Go On. Have that third cup of coffee!
We love studies that shine a positive light on our coffee habit. Read more in this USA Today article and see that coffee and tea may reduce your chance of stroke and dementia.
- Jet Cannon
Take Me Home Country Road
Buzzed Boomer readers will remember the stirring travel-tales from vagabond Airstreamer Hunter S. and his sidekick Lori. In his latest blog, Hunter ponders and qualifies and finally selects six favorite destinations from their 2021 tour. Here’s the LINK!
“I Thought I was God. Then I Realized I was Just the drummer in a Rock and roll band”
But thank God he was a drummer. Moody Blues co-founder, drummer and poet Graeme Edge passed away recently at age 80. Remembering a Moody Blues concert in Seattle as one of the best concerts we have ever had the pleasure to enjoy, he will be missed. Rest In Peace.
- Jet Cannon
Can O’ Cocktail
We’re always on the lookout for a bar’s signature cocktail but in this case we found interesting “glassware”. Kids, this is something you could try at home if you end up with a nice smooth rim.
– Jet Cannon
Pass the Salt
Eating Well magazine had an interesting and well-researched article about salty good news and salty bad news. We’ve all heard that a higher salt intake can lead to higher blood pressure. That appears to be true. Nuts.
Salty food is often associated with high calorie food which can lead to weight gain. But salt may also mess with hormones that promote fat storage. Perfect.
Ye,s but salt can reduce cramps for us athletic types, right? Maybe not. Those sports drinks with sodium and potassium may not be as beneficial as we thought. Too many other factors besides depleted electrolytes could be causing those cramps. We don’t care. We like sports drinks and how we look when we’re drinking them.
The salt shaker on the table probably isn’t our problem. Shake, shake, shake up to about a teaspoon. Yes!! The culprit more likely is deli meats, pizza, popcorn, burritos, tacos, soups, crackers and chips that we love to eat. Loaded with sodium.
We’re sticking with the salt on our Margarita and Bloody Mary rims. So there.
- Jet Cannon
NATIONAL STRESS AWARENESS DAY
Thank you nationaldaycalendar.com. We now know that National Stress Awareness Day, on the first Wednesday in November, aims to identify and reduce the stress factors in your life.
Everyone has stress. Some stress is good for us. It helps us to respond to changes in life. Stress is our body’s way of protecting itself from harm. However, too much stress causes harm to our health and relationships.
Identifying the stressors impacting our physical and mental health is important. Sometimes, health problems are the cause. But our health can also be affected by external stressors such as physical abuse, stressful work environments, financial stress, or other family health issues.
Once we identify the causes of stress in our lives, we can begin to eliminate or reduce stress. Some tools that help with stress include:
- Develop coping skills for anxiety.
- Identify and let go of the things you cannot change.
- Exercise to help us to let go of built-up anxiety.
- Eating a balanced diet fuels our bodies so we’re able to better cope with the stress.
– Jet Cannon
Metabolism Meltdown
We’ve been blaming extra pounds gained on a slowing metabolism. AARP says, not so fast. The need for less calories as we age likely has more to do with less muscle mass and more couch surfing. So stick with that strength training and stay active to make room for that Big Mac.
– Jet Cannon
I get no kick from caffeine
Caffeine tolerance is a thing. We like the Buzz before workouts, for motivation, for focus, and for those times when we need to stay alert. But tolerance minimizes those benefits.
We did some reading to get tips on getting a reset and we learned a few things. First, caffeine is not an essential nutrient! We agree to disagree on that one. Next, clearing out the caffeine from your systems takes about a week or even two. And then the tolerance rebuilds quickly as soon as caffeine consumption becomes a habit again. Depressing.
What about just drinking more? Three or four cups of coffee a day is considered to be fairly safe but more than that is probably not a good idea. And we need to include all sources of caffeine from chocolate to energy drinks.
After sifting through the suggestions for catching a Buzz when it’s really needed, the most reasonable seems to be either just getting out of the habit of, say, starting the morning with a cup of coffee just because we always do or steadily reducing the amount consumed each day. Save the big gulp for the days when we really need the Buzz. It’s common sense that beats going completely cold turkey.
Too drowsy to dig any deeper. Good luck.
– Jet Cannon
Beer Buddies
We thought you might want to see this story from NPR. Cats and dogs getting along. Bipartisan cooperation was on full display during the fourth annual Anheuser-Busch Brew Across America Congressional Brewing Competition, where five pairs of lawmakers, one Democrat paired with one Republican, work with breweries across the country to create new small batch beers and bring them back to Washington, D.C., to find out whose concoction is best.
Said one representative, “You spend time with one another, have a beer with one another — we can still disagree with one another but it’s not going to be the end of the world.” The competition serves as a reminder that people with different political views can work together to create something satisfying.
Cheers!
- Jet Cannon
“Tots” Rock
Our good friend Captain Tony never sets out to sea (inland waters) aboard his “ship” (Boston Whaler) without a supply of Pusser’s Navy Rum. Why? It (was) a time-honored sailors’ tradition. Per Pusser’s web site, “Rum became an important drink for the British Royal Navy. From the 16th Century until July 31st, 1970, British sailors were given daily rations of a mixed rum called Navy Rum. These became referred to as “tots.”
Daily life aboard these ships was brutal. Not only did they have to deal with the stress of operating a ship in the middle of the ocean, where one mistake could mean death, but they also fought enemy ships “eyeball-to-eyeball.”
These sailors used to have multiple “daily tots” each day to help keep up morale. The practice was eventually halted in the 1970s when modern officers grew concerned with drunkenness and on-deck fighting.
Here’s some good news: fans of history and rum can still order Pusser’s Original Navy Rum. It follows the same historical recipe used for hundreds of years.”
Yo ho ho.
Pusser’s Painkiller Ingredients
- 2-ounces (60 ml) Pusser’s Rum
- 4-ounces (120 ml) pineapple juice
- 1-ounce (30 ml) orange juice
- 1-ounce (30 ml) cream of coconut
- Freshly grated nutmeg
Directions
- Add liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously.
- Pour into a big glass or goblet filled with ice. Grate fresh nutmeg on top.
- Garnish with an orange slice and cherry.
- Be careful–this is a smooth and sneaky drink. Enjoy!
– Jet Cannon
The Only Exercise machine You’ll Ever need
Men’s Health has a great article on fitness fads. It’s a trip down memory lane for sure and some of them really work when actually used on a regular basis.
We think the best fad of all is the Vibrating Belt. No, they didn’t really work from a weigh-loss standpoint but the appeal of just standing in place and losing weight is pretty irresistible.
Not surprisingly, there are variations still out there and even some claims that the vibration can be beneficial for obese folks. That is not an endorsement. Just a head-scratcher.
So dig through the closet, pull out the fads you bought and get back to exercising!
- Bowflex Home Gym
- Tae Bo
- Vibrating Belt
- Body By Jake
- ThighMaster
- Jane Fonda Videos
- 8-Minute Abs
- Roller Blading
- The Shake Weight
- Diet Pills
- Ab Roller
- Wii Fitness
- Boot Camps
- Power Plate
- Pilates
- NordicTrack
- Couch to 5K
- Cleansing/Juicing
- Medicine Balls
- Richard Simmons
- Spinning/Soul Cycling
- Toning Shoes
- Pole Dancing Classes
- Sauna Suits
- Power Balance Bracelets
ZZZzzzz
We like sleep but sleep doesn’t always like us. Getting enough sleep is key to heart health, eye health, immune health, productivity, coping with stress, and workout energy. There are a number of possible causes of sleeplessness and the good news is there are answers. See your doc for a referral to a specialist and sleep like a Baby. Boomer.
– Jet Cannon
