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zeehag · 22-10-2011, 15:10

not only an extra limb-- more eyes and glow like a lightbulb.......

coyfish9906 · 22-10-2011, 15:15

Yep. U know its bad when they post signs that say u shouldn't eat more then 2 meals a month out of the harbor....sad...oh so sad...

webejammin · 22-10-2011, 15:19

I'm sure if we were off shore crusing we would not catch the flue or colds from associating with other folks like: I got a head cold that my wife brought to the boat from her flying for her work, I ask her to wear a surgical mask when she was in airports and airplanes but she thinks it is over doing it. Just waite untill she gets home and has to do my work next week untill I don't have a fever. At least I think it is just a head cold.

coyfish9906 · 22-10-2011, 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by webejammin

I'm sure if we were off shore crusing we would not catch the flue or colds from associating with other folks like: I got a head cold that my wife brought to the boat from her flying for her work, I ask her to wear a surgical mask when she was in airports and airplanes but she thinks it is over doing it. Just waite untill she gets home and has to do my work next week untill I don't have a fever. At least I think it is just a head cold.

Colds are the worst. I turn in to a huge man baby when im sick and want my mother...lol hope u feel better friend

44'cruisingcat · 22-10-2011, 15:23

We eat a lot more fish than we used to. The fish is much more fresh too.

We catch far fewer colds, but when we do they're often worse. Usually only when we've travelled by air for some reason.

gixerjen · 22-10-2011, 15:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

We eat a lot more fish than we used to. The fish is much more fresh too.

We catch far fewer colds, but when we do they're often worse. Usually only when we've travelled by air for some reason.

I heard some doctor on the radio a while ago saying that there's a more or less finite amount of cold viruses (barring new mutations) so once a junior GP (obviously, they're in the firing line to get all of them) has had most of them, it becomes more rare for them to succumb to a cold? Sounds feasible?

I suspect the reason your colds are worse is because you're so un-used to getting them? As an engineer working in cool airy workshops I don't tend to get many colds (I worked in a call centre once - germ heaven

- maybe like an aeroplane, alll that air con?), when I do get one though - it makes me so miserable - I'm just not used to that degree of feeling crappy....

barnakiel · 22-10-2011, 15:50

I did not see any improvement in our health and I can see most of our cruising friends going down the slope too. Perhaps the slope is just a bit less steep than for those onshore. I did not see any of our diet getting better - living ashore we had any food we needed at any time we wanted. Cruising, we eat whatever there locally is. Our cruising friends are mostly meat eaters and they do not really care - after all fried meat tastes always the same. Our exercise level now is way too low to remain healthy. We do what we can - we swim and run as often as we can, we walk everywhere we can. And yet - compared to the level of exercise we used to have in our landlife now we are like maybe 25, maybe 50% that active.

Less exercise + less varied diet = less health.

If I can say anything positive about this life style vis-a-vis the landlife it will be that there seems to be less emotional and psychological pressure, less stress. Not in the new blood (these have to buy and sell and crash and divorce first) but definitely so in all the long-term cruising people we met.

So, on the whole, no health benefits, some health issues but less stress for those who make it thru the first ten years.

b.

gixerjen · 22-10-2011, 16:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by barnakiel

So, on the whole, no health benefits, some health issues but less stress for those who make it thru the first ten years.

b.

Optimism. Just what I like to see *rolls eyes*

Here's to getting through the next ten years then!

mbianka · 22-10-2011, 16:33

Well, I feel healthier when I'm on the boat. As soon as the water temps hits 60 F I start to swim. Sometimes two, three maybe four times a day. Also food intake goes down especially compared to when I work. I eat when I get hungry. Back on land if I happen to get some freelance work there is usually an assigned time when you eat. Also tend to go out with friends to eat and drink when I'm land based. Not so easy when I'm anchored by myself in a nice scenic anchorage. Do less drinking on board too. None when underway.
As others mentioned stress level is way way down too. Which can be a killer if you let it get the best of you. I also think I get a pretty good workout just doing things on the boat. I've got to stretch and bend my 6' 2" frame into some interesting spots on board. It ain't Yoga but, I do need to stretch to reach and repair things. I also don't use a lot of the winches on board. Adjusting the lines more often by hand.
I think staying off the dock (and away from the parties and bars) also helps.
Also embracing nap time is a good thing.

Plus I usually head to bed fairly early too and am up with the sun. As Ben Franklin said "early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." Not sure about the last two but, I do feel healthier following that advice.

**Hudson Force** · 22-10-2011, 17:27

Cruising or not, I've always had the option of eating heathier or less healthy foods. I think that the greatest difference for us is that, when we are cruising, a trip to the grocery store requires bicycling or hiking and carrying heavy backpacks full of provisions. We find that we sometimes ride our bikes six miles for fresh produce and repeat the trip two or three times a week, but then other times we spend weeks without going ashore. Boatman61 makes a good observation regarding the exercise that comes with responding to the constant motion of the boat. Foreign ports do not have better foods. They may have fewer poor nutrition options, but they also have a greater pathogen risk. I had a "Chicken Quarentine" meal in Eleuthra that left me sick and vomiting for a week. I lost some weight, but it was not a healthy choice.

Lin Pardey · 22-10-2011, 17:45

Of course it is all a matter of the choices you make, on land or at sea. But, I figured out that over the past 47 years, Larry and I have spent about 2400 days at sea, many more doing day hops. We did not have an engine on our boat (and still don't) except for when we delivered boats. We also didn't have an outboard on our dinghy except for a few times over the past six years. We rarely tied in Marinas so did a fair amount of rowing. So both of us tend to stay thinner during our voyaging than when we move on shore. We also found the constantly changing diet we have encountered seems to have kept us pretty darned healthy. Another factor that has probably worked in our favor is that we have rarely cruised in company, nor spent long periods in marinas or at anchor where there are a lot of other cruisers as we seem to have chosen sailing routes which are away from the most favored haunts.

We personally feel, from looking around at a lot of the long term cruisers we know, folks who have spent eight or ten or more years voyaging,especially those who disconnect and enjoy a truly non-stressed time while at sea - cruising does seem to be a much healthier life than one based on working 50 weeks a year etc. It may be the diet, but probably it is the break from stress that counts the most.

By the way, we really enjoyed meeting some of you guys during our time in Annapolis. But talk about unhealthy - we both gained five pounds during our six weeks visiting four different boatshows. Time to go sailing and loose it.

Rakuflames · 22-10-2011, 18:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Domo

Hey folks! I've been thinking about this a while and I wondered what the opinion of folks who have "been there done that". I'm going to culinary school, and nutrition and ingredients has been a big part of the learning curve for me.

As Americans our diet consists of large amounts of processed food, diet foods, and genetically modified foods. Meanwhile, people often talk amount the "Mediterranean diet" of lean protein such as fish, more fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes, olive oils, and generally foods that are not near as processed.

I'm not 100% certain of this cause I haven't done the research, but I think, America has a MUCH higher rate of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis (btw, I'm 38 and have arthritis, who knew?!?), and obesity. I think this can be contributed largely to diet, and that as a general rule, we tend to eat more food that is less nutritious. What do you expect from a tomato that has traveled 2000 miles to get to your plate? Maybe an exaggeration, but you get my point.

Anyway, my question to the cruisers, do you find that your health and general well-being is better while cruising abroad due to eating foods obtained locally that are less processed? I realize that may not necessarily be the case for long passages, and maybe I'm way off base due lack of experience, but what do you guys think? Are your diets healthier, do you FEEL better, aside from the fact that you're on a boat?!? Apologies if this has been covered before. Would love to generate some real discussion on this topic. Thanks!

Personally I wouldn't change my dietary habits based on speculation.

I'm healthier on the boat just because I'm more active. I'm clearly more physically fit, with stronger muscles. Since I'm a 65 year old woman with cerebral palsy it's pretty impressive.

My diet hasn 't changed all that much. In some ways it's worse. I eat more canned food. I actually use more processed food because my galley is small and it makes preparation easier.

Who knows.

Strait Shooter · 22-10-2011, 18:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by gixerjen

Optimism. Just what I like to see *rolls eyes*

Here's to getting through the next ten years then!

Ha....
To the next ten years then!

barnakiel · 22-10-2011, 18:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by gixerjen

(...)
Here's to getting through the next ten years then!

Cheers!

This quote worth knowing:

"... The journey from Manila to Acapulco was the longest unbroken voyage ... took some five to six months ... the entire crew had perished. Their floating graveyard had washed up on the shores of Mexico..."

So much for getting healthier ;-)

From: 'A Pirate of Exquisite Mind' - a most recommended read!

Hugs to all ya,
b.