Cut Me In Half

The SparkPeople Staff taste-test some fairly common, nutritionally-sound yet disgusting supplements. Enjoy!

Nutrition doesn’t have to be this hard!

Apparently the city of Portland, Oregon scheduled both the Gay Pride events and the Pirate Day events on the same day. Both have crazy costumes, both have guys in drag, both have beer and people dancing really really well. And of course both have parades. But seriously now — Gay Pirate Day? Did Portland just think that no one would notice?

NekoBoi was there for the pride events and captured some of the Pirate Parade on Video.

(Note: This does have sound and music on it)

As awesome as this looks, I would suggest that next year Portland schedule these on different days, if for no other reason than to stave off the horrible horrible jokes. (ROFL)

Comments have been turned off so that I don’t come back to 500 “Y’arr I’ve come to plunder yer booty” jokes.

Mushroom and Cheese Fritata

Serves 4, 180 calories per serving

6 egg whites
3 whole eggs
2 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
nonstick cooking spray
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, sliced into rounds
2 oz Gruyere cheese, grated (I prefer Sharp Cheddar)
3 Tbsp parmesan, grated
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Preheat the broiler.
Whisk egg whites, eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl until well blended.
Heat a 9 inch nonstick oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and add the mushrooms and onions; saute until softened and juices evaporate. Add the zucchini and saute until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring well. Decrease heat to medium low. Puor the egg mixture over the mushroom and zucchini mixture. Sprinkle with the cheeses and thyme. Cover and cook until the frittata is almost set but the top is still runny. Place the skillet, uncovered, under the broiler and cook until golden brown on top, about a minute or two. Remove from oven, then loosen from skillet with a spatula and slice it onto a plate. Cut into 4 wedges and serve.

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Notes:   this is an absolutely delicious recipe from 3FatChicks.com.  Definitely a keeper!

 For the next two weeks, I’ll be writing a series of articles on the top 11 killers of men. Think that it’s difficult or even impossible to prevent something like Stroke or Kidney Disease? Think again. There are simple changes that you can make to your everyday routine that can increase your lifespan and prevent many of these all-too-common ailments.

Not the nicest of topics, but definitely topics that need to be discussed and risks that need to be weighed.  For me personally, my weight has plateaued recently, so I’ve been looking at other ways to improve my health while losing weight.  So this serves as the perfect opportunity for all of us to get creative and look at potentially life-saving measures that we might not have though of before.

The Top 11:

1. Heart disease
2. Cancer
3. Unintentional injuries
4. Stroke
5. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
6. Diabetes
7. Influenza and pneumonia
8. Suicide
9. Kidney disease
10. Alzheimer’s disease
11. HIV — AIDS and HIV-related complications are one of the top 10 causes of death for people under 30.

(Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2003)

Does excess bodyfat add to the your risk of developing one of these problems?  For most, the answer is an obvious Yes, but you can be overweight and increase your health before losing weight.  The above list is not dependent on being fat, nor is it a list exclusively for men.  Around 60% of all people who die from stroke are women, while men hold the majority on heart attacks.  Men and women of all shapes and sizes are subject to cardiovascular diseases of all types.  It’s fitting then, that the first article be on Heart Disease.

I couldn’t resist the title A 2005 study indicates that, on average, overweight people make less money. Sounds obvious, right? Many overweight people feel the pinch that fewer opportunities and But the study goes a bit deeper and says that people are missing out on an average of $1300 per BMI point. So (in theory) I’m making $19′500 less per year by being 15 BMI points over normal. Ouch!

From MedicalNewsToday

Overweight Americans who lose a lot of weight also tend to build more wealth as they drop the pounds, according to new research.

The study found that the link between weight loss and wealth gains was particularly strong among white women. Black women and white men also gained wealth as they lost weight, but not as much as did white women. The wealth of Black men was basically unaffected by their weight.

Overall, the results showed that a one unit increase in a young person’s BMI was associated with a $1,300 or 8 percent reduction in wealth. But the changes varied dramatically by ethnicity and gender.

I have to admit, when I’m losing weight I tend to feel a bit better about myself. What effect that has on salary and business opportunities is unknown. But I certainly have to admit the possibility that poor health may play a part in that as well. I definitely think that a tendency towards weight-related illnesses as well as our society’s emphasis on thinness are both significant factors in this.

For example, white women who dropped their body mass index score (BMI) “a standard measure of obesity” by 10 points saw a wealth increase of $11,880. White men saw an increase of $12,720 for a similar drop, while black women increased wealth by $4,480.

But what is 10 BMI points equivalent to in pounds? For a man who’s 5′10″ and weighs 300, it would mean losing 70 pounds (going from BMI 43 to BMI 33). For someone who’s 6′2″ and weighs 300, it would mean losing 80 pounds (going from BMI 38 to BMI 28).

It makes for an even bigger reward when finally get to a normal weight. Definitely something to think about when making good food choices or working out. When it gets really tough, don’t just think about the body of your dreams — think about all the new opportunities in your career as well!

–Griffin