Gordie Howe, the Toughest Athlete
National Hockey League All-Star Gordie Howe was arguably the best hockey player ever because he was stronger, faster and more pugnacious than everyone else. He played professional hockey for fifty years.
Exercise May Change Gut Bacteria for More Endurance
An interesting study showed that after finishing the 26-mile Boston Marathon, runners had changes in the bacteria in their colons that may have helped them to run faster and longer.
Drink Sugar and Caffeine Only During Vigorous Exercise
I have often recommended that exercisers take a sugared, caffeinated soft drink for a performance boost during prolonged vigorous exercise. I still think this is good advice, but people who are exercising at a casual pace for an extended time may want to restrict their intake of soft drinks
Protecting Yourself from COVID-19
As businesses and activities are re-opening, many people have decided to relax their precautions to avoid infection with COVID-19. If you are a person who is at high risk for complications from this virus, I believe that you should continue to be on guard.
Resting Heart Rates Can Be Too High or Too Low
A resting heart rate greater than 80 beats per minute is a strong predictor for future heart attacks, diabetes and even cancer. From 1974 to 2002, 53,322 healthy people were followed at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas. Those with a resting heart rate lower than 60 beats per minute were far less likely to suffer heart attacks or to die than those with a resting heart rate greater than 80 beats per minute
Dick Buerkle and Multiple Systems Atrophy
Dick Buerkle ran 3:54.93 to break the world record in the men’s indoor mile in 1978, and earned places on the 1976 and 1980 U.S. Olympic teams. From age 12 onward, he had suffered considerable taunting from his classmates because he lost all the hair on his head.
TMAO: Why Eating Meat or Eggs May Harm You
Colon bacteria convert choline and lecithin into a chemical called TriMethylAmine (TMA), which is absorbed into your bloodstream and travels to your liver where TMA is converted to TriMethlAmine Oxide (TMAO).
Vera Lynn, the Forces’ Sweetheart
If you were alive during World War II, you probably remember Vera Lynn as the “Forces’ Sweetheart” of Great Britain’s resistance to Nazi Germany — but you don’t have to be that old to recognize her songs.
Arthroscopic Knee Surgery is Usually Useless
I have said repeatedly that surgery to trim attached cartilage in the knee is usually worthless. I have seen many patients who have had cartilage removed by surgeons for an average charge of $5000, and then they must have a knee replacement several years later.
Diabetes is Often Missed
U.S. government data shows that the number of newly diagnosed diabetics dropped from 1.7 million in 2009 to 1.3 million in 2017, but huge numbers of diabetics have not been diagnosed, so they do not know that they have the disease..