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In essence, British Columbia would flower; it would become a research park supported by funds from all over the world and by international tourism.

That reality really would put British Columbia on the map.

The post British Columbia Should Get it Right For It’s Own Good first appeared on Medical Health.

See www.biogreenbottles.com and BioGreen Biodegradable BPA-Free Sport Bottle with Wide Mouth DuoFlow Lid (26-Ounce). These bottles are BPA, DEHA and DEHP Free, and they are made in the USA.

Tell the bottled water industry that we insist on safe biodegradable plastic.

Also see the post Avoiding BPA in Plastic.

The post BPA-free Biodegradable Plastic Bottles first appeared on Medical Health.

Stay on your feet. Go for a walk or a hike. Lift weights while you watch the news. Find a good deal at a gym (the best deals usually appear when a gym first opens for business and offers a contract that stipulates that they can only raise your fees by, lets say, 1 percent every 3 years).

The post Quit Sit-on-your-bottom Activities first appeared on Medical Health.

Looking across the Grand Canyon from Shoshone Point

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Talked to a ranger in the Shoshone Point parking lot. He said that he had met his wife at Indian Gardens (she was hiking through), that Indian Gardens was home (though he no longer lived and worked there).

I’m hiking in the Grand Canyon again this year, the third year in a row. The first time, I stayed in a motel in Williams, Arizona, and drove into the Grand Canyon National Park every morning for day hikes. Last year I stayed in the lodges on the South Rim, hiked to Phantom Ranch (which is located at the bottom of the Canyon), and then spent another three days hiking up and down primitive trails. This year I am hiking from the South Rim to the North Rim and then back to the South Rim.

The food is good at Phantom Ranch, but up above on the South Rim, I prefer to buy items from the general store, rather than from the restaurants.

Also see:

The post Shoshone Point, Grand Canyon first appeared on Medical Health.

Grains tend to cause weight-gain problems, and grains can irritate your intestinal walls, resulting in inflammation and irritable bowels. (I have read that after 50, we all have abnormal bowels.) But fruits and vegetables contain more antioxidants than grains, and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables will provide enough fiber. If your digestive system is particularly irritable, then switch to frozen fruits and vegetables. Freezing kills some germs and partially breaks down abrasive fiber (and I have an easier time eating vegetables and fruits that I have thawed in the microwave or cooked from the frozen state). According to The National Center for Home Food Preservation, “Freezing does not kill all bacteria, yeasts and molds present in food, but it does prevent their multiplication if the food is held at 0°F or less. When thawed, the surviving organisms can multiply again.”

Fish is good for your brain, heart, skin, and digestive tract. But choose wisely. According to Toronto Public Health, children, teenage girls, and women of childbearing age may eat one serving of pollock or wild Pacific chum, coho, or pink salmon a day (and men, teenage boys, and women over 50 can eat more than one serving a day).

Toronto Public Health also lists fish that children may eat twice a week (2 servings a week), teenage girls and women of childbearing age may eat 4 times a week, and men, teenage boys, and women over 50 can eat more often: Atlantic mackerel, wild Arctic char, herring, wild chinook, sockeye, and steelhead salmon, sardines, smelt, sole, Atlantic cod, flounder, and haddock. (I have not included their recommendations for shellfish and tuna. Plus I never eat freshwater or farmed fish. And for both medical and ecological reasons, I stay away from marlin, shark and swordfish.)

Frozen fish is usually fresher than “fresh” supermarket fish. Buy North American fish — not fish from China, which often contains preservatives or experiences suspect processing and delayed freezing.

Fish is low fat and anti-inflammatory (unlike red meat, which can bring on or exacerbate inflammation). If you want a more varied diet, eat skinless chicken and turkey breasts once in awhile.

Bake or steam your fish and poultry. And read about Dr. Sear’s Zone Diet: The Zone Diet

The post A Fish and Vegetable Diet first appeared on Medical Health.

I have also mentioned that walking, running, and hiking are very good for the health (including respiratory, cardiac, and digestive health), so in this post I am going to list some of the gear I use on hikes. I am listing the Amazon links. You can follow the links to detailed descriptions, prices, and reviews. I own all of the following gear:

Julbo Race Sunglasses (w/ Zebra Photochromic Lenses)

Osprey Talon 44 Mountaineering Backpack (for overnight and multi-day hikes)

Osprey Stratos 24 Pack (for extra-long day hikes to remote wilderness areas where I need to bring along extra survival and emergency gear)

Deuter Packs AC Lite 16 Backpack (for day hikes of average length)

Mountainsmith Tour Lumbar Pack (for easy day hikes)

Men’s Merrell Phaser Peak Waterproof Boots (for rugged hikes)

Men’s Danner Expedition GORE-TEX Boots (for exceptionally rugged hikes)

I’m not sure if Columbia still makes the shoes I wear on easy hikes. Here is a link to their hiking shoes: Columbia Hiking Shoes

Danner Merino Wool Pronghorn Crew Socks

Royal Robbins Men’s Classic Billy Goat Shorts

Blurr Meta Pant – Men’s

prAna Men’s Hondo Pant

Columbia Silver Ridge II Shirt – Long-Sleeve – Men’s

Outdoor Research Sun Runner Cap

Water Bottle Holster

Marmot Precip Rain Jacket for Men

Marmot Men’s PreCip Full Zip Pant

Sea to Summit SN240 Ultra-Light Siliconized Cordura Pack Cover

Nuun Hydration Tablets

Of course I own various tents, whistles, signal mirrors, first aid kits, flashlights, cotton t-shirts, and I wear nylon hiking pants, silk undershirts, and polyester shirts and microfleeces during winter. I will probably write about those gear in a future post.

Also see my posts Cotton for the Grand Canyon and Desert Venom.

The post Hiking and Backpacking Gear first appeared on Medical Health.

Have your doctor give you a lab test requisition form. Then when you arrive at your vacation destination, ask the lab if they have a package of tests that includes the tests your doctor has ordered. If their package is cheaper, phone your doctor, tell him the name of the package of tests, and have him FAX a new requisition to the lab.

from Palm Treo

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