John Di Bartolo’s House of Step

Oprah in the crosshairs… FINALLY

Oprah Winfrey has become one of the most powerful voices in entertainment today. What she declares she likes instantly turns to gold. The problem is that a lot of what she likes is pseudo-scientific bullshit, and no one has had the balls to challenge her questionable endorsements…. until now.

Newsweek has come out with an excellent article, taking Oprah to task for the many ridiculous gimmicks that have been promoted on her show. Among the quackery that’s received Oprah’s blessing:

• Suzanne Somers injects estrogen directly into her vagina (or “va-jay-jay,” as Oprah would say) in order to stay young.
• Dr. Christiane Northrup says that thyroid disorders result from a lifetime of “’swallowing’ words one is aching to say.”
• Jenny McCarthy ignores scientific studies and insists vaccinations cause autism.  (Soon she’ll have her own talk show.  Guess who’s producing it!)
• The Secret.

In all fairness to Ms. Winfrey, the article gives her a thumbs-up for her diet and fitness tips.  “Eat nutritious foods and exercise,” say her experts.  Well, at least she got that much right.

America, don’t blame genetics….

This is why you’re fat.

Blitz Blintz: A large meat pizza rolled like a blintz filled with ranch dressing.

Can you cheat sweet?

A few things about sugar substitutes should give you pause next time you reach for a yellow, red, or blue packet.

Studies of the health effects have been done only on animals. The effects on humans are still not known. Furthermore, it’s believed that consumption of artificial sweeteners could increase a person’s appetite for more sweetness and for foods with higher carbohydrate content.

So what are your options? Stevia, a new player in the sweetener game, is considered safer than the others because it is natural. (It could indeed be fine, but I’m not particularly convinced by this argument. Cyanide, after all, is “naturally” found in small amounts in bitter almonds.)

When all is said and done, it helps to put things in perspective. The number of calories in a teaspoon of sugar? Only 15.

Tracking the Swine Flu

Are we headed for another 1918 pandemic? Let’s hope to God not. Perhaps it’s too soon to be worried, but we definitely should be concerned.

To view a regularly updated (and somewhat disturbing) map of all the reported cases of H1N1 infections, check out Google Maps. New York City is shown above, but you can zoom out to see how the country and the rest of the world is being affected.

Update: According to Google, “Due to the increasing amount of data, we have moved to a more scalable mapping/data tracking system provided by Rhiza Labs at this URL: http://flutracker.rhizalabs.com.”

It’s Tan-tastic!

You can get a tan from your computer screen! A company called Computer Tan has discovered a unique technology which causes your computer screen to emit ultraviolet radiation, allowing you to get a tan from your desktop machine, laptop, or even your iPhone!

OK, it’s a hoax. (Come on, the premise is ridiculous.) It’s not meant to be a rip-off scheme, though. It’s a clever marketing campaign by the folks at skcin.org, a skin cancer charity.

To be let in on the joke, go to computertan.com and click on the button for a “free trial.”

Fat-ass it!

Why are American’s so damn fat? Mad TV’s figured it out.

Cow water

Just when Coca Cola and Pepsi seemed the dominant players in the soda industry, there looms a threat on the horizon in India. It’s called “gau jal,” which means “cow water,” and yes, it’s made from cow urine.

Chock full of medicinal and ayurvedic herbs, this soon-to-be-released drink will be a cheap and healthy alternative to what’s available on the market today.

Om Prakash, the genius behind the idea, puts our concerns to rest by assuring us that “It won’t smell like urine.”

The fittest and the fattest

Men’s Health just completed its 11th annual survey of 50 of the most populated U.S. cities to rank them by how fit or fat they are.

The fittest? Salt Lake City. This is surprising until you check out its “report card” and see that it has a large amount of park space, a low obesity rate, and a high level of sport participation.

The fattest? Miami. Why? To quote the article, “The area also has 79% more gyms and health clubs than average, but residents are less likely than average to regularly use their memberships.”

How did New York City fare? Surprisingly badly. It’s the 5th fattest city. With a huge park, lots of dining options, and people walking everywhere, you’d think we’d score better than that. It turns out than per capita, we’re quite low on park space and health food stores, and our commutes are much more stressful than average. (Thank you, MTA!)

Eat less, lose weight

According to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine, losing weight is “basic physiology. Eat fewer calories than you expend.” This sounds like advice we’ve heard before, but this time it’s a little more black-and-white. To quote one of the organizers of the study: “People do have to choose heart-healthy foods. I think the beauty of the study is that they have a lot of flexibility in terms of the dietary approach.”

In other words, eat what you want that isn’t junk. Just don’t eat too much of it.

Choreography

You guys want some new steps? Here they are….