Tag Archives: Recreation

Health

Nordic Walking Is Pretty Badass, Actually

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Photo: pixelrain (Shutterstock)

I was skeptical of Nordic Walking when I first heard of it. It seemed like a try at commodifying taking a stroll, like, “You’re not really walking until you’re doing it with these expensive walking poles,” but after looking into the research behind it, my mind was changed completely.

Nordic walking is different from just “walking while carrying poles,” and offers a number of benefits over normal walking. It burns more calories, exercises more muscles, puts less stress on joints, and provides extra stability. While it’s beneficial for just about anyone, it’s particularly helpful for older people, people who are new to fitness, and anyone recovering from an injury.

What is Nordic walking?

Nordic walking began in Finland, where cross-country skiers have been walking with their poles during warmer seasons for a long time. In 1966, Finnish gym teacher Leena Jääskeläinen was the first to develop an organized pole-walking routine. In the 1990s, the first commercially available Nordic walking poles were manufactured, and the activity has been slowly building steam since.

Nordic walking combines specialized equipment and specific technique resulting in a longer stride and engagement of more muscle groups than either walking with hiking/trekking poles or walking with no poles at all. It’s a cardio and muscle workout in one.

The benefits of Nordic walking over simply walking

Research indicates that Nordic walking is more beneficial than normal walking in just about every way. Nordic walking, if done correctly, combines the cardio benefits of a brisk walk with a muscle workout for your legs, shoulders, arms and core, and even burns more calories than normal walking. Because the impact of each step is spread to the poles/arms, it lessens strain on joints and provides added stability. Research indicates these effects are even present if Nordic walkers walk at a slower pace than regular walking.

Like most other forms of exercise, Nordic walking is correlated with decreases in depression and anxiety, increase of muscle strength, and improvements to endurance and flexility, but one of the most interesting results from the scientific study of Nordic walking is in perceived effort. Objectively, the practice takes more energy than regular walking, but a study of obese women found that subjects didn’t perceive it as being more strenuous than walking, and were more likely to keep doing it compared to other exercise forms. It also gets you outdoors—a big advantage over working out in a gym

What equipment do you need for Nordic walking?

In order to enjoy the full benefits of Nordic walking, you’ll need the right equipment. Along with a decent pair of sneakers (or hiking boots, depending on how rugged you’re gonna get), a water bottle, and some sunblock, Nordic walking is all about the poles.

Nordic walking poles are not the same as hiking poles, ski poles, or trekking poles. The main difference is the hand strap. Nordic walking involves applying pressure to the pole through the strap/glove, so they’re thicker and bigger, where straps for trekking poles are usually simple loops designed so you don’t drop them.

Nordic poles also come with different “paws.” If you’re walking on soft ground, you use a pointy one, but on solid ground, Nordic poles have specially angled pads designed to work with the placement of the poles behind you as you walk.

Nordic poles come in two varieties: fixed-length and adjustable. If you’re new, adjustable is probably the right choice, at least until you’re sure how long they should be for you. They’re not super expensive either: the best-reviewed poles here are $130, but you can find a basic set for less than half of that.

Learning Nordic walking technique

It might seem a little silly to worry about the technique of walking with poles, but it’s actually a different enough means of locomotion that there’s a learning curve, and it takes some getting used to.

In a broad sense, Nordic pole-walking involves taking larger strides than regular walking, assisted by “pushing off” on the poles in your hands. On the downstroke, when there’s no pressure on the hands, Nordic walkers release the poles and let ‘em swing free, them grab ‘em on the upstroke. So there are a few things to keep in mind when starting out.

There are two ways you can go about learning how to walk again: Teach yourself or get an instructor. If you’re going it alone, there are a ton of useful guides of Nordic walking technique online, including videos on YouTube that are particularly helpful because they provide a visual guide, as well.

If you’re new to exercise, out-of-shape, particularly uncoordinated, or starting Nordic walking as a way of recovering from an injury, you should probably consult with a trainer in your area to get familiar with the basics. If you can’t find a trainer, check meetup.com for a local group in your area. I’m sure some nice Nordic pro would be happy to show a newcomer the ropes. And the poles.

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Technology

A Scottish Cycle Lane Appears To Be Designed Like Paperboy

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Image: Dave McCraw / Atari / Mobygames / Kotaku

There’s a street in Edinburgh, Scotland, that offers a real-life version of Paperboy’s zigzag cycling routes, and I’m here to celebrate it for just that. As part of the city’s £207 million ($253m) project to run trams through the famous road, a new section of cycle lane has been put in, which, as a recently tweeted video shows, offers quite the forbidding challenge.

While there has been ridicule of the Scottish cycle route since it was officially opened in April, it’s not until you see Dave McCraw’s video of the absolutely batshit design that you can truly appreciate the video game-like layout to the whole thing.

There’s so much that’s so special in here. Like any good game, the lane doesn’t just have an excellent zig-zagging pattern to learn, but it comes with all manner of obstacles too. There are those enormous planters, poking into the lane to be avoided. And indeed lampposts sticking out of the track on the other side.

As you’ll likely have noticed, the design is such that your bike will have to negotiate multiple other lanes, including sidewalks (pavements, they’re called pavements), as you violently swerve left and right to try to keep up with its increasingly difficult directions.

Sadly, the NPC AI looks pretty terrible, as they wander nonchalantly down the cycle lane, even when you hurtle rapidly toward them. A lot of improvement is required in this respect.

I think my favorite feature is the supermarket exit that spills out directly into the bike lane, because they make it harder for all players by removing the cycle lane texture entirely!

This is my official call for a special gathering to be arranged on this very site in 2024, to mark the 40th anniversary of Paperboy’s initial release.

Look, it’s uncanny:

Screenshot: Mobygames / Atari

Slow news day? You betcha.

 

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Health

How to Tell If Your Child Has Binge Eating Disorder (and What to Do About It)

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Photo: PattyPhoto (Shutterstock)

The pandemic has not been kind to anyone’s mental health and, unfortunately, children’s mental health crises have been on the rise, including eating disorders. While anorexia, or a fear of gaining weight that usually presents as a restriction of food, is the eating disorder most talked about, binge eating disorder can also negatively impact your child’s life, causing life-long health problems. Here’s what to look for—and what to do—if you suspect your child may have binge eating disorder.

What are the signs of binge eating disorder?

The National Eating Disorder Association, which has a helpline and provides resources for those who need support for all types of eating disorders, defines binge eating disorder (BED), as “recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food (often very quickly and to the point of discomfort); a feeling of a loss of control during the binge; experiencing shame, distress or guilt afterwards; and not regularly using unhealthy compensatory measures (e.g., purging) to counter the binge eating.” They say it’s the most common eating disorder in the U.S. and it is recognized in the DSM, which is used to categorize mental illness (and get your insurance to pay for treatment).

Some things to look for in your child include:

  • Fear about weight gain
  • Weight fluctuation
  • Gastrointestinal complaints (cramps, acid reflux, etc)
  • Body checking (looking at the mirror or in windows at themselves frequently)
  • Fear of or seeming uncomfortable eating around others
  • Missing food around the house or large amounts of wrappers/containers
  • Hoarding or hiding large quantities of preferred food
  • Attempts to conceal excessive food consumption
  • Dieting or new food habits or fads (i.e., veganism, cutting out carbs, etc)
  • Signals that the child is unable to stop the excessive food consumption
  • Food rituals (eating only at certain times or certain foods)
  • Disruption of normal eating habits (eating throughout the day instead of at mealtimes, eating alone)
  • Withdrawal from friends or activities

Please keep in mind that your child, especially a teenager, might gain a significant amount of weight around puberty and it is not necessarily a sign that they are binging, sometimes children grow taller before they grow wider or vice versa. Be careful not to impose your own possible disordered eating behaviors on your child and check in with your own body image bias.

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What to do if you think your child has BED

Dr. Bill Hudenko, Global Head of Mental Health at K Health, says if you are concerned about your child having disordered eating behavior, “It is important to reach out to a pediatrician, nutritionist, or a mental health provider to determine if your child might meet criteria for binge eating disorder. In addition to the negative impacts that this disorder may have on your child’s body, early intervention will likely result in better treatment before the behaviors become too entrenched.”

The long-term effects of eating disorders include mental health implications, such as anxiety and depression, and life-long physical consequences such as metabolic health issues and cardiovascular health problems. Early treatment is vital.

After diagnosis

If your child is diagnosed with BED, Hudenko says, “It is difficult to treat eating disorders because we all need food to survive. This of course means that you can’t eliminate eating all together, but rather you must work to alter the child’s eating habits to result in a healthier pattern.”

While you may have to try a few different treatments to find the one that works best for your child and family, Hudenko says, the “ideal treatment for binge eating disorder would involve consultation with a well-trained mental health provider who can help the family to evaluate their food culture. Interventions would likely include restricting access to some foods that are typically used to binge, development of alternate coping mechanisms if food is used to manage stress, and learning to slow the pace of eating while reading body signals of satiety.”

Many parents nowadays came from the age of low-fat and fad diets. We hope to spare our children the pain and heartache of our years of hating our bodies and wishing to be something else. By checking in on our kids and making sure to stay on top of potential eating disorders, we are giving them the gift of body acceptance and love that they can carry with them into adulthood.

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Technology

Here’s our first look at Universal Studios’ upcoming Mario Kart ride

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Photo: Universal Studios

We’re still months out—with “early 2023″ as an approximate opening date—from the debut of Universal Studios Hollywood’s new Super Nintendo World, the theme park company’s first attempt to import Universal Studios Japan’s well-received Mario-themed attraction area to the States. (Similar additions are being built at the company’s other U.S. parks, with later debut dates.) Today, though, the theme park owner revealed the plans for its first major ride to entice park goers to head down the Warp Pipe and check Super Nintendo World out in L.A. next year: Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.

As far as Mario brands being translated into rides go, Mario Kart—what with the cars and the chaos, etc.—is a pretty natural fit. (It’s certainly better than our initial pitch, the Twisting Turning Turbulent Toadcoaster.) (Although just try to tell us a Luigi’s Mansion-themed haunted house wouldn’t be amazing.) Bowser’s Challenge is, in fact, an adaptation of an existing and tested ride from Universal Studios Japan, which combines carts on rails with augmented reality goggles in order to create the illusion that riders are actually on the track with Mario, Peach, and, presumably, the dreaded Waluigi.

Now, is this as cool as, say, just letting people drive some go-karts on a brightly colored Mario Kart course? Not remotely. But it probably involves a lot less legal liability for the park, and at least kids will apparently be able to turn the wheel a little to control the angle of their karts. (We’ll admit to being somewhat skeptical of the “indoor car with video screens/AR” trend in recent theme park ride design—give us a real coaster any day of the week—but Universal Studios is promising that this particular version of the tech is at least some of the most complex it’s ever tried to run.)

Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge is slated to open alongside Super Nintendo World in early 2023.

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Business

Should You Use Shower Gel, Body Wash, or Bar Soap?

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Photo: txking (Shutterstock)

When it came to bathing in America, bars of soap reigned supreme for part of the 19th and much of the 20th century. But by the late 1980s, traditional solid bars of soap started getting some stiff competition from liquid alternatives known as “shower gels” and “body washes.”

Thanks to clever marketing—including pushing the idea that bar soap is gross—body washes and shower gels eventually started outperforming bar soap. Now, shifts towards using personal care products with fewer chemicals and that leave behind less waste have made room for bar soap to stage a comeback. But popularity aside, which cleanser is right for you? Here’s what to know.

The difference between bar soap, shower gel, and body wash

First, let’s start with the basics. But as we do, keep in mind that bar soaps, shower gels, and body washes are all massive product categories, and these are general descriptions of each (so there are plenty of exceptions).

Bar soap

A bar of soap is a solid chunk of cleanser traditionally made by mixing an oil (today, most commonly coconut oil, palm oil, and olive oil) with a liquid (usually water), and an alkali (sodium hydroxide, aka lye).

However, most of the big-brand bars of soap on the shelves today are actually “syndet bars” (“synthetic detergent”), meaning they’re made using synthetic forms of the traditional soap ingredients. They’re often labeled as “beauty bars” or “cleansing bars.”

Shower gel

Shower gel tends to have a firmer, gel-like consistency, a higher concentration of added fragrance, and sometimes are formulated to be used on both the body and hair.

Body wash

Like shower gels, body washes are liquid cleansers that use mild surfactants to cleanse the skin. But generally speaking, products labeled as “body wash” tend to be thinner and creamier than shower gels.

How to pick the best cleanser for your skin

At this point, there are so many formulations of bar soaps, shower gels, and body washes that if you look hard enough (i.e. read the labels), you can probably find the features you want in your preferred format. But again, generally speaking, here’s what to consider when selecting a soap for your shower (or bath):

Dry skin

If you have dry skin and prefer a liquid cleanser, you’ll be better off with body wash, as it’s more hydrating and moisturizing than shower gel. There are also plenty of beauty bars out there with heavy doses of moisturizer for those who prefer their soap in solid form.

Oily skin

On the flip side, those with naturally oiler skin (who don’t need the extra hydration), and/or live somewhere hot or humid, may want to opt for shower gels or more traditional bars of soap. Shower gel also works if you simply want to get clean and nothing else, or prefer that “squeaky clean” feeling.

Sensitive skin

People with sensitive skin already know that certain soaps and cleansers can cause very uncomfortable reactions, and understand the importance of reading labels to assess a product’s ingredients. One factor to consider is pH. Body wash usually has a lower pH level than traditional bar soap—making them better for sensitive skin that’s also dry.

The other two main ingredients to pay attention to are fragrances and preservatives. Body washes and shower gels tend to have more than bar cleansers, but again it depends on the individual product.

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Technology

One Of The Hottest Ducatis Ever Has Been Trapped In This Crate For 20 Years

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Photo: Bring a Trailer

This morning I’ve found myself doing my regular scrolls of car selling websites when I saw something that stopped me in my tracks. At first glance, it seemed that people were bidding up a wooden crate on Bring a Trailer for $35,000. Then it hit me, this isn’t just a crate. Beyond those wooden walls is an unassembled 2002 Ducati MH900e, one of the hottest Ducatis ever put on the road.

Ducati is known for creating functional art pieces and picking just one is at best a tortuous exercise. Some Ducati fans point at the 916 as the maker’s most beautiful. Others might toss the Panigale V4 out there. But if you want your heart to melt, one Ducati stands above them all: the MH900e.

Here, let me get your heart skipping like someone madly in love:

Now that I have your attention, you’re probably wondering why this early aughts machine looks like it jumped through time from the 1970s.

The MH900e started life as a sketch that was presented at the Internet Motorcycle Fair (INTERMOT) Show in 1998. As reported by Silodrome, Designer Pierre Terblanche took inspiration from the 900SS ridden to victory in the 1978 Isle of Man TT. That racebike was ridden to an unexpected win by none other than Mike Hailwood, a famed racer who had retired from mainstream racing for 11 years at the time. The MH900e pays homage to Hailwood’s 900SS and does so in impeccable style.

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Ducati decided to gauge interest in the motorcycle by posting a questionnaire on its website. Remember, this was the late 1990s, when internet users listened to the wonderful sounds of dial-up modems and heard “you’ve got mail!” once they got online. A questionnaire back then was something different.

The public loved the MH900e and wanted their own, so Ducati decided to put the motorcycle into production, limiting it to just 2,000 units. In another departure from the norm, the MH900e was also sold online through Ducati’s website. Orders went live on January 1, 2000 at a minute after midnight. Despite the era being in the internet’s infancy the bike sold out in just 31 minutes.

One of them was packaged up in a crate and shipped off to Rockville Harley-Davidson in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Photo: Bring a Trailer

If you’re wondering how a new Ducati ends up at a Harley dealership you aren’t alone. The dealership is a part of Battley Cycles, which includes BMW and Ducati.

The motorcycle has remained in its crate and unsold ever since. Peeking at the pictures in the Bring a Trailer listing, this MH900e is even still covered up in the plastic that it was wrapped in at the factory.

Photo: Bring a Trailer

Buried somewhere in that crate is an air-cooled 904cc Ducati 90-degreee L-twin. This engine is good for 74 hp and 56 lb-ft torque. That’s bolted to a trellis frame that uses the engine as a stressed member. The listing says that this motorcycle hasn’t been prepared for delivery in any way. In fact, the mileage on the odometer isn’t even known since nobody has bothered to power it up.

Should the buyer ever choose to crack open the crate and build the motorcycle, they’ll first find what appears to be some minor rubbing damage on the paint.

Photo: Bring a Trailer

That would be nothing in comparison to dealing with waking up a 20-year dormant engine. You’ll be dealing with all kinds of old rubber from the belts to all kinds of seals and hoses. And hopefully the engine itself isn’t stuck.

The MH900 Evoluzione cost about $18,000 when it was new, or $30,829 in today’s money. A 1,400-mile MH900e sold by the seller this month went for $41,000 while one with just 2 miles sold for $43,224. The price to get one still new in its crate? It’s currently $35,000 with six days to go on Bring a Trailer.

 

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Technology

How to Get a Free Fitbit or Apple Watch From Your Insurance Company

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Photo: charnsitr (Shutterstock)

Fitness trackers like Apple Watches and Fitbits, generally aren’t as expensive as tech like smartphones and tablets, but they’re not exactly cheap. You certainly wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to snag one for free. And as it turns out, many insurance companies include fitness programs that either come with a complimentary tracker, allow you to earn a free tracker, or offer discounts towards a device.

HowToGeek dove into the fitness rewards for some of the largest insurance companies to see which ones offered deals or freebies for Apple Watches and Fitbits. Now, not all insurance companies offer the same fitness tracking deals—some let you have a Fitbit or Apple Watch for “free” (with conditions, of course), while others merely provide discounts on the devices. Still, it’s worth looking into your provider’s promotions to see what you qualify for.

But that Fitbit or Apple Watch isn’t really “free”

However, it’s also worth reading the fine print. In many cases, your insurance company will have access to the activity and health data you generate while moving with the fitness tracker, as well as the data you provide in the insurance company’s app or connected health app on your phone.

Here is United Healthcare’s privacy policy, for example. A careful read reveals the company is ready to take all the data it can from you, including health, activity, camera use, local storage, phone dialer, where you touch your screen, sleep data, nutrition data, among other data points. While all privacy policies differ, there is similar language from other insurance programs.

While that’s not great, it’s also not exclusive to the fitness tracker deal:These privacy policies typically also apply if you simply use the provider’s health app. If you’re already using their programs, you’re not handing over much if any new information by opting in for a free fitness tracker. To prevent these companies from accessing your data, you’d have to stop using their apps entirely, so you’ll have to decide whether the apps and freebies are worth the privacy trade-off.

Those caveats aside, here are the devices and deals on offer from various providers.

United Healthcare — A free fitness tracker

Speaking of United Healthcare, if you’re under their insurance, you are eligible for the “Motion” app for iPhone and Android, which comes with a complimentary fitness tracker. While United Healthcare doesn’t specify on its site which trackers are eligible, HowToGeek reports you can qualify for a free Fitbit or Apple Watch after earning enough credits through your workouts. It’s possible the initial free tracker is a different, third-party option, and the Fitbit or Apple Watch comes down the line.

Aetna — A mostly free Apple Watch

Aetna customers have access to Attain by Aetna, an app is available for iPhone and Android, but which requires an Apple Watch to use. That’s why Aetna allows users to snag a mostly free Apple Watch (you’re responsible for the activation fee and sales tax).

However, you can’t sign up for the app, take your Watch, and sit back and relax. Aetna requires you to “pay” for the Watch with points earned from workouts and other fitness activity over the following 24 months. If you’re someone who’s generally active, that’s likely not going to be a problem. But if you’re getting into fitness for the first time, that could be a steep commitment. If you decide the workouts aren’t for you, but you still want the watch, you’ll need to pay the remaining difference.

Cigna — A free Apple Watch or Fitbit with subscription to Active&Fit

If you have Cigna, you can save 25% off an Active&Fit subscription. According to Active&Fit’s FAQ, standard plans are $29 a month, so you end up paying $21.75 per month. That might not sound as enticing as other offers here, but, as noted by HowToGeek, that subscription comes with a promo code towards a free Fitbit or Apple Watch. If you think you’d use the Active&Fit subscription, it could be a good deal for you.

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield — 22% off a Fitbit

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield’s “Blue365” program offers a lot of deals, but a free fitness tracker ain’t one of them. Still, the company will take 22% off the purchase of a new Fitbit, and offers 12 months of Fitbit premium for free (tied to the Fitbit purchase). If you already have a Fitbit, you can get an annual membership for $56, $24 less than the normal price.

Since you don’t need to connect that discounted Fitbit to an app, you can safely get away with this discount without signing away your data. That’s a win in my book.

Humana — A credit towards Fitbit or Garmin

Humana’s program, Go365, allows you to earn credits while you workout, that you can exchange for rewards like a Fitbit or a Garmin. However, without access to the program, it isn’t clear how many credits you need to earn these fitness trackers, or whether those trackers are “free” or are simply at a discount. If you have access to Go365, dig in to find out.

  

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Science

What Is a Pocket Hole Jig (and Why Do You Need One)?

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Photo: kasarp studio (Shutterstock)

The challenge of hiding hardware when attaching two pieces of wood can be daunting if you’re new to carpentry. If you’re not practiced in making dovetail joints and you don’t own a dado blade—or even know what those things are—making sturdy wood joints that also look nice is difficult. Enter, the pocket hole jig—a tool made for drilling screws at an angle. It is a simpler and cheaper solution for projects that have a “back” side that doesn’t get seen as much, like the wall side of a frame or the underside of a bench. Better yet, even beginners can use it.

A pocket hole jig works by keeping your drill bit at a shallow angle to the surface you’re drilling into without allowing the bit to slip or move. This lets you drill holes to drive a screw from one piece of wood into an adjoining piece without showing on the opposite surface—and without the head of the screw sticking out on the side you’re driving it into. You can use them to hide screws on the back and under sides of furniture and as a quick way to make a corner that’s stronger than one secured by nails or staples.

(The downside to pocket holes is that they’re not as strong as other types of joints that involve trimming the board to overlap, like a lap joint or a mortise and tenon.)

What you need to operate a pocket hole jig

The tools you’ll need to operate a pocket hole jig are:

  • A drill
  • An extra-long drill bit (with a stopper the right size for the screws you’ll be using)
  • Some clamps
  • Your jig
  • Optional: dowels, a flush cut saw, tape measure, and wood glue

You can also get an adapter kit for regular drill bits if you’ve already got a bit that works. Some jigs come with their own stopper bit, so that’s not always required. There are different types of jigs. Some have clamps built in, and some can be clamped in place on your project. If you want to fill your holes after driving your screws, you will also need some dowels. You can get pre-cut pocket hole dowels, but you can also insert a regular dowel peg and use a flush cut saw to strim them to fit.

Depending on what you’re building, you will also need a tape measure and some wood glue to strengthen your joint.

How to use a pocket hole jig

To use the jig, choose where you would like to join your two pieces and mark where the screws will go on the board. Then, position your jig on the board, setting the depth of the jig so your screw will be long enough to capture both of your pieces of wood without breaking the opposite surface. If you’re not sure of the depth, do a test on a piece of scrap wood.

Once you’ve measured where your screws will go, line up the holes in the jig with your marks, clamp the jig firmly in place, and drill your hole. Then, you can line up your joint, clamp your pieces together, and drive your screws. Using clamps to keep your joint square and flush is important because driving a screw at an angle will cause the wood to shift. You can prevent this by clamping your two boards together to a flat surface. Using an angle clamp is the best way to get a square, secure joint.

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Health

‘Clean,’ ‘Processed,’ and Other Meaningless Nutrition Buzzwords You Should Ignore

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Photo: Iryna Pohrebna (Shutterstock)

Everyone wants to eat healthy, but “healthy” doesn’t have a specific meaning. Neither do lots of other food-related buzzwords that are used on packaging or by influencers. These words and phrases are meant to make you feel good (or bad) about your choices, while giving you little to no useful information.

“Clean”

“Clean” tops the list. It just means “things I want to believe are good,” and it does this by drawing an us-versus-them line. These foods are clean, implying that those foods are…dirty? Unless we’re talking about an omelet that got dropped on the floor, this is an absolutely meaningless distinction.

“Inflammatory” or “anti-inflammatory”

Inflammation is an intricately coordinated process that our body uses to fight disease, repair damaged tissues, and more. It’s not always a bad thing. But since inflammation is involved in cardiovascular disease, there’s a hypothesis that preventing inflammation in general may reduce your risk of certain health conditions.

It’s an interesting hypothesis, and even has some support behind it, but there is little evidence linking specific diets to inflammation, and in turn to health outcomes. A lot of our ideas about what constitutes an “inflammatory” food are based on lab studies or on population-level research that we can’t really narrow down the effects of individual foods.

“Real sugar”

Cane sugar is trendy now it’s not high-fructose corn syrup, but there is very little difference, nutritionally, between cane sugar (or beet sugar) and the oft-demonized HFCS. Both are roughly half glucose and half fructose; HFCS is only “high fructose” in the sense that it’s higher in fructose than regular corn syrup, which is mostly glucose.

And if you’re going to come at me with the fact that HFCS can be 55% fructose instead of 50% fructose, I’m going to ask how much sugar you’re eating that you think a subtle shift in the makeup of five percent of your sugar intake is going to make any kind of real-world difference.

“Multigrain” and “grams of whole grain”

Nothing wrong with multigrain bread (I love it), or stuff that is labeled as seven-grain or nine-grain or whatever. But multigrain doesn’t mean whole grain. If you’re trying to get more fiber and more whole grains into your diet, you want to look for foods that are entirely whole grains—not the refined flours of several different grains mixed together.

These labels are betting on you seeing the word “grain” without really thinking about what it means. Same deal with labels that say they contain so many “grams of whole grain.” We should all be getting around 30 grams of fiber each day, and whole grains are a good source of that, but 30 grams of whole wheat flour (for example) only contains about 3 grams of fiber.

“Net carbs”

“Net carbs” is a roundabout way of saying that some of the carbs in a food don’t count. The idea comes from a good place, I think: an apple with 10 grams of sugar and 3 grams of fiber shouldn’t be considered equivalent to a handful of Skittles that contains sugar and almost nothing else.

But you don’t need a calculator to tell you the apple brings more to the table, nutritionally speaking, than the candy. Reducing foods to their macros is unnecessarily narrow-minded, and has resulted in companies like Atkins creating and marketing shakes and bars that are low in net carbs, when you could simply eat whatever normal food meets your total calorie needs.

“Gut health”

It’s true the microbes living in our intestines are essential to our health, and that we sometimes suffer ill effects when their little ecosystem down there gets disrupted.

But this is an area of active research, and scientists still haven’t been able to nail down the details of what makes one person’s gut “healthy” and another’s “unhealthy.” And we definitely don’t know enough to say that you just need to eat this or that and your gut microbes will be happy.

“Processed”

Like “clean,” this is a term thrown around mostly to demonize cheaper or more widely-available foods, and to make what is on the speaker’s plate look more virtuous by comparison.

Even the most scientific attempts to define what exactly qualifies as a “processed” food tend to run into philosophical as well as nutritional problems. The NOVA classification considers hard liquor to be more processed than wine, but does that really make wine better for you? It also considers canned vegetables to be processed and frozen vegetables not, among other dubious distinctions.

“Volume”

The idea of high-volume eating is that some foods are more filling than others. So eat a salad or a soup, volumetrics proponents will suggest, because lettuce and broth will both make you feel full without delivering many calories.

This may be true, but they also aren’t delivering much in the way of proteins, vitamins, or the other nutrients our bodies need. And while you may be able to fool your stomach for a few minutes, your body is too smart to be tricked in the long term. An hour after that plain salad, you’ll be hungry again—and this time maybe you should give yourself some protein, fat, and higher density carbs.

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Health

15 Smarter Ways You Should Be Using Baking Soda

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Photo: Sunny Forest (Shutterstock)

Remember that person who had a crush on you for years—who hung out right there, by your side, close but not stalking, quietly waiting to be noticed while you messed around with flashier, trendier versions of the real deal? Who, once wizened by adulthood, did you look back on and think, “Huh. They were pretty great, actually. I should’ve given them a chance.” Well, that crush is baking soda. And we all should be ashamed for taking it for granted.

Sodium bicarbonate (street name: baking soda) is a kitchen staple that, if you’re anything like me, mostly hangs out in the pantry or back of the fridge waiting for rare moments of usefulness—or until its box becomes too busted up with sugar granules and sticky vanilla drippings to justify keeping. But it turns out, baking soda is the cheap, all-purpose cleaning ninja you never knew you always had. And it deserves respect.

Not only do its acid-reacting, leavening properties make cakes and cookies fluffy, its mild alkaline compounds break down grease, and its gritty granules abrade grime. Behold, the many wondrous uses of that humble crush you should have taken seriously.

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