Healthy Food Options in Lincoln Park Chicago

Eating "healthy" is always a challenge.  You often have to venture out further, spend more, and question what you are getting.  Over the past few years, the demand for healthier food has created more food offerings.

By embracing healthy lifestyle choices, we can expect to have improvement in our internal organs as well as this manifesting in improvement in our exterior appearance.

Lincoln Park Chicago has recently a few new options have popped up.

Mrs. Green's-Bringing East Coast Organic to Chicago

A gourment, natural grocery store has recently opened called Mrs. Green's.  It is a kinda mix of Whole Foods, Fox &Obel, Dean & DeLucca and Mariano's all in one.  The store has a good offering of the foods associated with healthy including "organic", "farm-raised", "all-natural", "no probiotics".  It is actually a small chain of stores mostly found in the East Coast.  The well educated consumer needs to determine what is healthy and what is not at any store, including here.  The store has alot of prepared foods and hard to find juices, drinks, milks and should be a hit.

Santa Monica Summer House- Bringing California sunshine and healthy living to Chicago

A new restaraunt has opened ironically in the middle of November called "Santa Monica Summer House".  It is also based on the concept of healthy fare.  Instead of regular meatloaf it is a bison grass fed variety.  Instead of a routine beet salad, throw some citrus to bring some sunshine in it.  The location is gorgeous and anytime you can eat out and not feel guily about it is a welcome change.

Eating healthy and enjoying yourself do not have to be mutually exclusive events, thanks to newer places coming around.  The success of health can be seen in Proteinbar, a healthy fast food concept in Chicago and other offerings.  Anytime you can walk to a good grocery store or dining experience it always is welcomed.  Bon Appetit- as long as it is healthy.

Pollyanna: Insights into Contentment

"When you look for the bad in mankind expecting to find it, you surely will find it."  

Abraham Lincoln as stated in Pollyanna

One of the benefits of having two elementary aged daughters is that you are sometimes forced to watch movies and read books you normally would not chose.  One such movie is Disney's 1960 Classic Pollyana based on the 1913 novel by Eleanor Porter.

The title character is named Pollyanna Whittier whose parents are missionaries who are killed, making her unexpectandly an orphan.  She is forced to live with her namesake Aunt Polly who is a stern and unloving person despite having much material success.

Pollyanna despite her humble upbringings uses the "Pollyanna Principle".   This principle states simply to always find the "glad" about a situation.  If Pollyanna is given crutches instead of the doll she wanted, she is glad she doesn't have to use her crutches.

Being thankful for what we have and those around us is a central tenant of Thanksgiving.  While it is easy to get caught up in the negativity of everything around (news, media, etc), finding the gladness in ourselves and others is a step towards our own contendeness.

Logan's Run Redefining Old- Why 30 is no longer old?

"The seeds of the Little War were planted in a restless summer during the mid-1960s, with sit-ins and student demonstrations as youth tested its strength. By the early 1970s over 75 percent of the people living on Earth were under 21 years of age. The population continued to climb—and with it the youth percentage.

In the 1980s the figure was 79.7 percent.

In the 1990s, 82.4 percent.

In the year 2000—critical mass."  Logan's Run Book introduction

Logan's Run is a sci-fi movie filmed in 1976  about a ageist future in which everyone is killed at the age of 30 to prevent overpopulation.  The reason for this is to maintain limited equilibrium and in part to maintain a youthful population.  This concept of an agist society is seen in many other movies including more recently In Time starring Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, and Olivia Wilde.  There have been rumored remake attempts of Logan's Run most recently with Ryan Gossling.

Logan's run a 1970's scifi agist adventure

The film depicts the year 2274 which is a sealed domed city which looks abit like Epcot Center (doesn't everything in the future).  The garish customs and 1970's style acting and cinematography are a bit to take in. Suprisingly, this film won a special Academy Award for special visual effects.  

In the film, a prize is placed on youth and aging is something to be feared.  Nearly 40 years after this film, we still live in a society which favors youth, but youthful appearances.  Better understanding of health, fitness, and the expense of lifetsyle choices have on our appearance have probably contributed to a delay in the aging process.  Perhaps the advancement of plastic surgery and use of fillers, botox, and lasers have assisted as well.  

Age however is more and more being defined as biolgogic and not chronologic.  This means if you can live a healthy lifestyle and compare yourself to someone who tans, smokes, doesn't sleep well and eats fast food you probably will look younger.  In fact, a recent twin study in PRS looked just at smoking and found a difference in the appearance comparing twins who smoked versus those who did not.  

Our definition of old has definitely changed.  A 30 year old is still considered a young adult for practical purposes.  Defining old has become more difficult.  It probably is not 40 and much older.  Many adults are enjoying themselves more at later ages than they did in their 20's.  Many are healthier at later years and look better as well.

A view of LASERS taking over plastic surgery

The At Home Workout-Does It Work

The new rage in working out (there are alot of them) is to work out only with your own body while watching a video.  The benefits are that you can save time to and from the gym and get in a workout when you normally would not be able to.  This can really be an issue in the Midwest when it is less than 30 degrees and snowy,etc.  So, does a workout at home= a workout at the gym.

The T25 videos, one of a series of videos that allow you to workout at home

I think it really depends on what workout series you use.  I use T25 for working out and despite its brevity (25 minutes), it is actually a good workout.  Especially if you have my workout goals: don't get injured, don't stress my joints, sweat, workout areas that you normally wouldn't workout.  The workout is a combination of aerobic, flexibility, core and stability exercises designed to make you more athletic, fitter and improve your body composition.

The concept of the workout videos is based on some science.  A vast majority of studies are showing that intensity is just as important as duration.  Levels of growth hormone went up 530% in a British study with sprinting on a stationary bike as opposed to regular riding.  In fact, when Candian researchers in Ontario comparted fitness between two groups (high intense for 20 minutes versus lower intense for 100 minutes) the results were equivalent.

I don't think I use it as it is intended to be used but use it mostly on days I can not make it to the gym or do not want to use exercise equipment at home.

Staying in shape becomes a harder process as you get older.  You have more responsiblities and less time to do so.  However, it is criticial to continue to exercise in a safe manner  frequently.  The goal for each person is to find a workout routine that meets their goals.

Why The 1893 Chicago's World's Fair Still Matters? On Exhibit At The Field Museum

The lagoon is supposed to represent the 400 year anniverary of Columbus discovery of America

The city of Chicago, my home and family's home, is a city which was first incorporated in 1837.  However, in 1871 much of the city lie in ruin as the great Chicago Fire came around.  The city instead of folding over was rebuilt anew.  The great opportunity to show itself off as a world class city was in the 1893 World's Fair, also known as the World's Columbian Exposition.

One of many new food introductions at the fair.

The vault of wonders is currently on display at the Field Museum showing vintage artifacts, photographs, and video reels.  It is a fantastic time capsule capturing agruably the greatest Word's Fair ever.  This fair was the birthplace of the Juicy Fruit chewing gum, Cream of Wheat, Cracker Jack, Ferris Wheel, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Aunt Jemima, spray painting, the Field Museum.  Some of the greatest names in archtiecture took place in the design and layout including Daniel Burnham (Flatiron Building NYC, Union Station DC, Chicago's Lakefront, National Mall) along with Frederick Olmsted (Central Park NYC, Prospect Park NYC, Riverside, IL, Niagara Reservation).

The fair arguably laid the groundwork for Chicago as a great architectural city.  It is also the backdrop for the novel Devil in the White City by Eric Larson in 2003 which is supposed to turn into a film.  The book depicts real life first time serial killer HH Holmes which is a gruesome but exciting read.  The Berghoff Restaraunt in Chicago originally sold beer at the 1893 World's Fair and has remarkably been opne as a restaraunt since.

The exhibit is a great opportunity to fans of Chicago history to see up close and personal many of the artifacts of the world's fair.

Chicago Otoplasty (+playlist)

Get Your Sleep and Peform Better

A common quote from patients the day before a procedure is "Doc, you aren't going to be up late at night are you."  The quote actually has significant insight into the way we function and how sleep is important for personal and professional performance.

Athletes are often hyperboles in performance.  They tend to know their bodies and what makes their bodies perform their best be it a meal, exercise or personal habit. Interestingly, many athletes sleep longer than regular hours.  Lebron James and Roger Federer are said to sleep 12 hours per night.  Many athletes sleep more than 8 hours a night.  

So is there any science to back the merits of sleep?  A 2011 Stanford study showed that basketball players increased their speed by 5% and their free throws were 9% more accurate.  Tennis players are found to be up to 42% more accurate with sleep.  Sleep improves split-second decision making ability by 4.3%.

So if sleep make you more alert, make decision more quickly and improve your stamina, attention and reactivity, seem to be important to your performance, what is a busy surgeon, executive, trainer or other occupation to do.  So although it is not always possible or desirable to get 12 hours of sleep, making sleep a priority is important.  So what are some ways to help your sleep become deeper and longer lasting:

1. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.  I don't drink caffeine at all.  I find drinking caffeine paradoxically inhibits my performance and mental clarity.  Although there are some health benefits to moderate alcohol, I limit alcohol to less than one drink per three months.  

2. Stay on a regular schedule.  Avoiding the weekend sleepin, I always try to go to bed around the same time and wake up at the same time.  If it is a weekend night and I am up late (see 10 pm) I still wake up at my normal time.

3. Work out physically and mentally everyday.  Physical activity is a cue for your body that it needs sleep to repair itself. 

Sleep is an important part of personal performance.  Fortunately, many of the studies have found that the atheltic performance is based on repeated sleepless nights which are much more impactful than one night.  Embracing healthy sleep habits can help build up your sleep reserve and let your mind and body perform at its maximum.

Lebron James getting caught up on his 12 hours of sleep per day.

Groupism- Sometimes it is not a bad thing especially fitness

If anyone has tried fitness routines, you often find that when you workout by yourself you may not work out quite as intensely as when you workout with a friend or with a group.  This effect may be called "groupism".

Groupism is actually a word which means the tendency to think and act like a group.  It can have a negative connotation in regards to conformity and loss of individuality.  In terms of exercise, it can be beneficial.

Here's how?  If you have ever taken a fitness class, like spinning or Body Pump, you are working out with not just yourself but with other people.  Who wants to be the only one who can't do it or who is stopping and out of breath?

I believe there is a real phenomenom at place here, at least with myself.  If I ride a stationary bike, I can get a workout in, but I often am watching tv, reading the newspaper,etc.  If I am in a spinning class, I am physcially pushing myself with clearly more exertion.

Seeing other people do it to, makes it easier.  If everyone is able to do it, you can feel more comfortable that at least it is humanly possible to perform the task.

So thoughts here are to mix it up once in a while with a fitness class or with a trainer or another person to help postively push yourself to excel.

Be Healthy or Pay

For my annual health check up, my insurance requires that I am required to do a physical and order lab work.  In addition to cholesterol levels, both my spouse and I are required to do a nicotine test.  Nicotine tests are now becoming the new rage in battling smoking.  

Nicotine tests attempt to detect cotinine which is a metabolite of nicotine.  These tests are highly sensitive in detecting the use of nicotine.  Some false positives can happen if your diet is high in thiocyanate containing foods like cabbage, broccoli, almonds and mustards, and intake of medications such as amphetamines.  

Luckily for my wife and I, we both don't smoke.  If we did, we would be required to pay and extra $200 per month per person who smokes unless we toke a smoking cessation class.   If you add up the cost of cigarettes ($2000) and the cost of penalties ($4800), the financial savings of not smoking are now becoming even more important than ever. This is not considering the health costs, quality of life, influence on children, etc that probably exceeds the financial cost.  You can no longer just check "no smoking" on the form.