LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Fitness: Factoids |
by Rick Moore |
Have you ever read something and said to yourself, "well, isn't that interesting?" These are the "things that make you go 'hmmm'." Dave and I probably get 50 or so different magazines delivered at the gym, giving us plenty to read and plenty of places to come across these little tidbits. I've got some goodies to share with you that I've picked up from this vast library. Here we go... Fake Fingernails The first is for all you nurses out there. No offense, but those of you who wear fake fingernails hide more bacteria in them than in your regular fingernails. No kidding. Researchers did a study involving 41 nurses and actually found that those with artificial fingernails were more than twice as likely to have bacteria on their hands after washing with antibacterial cleanser. This could actually increase the risk of infection. It has now been recommended that hospitals discourage those employees (nurses) from wearing fake nails. So, the next time a nurse wants to sink her claws into you, check her fingernails out and think about it. Tons o' Fat Here's one that might hit close to home. That adorable little doggie on TVthe Taco Bell Chihuahuashould be ashamed of himself. They should withhold his chalupa and send him to the dog house because according to the Nutrition Action Health Newsletter, Taco Bell's highly promoted chalupa has been graciously awarded the "Food Porn" award. Why? It seems the Chalupa Value Meal with its tasty deep fried flat bread shocks your system withget this970 calories. Yow! And that includes 56 grams of fat, of which 20 grams are saturatedthe really bad stuff. I thought the Wendy's Triple By-Pass Special was bad! But that doggie is really cute. Watch What You Chew And speaking of doggie stuff, you know those weird looking pigs ear dog treats you see at the pet stores? Your pooch will do just about anything to get his teeth into onebut beware. They could actually make you and your family sick. No, not by eating one. Our friends to the north, the Canadian Health officials, have alerted our FDA that they've had at least 30 cases of salmonella poisoning most likely caused by contact with those tasty, crunchy, yummy pigs ears. Many of those dog treats sold in the U.S. are manufactured in Canada, and the processing and handling may not kill all the bacteria. The list of doggie snacks may include any dried animal part, such as yummy beef jerky treats and scrumptious smoked hooves. Is your mouth watering yet? I know my sheltie Candy is sure excited. Your best protection is to treat these treats as you would raw meat. Always use soap and water to wash surfaces down, and wash your hands thoroughly after handling. Better safe than sorry. Gray and Sexy Here's a hair-raising survey that was done recently. You can toss away the Grecian Formula and the Just for Men hair dyes. It seems 90 percent of women find gray hair sexy. That's 90 percent! I personally agree 100 percent. I find men with gray hair extremely sexy. Why didn't they survey gay men? 'Nuff said. Hot vs. Cold Did you know that it's best to draw cold waternot hotfrom your tap for cooking? That's because hot water is more likely to contain metal particles picked up from your household plumbing. You should also allow the cold water to run for a few seconds before using it for cooking or drinking. Safe but Boring Crash test dummies prefer to wreck in a Honda Odyssey. The government's crash tests rated this Honda van as the best for both front and side protection at 35 mph. Should we all rush out and buy a minivan? Well, the second runner up was a Buick LeSabre 4-door (I'll refrain from comment), followed by a Volkswagen Jetta 4-door (cool car), the Ford Tarus (pretty mainstream) and the Nissan Altima 4-door (non-offensive). Nowhere did my Z28 show up in the list. I'm not worried though. At least I wear my seatbelts. Teeny Tiny Tomatoes They look kinda freakish but oh so cute. I'm talking about those neat little grape tomatoes. These little guys are smaller than a plum or cherry tomato. They really do look like grapes, only red like a tomato. They're sweeter and much firmergreat for snacking by themselves or tossed into a salad. And guys, they're also good for your prostate. Honest. I used to be so disappointed with those pink-looking tomato "slush balls" they sell in the stores. Now there's a good alternative. Tasty Steaks Speaking of foodwho doesn't like thatdo you know the leanest, yummiest steak? And the worst? We all like prime rib, but it has 75 grams of fat in each 8 ounce uncooked piece. That's a lot! Coming in second is the very tasty but not-as-bad filet mignon at 52 grams per 8 ounce uncooked filet. The leanest is also my favorite. Nothing beats a medium-rare sirloin. It has 37 grams of fat per 8 ounces uncooked, and that's less than half the prime rib. So the next time you go out for steak, pick a sirloin. This little factoid made me stop and think! Did you know that a pound of fat is 3,500 calories? Multiply that by your waistline and get busy this summer! See you at the beach. Rick Moore is a personal trainer certified by American Fitness Professionals & Associates. Visit his club, Rick's Fitness & Health in Milton. He's on the Internet at http://www.ricksfitness.net, or cal 302-684-3669. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 10, No. 6, June 2, 2000 |