Why I Blog About The Dr. Oz Show

Why do I feature Dr. Mehmet Oz so much in my blogs and tweets? Because the man is worth it. He's intelligent, personable, and entertaining. The ladies like his looks. Me, yeah, he looks okay but I like the fact that he knows what he is talking about.

My first time seeing Dr. Oz was on the Oprah Winfrey Show. He was a well-spoken, intelligent man who was confidant and passionate about his topics. I am into improving my own health. I have a lifetime of poor habits to break. And Dr. Oz makes it easier to watch what could be very dry subject matter by being entertaining while being informative.

Borrowed from Pinterest

Dr. Oz uses humor, members of his audience, and featured guest experts to put on quite a show. His props are first rate. Some of his demonstrations use everyday, ordinary items while at other times he uses great videos and animations to make his point.

What really catches your eye though are some of the mock-ups Dr. Oz uses. The over-sized ones are fantastic. I wonder if he uses such props in teaching medical students? I can picture him being a very effective educator.

Have I mentioned Dr. Oz's manner of speach? His pronunciation is clear and his accent is very slight. Most may not even notice it but being a Southerner, I do detect it. Not a New England or New Yorker accent but almost. Sounds like a mid-west meets east coast kind of accent. Of course my accent is more than noticeable. Just pointing out he has a pleasant voice for presentations and television.

How Old Are You Actually? Check Your RealAge!

Is it possible to become younger? The folks at RealAge definitely think so. Their Real Age Test utilizes the latest medical research to provide you with the calculated "real age" of your body. In their words, "Your RealAge is a quick scientific calculation of how young or old your body thinks you really are".

The Real Age Test has been recently updated from the original version created by Michael F. Roizen, MD to reflect the latest research. If you have previously taken the Real Age Test but not lately, have another go at it and see how your numbers go. The Test has four main areas of concern including Health, Feelings, Diet, and Fitness. Each of these areas has a very thorough questionnaire  Of course, the accuracy of the results will be affected by how truthful you are in answering every question.

My Real Age

I found the Real Age Test to be very comprehensive but was still not sure how to answer some of the questions. I may have skewed some of the answers in my favor but I don't believe I was far off the mark. And upon further reflection and a view of the results I may have skewed the results in my disfavor. When asked about your Health "Interests", it might be best to only check those item that you have a legitimate personal interest in. In other words, check those items that pertain to you personally.

Mmm, Mmm, Mmm! Chicken Stir-Fry for Breakfast

Chicken Stir-Fry

A great way to handle left-overs is to make a breakfast stir-fry. The good thing about a stir-fry is there are no hard fast rules. Fresh vegetables, frozen, or leftover veggies are all a good start. Mix and match what you have. And whatever else you have on hand when added to the mix should work.

The important key I have been told is that your pan needs to be hot; very hot. If you put rice in and it tends to stick then your pan is not hot enough. Oil helps and is necessary for most fries. But be careful you do not use too much. Two, maybe three tablespoons is generally sufficient. Do not forget to stir. After all, this is a stir-fry.

Getting Started - Again!

Dan Carroll being the Intrepid IT Professional

Here's the deal. I will turn 52 this summer. I am not in the best of shape. I am at least 50 to 60 pounds (22 to 27 kilos) overweight, possibly even more. It depends on whose guidelines you follow. More on that later. I have high blood pressure. I like to think its not that high, something the doctors call hypertension. My joints creak, my feet hurt if I stand too much or walk to far, And I used to love to walk, take long hikes and go backpacking.

And to top it all off, I have glaucoma and cataracts. Had surgery in my left eye, now the right eye is developing cataracts. Oh, and I almost forgot about the sleep apnea. So anyway, it could be worse. No diabetes. Blood sugars are generally very good. But my triglycerides are out the roof. At least they are without medication and watching what I eat. I used to be a typical Southerner and eat almost everything fried.

So, the bottom line is, I have to lose weight. And to eat better. At least my body appears to be fairly resilient. I haven't shown any signs of heart disease or other weight related maladies. Except that my breathing and sleep apnea might improve, dramatically maybe, if I lose the excess baggage. So that is the plan, lose weight and get fit. My concentration though is going to be health.

I know weight is an issue, really I do. I am an American after all and the World knows we tend to be over weight, more than the average any way. But instead on concentrating on the wieght loss and dieting, I am going to work on becoming healthier. I will exercise more, eat better, concentrate on relationships, worry less, and put it all in God's hands. Yes, I am a believer, just not as devout as some.

Krispy Kreme Donuts are Actually Good For You?

Okay, Krispy Kreme donuts may not actually be a health food but they could be a healthy choice when compared to the alternatives.  Donuts are definitely one of my vices and I broke down and bought some last night (and ate two of them).  This was the first time I have had a donut in quite some time.  I'm down to one donut or less per month so I feel I am doing pretty good.

But donuts as a healthy snack alternative?  Well, if you're going to eat a donut, then pick one with the least negative impact.  It would appear that there are lower fat, sugar, and calorie alternatives.  I had to read the article that popped up in front of me from Yahoo! when I closed my Yahoo! Mail.  "8 Best Supermarket Sweets" by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding from Men's Health Eat This, Not That fame states that the Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Donut only has 190 calories, 11 g fat, and 10 g sugars compared to others with much higher fat and sugar content.

Why Does A 50 Year Old Male Have A Health Blog?

Mostly because I am 50 years old.  Well, almost, I will be on my next birthday.  I'm definitely not getting younger but with some effort, I can see myself getting fitter and living better.  I have had some health issues in the last decade, most notably hypertension, high cholesterol, and cataracts.

So what am I doing about it.  Well, I started exercising, eating better, and generally trying to live better.  Of course, its not always easy.  I've developed a sedentary lifestyle and I love baked goods.  Guess I'm a carb junkie as well as a bit of a computer geek.  All of this from someone who grew up on a farm and did a hitch in the Army.

So I'm walking more, standing more (increasing my body movements), and intending on spending more time on the Wii.  I should start jogging but maybe a bicycle would be easier to start with.  My joints aren't what they used to be.  And with spring starting, it won't be long before I can spend some time in the swimming pool.

As far as my workout goes, I've been doing a combination of things, not one set workout regimen.  Some of what I do was learned in elementary school, some in high school, some in the Army, and the rest from a combination of TV exercise shows and books, or websites, on fitness.  There are some great workout programs out there and I would love to profile some of them here.  So we'll see how that goes.

Most of what I do tends to be stretching and range of motion exercises.  I spend a lot of time on these, working on my flexibility and joint strength.  I've come a long way but have further to go.  I need more cardio and strength training and to work on my endurance.  I started out last year with mostly upper body with some lower body, then started concentrating more on the lower body.

Working a lot on my core now and have seen improvement there.  Now if I could lose more belly fat I might start working on a six-pack.  Of course, taking a few months off in the latter part of last year didn't really help.  But I have learned a lot and hope to impart some of that knowledge to others through this blog.  I'm thinking I want to take a look at interval training and see what its all about.

I'm not a professional trainer by any means (this should be evident so far) and am not a fanatical health nut either.  I just want to improve my quality of life and share some of my research and observations with others.  I love to meet new people and am looking forward to making friends with like-minded individuals.

So, if you're interested in health, family, finance, or generally improving yourself and your quality of life, feel free to tag along.  Hopefully I can come up with some topic of interest to you, and maybe even provide a little entertainment and education along the way.  All comments and personal insights are welcome and encouraged.  So please feel free to add your two cents worth.  Live long and prosper.

Getting Fit . . . and Staying Healthy

OK, this is my true goal.  Get fit and healthy, and stay there.  Is it easy?  Heck no!  I tend to be lazy in these areas.  I have a true interest in health.  Really.  I listen to health news and watch shows on health and read some about these subjects online.

I'm not into crazy fads and listening to people rant about health issues.  I want facts.  That's the way I am.  And that is what I hope to bring to the table in this blog of mine.  The facts and nothing but the facts.  At least how I see them.  I have a straight-laced, no nonsense approach to life.

I'm a technical type and like to do my own research.  So that is what I'll cover here.  Some research, and some opinion.  Not only mine, but that of others.  Whatever I feel lends relevancy to the topic on hand.

I may wander a bit.  Meander really.  But I hope to make a point in each posting.  And make one that makes sense to people.  And, hopefully spark a conversation or two.  So feel free to add your two cents worth.

Now I admit, I may come off a bit biased in some cases.  (Aren't we all -- biased in our own way?)  But will strive to stick to the facts.  And of course, my own commentary will be thrown in.  My own observations, as you will.

I will also include findings (research) with links to what I have found.  I won't always agree with the links I provide and will include commentary to that effect.  Discussion is good.  The best way to learn in my opinion. Get a dialogue going.   Hash it all out.  Start some controversy and get the ball rolling.  You get the idea?

And I'm sure after a few posts, everyone will see that I like to watch The Dr. Oz Show.  I'll admit a certain bias here.  His show IS entertaining.  But for me, the real draw is that he covers relevant, timely topics in an intelligent, informative way.  The man does his research, and brings in experts to back him up.

Dr. Oz isn't about his opinion and some weird pseudo science (like some of the odd-ball diets out there).  He brings into play the science and research concerning health issues, debunks commonly held ideas that may be erroneous, and does it in an entertaining way.  What else can you ask for in a TV show on health?

I'll also be bringing in the opinions of others.  Some of these I won't be agreeing with.  And others I may only partly agree with.  A prime candidate here would be my wife.

She is a lovely, intelligent woman.  Not the book smart type (that's me), but a down-to-earth, common sense type of person (she is).  She reads (books), but only when it is extremely interesting to her.  She prefers conversation.

She is always chatting with friends, family, and acquaintances, online and on her cell phone.  A very sociable person, she is.  And I love her for it.  She is the Yin to my Yang.  Opposites we are but very complimentary to each other (as far as talents go).  Follow along and you'll see what I mean.

I definitely will wander around a bit.  Especially on health issues.  So I will be covering a lot of topics concerning getting fit and healthy.  And staying there.

I have to get fit.  I know this.  But it isn't always easy.  Too many distractions in life.  So, I hope I can interest a few people in following along on my journey and, hopefully, maybe even influence a few.  Positively influence that is.

Wishing life, happiness, and prosperity to all, till we meet again.     (I know.  It's a bit cheesy.)