Having trouble maintaining muscle mass? Put away the liquor ...

Alcohol eats away at muscle mass.

Link

Some facts from the article which appears well-supported

Effects of Excessive Alcohol Consumption on Your Body

* Muscles—Reduces blood flow to the muscles, causing weakness and deterioration
* Hormones—Reduces testosterone in your blood and increases conversion of testosterone to estrogen, causing increased fat depositing and fluid retention
* Liver—Creates imbalances that can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), fatty liver and hyperlipidemia (build-up of fats in the bloodstream)
* Brain—Cuts off the supply of oxygen to the brain, resulting in a “blackout” caused by a lack of oxygen supply to the brain that can kill tens of thousands of brain cells

David Souter, SC justice, retires to hike

Some would see him as ascetic and weird for doing this but ... to me it's inspirational.

http://bit.ly/ufYms

He's remained true to himself and wants to climb Mt Washington in his old age so he's retiring from the court. Contrast that with Clarence Thomas who gained 100 pounds since he's been on the bench (or Rush Limbaugh, who's unapologetically fat, cigar smokes and is at least a habitual drug user).

Souter relies on the New Hampshire wild for restoration, he said, a sentiment shared by Thomas Jefferson. Say what you will about his legal rulings — and his backing of a decision that allows cities to condemn private property in order to get a higher tax base was a clunker that he should regret.

But Souter’s lifestyle, at the least, is close to original intent.

What's organic?

Nice little link about what organic labels mean and what to buy/not buy for organic foods.

http://tinyurl.com/osdu89

To judge how organic a product is, first check the label. If you see the USDA organic seal, that means the product contains at least 95 percent organic ingredients. Otherwise, “100% organic” means just that; “organic” means it contains at least 95 percent organic ingredients; and “made with organic ingredients” means it contains at least 70 percent organic contents.

ORGANICS TO SHOP FOR

√ Apparel & linens: Cotton, linen, wool, and hemp.
√ Beverages: Coffee, tea, cocoa, wine, spirits, and beer.
√ Fruit & nuts: Fruit baskets, preserves, and nuts.
√ Plants & flowers: Potted plants and cut flowers.
√ Sweets: Cakes, cookies, and chocolate.

ORGANICS TO SKIP

X Organic seafood: There’s no USDA standard for organic seafood.
X Some personal care products: While some ingredients may be certified as organic, the product itself may not be. Some products might also contain unapproved synthetic ingredients.

WHERE TO FIND ORGANICS

From specialty shops to department stores, today organics are sold just about everywhere. Online directories can help you track down specific organic products. For apparel and linens, check out the Organic Exchange. For food and flowers, check the Organic Consumers Association (it also lists clothing) or LocalHarvest, which features products from family-farmers.