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https://gizmodo.com/5000-exoskeleton-pants-promise-to-make-you-a-better-hiker-2000480726
Medical
https://eksobionics.com/eksohealth/
https://exoskeletonreport.com/product-category/exoskeleton-catalog/medical/
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Monday, July 29, 2024
Sunday, July 28, 2024
Wingtips
I recently got the notion of wearing a nice pair of wingtips.
I found a good video about the history, and origin of Brogue shoes, the decorative holes that allow water to drain out, which were originally Scottish working shoes.
I looked at high-end wing tips just to see the spectrum and ran across one beautiful pair followed by another. This led me to an article about the highly celebrated leather Shell Cordovan, which is expensive because the process is labor-intensive.
Then I found another article talking about the downside, which included one comment underneath that painted quite a contrary mental picture:
As eloquently noted by Allan Donnelly:
"A Shoeshine friend says that piss stain’s is a huge problem with Cordovan, I know its sounds nasty but it can happen to us all I guess."
Gotta love the reality factor from those who survey humanity to sober us up when our heads get too far up our asses.
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Diet and exercise notes
Notes on gut health
This is what motivated me to cut my sugar - reduce anxiety and body inflammation. The gut is our ‘second brain’ because we produce a huge amount of serotonin in the gut. Therefore, don’t dump sugar in it. Feed the ‘good’ bacteria with fiber, and starve the ‘bad’ bacteria by avoiding sugar.
https://fallowfields.blogspot.com/2013/09/low-levels-of-healthy-gut-bacteria.html
https://fallowfields.blogspot.com/2021/07/fast-weight-loss-and-gut-reduction.html
https://fallowfields.blogspot.com/2018/04/gut-bacteria-probiotics.html
Weight loss and testosterone
Losing weight increases the concentration of testosterone in the body. Healthy fat and adequate calories are essential for hormone production and driving metabolism, so dieting is healthiest when gradual and consistent.
About calories
Use a calorie calculator to determine your daily need to maintain.
Reduce your caloric intake until reaching target weight, then begin consuming the higher caloric daily regimen to maintain.
Do not continue in caloric deficit after losing weight, else metabolism will slow and hormone levels will drop.
Here’s a calorie calculator:
https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html
About balancing macros
The right combination of carbohydrate, fat, and protein will drive the right dietary composition that burns fat:
RECOMMENDATION:
65% CARB
35% PROTEIN
35% FAT
Carbohydrate reduction for weight loss, healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels
The body converts carbohydrate to glycogen and stores it in the muscle until needed for energy. Glycogen bonds with water, so when carbohydrate is reduced, the body consumes glycogen stores and water is shed. Most people shed 5-10 pounds of water weight within a week or two after reducing or eliminating carbohydrate. Thereafter the body runs on body fat. However, the body when dehydrated and in combination with high protein diet can damage the kidneys.
A balanced approach to losing weight is to reduce and control carbohydrate consumption by measuring. Begin with 1 cup of carbohydrate per day for one week, and exercise consistently. After a week, notice weight loss and energy levels. If comfortable, continue another week or two until confident about energy levels, then reduce by 1/4 cup for another week and notice additional weight loss and energy levels. Ultimately, you may choose to remove carbs entirely, burn body fat as energy for one week or a few days, then choose the most sustainable amount of carbs per day to have enough energy going forward to achieve target weight loss.
Reduce cholesterol:
Niacin B-3 supplements can reduce cholesterol - an alternative to prescription drugs.
Take 500-1000 mg daily with aspirin to reduce skin flushing.
Carbohydrate
- Eliminate bread, pasta, cereal, potatoes to prevent inflammation of the gut due to bacteria that feeds on sugar and starch
- Eliminate sugar - anything made with corn syrup is a good means of filtering
- Substitute with fruits and vegetables
- Substitute with chocolate-flavored whey protein blended/shaken with water (see below)
When I controlled and reduced my carbohydrate intake, my cholesterol dropped from being out of the healthy range dead into the middle of healthy.
1 cup of carbohydrate total per day.
To lose weight, drop intake to 1/2 cup and notice the difference per week.
Eat any of the following:
· 1/2 cup Oatmeal, 1 banana, cinnamon
· Oatmeal and banana in water until steaming, drain, and cover in cinnamon
· 1/2 cup brown rice
· 1/2 cup quinoa
· Sweet potato
Protein
(not fried or breaded)
Consume the amount you need for daily intake
Egg white liquid - drink it from the carton
Salmon/fish
Chicken (not fried)
Whey protein (no sugar) blended with water - I use sugar-free powder flavored with cocoa
https://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/true-athlete-natural-whey-protein-chocolate-2-5-lb-powder/vs-6007
Vegetables & fruit
Salads with good vinegar-based dressing - not creamy
Any leafy greens
Avoid fruit juice, heavy sugar fruits like mangos, grapes
Healthy fats
Avocado
Almond butter
Fish oil
Keto dieting
Another strategy is to consume healthy fat for energy instead of carbohydrate. After gradually lowering carbohydrate levels to no consumption and running on body fat, the idea is to pre-load a high dose of healthy fat for a week (almond butter is recommended), then maintain enough fat consumption to sustain energy using almond butter and avocados, in combination with protein and vegetables. The body adapts to burning fat as keytones for energy. Any sugar can break the fat adaption, so keto dieters must be consistent and may rely on keytone strips to test blood sugar in urine. After reaching a target weight, time is needed to burn out stored dietary fat and balance macros.
Keto is not sustainable for many people, so it should be approached with caution.
My longest period of keto dieting was 2.5 months, with consistent exercise. The best outcome of keto was learning to incorporate healthy fat into my diet.
Fiber
Konsyl
1 teaspoon in a shaker cup, enough water to gulp
Salad at night - spinach or romaine, vinegar-based dressings, not creamy (Italian, etc)
As long as you consistently limit your carbohydrate intake, you can have unlimited protein and vegetables for snacks. It's great to have a salad anytime you're hungry between meals so you distribute your eating throughout the day.
I typically eat oatmeal and drink the egg whites, then have my salad later, maybe with chicken.
More info on fiber in my link below, but I’ve moved away from taking fiber and now rely more on regular consumption of salads from Publix.
https://fallowfields.blogspot.com/2021/12/fiber.html
Good snack options also include:
Chocolate whey protein, no sugar (see the link I included)
Raw nuts, cashews, walnuts, almonds (avoid honey roasted sugar coated, etc.)
Vegetables
Limited fruits such as apples, pears, bananas, avoid mangos, grapes, melons
Avocado (limit to no more than one or even just a half per day because it's fat)
Water
The body will hold water if it is dehydrated. Get 8 servings daily, 16 oz.
I drink bottled water because it is easier to consume, as well as ‘infused’ water which is sugar and calorie-free.
When dieting, consider supplementing with an electrolyte source due to water loss.
Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine
Consume only in the morning, sugar-free. Caffeine is a diuretic so it causes dehydration. Nicotine, and caffeine bump blood sugar, alcohol drops blood sugar, and the three create a cycle, so it’s best to avoid by stabilizing blood sugar with healthy fats, and rely on non-processed complex carbohyrates for consistent energy.
Lifestyle: Sleep
Avoid blue light (phone/tv/computer/tablets) 30 minutes to an hour before sleep because it disrupts production of melatonin which is triggered by darkness. Some people use blue-filtering glasses at night. There are also glasses that can provide blue light in the morning to treat seasonal depression; these are easier to use than light boxes.
https://myluminette.com/en-us/products/luminette-3
Keep sleep schedule consistent, and drop room temperature to 71 degrees to ensure sleep conditions.
To restore disrupted body clock, use 5mg melatonin daily at the same time, 30 minutes prior to sleep until sleep is consistent, then discontinue use.
Melatonin is not a sleep aid, it is a hormone and resets the body clock. The duration of use should range from 3-6 weeks. When you notice sleep is normal, stop taking it.
Lifestyle: Exercise
Combine the right balance of exercises that you enjoy and will want to do. Maybe that’s walking and some basic exercises at home like 3 sets of pushups (which also builds core strength) and 3 sets of squats and/or lunges with body weight, or weights at a gym twice per week. Avoid exercises that cause injury. Personally, I like lying on my back and raising a medicine ball from my hands to my feet above me better than any stomach exercise because it stretches me and doesn’t hurt my lower back. Stretching is great, yoga is great.
Cardio - Essential for circulation, health, energy, and fitness. Choose exercise that burns calories and is enjoyable. Walking up hill outdoors or on an inclined treadmills is the most sustainable and effective option for most people. Hiking up Stone Mountain is one of my favorite ways of getting cardio, stretching my legs, being around people, and seeing the sunset. Biking, swimming, dancing, whatever.
HIIT: High-intensity interval training, i.e. sprints. Good for burning fat.
Weight lifting - 2-3x per week is a good way to promote testosterone production, muscle tone, the immune system, and protect the body from injury. Weights may be effective, but isometrics may be a safer alternative that promote endurance and other benefits.
Stretching - Essential for mobility, recovery, preventing injury, and reducing stress, especially in combination with weight lifting.
Here are some other ideas from my blog about exercise at home:
https://fallowfields.blogspot.com/2020/04/diet-exercise.html
Friday, July 19, 2024
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Thomas Sowell RE: illegal migrants
Simple solution according to Thomas Sowell:
Enforce the law. No need to round anyone up or chase anyone down.
And border control. There's no pathway to citizenship for those who enter illegally.
But some states defy the law, and those who enforce it are sued.
What he describes in Arizona is what happened in 2011 when Obama sued south western states over 'racial profiling'.
Friday, July 12, 2024
HIV breakthrough
HIV breakthrough:
Drug trial shows injection twice a year is 100% effective against infection
Thursday, July 11, 2024
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