Dr. Joseph Papotto, of Life in a Blender Family Medicine Shares Facts

Welcome to the “Life in a Blender” blog, where Dr. Joseph Papotto, of Life in a Blender Family Medicine, shares some of the weird, wild, and wonderful facts he comes across in his daily work.

Did you know that America now has more people who speak Spanish than Spain? The only country in the world with more Spanish speakers than the US is Mexico. And with the fast food industry booming, as of 2022 there are 197,163 individual fast food restaurants in the United States.

But did you know that the jockstrap was invented in 1874 to help “bicycle jockeys” as they make deliveries on cobblestone streets in Boston? Or that 97% of clothes and 98% of shoes sold in the United States are imported?

When it comes to healthy choices, you might be surprised to learn that the number one source of antioxidants for Americans is…coffee! Nothing else comes close, not even fruits and vegetables.

But did you know that if you grunt when you hit a tennis ball, your shot will be approximately 3.8% faster? Or that the myth of people committing suicide around the holidays is just that – a myth? According to the CDC, suicides are actually lower in December than any other time of the year.

And did you know that people with blue eyes are more likely to be alcoholics than people with any other eye-color? Or that the person who is mentioned most often in the Koran is Jesus?

Jimi Hendrix wrote his classic song “The Wind Cries Mary” following an argument with his girlfriend, whose middle name is Mary, after she cooked him lumpy mashed potatoes. And the sound of most toilet flushes is in the key of E flat.

Lastly, do you know the word for someone giving an opinion on something that they know nothing about? An ‘ultracrepidarian’ is someone who criticizes, judges, or gives advice outside their expertise.

Baby elephants suck their trunks for comfort in the same way human babies suck their thumbs.

So, what’s wild, whimsical, wacky, wise, and wonderful in your life today?