Goodbye Headphones: Hello Speakers

Almost everyone I know (myself included) wears an I-pod with headphones while they workout. To me, it's a relaxing way to workout and it lets me take my mind off the exercise itself.

But, like all things good, listening to music while exercising outside, is not without its pitfalls. If the music is loud enough to block out interim noise like traffic and car-horns (and lets face it, if it's not, then you probably can't hear the music properly), then it can make us less aware of what's going on around us, and thus make us more prone to being hit by a car, or overcome by a crazy stalker.

It was for these reasons that "Safe Sound Sports Speakers" were developed. The little speakers attach to your running shirt, or hang loosely like a neck bandana. They're waterproof and cost just $19.99.

The product information also goes on to say that these speakers offer great sound quality. But I have to be skeptical of that, because even when I have earphones in my ears, if a loud truck or something drives past, I can't hear my music.

Still, the speakers seem like a good idea, particularly if you run alone. Runners World offers other tips to improve running safety, such as running with a dog, and running in safe, well-lit, public places with minimal danger. Here's a complete list of safety tips.

My other concern with these speakers is that other people can hear your music. So, if you were to workout in a small area like a track, then you could potentially annoy a lot of people.

The other day, I was on a small plane from Atlanta to Alexandria, LA., and there was this old guy playing a computer game on his laptop with the sound levels right up- and no headphones. It was very irritating.

However, if safety is something you're concerned about, then maybe these speakers are something you could try. They come with a one-year warranty, so if you don't like them, just send them back!

Hedda's Fruit Fiesta

This week Hedda bought green grapes to try, but she actually ended up feasting on a range of fruit at a work breakfast. So she exceeded the challenge expectations by eating apples, pears, and red and green grapes.

She said her favorite were the green grapes she'd tried in the grocery store.

This week she's in the Bahama's so maybe she'll get to try some fresh tropical fruit.

Functional Fitness

I've been injured several times.

I've torn my right calf muscle twice, I've had plantar fasciitis, I've had a stress fracture in my lower femur, and I've had a green-stick fracture in my wrist- (that one was from being a klutz, and tripping over myself while running for a drop-shot in tennis. However, I did still manage to win the national double championships with my fiberglass cast, because our opponents couldn't figure out what we were doing when we continuously swapped sides so I wouldn't have to hit a backhand).

Anyway, my point is that because of these injuries I've seen many physio therapists, sports doctors, and massage therapists. One thing that every one of these people has told me is that being strong is about strengthening the little muscles that no-one can see- not the vanity muscles like biceps and pecs.

This is what I was thinking about when our class was told about functional fitness at the Gainesville Health and Fitness Center, Thursday.

The trainer said that the exercises we do in the gym should serve a purpose in everyday life. That is, they should help us climb stairs without holding onto the rail, they should help our posture when we sit in chairs all day long, and they should make our whole body more balanced and strong.

Essentially, this means our exercise regime should utilize the six primal movement patterns- squat, lunge, push, pull, twist, and bend.

I like the idea of "primal movements" because- I don't know if she meant it like this or not- but to me it means not having to go to the gym to get in a good workout. I love to run outdoors, and bike around. But I'm incredibly lazy when it comes to going to the gym and working out on the various weight machines. If I feel like I'm getting weaker, I'll start doing push-ups or I'll do various balancing exercises that I've made up by standing in front of the mirror. If I'm feeling particularly ambitious, I'll even do some squats, as well as some physio exercises I've learnt over the years to strengthen my core.

Functional fitness is the "in" thing at gyms these days. But beside being cool, it is also very practical. This article talks about utilizing the primal movements by doing things like lifting a basket of laundry, carrying bags of groceries to the car, and moving while holding awkward objects.

When you workout, you should think about the practical things that you need to do in life, such as picking up a dog, taking out the trash, or moving a table. And then think about how you can strengthen and balance your whole body so you don't throw out your back or pull a muscle. This article explains it more.

I'm not trying to be corny, but you don't just want to look strong, you want to be strong.

Shut the (noise) up

When I lived on campus at the start of my undergraduate degree, I would go insane with all the noise swirling around- my roommates talking late at night, the TV, the neighbor's banging on the wall, the other neighbor's playing music- it seemed like there was a never-ending supply of noise. I'll admit that I was pretty paranoid about it because I was getting up at 6.30am for cross-country practice, but still- it was noisy.

Then I discovered fans and earplugs. They saved my sleep.

This article looks at other ways to block out noise for the sake of our sleep. As I'm sure you've heard by now, sleep is like the cure of all evils, so if noise is what's keeping you up, it is worth reading about and finding a solution that works for you.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, people consistently rate noise above traffic, crime, and other social problems, as a primary reason for wanting to move (which, I can totally understand).

Experts tips for reducing noise include:

1) Block off any opening where air can get in. If air is getting in, noise can too.
2) Use white noise- water fountains, fans, little machines that spit out soothing bird chirping, or cds designed to do the same job, are all options that can work.
3) Make friends with the neighbors- don't go and tell the neighbor's that they're crappy people because they're so noisy. Instead, make friends with them and they will more likely respect you and be a little quieter (mind games- see, they do work).
4) Earplugs- I personally endorse this one. I just have one tip- if you're sleeping with someone, put the earplugs in when you've said your goodnights and everything, because it's kind of annoying to half hear that he/she loves you.
Also, not all earplugs are created equal. This link provides you with one guy's rating test.
5) Try acoustic barriers or soundproofing blankets- this one sounds a little extreme, but if nothing else works, then maybe try this.

Hopefully this list helps with anyone of you that are having sleep problems because of noise. By the way, "noise" comes from the Latin word "nausea." Interesting to know.

HIV Vaccine Trial Flops

The latest trial testing out a potential HIV vaccine in humans has flopped.

Drug maker Merck & Co. (who developed Gardasil- the HPV vaccine) said Friday that it was stopping enrollment and vaccination of volunteers taking part in the international study because the HIV vaccine being tested was clearly not doing its job.

24 of 741 volunteers who got the vaccine eventually became infected with HIV. 21 of 762 participants getting dummy shots also became infected with HIV (most of the volunteers were homosexual men or female prostitutes).

The Merck vaccine was the first to test a new strategy to prevent HIV infection by trying to get the body's immune system to make more killer T-cells to fight off the virus (HIV essentially destroys the immune system, which is why people who die of AIDS actually die from something else like pneumonia).

However, while this trial's failure is a blow to AIDS research, it's not the be-all end-all. There are other researchers testing out the same strategy, and there are other researchers looking for new strategies.

When the AIDS virus first made an outbreak in America in the '80s, I don't think anyone anticipated how difficult it would be to develop a vaccine for this. But, part of the problem is that HIV/AIDS is such a complicated disease, and the medical profession is still trying to understand exactly how it works.

So in the meantime, we just have to be extra careful about using condoms, and putting a cap on our sexual activity.

As a side-note- and this is positive- circumcision has been linked to a reduced risk of HIV transmission. To find out more, read this.

So boys, if you're not already circumcised, maybe that could be an option too. From what I've heard, the surgery doesn't keep you down for long (condoms still need to be used, though).

Here's a link to more information about the HIV vaccine study.

Hedda and the (Fake) Cherry

This week Hedda didn't actually go out and buy a new fruit- we were both out of town at different times so we never really got the fruit date together. So to make up for it, she ate the fake cherry out of her drink on Friday night.

She didn't like it, but those things are pretty artificial so I don't know that they're really representative of the real thing.

So maybe this week's challenge will be real cherries?

Art Therapy- Not Just In The Movies

When I saw the headline "Using Crayons To Exorcise Katrina" in the health section of the New York Times, I was interested. In almost every psychological thriller I've seen- The Ring and The Sixth Sense, to name a couple- I see the messed-up kid drawing a distorted image of something in their life. So, I wanted to know if this was what the article was about. And essentially it was...

The article talks about how a traditional house with a pointy roof, a square body, and boxed in windows and a door is a common piece of art drawn by kids.

Artwork by kids affected by Hurricane Katrina, however, is a little different. Karla Leopold, an art therapist from California, noticed that these children were drawing the house as a triangle- the house morphed from a place of safety to one that focused on the roof.

The drawings are coming out of art sessions conducted at the Renaissance Village- a large trailer park for Katrina evacuees, in Baker, Louisiana.

Therapists assert that these drawings illustrate the anxiety, fear, and trauma that has resulted from the whole experience of Hurricane Katrina.

Art therapists use the creative process to help their clients increase insight and judgment, cope with stress, work through traumatic experiences, increase cognitive abilities, have better relationships with family and friends, and to just be able to enjoy life more.

Going back to the Baby Diet

I haven't done an intense track workout for a few years now, but I still have friends who compete, so I like to keep up with what's new in the world of running.

So when I came across this article in the New York Times (reg. required) I was interested. Basically it says that Pedialyte, a nutrition drink aimed at toddlers, is starting to become popular with athletes as a recovery drink.

The article credits long distance runners with starting the trend in the 1980s but says that it's now collecting a devoted following amongst other amateur and professional athletes, including Tom Glavine, a star pitcher of the New York Mets.

Pedialyte is traditionally used as a recovery drink for toddlers experiencing diarrhea, but it's main ingredients- sodium, pottasium and glucose, are also the main ingredients of sports drinks.

So, if Gatorade doesn't do it for you, maybe it's time to give Pedialyte a try.

As an added bonus- it's neon-tinted and comes in kid friendly flavors like grape.

Hedda and the Strawberry

This week's challenge was berries! She actually went all out and tried both strawberries and blueberries, and both were a success.

Strawberries are her favorite fruit so far. She didn't like the blueberries as much, but only because they weren't that flavorful (I think it's the end of the season, because I tried a few and they did lack their usual tang).

Other Hedda news is that she just ordered the children's book "Gregory the Terrible Eater," to learn other ways to improve her eating habits.

I think this fruit eating experiment has inspired her to revamp her diet.

Although maybe we should work on vegetables too. Hedda actually takes the time to strain her salsa so she doesn't accidentally consume a tiny piece of onion or pepper.

Non-Smokers Rejoice

For non-smokers, the ban on smoking in public places is probably worth it just for the fact that you don't have to smell it, inhale it, and then smell it again on your clothes when you get home.

But a study in Scotland- the most detailed study so far- has shown that peoples health is actually improving as a result of the cleaner air in public places.

You can read the whole article here, but basically what they found was that exposure to second hand smoke is down by 40 percent amongst adults and children where the ban is in effect, and it is actually helping their heart health. A comparison of nine hospitals showed that there has been a 17 percent year-on-year drop in heart attack admissions since the ban went into place in March 2006.

It is yet to be determined if there are similar effects in the U.S where similar bans have been enacted, but I see no reason why it shouldn't be the same here. Although, because there is no federal ban, the public areas that are actually banned vary greatly by state.

In Florida, as I'm sure you've noticed, you can still smoke in bars- unless food accounts for more than 10 percent of the establishment's sales. Guess we won't be getting more than chips and dip to eat in most places!

If you want to see the bans in other states, check out this link.

Here we go again!

After years of tedious debate, last year the Morning After Pill otherwise known as Plan B was finally allowed to be sold over the counter here in the U.S. (It had already been readily available in New Zealand, Australia, and Europe for a long time).

For those of you who don't know, the Morning After Pill if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex can reduce your chance of getting pregnant by 89 percent. The chances are even better if taken within 24 hours.

Since its debut on the market it has been enormously popular.

But now, once again, critics of the drug are trying their best to take it off the market again.
This article goes into the details.

To me, this is just selfish. Their reasoning is that it is making teens more promiscuous- the drug is available to those age 18 or up- as they can have a back-up plan that is simpler than abortion.

These claims have not been substantiated. Granted, nor have claims that it will reduce the abortion rate. But it has only been one year. (By the way, the morning after pill is not a form of abortion, as some people would like you to believe). It works by preventing the pregnancy from happening in the first place.

It's called "Plan B" for a reason. It shouldn't be your primary use of birth control, but it should be there in case of an emergency.

How is it hurting anyone to have that option?

Hedda and the Peach

This weeks challenge was the peach. Here's how it went:

Hedda: So..um..do I just eat it like an apple?

Me: Yes, just like an apple.

Hedda: (Screwing up her face) Ugh..It's furry. I feel like I should be petting it.

Me: Well, it's a peach. If you don't like the fuzz, maybe we should have tried a nectarine.

Hedda: Yeah I don't like the peach. (Takes a few more bites) Maybe it will grow on me.

1/5 of the way through, she stopped eating.

Next weeks fruit is going to have to be fuzz-free. What do you suggest?

Mold causes depression?

A recent study in the American Journal of Public Health revealed that there may be a correlation between mold in homes and depression.

Apparently the mold toxins get into your brain, affect your emotions, and make you depressed.

Hmm...yeah?...I'm skeptical. Who lives in a moldy home and is ok with that?

Mold has always grossed me out because it reminds me of the moldy bread experiments we did in elementary. And moldy cheese? I don't go there.

After Hurricane Rita (I used to live in Lake Charles, LA) the wall of my bedroom was destroyed, so with the hot, sticky climate pouring in, and no power- so no A/C, I had some nice patches of mold going on. It was disgusting. I cleaned, and my room smelled like bleach for days. I was paranoid that it would grow back and cause my lungs to collapse or something.

Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is ok maybe mold does get into your brain and cause depression, but I think you have to be messed up on some level to let mold grow freely in your home. Maybe the people who reported depressive symptoms after living in moldy homes were depressed before the mold started to grow.

Unsurprisingly, the correlation between mold and depression is still up for debate.

This article goes into it a bit more.