I turned 40 yrs old this past March. I think I'm in the best shape of my life since I was in high school, if not better. But past that, the old cliche of the mid life crisis is becoming real. What have I done with my life, where am I going and what are my goals? I look at my kids and all the sudden my boy is 7, he's crazy smart. In second grade but reads at a 4th grade level. End of the year testing, 40-60 is progressing normal. He scored a 99. This kid is nuts and I feel like I don't spend enough time with him or my daughter. She's going in kindergarten and is already reading at a 2nd grade level. Right now is the opportunity for me to make their life great. This is going to be satisfying for me, not the typical red Corvette you hear about when the old man turns 40. Growing up very selfish myself, with extremely selfish parents, one thing I've been striving for is to NOT carry on their bad trait. I'm learning that it's very enjoyable to give away your time to those who you love. It's one of the most rewarding things in life.
Quote:
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
Fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way
Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun
And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way, but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death
Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say
Home, home again
I like to be here when I can
When I come home cold and tired
It's good to warm my bones beside the fire
Far away, across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spell
Tony, being self aware and willing to change is a big deal. A majority of Americans simply aren't comfortable analyzing their own life, traits, and looking for positive change. It's easier to be complacent, blame your parents, the government, economy, weather, etc... for a life that is less than you hoped for. I'm guilty of it in my past as well.
I admit that I had barely a clue of why my life wasn't going the direction I had hoped when I started down this road of personal development. One of the hardest pills to swallow along the way has been learning my many weaknesses. Now, I'm definitely aware of them but I'm working on them through different perspective and attitude. It takes time to form bad habits and traits just like it will take time to make progress on those weaknesses. The positive side is you also learn your strengths and that is key. You can improve on that side of the court as well.
I've learned of my strengths and weaknesses through books, tests, and asking for other's opinions. How do they see me? My wife, close friend, employees, that was a very valuable exercise. Three perceived strengths and two constructive criticisms.
Friggen great song by one of my fave's...."you run you run to catch up with the sun, but its sinking, the sun is the same in a relative way but your older, a shortness of breath and one day closer to death."
Dark but true, very true. Very sad dark band, but one of the best of all time....imo
Update on my progress...
I have cut out all sodas, the headaches only lasted for a couple of days...
I've cut out 95% of sugars...
I've cut out 95% of wheat-based products...
My weight is down to 260 (from 275) over the 6 weeks or so...
Feeling and sleeping much better...
Have ALMOST stopped smoking completely. That last 5-10 per day are a real struggle but I feel cutting back from 30+ a day is heading in the right direction...
A friend pointed my post out to me this morning, thought it would be a good time to update my progress...
Yup, I'm down below 240 for the 1st time in years! The lack of sugars has helped tremendously with craving crap foods and I'm following what is essentially a "Paleo diet" for now. I did make my own BBQ ribs for the 4th of July but cut down on the sugar I used in my rub. Still felt a little funny after eating it but I only had a few ribs, my meal portions have dropped a bit too. I'm going to get a full check-up at the annual doctor inspection next month, going to get some blood work now that I'm eating better.
Still struggling with the cigarettes, though. I'll ask for the anti-smoking pills when I see the doctor as I've had 4 friends actually quit with them, even though I hate taking meds...
There are three major categories that we can work on to reduce our toxic load. The less we make our immune system and organs labor, the more vibrant you will feel.
Food/Water: Where your food is sourced and the chemicals used is important. Eating whole foods and USDA organics is a good start. Reducing your dairy and wheat intake is also a good trend in the right direction. As they tend to be two that create some problems. Dairy has been linked to breast and prostate cancer but that's a different discussion.
Our immune system is largely in our digestive system. Pre and Probiotics are crucial to healthy digestive balance and strong immune system. Pre comes from fresh fruits and vegetables, pro normally comes from yogurts and supplements. I eat mostly coconut yogurt with occasional non fat dairy. Probiotics are strains of good bacteria that fight the bad in our guts. The balance can lean towards the bad with a poor diet and over consumption of alcohol. This can lead to constipation, chronic sickness, and lethargy to name a few.
Many foods can grow mold without you knowing it. Things that sit in your cupboard and even your fresh veggies. Mold can be a problem for some. Peanut Butter has a tendency to have to much mold. Consider rotating almond/sunflower butter into the mix. All natural of course.... It's recommended to wash produce with vitamin C crystals to remove molds and chemicals.
How you prepare your food is also important. Using Teflon/Non Stick pans can slowly load your system with PFOA which our bodies have trouble eliminating. Even aluminum or stainless steel can load our bodies with Nickel/Aluminum and other harmful compounds. It is recommended to use cast iron, glass, or ceramic. Cast iron actually helps us with our iron needs. Wood utensils eliminate the leaching while cooking and won't scrape up your pans.
Storing your food in plastic or heating a plastic container in the microwave is not advisable. Many are bpa free these days but glass should be your goal for all storage. Plastics can leach. Also, for your young kids. Make sure their toys are bpa free.
Water is a huge deal. They haven't changed the regulations much in a long time. That means that many chemicals that have become prominent in our environment aren't regulated. I have a whole house filtration system that removes particles and chlorine. This comes into play with showering as well as the chlorine and chemicals are inhaled and absorbed through the skin. We have bottled water delivered that is sourced responsibly and filtered thoroughly for drinking a majority of the time. A good reverse osmosis system will do the trick.
Alcohol in moderation. The fermentation effects some worse than others. Fermentation creates mold and it does effect your allergies. I know it does mine. In fact, it seems certain alcoholic drinks are worse than others. I'm sure it comes down to the ingredients and process.
Air: Enviromental loads come with the territory. Where you live dictates the air we breath. Las Vegas has some of the worst air in the nation but there are things we can do to control our indoor air quality.
Some new furniture leaches formaldehyde for years. (The cheap stuff) Chemicals should be in the garage like paints. Cleaners used should be non toxic. Large HEPA filtration units in different areas of your home with a charcoal filter clean up the air greatly. Buy the better filters for your AC/Furnace and change them often. Keep the house clean and animals bathed. The goal is to reduce compounds like the VOC's from cars, industry, dust mites, pollen, and on down the line.
Take a shower before bed to remove the pollen, chemicals, and dust mites from your body. This will improve the air you breath at night and extend the service life of your pillow and mattress.
Dust mites which live on your dead skin congregate in your pillow and mattress over time. Replace your pillow on a regular basis and your mattress every 5 years. We actually inhale the dust mites and they can take a toll on your respiratory system. Constant problems with your respiratory health may lead you to the recommendations here.
Skin: This is one I didn't really think about until finishing a book recently. Most of the soap used is anti-bacterial. The problem, it kills GOOD and bad bacteria. That means you are removing the bacteria that is your first line of defense against sickness and disease. They make probiotic soaps that are gentle on the good and help eliminate the bad. I read and plan to try it, but she claims you can get away with natural deodorant after restoring the good bacteria on your skin. That means not subjecting yourself to the Anhydrous in your deodorant which has aluminum and adds to your toxic load. Clearly chemicals like oils, brake cleans, etc. are bad and can cause long term problems. Use gloves to reduce your toxic load.
I don't know about you, but I want to achieve the greatest physical health possible. These small changes compound into greater cellular health and play a role in overall health. The state of our bodies directly effect our mental health.
To take it one step further, the elimination of toxic load on our bodies may very well extend our lives and help us avoid major sickness like cancer. This is speculation on my part but it can't hurt.
I hope this helps you and your family become healthier and more vibrant.
Todd,
Thanks for the informative posting, as usual!
You mentioned chemicals that we use and this is something I know well! I used to have a brake shop a few years back and I started getting sick on a regular basis after a couple of years of doing that work. It turned out the brake cleaner and other chemicals we used regularly were getting to my liver! Any chemicals we get on our hands, or skin, ends up in our liver within 30-45 minutes and can cause all sorts of health issues! now I use gloves at all times when working with chemicals and recommend the same to others!
Russ, you are welcome buddy! Glad to hear you figured it out before it really destroyed your health. Allergens are anything that causes our bodies to work to eliminate them. Many chemicals are very difficult for our liver and kidneys to eliminate as we just weren't meant to be exposed to them. Over time our toxic load can get to high and that can lead to severe consequence.
Modern times has brought in a slew of variables from industry, pharmaceuticals, over population in some areas, and convenience from everyday products. We must continually adapt to our surroundings and analyze seemingly inconsequential choices.
"I have heard it said that most men spend their entire lives perfecting their faults. That is, you acquire a fault when you are young, emphasize it all the rest of your life, and finally die with it." -Norman Vincent Peale
I underlined this in a book I just finished by the late, great, Norman Vincent Peale. The book is Navigate. It's a unique perspective. We've all heard that most never change. We all know somebody, maybe it's you. There is nothing wrong with it, if that's the life you wish to lead. It's my philosophy that we are meant to grow continually. Not just mine, it's in the bible and a majority of the most successful American's throughout history would agree. You go one of two directions, you progress or you recede. Once you stop fighting for territory, what you don't want automatically takes over.
It could be a thought process that has nagged you since childhood. A fear that has shackled you from creating real success on your terms. A habit that has progressively gotten worse with time. Today, I challenge you to pick out something and begin the process of changing it.
If you go to the bar every Wednesday night, how about volunteering at a homeless shelter instead?
If you fear public speaking, go to toastmasters?
If you never exercise, how about walking around the block every other day this week?
If you are blaming your wife for the problems in your marriage, how about doing something special for her that has been neglected for how long?
If you haven't read a book in some time, how about reading one that will help you with my challenge?
If you want to improve your finances, how about starting with a balance sheet that outlines your income, debts, and net worth and taking action?
If you want to lose weight, how about reading a book on nutrition and tracking your daily calorie intake?
Instead of judging everyone we meet, how about consciously accepting them for who they are? (Unless warranted)
Instead of letting someone get under your skin like they usually do, how about not taking it personally?
If you have religious faith, how about getting back to church?
I'll use the analogy of building a car. If you make a little progress on yourself, every, single, day. You can begin the creation of a masterpiece. It's those new perspectives, emotions, thought processes, habits, and faith that get you on the path to a progressively greater existence.
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
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