PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a Congressional press secretary in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

Remember the old phrase, “can you walk and chew gum at the same time?”

We have a new version of the phrase now:

Can you play the Masters golf tournament and chew gum at the same time?\

Based on two examples, the answer is yes.

Both Tiger Woods, who won his fifth green jacket Sunday, and Phil Mickelson, who played well over four rounds at the country’s favorite golf tournament, were seen chewing gum throughout their rounds.

Incredibly, it appears there are various benefits to chewing gum. One of my friends pointed this out to me yesterday, so, like many folks do these days, I went on-line to find answers.

Here’s what I found, according to the “Nutritional Neuroscience” magazine:

“What we know thus far is that chewing gum makes you much more alert but has rather variable effects on paying attention. The benefits of gum chewing are particularly impressive if you’re sleepy. If you’re trying to pay close attention to specific things happening in your environment, such as being vigilant about baseballs being thrown at you, chewing caffeinated gum might be more beneficial than non-caffeinated gum.

“For some people, gum chewing helps them to multi-task. Someone in your office likely does this while trying to talk on the phone while playing video games and drinking coffee at their desk.

“How could gum chewing achieve these benefits? Certainly, the act of chewing is rewarding and can be arousing because it implies that nutrients are on their way to the brain. Also, stimulation of the trigeminal nerve that innervates the jaw muscles is likely arousing. Finally, many gums offer a small dose of sugar that can be arousing by reducing hunger pangs. [Woods even said this the other day when asked why he chews gum on the course.] Some people find that gum chewing helps fight the urge to eat or consume other arousing chemicals, such as nicotine or caffeine.”

One of my questions is why anyone would study this subject in the first place. Who knows?

But, forgive me, I have to stop writing this blog in order to go out and guy some gum on my way to the golf course.