The dangers of ‘work hard, play hard’

On the TV show “Mad Men,” “work hard, play hard” is touted as a virtue. Yet the characters are, well, slightly mad, and become more tragic and self-destructive every season. Even though it’s just a TV drama, it tells a very real cautionary tale.

Working long hours is associated with mental-health problems, occupational injuries, sleep deprivation and the risk of cardiovascular disease. And according to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, people who work 49-54 hours a week – and it doesn’t matter where you live, male or female, young or old, ad exec or bus driver – are more likely to play hard and abuse alcohol at the end of a very long day. If you work more than 55 hours, your risk more than doubles. (More than 12 percent of Americans work more than 55 hours – we both do – and at least 32 percent of you work 45-plus hours weekly.) So, how can a hardworking person avoid the pitfalls?

Fortunately, the chain-smoking, multi-martini-lifestyle isn’t your only choice. You can opt for positive playtime at the end of a long day, whether it’s bowling or a baking class, working out at the gym or taking a walk. This smart form of behavior modification (replacing bad behavior with good) helps relieve stress and improves sleep, heart health and your love life. Then you can have a no-phone/no-TV time with your family. And while this is he last season of “Mad Men,” you can make sure you have many more seasons to come.

Sweet solutions to sugar addiction

When the Archies crooned longingly “You got me wanting you” in the song “Sugar, Sugar,” they described perfectly what it’s like to crave the sweet stuff – and millions of you feel the same. Nearly 13 percent of North American adults’ caloric intake comes from high fructose corn syrup and sugar. That adds up to 152 pounds of sugars a year – another whole person. No wonder so many people are fighting obesity, metabolic disorders, high blood pressure and heart disease.

Ever since the book “Sugar Blues” came out in 1975, researchers have debated whether sugar really can trigger an addiction’s “gotta have it and have it now” response. Now it seems it really does. Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology say mice will cross an electrified zone to get to sugar even when they’re completely full, and getting that sugar bomb stimulates the same brain regions that are associated with good lovin’ and bad drugs.

So if you have a sweet tooth that just won’t quit, it’s time to use proven detox methods:

1. Talk to your doctor about reducing your sugar intake; set up an appointment with a nutritionist or coach who can offer you nutritional guidelines, emotional support and a plan.

2. Get a buddy to do the added sugar elimination with you. You can kvetch, offer each other support and cook healthy foods together.

3. Tell your honey you want to substitute some sweet lovin’ for sweets – that’ll make those brain circuits light up and satisfy your sweet tooth.

A breath of fresh air

In “To Have and Have Not,” Marie (Lauren Bacall) asks Harry (Humphrey Bogart), “You know how to whistle, don’t you? You just put your lips together and blow.” A career was launched, and Bogart – and millions of other guys – were left speechless. That’s just how powerful taking a deep breath and then exhaling purposefully can be.

When you breathe in, your lungs fill with oxygen, nitrogen and water vapor, along with a smidgen of argon. Oxygen passes from your lungs into your blood and (via the heart) to all the tissues in your body. Sensors in your brain, the carotid artery and the aorta detect your blood’s carbon dioxide and oxygen levels, and adjust your breathing rate as needed. Without thinking about it, you breathe 17,000-23,000 times a day.

But if you become aware of your breathing (and practice deep breathing techniques), you can reduce your stress response, promote better sleep and boost your immune strength.

Start by practicing this routine: Lie on your back on a firm surface. Counting to five, inhale slowly and let your torso expand and your bellybutton move away from your spine, as you fill your lungs from the bottom to the top. Then, exhale slowly, counting to seven.

That’s one. Take 10 deep breaths every morning, 10 every night, or as many as you need to keep you whistling.

Just how extra-virgin is your olive oil?

Olive Oyl stirred up trouble between her boyfriend, Popeye, and brutish Bluto, but she was slick enough to escape from harm’s way. Seems OO has a way of making things turn out healthier. But lately there’s been some confusion about how Miss Oyl conducts herself; seems extra-virgin olive oil might not be as pure as it claims. So how do you get the most health benefits from your EVOO and make sure you’re getting what you pay for?

First, maximum health benefits from EVOO happen when you “Go to Italy … with your mouth.” The mono- and polyunsaturated fats found in olives, olive oil, anchovies, avocados and pine nuts (all Italian favorites), not to mention wild salmon (not so Italian), help keep your arteries clear and inflammation down to a minimum.

Second, real extra-virgin can be hard to get, but it’s worth it. EVOO is cold pressed, first harvest, with only 1 percent acid content; all that preserves taste and nutrient values. Check your EVOO label to see if it carries a harvest date (two years old is max) plus the North American Olive Oil Association or California Olive Oil Council designation; they make sure olive oils are not adulterated or mislabeled. The International Olive Council sets standards for the rest of the world. Also, avoid oils that say “packaged in” or “distributed from” Spain, Italy, Greece. The label should indicate the origin of the oil itself. Buon appetito!

This story was originally published February 13, 2015 at 5:57 PM with the headline "The dangers of ‘work hard, play hard’."