Living Well

The Water Factor

2010-11-15T18:05:00.000-08:00

Does drinking water before a meal really help you lose weight?

In a brief blog post in the New York Times, Anahad O'Connor is claiming that a number of studies conducted over the last several years have shown that this question can be simply answered, "yes."

Personally, I always thought drinking water over other beverages could only help improve my health; it would be another good decision.

My track coaches in high school and college always recommended replacing soda with water and because I was "in training," and I always listened without question.

Water has no fat, calories or sugar in comparison to other beverages: juice, milk, soda, etc. It also is hydrating compared to soda, coffee and tea which are dehydrating. So it would make sense for it to be better for us.

O'Connor agrees with this "trick" has been used for decades because the concept is simply that by filling the stomach, water reduces hunger. The most recent study followed a group of overweight subjects who were asked to drink two cups of water before every meal and on average, they lost 15.5 pounds.

This subject is rather timely now, little over a week before Thanksgiving and the holiday season where on average adults gain a pound. To read more about subject and completed studies check out the blog post.

My question regarding this theory though is that water may fill you up but how will it ward off hunger? Water has no nutritional value so won't you come back hungrier as ever? I think the value of this information is not in listening to it alone but to make it a part of your life in addition to eating better and regularly exercising. I find a good resource for this type of information is Runner's World, which offers a number of tips and articles on hydration, water and sports drinks.

Have you given up soda or juice? What do you think about the water factor?

Women at Risk for Heart Disease

2010-11-14T19:11:00.000-08:00

Real women speak up about heart disease.

U.S. News and World Report and Amanda Gardner reported today that women who with stressful jobs are a higher risk of suffering from heart attacks or will need to have coronary bypass surgery. The article also says women who worry about losing their jobs are at a great risk of cardiovascular disease including high blood pressure and higher cholesterol levels.

I share this article because women make up so much more of the workforce now. From my experience in working with women--mothers, wives, daughters--with and without families, the pressures of life, work and balancing it all can be a lot to handle. Moreover, heart disease is the number one killer of women, a little known fact. For warning signs of heart attack, stroke, and cardiac arrest check out the American Heart Association's web site. So little known that the American Heart Association now has a cause, "Go Red For Women" dedicated to raising awareness.

Study Finds
New research on the effects of work-related stress in women were presented today at the American Heart Association's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill. The study, done by associate physician Dr. Michelle A. Albert, looked at more than 17,000 female health professionals and after ten years followed up with the women.

The study showed women in demanding positions who have little control lead a more sedentary life. The article notes though that it is important to know the study "highlighted an apparent association between job stress and heart trouble for women, and did not prove a cause and effect."

The article on the U.S. News and World Report web site was surrounded by advertisements for health related products and services including Mt. Sinai, a cardiac center and an ad for Victoza, a diabetes drug. The article also had some ads I had never seen before: the words "women's health" were double underlined as though a link to more information but when I hovered over the words, they were actually an advertisement on losing weight. The drug and weight loss ads didn't say who was selling the product, I had to click on the link to find out.

Interesting Advertisements
Interestingly enough, there were no advertisements or links to the American Heart Association or the "Go Red for Women" campaign. I think, given the article had a press release like format and was announced as a result of the American Heart Association meeting, the Go red for Women campaign lost an opportunity. However, I have heard a lot about the campaign the last few months so I hope they continue to raise awareness of women's risk for heart disease.

Share the wealth of this information, find ways to de-stress, and be aware if you may be at risk for heart related health problems.

The Medium is the Message

2010-11-13T15:11:00.000-08:00

When cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey's fans complained that Indian cooking was too complex, she decided to write a book with simple dishes. She then shared some of those recipes with the New York Times resulting in a number of vegetarian, Indian dishes perfect for Thanksgiving or every day.

As I love cooking, I love recipes and the Web (including blogs) is usually the first place I go to find them. So blogs are a new(er) way of presenting information that otherwise would have been secluded or given out to a small population who bought Madhur Jaffrey's book. Now, because of blogs, specifically, today because of the "Well" blog, I was able to discover a number of new, tasty recipes for my collection.

What is a blog's impact?

Marshall McLuhan

The impact of the blog is that it gives new information or shares different information that otherwise wouldn't have been available to such a large audience. This idea is more important than the recipe or the information in those blogs. As media expert Marshall McLuhan would say, "the medium is the message."

McLuhan might also suggest that blogs in general are cool mediums. They are low definition and involve high participation. As we've seen, in blog posts there are links, photos, videos and comments.

Readers need to take all that information and put it together to make sense of the purpose and central idea of the blog post. It's a medium that creates its own process and readers need that process of skipping from link to link in order to get the full picture.

Jaffrey's book, thanks to the "Well" post today and bloggers such as myself who are sharing that information will continue to be passed along making many "impressions" on readers. If I hadn't been following the blog then I wouldn't have found it.

Not to mention that the post framed the discussion and presentation of the book to fits its readers, someone like me, who is really interested in using fall vegetables in a new way that would be a simple dish to prepare. Today's post certainly had an impact on me. What do you think about the blog's effects, specifically related to Jaffrey's book as well as generally?

Bonding Over Commentary on Carrots

2010-11-12T16:10:00.000-08:00

Today was a busy day for the "Well" blog author as she published four posts on very different subjects. The best part about her diversity though is that each provides a different look at the comments section in action. Writing about food (of course), diabetes, and a baby advice book, Parker-Pope helps us see and better understand the readers who comment and their discourse.

As of 6:15 p.m. today, the food posts combined had 11 comments, baby advice had none while diabetes had 26. Yes, 26! Although the subject of food can lead to much discussion, especially among food lovers, obviously diabetes, especially in the framework of cost and health insurance, is much more controversial, lending itself to discourse.

Comments Section Characteristics:

People refer to one another by number or name when disagreeing with each other.
People do not use a filter; they say whatever they think and feel (and obviously there is no editor--you'll see many spelling and grammar mistakes).
Even though someone has already made their point earlier in comments, they still feel the need to say the same thing
People have no problem being rude or condescending

Karen Christian was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes 10 years ago.
The article, "Reducing the Cost of Care for Type 2 Diabetes" talks
about her situation.

Adding Your Two Cents
The first question I always ask myself when I read the comments section of a blog is "why do readers make comments?" What do readers hope to achieve?

The nature of the blog in which the writer has no editor may also apply to the comments section. Readers comment, because they can.

On the Internet, they can speak freely without having to be accountable. Every person who comments wants to add his or her two cents.

To go further, I think that they believe that their advice or opinion might make a difference or change someone else's opinion or behavior. Maybe their opinion will outweigh someone else's bad advice.

Carrot recipes for health on today's "Well" blog.

Bonding over Carrots
Do comments make a difference? Yes, maybe in some cases they make a difference in that realm or small corner of the Internet.

And not all comments are negative and cynical. It really depends on the subject, the blog' tone and the readers. The comments section is also a great space to have a positive discussion, to gain additional information or to learn more.

In cases where the blog post's author gets involved, the comments section can help the reader better understand the subject or point of view. It can also enhance the subject matter.

For instance, in Parker-Pope's post about cooking carrots, readers added their own experiences, web sites and recipes which are helpful to the others who posted comments as well as the blogs' readers.

The people commenting on the carrot post are giving personal experiences, sharing a piece of themselves, in a sense, bonding over fond memories and delicious food. This space becomes more than just a blog post or commenting space, but a community where people from all over the country, maybe the world are finding common bonds on the smallest of things. Who knew carrots or comments could be so moving?

Bloggers are all About Opinion, Right?

2010-11-11T20:36:00.000-08:00

Tempeh and Wild Mushroom Fricassee

Another day, another vegetarian recipe. Today's "Well" blog shared with its readers another round of vegetarian recipes perfect for your Thanksgiving day table. Parker-Pope took a different twist by giving us a different source: magazine, Cooking Light.

I, however, am not going to talk to you about more vegetarian recipes. I know you’re probably jumping for joy. Instead, I want to talk about how blogging for a news organization changes the process and finished product compared to an “average” blog.

In exploring the blogosphere, I've recognized that many bloggers are opinionated, openly sharing their beliefs with their followers. They do not write to inform per-say, not like a journalist would cover a speech by the president but instead, providing information in the context of his or her opinion, the way a stay-at-home mom might inform her readers through her personal opinion that every word the president said was hypocritical followed by an explanation.

Keeping this in mind, the "Well" blog, which I've been closely following is immediately set apart from the average health, food and fitness blogs you find on wordpress or technorati. "Well", is, well, supported by a newspaper and written by a journalist, giving it a different perspective and purpose.

Blogging by a Newspaper
So, how does this set it apart? Immediately because it is from a newspaper I considered it to be more credible; there is no reason to question the authenticity of the author or her information. But is that true? Many of the posts link to other New York Times articles so the news may not come from any other sources but the Times. What about news that another news organization published first, can she link to those stories as well?

Normally with news articles and feature stories, the New York Times would have a fact checker and an editor involved. Does the nature of the blog change Parker-Pope's process, does she still need to run her stories by an editor or would that make it lose its blog-ness? To be honest, I'm not sure.

It also makes it less opinionated than an average blog. It also gives the author more credibility and access to sources, interviews and stories. I think it definitely affects the comments and advertising sections as well as the content. More on comments and advertising in later posts.

On content, the author, working for a larger, news-based organization not only has to be more factual, less opinionated but might also have to be careful about what she shares and how she shares it.

In addition, the content is dissimilar from what you'd find on a (for the sake of comparison), we'll call it an "average" blog. Parker-Pope only injects as much voice and opinion as necessary to prove why the story is important enough for her to share. She doesn’t state outright that people should buy locally grown produce at farmer’s markets because that supports area farmers. However, she does slant in that direction because of the theme and messaging of her blog’s purpose—to give “practical advice to help readers take control of their health and live well every day.”

What do you think? Are we getting the whole story? Do we want more opinion or is that why we go to the Times, to get a range of health-related information all in one place that we know is factual information? While you’re thinking about it, feel free to check out the rest of the new recipes. Enjoy!

Delicious Food Requires Photographs

2010-11-10T19:47:00.000-08:00

Chef Michael Anthony

Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is right around the corner so it's quite fitting that the New York Times in conjunction with the "Well" blog is offering a series on vegetarian recipes to serve up on the big day.

Today, Parker-Pope, author of "Well," shared with us an interview with chef Michael Anthony, of Gramercy Tavern in New York City, as well as his recipes using fall vegetables.

Although Parker-Pope's post was short, Anthony's quotes were insightful and it was great to see the recipes in full. Anthony explains that he chose the fall veggies not just for vegetarian diners but because they're in season readily available through local farmers.

You can see an example of Anthony buying locally grown produce and making smoked kielbasa with potatoes and sauerkraut below.

The blog's innate characteristics though, are what sells the food and gives depth to the post. As I already mentioned Parker-Pope's post was brief. In my experience when blogging, it's better to post shorter but more frequently which she appears to follow.

However, I felt like her post today could have given more time to subject of fall veggies and their healthful advantages.

Alas, she was saved by the blog's inherent attributions: links, pictures and by default, additional information. These characteristics saved what otherwise would have been a boring blog. And when it comes to food, photographs are not an option.

The link to the page featuring all the Thanksgiving recipes was a pleasure to stumble upon, in my opinion. I especially appreciated the macaroni and cheese recipe. I would have liked even more links but we'll see what tomorrow brings and hope for more interaction. Also, I personally don't think it would be Thanksgiving without turkey but to each his own.

In the meantime, I discovered a link in the comments section about vegetarianism. I can't forget that the comments section can also be a food resource and conversation haven but more on comments another day. Until then, enjoy the delicious photographs.

Macaroni and cheese

Learning to Live Well

2010-11-09T19:42:00.000-08:00

Gluten-free recipes, marathon training tips and the latest medical news about gene therapy may at first glance seem to be part of an adult's version of "one of these things is not like the other." These subjects however, easily fit into the category of healthy living.

Author Tara Parker-Pope writes a daily health blog, Well for the New York Times on all subjects health and wellness which I follow regularly.

As a food lover and avid runner, I appreciate the tidbits Parker-Pope offers on her blog. Not all of her posts are relevant to me: I don't have children and am not interested in dieting stories, but I love discovering healthy recipes. I also, in my fitness-geek way, really enjoy her stories on nutrition, exercise, and all things running (of course).

Today, Parker-Pope posted a number of gluten-free recipes for Thanksgiving. Seemingly, a hot topic these days, allergies, sensitivity or intolerance to gluten also known as celiac disease seems to be popping up everywhere resulting in more recipes and cookbooks. The post also suggests that many people may use gluten-free food as a way to lose weight--not eating wheat is a health benefit? I'll be investigating that one.

Reading news online, I tend to only spend time on what interests me but Parker-Pope's blog featuring a variety of stories takes me outside of my usual perusing. Her shared science and medical news requires me to pay a little more attention to a subject I otherwise would overlook. I may not be preparing her gluten-free Thanksgiving anytime soon, but I look forward to hearing more (and sharing) about all things living well.