Random Facts 12

World Jog
At a steady pace of 6 mph, it would take a jogger 173 days to circle the globe.
Uncle John's 18th Edition Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader, pg. 211

Largest Surfed Wave
Ridden by Pete Cabrinha, its face measured 70 feet high.
Uncle John's 18th Edition Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader, pg. 212

Greek Gods of Wind
Boreus (North), Notus (South), Eurus (East), Zephyrus (West).
Uncle John's 18th Edition Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader, pg. 213

Average American Household Size
In 1900: 4.76 people, in 2000: 2.62 people.
Uncle John's 18th Edition Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader, pg. 261

Olympic Gold
The last year Olympic gold medals were actually made of gold was 1912.
Uncle John's 18th Edition Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader, pg. 236

Snails Kiss
Snails kiss before mating.
Uncle John's 18th Edition Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader, pg. 236

Butterfly Speedometer
Average speed of a butterfly is 12 mph.
Uncle John's 18th Edition Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader, pg. 234

Sawbuck
Originally a swabuck referred to a moveable frame (or sawhorse) used to support wood while it was being sawed. Originally, a $10 bill had the Roman numeral X printed on it. Most US paper currency had values in Roman numerals; even as early as the 19th century bills were called 'V's, 'X's, 'C's and so forth. The X started being called a sawbuck because of the resemblance of the X to the crossed legs of the sawhorse. The popularity of sawbuck was strengthened by the introduction of the word buck which arose slightly later.-Jesse's Word of the Day, by Jesse Sheidlower.
Uncle John's 18th Edition Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader, pg. 229

Mad Hatter
In the 18th and 19th centuries, hat makers used mercury for curing felt, causing as many as one in ten to go insane at one point. Unfortunately, the thousands of hat workers who handled the chemical did not know it was a deadly poison, whose side effects were anemia, inflamation of the gums, kidney damage, and insanity. Lewis Carroll's Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland was therefore rooted in reality.
Fact or Crap Page-a-Day Calendar, 5.17.06

Eyelashes
The average person loses about 1,600 eyelashes per year.
Uncle John's 18th Edition Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader, pg. 247

Black Deaths
The Black Death claimed 75,000,000 victims from 1347 to 1351.Uncle John's 18th Edition Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader, pg. 269.

Green Tea
Green tea protects your memory, according to a new Japanese study. Scientists found that people who drank 1 cup of green tea daily were up to 37 percent less likely to suffer age-related cognitive decline than those who consumed less. Researchers credit a compound in the tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which may help prevent the buildup of plaque on brain cells, a characteristic of Alzheimer's. To get the most benefit, steep your tea for at least 3 minutes; any less results in lower amounts of EGCG.
Men's Health Magazine, June 2006, pg. 52.
While most of the studies on Green tea have been done on the consumption of brewed tea, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that catechin absorption was enhanced when tea polyphenols were administered as a Green tea supplement in pill form.(9) Simply put, the Green tea in supplement form showed enhanced bioavailability compared with that of Green or black tea in beverage form. Whether you prefer to drink tea of take a pill, you are still getting the health benefits of Green tea.
Dietary Recommendations: 250-500 mg standardized Green tea extract daily. Make sure the label reads standardized to polyphenol content or EGCG content. You can either take Green tea extract in supplement form or brew your own tea.

Caffeine in Drinks
Nutrition Labels do not note caffeine content, so University of Florida researchers analyzed 36 widely availale drinks. Here a the top five compared to coffee.
Dunkin' Donuts Regular Coffee-143mg per 16oz, 8.9mg per oz
SoBe Adrenaline Rush-76.7mg per 8.3oz, 9.2mg per oz
Nestea Cool Lemon Ice Tea-11.5mg per 12oz, .96mg per oz
Starbucks Doubleshot-105.7mg per 6.5oz, 16.3mg per oz
Diet Coke with Lime-39.6mg per 12oz, 3.3mg per oz
Mountain Dew-45.4mg per 12oz, 3.8mg per oz
Men's Health Magazine, June 2006, pg. 52.

Healthy Fruits
Top 10 healthy fruits, by which contain more disease-fighting antioxidants per 1-cup serving. Total Antioxidants per Serving/Total Antioxidants per Calorie.
1. Blueberries-13,427/162
2. Cranberries-8,983/204
3. Blackberries-7,701/124
4. Raspberries-6,058/95
5. Strawberries-5,938/112
6. Apples-5,900/82
7. Cherries-4,873/54
8. Black Plums-4,844/64
9. Avocados-3,344/12
10. Pears-3,172/33
Men's Health Magazine, June 2006, pg. 54.

Six Sources of Heartburn
1. Milk-ups acid secreation and reflux risk.
2. Peppermint-relaxes the esophageal sphincter, letting acid into the esophagus.
3. Caffeine-Java lowers pressure in the esophagus and increases stomach acid.
4. Tight Clothes-snug pants compress your abdomen and can push acid up.
5. Excess Pounds-fat pushes abdomen and acid up.
6. Lying Down After Eating-wait 3 hours, or food slips into esophagus.
Men's Health Magazine, June 2006, pg. 80.

Blood
Total Cholesterol (TC): HDL & LDL cholesterol combined. Levels under 200 mg/dl are considered low risk.
HDL (Good) Cholesterol: Flushes LDL cholesterol out of the arteries and into the liver. Aim for levels over 45 mg/dl.
Triglcycerides (TRG): Fats that your body makes from the foods you eat. A number over 150 mg/dl puts you in the danger zone.
LDL (Bad) Cholesterol: Cholesterol that forms plaque inside artery walls. Over 100 mg/dl is cause for concern.
Total Cholesterol-to-HDL Ratio (TC/HDL): Over 4.4 means your cholesterol isn't balanced, endangering your arteries.
Fasting Blood Glucose (GLU): Levels greater than 100 mg/dl mean an increased risk of both diabetes and heart disease.
Men's Health Magazine, June 2006, pg. 48.