Freihofer's Run for Women

Gotta tip my hat to the folks organizing the Freihofer's Run for Women.

I've traveled to races across the country. It's not just the race, but the expo associated with it that enhances the experience. Let's face it, I'm not running for the prize money.

Between the Health and Fitness fair put on by Capital Care and all the folks who came to pedal their wares - it was just plain fun. And they did it right on the Empire State Plaza, post race - a nice assortment of food vendors for those who wanted to munch and cheer.

As for the crowds lining the race route - THANK YOU! I think they were out in record numbers.

So if you missed it this year . .mark your calendar for next year. Whether you run or do the community walk in the morning, or bring your kids for the kids race or just feel like taking part in the fun and watching the world class runners and your neighbors complete the 3.1 mile course .. it's all good.

Shark cartilage part 2

A couple of weeks ago I posted a recall of shark cartiledge supplements .. today, more bad news for the supplement.

"Shark cartilage extract shows no benefit as a therapy to improve survival rates among lung cancer patients, according to a study released at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clini-cal Oncology on June 2nd in Chicago. Results from the study, commissioned and supported by the National Cancer Institute, found that shark cartilage extract, AE-941 or Neovastat, has shown no benefit as a therapeutic agent when combined with chemotherapy and radiation for patients with ad-vanced non-small cell lung cancer, according to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Ander-son Cancer Center. "

Shark cartilage gained attention because of it's ability to inhibit angiogenesis, or the growth of new cells. Alas, this first of it's kind study seems to show it doesn't work for lung cancer patients.

To Russia with Love

I had to use that as a header as I'm heading to Russia on June 4th.



I'm going with a photographer and one of the powers behind the Tula Alliance - which dates back to 1991. Since then, there's been an ongoing sharing of ideas and information between the two cities. I'll be looking at what effect the alliance has had on Tula's healthcare. A number of local physicians and nurses have traveled to Tula.



I'll be posting as often as I can -



Feel free to send a note through the site ..

This 'n that for your outdoor exercising

For those who love biking, golfing, strolling, jogging or flat out running in this great weather remember to cover up your skin. (skin cancer, no fun and melanoma linked to sun exposure is on the rise)

I've found DDF sunscreen ( spf 30) to be one of the longest lasting. When I marathon train I outrun my sunscreen and lathering up again just isn't convenient. DDF manages to protect me all through the run. It's pricey, about 28 bucks a tube, but lasts a long time. I've found it wears longer than Coppertone Sport -

Another good choice and far less costly is the Avon spray on sunscreen and bug repellent combo .. it may not last as long as the DDF but it's very convenient, especially for golfers.

My other 'tip' is to wear those foam visors with the curley bands - I know, this is not guy gear, but for the ladies, these visors are light weight and cheap .. a buck or two at a craft store. You hardly feel them on your head.

Also, don't forget to protect your eyes. It's not the color of the sunglass lens- the key is to make sure those lenses provide 99%-100% uv protection.

And now, please, no laughter, but if you're looking for tunes to help you motor through a workout, just about anything by ABBA .. as in the soundtrack to Momma Mia.

Oh, and if anyone is sidelined by chafing, get your hands on 'body glide'. It comes in a stick like deodorant. Most good sporting good stores carry the stuff. It goes for about 8 dollars and one tube should get you through the summer. It also works on your feet to prevent blisters.

Okay, now your turn .. what keeps your feet going and a sunburn from ruining your day?

Soy nuts to you

Just pulled this off one of the websites I troll ..

In a prospective trial, replacing 25 grams of protein with half a cup of soy nuts (dry-roasted soybeans) lowered systolic blood pressure 9.9% and diastolic 6.8% in hypertensive women, said Francine K. Welty, M.D., Ph.D., of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center here, and colleagues.
It also dropped low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 11% and apolipoprotein B by 8%, they reported in the May 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

The study only ran for 8 weeks ... and it was with soy nuts .. not any other type of soy supplement ..

Don't Waste Your Money

In our hope of finding the fountain of youth we're also too easily convinced some new supplement will do the trick. But don't be fooled by products claiming to contain nitric oxide.

Nitric Oxide is a toxic gas.

A new study says people have become interested in the gas since a 1987 discovery that our bodies produce a harmelss amount of the stuff. It's essential to a number of bodily functions including delivering oxygen to blood and our tissues.

What the new study says is, the health food store products claiming to contain nitric oxide actually contain arginine - that's the stuff nitric oxide is made from. But the latest findings say arginine in supplement form doesn't do anything we need to be paying extra for. And clearly, you're not buying what you think you're getting.

Shucks - we're back to eating everything in moderation and getting a good night's sleep and regular exercise.

btw- this study is published in the 5/28 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Contact Lens Solution Recall

Here we go again. Another recall of a complete contact lens solution.
This time it's AMO Complete(R) MoisturePlus(TM) Multipurpose Solution.

The concern: Acanthamoeba, a "naturally occurring water-borne organism which can contribute to serious corneal infections." The infection can be so damaging, blindness can occur.

AMO along with the CDC is issuing a voluntary recall. 46 patients developed Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) since January 2005; 39 were soft contact lens wearers, 21 used the product in question. The CDC figures your risk of contracting this infection are 7 times greater if you used this solution. Despite this, AMO says it can't be sure their product is the source of the problem, but better safe than sorry. It's also better P.R. to get out ahead of a problem.

If you have the product, AMO says stop using it. AMO will send you a replacement kit (not sure what that includes) if you call them at 1-888-899-9183. I've already made the call .. they'll want your name, address and phone number. In the meantime, the company warns STOP USING the product and toss out your lenses and case.

Hope you have a spare pair .. good luck.

For more info go to: www.amo-inc.com