http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f6340 great article debunking the fat is bad myth

Hey Todd, so i thought you had the diviated septum surgery? No? well im glad you found a nose spray that works. Can you elaborate? ( i know that only certain "potions" only work on certain people) but this news encourages me.

thanx, Mike

I didn't read the entire article but I think it goes back to balance in your diet. Saturated fat raises your HDL (Good Cholesterol) and LDL (Bad Cholesterol) at the same time. If your blood work proves your Cholesterol levels to be on the low side of the range, you will be just fine.

Where I disagree is with the philosophy that to much saturated fat is not a health concern. It goes well beyond heart disease.

Mike, I was scheduled and the doctor set my sirens off. I got a 2nd opinion and it saved me from getting butchered. I'm at about 70% blockage now which isn't great but my new doctor isn't recommending surgery. I use Zetona but it hasn't worked as well since I've quit taking an allergy pill for congestion. Still, my nose is better than it's been in a long time.

The number one cancer for men in America: Prostate Cancer

I've seen statistics that state we have a 50% chance of contracting this cancer in our lifetime. Seems pretty excessive?

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/data/men.htm

While it's true that their are genetic factors that make it more likely for you personally, studies have found that lifestyle and diet are also factors. Factors that may prevent cancer all together.

When you look around at American society and the alarming number of overweight or obese men which is from poor nutrition and health habits, it's makes you wonder how large this roll plays?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQJMB...XdyLz-rbW7-k3n

Carbs and Sugar are the devil. Fat for the most part are better than u think. Read the book Grain Brain.

Cholesterol is needed for brain health and LDL is needed to transport cholesterol to your brain.

If you guys want to reduce your risk of Alzheimers and diabetes, protein and more fat, less cards and sugar including fruit sugar.

Heart disease is about inflamation in your body, not cholesterol.

Sugar creates inflamation.

People gain weight from carbs, sugar, gluten and not fat in their diets. Cutting out fat makes it worse, because you fill the void with carbs and fruit sugars.

The more insulin in your system from sugar causes the body to store fat.

That in turn causes inflamation in your body which creates many diseases and sickness.

There is a huge correlation between diabetes and Alzheimers at an alarming rate.

I think we would all agree that loosing your brain function is the scariest thing.

Good morning Stuart, Nice to see you participating.

Our bodies make Cholesterol naturally as it is vital to body function. That's why two people with a similar diet can have vastly different levels of Cholesterol. In the China Study, they found those with the lowest levels of Cholesterol (Many below US standards) to have the least amount of Western diseases.

In regards to fats, we need them for energy production and body functions. It's been proven that a diet high in fat vs. low in fat doesn't make a substantial difference in weight gain. It does make some difference.

There are 4 main fats: Trans, Saturated, Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated

Trans: Many fried foods and processed foods.

Saturated: Animals products and very few plant based foods.

Monounsaturated: Olive oil, Avocado

Polyunsaturated: Fish oil

It can't be disputed that Trans fats are 100% BAD. Animal fats have a higher tendency of disease than plant based.

The major problem with sugar is refined foods in this country. It's also soda. High fructose corn syrup has ramped up this epidemic dramatically. Oh yeah, a majority of corn is a GMO from Monsanto. That means you soda and processed foods are a double whammy, processed and genetically modified. Refined foods are a triple whammy in many instances. Trans fat, high fructose corn syrup, and genetically modified! And we wonder why Americans are so unhealthy!

My argument against fruit consumption being a health problem is two fold. Fruits are low on the glycemic index which is the tendency for a rise in blood sugar. Also, how many people do you know that eat to much fruit vs. to many sodas or twinkies?

I could go on for days. My studies and how I feel have led me to a whole food/plant based diet for the majority and animal based for a minority.

I'd like to add to my Prostate Cancer post from last night that I've seen over and over that Dairy is the largest dietary negative for prostate cancer due to the high amount of calcium. Look at the studies or pick up your multi vitamin and look at the ingredients. A majority of men's multi's have very little calcium.

Have a great day....

Wow, very interesting thread. It is pretty cool to see a bunch of "car guys" talking about eating and living healthy.

My deal started a little over 2 years ago now. I was 45 years old, 6'0" and weighed about 180 pounds, pretty healthy I thought, just a little bit of a spare tire forming. Went for my annual physical, nailed the EKG, Stress test, everything looked good...until the blood work came back.

July 2011
Cholesterol 179
HDL Direct 32
Triglyceride 191
LDL Calculated 109

The Doc was mainly concerned about my Triglyceride levels, wanted to put me on a Statin. I refused and started a workout regimen, 30 minutes on treadmill 5 days a week, started drinking 8 oz of Grape juice a day (to raise good cholesterol) and taking an Omega supplement once a day.


Went back for more blood work in Oct 2011
Cholesterol 218
HDL Direct 29
Non-HDL Cholesterol 199
Triglyceride 195
LDL Calculated 150

This pissed me off enough that I stopped working out (aggravating knee trouble contributed as well), but continued with grape juice and omega supplement.


In Jan 2013 went back for more blood work
Cholesterol 243
HDL Direct 34
Non-HDL Cholesterol 209
Triglyceride 291
LDL Calculated 151

Again, the doc stressed that I need to be on a Statin, diagnosed me as "pre-diabetic". Well, just about everyone in my family has been diagnosed as "pre-diabetic" at one time or another due to Triglyceride levels, yet none of them have developed actual heart disease.

The wife and I sat down and decided to change the way we live, drastically. First although we thought that we ate pretty healthy, we reevaluated everything we consume and took out anything that would be considered "processed food". We committed to a fresh fruit, fresh vegetable and sensible protein diet, morning noon and night. We learned about better fish to eat, not just any fish, we learned about adding almonds to the mix, we learned ways of cooking food in a healthier manner. And the wife quit her high stress job and took some time off to just chill and spend a lot of time running to the grocery store for fresh food and making my lunches for me. I've always packed a lunch, but now my lunches have bags of carrots, cut fresh green peppers, nuts, and a light sammich in them instead of jello pudding, applesauce, and cookies along with a big ol honking sammich in there.

We also researched omegas...and learned a TON. I'm convinced the Omega supplement I was taking was wreaking havoc with my system. We found a supplement that was better fit and I started taking it once a day and I quit the grape juice

It's a life change for sure, but one for the better. I lost close to 10 pounds pretty quickly, lost about an inch off my waist and my spare tire went away...and I was eating MORE than I was before portion size, meaning I wasn't starving myself to do this. After 3 months I went back in for more blood work.

May 2013
Cholesterol 211
HDL Direct 29
Triglyceride 184 (the big one)
LDL Calculated 145

Ir was unbelievable to me that just a strict dietary change could lower my Triglyceride level over 100 points in a 3 month period.

You'll never guess what the doc said... "you still need to start taking a statin..." I just glared at her and she understood.

Anyway, it's 5 or 6 months later now, we are still on the "healthy eating kick", weight has stayed right at 170#s or so, feel great and I haven't been back for any more blood work. I wear a fitbit to track my footsteps per day, and try to keep as active as I can, but I don't see me becoming any sort of a workout warrior. My schedule and sore knees just don't fit into that plan. But I like the healthy living and seriously...it is becoming more and more regular all of the time and hopefully society as a whole will head further down this road which will just give us more and more good choices of food instead of more of the crap that is in the center sections of the grocery stores.

Good for you. Statins are terrible drugs. Find a new doctor.

We have been brainwashed by these low fat diets.

Eat good fats and keep sugar/ carbs way down and you will see vast changes in not only how you feel but reduce your chance of disease and sickness.

The game is changing fellas.

What is interesting is as we have been brainwashed that fat is bad we have been making diabetes, Alzheimer's, and obesity skyrocket at alarming rates. The body needs good fats and the brain is mostly fat and relies on cholesterol for normal nerve function.

I work out with a pro trainer 3 days a week - one hour each day - he kicks my arse…


So…. since my arteries are fine - ZERO hard plaque via a heart scan -- I decided I didn't need statins… since I was in the 100 range.

3 months later after a blood draw -- I'm DOUBLE THAT. I say WTF to the Doc… who tells me -- Tough titty… some peoples DNA is just that way. Get over it.

#1 I don't trust the damn lipid panel tests

#2 I don't trust the damn pill pushing docs

Going to the Doctor for a lot of folks is kin to a sweet innocent girl taking her car to a dealership for some recommended service and trusting everything the Service rep says just because he is supposed to know what is best.

We learned this mainly while taking care of my wife's Grandmother in the later years of her life. One HAS to take control of your own health, you press the Doctor if you don't like their answer, you question their actions, if you really don't like their diagnosis, get a second opinion, remember, they work for you, not the other way around.

My wife weighs around 110#s, her Cholesterol number came back at 243 about the same time mine was at it's highest... Her doctor never even mentioned her taking a statin.

I dont think you should should "bash" carbohydrates that much.

The body need all Three, Fat, Proteins and Carbs.

Carbs are a very good energy Source With the right type, and fast carbs that increase insulin is not that bad always.

Even though insulin increases fat Storage, it also is an anabolic hormone (rebuilding) and increases the bodys way of "digesting" or faster/better use of nutrition. It speeds up the use of other nutrition too

A good example is after training, and some in the breakfast. For those two times the body needs fast nutrition, especially after training of course. But not doughnut type of course :D All other times, slow. Basically

Proteins are a poor energy Source, and fat, while a good energy Source, the body does not have it readily available, since it is in "Storage", the body must go through a process to get it. It does not always have the time to do that. (Like you burn fat when walking, and carbs when sprinting)

While carbs are more readily available, if the the body needs them NOW! :D

I am not saying this is Perfect or more right, but if you are active and such, carbs are good, if you do less and not very active, then you can go very low on carbs. But then you also need less fat.

I like to see it as a house being buildt.

The Protein are the material to build walls and New rooms. Too few will not get stuff done, more than you need is better there.

The Carbohydrates are the workers - To few, slow or ineffective building, to many workers and it gets messy and crowded With most sitting around and getting lazy. :P

The fat are more like the Tools, lubricants and keep the workers happy and is an reserve Source. -Sort of

Insuline is then an sort of boost to the house building, but you cant boost all the time. :) But if planned correctly, boosting Works. (after training or?)

And fatty acids are extremely important, because it Controls and regulate all the hormones in the body, so Liquid omega 2-3 times a day does much, especially to a poor Fish eater, but Fish in Food is still noe enough, in my opinion. That also helps stabilizing for example insulin better. I think it is better to drink much omega 3-6-9 and eat somewhat less fat, good fat in regular diet is not so easy to acomplish, for me atleast.

If you think I am wrong, please say so/discuss, I am not an expert, but think about it, and dont believe blindly/to much of what "Professionals" say, and me for that matter ;) But People are somewhat different, find some sort of middle road that you like that Works for you anyway.

And carbs are a good energy Source! It is like Race Fuel, you can run more compression and more advance on it ;)

Get your Fats Straight
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.c...-get-it-right/

No, carbs in the form of grains is one of the worst things you can put in your body. Again, most all carbs, like wheat are a modern poisen. They have been genetically modified with a new protein (Gildan) designed to make you fat and sick. Period.

The only good grains are organic fermented grains. Forget everything else.

I'm still rockin' the Paleo diet, 148lbs still, down from 175. Still eathing raw organic meats and veggies as much as I can. I've made great friends with the farmers at the market.

Local REAL honey is antibacterial. Raw milk is a great probiotic. Organic veggies, and something Never mentioned here (I think) homemade SOAP! STOP putting these petro chemicals into your body in the form of shampoo's, bar soap and deodorant.

I've converted my wife, she has lost 44lbs so far too.

Yes we've been lied to.. "Eat low fat," they said. No Butter they said. Use margarine they said". It's all BS. Never trust a doctors word either, lots are pill pushers getting kickbacks. Yes, my pharmacist ratted out some here in town.

Let food be your medicine. Don't trust cheap, rancid supplements either, they are heavily processed (some).

Cheers to good health.

Who eats wheat? That is something you eat for dessert, after you have eaten real Food, or only sometimes to eat something thats more yummy.


And I think the farming in US cant compare to Norway, ALL we eat is from local farms, so it may be hard to to compare to a big "industry" land like US. If I buy something imported it is almost always junk. -But much cheaper....

But to say ALL grains are bad is somewhat like saying all foreigners are bad because one are bad.

Wheat vs Oats, Rye, Barley?


And you can ask 5 different so-called experts and get 5 different answers on low fat vs no carb and such. The body wants all of them in some way or another. And it Depends a lot on what you do, are you a pencil pusher With TV as hobby, or an Olympic medalist in skiing.

It is as easy as:
You become what you put in Your mouth, put in junk -become junk. :)

Lance, way to go! It's good to see that you took responsibility and didn't automatically trust your doctor. Doctors are great at treating the symptoms, not changing your lifestyle. I have become friends with a family practice doctor that I respect. His first order of business is always lifestyle change. In doctors defense, many don't want to change, they want to pop a pill. The other side of it is it's much less profitable for a doctor to change lifestyle. My friend is getting ready to open a wellness center as part of his practice which I think is fantastic.

I challenge you to drop the health kick language and call it a lifestyle change. Keep educating yourself and trying new things. Nutrition has made such a profound difference in my life. It's always evolving. :thumbsup:

One thing I have found since I started down this road is that nutrition is much like religion or politics. Everybody thinks they are right. :D In many cases they are right. It's important to experiment and find what works for you personally. We all have inherit strengths and weaknesses within our systems. Moral of the story, there is no one size fits all.

It really comes down to this:

How do you feel?
How do you look?
What do the numbers tell you? (Scale, Blood Work, Resting Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, EKG, Etc)

Another thing I've learned here is to have an open mind. Tony talked me into diminishing my dairy intake which I'm glad I did. I still like my non GMO wheat. :)

Health is the most important thing for sure. Good topic. Todd, glad your doing well.

If money can fix it its not a problem, when it can't means trouble.

I read the link and I want to point out that Certified Organic means no synthetic pesticides are used and they are NON GMO. I posted info a few pages back on GMO's.
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams....cct=nopgeninfo

Tony, I was just thinking about the chemicals in deodorant and soaps today. Have you found the natural products to work?

Like most things in life, balance is the key. I have friends that are Vegans and a buddy that would eat a ribeye for every meal. You'll never see me with either of their philosophies on diet. I will eat a majority whole food plant based diet but I'll also enjoy a ribeye once in a while and salmon. While I think dairy is a huge health negative, I'll eat a pizza every week with light cheese. It's what you do a MAJORITY of the time that matters most.

In regards to carbs. Many carbs can be low on the glycemic index if you know what to eat. Whole wheat bread/pasta, Quinoa, Brown Rice are LOW while White Bread and White Rice are HIGH on the glycemic index. Your baked potato is HIGH on the glycemic index.

If you guys want some great life changing info check out Dr. Perlmutter. Website and book. Book is $20 and the best info a co pay can buy.

World expert doc.

It's not boot camp, non fat , crap either, which is refreshing.

Backed by real medicine and live patients.

Check out the website, that's free.

Mr. Todd here has the right answer for everybody.

Find what fits you and you feel well eating. And that the Majority of time eating, is good Food.

But you gotta be happy too, so now I am gonna eat some cake actually :D

And you are so absolutely correct With that Nutrition "styles" are like religion and politics, if someone uses this or that diet, everything else than that is totally wrong of course.. He..He.. :D

Luckily for us in Norway we dont have that much Gene Modified Food here, it is "very" strict, atleast very strict compared to US.

I remember I saw a documentary about the US Monsanto GMO stuff that withstands Round-Up I think?.. Ugly stuff.. Luckily that gets rejected if it gets sent to EU. But for how long.. That sure is "Big Evil Companys"

Statins cause memory dysfunction, article in Jan 2012, internal medicine and the FDA in 2012. They also increase the risk of diabetes by an astounding 48 percent.

Glad you didn't go on that drug.

By limiting carb intake and make up the difference in good fats and protein you will reprogram your genetic code back to factory settings.

Cholesterol tests represent 75-80 percent from what your body manufactures and not what you have eaten. Foods that are high in cholesterol actually decrease your bodies production of it.

When you reduce cholesterol intake your body liver makes an enzyme called HMG CoA reductase which makes up the defeceit by using carbs, same enzyme that statins target!! When you eat excess carbs while lower cholesterol you invite a steady overproduction of cholesterol. Only way to get back in balance is eat an adequate amount of cholesterol and reduce carbs.

Over half all patients hospitalized with heart attack have normal cholesterol levels!!

Stuart, did you notice a difference when you changed to the diet recommended by Perlmutter? How long have you been on it?

Some of my concerns with the info:

Whole wheat that is NOT genetically modified is readily available. (Modification seems to be the major concern in wheat belly)

Whole wheat is low on the glycemic index.

Where is the science to back it up?

My first thought is that the real problem with a high carb diet is for the average American that eats processed foods, white bread, and drinks soda.

In my case where I stay in peak fitness and eat a majority non GMO whole grains, I just don't see the concern. I am open to the idea, however.

Todd, I'm sure what your doing has made an awesome difference in your life.

And your right most don't eat well.

The problem is low fat diets with increased carbs and fruit sugars the to fill the low fat void actually increases brain dysfunction and alzheimers which is not on a test print out at the docs office.

So the car and engine may look good but the computer is being deprived of vital nutrients.

Its ALL based on real patients and chemisty. With multiple studies. He is a leading neurologist in the nation. Alot of these neurological patients are being treated by just changing eating habits!!!

I see patients all the time that have dementia and alzheimers for eyecare and its sad, they are rarely obese.

Problem is when you do bloodwork at the docs office and the numbers are perfect and your body looks good and feels good, you could be harming your brain and not know it. Then if alzheimers develops later down the road people have no idea their diet may have contributed to it. They thought they were doing the right thing.

Its something I was hoping people at least looked at the info, it may help someone they know.

It's really a minor tweek for some and major for others depending on how much sugars are being consumed.

Personally, my diet has been pretty good, not perfect by any stretch, I'm just trying now to throw a few more healthy fats in there and protein and limit my breads and sugars some to strike a balance.

I'm deathly afraid of loosing my brain function and would be pissed if looking back I did it to myself. I would rather be sitting around at 80 sharp mentally and have a few extra pounds than not.

I hate salesman and people pushing crap on me, I get that. My posts were based on brain issues which are not tested until the problem already exists.

Subscribing to the thread because even though Deb and I are very active and eat fairly well, we need to do better. Thanks for the great information!

I completely agree with the good fats. I take a fish oil supplement daily to raise my HDL and it has according to my blood work. I pack raw/unsalted nuts EVERYDAY for work. They always give me an energy boost. I eat sunflower seed butter nearly everyday and it's loaded with mono/poly unsaturated fat and a little saturated fat. I eat hummus everyday for a snack after work or on my salad at whole foods.

One thing I want to point out is that if your arteries are being clogged by an overabundance of saturated fat or trans fat, what is it doing to your vessels in your brain? Kelli's father has Alzheimers in his family, big time. In fact, his fathers parents both had it and all of his father's siblings had it but one and I believe there were 9 kids. Her dad was found to have a major blockage in a neck artery and now they have found one in his leg. It has to play a role in the dementia? Lifestyle has to play a role at least in the onset, maybe not the destiny?

When you mention most of your clients with dementia are not overweight, the first thing that comes to mind is that they have probably stayed fairly fit and watched their weight to get to that stage in life. Women and smaller people tend to live longer, I think it applies here. Something takes us all out. I have to agree, losing your mind isn't the best way to go.

Bad fats cant be good on anything.

Good fats with balanced sugars and protein are what is my goal.

Yes the demented patients I see have lived a while, my point is the possible toll on their brain by thinking they were eating fine.

Its a small change in eating habit. Diet is a bad word and people become defensive when they hear it.

Dang that sucks Kelli's dad has that disease.

Not all Alzheimers patients have poor sugar control, just a huge portion do and studies are showing this.

I just hope that people with family members or themselves will read the data and go from there.

I'm no dietician by any stretch.

A different perspective on:

Olive Oil
http://www.panevinolasvegas.com/blog...-good-for-you/

Wheat/Gluten:
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2013nl/mar/gluten.htm

My biggest hang up on the whole Gluten/Wheat deal is due to what I feel is a couple opinions that seem to be great marketing campaigns. Wheat Belly/Grain Brain? I don't see the science and study's behind the philosophies. I sell houses, I can give you my opinion on the real estate market. Does it make it right? I want to see the research based on as many examples possible. That's why I like the China study, it's comprehensive. Science is never conclusive, it's probable. I need evidence.

I still belive the major problem is processed foods like white bread, white rice, pop tarts, etc and wheat has been drug into the mix.

Where I do agree is GMO wheat. If you agree with me, eat NON GMO Wheat every chance you get. That's certified organic.

Great topic. Its cool that you started this over a year ago.
I chimed in mainly to shed some light on brain function as a part of healthy living. How my eating habits affect my brain was something I never really considered before.

I never have asked my doctor during physicals how my brain is doing. Nor have they ever said anything to me about brain function while discussing bloodwork, diet, exercise, etc.

We have probably all read tons of stuff on this topic and take a few pearls from those readings that may benefit our life. The book by Perlmutter is just that for me, just info that sheds some light on brain and eating that I never even considered. Taking a few pearls from it and trying to strike a balance for me is the goal. I never adopt everything I read, just educating and using what makes sense.

The bottom line is death does happen no matter what, I'm hoping my brain is still working then :lol: :lol:

Yes, I use Urban Cowboy deodorant. aluminum free, the wife uses something similar, Natures Gate organic deodorant. As for shampoo, I'm still searching for something good. Right now I use Hempz. I don't know how "clean" is is as far as chemicals. Bar soaps, I buy from our farmers market, people make them from lye and oils. They smell great and don't dry out the skin.

Regarding Alzheimers, my aunt died from it, so I know it quite well. And something we need to be aware of is sodium fluoride in our water. This is said to accumulate in the pineal gland over time. Whether there is a connection or not, sodium fluoride is often added to local water supplies. The additive is industrial waste of aluminum production. Often it's purchased from China by your city water dept. Do some research and find out if your city is fluoridating its water. If it is, I suggest moving or making a stink. We are lucky in that they don't add it to our water. Make no mistake, it is poison, and even in the smallest amounts, it's still bad for you.

As far as wheat, I think the science is there, being that wheat has been modified to contain Gliadin. My research leds me to believe it is a horrible product... and even "non GMO" wheat could contain it, as GMO wheat is not supposed to be legal in the US anyway, that could be marketing ploy as well. After being off wheat for so long, if I eat any of it, my appetite goes into overdrive and I crave some serious sugar. That could be just me, but food makers aren't any different from Phillp-Morris. They want their products addictive. It they can engineer that, they well. And I believe they have.

After seeing the biggest changes in my life when I stopped eating wheat and pasteurized dairy, I will continue to be rabidly anti-both of those products.

Regarding pasteurized dairy, it explodes the healthy cells wreaking havoc on your body if you have a histamine sensitivity. That is why the CDC lists milk as the number #1 allergen. That's only one aspect, nevermind the hormones and antibiotics and crap GMO feed they give the cows. So much for all that "Got Milk" propaganda.

Raw, fresh milk is where it's at!

As you get more informed, you learn that almost everything we are exposed to in the form of health is a lie. It's propaganda rooted in greed and political agendas. Never stop questioning.

Thanks for the feedback Tony.

I also agree on Water. One of the many changes I made along the way was a whole house water filter to reduce environmental factors for our showers and cooking. We also drink bottled water that is sourced from a spring vs. LA tap water. :lol:

The more you know, the scarier it gets. You're right, there is to much misguided information driven by greed, NOT HEALTH.

Make Happiness a STUDY, it's one of the key ingredients for success.

My mentor Jim Rohn said, "If you wish to be happy, study happiness."

If you are like me, I didn't know happiness was a study? How many people do you know that make it a study?

The common American philosophy is that when you become successful, happiness is the natural side effect. For example, when I land that six figure job, buy my dream car, get married, get in tip top shape, etc...

My studies have led me to a new perspective. Happiness is as much a cause for success as success is for happiness.

I started in on a new book called "The Happiness Advantage". It's written by a Harvard graduate that has made his focus POSITVE psychology. I'm going to share some interesting statistics:

1. Depression rates in America are 10 times higher than 1960.
2. In 1960, the mean offset age of depression was 29.5 years of age. Today, it's only 14.5!
3. In 1998, the ratio of psychologists that studied the negative vs. the positive side of the equation was 17:1.
4. Those found the happiest at 20 years of age were found to live nearly 10 years longer than the least happy.

The point being made about studying the negative side vs. the positive is this, there focus is on helping the depressed get back to a normal life. I think that's great but what about the average man or woman finding greater happiness?

My first thought was that the negative side is where the money is at but he proved me wrong. Companies are paying good money to bring him in to influence their employees. When they offered the class at Harvard, over 1000 signed up the first semester. It turns out that 4 out of 5 Harvard kids suffer from depression once a year.

They found by having a child think of their favorite thing to do prior to putting some blocks together vs. no influence led to faster completion of the task.

Even doctors were tested with a lollipop vs. no lollipop and were found to find the right diagnosis 19% faster and have 2.5 times less chance of anchoring to their initial impression.

Big companies like google are taking big strides to make their employees happier. They even allow some employees to bring their dog to work.

The science proves that it goes beyond a positive attitude. Your brain actually functions more efficiently leading to greater skill. Our brains will adapt to circumstances.

Aristotle described happiness as "Eudaimonia" which translates to Human Flourishing.

The ten common positive emotions are: Joy, Gratitude, Serenity, Interest, Hope, Pride, Amusement, Inspiration, Awe, and Love.

The bottom line is that science has proven that we can rewire our own minds with time. We are born with a clean slate and our environment up until today has shaped us, not our genes.

This brings more clarity to the power of personal development. Feeding your mind with positive influence not only improves your attitude and the trajectory of your days, it increases your awareness. It's made a HUGE difference for me.


Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present. -Jim Rohn

Edit from above, it's Herban Cowboy deodorant.. lol.

On those whole house water filters, I've read most all of them do not filter out sodium fluoride, just FYI. The rabbit hole goes pretty deep on the topic. Apparently head top EPA scientist was fired for exposing the program as one of the biggest hoaxes ever put on the American people. There are all sorts of interviews on youtube with him and about the topic. The stuff is outright poison, its why we have warning labels on our toothpaste. Speaking of, I use Tom's toothpaste since its fluoride free. Damn, I wish I was paid for these product adverts.

Something new I'm about to try too... it's all about preventative maintenance. Black cumin seeds or black seed oil.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001FVNM3A/...I1PZ45GUBX4R96
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001CNL1M/...I2UPG5Z06YZYGA

Here's where I got the idea. I love this site.
http://www.naturalnews.com/042853_Ni...revention.html

My main goal for the whole house filter was sediment and chlorine reduction. They claim the chlorine vapor during showers is harmful.

Thanks for sharing the Nigella Sativa. Let us know if you feel a difference.

How are you doing with your fitness with the holidays on the horizon?

Now's a good time to start thinking of your goals for 2014. If one is to improve your fitness, make sure it's detailed.

For instance: Lose 15 lbs

Read 2 books on nutrition.
Work out 4 days a week for 30 minutes. First thing in the morning. Wear your gym clothes to bed and put on your shoes right away.
Join a gym that is CLOSE to your house.
Track my diet for 30 days minimum.
Shop for food more and eat out less.
Get your Wife on board. (Accountability)

We always need an action plan to achieve our goals.

I haven't laid out my goals for 2014 but one is going to be to pack on a little muscle. I'll put together a plan to do that with changing my weight routine and duration. I'll pick up a book or two and find the healthiest way.

I checked my bod fat percentage yesterday and it's right at 11.5%. I've put on a few pounds lately. This will allow me to check my weight vs. body fat down the line. I like my physique around what I believe to be 10%. At 11.5% I have a little more pudge than I like.

About a month ago I ran a mile for time. I was hoping to break into the high 5 minute time frame. I ended up running it in 6:12 which is my all time best. Next year I hope to run some longer distances. I've run two 5 K's now and may set a goal to run a half marathon.

My prognosis for '13 was and is fair. I give myself a C. Did not "pencil" in enough time for my cycling. Eating is getting better. My wife and I are slowly making the conversion to "whole" foods.

We went away for our 25th anniversary (d-world/miami beach/sema) and on the whole trip we ate good, one large meal and very lite the other two/three. Kept our cocktails to a minimum. Walked massive amounts at D-world and SEMA and i still gained 3 lbs. So I now, at 47, have to watch my intake more than ever. When i'm on my bike, i usually ride 1 to 1.5 hours AT SPEED.

I still haven't met with a nutrionalist. Just did testing at an allergy doctor (our deductible is paid and my wife made the appt for the both of us). I'm pretty much allergic to any green lol. Which i've known for years, which is why i've always eaten good and exercised. But this getting older thing is strange. I've got to adjust/dial in as my body changes. Its like a carburetor , you have to adjust it for the differing variables life gives you......

So for next year, no real lofty goals, consistently ride and consistently eat better. Recognizing the need for change is the opposite of complacency....and bodies at rest stay in rest and bodies in motion stay in motion....

I'm pretty excited because lately I've been able to open up my schedule a bit.

I now have 35-45 minutes 4-5 times a week to work out. I do it first thing in the morning, before week. This week was my first week, so I just did some basic circuit training to get my body use to it again. This coming week I'll hit the weights a little harder.

Looking to drop some weight and just get in better shape. I know part of that is my diet, but for me, its hard to get motivated on my diet when I'm not working out at all. I figure I'll work out for a week or so, get that in check, then start tweaking my diet. Baby steps so I don't burn myself out. I want this to be a long term plan. :)

Mike, I think life requires continual adaptation. It become crucial as we age. In my opinion, you must live cleaner on average.

Good to hear you are proactively looking for improvement. I don't think we can ever know to much or try to many new things. It's the accumulation of small improvements that lead to optimal health. I know I'm still learning lessons.

Good for you, I couldn't get by without working out at this point. My body revolts as I've worked out consistently for 18 years now. I used to drown my sorrows and stress in beer. Now, I run or lift weights. It works better and no hangover. :lol:

Nutrition really is everything. A buddy and I met at a local gym for a run this week. I was a member for many years in the past and recognized many of the same people. They looked to be in similar shape, just older. They appear to have the fitness consistency but making no progression.

The moral of the story is that dialing in your nutrition is the key to the physique you desire. You don't have to kill yourself in the gym. I work out 2 hours a week and stay fit. It's what you do a majority of time that matters. You can still enjoy rich foods a minority of the time and have good results.