surveys

The entire “wellness” industry has been on its BS binge for quite some time now, although herbs have been used for many millennia to “cure” conditions, it doesn’t mean they are effective beyond a placebo. Sure, there are exceptions but when you pit a pharmaceutical drug vs one sourced from “natural ingredients”, the pharmaceutical version is more often then not far more potent.

What are Herbal Remedies?

I haven’t heard anybody give me a definition for what exactly “Herbal Remedies” actually are? I visit trade shows and it seems everybody has their own self-serving definition of what a Herbal Remedy is and why their product is better then any pharmaceutical grade medications out there. As a result, here is my unbiased definition

Herbal Remedy: product sourced from many natural ingredients whose origins are dubious, it’s effectiveness relies heavily on both the placebo effect and on generational trust (it’s been used for thousands of years, so it must work safely). Often promoted as a supplement in modern times without any double blind clinically based studies to backup incredibly exaggerated marketing claims. Herbal Remedies are sold in a variety of formats, from homemade bags to pharmaceutical looking packaging at various price points that aren’t related to effectiveness nor quality. Some are effective but the vast majority are not, relying on a shotgun approach verses a laser one by the pharmaceuticals.

Natural cures for EVERYTHING!

The “wellness industry” likes to promote the reason why their “natural cures” aren’t widely available is due to pharmaceutical companies trying to protect their turf and corrupt government agencies getting in the way of healthy alternatives. I am sure there is some elements of that but while the pharmaceuticals must spend billions proving their product works before reaching the marketplace, the wellness industry is hell bent on not spending a dime on studies that would prove (more likely disprove) their effectiveness. Instead, they rely on pharmaceutical sounding words, testimonials, slick marketing and promises that they must know are over-the-top. Among the most successful out there is Mannatech but there are many more out there as well.

The Wellness Industry Circumventing a Paradox

I believe the entire “wellness industry” is in sort of a paradox, it cannot prove their product work in a clinical setting yet they cannot gain acceptance by the medical field without proving their product works. How to circumvent this seemingly endless paradox? Well, keep telling people they work, if you say something often enough, the general populous will eventually believe it’s a fact. Open any health magazine (Muscle & Fitness, Cosmopolitan, Runners World, Flex etc… ) and you will see this effort in full force, listen to the radio and you will hear the same, watch television and commercials are pushing useless herbal remedies as well.

Times article about potential dangers of herbal remedies

Dr. Sanjay Gupta wrote an interesting piece for Time which outlines the “wellness industry” in rather stark terms, here is a summary:

• use of herbal supplements by the general public has jumped 83% in the past decade and is now worth 22.3 billion dollars a year!
• most common mistake herbal remedy users make is believing the product actually works
• 19% of herbal remedy users are trying to treat specific conditions, not general wellness and wellbeing
• 2/3 of herbal preparations have never been clinically proven for effectiveness
• 2002, the FDA put out a warning against the dangers of supplements using kava root due to its potential to cause liver damage
• 2004, FDA banned ephedra after it was linked directly to over 100 deaths
• Ayurvedic supplements (Indian and South Asian preparations) may be laced with heavy metals such as mercury and lead
• Saint-John’s-wort has an anti-depressive effect but also interferes with some HIV medications and heart drugs like warfarin and digoxin

What to do?

Well, before you spend another dime on naturally sourced supplements, be sure to visit a doctor and share your concerns. He or she knows far more about health then either of us and can lead you in the right direction. Secondly, tell your doctor each and every medication you are taking, some herbals that do work interfere with pharmaceuticals. Thirdly, if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is, save your money.

The Bottom Line

Effective herbals may have their place in overall health but should never be taken in replacement or in conjunction with pharmaceuticals unless cleared by your health practitioner.

Buzzvia
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1625175,00.html

Canada, like many of the worlds countries, suffers from a substance abuse problem among a certain subset of its population. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry recently published a paper based off the research from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

The Results

• About 11% of Canadians have a problem with drug and alcohol abuse, this represents over three million people is equivalent to the entire population of the GTA!
• Substance abuse is more prevalent in mid-sized cities then rural or larger cities
• substances included in this study are alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, crack, speed, ecstasy, hallucinogens, glue, gasoline or solvents, heroin and steroids.
• Study benefited from a 77% response rate for a total sampling size of just under 37 thousand households
• British Columbia, Alberta had a substance abuse rate of about 13%
• Saskatchewan had a substance abuse rate of just over 14%
• Manitoba had a substance abuse rate of 13.5%
• Ontario had a substance abuse rate of just over 10%
• Quebec had a substance abuse rate of just over 9%
• New Brunswick had a substance abuse rate of just over 12%
• Nova Scotia had a substance abuse rate of just under 14%
• PEI (Prince Edward Island) had a substance abuse rate just under 10%
• Newfoundland/Labrador had a substance abuse rate of just under 13%

What does this all mean?

Statistically, considering the sample size, I would say these results are within a +/- range of a few percentage points, which essentially nullifies province by province comparisons. Generally, 11% of us Crazy Canucks enjoy a range of substances from alcohol to heroin to get us through yet another mind numbing day. I have lost both of my sisters to substance abuse and from that experience, I can easily say that those who take drugs are in deep denial to say the least (this includes tobacco users). Put another way, I doubt the foundations of this study if they simply relied on honest answers. You cannot expect an honest answer from a crook relative to how many items they stole anymore then you can expect an honest answer from a drug abuser high on self-denial.

The Bottom Line

Don’t drink, don’t smoke and don’t inject substances not given to you by a medical professional, otherwise, you WILL get more then you bargained for.

Buzzvia
http://www.camh.net/News_events/News_releases_and_media_advisories_and_backgrounders/addiction_geographical_rates.html

According to a BBC report sourcing a recent World Health Organization study, South African rates of obesity are approaching those in the industrialized world. I was surprised to hear this considering the only things we hear coming out of Africa are starvation, poverty and war.

According to the BBC/WHO:

• WHO estimates 400 million people worldwide are clinically obese
• Obesity crisis caused by fried fatty meat eaten during many meals
• HIV is the focus of many countries within Africa while obesity awareness and education fell off the wayside
• urban black woman have highest incidence of obesity, 67% to 72%!
• ill effect of obesity (morbidity) is being felt throughout society with higher rates of mortality
• in developing countries, where food is perceived to be scarce, being fat is a status symbol of wealth (culturally)
• if you are thin, people assume you have HIV or AIDS
• people fear going on weight loss programs for fear of being labeled HIV Disease positive
• South African government is saying that you cannot legislate peoples behavior

Ironic Twist

What I find incredibly ironic about this entire situation is that one very serious yet preventable disease (HIV Disease) is used as an excuse to create another very serious yet preventable disease (Obesity). South Africans are trading one epidemic for another! The very fact that their society as a whole thinks this is alright is deplorable, the South African government needs to step in to educate people that simply being thin doesn’t mean you have HIV Disease and that being fat isn’t healthy. Being obese leads to a number of major health problems including a shortened lifespan, diabetes, heart attack and the list goes on.

This being South Africa, I don’t expect this to happen anytime soon, with a corrupt government that still believes HIV Disease is caused by poverty, not a virus with no policy towards controlling its spread. This is ironic as well because Nelson Mandela’s own son died of AIDS a few years back (and he wasn’t poor).

The Bottom Line

Obesity shows it’s ugly head where ever ignorance and negligence live.

Buzzvia
Newspod for August 20th, 2007

I like seeing statistics about major events, they tend to summarize the level of engineering (physical and mental) involved to pulling them off. Here are a few from the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

Key Facts (so far)

• comprise of 28 programs encompassing 302 individual events
• 302 gold medals to be awarded
• almost 11 thousand athletes expected to participate in the games
• 21 880 touch bearers will have run 137 thousand kilometers over 130 days before the opening ceremony
• National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) covers an area of 258 thousand square meters
• highest ticket price is 5 thousand Renminbi (650$US) with the lowest being 200 Renminbi (26$US)
• Attendance is expected to exceed half a million internationally and 2.5 million domestic spectators
• over 800 hotels and 4 thousand hostels are providing 420 thousand rooms
• over 5 thousand IT professionals will help information flowing on over 12 thousand computers and two thousand printers
• Beijing 2008 Environment Construction Command Office is proposing 65 laws under five categories regarding keeping pollution down to a minimum during the games including a possible mandatory vacations for entire cities who don’t directly service the venues
• Beijing will demolish over 3.32 square meters of “illegal construction” to improve the aesthetics around the game venues
• smoking is banned at all venues
• Olympic expressways will open on nine Beijing freeways and five co-hosting cities
• China has launched a special zip code specifically for the Olympics in order to have speedy mail service during the games
• Pigs that will be fed to athletes are on a specific organic diet to ensure they are drug free

The Bottom Line

Sounds like fun… looking forward to watching the highlights on TV.

Buzzvia
http://virtualreview.org/china/zoom/348714/beijing-olympic-games-statistics
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,135974-c,currentevents/article.html

A new study out of Australia has found out that working next to some laser printers is just as unhealthy as working next to a smoker! Just when you thought your office was safe, yet another reason to think otherwise! This may be yet another reason why many people working in large “recycled air” office buildings suffer from sick building syndrome.

Study Findings

• 62 printers tested
• 60% of printers emitted no particles at all
• 27% of laser printers are considered high particle emitters
• one out of the 62 printers produced the equivalent of a smokers cigarette
• cartridge age and toner coverage (on printed page) are risk factors
• some printers may emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), Ozone and various particles
• concentration of hazardous substances in the office where significantly higher during work hours then non-working hours
• during working hours, indoor air quality was WORSE then air quality found outside
• very few studies exist regarding harmful byproducts of printer (electronic) usage

Emitter sorted by Printer

Results for Printer Emission Investigations, Based on the Ratio of Submicrometer Particle Number Concentration Peak Value Emitted by the Printer to the Background Value (measured by P-Trak)

non-emitter (ratio 1)

• HP Color LaserJet 4550DN
• HP Color LaserJet 8500DN
• HP LaserJet 2200DN
• HP LaserJet 2300dtn
• HP LaserJet 4 plus
• HP LaserJet 4000N
• HP LaserJet 4000TN
• HP LaserJet 4050N
• HP LaserJet 4050TN
• HP LaserJet 4si
• HP LaserJet 5(b)
• HP LaserJet 5000n
• HP LaserJet 5100tn
• HP LaserJet 5N
• HP LaserJet 5si
• HP LaserJet 5si/NX
• HP LaserJet 8000DN
• HP LaserJet 8150DN
• Mita DC 4060 (photo copy)
• RICOH Aficio 2022
• RICOH Aficio 3045
• RICOH Aficio 3245C
• RICOH Aficio CC3000DN
• TOSHIBA Studio 350

low level emitter (ratio < 1.1-5)

• Canon IRC6800
• HP LaserJet 5M
• HP LaserJet
• 9000dn
• RICOH
• CL3000DN

middle level emitter (ratio < 5.1-10)

• HP LaserJet 1020
• HP LaserJet 4200dtn

high level emitter (ratio > 10)

• HP Color LaserJet 4650dn
• HP Color LaserJet 5550dtn
• HP Color LaserJet 8550N
• HP LaserJet 1320N
• HP LaserJet 1320n
• HP LaserJet 2420dn
• HP LaserJet 4200dtn
• HP LaserJet 4250n (old)
• HP LaserJet 4250n (new)
• HP LaserJet 5
• HP LaserJet 8000DN
• HP LaserJet 8150N
• TOSHIBA Studio 450

What is Toner anyhow?

Toner is mostly made of plastic which is in the form of very small particulates which then adhere to the page as it gets printed by the printer. It does not evaporate like water, it travels by air currents and what doesn’t settle on paper eventually does so on surfaces such as desks, chairs, floor and any other office equipment or people. If you vacuum your office, be sure to get one that traps particles down to 0.3 microns in size to pickup this particulate matter, otherwise, your lungs will be the eventual filter.

The Bottom Line

This isn’t the first study confirming that indoor air quality is worse then that found outside, so always keep a window open next to your workplace.

Buzzvia
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/sample.cgi/esthag/asap/html/es063049z.html

Much like alcohol, the substances in cola acts as fantastic leaching agents throughout the body. Cola such as Pepsi and Coke, should only be given to the drain.

Study finds the link

A study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found a link between women who consume colas and the risk of acquiring brittle bone disease (Osteoporosis). The study was conducted on 2500 men and women who where just under 60 years of age. Essentially, the more cola consumed, the lower the mineral bone density found in the test subjects. An important note is that this occurred regardless of the amount of calcium (vitamin D) intake, alcohol, age, cigarette or alcohol consumption. Oddly enough, it isn’t the carbonation that seems to have caused a decrease in mineral bone density as other types of soda pop didn’t produce a decrease in density.

What is Cola anyhow?

Colas are a product category invented by Coke, hence why you see Coca-Cola on many of their products. They where once promoted as a “health supplement” leading to optimal health and wellbeing… I hope this rings a very loud bell in your head regarding “health and wellbeing” products being sold today. The base ingredients in most types of cola are citrus, lime, orange, lemon, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg along with a host of sweeteners. The name originally comes from the kola nuts that where once used as a base component but has since fallen out of favor.

What does Cola do to your body?

There is nothing healthy about the ingredients used to produce a cola beverage, put a steel nail in a glass of coke for 24 hours and this will give you an idea of what occurs inside of you when you drink these products. They are extremely acidic, hence, your body must use minerals from throughout your body to neutralize the acidity level for further processing.

The Bottom Line

Colas, like alcohol, can be easily replaced with other liquids such as water, juices and teas.

Buzzvia
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=2536421&page=1
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=162805

Being the eldest child, I find it interesting that a study by the Norway National Institute of Occupational Health along with the Norwegian Armed Forces Medical Services have reached a conclusion that I knew all along. First born children have a higher IQ then their siblings
Military Statistics

Based off over 240 thousand Norwegian men drafted in the arms forces during roughly a decade at about 18-19 years of age here is what they found.

• IQ of first born male was 103.2
• IQ of second born male was 101.2 (102.9 if first born brother died)
• IQ of third born male was 100 (103 if first two brothers died)

Why this makes sense

As this study proves my own bias, I am not going to be balanced. I believe this makes logical sense because the first born gets more attention then the subsequent siblings. I was the first to talk, the first to eat, the first to comb my hair and walk. By the time the second child comes along, the newness of this has faded slightly and so forth. What this means is that I, as a first born, got more attention (directly or indirectly) then the next ones in line. This extra attention lead to increases in intellectual stimulation, allowing me to develop quicker. In nature, this also makes sense as the first born may have to take care of the siblings in case the parents got eaten by a Saber Tooth Tiger. Higher IQ would allow me to outsmart the siblings and take care of them better to help pass on our collective genes. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, but as this doesn’t prove my biased case, it will be ignored I am sure the same holds true to first born daughters as well.

The Bottom Line

First born are smarter… now we finally have proof!

References
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=3302770

Health.com has written a rather interesting article about odds of dying from any particular disease during any given year to help put into perspective our fears of catching them. I have put next to them, lifetime odds and preventative steps you can do RIGHT NOW to increase your odds for the better. Keep in mind that although there is a strong genetic component to some of these diseases, lifestyle has also has a huge influence not only acquiring them but their overall effect on your body (severity of the condition).

Bird Flu: this year (almost zilch), lifetime (almost zilch)

For all the media hype in the past few years that we will be hit by the next Black Plague or Spanish Plague, nothing has happened (yet again). Governments have been stockpiling medicines and vaccines whose effectiveness is less then promising, big businesses have had to develop contingency plans using high priced consultants and large scale public unrest (stress) has been hashed out. The truth of the matter is that although your chances of dying from Bird Flu should you acquire it are pretty high, it’s the acquiring part that is statistically near zero. So far, it has only spread from bird to human and not human to human. So far, it has killed people rapidly but they where living with their livestock. So far, major outbreaks affecting dozens of people have all been isolated in third world countries where modern medicine isn’t as widespread. Well, now you know how to avoid getting it. One caveat is that if you should be so unfortunate to acquire Bird Flu, it’s still a genetic lottery whether you will pull through or not at this point.

Find out more about Bird Flu @ http://myfoodcount.com/healthylife/whatis/avianinfluenza.html

Breast Cancer: this year (1/680), lifetime (1/8)

Just about every week, there is a new fund raiser to support breast cancer, you can now buy products who send a pittance of their profits towards the fight as well. The truth is, breast cancer only has a 10% mortality rate after five years of diagnosis and out of the 122 000 000 women in the United States, only 178 000 will be diagnosed. Put another way, you have a 0.1% chance of developing breast cancer this year. How to cut your chances? Easy, stop drinking alcohol which increases your risks by 21%, avoid hormone therapies and get regular mammograms. Diet and exercise also play a major role in avoidance, keep in mind that 90% of ALL cancers are completely avoidable by lifestyle choices.

Find out more about Breast Cancer @ http://myfoodcount.com/healthylife/whatis/breastcancer.html

Heart Disease: this year (1/42), lifetime (1/3)

One of the more easily preventable diseases out there, Heart Disease is predominantly a cumulative couch potatoes disease lead by a lifelong avoidance of proper nutrition, exercise and generally taking your body for granted. Alcohol consumption and smoking habits are also big risk factors.

Find out more about Heart Disease @ http://myfoodcount.com/healthylife/whatis/coronaryarterydisease.html

Osteoporosis: this year (1/101), lifetime (½)

More people are diagnosed with an osteoporosis-linked hip fracture every year then the totals of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer. Osteoporosis is also one of the more easily preventable diseases out there as well, regular weight training, proper diet and limit alcohol consumption which acts as a leaching agents throughout your body. Remember that bones grow and strengthen based on the stress exerted upon them, this is why one of the larger problems with extended space travel is that astronauts loose their bone density very quickly. Osteoporosis is also treatable with drugs, but if you can avoid them with their associated side effects by hitting the gym, aren’t you worth it?

Ovarian Cancer: this year (1/5440), lifetime (1/69)

Ovarian Cancer is still a silent killer, by the time people go see a doctor and get diagnosed, it’s often too late. As such, Ovarian Cancer has a 50% mortality rate after 5 years of diagnosis. If you feel yourself full more then a third of the month and have abdominal pain with bloating, ask to get a CA-125 blood test to check for Ovarian Cancer, especially if you have a strong genetic predisposition (ei: somebody in your family suffered from Cancer).

Find out more about Ovarian Cancer @ http://myfoodcount.com/healthylife/whatis/ovariancancer.html

Factors outside of our control

The above statistics can all be influenced by environment. If you breath in toxic air, bathe in polluted waters and drink / eat contaminated products then you are best to move because the chances of you acquiring any disease shoots up exponentially. Lifestyle doesn’t only include diet and exercise choices, it also includes where you live choices.

Sobering, the double meaning

The reason why I gave this article the title Sobering Disease Statistics is because, alcohol consumption is a risk factor for not only the diseases listed above but a host of other ones. Sure, there are studies as to the benefits of red wine that come out every year around Christmas time but grape juice has even more of the detoxifying agents in them without the detrimental effects of alcohol leaching. If you can remain sober for the entire year, you are not only saving yourself a small mint but also improving your life. For guys, alcohol also lowers your testosterone level for a few days AFTER consumption, which over time, decreases muscle mass, increases fat stores and leads to mood swings.

The Bottom Line

The good news is that living based on an optimal life plan leads to both longer life and disease avoidance.

References
http://www.health.com/health/article/0,23414,1623415,00.html

Modesty aside, when you talk about health, you simply cannot skip over sex. It’s how we procreate, how we share our passions and most importantly, a fantastic workout! There is nothing bad, evil nor gross about sex… think of it this way, if your parents lived a life of celibacy, you wouldn’t be reading this!

CDC Stats on Sexual Health

Although these statistics are from 2002 relating to the United States population, I doubt sexual patterns change very much unless there is a huge cultural upheaval.

• by age 24, 97% of males and females have had sexual contact with the opposite sex (oral, intercourse, touching etc.)
• by the age of 44, 97% of the population has had sexual intercourse, 90% have had oral sex and 40% anal with a female
• during a lifetime, 6% of males have sexual experiences with another male, this percentage is 11% for females
• surveyed people between the age of 18 to 44 described themselves 90% of the time as heterosexual, 2.3% homosexual, 1.8% bisexual, 3.9% something else with 1.8% not answering the question

Although they didn’t ask the number of sexual partners they have had in their lifetime, I heard joke once that said whatever the total given by a guy is, it needs to be divided by three while for females, you need to multiply the answer given by three.

What does this mean?

Well, if you find love later in life, most likely neither of you are virgins and that most likely, you’re both heterosexuals. The problem with sex based surveys is that you cannot test people on the answers given, if their family or partner is present, they may not be entirely truthful or due to changes in religious convictions, their perceptions may change. Basically, just about everybody has sex, including those who vow not to as we found out a few years ago.

One statistic that doesn’t surprise me though is there is more of a willingness for females to experiment with the same sex then males during their lifetime, genetically, this makes perfect sense. Females want to produce the absolute best children with a male that will provide for both the child and mother, if a male is at a perceived pinnacle, they are more willing to share to achieve this goal. On the other hand, there is no biological motive for males to share their mate with another male as they may end up having to take care of an offspring that isn’t genetically to their advantage. Males are built to share their genetic potential while females are built to nurture the resultant offspring. Put another way, the cost of procreation for a male is about 5 seconds (6 if we take our time) but for a female this drags on over the period of 9 months! This is why males remain relatively virile throughout their lifespan while for women, this decreases dramatically after the genetic age of 30.

Everybody has had more sex then me!

This is a humorous animation that comes from the perception (real or imagined) that everybody else has had more sex then you!

Pentagon R&D: Sex as a weapon!

I saw this video and I thought to myself, what a fantastic idea! Imagine how short wars would be if aphrodisiacs where used instead of explosives! After a few hours, everybody would be completely exhausted, couldn’t care less about what they where fighting for and return to their daily lives. Civil disobedience or riots, spray the crowd with a love potion and any thoughts of violence are replaced with love for your fellow human being… brilliant!

The Bottom Line

Sex is great and fun… if done safely.
References
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/ad/361-370/ad362.htm

Each year, the United States Social Security Administration (USSSA) releases the top baby names for the previous year, with related statistics based on 4.2 million Social Security Card requests. I use to have a client that had 3 employees with the same name as mine so it was utter confusion when ever anybody wanted to ask a colleague a question… anyways, here are the results for last year!

Top 10 names

For ease, I have stuck a number beside each name to indicate that names position in 2005, I have added the origin and meaning of the name as well just to give you that much more irrelevant data for the day.

Boys

1. Jacob (1 / Hebrew meaning supplanter)
2. Michael (2 / Hebrew meaning who is like God)
3. Joshua (3 / Hebrew meaning Jehovah saves)
4. Ethan (5 / Hebrew meaning strong)
5. Matthew (4 / Hebrew meaning gift from God)
6. Daniel (7 / Hebrew meaning God is my judge)
7. Christopher (9 / Greek meaning Bearer of Christ)
8. Andrew (6 / English meaning Man or Warrior)
9. Anthony (8 / Latin without any special meaning)
10. William (11 / German meaning desire or will)

Girls

1. Emily (1 / German meaning industrious)
2. Emma (2 / Teutonic meaning universal)
3. Madison (3 / English meaning good)
4. Isabella (6 / Hebrew meaning My God is a vow)
5. Ava (9 / Afghan meaning voice)
6. Abigail (4 / Hebrew meaning Father in rejoicing)
7. Olivia (5 / Latin meaning olive)
8. Hannah (7 / Hebrew meaning grace or favor)
9. Sophia (11 / Greek meaning wisdom)
10. Samantha (8 / Aramaic meaning listener)

Interesting Observations

• top 3 names of 2005 happen to be the same as in 2006… In the exact same order!
• Biblical names are still en vogue with parents for guys while for girls, traditional were in
• if you are an Atheist and your name is Daniel, now you know why you where born with an internal conflict of interest
• parents act like Lemmings! Mom spends 9 months with a developing child inside of her and the best name parents can think of is the same as everybody else?

Name and Race

I read a while back in a magazine that a name actually shows a lot to others who have never seen you as to your background. For instance, if you had the name Alberto then many people would assume you are from an Italian ancestry while something like Malik would make others assume you are from an African (American) one. My suggestion is that, rightly or wrongly, your child will be judged based on their first and last name throughout their life… so why not come up with something that would give others either no clue or something spectacular. When I have children, if it’s a guy, it will probably be Matrix, Magnison and/or Excalibur while for gals it would be something like… well, I will let my partner at the time choose. I believe the name should be chosen by the parent who is of the same sex as the child, this way, the child always knows who to blame if they hate their name!

The Bottom Line

Each child is as unique as their fingerprint… please… PLEASE don’t burden them with one of these top 10 2006 names in 2007!

References
http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/pr/baby-names2006-pr.htm

Living a healthy lifestyle is actually easy once you get the habits down pat, so why are people finding it so hard?

International Food Information Council Foundation’s second annual Food & Health Survey Results

Hot off the press, based off interviews of a thousand adults in the United states, the following results stood out:

• Breakfast: although 90% agree to its importance, only 49% actually have one
• Dieting: 56% where trying to loose weight for various reasons while 66% classified themselves of overweight +
• Food Choices: 65% look more towards purported health of a product then price or taste
• Snacks: 93% have at least one a day
• Caffeine: 88% consumption rate
• Awareness of Nutrients Consumption in Diet: Protein (19%), Carbohydrates (26%), Calories (27%), Fat (34%) and Sugar (38%)
• People who have never heard of the following: Fiber (13%), Aspartame (35%), Sucralose (36%) and no clue about anything (3%)
• Physical Activity: 16% are couch potatoes doing none
• Packaging: 65% check the expiration date but only 58% check the ingredients/nutritional information
• 66% of respondents had family members with heart disease while 38% had some with diabetes with cancer being 29%
• Respondents Demographics: 53.4% where married, 26% had at least a University Degree and 76.2% where white

What does this all mean?

Good question, let me try to make sense of these stats in one sarcastic shot. The vast majority of Americans are caffeine addicts who believe the expiration date on the food is more important then its nutritional value. Two thirds consider themselves so fat that half skip breakfast as part of a sensible diet plan to help induce snacking throughout the day, as a result, they they have no clue how much they are actually eating. Sadly, a sixth of Americans have given up on ever leading a healthy lifestyle.

What does this reflect?

I believe that the above results reflect a national need for far more awareness about foods and health in general, this needs to start with kids at the elementary level so they can help educate their parents. Let me repeat this a third time, two thirds of Americans consider themselves overweight… yes… two thirds! What is the excuse given? My guess is they are simply too busy with life to make their own health a priority, without realizing that without health, life really sucks! I find it rather obvious based on this survey that the reason why people find it so hard to find their healthy body comes down to simply education about dietary choices.

Questions I wished they asked

I really hope that in 2008 they ask the following questions to gain further insight into the psyche of Americans:

• Do you participate in a weight training regimen? (if yes, how many times a week)
• What percentage of the meals that you consume in a week home cooked as opposed to take-out?
• How many days in a week do you consume alcohol?
• What is more important to you, perfect health or financial independence?
• If you where a tree…

The Bottom Line

Physical activities must be planned and executed within a framework of regular habits to become part of a healthy lifestyle.

References:
http://www.ific.org/

Before I begin to say anything, review the animated picture in this weeks issue. Does one color scheme make you feel more comfortable? What do you think they represent (does it matter)? Why do you think those colors where chosen? Who is the intended audience? I could easily go on with the questions but let me tell you now that they both represent exactly the same thing. Although I redid the map, I left one with the original color scheme with shades of blue and updated the other with mine with are shades of red. Does giving you this additional information help you at all to figure out what it is showing?

What I am trying to demonstrate this week is something that us visual artists have always known, that the use of color affects your mood, perception and can even modify your beliefs on an issue. The image represents a real and growing problem in the United States, it is based off hard data from the CDC (Centre for Disease Control). This is data that politicians, agencies and companies around the world use to track their interests. How many of you have gotten a pile of papers and at the end was a graphic and just skipped right to it - I know for me I look at pictures first.

So lets recap, both images are showing the same data from a CDC statistical study with the only difference being color. If you had only a few seconds to look at this image, my guess is that if you saw the blue one you would say “hey, we aren’t doing too bad”, if I showed you the red one you would say “holly $#@$, we got to do something”. Isn’t it amazing how much feeling has been generated by a simple picture? What you are looking at is the 2003 data for the growing diabetes epidemic in the USA (and worldwide). What you see in dark blue (or red) are states where over 6% of their population has diabetes. I am sure it’s even higher now then 2 years ago. To put this into perspective, 6% is essentially 1 person with diabetes for every 14 individuals.

Now imagine if this represented a disease or infection such as HIV, Herpes, Malaria, TB or Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) where the population had over 6% infection rate - would you use blue or red?