TALES FROM THE TOP

A new Japanese study reveals men who are a little overweight at age 40 live six to seven years longer when compared to skinny men.

And skinny men’s life expectancy is even 5 years shorter than obese men.

This should give us all reason to eat to our heart’s content — moderately.

Shinichi Kuriyama from Tokyo’s Tohoku University says heightened vulnerability to diseases and the fragility of their blood vessels are the  reasons why skinny men have shorter lifespans.

Personal hygiene has come to light in recent weeks at the height of the H1N1 flu outbreak world wide.

Health Departments the world over went out of their way to remind all of us how to properly wash our hands and to make sure we practice good personal hygiene.

And that, for me, means regular brushing of teeth and regular showers.

Last week, on an early morning flight to Beijing, I was irritated to be sitting down beside a man who smelled like he didn’t have time to shower before heading to the airport.

While across the aisle, a group of unfresh smelling men who, I can only assume, was taking a connecting flight from where ever they came from. So on my right sour sweaty smell, on my left stale smelling people.

I just don’t get how some people think they can get away with not showering before leaving home, or not using anti-perspirants or deodorants.

Before I flew to Beijing I was warned about the way its citizens smell. To my surprise, they actually didn’t.

Even when I took the crowded subway, there was no heavy, nasty human aroma in the air.

Is it because of good personal hygiene? Daily morning showers? Anti-perspirants? Colognes?

I guess the grooming techniques taught to them before the 2008 Olympics is really paying off.