Tuesday, November 05, 2024

my health journey

11/5/24 - Two traits centenarians share

11/4/24 - Six tips to boost your mood

10/28/24 - Health(ier) junk food

9/30/24 - 15 daily habits of successful people

9/23/24 - 15 simple lifestyle changes

9/21/24 - what makes a good life?  Make friends, keep friends, treasure friends.

9/15/24 - Cardiologists avoid these foods: red meat, white bread, instant ramen, salt, processed meats, chips, energy drinks, diet soda, cereal

9/11/24 - The healthiest people in the world play this sport

9/1/24 - 1 simple thing could help you live longer

8/16/24 - 5 Foods to Eat to Help Manage Your Cholesterol: oats, fatty fish, nuts, legumes, avocados

7/22/24 - food and inflammation

7/20/24 - health benefits of grapes

7/15/24 - Is red wine good for you?  yes yes maybe yes and no maybe questionable no

7/14/24 - How to store apples

7/13/24 - worst foods for your brain

7/9/24 - 10,000 steps?

6/25/24 - Is fish oil beneficial?

6/25/24 - Foods for clean arteries

6/22/24 - Wisdom From People Who Lived to Be 100

6/22/24 - 12 New Habits to Reinvent Your Health: sleep, walk, read, meditate, nature, foods, water, alcohol, smoking, socialize, electronics, hobby

6/22/24 - Type 2 diabetes is closely linked to being overweight or obese.

Losing weight and adopting healthier eating habits can have a significant impact on the progression of the disease.

Some of the most effective dietary strategies for putting type 2 diabetes into remission include:

Low-carbohydrate diets: Reducing carbohydrate intake can help lower blood sugar levels and insulin demand. A low-carb diet minimizes the consumption of bread, pasta, rice, and sugary foods.

Calorie restriction: Consume fewer calories by cutting back on portion sizes and avoiding high-calorie, low-nutrient foods like processed snacks, fast food, and sugary drinks.

Intermittent fasting: This dietary approach involves controlled periods of fasting. There are many different methods, such as the 16/8 method (fasting for 16 hours and eating during an 8-hour window) or the 5:2 method (eating normally for five days a week and restricting calories to about 500-600 for two non-consecutive days).

Mediterranean diet: This diet is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats (such as olive oil), and low in processed foods and added sugars. A Mediterranean diet can help improve blood sugar control and reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications.

Plant-based diets: This dietary approach focuses on consuming whole, plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, while minimizing or eliminating fatty animal products, such as red meat and processed meats.

6/12/24 - A far better idea is to store your apples in your refrigerator. But don’t just toss them on the shelf next to the milk and Tupperware leftovers; place your apples in the crisper bin, where they can last for — wait for it — up to 10 times as long as they would on your counter.

5/29/24 - There's no real scientific evidence to show that you need to bathe or shower after a certain period of time — it's mostly a matter of personal preference, Dr. Angela Lamb, director of the Westside Mount Sinai Dermatology Faculty Practice tells Shop TODAY.

5/27/24 - According to [Stephanie] Harrison, based on the available research, happiness actually impacts longevity a lot more than we might realize.

"Some of the most compelling research into happiness and longevity comes from the Harvard Grant study, one of the longest-term studies that followed a group of men for over eighty years," Harrison tells Parade. "Researchers discovered that good relationships are strongly correlated with physical health and well-being."

5/6/24 - NEW YORK, May 6 (UPI) -- Consuming olive oil could help reduce the risk of dying from dementia, regardless of overall diet quality, a new study of U.S. adults suggests.

"Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and contains compounds with antioxidant activity that may play a protective role for the brain," the study's lead author, Anne-Julie Tessier, a registered dietitian and research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told UPI via email.

In a Mediterranean diet, olive oil "appears to have a beneficial effect against cognitive decline," said Tessier, who has a doctorate in human nutrition. "Higher olive oil intake was previously associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality, but its association with dementia mortality was unknown."

Researchers evaluated olive oil intake every four years with a food frequency questionnaire. They categorized consumption as never or less than once per month; greater than 0 to less than or equal to 4.5 grams per day; greater than 4.5 grams per day to less than or equal to 7 grams per day; and greater than 7 grams per day.

During a 28-year follow-up, 4,751 dementia-related deaths occurred. People who inherited from both parents the apolipoprotein ε4 (APOE ε4) allele -- a risk gene tied to late-onset Alzheimer's disease -- were five to nine times more likely to die from dementia, the study showed.

Meanwhile, adults who consumed at least 7 grams of olive oil per day, or half of one tablespoon, had a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death compared with those who never or rarely ingested olive oil. The results held steady after the researchers adjusted for APOE ε4.

3/6/24 - Eye exercises

3/5/24 - Brush teeth before breakfast

2/6/24 - whole wheat bread and diabetes: "Whole-wheat can have positive effect on blood parameters, such as blood sugar and fat profiles, in patients with diabetic."

11/14/23 - If you want to live a long, healthy life, there's good evidence that a healthy diet with enough fiber is key. 

Foods rich in fiber, including plenty of carbohydrates, are featured prominently in diets in the Blue Zones, areas of the world where people live the longest, healthiest lives.

10/19/23 - Pressed juice contains almost all the nutrients of full fruits and vegetables, minus one particularly good vitamin: fiber. When the fruits and vegetables are pressed, they lose the fiber that makes them crunchy or chewy.

10/9/23 - This article mentions that pistachios can help lower blood sugar.  These article from Healthline and this article from A1Cguide have more details.  I think I'll buy some pistachios from Costco as my net nut snack.  At first I was buying mixed nuts, then lately cashews.  This article mentions that cashews might be good for cholesterol while not raising glucose levels.  While this article says that cashews may be beneficial.

8/28/23 - Saw Barramundi (a type a fish) on sale at Costco, so I'm trying it out instead of my usual salmon.  Is it any good?  Here's what WebMD says, "Barramundi is a healthy type of fish to start including in your diet. It's nutritious sea bass with great texture, taste, and nutrition. 

Barramundi is low in fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids, making it a great source of essential nutrients. Some consider barramundi one of the healthiest seafoods. This fish is great for your cardiovascular system.

... Barramundi is sea bass with moist flesh and large flakes. It has a sweet taste that makes it easily adaptable for most recipes. Barramundi complements most flavors and recipes. You can cook it in most ways except for poaching. The barramundi is a versatile fish and is a good alternative to salmon due to its nutrition and sustainability."

8/8/23 - What about eggs?  This article from Cyrus Khambatta, PhD says "Eating eggs increases your risk for the development of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, diabetes complications, and all-cause mortality. To maintain a low risk for these conditions, limit your egg consumption as much as possible."

7/13/23 - Interested in knowing the differences between a DASH diet vs. a Mediterranean diet? Both can offer the same types of heart and cardiovascular health benefits. But they both have their own unique differentiations as well!

This article will discuss the differences between a DASH diet vs. Mediterranean diet, their benefits, and how to decide which would be better for you!

6/21/23 - Certain foods, like oatmeal, nuts, and fatty fish, help to keep your cholesterol levels in check. And not all high cholesterol foods are bad for you. For example, eggs are high in cholesterol, but they’re also packed with protein and other nutrients. It’s the foods that are high in saturated fat that you need to worry about, because they can raise your cholesterol levels AND make you gain weight.

What are the worst foods for high cholesterol? Red meat, fried foods, and baked goods are notorious for raising levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the sticky kind that builds up in artery walls.

6/20/23 - Unlike many other foods that are high in carbohydrates, black beans don’t cause a spike in blood sugar. Studies have actually found the opposite. When people eat black beans with rice, their blood sugar levels tend to be lower than if they only ate rice. For people with diabetes, adding beans to a healthy diet can improve blood sugar control while reducing heart disease risk.

6/19/23 -  Due to increasing research around celery and celery juice, many nutritional experts consider celery to be a superfood. Like many superfoods, celery packs a nutrient-dense punch and offers a long list of both short and long-term health benefits despite being a common, everyday food item.

Many of the specific nutrients looked for in superfoods include fiber, antioxidants, and fatty acids, which are all closely linked to good health and longevity. Other superfoods include avocados, leafy greens, berries, and cinnamon.

6/18/23 -  Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for maintaining good heart health. They help lower triglycerides, reduce inflammation, and prevent the formation of blood clots, all of which can reduce the risk of heart disease. Omega-3s also help lower blood pressure, which is another significant risk factor for heart disease. Therefore, if you have a history of heart disease or are at risk for developing it, taking Omega-3 supplements every day could be beneficial.

Sunday, November 03, 2024

Sammo Hung

A feature story on Sammo Hung from The Hollywood Reporter

Tokyo: Kung Fu Legend Sammo Hung on His Seven-Decade Career, Working With Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen

Hung popularized comedy-martial arts flicks, created the horror-kung fu genre and broke ground as an East Asian lead in the CBS series 'Martial Law.'

In a career that has spanned seven decades, Hong Kong action movie legend Sammo Hung has seen a lot, and moreover, his body has been through a lot. So it wasn’t a surprise to see the 72-year-old use a cane as he took the stage for a masterclass session at the Tokyo International Film Festival. But as he captivated an appreciative audience, the confidence and humor that have seen Hung through his illustrious career in martial arts movies shone bright.

Born into a showbiz family, Hung’s career began as a child actor while at the China Drama Academy, a Peking Opera school in Hong Kong. He made his film debut in the early 1960s, aged nine. A slightly grainy, black and white clip of the film showed a fresh-faced boy Hung, to coos from his assembled admirers. “Training at the school was very severe. We learned all the fundamental movements. By the time you’ve graduated, you can do nearly any move,” said Hung.

One of his big breaks came when he fought Bruce Lee in the opening scene of 1973’s seminal Enter the Dragon. Lee’s death that year left Game of Death unfinished, and in 1978, Hung was charged with the fight choreography for the reshoots.

“I didn’t really get to spend much time with Bruce Lee. But his artful cinematic work made a big impression on me,” recalled Hung. “I was heartbroken when he died so young. It shocked people not only in Hong Kong, but all around the world. His fans and those of us in the industry who respected him so much were devastated.”

In his 1977 directorial debut The Iron-Fisted Monk, in which he also starred, Hung incorporated more of the comedy touches he had noticed audiences reacting well to in previous films. It helped kick off a trend for comedy kung fu flicks, made famous by rival and collaborator Jackie Chan in classics such as Drunken Master.  “And Hong Kong films at that time were mostly in Mandarin, but we used Cantonese [for The Iron-Fisted Monk], and from then on decided to do all our films in Cantonese,” said Hung.

His 1978 Enter the Fat Dragon, which he again directed and starred in, was released in Japan as Moeyo Debu-gon. All of his subsequent films have included Debu-gon (fat man) in their Japanese title, explained film critic and producer Jun Edoki during his introductory remarks.

Hung was also instrumental in creating the jiangshi genre of horror kung fu in the 1980s, inspired by his childhood love of ghosts and monsters. “I was always thinking about new elements that I could add to my action movies,” he said. “I barely took any time off during that golden era of Hong Kong cinema. I was still young and could go at that pace. Making movies was preferable to resting.”

While the 1990s didn’t see Hung reach the heights of previous decades at home, he starred in two seasons of CBS’s Martial Law from 1998 to 2000, making him a rare East Asian lead on a U.S. broadcast network show. Co-starring with Arsenio Hall, the show was a surprise hit, despite Hung’s dialogue being limited by his English ability.

“The hardest part of it all was the language. When people asked me if there was anything I would like to change about America, I told them I wished everyone would learn Chinese to make it easier for me,” said Hung with a big laugh.

Next up was a clip of the iconic table-top fight scene between Hung and Donnie Yen in Ip Man 2 (2010). Hung was asked if it was difficult to shoot the combat sequence with the athletic Yen, known for his martial prowess and training across multiple disciplines.

“It wasn’t hard work with Donnie, he’s very skillful, and I’m also very skillful. We could do a lot of those in one take. Donnie is incredible, but I’m even more incredible,” smiled Hung, to laughter and applause from the audience.

R.I.P. 2024

11/3/24 - Quincy Jones
10/29/24 - Teri Garr
10/23/24 - Jack Jones
9/29/24 - Ron Ely
9/29/24 - Josh Ashton
9/27/24 - Maggie Smith
9/18/24 - JD Souther
9/15/24 - Tito Jackson
9/6/24 - Sergio Mendes
9/1/24 - Teresa Bright
8/21/24 - John Amos
8/19/24 - Phil Donahue
8/15/24 - Wally Amos
8/15/24 - Peter Marshall
8/14/24 - Gena Rowlands
7/18/24 - Lou Dobbs
7/18/24 - Bob Newhart
7/17/24 - Cheng Pei-pei
7/14/24 - Shannon Doherty
7/13/24 - Richard Simmons
7/13/24 - Ruth Westheimer
6/28/24 - Martin Mull
6/26/24 - Bill Cobbs
6/21/24 - Taylor Wiley
6/20/24 - Donald Sutherland
5/24/24 - Morgan Spurlock
5/17/24 - Dabney Coleman
5/11/24 - Roger Corman
4/11/24 - OJ Simpson
3/29/24 - Louis Gossett Jr. 
3/27/24 - Joe Lieberman
2/28/24 - Richard Lewis
2/19/24 - Emme Tomimbang (obituary)
2/2/24 - Carl Weathers
1/23/24 - Charles Osgood
1/4/24 - Glynis Johns