Have you read the latest science-based diet book? Neither have we. This Washington Post article suggests we don’t need to. All those fancy schemes boil down to one thing that works. Burning more calories that we consume. Eating less, basically. Darn.
Buzzed Boomer researchers are constantly looking for reasons NOT to exercise. Thanks to this CNN article we found another excuse. Since 1 in 3 Americans are sleep deprived, this affects a LOT of people. Without good sleep our bodies may not have time to recover from exercise. So, what do the experts say? They say, “Use common sense.” Common sense? Then why do we need experts?
No?? That’s right. There’s nothing funny about dehydration.
This just in from Women’s World. In a study published this January in eBioMedicine, researchers concluded that consistently staying hydrated may slow down aging. It may also give you more “good years.” An adequate daily fluid intake is: About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men. About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women.
If that New Year’s Resolution has you going full out on exercise this month, read this Men’s Health article on taking a break. Besides avoiding adverse effects of overdoing it, you may not lose those gains you’ve made.
“Going all out, all the time, is a sure path to exhaustion. It can lead to elevated levels of stress hormones and reduced immunity, as well as unduly stressing muscles, tendons and ligaments. Affording yourself time off every now and then will stop your motivation levels tanking, too. Even better, the nuclei (our cells’ control centers) we gain during periods of regular exercise remain in place even when our muscle cells shrink. To get a little sciencey, these residual ‘myonuclei’ allow us to regrow our muscles bigger and faster when we return to training after a break.”
While California is pummeled with rain, for some of us, Dry January means a severe case of cottonmouth. That’s because California Sober means we can still enjoy weed. But pop a Cannabis edible and expect a mouth akin to the Sahara desert a couple hours later. And since we’re staying true to Dry January, we can’t wet it down with a beer, glass of wine, or a cocktail. We can replace the edible with a liquid version of Cannabis but, since only a few ounces are advisable, that doesn’t really work to wet the whistle.
We enjoy watering holes that are older than us Baby Boomers. Heinold’s Saloon in Oakland’s Jack London Square is one of them. By a margin. The structure was built between 1871 and 1875 from the timbers of the Umatilla, an abandoned stern-wheel paddle steamer. It became a saloon in 1884. Welcoming comers and goers to the Oakland waterfront, Jack London’s wife wrote that First & Last Chance was adopted by Johnny Heinold and became part of the saloon’s name.
Jack London first entered the saloon when he was about ten years old. The Sea Wolf was inspired by the many sea captains who frequented the saloon.
The saloon still uses gas lighting and the pot bellied stove is original. Thankfully we can still soak in some in some suds and history at Heinold’s.
Leave it to Martha Stewart to help us with our excess vodka situation during Dry January. Who knew it could help us keep our clothes smelling fresh? “Whether it’s caused by sweat or campfire smoke, vodka can be used to obliterate unpleasant odors in clothing.” Read all about it in this Food52 article. But keep the top-shelf vodka on the top shelf until February.
So sad to see them go. Especially one of the most skilled, admired and influential guitarists in the history of rock and roll. Jeff Beck played with Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Ron Wood, Tom Bogart, Carmine Appice, Jimmy Page, Nicky Hopkins, Keith Moon, John Paul Jones, Cozy Powell, Jon Hammer, Jon Bon Jovi, Roger Waters, Kate Bush, Tina Turner, Johnny Depp, Ozzie Osbourne and many, many more. RIP.
Dry January is the longest month of the year. Nearly double that of other months. To pass the time, we just tried a Curious Elixir booze-free craft cocktail. We tried No. 1 which is their take on a Negroni. While it didn’t taste like any Negroni we’ve ever had it was definitely complex and interesting. We couldn’t quite pin down the flavor other that to imagine it tasted like super-premium canned orange juice, if such a thing existed. That is not to say we won’t try more of their concoctions. We will. It’s a fun happy hour activity.
Isn’t that what the Buzz is all about? Wanting to feel happy? Is there a healthy shortcut… cutting out the sex, drugs and rock ’n roll middleman? “Experts” have some suggestions. Here’s a snapshot. Click here for the entire article in Time. “The more you notice how happy or how grateful you are, the more it grows. Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy many things that contribute mightily, such as exciting experiences. Spending money on others is also linked to happiness. Still, many of the most reliable ways to increase happiness levels are free, like meditating and practicing compassion, gratitude, and altruism. Spending time with family outside of the house, and with friends in a non-professional setting, were big ones: the majority did both at least once a week, and many gathered socially three to four times a week. Pursuing hobbies, such as art, music, cooking, or reading, was also universally important. Mental well-being has long been linked to sufficient sleep, and our respondents prioritized getting at least seven hours a night. Exercising or playing sports was another shared habit, with respondents saying they fit it in three to six times weekly.”
Doing Dry January but missing the color and pageantry of carefully crafted cocktails? Town and Country Magazine to the rescue. Read here for 28 mocktail recipes. How about a Virgin Cucumber Gimlet or a Spicy Watermelon Mint Agua Fresca? Yum. And by the time we gather the ingredients, measure, shake, and garnish a few of these, it will be February!