Monday Moaning, I am not organic so I am not a jerk

May 21, 2012

There is little organic here, which is why I am a pleasant fellow, looking at the bright side of a world going diabetic and older guys are living longer.  Nothing but good on this Monday in May.


The Numbers:

• Fasting Blood Glucose Level: 102 mg/dl.  Not ideal, but safe. 
• Weight: 187ish
• Exercise:  45 sweaty minute ride.  Houston, we have a summer.
• Mood:  8.00.  The Charming Mrs. SWMBO and I had coffee on the patio.  For a Monday, that's amazing. 

 The Menu:

• Breakfast:  A couple of scones from Saturday and the usual morning medley of fruit.  The grapefruit is definitely at the end of the season. 
• Lunch:  Tofu/Corn lettuce wraps.  No kidding, these are delicious.  I used iceberg lettuce a la P.F. Chang's instead of romaine lettuce.  Tthe avocado slice and the balsamic vinegar make it  Asia bistro meets Italian/Mexican fusion or something.  It's tasty. Try it. Great to make ahead of time and pack for lunch.
• Dinner: Fish tacos.  It's becoming a Monday regular.  The Charming Mrs. SWMBO loves them and their easy to make.  
• Snacks:  Nothing.  Busy day.

Jerk Alert

If you buy organic food, you may be a jerk.  Having shopped in Whole Foods, I can believe it.  Me, I am too cheap to go organic.  To me, it's a scam.

Who brings fruit to movie? 

One in Four Teens May Be Diabetic. 

That could be diabetic or pre-diabetic, but to me pre-diabetic is like being a little bit pregnant.  This was from a study published on line at the Journal of Pediatrics from data collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.


Anyway, it's all based on one fasting blood glucose level test and there could be problems with the data collected, but it's still worrisome.  The percentage of teens testing diabetic went from 9 percent to 23 percent in less than 10 years.  Teenage diabetes is harder to treat because teens tend to be more insulin resistant.  Acne and insulin resistance.  Lots of fun being a teenage. 

It wasn't all bad.  The rate of teenage obesity leveled off as did the rate of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Why the rate for diabetes went up despite obesity leveling off was not readily explainable.  Too much of the wrong food?  Little exercise?  Both.  That would be my guess. 

An Upside to the Global Diabetes Tsunami, Sort Of

Diabetes is increasing here in the United States and globally.  If there is an upside to this, we in America can at least pay for treatments to prevent deaths from the condition.  People in poorer countries with less access to medical care don't have it so good.

The reasons for the global increase are mostly caused by an increasingly prosperous world eating more of the wrong foods and doing less physical activity.  The downside of prosperity. 

Keep in mind that the total cost of treatment is increasing as the number of diabetics increase. It's going to affect everyone and Britain a prime case.

What to do?  Eighty-five to ninety percent of this is all avoidable.  Eat better and exercise, mostly.

Men are Living Longer...But Not as Long as Women

On the cheery side, men are getting healthier and living longer.  They are eating better and exercising, so it can be done.  The problem is how make everyone understand that.