back every year and watch it live.
I also had, of course, a overwhelming sense of respect towards the riders themselves. I had cycled less than 20km up one mountain - they traverse 3,569km over many and burn up to 10,000 calories a day. Just thinking about those sort of distances make me want to lie down.
Lucky then that I had a week in Provence to recover...
Many thanks to Marc and the rest of the Skoda team. July 13 Chasing the pelotonFor most people who are into cycling, their interest in the sport seems to stem from a childhood fascination with the Tour de France. I, on the other hand, have only recently discovered the event, but have been captivated by the race for the last couple of years and was delighted to see it weave its way through London and the Kent countryside. It's undoubtedly one of, if not the, most gruelling sporting events in the world, lasting 22 days (with only two rest days for riders) at a distance of 3,550km.
I have also been drawn into the sport after reading the great Lance Armstrong's two autobiographies, which not only tell the story of his record seven consecutive Tour de France wins (from 1999 to 2005) but also describe his battle with cancer, which occured before he had won his first Tour. In fact, the main focus of the books is not his success on the bike, but his defeat of a disease which very nearly took his life. One doctor gave him less than a 5% chance of survival. Without doubt they are the most inspiring, unputdownable books I have ever read. "Fall down six times, get up seven," as the great man himself says.
Anyway, I'm lucky enough to be heading out to France tomorrow to watch stage eight of the Tour as it the riders race from Le-Grand-Bornand to Tignes against a stunning Alps backdrop. We'll be watching the peloton (the name given to the main group, or 'herd', of riders) close up, and I can't wait. I'll have a glass of red wine in my hand at the time, if I have anything to do with it anyway, but rest assured I'll be 100% behind them...
Then I'm off for a week's holiday in Provence, so I'll tell you all about it when I get back (the Tour, not my holiday).
Ross
July 05 SaltyToday's news that some ready-made sandwiches can be up to seven times saltier than crisps should come as no shock. Does anyone out there actually enjoy pre-packed sandwiches, even from more upmarket places like Pret a Manger and EAT as opposed to Tesco and Greggs?
More often that are foul-tasting and, more annoyingly, drowning in mayo. And what is it with this habit we have in the UK of having a packet of crisps with our lunch-time sandwich? That just makes things even saltier.
Nevermind the fact that they are overly salty, I think we should shun ready-made sarnies because they are offensive to the taste-buds.
My advice is to go to a deli and watch exactly what goes into your sandwich (the bread will be better too, and less salty) or, even better, make your own every day.
Ross
PS - there is one exception: the Pret Christmas sandwich. But that's only comes round once a year so I'm allowed....
|
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
Invite as friend
Profile
Blog
Photos
Lists