"Mad Men" & Sugar, Sex, Stress.

Mad Men, the TV series about the NYC advertising world of the 1960s, has been touted as one of TV's most successful series of the last few years. The show's attention to details is laudable, from the development of characters, to the clothing and styling, to it's handling of some of the issues of the day.

The world depicted in the show is that of the privileged and homogenous majority population of the period. One issue of note is that while that group is white, the split that existed between Christians and Jews at the time is brought up in numerous interactions.   Another issue of note, sexism, is a constant thread for the show.  All Mad Men's women are victims of it, and I found the development of Peggy, the new secretary who quickly gains a promotion as she rises in stature in the company due to her intelligence and ability.  Becoming pregnant by a member of the executive team the night before his wedding had her gain some weight. We watch her eating pastries and piling on the pounds, and then discover that she is with child the day that she delivers.  They lost me a bit there, but I guess it is possible to be slim, have unprotected sex, get pregnant, gain a rack of weight, and not know that you are pregnant, it happens. She seems to handles her weight gain well, presumably because she finds her intellectual space to be of more value to her than her physical space. She basically gets lost in her work - does that sound like anyone you know? I think she abandons the baby though, which is a less palatable, and an issue for season two and beyond. 

So why am I posting about this? I am on alert for popular culture opportunities to discuss three public health issues - Sugar, Sex, and Stress, and Mad Men as it happens is perfect.  Besides being impressed by the range of social issues that the show deals with, I find it notable that this show about the advertising industry is in itself and advertisement for "1960's NYC for some", and a broader ad for " the public's health in America" at that time.  Smoking - everyone does it in the show; sex - everyone's having it and I neither saw nor heard mention of a condom or sexually transmitted disease; stress - manifested by mental health issues, more sex, and a heart-attack; and alcohol use, all get some face-time on the show. 

For all the sex in season one, beyond the aforementioned pregnancy and some marital discord, no one gets a sexually transmitted disease (STD).  Women are shown going to the doctor and get birth control, but no one seems to develop an itch, rash, or anything else STD-like.  I realize that that is not very savory, and I am sure that Don Draper with the clap would be a real downer for some of the show's fans, but that was sex in the 60's which was a prosperous period for purulent discharges related to STDs.   It might get the attention of some of Mad Men's fans, make it's way into the places where the show is discussed, and bring the topic to a space in which we are more comfortable.  An indirect public health dialogue-starter kit of sorts.  Nothing to be mad about at all.    

Foodie Chronicles III (never mind the order...) - Leaner or Lighter?

I recently linked to a good men's health article by Dr. Oz on my LinkedIn page. He set some goals / expectations for men of various ages which I found quite interesting. The article, , my own health journey, and the importance of the issue prompted me to pen this post. It's the third in the Foodie Chronicles series, but I am publishing it on this site as the first installment because I think it is timely.

Body composition, the issue of being lean versus being light, has been well discussed and studied. There are a few body composition options - we can be heavy and fat, or heavy and lean (lower risk of heart problems, stroke, diabetes, etc.). We can also be "normal" weight and lean, or "normal" weight and less toned, some call that "soft". Some of my friends call the "normal" weight folks "skinny", I prefer the term "efficient" (especially the normo-lean crew). The bottom-line is that we grow accustomed to people being a particular size, and changes to that are not always well received (for a barrage of reasons). Changes in body composition are less frowned-upon, but "don't get too small" is the plea I hear from time to time....What it looks like on you, and what it is in reality, are important matters for a different post. Ultimately, when genes, disease, desire, and access to resources aside (you know I do not belittle any of those factors), what we do defines which body-type we have.


Beyond weight, there is other data that is crucial for you to know, for example, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and markers of blood sugars like hemoglobin A1C. Trouble is, we do not see those markers regularly. The data we do see is our weight on a scale, and sometimes that is over-done. Do not weigh yourself daily! From the time you go to sleep to the time you wake up, with no exertion or intake overnight, your weight can shift by a few pounds - most of this is due to water, 1 liter of which weighs 2.2 pounds (please excuse the unit shift). Between that, and your diet / exercise routine, your weight can fluctuate a lot without any significant change in fat or muscle content. For the most accurate number, weigh yourself once each week, first thing in the morning nude, and after you have urinated.

It has been about 10 years since I started taking better care of myself, so some people do not remember "portly Pierre", and to be honest, everyone (except my Mum...) was really polite about my size, perhaps for fear that I might sit on them. Fast forward to today where at 5'9" and 189-192 lbs, people tell me I "look like I weigh a lot less". They do this "eyeball scale" estimation based on what they know of weight from their own scale, and from the media. Data from the latter source is mainly from athletes, although I think that the same stats for actors and musicians might be helpful to some people as a point of reference. The danger in this is that it is inherently inaccurate, and our weight sense is often misleading as it relates to what looks good versus actually what is.

I got leaner by changing the contents and portions on my plate, what was in my refrigerator, and my workouts. Less sugar, more water, and "cleaner" smoothies, combined with fewer "steady pace" runs, more speed-work and body-weight routines (burpies, traveling push-ups, split-jumps, planks, etc). I still love to eat and sit still, so sometimes I need encouragement, we all do. Mine comes from various sources, like the Oz article or 41 year-old rapper Joseph Cartagena (aka "Fat Joe"). I think his story needs to be told more widely (no pun intended). That reminds me to send a very respectul head-nod to Christoper Rios (rapper Big Pun) who died at age 29 from complications of chronic weight-related disease. He would have turned 40 this year.

All this is to say - find your inspiration, select your target, map it out, allow for minor deviations, and stay the course.

Be well,

PV