To Your Health Columns by Brian Cole

Last column I spent way too much time on “eating smart.” I mean just about everyone who cares knows what they should and shouldn’t eat/drink. And they also know that if they’re gaining weight, they’re probably eating/drinking too much. But I wanted to clarify. Clean slate, fresh start, Happy New… Read more »

In December I said if you walk every day and stop eating/drinking what you already know is bad for you, I’d provide more details in January. Eating smarter simplified• What you eat and drink is about long-term health.• How much you eat is about getting rid of fat.• Please reread… Read more »

I’m going to briefly revisit a previous column because its basic theme applies to this month’s topic. In addressing the discussion of a national health care policy, I stated that the problem was not insurance, lack of insurance, coverage of insurance, whether the insurance is privately obtained or publicly tax… Read more »

A few years ago I learned a great new word. I even had it as my license plate for a while: praxis. Praxis is the practical application of knowledge. That’s obviously relevant in many areas of our lives but it seems especially so regarding our health. I’m going to write/explore… Read more »

Referencing the research in Malcolm Gladwell’s (The Tipping Point, Blink and The Outliers) 1998 New Yorker article and connecting it to a point I made in an earlier column, I want to share some interesting info with you. In 1963, National Institutes of Health researchers stumbled on one of the… Read more »

In my last column I wrote about womenopause and cellulite. In that same issue a recent poll showed that 38 percent of Oyster Pointer readers are men. This column is for you. It’s about men’sopause and your type of fat. First though, let’s clarify: the types of fat aren’t gender absolutes; they’re… Read more »

I was recently describing the pain involved when the doctor tried to push the Novocain needle through the leathery sole of my teenage foot, when a female colleague went off about giving birth in Italy without anesthesia. Gender trump. No doubt. I clearly have never dealt with pain. Or womenopause.… Read more »

Before I talk about what they have in common, I’m going to spend a little time with each. Our GENETICS affect just about every aspect of our being. Genetics can increase our likelihood for osteo-and rheumatoid arthritis, high total cholesterol level, cirrhosis of the liver, obesity, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, high blood… Read more »

While I’m obviously a proponent of activity—we encourage others to move more, to exercise frequently and efficiently and to improve their movement biomechanics—there are approaches to exercise and to daily life when focusing, slowing down and learning to relax are the best paths to fitness and to health.  Our clients… Read more »

While I’m not going to say “stretching” is always bad for you, I am going to explain why it’s not always good for you, how it can be counter productive and even harmful, and that it’s not really “stretching” anyway.  The goal is to safely increase comfortable joint range of motion so we can… Read more »

We all know America has grown in population—and in girth. We have the fattest and least conditioned population on planet earth.  But we’re living longer. A lot longer. (1900 average life span: 47 years; in 2000: 77 years). Huh? We all know being overweight and sedentary causes lots of major… Read more »

Why Should You Know About Sarcopenia?A. Because you have it.B. Because you don’t want it.C. Because you can do something about it. Sarcopenia is the primary reason you don’t have as much energy as you once did. Or as much endurance. Or as much strength. Sarcopenia makes you more susceptible… Read more »

A stiff neck is primarily a problem that falls under the category Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI). I’m not saying we never need X-rays, MRI’s, orthopedists or neurologists. I am saying simple improvements in our daily (and nightly) behaviors should come first. When we accept responsibility for our health we are… Read more »

Somewhere between 35 and 55, we start to notice an expansion. For men, it’s the waistline. For women, it seems to center in the lower abdomen, hips, and back of the arms. And for women, the problem is compounded by a reduction in estrogen, which triggers even more changes. But,… Read more »

Once upon a time, while preparing to lecture my teenage son, I asked him if he even knew what “discipline” was. He thought for a moment and answered: “Yeah. That’s something you do yourself or it gets done to you.” Clearly not in a desperate need for Dad’s advice, he… Read more »

Quick and easy” sure sells weight loss diet books, so I thought the headline might draw you in.  You’re in.  Let’s talk about posture.  Not just posture standing, but sitting, walking and performing daily activities.  Simply, your mother was right. Sit up straight and stand tall. Proper posture reduces pressure on… Read more »

How about something that’s easy, safe and most of us can do?  It’ll save you gas money and offer a lot of health benefits. WALK. Step one in improving our health and fitness is starting a walking program. Yes, we all should improve our eating habits. Yes, we all should… Read more »

I recently witnessed an example of how inflated pride and taking oneself too seriously can be damaging. So, because I never want that to happen to me, as I offer the very best solution to our entire National Health Care Policy Problem, I’ll do it “humbly.” Next November we vote.… Read more »

Thanksgiving! It’s always been my favorite holiday for a combination of reasons: it has no religious overtones that exclude anyone, it’s about family and friends and warmth and no matter how life has treated us, we can always find something to be thankful for. Okay, well that’s real nice, Brian,… Read more »

Many years ago, while studying anatomy/physiology I concluded that the quadratus lumborum (Q.L.) was the key muscle in most human movement (it’s a very deep muscle on each side of the lower spine). And I also decided that unless trained it was in a constant state of imbalance. This imbalance… Read more »