<p>I can see why weight can be a debatable issue. How would you define “obese” and “overweight”? Is there a clear threshold between the stages (remember our little debate about BMI here in this thread)? With smoking it is easy - it is a “yes/no” question whether one smokes or not.</p>
<p>FYI - we got a message on our answering machine about the salmon recall. Well… FWIW, the salmon was yummy. 
I have nothing to take to Costco to claim my money back.</p>
<p>Jym, salmon are saltwater fish that come into rivers to spawn.</p>
<p>[Salmon</a> Life Cycle | Stream Explorers](<a href=“http://www.streamexplorers.org/fish-facts/salmon-life-cycle]Salmon”>Salmon Life Cycle – Stream Explorers)</p>
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Cool. Thanks for the link, bb.</p>
<p>I can’t recall where I read this (I think on a professional listserv) but there was serious concern raised about disclosing too much personal information on those “wellness screenings” that are supposedly used to reduce your premiums. It was mentioned that sharing too much info about yor BP, lab results, exercise patterns, habits (cigarette, alcohol, etc) mental health/stress issues could potentially be used against you, such as if you were pursuing precertification/preauthorization for, say, MH benefits. I can’t recall the specifics, but I remember feeling that the small savings in premiums wasnt worth the voluntary sharing of personal information. I had already done the screening, and fortunately I am healthy as a horse, but I recall wishing in retrospect I had not shared inof that was none of their business, with no control over where that info would go or with whom it could be shared.</p>
<p>I believe the medical definition of obesity is 20% over yor ideal body weight. The good news is that now some insurers, including Medicare, are covering bariatric surgery for morbidly obese individuals (I think thats >35% over normal body weight) as it is effective in treating/managing many comorbid illnesses such as diabetes, etc. </p>
<p>There is a big difference between something being considered an “illness” vs a “disability”.</p>
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<p>The medical and public health community does not effectively treat nicotine addiction as the root cause of smoking. They pay lip service to it, but then try to “treat” smokers by keeping them addicted to nicotine in other forms. It doesn’t work because “not smoking” while still actively addicted to nicotine means living your life in a constant cycle of drug withdrawal. That’s basically torture, given the specific way that nicotine works on the brain – hijacking and blocking the “reward” receptors that make you feel content after a meal, etc.</p>
<p>The way to be a comfortable ex-smoker is to break the drug addiction and make a commitment to never use nicotine again. Then, the withdrawal cycles go away and the reward receptors can be freed for other things (one reason weight gain is common when people quit smoking). Without those drug withdrawals, there’s no desire to smoke. There are still learned smoking habits, but those are 90% gone in a few months and 100% relearned after the first year, but they are impossible to relearn in the face of hourly drug withdrawal.</p>
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<p>I don’t know. From everything I read about bariatric surgery, the jury is still out on whether it’s a plus or minus for long-term outcomes. It’s certainly the preferred way to lose weight!</p>
<p>At home workout – stretches and mini weights. Have a good day, everyone.</p>
<p>The question isn’t about how to treat it effectively, it’s about whether a nicotine addiction would be considered a “disability” under the purview of the ADA. I believe other types of addiction have been ruled to be disabilities, so it makes me wonder if an insurance surcharge because of a nicotine addiction is in fact legal.</p>
<p>My former company is a giant billion-dollar multinational, with plenty of money for lawyers, so they must feel they are on solid ground.</p>
<p>As for how to treat a smoking habit - I think the idea with gum and the patch is to slowly wean you off, because going cold-turkey is not very effective. And in the meantime, you aren’t inhaling carcinogenic chemicals.</p>
<p>Bariatric surgery is not a panacea, and should not be considered as the first line treatment choice for weight loss. That said, for those who truly are unable to successfully manage their obesity and have or are at risk for many of the comorbid or secondary health problems, its benefits may outweigh (no pun intended) its risks. Johns Hopkins has a nice summary of this: <a href=“http://www.hopkinsbayview.org/bariatrics/surgery/risksandbenefits.html[/url]”>Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center;
<p>And if medicare is willing to cover it as a medically necessary procedure, then there must be sufficient compelling research/outcome studies to support this.</p>
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<p>Sure, that’s the idea. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work very well because you are leaving the person permanently addicted to nicotine with the hourly cycles of withdrawal. The gum or patch will never be as effective at delivering the drug as smoking. Inhaling nicotine hits the brain receptors in 8 seconds after the first puff, every bit as powerful a “bam” to the brain as crack cocaine. So you end up leaving the person in no-man’s land with the worst of both worlds – not getting satisfaction for the craving and not being free of the drug’s grip. A perfect example is President Obama, who is, from all reports, still chewing nicotine gum, five years after he “90%” quit smoking in 2007. That’s a living hell compared to just being free of the drug. I quit cold turkey on Feb 11, 2008 and, honestly, I can’t even remember the last time I thought about smoking. It’s been years.</p>
<p>Cold turkey is a much more effective approach. Three to seven days of hell and then every single day that goes by makes it easier and easier and easier. In a few weeks, the physical addiction to nicotine is broken. It is, however, not a profit center for the second largest supplier of nicotine to addicts (the pharmaceutical companies) so it gets no research dollars and the public health policy actually tries to convince smokers to not even try it. Yet, over 90% of all long-term ex-smokers quit cold turkey.</p>
<p>Ran my usual 4-miler. Not my best run, bu not the worst either. Made Alumother’s pork adobo for dinner, which received two thumbs up from Mr B.</p>
<p>Got the all clear to do some weight training or TRX work from the therapist. After the session today, I felt better than I had in a long time. Will go to the gym tomorrow.</p>
<p>Responding to a couple of comments on fish: after a childhood of eating crappy frozen fish sticks or breaded perch (one of my Mom’s favorites) I couldn’t believe how much better fresh fish tasted. To me, it was a wonderful discovery. I live near the ocean and have a husband who is a sport fisherman. I can have fish a few hours after it’s been caught. There’s nothing better IMO–which is why I rarely eat frozen or canned fish. I’m at a point in my life where I don’t feel the need to budget for food. I’m feeding two people and even if something like salmon is pricey, I buy 10-l2 ounces at most. My philosophy on food is to eat small amounts of the freshest, highest quality food that’s available to me.</p>
<p>Yay Bromfield!</p>
<p>I have suffered from reduced mobility/flexibility in my neck. In plain English, hard to turn around and look behind me when backing the car up, etc.</p>
<p>A simple drill that has, over time, really helped me is this one:</p>
<p>[Quadruped</a> Thoracic Rotation](<a href=“Thoracic Mobilty - Quadruped Thoracic Extension and Rotation - YouTube”>Thoracic Mobilty - Quadruped Thoracic Extension and Rotation - YouTube)</p>
<p>Being on hands and knees, it locks the hips out of the equation so you aren’t rotating in the lower back lumbar spine. All the rotation is high in the shoulders and neck. Doing stuff like this as a regular part of my warmup has made a big difference.</p>
<p>I don’t know if this would help with your neck, but generally speaking this sort of thing is really good for us geezers.</p>
<p>Bromfield, that’s great! Please go easy in the beginning.</p>
<p>Interesting about fish sticks vs freshly caught fish! I had the opposite experience - I grew up in a place where freshly caught fish was a given. My dad was an avid fisherman and he cooked his catches so deliciously. When I went to college and left my hometown, I was shocked to find out that fish could taste so bad.</p>
<p>P90X stretch yesterday and some walking.</p>
<p>Taking a long hilly walk later this morning.</p>
<p>We have a few people out in the office with cold/flu symptoms. In general, people in the office have to be fairly sick before they won’t come in.</p>
<p>Bromfield,</p>
<p>It’s been our experience that very expensive “fresh” salmon is often far lower quality than flash frozen wild salmon. </p>
<p>Of course, if you’re able to catch it yourself, then that is the best. :)</p>
<p>Would never equate a frozen fish stick with a flash frozen quality processed sockeye salmon from AK.</p>
<p>We prefer flash frozen salmon too.</p>
<p>Fish sticks are essentially fried batter with a little fish.</p>
<p>Moderately nervous but not in my usual freak out mode about the “practice” marathon daughter and I are doing tomorrow. Her husband is able to come with us and is going to do the half (fairly untrained, but he’ll be fine). Goal is to stay comfortable as long as possible and get in some great training on a supported course. This is a very small race in a small town that is supposedly a lot of fun and well administered. I’m worried that it might rain. I haven’t had to run much mileage this week since I’m doing it all tomorrow… I thought about giving the Altra shoes a chance, but I’m a little nervous about zero drop for 26 miles, so I think I will stick with the Brooks Flows.</p>
<p>I just have a hard time imaging you being nervous for something like this as you’ve done it many, many times over many, many years.</p>