Obama: Smoking and Drinking Too Much

Obama had his first physical exam as president.

Doctors declared him to be in excellent health, but he was warned about smoking and drinking too much. He's instructed to quit smoking and he's instructed to moderate his drinking.

WHOA!

For eight years, we heard Leftists insist that President Bush was a "practicing" alcoholic.

I remember Martin Sheen, back in The West Wing days, being on The Tonight Show and claiming that he could tell President Bush was a drunk, an active alcoholic.

Those accusations, of course, were completely unsubstantiated.

But now, we learn that Obama is still smoking to the point that it's a health concern AND he needs to moderate his alcohol intake.

Here are some "facts and figures" from Obama's exam:

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 179.9 pounds, including shoes and workout attire.

Blood pressure: resting, seated 105/62 (previously 90/60). Below 120/80 is considered healthy.

Heart Rate: resting and seated, 56 beats per minute. A rate of 60-80 bpm is normal, but heart rates are generally lower in physically fit people.

Body Mass Index: 23.7. Under 25 is considered healthy.

Cholesterol: High-density lipoprotein 62 (previously 68); low-density lipoprotein 138 (previously 96); total cholesterol 209 (previously 173). HDL of 60 and above is considered protective against heart disease. Under 100 LDL is considered optimal. Total cholesterol under 200 is considered desirable.

...The president's doctor recommended that he continue his efforts to quit smoking. The post-exam report indicated that Obama uses a self-administered "nicotine replacement therapy" as part of this goal. He has said in the past that he chewed Nicorette gum.

His doctor said Obama should change his exercise habits to strengthen his legs and prevent occasional pain from chronic tendinitis in his left leg.

This info is from The Boston Globe.

The Guardian offers a little more:

Obama is sensitive about his cigarette habit and tetchy with reporters who raise it. But after his 90-minute medical at the Navy hospital outside Washington yesterday morning, his doctors confirmed he had not yet managed to conquer the habit and suggested he "continue smoking cessation efforts".

The doctors said the president used medication to try to ease the pangs, they described it as "nicotine replacement therapy, self-use".

...The doctors also recommended "moderation of alcohol intake".

How much is (or was) Obama drinking?

At some point in Obama's health history, it must have been a lot more than a typical glass of wine at state dinners. Why would doctors mention Obama's alcohol use at all? That's odd.

I don't ever remember hearing that a president needs to keep his alcohol intake moderate.

Also, it appears that Obama's smoking habit is more of an issue than he claimed it to be.

At least, it does seem that the days of his illicit drug use are behind him.

As far as I know, the results of his physical exam don't mention that Obama needs to continue his moderation of illicit drug use or keep up his efforts to quit.