Healthy happy you.
One of my favorite magazines, Good, recently posted a link to the new site This We Know, which compiles and synthesizes US government data. The site is still in its infancy, but it's already proving to be a great tool for looking up information such as unemployment rates and cancer rates per city. It's a little like a more comprehensive, at-your-fingertips Self guide for healthiest cities. One Read more
Hi FitSugar, Has the topic of running and pollution been raised recently? I live in Los Angeles and gave up running in the morning because my lungs would burn afterward and I'd be coughing the rest of the day. I wouldn't have the symptoms when I ran before rush hour, at night, or at the gym. I am a non-smoker, typically running 3-5 miles at an easy pace, 2-3 days per week. Have other readers had Read more
If you live in a city, you know firsthand about air pollution. Eighty different cancer-causing pollutants ca be found in the air, and they're increasing many individuals' risk for developing cancer. According to the National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment released by the EPA, nearly 600 neighborhoods across the US exceed a 100 in one million cancer risk. That means that if one million people breathe Read more
The Chinese government has a short fuse when it comes to tolerating activist-athletes. Chinese officials revoked the visa of Joey Cheek, a gold-medal speedskater and co-founder of Team Darfur. Cheek, who won the gold at the 2006 Olympics, helped create the organization of athletes dedicated to ending human rights violations in the Darfur region of Sudan. China has come under fire for its human Read more
When four US cyclists arrived in Beijing, they were wearing black masks over their mouths and noses. The United States Olympic Committee's (USOC) lead exercise physiologist advised athletes to wear masks on the plane and as soon as they set foot in the airport in Beijing. It all has to do with pollution and how the air quality is much poorer there as compared to the US. The athletes thought it Read more
Traffic restrictions started in Beijing over the weekend in a frantic effort to try and improve the city's air quality before the start of the Games. By only allowing vehicles with odd-numbered license plates into the city on alternating days with evens, officials hope the halving of traffic will take 60 percent of the city's 3.3 million cars off the roads and reduce emissions by two-thirds. Read more
After raking up all the fall leaves in your yard, you will probably need to mow your lawn. Of course you can use a motorized lawn mower that needs gasoline to work, but you're not doing much for the environment. Why not use your own muscle power instead with a manual real push mower? How does it work? All you do is push it along and it cuts your grass. It's that easy. No toxic fumes. No gas Read more
Many of us vacation by water, and you or someone you're with is bound to do a little fishing. You might be wondering if that fish you catch is safe to eat. Unfortunately, there are no national guidelines on this topic. It all depends on where you fish and if the water is polluted or not. To find out that information, you can visit the EPA website, click on any state in the U.S., and you will Read more
I've heard people say that pregnant women shouldn't eat a lot of fish because of the mercury content. What's so bad about mercury and why is it in fish? Although fish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. Mercury occurs naturally in the environment, and can Read more
Let's face it: our skin takes a serious beating from the environment. Blame ultraviolet light, smoke, or pollution, but those years of tanning and urban dwelling take a toll. The result? Skin that looks old before its time. We're talking lines and wrinkles (GASP!). Luckily, Estée Lauder has been on the case for 30 years. Their No. 1 serum, Advanced Night Repair, touts patented, Read more
