Category Archives: Health

African Black Soap? I found this on the counter in the bathroom — and whenever I find anything in the bathroom I look at the price. It’s always amazing to me what people will pay for shampoos, soaps, and exotic grooming potions. I was not disappointed: twelve bucks!

Regardless of the name, African Black Soap isn’t quite black, but brown and has the consistency of tar. As for the African part, it says right on the label that it’s a “Product of Africa.” That’s not very specific, but it’s specific enough for me, being an American.

I will say this, though: the stuff sure smells good, but twelve dollars good? Whatever. I guess if all it takes is twelve bucks to avail you of this soap’s miraculous properties, so be it. Just read the label: along with all the usual soap duties, it’s good for fungus and ringworm. That’s priceless.

It would be exaggerating to call myself an insomniac, but even though I fall asleep like a champ, staying asleep has gotten to be an issue.

I’ll wake in the middle of the night and find the dogs staring at me, which usually means they need to go out. Or not. Sometimes they just want to go see what’s dwelling in the dark corners of the yard.

Other nights the fire department pager will wake me up, which means getting dressed and going for a ride. Those fire calls are usually nothing — but try falling back to sleep after having yourself jolted awake with a shot of adrenalin.

Now there may be a solution: keeping your brain cool. Researchers found that insomniacs were able to fall asleep more easily while wearing a water cooled cap that lowers their brain temperature. It makes perfect sense. When you’re in bed and your mind is racing, of course your brain is going to start heating up. And who could sleep with a boiling brain?

I wasn’t able to find one of those caps online; the closest thing on Google was a cooling pillow called the Chillow to go under your head, not around. Does that sound like a good idea, cooling only one part of your brain? Certainly not; it could just lead to more trouble.

This all gave me a terrific idea: if I can beat everyone else to market with a brain cooling cap, I’ll make my fortune. Sounds great doesn’t it? Perhaps you’d like a piece of the action. With my marketing savvy and your money, we just may be able to retire. You know where to find me.

You’ve seen those electronic monitoring bracelets they strap around your ankle, right? They’re commonly used to keep track of folks sentenced to home confinement — and now they even have models that detect alcohol. Nobody likes being watched, but it sure beats going to jail.

The truth is that we act differently when our actions are being recorded — and now they’ve harnessed the power of Big Brother to make you more accountable in your exercise routine, too.

I recently started using a GPS device to track my running. It looks like a big sports watch, but it maps your route, pace, and time. With the monitor that I strap around my chest, it also records my heart rate.

And after a week, I’m running better. Less likely to stop, pushing harder, more determined. Why? It’s the Mr. Redden effect.

In high school we had a gym teacher named Tom Redden. He was a wiry, tough as nails retired Marine who you didn’t dare talk back to. Mr. Redden didn’t just scoot up the ropes in the gym, he did so with his feet pointed upward, pulling himself hand over hand to the ceiling.

He made gym class and football practice like boot camp; you could do that back then. Above all, he was always watching — and when he was watching you did your best.

Now after all these years it’s like having him back, riding along on my wrist, yelling at me to get my sorry ass moving. And I am.

How many of you use nifty tricks to avoid coming into contact with anything in the men’s room?

Not that I have a problem touching filthy, germ covered objects in a place where guys have been handling their privates and wiping themselves with flimsy paper. No, that doesn’t bother me at all — this is just purely hypothetical.

This video I produced demonstrates both the One Elbow Urinal Tap and the ever-popular Foot Flush.

If you are especially limber, you might try a Foot Flush on the urinal, but remember: if you fall in the men’s room you’ll need to burn your clothes.

Anyway, you should never touch those things with your hands, except at home. Well, you probably don’t have a urinal at home, unless you are Matt Baumgartner.

One more thing: always exercise caution when shooting video in public bathrooms. A little common sense goes a long way.

How’s that for a headline?

Last week, Kevin Marshall, local blogger and raconteur, wrote of how he’s being plagued by nipple chafing. That sounds a little nutty — unless you’re a runner.

Kevin’s gearing up for his first 5K and has been experiencing trouble that many runners have stumbled over: raw, red nipples caused by friction from your shirt. Ouch!

I had this problem years ago, largely because I was wearing cotton t-shirts. When those get wet, you might as well be wearing sandpaper against your tender bits — and it occasionally got so bad that I’d end up with two big bloody stains on the front of my shirt. Watching me run is not pretty to begin with, but add the bloody shirt and it’s a completely revolting spectacle.

I don’t have the problem now because I always wear a Coolmax or Under Armor style shirt as my first layer. Hikers say “cotton kills?” Well, it also kills your nips. I do still sometimes get chafing from my fireman suspenders, but that’s another story. Maybe that’s why we wear red suspenders?

Anyway, I’m here to help.

If you’re having nipple trouble, get yourself a roll of Nexcare Durapore tape. It’s comfortable, will protect you, and will stay on your nipples without peeling off — even in the shower if you want to leave it on for a few days. Just remember to take your little pasties off if you happen to be going to the pool or beach.