Bill Clinton is going to make you a vegan
Bill Clinton is a very persuasive man. He’s persuasive in the way every good salesman is persuasive, which is that you don’t know you’re being convinced of something until it’s all over. There’s a good chance you might not even know then. You might be pretty sure it was your idea all along. Case...
Hot and heavy
Two stories collided last week. First, it was very, very warm, so that the heat map of the United States turned a radiant, stop-sign red—the color of Irish skin after the first day of a beach vacation. So hot, in fact, that the National Park Service had to nag people to stop frying eggs...
Science struggles to grasp your love handles
You think you know what’s fat, don’t you? It’s defined by pounds, or body-mass index, or how much roly-poly flesh you can pinch between your thumb and forefinger. (Try this only on yourself.) You know fat when you see it. And you can measure it, objectively. Right? And way too many people are way too...
Stop loving your couch
The time between Christmas and News Years is, unofficially, the National Sweatpants Week. A time for long breakfasts that fade into lunch, naps, hanging out, informal family gatherings–all activities that can be undertaken and are perhaps best undertaken while wearing sweatpants. But now it’s over. You know you need to get off the couch....
Saturday mash-up: July 14, 2012
It’s the weekend, it’s the summer, it’s all about food and drink and what it does to us. Some good, some not so. The world’s favorite 101-year-old marathoner Fauja Singh will carry the Olympic torch next weekend. If you thought nothing could be sweeter than watching that (still-unrecognized-by-Guinness-but-nevertheless) world record-holder stride through the streets of...
America’s toughest athlete is a vegan
Whatever you think of Bill Clinton, you have to give him this: the guy doesn’t mess around with his health. He had heart issues (a quadruple bypass followed by stent surgery); he did the research; he talked to people (because if you are a former president everyone takes your calls) and decided to go on...
Saturday mash-up: June 16, 2012
This sounds like a fairly ominous collection: detailed maps, rolling protests, killer kilocalories and powerful 80-year-olds. Read closely, though, all is benign. Except the calories. Ever find yourself in a new town and wonder about nearby recreational resources? It’s easy enough to find the national parks, and fairly easy to find the state parks. But...
Older and active: no one knows what you should eat
Older people—including very fit and active older people—will sometimes stand in front of a mirror and say, What the hell? When did that happen? And what do I do about it? The problem is this: you never thought about what you ate. In your youth, you were burning calories like a madman or madwoman and...
Saturday mash-up: June 2, 2012
This appears to be late but we were here yesterday and no one showed up so we took off. Look for a slightly less pristine experience in your national parks this summer. You shouldn’t let that stop you from going: any visit there will still be a deep dive into unparalleled natural beauty. Or a...
Saturday mash-up: May 26, 2012
Busted glasses, busted diets, lost manufacturing…no intention here to sound ominous. Sometimes the news just points you in a way and there’s no point in resisting it. But summer is here at last. Break out the white flannels. Soon. Just as soon as this small dark cloud passes over. They’re pretty light, those glasses, so...
Dietary secrets of centenarian athletes
Recent posts mentioned paraglidingPeggy McAlpine (104) and marathoner Fauja Singh (101). Our centenarian coverage inadvertently omitted recognition of the 100th birthday of “Pocket Hercules” Manohar Aich, the 4’11” body builder who was India’s first Mr. Universe. Aich no longer lifts weights, since he had a minor stroke last year. (Which, yes, suggests he was lifting...
Saturday stew: December 24, 2011
For those who don’t want more Christmas pudding, here’s another helping of Recreati stew. Digestible, delectable and full of good cheer: Don’t blame the holidays for your gut, Canadians. In a study conducted by Molson (yes, the brewer), most people say they’ll gain from one to nine pounds over...
