January 11, 2008

Random Friday

[By Crabby]

So it's Friday, and that means it's we've got another mishmash of health research and Weird Stuff waiting here for you at Cranky Fitness. And it's a short mishmash too, maybe more just a mish, due to an untimely computer disaster.

Now wouldn't it be a shock if one day you checked in to a Random Friday post and there was no disclaimer, just a well-organized round-up of important health news? Ha! Anyway, let's jump right in, shall we?

Boil your vegetables?
You may have read that boiling your vegetables destroys the nutrients in them, but new research says: does not! In fact this study found that boiling vegetables preserved or even boosted nutritional value in comparison to raw vegetables, whereas frying allowed more loss of nutrients. Broccoli, in particular, got an antioxidant boost when it was boiled or steamed.

Another Weight-Related Health Hazard:
According to this research, obese people are less likely to use their seatbelts than other folks, with about 55 percent of extremely obese individuals reporting they did not use a seatbelt. The researchers said: "efforts should be made to raise public awareness about seatbelt extender availability, and manufacturers not offering seatbelt extenders should be encouraged, or required, to make them available." Crabby says: "hell yeah."

File This One Under: Oops!
Apparently some hospital's 'Do Not Resuscitate' wristbands look a lot like Lance Armstrong 'LiveStrong' bracelets. So far, close calls have been reported, but no accidental Lance-related dnr's... yet.

And File This One Under: Yecch!
Don't know how we missed this article, but it says that 1 in 5 Chicago area restaurants studied had more bacteria and fecal matter in their ice cubes than in a random testing of toilet water. I'd say "glad I don't live in Chicago..." except it's probably the same everywhere. Curiously, however, many of us go to restaurants and aren't dead yet. Maybe this is another study endorsing the relative cleanliness of toilet water and/or toilet seats, which have proven cleaner than cell phones, steering wheels, and drinking fountains.

Specialized Food Pyramid:
This silly link supplies an antidote to one-size-fits all nutritional advice.

And Yeah, Christmas is Over, but...
Those of us with a twisted sense of humor can still enjoy this creepy but strangely compelling cartoon.

Too Many Demands?
Crabby already has a Ph.D. in How to Avoid Responsibilities, but some of you go-getters might need some tutelage. Sample advice:

"The ‘required amount’ of work is arbitrarily determined. How often does the car need washing; how much of our work is necessary? More to the point, how little could we get away with? People who talk a lot about duty and responsibility probably never know how much they depress everybody else."

Trying to Get Unhealthy?
This amusing video will show you how. Note: for those of you who frequent the comments section, the guy who put it together is "weightlossguru," the cheerful man who shows up sometimes with a duck on his head.

News from the Sidebar...

Cranky Fitness is very pleased to have added a couple of great new sponsors, whom we hope aren't scared off by all the shenanigans that go on beside their ads. Note: these are not soul-less corporate conglomerates like G**gle, but actual live human bloggers with lots of great weight-loss and fitness tips and insights! For example, at Iowa Avenue, which is a whole weight-loss community, you can explore whether your body image is realistic or get better about planning your meals. And Fat Man Unleashed has tons of great advice, including a special ass-kicking workout for bloggers who have trouble leaving their laptops long enough to get fit.

So have a great Friday everyone! (Crabby will be praying to the Computer Gods for speedy delivery of a new laptop to replace the one that died. She is working on an ancient one dug up from the basement that freezes, crashes, and needs rebooting approximately every three seconds. She will be boning up on Stress Management over the weekend.)


  1. Thanks for the plug, Crabby. I think Iowa Avenue is pretty cool, too. We're up to 65 members due in part to Crabby.........:)

    In regards to boiling vegetables, personally, I like to microwave mine. It's easy to keep the crispness, and because it similar to steaming (I put a lid on them in the microwave), I'm assuming the nutritional gains are similar.

  2. Having survived a zombie horde this summer, I'm glad to now have a list of proper nutrition, should I runing to them again and end up art of the new & upcoming zombie craze.
    You rock Crabby!
    As for the ice machine...yeah. I've only worked in one restaurant ever that actually cleanedout it's ice machine every 2 months like you're supposed to...yuck. It's why I stick to coffee or pop. Blech.

  3. So happy that I usually buy bottled water and drink it straight from the bottle when I eat at restaurants. Unless I have a glass of wine, but there usually aren't any ice cubes in my wine...


  4. The creepy cartoon was hilarious.

    The continued flipping of how best to serve veggies really steams my broccoli.

    I've been experimenting for years with determining how little I can get away with. It's coming along nicely and each year I add more on the less work side of the ledger.

  5. The cartoon was amusing in such a sick way! I loved the Bloggers Work out- thanks for introducing me to a new blog to follow!

  6. Go Iowa Avenue! I think social support and being part of a community is a great component for weight loss programs.

    And go Zombies! Also geosomin, thanks for the behind-the-scenes restaurant info. I think.

    javachick--I will confess to the incredible sin of sometimes putting an ice cube in room temperature red wine. But only at home, and only if I'm drinking two buck Chuck or something similarly low-end.

    Leah, I'm with you, I wish they'd make up their mind on how to cook vegetables, or drink green tea, or whatever. Read too many flipfloppy studies and you start to want to say the hell with 'em all.

    Thanks Emily! And it is kind of ironic that "fitness blogging" means plopping yourself in a chair for hours on end. It's nice to have some handy in-office exercises.

  7. ....but no accidental Lance-related dnr's... yet.
    TOO FUNNY!!!

    Regarding the bacteria and fecal matter, Myth Busters did a show about how much fecal mater is on a person’s toothbrush because it is in the bathroom where the fecal matter just flies around in the air. They found that the “control” toothbrush that they had in the other room had just as much fecal matter on it UCK! (and by fecal matter, I think it is really fecal bacteria or something like that. Hey I am not a scientist!!)

  8. Holly--I don't know whether that's reassuring or completely depressing!

    Anyway, I've decided to ignore all these studies that talk about how something I've been doing all my life could be exposing me to terrible bacteria. Four and a half decades of my own personal research on my own body says: don't worry so much, you never get sick. So I go "yecccch" momentarily and then forget all about them.

  9. It's going to take quite awhile for the Bag Lady to get the image of that Christmas card out of her head...hehehe
    She always steams her veggies in the microwave. The only veggies she boils are potatoes and turnips. She doesn't know if she is destroying their nutritional value or not; she just knows they taste better that way.
    Oh, and always asks that they leave the ice out of her drinks in restaurants.
    (javachick, perhaps you should look into the studies on bottled water...)

  10. Bag lady - yeah, I know. Bottled water = evil. All kinds of nasty plastic stuff. But all the tap water around here tastes like chlorine and I just can't drink it, sorry.


    Oh, GAG. I may never have an iced drink in a restaurant again. >.<

    Do not worry about your computer! A LOLCat speshulist is on the way. There may be a price, though.

  12. I guess the obvious question is,"Did they test the water before or after the toilet was used"? :-)
    Dr. J

  13. It's amazing, isn't it, that even drinking water can be such a complicated health issue?

    And Chicken Girl, thanks for the I.T. help! I knew that post was missing something.

  14. About the fecal-ice cubes... Ew.

    The vegetable flipflopping is really getting to me. Can't they just be happy that I'm eating my freakin' veggies? We usually steam or eat raw, and sometimes roast, our veggies, so I just hope I'm covered. :D

  15. Okay, now I'm disturbed. Why is there sh*t in my ice cubes? WTF? I'm trying to wrap my mind around that one...

    re: veggies - steamed, nuked, raw, juiced... I'm lucky if I get them eaten, so I can't be to concerned with how they're consumed. Note to self: work on vegetable consumption!

  16. I can only say that in response to the stuff in drinking water, this just proves that we as a society need to get over the fact that we can't clean up everything we're exposed to. The world doesn't work that way. I personally think that beyond a minimal amount we do ourselves a disservice with things like antibiotic cleaners for EVERYTHING and trying to avoid any and all exposure to what might be considered dirt. We are designed to deal with dirt. but that's just my rant. Take with as much salt as necessary.

  17. I'm with you guys--it's hard enough to eat enough veggies without worrying about how we cook 'em.

    And I agree kb--while psychologically no one wants to hear about fecal contaminants (yuck) I think our bodies are built to withstand a certain amount of bacterial exposure. I notice that among my friends, some of the ones who try hardest to avoid bacteria and viruses are the ones most likely to get sick! (but it may not be cause and effect--they may be hyper-avoidant because they know they're susceptible).

  18. I get so sick of these silly studies...first boiling is bad, now good, soon it will be bad again. I'll just stick to eating what I like :)

  19. I'm with you KB. Way too much obsession with germs. I read a report not long ago that people raised on farms have much better immune systems precisely because they're exposed to so much manure and develop antibodies and things. On the other hand, with scary things like MRSA going around, I've become a lot more careful hand-washer.

    And Crabby...you seriously need to get an Apple. You have way too much computer drama.

  20. "Hey I am not a scientist"

    That's OK :)
    Usually fecal matter is measured as the numebr of coliform bacteria, the type of bacteria tha tlike to grow in fecal matter. They exist in all contisitons, not just poo. I am surprised there were as many on toothbrushes in other rooms as in the bathroom tho.
    They're everywhere. Trust me. Especially in water. Take a few micro classes and it's enough to make you ride the spruce goose for a few months...:)

  21. Ahhhh...Love me some LOLCats...I actually sent them both on to my IT inclined best friend and boyfriend...I hope they enjoy them...

    Veggies = ewwww in my book...But then again, I'm sure that has a lot to do with me being a member of FKA (fat-kids annonymous)...The boyfriend makes me eat them, he's in much better shape than I am, and he likes his with a bit of olive oil, vegetable seasoning and garlic...

    Did I miss the zombies?? Must go back and investigate!!!

  22. Heh...what about the "bug" factor.
    I was horrified to discover that certain foods have a maximum allowable bug content in them?
    Yup...some bug content allowed.


  23. Hey Crabby, thanks for the plug! (in a rush), Pete :)

  24. I love steamed or boiled veggies. Much prefer them over raw. I don't really care what the experts say. I'm sure a veggie any way is much better than french fries and a big mac.

  25. I figure I'm doing well to eat veggies at all, so I don't much care about what studies say.

    DNR bracelets, pfft, I'm going to have it tattooed across my chest!

    Funny cartoons, loved the zombie food chart!

  26. I especially like the part about avoiding responsibilities. So if... for example... one were moving to a new home and felt obligated to sort through all her old @#$! and toss the stuff she didn't need, well heck, there's a responsibility just waiting to be ignored, right?

    On the plus side, hauling boxes down two flights of stairs does count as both weight lifting and aerobics.

  27. Thanks for stopping by mamacita, tb, reb and pete!

    Geosomin, it's so great to have an actual scientist aboard! And bug parts are kinda like bacteria for me... I just pretend I've never heard that they could be in the stuff I eat.

    Hiya sambo--from what I can tell, zombies don't have to eat vegetables, so perhaps you might want to investigate how to become one.

    And Melissa--I never had so much drama before I bought the particular HP laptop, which was very cool when I got it but has been nothing but trouble. However, I think Mac vs PC is kind of like having a particular religion--one doesn't change it lightly. I'm a die-in-the-wool pc person, not a mac person, even though they look awfully cute.

    And mary--oh, you're supposed to UNPACK the boxes? That does make moving so much harder. Congrats on the new house and the move!

  28. ech, i am afraid to ask what the fecal matter content is in ice at a local taco joint...should i be asking for my diet coke without ice from now on? thanks for the research! you are awesome!

  29. Hi Crabs, thanks for the mention.

  30. Yay for boiling veggies. (Except I always figured the green water that I poured out of the pot after the fact contained all the "gold")

    (I'm a die-hard Mac user...but I'll keep my mouth shut...)


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