Digest a 'la Simone: Thinking=Eating, Excuses

Two recent suggestions from my friend Simone.

From Jezebel, I'm not fat, I'm just smart details the findings of a new study that found that people consume more calories following "intellectual work" than after relaxing. Apparently, doing a crossword or Sudoku puzzle causes people to eat more calories than say, staying at wall. (That is, of course, unless your name is Henry David Thoreau.)

The study's main author, Jean-Phillipe Chaput hypothesized that this could be a contributing factor "to the obesity epidemic currently observed in industrialized countries."

Meh. I don't know about this study. Something seems off.

Firstly, the problem is not just the consumption of more calories--it's the consumption of bad calories. When most people snack during the work day or during finals or whenever, it's most crap food: chips, cookies, and crunchy salty sweet things.

Secondly, this implies that a lot of people (specifically, people with weight problems) are doing a great deal of heavy thinking, if you will. Really? I don't know.

From Lifehacker, Why Your Self-Handicapping Excuses Don't Work (And How to Fix Them) highlights a NY Times article discussing self-handicapping.

Self-handicapping is something that everyone does on occasion, but people who do it regularly are generally seen as annoying. Who wants to hear excuses all the time? (Otherwise known as whining.)

To protect our fragile egos, we've all thrown out the occasional "my dog ate my homework" type excuse, but for people who do it often, it becomes an exercise in self delusion. The Times cites some interesting information:

Studies of college students have found that habitual handicappers — who skip a lot of classes; who miss deadlines; who don’t buy the textbook — tend to rate themselves in the top 10 percent of the class, though their grades slouch between C and D.

It's one thing to miss an occasional deadline, forget an appointment, etc. but when the same thing happens consistently with the same reasons for failure being offered, it's not healthy.

The Times also points out that if someone else is giving excuses for you, people won't hate you. But they don't explain how to get other people into doing it... I suspect the trick is to recruit someone with an extra dose of patience and sympathy.

Good luck with that!

Obesity in the USA

From Jill Richardson on La Vida Locavore.

OBESITY TRENDS 1985-2007 shows a nice little animation of the percent of obese people by state. Watch as each state changes colors through the years, as the residents gain more and more weight.


An interesting way to represent the situation. And also disheartening.

Update: No $$ in the bank, no ga$ in the tank...

As a follow-up to my recent post about women forgoing health care because of financial issues (No money in the bank, no gas in the tank and no healthcare either, 12/17/08), I thought I'd point out a post from Women's Health News that covers the same issue, but is based on a survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

PBS reported the survey's results, which indicated that more people have been postponing health care or treatment, not filling prescriptions and skipping appointments because of the costs.


Can we just gives props to the Women's National Health Resource Center for already covering this?! It's too bad Kaiser has billions more cash monies to pay for a huge survey and publicity.

Although, I was thinking that BOTH surveys have a pretty major reporting flaw in that participants are asked to report on their current feelings toward healthcare and their past feelings toward healthcare at the same time. It's been proven time and time again that your current inclinations towards a specific thing can greatly affect your past perceptions of that same thing... even when that thing is something as seemingly bias-resistant as seeking healthcare.

I would imagine that while not everyone is feeling the effects of the economic downturn, since we talk about it so damn much, it seems like it's worse than it currently is. Surely, it will get worse later, so are people really unable to pay for health care or are they unwilling?

And, in response to Kaiser's survey, was it really that much worse in October 2008 than it was in April 2008, a mere 7 months later? I don't know. I'm skeptical, but that's why I'm asking.

This isn't me being insensitive, because I pay for health insurance also. Sometimes PBS is just annoying to me... like how this story Even Insured Patients Struggle as Healthcare Costs Rise appears in the special In-Depth Coverage section on "The Uninsured in America." Um, these people have insurance, and they're complaining about it? At least they have it, compared to the 25 million who are apparently underinsured in the USA.

Look, if you want to talk about healthcare in general, just put it all in a "Healthcare Issues" section. But don't throw everything healthcare related under "The Uninsured" because it's misleading.

There are strong arguments for all of these issues, but when you throw all this crap together and force it to be related (when it shouldn't be), it muddles the issues, nobody wins and everyone is annoyed. Most of all me.

British Mythbusters Rock Your World

From Lifehacker: Popular Medical Myths Put to Rest.

The British Medical Journal dispels some of the most commonly held medical beliefs, in Festive Medical Myths and Medical Myths.

Some interesting conclusions:

1. We use more than 10% of our brains.
2. Hair and fingernail growth does not continue after death.
3. Reading in low light does not ruin your eyesight.
4. You cannot cure a hangover.
5. Night snacking does not necessarily make you fat.
6. Sugar doesn't cause hyperactivity. Then why do I run laps around my apartment after eating a bag of blue raspberry Sour Straws?
   

Also, the British have some terse words for medical professionals everywhere.

Physicians would do well to understand the evidence supporting their medical decision making. They should at least recognise when their practice is based on tradition, anecdote, or art. While belief in the described myths is unlikely to cause harm, recommending medical treatment for which there is little evidence certainly can. Speaking from a position of authority, as physicians do, requires constant evaluation of the validity of our knowledge. (My emphasis)

Ha! So serious! Lighten up... shoot.

Also, do you remember how you reacted when that snotty boy in 1st grade told you there was no Santa?

I think it's something similar to the reader reactions in Lifehacker's comments. BUT MY MOM SAID HE'S REAL!

Resolutions: Why bother?

I've never been big on the New Year's Resolutions. Maybe it just seems like a weak reason to make significant changes in your life. A new year? Who cares. A new day starts in about an hour and a half and I'm pretty sure it's going to be a lot like the one that just ended.

However, a lot of people buy into the "resolution" industry. A poll on Vitamin G shows that 64% of Glamour readers (whoever they are) always make resolutions and 36% said "No--there's too much pressure!"

According to About.com the 10 most common resolutions are:

1. Spend more time with family and friends.
2. Work out.
3. Lose weight.
4. Quit smoking.
5. Enjoy life more.
   
6. Quit drinking.
7. Get out of debt.
8. Learn something new.
9. Volunteer.
10. Get organized.

And surprisingly (randomly?), USA.gov has a list of popular New Year's resolutions as well. They've added save money, get a better job, get a better education, take a trip, and reduce stress at work and in life. Just in case you needed ideas, the government is here to help!

I have to admit, I made one resolution last year: to stop drinking to excess.

This was a retroactive measure taken in response to a particular situation. I brought in 2007 with a handle of tequila and subsequently spent the following day and a half lying on the floor of the bathroom. I made an ass of myself and was totally ridiculous. I thought, "I'm too old to be doing this!" Seriously, it's not attractive AT ALL. I don't care how hot you are or how short your skirt is. Once those eyes roll back in your pretty little head and you vomit all over yourself, it's over. Disgusting.

And what's the status of my resolution? 366 days (leap year!) and still going strong. No more pukey nights for Chloe.