Super Bowl February 1, 2009

Okay, I have to admit that since Plaxico Burress shot the Giants out of the playoffs this year I have not been the fanatic NFL fan that I was last year. I have watched the playoff games and do have favorite players and coaches but not necessary a favorite team.  I am looking forward to Super bowl on sunday. I pick the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Last year amongst my many NFL posts, I wrote about the NFL players and concussions based on the fitness of their helmets.  On tuesday, January 26th, Boston University held a news conference in Tampa to announce that Tom McHale, former NFL lineman 1987 – 1995 had Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).  Tom McHale died May 2008 at the age of 45. CTE is a condition that leads to lack of insight, poor judgement, decreased concentration and attention, inability to multitask and various memory difficulty.  Those affected by CTE can develop dementia in their 40’s and 50’s. CTE is believed to be caused by repetitive head trauma and has heightened the argument about the proper prevention and treatment brain treatment in football.  The condition is generally identified after death.  To date 6 out of 6 deceased NFL players aged 36 – 50 have been found to have CTE.

The NFL pamphet continues not to acknownledge the cumulative effects of multiple concussions. NFL stated that they are waiting to  review the CTE cases in a peer reviewed journal.

Yours In Good Health

 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/sports/football/28brain.html?ref=football

What a High!! February 4, 2008

Giant Euphoria – Part 2 January 23, 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/01/20/sports/20090121_GIANTS_SLIDESHOW_index.html 

There is nothing like pure joy and love.  In our society, sports events — cheering for our team — gives us an emotional outlet that is unlike anything else.   In a prior blog entry I discussed two studies showing that people who exhibit positive emotions are less likely to become ill and are likely to have greater well being, health, and longevity.  I firmly believe that.  I can attest to the accuracy of those studies.  I am a New York Giants fan and because of the “high” that I got from their victory over the Dallas Cowboys last week, I had a great week.

This past weekend was highlighted by the William Sisters Australian Open victories and the NY Giants thrilling edge of the seat victory over the Green Bay Packers.  Sport events have always had a significant impact on the life’s of people and have helped communities bond.This weekend the Green Bay community bonded together and showed their dedication to and LOVE for their team in a manner that the rest of us can only applaud.  In minus 24 degree temperatures a group of community volunteers shoveled snow from the parking lots around the stadium and cleaned the stadium seats before the game.  In the wee hours of Sunday morning, cars lined up around Lambeau Field and when the stadium doors opened 2 hours prior to kick off (about 4PM), 70,000+ fans joyfully walked through the gates of an open outdoor stadium and sat on freezing cold aluminum seats to cheer on their team.

What does this say to me: At times, sports have enabled communities to come together and look past their differences for a common cause.  On a day that commemorates the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., it is only fitting that the images of joy on the football field yesterday in New England and Green Bay were not of blacks hugging blacks or whites hugging whites but of people expressing their love and joy for one another as community, because of the joy that their team had given them.

Yours in Good Health  

Giant Euphoria January 14, 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/01/13/sports/20070814_GIANTS_SLIDESHOW_2.html

What does the New York Giants football team’s victory over the Dallas Cowboys have to do with health and wellness? Besides my being a huge Giant fan and waking up euphoric this morning, several studies have confirmed that people who are happy, lively or who exhibit positive emotions are less likely to become ill when they are exposed to a cold virus than those who report few of these emotions.  A recent study by Professor Sheldon Cohen from Carnegie Mellon University found that when happy people do come down with a cold, they report fewer symptoms than would be expected from objective measures of their illness.  Another article by Stephen Post revealed that Altruistic emotions and behaviors are associated with greater well-being, health, and longevity. This particular article presented a summary and assessment of existing research data on altruism and its relationship to mental and physical health.  All that to say that euphoric Giant fans should live a fairly healthy life this week, until Sunday when we will all again be at the edge of our seats. 

Yours in Good Health