Author: Burk Krohe

Categories
Sweat

10 Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Pushups

The pushup is one of the simplest and most effective exercises out there. A few sets of pushups will help you sculpt your pecs, tris, and delts with nothing more than your body weight.

But you could be getting more out of your pushups–no, it’s true! These variations will make your body work harder and improve your results.

1. Medicine Ball Chest Squeeze Pushups

Place a medicine ball directly under you in the middle of your chest. Grab the ball with both hands and start your pushup.

You’ll have to work to keep your balance because of the instability of the medicine ball, and it will make your muscles work even harder. If you don’t have a medicine ball, try using a basketball, volleyball, etc…

2. Medicine Ball Extended Rom Pushups

This is similar to the last variation except you’re adding another medicine ball to the mix. Grab two similarly sized medicine balls and put them under you about shoulder width apart. Once you have your balance, move each ball beyond shoulder width. 

This variation will really be a challenge for your core strength. Make sure to keep your core as tight as you can. 

3. Medicine Ball Archer Pushups

Okay, time to simplify and go back to one medicine ball. Put it under one arm and extend it as far to the side as you can. Keep your other hand in a standard pushup position. 

The arm with the medicine ball won’t be able to assist as much because of its position, therefore the exercise will really isolate one arm and one pec at a time. It also works on shoulder stability for the extended arm. Once you can knock out a few archer pushups with each arm, you’re well on your way to a one-armed pushup. 

4. Kettlebell Bottoms Up Pushups

This is like the medicine ball chest squeeze except you’re using a kettlebell. Carefully balance a kettlebell on its handle and grab the round end with both hands.

The handle of the kettlebell will be even more unstable than a medicine ball, so your balance and core strength will be tested. 

5. Band-Resisted Pushups

If you can’t get your hands on a medicine ball or kettlebell, a resistance band is another good option to upgrade your pushup. Loop the band around each hand and wrap it around your back just below your shoulder blades.

Do your pushups as you normally would, with the band providing resistance. Make sure to explode up powerfully to get the most out of this exercise. The great part is the most resistance will come at the top of the pushup where you’re strongest. 

6. Dumbbell T Pushups

Get a set of dumbbells and set yourself up in a normal pushup position. When you raise your body up, extend your right arm up and rotate your body to the right with your arm. You need to roll your feet, so you’re resting on the outer edge of your left foot, too. If you do it right, your body should look like a 45-degree angle T in relation to the floor. 

It will work your obliques, shoulder, and core for greater strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance.

7. Dumbbell Pushup Row

This is another great dumbbell workout. Again, get a set of dumbbells and set up in the standard position. After you get to the top of the pushup, take your right hand and lift it straight up in a rowing motion. 

It increases the intensity of the pushup while working the chest and the back. 

8. Weighted Pushups

This is one of the simplest ways to add intensity to your pushups. Use a weight, sandbag, or weighted vest to add 10 percent of your body weight. 

Do your pushups with the extra weight making each rep more difficult. You can add more weight in 5- or 10-pound increments as you progressively get stronger. 

9. Sliding Single-Arm Pushups

The sliding arm pushup is the same concept as the archer pushup. Get something that will slide smoothly along the surface you’re on and put it under one hand. Slide that hand forward as you lower yourself and back toward you when you raise yourself. 

Your extended arm won’t be able to take on as much weight as your other arm, which will isolate one side of your body nicely. 

10. Spider Pushups

This simple variation on the standard pushup doesn’t require any additional equipment. Start off doing a standard pushup, and on the way up, lift your right foot up off the floor and swing your leg out to the side. Your goal should be to get your knee to touch your elbow.

It will really work your obliques and core.  

Remember, variety is important in life, even when it comes to pushups!

Categories
Lifestyle

Even NASA Says We're Running out of Water

California is in the midst of one of the most severe droughts on record.

It’s so bad that Governor Jerry Brown declared it a state of emergency. The Golden State’s recent trouble accentuates the preciousness of something many Americans take for granted: Water.

We waste an inordinate amount of water maintaining enormous lawns. We shower too long. We keep the water running while we get ready in the morning. If recent predictions are correct, we will no longer be able to blindly ignore these practices. According to NASA, we (and the rest of the world) have cause for concern.

We’re running out of water.

A satellite program conducted by NASA called the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) has given researchers Jay Famiglietti and Matthew Rodell one of the most accurate pictures of the world’s freshwater reserves to date.

Famiglietti is the director of the UC Center for Hydrologic Modeling at the University of California Irvine and Rodell is chief of the Hydrological Sciences Laboratory at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. The two authored a paper based on GRACE, which used two satellites recording the earth’s gravitational data to measure aquifer levels worldwide.

It’s not exactly full of good news. Famiglietti characterized the situation as “quite critical.”

From 2003 to 2013, the research shows that 21 of the world’s 37 major aquifers have become unsustainable. In short, the water reserves are being depleted faster than they’re being replenished. Thirteen of those 21 aquifers are have been affected at alarming rates.

The most stressed aquifers (those with little to no sign of recharging) are the Arabian Aquifer in Saudi Arabia, the Indus Basin in northern India and Pakistan, and the Murzuk-Djado Basin in Libya and Niger. To put the situation into perspective, 60 million people rely on the Arabian Aquifer as a source of water.

That’s not to say America is faring much better.

The Central Valley Aquifer in California and the Atlantic and Gulf Plains Aquifer in the Southeastern portion of the country are both being depleted, as well. The Central Valley Aquifer was rated as “highly stressed,” and the recent drought hasn’t exactly helped matters. Conversely, aquifers located in the Great Plains and the Midwest seem to be doing alright.

The pattern in America mirrors what’s happening in the rest of the world. Essentially, areas in middle latitudes close to equator, especially arid and semiarid regions, are drying up. Furthermore, the tropics and regions farther north and south of equator in more extreme latitudes are experiencing more intense rainfall.

It’s a catch 22.

As those areas become drier and drier, the populations in said areas rely more and more on disappearing aquifers for survival. The water from the aquifers evaporates and then is recirculated to the areas experiencing heavier rains.

If no action is taken, it’s a very real possibility that groundwater in certain areas of the world will be depleted completely. The findings also tacitly touch on a subject that, until now, was strictly the domain of post apocalyptic fiction for most Americans: Conflict over water.

Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute has noted that water is often a source of “cooperation rather than conflict.” Still, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of the latter. In fact, the Pacific Institute has put together a detailed timeline of water conflict throughout history, from 600 BC all the way to 2014.

The timeline illustrates the fact that there has always been conflict and unrest involving water sources, but that it’s increased in recent years. So what happens when the world’s demand for water outstrips reliable sources?

According to the U.S. Intelligence Community assessment of Global Water Security, the coming water shortage has the potential to lead to social disruptions and political instability. The assessment states that: “Social disruptions eventually leading to state failure are plausible when the population believes water shortages are the result of poor governance, hoarding, or control of water by elites and other destabilizing factors are present.”

Despite that grim warning, the intelligence community feels violent, state-on-state conflict will be unlikely in the coming years. There are other ramifications, though.

When it comes to shared water basins, the report notes that it is likely that a number of countries will exert leverage against their neighbors to protect water reserves. Additionally, “upstream states,” countries home to a water origin source, might be tempted to cut off water to “downstream states” for political gain. Existing problems such as poverty, poor leadership and environmental degradation are likely to be exacerbated under those circumstances.  

Considering the information available to us, we must start to take this issue seriously. There needs to be a concerted effort toward effective water management.

This means several things, including:  adoption of pricing policies to encourage efficient water use, investment in water infrastructure, effective use of existing technology (especially in regard to agriculture) to aid conservation and efficiency, support of emerging water technology and more advanced hydrological modeling to support new water sharing agreements. It also means adjusting our personal, water-wasting habits.

This sort of research has presented us with more than evidence of a growing problem. It has presented us with an opportunity to change.

Let’s capitalize on it.

Categories
Lifestyle

Detox Your Home With These Gorgeous Greens

With the extraordinary amount of entertainment options available today, it’s becoming easier and easier for people to make excuses to stay indoors. Obviously, it’s good to get some fresh air once in a while, but have you thought about the air you’re breathing inside your own home?
Houses and apartments are becoming more and more efficient, which is good and bad. Efficient dwellings mean reduced energy bills, but they also trap indoor pollutants. An array of common household items such as adhesives, cleaning products, and even your carpet can release stuff into the air you don’t want to be breathing.
There’s a simple fix, though. Certain plants will help clean the air by soaking up the harmful air particles and producing clean oxygen. You just have to remember to water them.
It’s a small price to pay for fresh air.

English Ivy

English ivy is the king of air-filtering plants. It’s insanely easy to grow and soaks up formaldehyde and other carcinogens like a champ. NASA scientists didn’t declare English ivy the best plant for air quality for nothing. Keep in mind that the plant’s fruit, small purplish berries, are poisonous. Make sure to keep any plants out of reach from children and pets.

Aloe

Aloe is known for its healing properties, especially its ability to soothe skin. Luckily, it’s useful for more than lotions. Aloe will cleanse the air of chemical pollutants found in household cleaning products. It’s also a good indicator of air quality. If the leaves start to exhibit brown spots, pollutants in the air have become excessive.

Bamboo Palm

The bamboo palm also made NASA’s list of top clean-air plants. The plant is great at filtering benzene and trichloroethylene out of the air. It does well in shady indoor spaces and can add a nice tropical feel to any room.

Rubber Plants

Rubber plants (and Janet Craigs) are great because they take little to no effort to grow and maintain. They thrive even in dim lighting and cool climates. Like aloe, rubber plants are great at removing formaldehyde from the air. They add a nice exotic touch to your decor as well.

Peace Lily

The peace lily is also a low-maintenance plant that will spruce up your interior. It’s one of few houseplants that regularly blooms indoors, so it has that going for it. Peace lily plants remove formaldehyde along with benzene and several other harsh chemicals emitted by cleaning products. This is another plant that’s toxic to children and pets, which is something to keep in mind.

Snake Plant

The snake plant doesn’t need much light or water either. The plant is a nice addition to any home because it soaks up carbon dioxide and releases oxygen at night. Most other plants do this during the day. It adds a nice boost of fresh air once the sun goes down!

Dracaena

There’s a huge variety of dracaena plants available, but they will all help you purify the air in your home. Keep in mind the beautiful, long-leafed plant needs some room to grow, as some will grow as high as your ceiling. It’s useful in reducing xylene, trichloroethylene, and benzene and adding green space to your home. The leaves are toxic to cats and dogs, so pet owners should be careful.

Golden Pothos

Golden pothos plants are known to be very versatile. You can put them in pots or hanging baskets or even train them to climb. They’re visually striking with their deep green leaves streaked with gold, too. Golden pothos plants are more than an office decoration, though. They are adept at removing formaldehyde from the air as well as carbon monoxide and benzene. Put them near areas like your garage and laundry room to soak up all those harsh chemicals.
Looks like it’s time to make a visit to the garden section of your local home improvement store!

Categories
Nosh

Quin-Wha? What is This Little Grainy Thing?

In 2014’s “Gone Girl” Ben Affleck’s character jokes that he thought quinoa was a type of fish. In a movie that was very dark, it was a welcome moment of comedic relief.

The joke worked so well because it’s not a stretch to imagine many Americans thinking the same. In an age of green smoothies, gluten free pizza, acai berries and kale, it can be difficult to keep track of every hip food trend.

In short, quinoa is grain with edible seeds. But we’re sure you have other questions about this trendy superfood and HealthWay is here to help!

How do I pronounce it?

Some people have trouble with the pronunciation because it looks like a Scrabble hand gone wrong. You might be tempted to say “QUIN-oa” but it’s actually pronounced “KEEN-wah.” Don’t embarrass yourself in front of your foodie friends.

Where does it come from?

Quinoa traditionally comes from the mountainous Andean regions of South America including countries such as Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. It’s a staple crop of cultures in the region, and evidence suggested it was domesticated for cultivation 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. Paleo diet indeed.

Whoa, that’s a long time. Why has it been around so long?

Well, quinoa is very hearty. It’s able to survive and thrive in harsh conditions. It does well in arid climates with little rainfall. It’s known to grow in regions that experience severe drought. Additionally, as a crop that originated in the Andes, it does well in high altitudes.

Why is it good for me?

It’s packed with protein! The protein per 100 calories is higher than brown rice, potatoes, barley and millet. It also contains nine essential amino acids and has minimal amounts of gluten. It’s perfect for anyone who’s going gluten free or for vegetarians looking for a source of protein!

So what do I eat it with?

Almost anything! Okay, we admit that wasn’t very helpful. It is versatile, though! In the morning, a bowl of quinoa with fresh fruit and nuts is a great way to start your day. It’s also a great in salads for added protein and texture. For a more substantial meal, try quinoa tabbouleh. The classic Middle Eastern dish is typically made with bulgur or couscous and tomatoes, parsley, mint, onion, olive oil and lemon juice. Just substitute the bulgur or couscous.

But why the sudden demand for it?

It’s hard to say exactly, but in recent years affluent Westerners have become more health conscious. Quinoa is gluten free, high protein, low fat and low calorie, so it’s easy to see why it would championed by healthy eaters. However, the recent demand has taken its toll on the land farms in South America. Many quinoa producers are pushing for factory farming practices that might damage the land. The demand has also inflated the price to the point where many poor South Americans can no longer afford the food that was a staple of their diets previously.

Now you have all the information you need to impress your hipster, foodie friends at brunch!

Categories
Sweat

Crossfit Confessions

Lately, CrossFit has been all the rage for the health conscious.

Greg Glassman and Lauren Jenai founded the fitness program/gym in 2000, but it has really taken off in the last few years. Now there are more than 10,000 CrossFit gyms across the country.

While CrossFit is plenty popular, some people think it’s just the next thing in a long line of fitness fads. You have to wonder if we’ll look back on it and think of it like Tae Bo in the 90s or step aerobics in the 80s.

Sure, it seems to deliver results, but some people have described the atmosphere of CrossFit gyms as almost “cult like.”

Devotion can be commendable but not at the risk of autonomy. At the very least, there are a lot of people with that one friend who won’t shut up about CrossFit. He goes on and on about his deadlifts and squats and how “you should really give it a shot.” You know that guy.

Still, others feel that the workouts might be too intense for regular people. Thus, the intensity (a point of pride for the program) could lead to serious injury or exhaustion.

Recently, I was in the Twin Cities visiting my brother Chris, and he mentioned that he had just started CrossFit. I decided to get to the bottom of this latest fitness craze and find out what CrossFit is really like.

*This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

HeathyWay: What were you doing for exercise before CrossFit?

Chris: I was just lifting weights when I could. At work, at 3M, we have a gym there, so I would go in and try to do different muscle groups…and basically try to get in two to three times a week. But it was probably closer to one or two times.

That’s basically what I was doing before, and I was pretty inconsistent in going. After working nine, 10 hours it’s pretty tough.

HW: What made you decide to try CrossFit?

C: I was reading something, I think in “GQ,” or something online. I was kind of looking for stuff to do in the New Year and CrossFit intrigued me. I just wanted to meet new people and maybe get a hobby. I looked around and Googled to see if there were any gyms nearby, and TwinTown Fitness is only two blocks from where I live.

So I figured it was worth a try. And they have a free class Saturdays so you can try it out. I just wanted to try something new, and I was seeing if I could better results that way. I was looking for something that was more consistent.

HW: How does it compare to what you were doing previously?

C: Well I think…it’s definitely better. I’ve been going a lot more often than I was before, so I’m getting three or four times a week. Also, it costs a lot more, so that might have something to do with it. I think it’s definitely worth the cost, and the other aspect is that you’re not working out by yourself.

It’s a class of, like, 10 to 12 people with a coach who’s there. You have a team mentality and people there to cheer you on and stuff like that. It’s a lot different than just going to the gym and pounding out a workout. There’s a lot more of social aspect, which I like.

HW: You like the social aspect. Are there any other aspects that you’ve liked so far?

C: Yeah, at least with our gym, we get an online tool called “Beyond The Whiteboard.” It’s a way for you track your progress. You don’t have to do it, but they encourage you to do it. You’re recording times and, you know, your reps…stuff like that. It tells you what you’re good at and what you’re bad at and what you need to work on.

Also, with our gym, it’s not super competitive, but, if you want to be, you can be. If you want to see yourself get better, you can post results on a leaderboard, so you can compare yourself to your peers.

It also has a lot of cardio, as well. I used to just lift and never run. I hate running. You get cardio from doing workouts on the rowing machine or the ergometer. You’re also doing Olympic style lifts, so I’m learning lifts I would never have done before.

And I kind of started from scratch. They basically deconstruct everything you’ve learned and you learn how to squat properly and lift properly. What was nice about our gym is you have to go through a foundations class before you go up to doing the WODs, the workout of the day. It’s a way to screen you to make sure you’re mentally, but also physically, tough to handle the workouts. I like that.

HW: Are there any aspects that have been challenging or that you don’t like?

C: I’ve found one thing to do is never look at a workout before going in. They post what you’re going to do before…but you just don’t want to psych yourself out if you see something that looks intimidating. Chances are you’ll be like “Uhh…maybe I won’t go to this class today.”

And I guess…it’s expensive. I’m paying about $200 per month. I think it’s worth it, but, for some other people, they might not be able to afford that. That’s the thing…if you get something good out of it then it’s worth it. But, if not, I can see where people think it costs too much.

You do have to invest. You can’t miss a week or two and expect to be right back into shape. It’s tough, too. There have been some workouts that I’ve just hated. But I always feel good after the fact that I did them. Sometimes you do a 20 or 40 minute workout straight through, and it’s just hell. It’s always good after the fact.

HW: How are the workouts broken down?

C: Each class is kind of divided up. It’s an hour long, so you’re only working out for an hour, which is fine. You get plenty of workout in that amount of time. You usually do a warmup. That’s maybe the first 10 minutes.

Then the next 20 minutes or so, depending on what day it is, you’ll focus on a specific sort of lift. One day you could be working on your squats or your dead lifts or your snatches or you’re working on pullups.

Then the last portion of class, either 30 or 40 minutes, is the WOD, which is work out of the day. Then they have the AMRAP, which I don’t even know what it stands for, but basically it’s a circuit. It’s either for time or you have a set amount of time and you have to get a certain number of rounds in. You’re usually doing three or four different things X number of times.

The coaches are picking these out to make sure we’re balancing the types of workouts we do. There’s a lot of bodyweight but they also incorporate in the lifting and there’s some sort of cardio portion, too. It’s well balanced.

HW: From what I’ve seen, CrossFit tends to deliver results. What have you seen personally?

C: That’s a good question. I definitely feel like I’m in a lot better shape. Physically, I’ve kind of kept track with pictures. I definitely have more definition in my legs and my abs, and I kind of the V cut thing going on that I’ve always wanted but was never quite there.

It’s weird. I haven’t even benched in months, and I don’t feel that I’ve lost any upper body strength. It’s because I’ve been doing a bunch of pushups and pullups. I’ve also noticed the cardio getting better. I was playing basketball this past winter and toward the end of it was when I was getting into shape with CrossFit. I could tell I was in better cardio shape.

HW: I guess the final question is would you recommend it?

C: Yes, I think I would. It might get a bad name every so often from people just because they think it’s a fad or a trend. You know there’s the joke, “How do you know a person does CrossFit? Don’t worry they’ll tell you.”

It kind of has a cultish feeling at times from other gyms I’ve seen. But the one up here is pretty relaxed, and it’s a good way of branching out and meeting new people. If you want to push yourself, it’s a good way to do that. And, if you’re tired of just doing the same gym workouts over and over again and you want to do something new, I recommend it.

Even if you only sign up for half a year or a couple months, you can still get benefits out of it.

Categories
Wellbeing

Don't Be THAT Guy: Office Break Room Etiquette

The modern office is a veritable mine field of unspoken rules and potential faux pas. Nowhere is this more evident than the office break room, particularly the communal fridge. Some people treat it like it’s their own private fridge, without regard for fellow co-workers. They’re the absolute worst.

Don’t be the worst.

There are a few simple guidelines for office fridge and general break room etiquette that will ensure you never become THAT guy or gal. For the sake of every one of your co-workers, follow them!

Don’t Eat Other People’s Food

This shouldn’t even have to be said, but don’t eat other people’s food! Come on, are you in kindergarten? Eating someone else’s lunch shows a total lack of respect and empathy for those around you. It’s hard to trust someone with that important project if you can’t even trust them not to eat your sandwich.

Label Things

If someone is bold enough to eat another person’s lunch, a Sharpie probably won’t stop him/her. However, labeling your food, especially common items like yogurt, will help avoid confusion. Dating food isn’t a bad idea either. If you keep milk around for morning coffee or cereal, write the date it was opened on the carton. Your co-workers definitely don’t want to be involved in making an artisanal batch of office yogurt.

Pick Up After Yourself

This seems like another obvious thing some people don’t comprehend. No one else wants to involved in a makeshift science project, so, for the love of all that’s holy, throw away your old food! Not only is moldy food patently gross, It’s also taking up valuable real estate. You know, for food that’s not fuzzy.

Don’t Be a Hoarder

Some people like to bring a week’s worth of lunches in on Monday and stack them in the fridge. Don’t do this. It might seem really convenient for you, but it’s rude to take up way more space than you actually need for the day. Planning ahead and making a five days worth of food is fine. In fact, it’s responsible. But how about you store that Tupperware Jenga in your own fridge and bring one meal each day?

Be Realistic

It’s good that you don’t want to waste food. It doesn’t hurt to be realistic, though. Let’s face it, you’re probably not going to eat the last three bites of that Italian sub or chicken penne later. Go ahead and throw it out. There’s no need to crowd the fridge with good intentions.

There Are Certain Things You Don’t Heat Up

When it comes to an office break room, there are considerate people that don’t heat up seafood and then there are monsters. Considering how shrimp, crab and fish smell after being heated up, it’s a wonder that anyone saves Red Lobster leftovers at all. But some people do. They either have a non-functioning sense of smell or a total disregard for making the break room smell like low tide at the wharf. Seriously, the smell does not go away. Please, we’re begging you, keep the leftover salmon at home.

Learn To Use The Microwave

Speaking of heating things up…Learn how to use the microwave. You don’t need to heat up pasta for seven minutes. All that will get you is a burnt tongue and a microwave that looks like a crime scene. Also, use the popcorn button! The only thing that smells worse and lasts longer than reheated seafood is burnt popcorn.

Respect The Coffee

If you drink the last cup of coffee, it’s your duty to make a new pot. This is one of the oldest break room rules in the book. It’s probably in the Constitution somewhere. Your fellow workers depend on the magical elixir to get them through the day. Don’t deny them that.

Now that you’re educated on proper break room etiquette, don’t be afraid to preach the gospel to your co-workers! Oh, and, check that coffee pot one more time, just to be sure…

Categories
Lifestyle

Hawaii Says Aloha to Huge Renewable Energy Program

Ever so slowly, Americans are realizing that dependence on fossil fuels might not be a great long-term plan. Even if some members of Congress aren’t too excited to hop aboard the green bandwagon.

People in the Aloha State are taking renewable energy very seriously, though. Hawaiians have seen enough rising seas, diminishing rainfall and increasing storms, and they’re doing something about it. The state could very well be a window into the future of energy in the United States.

The isolated archipelago has good reason to examine its policies. It has seen the toll of dependence on fossil fuels.

Hawaii has some of the highest electric bills in the country (two to three times the national average in some cases) because it relies overwhelmingly on imported oil for energy. It isn’t cheap, either. As the most oil-dependent state in the nation, Hawaii spends more than $4 billion a year on foreign oil to meet energy needs.

Perhaps more startlingly, It has also seen one of its most iconic beaches start to vanish.

Though few realize it, the famous Waikiki Beach has been thoroughly eroded due to rising sea levels. The sand that tourists are so eager to feel between their toes is artificially replenished. If the beach is lost for good, it could lead to millions, or even billions, in lost economic revenue.

Recently, Hawaii Governor David Ige took a bold step in addressing these issues. Ige signed into law an ambitious measure, one that aims to replace fossil fuels completely with renewable sources by 2045.

One hundred percent clean energy.

Furthermore, there are other benchmarks to meet. They include: 30 percent usage of renewable sources by 2020 and 70 percent usage of renewable sources by 2040. The law is the first of its kind in the country, and accordingly, is the most aggressive green initiative in recent memory.

But is it possible?

It will be a difficult transition, but Hawaii has many advantages due to its location. The islands are home to plenty of sun, wind, water and geoactivity. For that very reason, it is already becoming a center of green research and innovation. In fact, it may be the state best equipped to deal with solar panels, wind turbines and water turbines, as they provide important sources of energy moving forward.

Unfortunately, it’s not simply a matter of having enough sun or waves or geothermal steam. The more concerning problem is the infrastructure needed for these new sources of electricity. A key priority, and necessity, in the renewable energy measure is grid modernization and an inter island connection between separate grids.

Upgrading the islands’ electrical grids would increase efficiency and storage potential. Meanwhile, a link between the Oahu and Maui Island grids would reduce electricity rates and potentially save more than $400 million over a 30-year period.

Still, Hawaii’s initiative should be an example to the rest of the country.

The state’s politicians looked beyond party lines and accepted the environmental and economic problems facing them. The state’s citizens also refused to stick their heads in the sand, or what’s left of it. A 2014 report estimates 97 percent of the public supports expansion of renewable energy.

If a small state in the middle of the ocean can do it, there’s no reason other states can’t follow suit. Studies have already shown that wind power and solar power could provide viable and significant sources of energy for the country. Some researchers believe every state in the union could supply 100 percent of its energy via renewable sources by 2050.

Those of us in the contiguous 48 must ask, what are we waiting for?

Categories
Nosh

Fast Food's Obsession With Machismo and Patriotism is Making Us Fat

It’s no secret that American portion sizes are out of control.

According to the National Institute of Health, food portions in America’s restaurants have doubled, and in some cases, tripled in the last few decades. The increased helpings of soda, burgers and ice cream (among many other high-calorie offenders) have grown concurrently with our increasing waistlines.

Some don’t seem too worried about it, though. In fact, certain fast food chains have leaned into our culture of ever increasing portions and are celebrating them.

Right now, Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. are proudly advertising a new burger dressed with a hot dog and potato chips. It’s touted as “The Most American Thick Burger.”

The burger is sold under the guise of camp. You know what I mean if you’ve seen the commercial. It’s over-the-top machismo and patriotism. It’s culinary manifest destiny. As Americans, we need, nay, deserve a burger that’s 1,190 calories and has 3,170mg of sodium for no other reason than, “‘Murrica!”

They’re not the only culprits either. The Olive Garden offers a Never Ending Pasta Bowl. Arby’s recently offered a sandwich called “The Meat Mountain.” TGI Fridays has promoted Endless Appetizers. “Man vs Food,” a show built around the idea of one regular guy eating obscene amounts of food, ran for four seasons.  

The list goes on and on.

The message is simple: bigger is better. It’s your right, and duty, to seek more even if you don’t really need it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a home, car or burger. You’re an American and that means more.

This sentiment didn’t necessarily start from a bad place. When immigrants came to this country to start new lives, like my great-great grandparents, there was a comparative embarrassment of riches. It didn’t seem like such a bad thing to have extra food around or to be able to feed your children second helpings.  

That attitude persisted throughout the decades, but the context was lost. Lives became more comfortable and the bounty increased…and increased. Many Americans of a certain class were never really in danger of missing a meal, but it didn’t stop them from eating like it.

I’ve seen this sort of thing first hand.

I grew up in the Upper Midwest, and there was peculiar sort of pride in gastronomic feats. “Who wants seconds?” was a common phrase. Dads slapped their sons on the back and exclaimed to family and friends, “Can you believe how much this kid puts away!” Cleaning your plate of a huge portion of meat and several sides and asking for more was not seen as over indulgence. It was seen as growing boys and girls eating a hearty meal, dontcha know!

It extended to restaurants as well. I can’t really think of a time where my family went out to eat at a small, “fancy” restaurant. Generally, we went to chain restaurants. Instead of eating a realistically portioned, quality dish and learning about cuisine, we were treated to all you can eat fried shrimp and giant burgers.

I learned to equate the quality of food with the amount of food for the lowest price. Those places were thought of as “good” restaurants because you could eat as much as you could stomach for $13.99 a person.

And woe unto the people with modest appetites. I wasn’t a bigger eater as an adolescent, and I was tacitly made to feel about it. I don’t think it was born out of conscious or malicious decisions by my friends and family, but I definitely noticed.

I noticed when my friends would look at my plate and exclaim with incredulity, “It looks like you barely ate anything!” I noticed when my mom’s friend told me flatly, “You need to eat more.” I noticed when my dad would laugh about my brother’s appetite and tell friends, “Yeah, he can eat!”

I felt like I wasn’t living up to some mythical Midwestern ideal for not clearing my plate occasionally. Not only that, I started to feel like I was wasting food even though I shouldn’t have been trying to eat that much in the first place.

That’s the problem. These things are sinister in their subtleness. Well, not that Hardee’s commercial. There’s nothing subtle about that. Anyway, these attitudes are cloaked in good-natured concern. My parents never worried about feeding us too much; they worried about feeding us enough. But how were they to know what was actually enough?

Furthermore, those lessons weren’t exactly great to internalize at an impressionable age. Sure, it’s fine when you’re a growing teenager with a sky-high metabolism, but, as you get older, it catches up with you. It took years to deprogram my preconceived notions. I had no idea what a healthy portion looked like until I took an interest in food and started cooking for myself.

So, if our fast food chains really insist that “Murrica!” is enough of an excuse to eat, why not exercise some real American values like education and self-reliance? Educate yourself about proper portions and learn to cook yourself at least one meal a week that won’t induce a heart attack.

I promise, after a while, you won’t even miss that burger.

Categories
Nosh

Our Grandparents Never Had Food Allergies – So Why Do We?

To Baby Boomers and members of the Greatest Generation, food allergies were an anomaly. Few had to worry about the possibility of an All-American treat like peanut butter causing problems.
Times have changed.
For years, food allergies have been increasing in the American population, and scientists and physicians have been working to explain phenomenon.
According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Center for Disease Control, the prevalence of food allergies increased for children under the age of 18 between 1997 and 2011. Specifically, the increase in allergies to peanuts was marked.
The New England Journal of Medicine noted that the prevalence of the allergy has nearly quadrupled recently. In 1997, peanut allergy affected 0.4 percent of American children. However, it increased to 1.4 percent in 2008 and more than 2 percent in 2010.
On the whole, peanut allergies (and other food allergies) are still rare in terms of total population. Despite that fact, the impact of the issue can be seen in everyday life.
The peanut butter and jelly sandwich, once the king of brown-bag lunches, has been banned in certain schools. Some airlines have stopped serving peanuts as an in-flight snack. Parents are thinking twice before serving “ants on a log” to their children’s friends.
So what’s going on? Are today’s kids just weaker than their forebears?
Well, there might be several answers to that question.
Medical professionals and scientists have known for a long time that certain foods, such as peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, shellfish and fish, can produce strong allergic reactions.
In a (potentially misguided) attempt to protect infants and toddlers, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended in 2000 that parents limit exposure to those foods until the age of three. At the time, the AAP hypothesized that early exposure could lead to allergic reactions. In 2008, the group retracted its recommendation.
Comforting.
Now, some physicians believe the lack of exposure to these foods early in life can lead to a more extreme immune reaction. A recent study showed a correlation between expecting mothers eating peanuts and lower instances of peanut and tree nut allergies. However, it wasn’t a controlled experiment. Just correlation.
Some other long-term, controlled studies are focusing on the subject, but we will have to wait for any conclusions on the matter.
Our grandparents, had no such reservations. The didn’t have Dr. Oz or parenting blogs or a hundred books telling them how they should be raising their kids. Granted, that doesn’t mean they were always right.
For example, smoking and drinking during pregnancy was much more common in the 60’s. But one has to think parents back then weren’t avoiding peanut butter and eggs at all costs before the age of three. It’s also reasonable to assume less processed food was available, but more on that later…
Other leading explanations center on the environment we’ve created in this modernized, industrialized country. As our civilization has advanced, we’ve left some things behind, and it’s starting to present problems.
It all comes back to the theme of exposure.
The hygiene hypothesis argues Western countries and recently developing countries have become too clean. While it sounds like a great excuse for a kid trying to avoid bath time, the consequences could be quite serious.
Essentially, young children aren’t exposed to enough bacteria, viruses and infections, and it impedes the development of the immune system. In turn, it’s theorized that the limited exposure increases the chances of allergies and autoimmune disease later in life.
So, while grandpa was outside collecting grass stains and skinning his knees, modern children are slathered in Purrell and are protected by each and every thing by overzealous helicopter parents. Now we could be seeing the results of an over-sanitized, over-protective culture.
Yet another explanation blames Western diets. A Study by physicians in Italy compared gut bacteria from healthy children in a small agrarian village in Burkina Faso and healthy children in Florence, Italy.
The children from Burkina Faso, who subsist on a high-fiber, seasonal and mostly vegetarian diet, showed greater biodiversity of bacteria. The Italian children, on the other hand, had a typical Western diet higher in fat, sugar, protein and starch. Predictably, they had less diverse bacteria.
Increased biodiversity in the gut is important. It helps resistance to pathogens and trains the body’s immune system not to attack body itself or harmless pathogens. The result is fewer instances of allergies and autoimmune diseases.
What’s happened is that one door has been closed but another’s been opened.
Western countries have been able to control infectious disease with hygiene measures and vaccines. Nonetheless, our taste for processed food with high sugar and fat content has reduced exposure to certain bacterias. That doesn’t sound bad until you realize it’s very possible that lack of exposure to those bacterias could lead to problems such as food allergies.
It’s frustrating, and there seems to be no easy answer.
However, if there is a common thread among these theories, it could be the virtue in letting our guard down. It’s easy to want to protect and shelter something as precious as a child. But, we have to ask ourselves, could it be beneficial in the long run to let go a little bit?
Perhaps, we need to expose our children to more. Let them have a bite of your PB&J. Let them play in the dirt and the grass. Even though it’s quick and easy, put the box of mac and cheese down once in a while.
Who knows? It could save us all a lot grief down the road.

Categories
Sweat

My First Time: A Tale of The Unlikely Yogi

Last night, I did something I thought I would never do.

I took a yoga class.

In the past, I thought yoga classes were strictly for aging hippies and young people who “weren’t religious, but definitely spiritual.” I have no doubt that this is the result of growing up in a family where there were four “real sports,” five if you included golf.

My dad barely recognized soccer as a sport. To him, it was more like cross country with a ball. Also, apparently, it was for socialists. Needless to say, I wasn’t taking any yoga classes in high school.

But for the good of HealthyWay, and my fragile flexibility, I decided to take the plunge and go to a yoga class. My girlfriend was a huge proponent of the idea. She routinely teases me about my inflexibility and warned me it’s only going to get worse if I don’t pair my weight training with some sort of stretching.

I had to begrudgingly admit she was right.

The search started for a class we could both make it to after work. I found a studio in a quaint area of our city that offered beginners classes for a reasonable price.

Bingo.

Because I was a bit nervous about this new endeavor, I took the instructions on the studio’s website seriously. We bought some yoga mats and packed a bag with towels and water bottles. The site also advised to eat within two hours of the class.

Since the studio asked that you arrive to class 15 minutes early and it was about 20 minutes away (accounting for traffic), we didn’t have much time to eat. Unfortunately, the fridge contained no leftovers and the meal we had in the crock pot wouldn’t be ready in time. We didn’t even have the proper ingredients for a sandwich or salad (don’t judge).

That left a couple cans of soup. This is where I learned my first lesson. A hearty stew is not yoga food. I implore you: Eat anything else besides piping hot soup before yoga. Trust me, a can of Campbell’s Chunky sloshing around your stomach while doing downward dog is to no one’s benefit.

After scarfing down that ill-advised early dinner, we departed.

We arrived early to a beautiful brick building with an alley entrance way. As soon as we stepped in the door, it was like hippie yoga bingo. There were incense burning in multiple locations, statues of Eastern deities and everyone was barefoot and soft spoken.

If someone had been drinking a green smoothie, I would have lost it.

I quickly started to think, “What have I gotten myself into” and hoped no one would ask me about Phish or quinoa. I didn’t have much more time to fret, though. Soon it was time to start class.

We walked into a small room (also burning incense) with seven or eight other people and put down our mats. The instructor was very nice and soothing, and I thought this whole thing might be alright.

We started with a simple position and some deep breathing. There were a lot of confusing, and seemingly nonsensical, instructions like “lift with your abdominals!” and “push through your elbows!” I went with it, though, deferring to the expert.

Looking back, it seems like the start of the class was a bait and switch to pacify people like me. The remainder of the class WAS NOT soothing. It was tough. It hurt. It was just as much of a workout as lifting weights, except I know how to do that without looking like an idiot.

One thing became readily apparent when we started some positions meant to help stretch and strengthen our legs (the muscles and tendons around the ankle, calf and foot specifically), I was probably the least flexible person in the entire class.

Years of playing sports, lifting weights and never stretching had caught up with me. I started to wince and take breaks during what looked like simple positions. I caught looks of concern on my girlfriend’s face a few times, but I powered through because I’m good sport.

Also, I’m stubborn.

By far the most embarrassing example of my physical malleability, or lack thereof, came toward the end of class. We were instructed to lie flat on our stomachs then arch our backs and move our legs up toward the front of our bodies. Then, we were to reach back with our arms and grab our feet. I think it was called a “bow pose,” but it just looked like the worst rocking horse ever to me.

I was literally the only person so inflexible that I couldn’t do the pose to some degree. The instructor tried to help me. I think she thought I wasn’t trying hard enough, but after a few more tries I explained to her that my range of motion was truly that bad and everything hurt.

Luckily, the end of the class was near and we ended with some guided relaxation.  Afterward, I started to wonder if they offered a remedial yoga class and tended to sore muscles I was previously unaware of.

Even after all that, I would recommend a beginners class to guys who have never tried yoga. It was difficult for me, but I’m convinced it can only help my other workouts. Obviously, it will improve my flexibility, but I can see it improving my spatial awareness, balance and muscle control.

Yoga can seem daunting for a lot of people. It can seem intimidating to guys, who may not be naturally flexible to begin with, or who see it as a feminine domain. Believe me, I understand being afraid to look silly.

That’s the great thing, though. From what I saw, there seemed to be a communal support structure, even to newcomers. No one at the studio was judgemental, and you only have room to improve.

Don’t let your hypothetical idea of something stop you from experiencing its reality.

Namaste.