Protein

When we talk about the "quality" of protein, what are we really talking about? What is a high-quality protein? What is a low-quality protein? Which is better for you?

Read "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell...because a lot of this is from that book.

First off, there are 20 amino acids that combine to make protein that our body uses to build muscle. 11 of those are produced by the body naturally. And 9 are not, we must consume those via food.

We've all heard that an "egg" is the highest quality protein available, because it is a 99% complete protein. So, for the longest time, I've eaten eggs thinking that it was the best protein source available. I've also taken whey protein (from milk) as a supplement, with the same assumptions. But, let's go back an analyze the difference between "highest quality" and "best".

What is the highest quality protein available? Ummm ... eggs? Nope. That's right, "human flesh." Yes, look at Timmy or Johnny, because they are the highest quality protein available. And why is that? Because human flesh matches up 100% with the protein profile for humans. And thus, eggs match up very closely, and is the next highest quality protein available. So, "quality" is a measure of how the protein profiles match with our own.

What about plant protein? Plant protein is considered "low-quality" because it is "incomplete" and it doesn't match our protein profile as well as eggs and animal proteins. Different plants have different protein profiles, and in combination, they complete each other (like beans and rice for example). Greens, veggies, and fruits are similar.

Okay, so the $20,000 question. Which is better for you? We've learned that animal proteins are fertilizers for cancer and disease, and if you rid yourself of dairy and animal meats, that you're much better off. But, what about proteins and keeping our muscle? Well, it turns out if you eat a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and some whole grains, you'll have plenty of protein building blocks, all that you'll ever need. And here's the catch, you don't need to eat them as a complete protein set all at the same time. For example, you can have beans at one meal, rice much later, and you're body will combine them to form a complete protein. Of you can have greens one meal, other veggies another meal, and your body will combine them later.

And the bottom line is that plant-based proteins provide all the necessary building blocks (amino acids) that you'll ever need, without any of the disease-causing side effects. So, if you're still eating animal proteins because you think they're the best available, reconsider. Do your own research, experiment, and then come to your own conclusions. Maybe you'll see that you can definitely live without animal proteins, and that your muscles will be fine.

Learn to love, love to learn...

I was at my (2nd) daughter's basketball camp this past week, when the head coach of the camp sat and talked with me. Great man, by the way. He talked with my oldest daughter, who had attended the camp last week. He asked why she wasn't at the camp this week, and she mentioned that her cousin was town, and that it was her younger sister's turn this week. So the coach asked her if she liked the camp, and if she wanted to go again this week. And he offered to have her go again ... for free. Wow, as a coach myself, I've known how generous coaches are with their time, energy, and effort. Coaching is one of the most gratifying and satisfying things I've ever done, and a lot of it has to do with the coaches that have taught me, and the coaches that are out there teaching kids. Thanks again Coach! You have a great basketball camp, run the right way, with great young coaches leading the way.

One thing I told him, "You're running this camp the right way. Get the kids to learn to love the game first." And he agreed that was the right way. "Too many parents push their kids too soon, burn them out." And then he said something profound...

"Learn to love the game, so you can love to learn the game."

Isn't that true for everything in life? With school? With work? With diet? With exercise? With your spiritual pursuits? Without the love of doing something, there's no foundation. Without motivation, there's no work and progress, and thus, no results. Without passion, life is just an existence. Apply this to your life, in your search for health and happiness. Learn to love your health, your diet, your exercise, and yourself ... so that you can love to learn more about each one. And by all means, go after that knowledge, and experiment as much as you can to better understand what works for you, what heals you, what makes you healthy and happy. Don't just sit there and do nothing ... get up ... read ... learn ... try ... move ... experiment ... modify ... make change ... heal ... smile ... help others.

Running

With my wife and sister-in-law completing the SF Half Marathon (2nd half) last week, I thought I'd write a bit about running. Congrats to my sister-in-law from running through injury, and finishing the SF Half, and thus completing the California Series (3 Half Marathons in a year!). My wife also deserves kudos for pacing her sister and helping her through it.

There's nothing more humbling and exhilarating as running. It's painful and joyous all at the same time, and nothing feels better than completing a goal, crossing the finish line, and knowing that you've finished a race, a long training run, or just a fun run. And I saw humbling because people that you think have no business passing you up ... pass you up. At the CIM (California International Marathon) last year, I ran my 2nd marathon ever. I trained for 1 year for it, and in retrospect, that was probably too much training. Anyway, at mile 20, I hit the wall like everyone does. I was great up until then, but those last 6 miles of the marathon, as any marathoner will tell you, separates runners from joggers...and I'm a jogger. :) There were little kids, elderly men and women, overweight men and women, people pushing their kids in jogger strollers ... just flying by me at the end. Talk about humbling. At the very end, I somehow garnered some energy to run in the last 400 yards, and I was about to pass an 80-year old woman, who was just struggling (like me) to finish. But, I tucked in behind her, slowed down, and finished just after her. It felt amazing to finish, to complete a year's worth of training, and to say that I've finished a marathon. Only 0.1% of the human race has finished a marathon, so I felt very special at that moment. But, at the same time, knowing the many people that blew by me at the end, I felt very humbled also.

That's the greatest thing about running. It has something for everyone. Competition for those who want to compete, goals for those who just want to finish, and fun for those who just want to participate. And of course, a wonderful opportunity to move and exercise with lots of people, not to mention the many people cheering you on as you go through the course.

If you've never ran in a 5k, 10k, half, or full-marathon ... give it a try! You don't have to "run" per se. Most people dont "run," they "jog". And a lot of people walk. It's all good. Make a goal to do a race, train for it, and then run/jog/walk it. And enjoy the benefits, as well as the accomplishment. Go to "www.active.com" and find a race near you. Give yourself enough time to train, and then find a simple training program (look up "5k training schedule" for example) and go for it. Find a buddy to train with, someone at your level of fitness, it'll help a lot.

I'm training for another half marathon in October, and it starts next week, although I've been tinkering for the last couple of months now. I'll detail my training plan, results, and issues on the blog. Stay tuned for it...

For the love of the game

My daughters were at basketball camp this past week, one that emphasizes fun, and builds the foundation for "loving the game". I race around to drop them off, then come back early enough to watch a few hours just to watch them play. Note this is the first time they've ever played organized basketball, even though I've coached for many years. I just sit there and observe, watching them smile, make mistakes, make some plays, make some shots, run back and forth, laugh and joke around ... in a word ... play.

I was talking with the camp director there and I was telling how him how much I appreciated their approach to running the camp, that I felt it was the right way to do it, especially at this age. We were definitely on the same page as far as that's concerned. The coaches there are so positive, so energetic, and truly enjoy spending time with the kids.

Now, I've coached competitive basketball for many years, and I've always taken it seriously. But, at the same time, I've always stressed that basketball is a game, and should be enjoyed as much as possible. We don't have much time to be as strong and as good as we are when we're young, since basketball is truly a young person's sport, so we need to take advantage, work hard, and have fun doing it. I'm understanding that now that I'm playing here and there again. Boy, it's hard to shoot, dribble, play defense, and move like I did when I was a kid. It's not the same with a 41-year old body, but it's still fun.

Lastly, my kids appetites have been very healthy since they have gone to camp. Running around for 8 hours in a day will tend to that. So, bottom line, if you have the resources and the time, try and send your kids to an athletic camp, have them move around and have fun with other kids, and learn to love the game, whatever game that may be. The exercise they'll get now, learning to love it, will be invaluable for them later on ... to combat the sedentary, video-game based lifestyle that's so prevalent today.

Are you still drinking milk?

Why?

Because we need milk to grow strong bones, we need the calcium. There's plenty of calcium in plant-based foods, without any of the negative effects. Your bones will be fine.

Because it's high protein. Yes, high in a protein called "casein", which has been shown to be a very strong fertilizer of cancer. Plant-based foods have plenty of protein (another post), so your muscles will be fine.

Because it's low fat. Low fat? Are you serious? Consider that "2% low fat" milk is actually 33% fat as a percentage of total calories. The "2%" is based on volume. So, that's like saying "low fat butter" because we add a quart of water to it. The butter-water mixture is actually 100% fat as a percentage of total calories. And "whole milk or 4%" is 67% fat as a percentage of total calories. If anything, skim milk (5% fat as percentage of total calories) is the only choice here, but even that has lots of casein in it.

Because I need something to eat my cereal with. There's plenty of alternatives. Try soy, rice, almond, or other nut-milks. Watch the sugar content in those or just make your own at home. For nut-milks, all you need is a blender and a some cheesecloth.

Consider how much milk you're feeding your kids, with cereals, with meals at school, etc. And consider how much exposure they're having to casein and the fats associated with milk, not to mention the sugars associated with the cereals they eat for breakfast. For us, we've thrown out all animal milk completely. And for me personally, I'm just gonna be dairy free (milk, cheese, yogurt, creams, etc.) because I just feel a whole lot better without it. And I don't miss it at all. Try it for a week and see how you feel, if it makes a difference. I'm guessing that you'll feel a lot better without it.

Eat to Live - Checkpoint #1

1 week into the "Eat to Live" plan and I'm doing very well. Green smoothies for breakfast are great, and I'm having to split some with my wife and my youngest daughter, which is great. We've mixed up our greens quite a bit, and have with sweet (carrot juice, acai juice, etc.) and just water. Some are more challenging than others, but overall it's the quickest, most convenient meal of the day, even after running and working out in the morning.

Lunch is easy. Just a big salad with either chopped veggies or some chopped fruit (pears, apples, organic strawberries). I've used my normal dressing, and tried some fat-free ones as well. It's all good.

Dinner is the same. Big salad with more veggies, some black beans, some nuts and seeds, and on occasion a nice slice of whole-grain bread.

I feel great! My runs in the morning are fine, even the harder effort ones. I begin my half-marathon training program in 1 week, so there we'll really test it. I can't say that I've lost a lot of weight (like my sister and mom have), but I do feel very clean, I have zero digestion issues, I sleep better than ever, like a baby. And for me, sleep has always been tough, so I'm enjoying this restful time. And to think of it, I'm never hungry, even with just these three meals. They are very nutrition dense, even though they are fairly low calorie. That's Dr. Fuhrman's equation: H = N/C. Health = Nutrition/Calories. Which translates to "Pick the foods with the highest nutrition density per calorie". And those are ... drum roll ... fresh vegetables and fruits!

On the family front, my mom, little sister, and nephew (as well as my wife!) have joined in as well. We all feel great, better than in a long time. My wife is just completing the SF Marathon (2nd half - 13.1 mi), and she's done it without the mass carbo loading we usually do, just smoothies, salads, etc. And she's doing fine, although she just texted me, "Done. I want a beer and a hamburger!". I told her to get a beer and veggie burger. :)

Sundays will be checkpoint days on the blog, so stay tuned for more...

Growing Up Pilipino-American

I was born in Manila, Philippines and came to United States when I was two years old. We were the basic middle-class family, growing up in Silicon Valley before it was called "Silicon Valley." From our backyard to the hills to the east, there were endless cherry orchards. Pictures of my cousins and siblings shaded by cherry trees, and picking cherries race through the mind. That was home for me, something I constantly miss now that modern technology has morphed the farm town that was into the hustle and bustle we have today.

I'm very proud of my Pilipino heritage. The people, the culture, the history of the Pilipino people and all of their accomplishments is something I'm proud to be a part of. Given all of that, because I've lived here for most of my life, I've as much an American as I am Pilipino. And for my friends and family who have grown up here, there are few common threads with respect to health.

1.) We are afflicted with cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, etc. This shouldn't be a surprise, because this is true for all of America.

2.) As a people, we have a sedentary lifestyle. Again, not a surprise.

3.) As a people, we combine the worst of American Fast Food, with the oil-laden, meat centric, deep fried, white-rice heavy Pilipino cuisine. As if the Standard American Diet wasn't bad enough, go to any Pilipino party or for that matter, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and you'll see this firsthand. Our diet, as a people, is horrible.

So, why are our parents and loved ones stricken with health issues? Why do they have countless medications (another post)? Is it because we don't eat right and we don't exercise enough?

Let me give you an example of our family. At any given family party, you'll find some or all of the following:

- Lichon. A whole roasted pig, skin on.
- Lumpia. Deep fried beef, pork, chicken, shrimp and veggies in won-ton wrapper, rolled like a taquito.
- Fried chicken or fish.
- Beef stews, like caldereta or kare-kare (oxtails with peanut butter).
- BBQ'd chicken, ribs, steaks.
- Pancit - Noodles with veggies and pork or beef.
- Lots and lots of white rice.
- Sugar laden desserts, like leche-flan.

If you're lucky, you may find some fresh fruit and maybe some head lettuce with ranch dressing. Now, I love my relatives and my family and I know the effort it takes to put together a party. Heck, I've prepared for family parties myself. But, seriously, what are we doing here? And the scary thing is, this is how we eat on a daily basis. Maybe not all at once, but we'll have lots of white rice with one of the dishes I mentioned above. The percentages are all wrong here. We should eat a plant-based diet, with little or no meat or dairy, with very limited oils and sugar. And yet, we do the exact opposite. We eat tons of white rice, we deep fry, and we eat way too much meat. And I'm not even taking into account all of the junk food (chips, soda, cookies, fast food, etc.) that we as Americans, are also prone to consume. It's the worst of both worlds.

It's not easy to change, I'm finding that out firsthand even in my immediate family. My mother, bless her heart, is trying her best, but it's tough to overcome years of habit. She still wants to get those french fries, and eat rice and meat. But, I'm trying to help her understand that by changing her habits, she can reduce her dependency on her numerous medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. My sister just told me that she's lost 6 lbs. and that her blood sugar levels have lowered enough to reduce her insulin dosages. We've seen this before, we just hope she stays with it. My nephew, bless his heart, has yo-yo'd just like his Uncle, is now trying to go plant-based. He just texted me the other day, saying he felt like a "champion" instead of feeling crappy all the time, now that he went off of the auto-pilot junk food diet (cereal, salami sandwich, frozen pizza) to a plant-based diet. Finally, my little sister told me the other day that since she's gone plant-based, she hasn't had a seizure (knock on wood) since. This is pretty incredible, because she has seizures daily, or sometimes multiple times per day. She's as vibrant as I've seen in a long time. And I hope and pray that she stays with it.

So for all my Pilipino brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, lolos, lolas, and kids. Please do yourself and your loved ones a favor. Be conscious of what you're putting into your body. Find out and learn more. And if anything, take a cue from the Japanese and Koreans, who's grandparents and often great-grandparents are still alive (I'm talking all 4 grandparents!). They eat well and take care of themselves, why don't we do the same?

Father, Father

Thanks to my little sister (told you she was a godsend), as well as help from her friends and a priest at our church, I was able to meet the Big Celebrant, "Father JB", from now on.

What a privilege and honor to spend time with that man. He called me this morning, and we were able to meet shortly thereafter. For a moment, I was reminded of the movie "10 Questions for the Dalai Lama". Great movie, by the way. What was I going to talk to Father JB about?

Luckily, I had a few ideas. First, some personal stuff. Next, the Philippines. And finally, health. Okay, so it's only 3 questions, I didn't want to monopolize Father JB's time.

The personal stuff is, uh, personal. Enough of that.

On the Philippines, I simply asked, "What is life like in the Philippines?" And we went on from there. Life in the Philippines is different in the big cities vs. the more rural, and poor areas. Father JB mentioned "I wonder sometimes how the people in the provinces (poor rural areas) make it. But, they do. They live a very simple life, and really don't know what they're missing. And to think of it, I often wonder who's more fortunate, them or the richer big city folks." Very interesting. I learned that Pilipinos in his region eat lots of fresh vegetables, usually grown themselves and lots of fish. Rarely, they eat chicken and pork. They don't really drink cow's milk or eat beef. Most people are healthy and happy, and kids there have the same issues and problems as kids here. American fast food has worked it's way into the Philippines, with bigger cities having the usual chains. And probably the most interesting point, every kid in the Philippines has a cell phone and texts all the time. They have a ridiculous unlimited text plan, so kids will literally text each other, instead of talk to each other ... face to face, uh, like they're sitting right next to each other and they CHOOSE TO TEXT. :) Geez, that's crazy. And in the rural areas, you'll see kids on caribou (water buffalo) with cell phones, texting each other! He has a huge following at his Parish, some 40,000 parishioners! They have a 100 year-old church, with a basilica in need of constant repair, and their masses (only twice a week) are so packed that people line up outside to attend mass. Amazing stuff... For him, he talked about the festivals in the Philippines, and how everyone fed and overfed him, and how it was an insult to people if you didn't eat. I totally understand, and I'll detail it in a later post about Pilipino-Americans and food.

Then we move to health. My question simply was, "What about your health?" as we were talking about the health of Pilipinos in general. I brought my only copy of T. Colin Campbell's "The China Study" and I presented it to Father JB as a gift, careful not to offend. I wasn't making any statements or assumptions, I just wanted Father JB to read and learn what Dr. Campbell had discovered. I explained some of the theories presented, including the theory that heredity has a very small influence on cancer, which went against what he (and I previously) had known. Diet, not your genetics or heredity, has a greater impact. He was very cool about it, and very thankful as well. He even mentioned several times that he was going on a plan to exercise and lose weight regularly. And I told him that I'd bug him via email occasionally to see how he was doing. Lastly, I invited him to lunch and we enjoyed a nice bowl of Shoyu (soy-based) Ramen at a close-by Ramen Shop. Mine minus the animal proteins, of course. :) I told him about the movie "The Ramen Girl" starring Brittany Murphy and how it shows how Ramen is revered in Japan. He said he would check it out.

I feel very blessed to have talked to Father JB for the very short time I had. He has a warmth and optimistic compassion about him that I admire and it shows in his presence and his impromptu Homilies. He says "30% Me, 70% Holy Spirit". I laugh about that, but know it's true. If I get a chance to home to the Philippines, I will make it a point to visit Father JB at his church.

Buying Organic

Why buy organic?

This is a good question, and to be honest, there's a lot of conflicting information out there, even in the very books that I quote.

For me, like I've mentioned before, I always buy organic. The only time I choose not to, is if the product I'm buying isn't available at the time I need it. And in those rare cases, I will buy conventional. However, I will not buy conventional greens, berries, apples, and other thin-skinned produce. That's just me. The one big exception is bananas, since I use them so often. There, I choose which is best, regardless of cost. At Trader Joe's, it's $0.19 per banana for conventional or $0.29 per banana for organic. And often times, the organic bananas aren't good enough to buy.

As I mentioned previously, when I used to buy dairy and meat, I would always try to buy organic and in the case of salmon, wild. The only exception was when we had a huge party to throw and invited the family over, which like twice a year or so. Then, we would get conventional just to manage costs. My extended family has a voracious and carnivorous palate, I'll explain that in a later blog.

So, back to the question...why buy organic?

For me, there are two main reasons.

1.) For my personal health and peace of mind. Consider that conventional produce, etc. has pesticides, herbicides, larvicides, and other chemicals sprayed directly on them. Also, consider that hormones and antibiotics for conventional animal products and dairy are used. These are very dangerous to your health, and could be the carcinogens that lead to cancer and disease in the long run.

My best friend illustrated it to me this way. Say, you're at a produce market and the vendor is selling apples. The conventional apples are $1.00/lb. and the organic apples are $3.00/lb. But, somehow the vendor runs out of the conventional apples. So a person asks, "Can I get the organic apples, but at the conventional apple price?" So the vendor grabs an organic apple, pulls out a can of "Raid," sprays the organic apples thoroughly, then hands it over and says "Sure, here you go, $1.00 per/lb." Now, would you really want to eat that?

On the meat and dairy front, it would be great if you knew more about how conventional animals are raised these days. I will explore this in another post, but if you have some time, go see the movie "Food Inc." as mentioned in a previous post. Talk about cruelty to animals. I'm not an animal activist, by any stretch, buy I bought organic meat and dairy previously because of the abhorrent conditions and treatment given to these poor creatures. I'm so relieved now, that I will very rarely consume these products ever again, even the organic version. Conventional meat and dairy is downright dangerous, so I'd rather not consume any of it.

2.) The impact that conventional farming has on our environment. Again, I'm not an environmentalist, by any stretch, but I try to do my part. In our home, we recycle, we compost, we use power shut-off to save vampire power, we use CFLs all over, we try to conserve energy and resources, but it's never enough. But, if you see what pesticides and conventional farming do to the land itself, you'd be appalled. Once fertile land is turned dry and lifeless because of conventional farming. Farmers are dying because of it. If you have some time, catch the movie "One Man, One Cow, One Planet" (http://howtosavetheworld.co.nz/index.php) to learn about the atrocities of conventional farming and the hope of organic and biodynamic farming.

I try to buy most of my organic produce from the local farmers market because that also reduces the environmental impact. Note the measure of "food-miles" that lots of tree-huggers and scientists use. The lower the food-miles, the better for the environment. Translated, that means it you buy produce from someone that grows and sells their food locally, it's better than buying it from a far-away place, since we don't have to pay (in carbon) for the fuel and transport costs associated with it. So, "Buy Local" is a mantra that you'll see a lot.

Organic food is expensive, we all know that. It can cost between 2-4x that of conventional, and it not always available. And if you do more research, you'll probably be more confused about it's health benefits, etc. You're not alone, it's a tough decision. Some people will tell you that it's not really necessary, that peeling off the first few layers of leaf lettuce, for example, is good enough. Some people will tell you that buying organic is more important than being vegetarian. Some people will tell you that the nutritional value of organic vs. conventional is astronomically different, and the super-important micronutrients of organic soil are present in the organic produce, and not in conventional. Some will tell you it doesn't matter. I encourage you to do more research and then make your own conclusions. For our family, we go organic.

Shopping

Calm down ladies. I know what you're thinking. Buy a new LV bag, the latest Jimmy Choo's or Christian Louboutin shoes, or a shiny new pair of Tom Ford Sunglasses. And you too, fellas. Uh, whatever you guys shop for these days.

I'm talking about grocery shopping. It's really been an eye-opening experience when I went "Raw for 30 Days" and now I'm on a similar mission, eliminating all dairy and animal products. It's interesting to see how my shopping habits have changed, and how much money I've saving. It also effects how we go out to eat as well.

First off, milk. Man, we went through milk like water in our family. When I ask the kids what they want to drink, first answer is "Milk!". When we go out to eat and the waiter ask my youngest daughter what she wants, she screams, "Milk, please!". When they are in school, they drink ... you guessed it ... milk. For about the last three years, we've been on organic milk. Why we did that is the topic of another post, but let's just say that I was scared enough by conventional milk, how it was produced, and the dangers associated with it, that we went organic. Now, you can buy conventional milk at Costco for $3.00 for 2 gallons. Or you can buy organic milk at Costco for $11.00 for 2 gallons. So, for the past three years, I've bought organic milk for my kids to drink at home. Never a question, despite the about 4x difference in cost. But, because of T. Colin Campbell's book "The China Study" and issues with milk proteins (casein) and animal proteins in meat causing disease and cancer, my wife and I decided for our family just to not buy it any more. Heck, it saves us some serious money, saves me time, and is probably better for our health in the long run. And to think of it, the times when I had digestion issues, when I started to feel sickest, is when I had cereal and ... yes milk for breakfast. When I went off of it (and also my whey protein shakes), I did feel a lot cleaner. So, this is a win-win for me. We did spend some time talking with our kids, and they were very cool about it. So, now we're trying alternatives ... soy, almond, rice milk. It's an ongoing process, but it seems like the kids aren't having much difficulty.

Next, meat. Well, we didn't really buy meat anyway, unless we're throwing a party for my family (another post). And when we did, it was free-range organic chicken, wild salmon, or grass fed organic beef. Again, why we bought those is a subject of another post, but let's just say it was similar to the conventional milk argument. And man, talk about cost difference. For any of those, you're talking about 2-3x cost difference versus conventional. We're lucky we were quasi-vegetarians, else we'd have to take a 2nd on our house just to have dinner. Again, it's much easier to shop without having to worry about buying any of this. We're gonna try some of the veggie proteins, like TVP (textured veggie protein), but to be honest, I don't like to buy lots of packaged and processed stuff that has "Vegan" on it. I'd rather buy whole fruits and vegetables, etc.

Okay, so now that the grocery store is literally cut in half, it's much easier to shop. Here's a rundown of what I buy and where.

Costco - Organic spring mix and spinach. I eats tons of both, and it's super expensive at other places, so I just get it here. If they have organic frozen blueberries by the bundle, I nab those as well, because I use them in my green smoothies.

Trader Joes - Fruits (bananas, apples, oranges, etc.) -- always organic. Olive oil, spices, salad dressings, soups, nuts, seeds, soy/almond/rice milk, etc.

Farmers Markets - We're lucky we have several to choose from and they're close by. I go twice a week to get fresh greens (kale, romaine, bok choy, swiss chard, basil, etc.), other veggies (zuccini, broccoli, long beans, squash, bell peppers, mushrooms, etc.) and other fruits (nectarines, berries, etc.). I always buy organic.

Whole Foods - My last stop, because it's so darn expensive. Here, I focus on the "Bulk Items". Organic nuts, seeds, rice, and legumes. I'll get whatever I couldn't get at Trader Joes (flaxseed, other seeds, brown rice, nuts, black beans, red beans, other beans). I'll also get my Acai smoothie packs here (darn expensive things), as well any produce I didn't find fresh at the farmers market. Nearly everything at whole foods is organic (unless it says "conventional") and by now you know, I always buy organic.

I don't know exactly how much time and money I'm saving by eating this way, but it really does simplify my life. In our hectic schedules, when we make every excuse in the world just to go to McDonalds and grab a Happy Meal for the kids, and a Super Sized #1 for ourselves, isn't it ironic that eating healthy may actually be easier and cheaper to do? I wonder... Someone tally up the cost (time and money, and include the cost of gas going to the drive-through every meal!) of eating fast food for a week, and let's compare it with eating healthy for a week. I think the healthy eaters will probably feel better after that week (Supersize Me!), but I'm wondering if it really does save time and money... Hmmm!

Green Smoothie

Breakfast is always a challenge, especially when you have a busy life and kids. In our house, it's a mad dash to get an early morning workout in, get ready for work, get the kids ready for school, and FEED EVERYONE BREAKFAST. Uh, I really don't know how it all gets done, but it does somehow.

The hardest part for me has been preparing a nutritious breakfast for everyone, that is palatable and enjoyable. The kids like what kids usually like. Chocolate milk, cereal, waffles, toast with butter, fruit juice, etc. Once in a great while, I'll cut up some fresh fruit for them and they'll moan and groan, but eventually, if the fruit is fresh and tastes good, they like it. For me, when I going "Raw for 30 days" it was either fresh fruit or a salad. My wife would say, "My husband eats salad for breakfast!" and would laugh about it. Heck, what else is there to eat if you're going raw? :)

Then, I picked up a book by Victoria Boutenko called "Green For Life". Great book, by the way, written by a great lady. Her family's story is something you all should read. Not so much for the raw food aspect, but how their family changed and healed themselves, and continue to do so. It really illustrates how this is all an experiment, a lifelong quest of tweaking and finding answers, sometimes very different from what you first thought. Victoria recommends eating lots of fresh leafy greens, as does everyone else. But her point is that it's not easy to eat greens for many people. It takes time, the texture and taste isn't all that palatable, and eating a salad for breakfast just seems weird. Until now...

First, you're going to need a good blender, it's a must. You can try with a regular blender and if it works for you, then great. I invested in a $400 Blendtec TotalHome blender, the same kind they used at Juice Club (original name of Jamba Juice) when they first started. Blendtec and VitaMix are the two big names, they're both very fine blenders for this.

Next, you need to get fresh organic greens. Go to the Farmer's Markets or to a good grocery store with an excellent and fresh produce section. I buy organic and local, but you can decide what you like. Experiment with what works for you. For me, I've used Kale, Swiss Chard, Romaine, Bok Choy, and Spinach. I rotate them in different combinations.

Next, you need some fresh organic fruit. Bananas are always good, but try berries, mangos, apples, whatever you like.

Next, you need some liquid and sweeteners, especially early. I've tried carrot juice, acai juice, acai smoothie packs, raw honey, raw agave, stevia, etc. Try to replace all of this with water eventually, because you really don't need the extra sugar. In the case of agave for example, people have found this similar to simple sugar, so I don't use it any more. I rarely use raw honey or stevia these days, but that's because I really don't care for sweets that much. I'm a Celtic salt guy, remember?

Last, add some organic ground flaxseed, for fiber, texture and taste. 1 Tbls is fine.

Add them to your blender in this order:

1.) Liquid and sweeteners (water only eventually)
2.) Banana and other non-frozen fruits
3.) Greens (washed, de-stem Kale and other very bitter ones if you wish)
4.) Frozen fruits
5.) Some ice
6.) Flaxseed

For me, I push the "Smoothie" button on my BlendTec, and 25 seconds later, I'm good to go. I can take it with me or sip it over SportsCenter or the newspaper in the 5 minutes I have before the kids wake up. And I feel amazingly full and content, nourished and ready to tackle the day.

Give this a try for a few days and see how you feel. You can even try this with a cheap "Magic Bullet" blender ($50) and it might be okay. If you start to like it, consider getting a good blender, because it'll allow you to "drink your greens" whole, unlike juicing (another post) which extracts just the liquid for the greens.

Happiness and The Big Celebrant

Does health = happiness? Not necessarily. It helps, but look around. I see a lot of unhealthy people who are very happy. And I see a lot of very fit people who are very depressed. It's not as simple as that.

I was at church this past weekend, and we had a guest celebrant. He was a big man, to say the least. He was visiting from the Philippines, and made of couple of jokes to begin his sermon. "I was asked to come to America on behalf of our church, and I asked 'Why would you send me? I mean, look at me, it doesn't look like I'm malnourished or anything. I don't miss any meals." The congregation laughed, because as I said, he was a big and wide man. But, but as big and wide as his body was, he had a glow and smile about him that were just as big and wide. He talked about his church in the Philippines, he sang with a booming, yet melodic tone, and he came across as a very happy and content person. He took his situation, something that many of us would be very sad about, and made it happy. Man, I admire this man so much, and I wish that more of us would choose to be happy, despite everything else in our lives.

That said, like the man in Vegas, I wanted to talk with him about health as well. I think I will, this time. He was talking about how priests needed help, how he had been alone for a while. So, I think I will pay him a visit and chat. It'll probably do me more good than him.

...

Bummer, I went to morning WEEKDAY mass today (first time in forever) and paid a visit to the Parish Office, and Father Big Man has left. I'll try to track him down.

Tree Huggers and Vegetarians

The last post was about what NOT to eat, I'd like to continue that discussion here.

Let me begin by stating up front that, as much as anyone else, I'm conscious of animals and the environment. I'm absolutely against cruelty to animals, and I'm into composting, recycling, going green, saving power, and the like. But at the same time, I'm not so zealous that I'm willing to risk my life for the cause. I'm not going to join the Sea Shepherds to save the whales, although I admire what they're trying to do. And I'm not going to camp out in the trees at Cal-Berkeley to make a point. I don't roll that way. I'm trying as best I can to make a difference in my life, and hopefully in the lives of a few other close friends, by sharing my life's experiences.

With that said, when people talk about the environment and their diets as "spiritual" or "zen-like" or any other terms like that, I begin to shut off. I know, it's a weakness I'm working on, to be more open about it. I'm very pragmatic about health and happiness, and I realize that what we do to our environment and what do to our bodies has a huge effect on our spirit. I just choose not to spend a lot of time listening to or hearing those aspects, when someone talks about diet and exercise. Given that, I do believe in God, I go to church and pray regularly, I meditate and do yoga...but to me, that's a very personal and very different aspect of my life, separate from diet and exercise. I know they're connected, but to me, I'd rather know about someone's views on diet and exercise, separate from the spiritual views. Ah well, nobody's perfect.

As to vegetarians, and the point of the entry, what exactly is a vegetarian?

I've observed lots of people lately who claim to be vegetarians, and I see a very wide spectrum of people. I see people who are very healthy, vibrant, and energetic. And I also see people who are overweight and sluggish. And of course, many in between.

There's a person who claims to be a "vegetarian." So he's asked, "What do you eat?" He responds. "I don't eat any animal products, but I also don't eat vegetables, I hate them. I eat pasta, cereals, breads, you know." He's overweight, has a steady stream of Diet Coke running in this office, eats cookies during breaks, and eats lots of stewed dishes full of oil. He rarely exercises.

There's another person who claims to be a "vegetarian." So he's asked, "What do you eat?" He responds. "Whole vegetables and fruits, some cooked vegetables, and even less brown rice and beans, with a few nuts and seeds thrown in." He's very fit, looks probably 10 years younger than he really is, and exercises regularly.

So these two example people show the extremes. Just because you're a vegetarian (don't eat animal products) doesn't mean that your healthy. You may be happy, but that's another blog entry. :) It really does make a difference what you eat and what you don't eat, when it comes to fitness and health.

So, we know that all animal products cause disease, and should be avoided, and that a plant-based (ugh, vegetarian) diet is what we should follow to get healthy. But, that does not mean, you eat Captain Crunch with soy milk and call that a good breakfast. That does not mean you eat a sandwich with white dread, peanut butter and jelly with a side of french fries and call that a good lunch. That does not mean you eat a huge bowl or pasta with tons of olive oil and a few spices and call that a good dinner.

For me, after my Raw for 30-days experience, I went quasi-vegetarian and ate a diet similar to one I just described. I gained weight, I began to feel awful again. So, it wasn't simply eliminating the animal products that would do it for me. I had to find more. As I mentioned, I'm doing the "Eat to Live" plan (a modified version of it), and I'm going to do it for 6 weeks. I'll report my progress weekly in subsequent blogs. But, for now, here's what I will eat daily for the next 6 weeks:

Breakfast - Green Smoothie

8 oz. of liquid (organic carrot, organic acai, organic almond milk, or water)
1 banana
1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries (or acai smoothie pack)
a huge bunch of greens (kale, romaine, swiss chard, bok choy, etc.)
ice cubes
1 Tbls of ground flaxseed
** Throw in a blender (Blendtec TotalHome) and 25 seconds later...smoothie time!

Lunch - Big Salad and Beans + Fruit

Massive amount of organic spring mix
1 Tbls salad dressing (sometimes fat-free, sometime olive-oil based)
Freshly chopped veggies (zuccini, bell peppers, onions, and small amount of avocado)
Pinch of Celtic sea salt (my weakness!)
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 oz. of nuts or seeds (organic raw almonds, raw sunflower seeds)
1 cup of organic cooked black beans (made from scratch, eaten separately)
1 Whole Fruit (organic apple, orange, nectarine, pineapple, melon, etc.)

Dinner - Big Salad and Rice + Cooked Veggies + Fruit

Massive amount of organic spring mix
1 Tbls salad dressing (sometimes fat-free, sometime olive-oil based)
Freshly chopped veggies (zuccini, bell peppers, onions, and small amount of avocado)
Pinch of Celtic sea salt (my weakness!)
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup of organic brown rice (eaten separately)
1 cup of cooked organic cooked vegetables (eggplant, carrots, broccoli, green beans, asparagus, etc. or fresh homemade soup made in the Blendtec - tomato/basil, cold green pea, etc.)
1 whole fruit (organic apple, orange, nectarine, pineapple slices, melon slices, etc.)

Note, I'm also training for a half marathon (13.1 miles), so I tend to eat more salad, beans, rice, fruit, etc. to cover my needs.

As you can see, there's no chips, cookies, junk food, huge amount of oil, refined sugars, pastas, breads, processed foods, or deep fried anything. It's just whole foods, done as simply as possible. I know for some of you, this would be a huge challenge to do. I hear you. But, I would say to try it (or something like it), even for a few days, to see how you feel, before you make any conclusions. Maybe you lose your cravings or tastes for animal products. Maybe you begin to crave fresh fruits and vegetables. Maybe you feel better. Let your body decide. Don't let your mind decide, especially if you haven't even tried.

So far, I'm feeling great. I'm not hungry at all. It's actually much simpler to shop, and my workouts are going fine. But, we'll discuss more in the entries to come...

What matters most? What you eat or what you don't eat?

Good question.

To help answer the question, I'd like you to consider watching a couple of movies, and then reading a couple of books.

"Food Inc." - Robert Kenner and Eric Schlosser (2009)
"Healing Cancer From Inside Out" - Mike Anderson (2008)
"Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman
"The China Study" by Dr. T. Colin Campbell

We're all going to come up with different conclusions, especially if we do more research beyond this. I encourage you to find more information in the ocean of data that's out there. But, I'd like to provide my personal conclusions, and the actions I'll take in my personal life.

What matters most is what you DONT eat, especially if you're talking about cancer and other diseases. Cancer requires a specific environment to exist, based almost exclusively on one's diet. And the common thread is animal products and the proteins that come from them. Suffice it to say, if you completely eliminate all animal products from your diet (dairy, milk, cheese, eggs, chicken, beef, pork, fish), you can prevent or reverse the effects of cancer and other disease. Did I read that right? We know what causes cancer and there's a cure for it, and it's not a magic pill that takes 500 continuous doses that cost $5000 per dose? Yes, that's right.

You'll ask why, you'll question, and that's good. You should question, you should never trust anything you read, you should find out for yourself. It has to do with the pancreatic enzymes your body produces, and how they are meant to break down the protective protein layer of cancer cells. Once the protein layer is broken down, your immune system kills the cancer cells. When you eat animal proteins, these enzymes are diverted to break the animal proteins down, instead of breaking down the cancer cells. And when you eat animal proteins regularly in mass, then the protein layers of cancer cells are not broken down, and they multiply, causing cancer. Vegetable proteins, on the other hand, do not require any pancreatic enzymes to be diverted, they are most easily assimilated and digested by the body. So, if have cancer, and you stop eating animal proteins, your pancreatic enzymes will go back and break down the protective protein layers of the cancerous tumor cells, and your immune system will kill the cancer cells, and reduce the cancerous tumors, until they are completely eliminated.

My brother, who is 8 years older than me, has been a lifelong smoker. Just a few weeks ago, at the behest of so many people who care about him in our family, he quit smoking. He's done it before, but he said this time, he's serious. We'll see. It's better not to smoke, than to smoke, right? Or so I thought.

Consider this. Just 30 years ago, there were (let's assume the numbers for the sake of argument) 10 million smokers and 2.5 million cases of lung cancer. Since then, there has been a huge emphasis to tax tobacco, have non-smoking zones everywhere, and literally denounce smoking. Today, there are 5 million smokers, half of what we had 30 years ago. So, what do you think happened to number of cases of lung cancer? Cut in half? You'd think. It went down 0.5%, to 2.4875 million lung cancer cases. Huh?

So, I tell my brother this, and tell him that it's his diet of dairy and animal proteins, and not the smoking that he should worry about. He's incredulous, and he should be, and says "So, what, you want me to start smoking again?" I respond, "From the data, it's better that you smoke, if that meant cutting out the animal proteins completely." He doesn't believe me, thinks it crazy to not eat meat and drink milk.

Think about this...

1.) Why do you drink milk? And eat dairy products?
2.) Why do you eat meat, eggs, etc.?

If the answer is for the calcium and protein, then re-think your diet. You can get calcium and protein from a plant-based diet, in a more efficient package, and without any of the side effects and disease causing ailments. If the answer is cereal (for milk), then consider an alternative (rice, soy, or almond milk). If the answer is taste, then consider changing "taste" to "how you feel" afterwards. Try to cut out meat for a few weeks, and see how you feel. "Taste" is so temporary, lasts a few seconds. "Feel" last hours, days, months, years.

I miss my father very much. And I know for sure he ate animal proteins, which were likely the cause of his cancer and death. And even at his late stage, it's possible we could've saved him, if we knew then what we know now. No guarantees, but at the same time, chemotherapy provided no guarantees and weakened him greatly. The doctor's diagnosis was that he had 2-3 months to live, and he was right. Once the chemo started, he was right. But, if we knew there was an alternative, at least to try, maybe he'd be here today, playing with my daughters, the grandkids he never met, and joking with me like he always did, with a smile and a laugh.

I have been a quasi-vegetarian (which we'll discuss in a later post) for a while now, eating meat rarely, and now I'm what I would call "animal-protein free" or "severely animal-protein limited". Heck, once in a long while, if there's a mass craving, then just eat it and move on, no big deal. But, get back to the core and understand why.

Please. Watch the movies, read the books. Come to your own conclusions. Make changes in your life if you see fit, and share what you've learned.

My Little Sister

My little sister is 6 years younger than me, and is a very important part of my life. She does so much for so many people, she's so spiritual and enlightened, and she's very down to earth and humble. She's also been burdened with epileptic symptoms for quite a long time. We've spent a lot of time talking about diet and exercise, and we've been workout partners for many an early morning.

Well, she sent everyone an email today regarding the blog, and I wanted to share it with all of you. She's an inspiration to me and to many, and I'm always there for her. Enjoy...

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Hi friends & family! :) Hope this has been a blessed week for all of you!

As you all know...I have had a life-long battle with FOOD & my WEIGHT. Most of you know that at one point in my life, I lost almost 100lbs...only to gain it all back again PLUS more! Like many of you, I've tried just about every diet on the face of this earth...unable to stick to any of them long enough to get long-lasting results. I've researched & studied nutrition since the time I was on Nutri-System & Jenny Craig (back in the late 80's, early 90's). My mind is FULL of nutrition knowledge...and yet...I still continued to indulge in the foods I knew were not good for me. I've always been an emotional eater...eating when I'm happy, sad...bored, lonely. But with my current condition...where I may be on the verge of brain surgery... I know that if I don't do something to change my diet & lose all of these years of excess weight and abuse I've done to my body...I very well may not be healthy enough to get through a no-joke surgery like brain surgery.

You have ALL (at one point or another) been concerned about my health & well-being! I truly believe I am one of thee most BLESSED individuals to have such an awesome circle of friends & family who I know love me so so much & who only want the best for me. I'm sorry for all the times that I took your advice for granted...or if I perceived your help in a hurtful way as opposed to the loving care & concern you truly meant.

One of my angels in my life...my "homie", my brother has ALWAYS been here for me. I can't ever think of a time when I couldn't turn to him for something, anything...and he would be right there...ready & wanting to help me. And I know that he has tirelessly tried to help me & inspire me to take better care of my body. One thing I can say...is that he has NEVER judged me. He's never told me that I was soooo fat or that if I didn't lose weight I was gonna die. He just never gave up on sharing his wealth of nutrition knowledge with me... When he was able to, he would even wake up super early in the mornings (5:30am) to drive me to the YMCA just so I could get in some daily exercise. And this past week...he's done it yet again for me! :) PRAISE GOD! :) And this is what I would now like to pass on to the rest of you... three words... :)

EAT
TO
LIVE!!!!!!!!!!!

My brother got his hands on this book, read it in its entirety...came to me...looked me in the eyes and said, "YOU HAVE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK!" He really didn't have to say much more. I KNEW HE WAS SERIOUS ABOUT THIS BOOK...just from the look in his eyes. He brought me his copy the other day...said "READ IT"...and after reading a few paragraphs into the 1st chapter, I could literally feel something changing. If I could, I would go into every detail of this book...right here, right now..but, like my bro, I am just going to have to say the same thing to you...even though I can't look into alla y'all's eyes at the moment... ;)

READ
THIS
BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!

The title is "EAT TO LIVE" by JOEL FUHRMAN. It's about $15. If I was Oprah, I would buy each of you & each of your family members this book! I am THAT serious about it as well. Alllllllllllll the many LIES we've been told allllllllll our lives will come to light in this book...and the REAL TRUTH will change you forever!!! Do something good for yourself (for a change) and go out today after work...go to Borders or Barnes & Noble...buy it & read this book over the weekend...and I cannot wait to hear what you all have to say after reading it! :)

My father...a non-smoker, non-drinker, died of cancer at age 56. My mom is a type II diabetic (with hypertension) & i have to administer her insulin shots nightly. Some of your parents have or have had to deal with some of the same chronic illnesses. Some of you are already on the verge of being pre-diabetic. IT'S VERY SIMPLE, MY FRIENDS!!! GOD knew exactly what He was doing when He created us. He knew that he would have to provide us with FRUITS & VEGETABLES...whole & perfect foods complete with phytochemicals & phytonutrients...that would ward off chronic illnesses like cancer, hypertension, & diabetes. We've been lied to that we need to drink milk for calcium...or eat meat for protein. Green leafy vegetables contain more calcium than milk could ever do good for our bodies...AND...(something I never knew)...oz per oz...BROCCOLI has MORE PROTEIN than beef/steak!!! AMAZING, BUT TRUE!!! :)

Forgive me, brother, for sharing this next story...but it really made me say "WHOAAAAAAAAAA" when you shared it with me... and since I'm on the topic of meat... ;) Well...

As some of you know, my bro has done numerous types of colon cleanses. He started off with a home-kit cleanse (www.blessedherbs.com) which he's done yearly for a while now... And more recently, he actually went to a clinic to do more like a colon flush! Now...mind you...prior to this cleanse, my bro was on a complete RAW DIET for WEEKS...no meat, NO MEAT... But when his colon was flushed, lo & behold...what did he see with his own eyes being flushed out of his body??? YES...MEAT!!! ;( You will read about this in EAT TO LIVE...why the more meat we eat (even lean, skinless white-meat chicken & fish), the higher the incidence of cancer, such as colon cancer. CRAZY!!!

Now...I know some of you may be saying..."Oh, here she goes again..." Heck! I'm not saying I know everything...and I sure am not saying that I am right... But all I'm saying is READ THIS BOOK...and figure it out for yourselves...and stop feeding & eating into the lies we've been told regarding diet & nutrition. It just might save YOUR life & the lives of your loved ones!

OK...I know I can write forever... ;) haha But I have one last thing to share with you... :) (Just one more thing...I promise) ;)

My brother has started a BLOG about HEALTH & HAPPINESS...and I encourage ALL of you to sign up for it & follow along on his journey toward better health & life-long happiness. :) You just might be inspired by his immeasurable amount of insight & passion! :) PRAISE GOD!

Here's the link... http://tonydjr.blogspot.com/?psinvite=ALRopfX_meF2jcpEN02ZjzhiNlEv1Z64SHeHSJ3hB5dyG03e4OEPVtcFJ3x5aMgsQAdGFkOOSxqKZBgxXgh-kq33SKrpe7vhNQ

Be sure to start reading from the bottom-up! ;) Enjoy & be inspired! :)

In closing, I just want to ask for all of your continued support in the days, weeks, months, years to come! I promise I won't mind if YOU remind me..."Hey, are you sure you wanna eat that?" ;) hehe I am ASKING all of you to please be my ANGELS! :) I know the devil is gonna work overtime in trying to tempt me to over-indulge in some of my favorite foods...so I can use all the prayers & angel-help I can get! :) I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!! :) GOD IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD!

GET THAT BOOK! ;) And have a safe, COOL, blessed, & restful weekend!

HEBREWS 12:15 "SEE TO IT THAT NO ONE MISSES THE GRACE OF GOD..."
PROVERBS 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."
MATTHEW 12:34 "For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks."

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Diets

The word "diet" makes me sick to my stomach. It really means "eating experiment". For me, I've read and tried a ton of them. And when I try, I mean I stick to it without reservation. I'm a stickler for details, so if the "diet" says not eat any sugars for the first two weeks, I will literally spit out lemonade, thinking it was water. Each of the "eating experiments" lasted for several weeks or months, I lost some weight initially, felt pretty good, and then I went back to my normal diet and all the gains were basically erased in a few weeks.

The first diet I tried was "The Zone" by Dr. Barry Sears. Instead of the normal 60/30/10 (carb/protein/fat) ratio, you go with a 40/40/30 ratio. Less carbs, more protein, more fat. The bottom line is that this diet basically reduced my overall calories per day, and thus I lost weight. But, the ratios for me didn't really matter. I could've stayed 60/30/10 and reduced my overall calories and it likely would've been the same. The discipline in planning my meals and counting my calories helped me lose weight initially, but when my calories went up (even through I kept it at 40/40/30), I put the weight right back on. Nice try, but this didn't work for me.

The next one was the "South Beach Diet" by Dr. Arthur Agatston. Here, you are educated about the types of carbohydrates and fats that are good and bad for you and why. Then, you embark on a 3-phase schedule to greatly reduce your carbs for a limited time, then reintroduce foods as you lose weight, then maintain. It's a great diet, and I enjoyed this one, and many of my friends swear by it to lose weight. I lost some weight on it, but I plateaued quickly in Phase 2. No matter what I tried, I couldn't get past that plateau. And believe me, I tried. So once again, once I started eating the "banned" foods, I put the weight right back on.

The Atkins Diet (eat meat and don't eat carbs) failed miserably for me. What was I thinking even trying this? I actually got sick the time I was on this, and felt horrible. I discontinued this within two months.

I've tried colon cleanses, colon hydrotherapy, fasting, juice fasting, and several others...

Earlier this year, I tried a "raw food" diet, inspired by a video called "Raw for 30 Days," which documented 6 diabetics in their struggle to cure their disease with nutrition. Dr Gabriel Cousens hosted these people for 30 days and monitored and administered their diets closely. The results were simply amazing, enough for me to give it a try. My mother is Type II Diabetic, so I did this really to inspire her to try it. A raw (vegan) food diet doesn't allow any cooked food, because the enzymes in vegetables and fruits are killed or altered with temperatures about 105 degrees, or so they say. So no meat, no bread, no dairy. Just vegetables, fruits, raw nuts, and raw seeds. This was tough, I really gave this my all, and I finished all 30 days without eating anything cooked (except for spices, dressings, etc.). And I felt great, better than I've ever felt in my life. I lost weight, the type I wanted to lose, around my belly. My fingers felt thinner, and less swollen. My skin and hair were vibrant. And most of all, my mind was lucid and clear. But, alas, the tough part of this "eating experiment" is that it socially isolates you. Can you imagine living with 3 daughters who are eating sandwiches and pizza right in front of you? Yes, I couldn't eat bread (or cheese), so I was dying. I couldn't go out to eat with my co-workers or family, because there are so few options for 100% raw food. Luckily, my best friend was doing this with me, and found a couple of local restaurants that catered to raw foodies. We tried some of their stuff, which was the inspiration and kick I needed to finish off. I did it for my mom, and to also find out how I felt afterward. I knew I wouldn't do it long term, I just wanted to try it. And I must say, if you measure a "diet" by how you feel, then this one, by far, was the best. However, it was the most unrealistic to sustain as well. For those people who continue to stay on raw food diets over many years, I am seriously impressed. They all look amazing, 10-20 years younger than their real age. They have a vibrance and enlightenment about them, and I appreciate so much the sacrifices they've made for their health.

My latest endeavor is to follow the "Eat to Live" plan by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. I would suggest for anyone who is in search of answers to read that book. It's an eye opening read. It is basically a compromised raw food diet that allows some cooked vegetables and legumes, and limits dairy, animal products, oils, fruit juices, etc. The foundation that Dr. Fuhrman lays out is very interesting and solid, and his plan is very easy to follow, even if you are very active. He allows enough leeway to make mistakes, and you can really go out to a restaurant and survive. I will detail my experience on this diet in future posts. But, for now, knowing how great I felt on the 100% raw food diet, I'm very excited to follow this plan.

20 Years of Struggle

Like many of you who start and stop, who yo-yo, who gain and lose weight, motivation, etc., I have struggled for the past 20 years. Somewhere between my early years and now, I must have fluctuated 45 lbs. several times. I'm the type of person to need just a touch of motivation, then I'm on my way. But, I'm also the type of person to burn-out, get bored, peak out, and plateau. So, I've bounced between these two extremes for a long time. Diet and exercise, for me, is a direct indicator of my current status. If I eat well and am active, I'm good. I look good, I feel good, I'm balanced, I have energy. And when I eat awfully and am sedentary, I'm awful. I look awful, I feel awful, I'm tilted, and I'm lazy. Man, it's frustrating just to trace the years and the pictures of myself through them.

As a child, I was extremely active. I grew up in the early days, when it was safe to play outside all day and night. We had many kids in the neighborhood, and depending on the sports season, we literally would play sports and games from sunrise to "when the street lights turned on". The street lights were our alarm to go home. All told, we played from 8-10 hours a day, with no sunscreen, no water breaks, no special shoes or toys. We just used a ball and a bat, a football, or a basketball and played for what seemed like forever. We did that throughout the whole year. No injuries, no soreness, no fatigue. Just play...and repeat. With respect to food, I don't even remember what I used to eat. All I know is that it was awful, by today's standards. I think I grew up on cereal, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips, soda, ice cream, doughnuts, burgers, and hot dogs. The "All-America" diet, I suppose. And I mentioned previously, it didn't matter. I was still quick, fast, light, and active...and best of all, very happy indeed.

In high school, it was more of the same. I played sports throughout, was very active, worked out 3-5 hours a day, and had the same diet as I had as a child. Our pre-game meal was at McDonald's - Big Mac, Large Fries, and a Large Coke. Our post-game meal was a large pizza at Round Table. Note we didn't have Sports Drinks, Energy Bars, and the like. We were never taught anything about sports nutrition. But, it didn't matter. I was still quick, fast, light, and active...and still, very happy indeed.

In college and shortly after, I started to make better eating choices. I started doing some research on food and sports nutrition, because I started coaching. I shared some of my ideas with my players, modified what they ate, and saw some improvements in many of my players. Guys trimmed down, ran faster and longer, and generally performed better. I was practicing and playing along with them, and with an improved diet, I felt a huge performance increase as well. Now, I was quick, fast, light, and active...and I did it with a better diet.

A few years out of college, I started the yo-yo. Balancing a high-tech engineering career with coaching was tough. It was hard to be in two places at once, and spend the amount of time I had in the past to do a good job in both. Something had to give, and that something was my diet and my fitness. At work, cookies and soda were given at every training, every meeting, and always left out in the break room. Lunches and dinners were extravagant, and travel involved late night dinners, fast food, and generally unhealthy options. I got married, we had kids, and I got swept up big time, and started a path to 45 lbs. over my ideal weight. An accumulated series of small events led to this extreme path. I see pictures of myself at that time, and I literally can't recognize myself.

Then, I had enough. Some of my more active friends were running, biking, and swimming and I figured I might as well try. I'm a good athlete underneath this 45 lb. load, so let me give it a shot. I remember joining the gym and doing my first spinning class in a long while. I about died in the first 20 minutes. But, it started a path back to my ideal weight. I ended up losing 45 lbs., racing in a few triathlons, running several 10Ks, and cycling a few centuries (100 mile rides). My diet was good, not great, because you really need to carbo-load (or so I was told) when you're going that hard. In any case, I felt great, I was active, I had my balance, and I looked like my old self.

And now, I've yo-yo'd yet again. Maybe not to the 45 lb. extreme that I did before, but I've swung about 20 lbs. back and forth over the past few years. I know it's not healthy to yo-yo, but it just happens that way for me. My metabolism is much slower now, and my diet is very clean. But, it seems like I have to work 10x as hard to get 1x the result.

For the rest of my days, I'm committed to an active lifestyle and a very clean diet. It's not easy to do, and even more-so, not easy to keep committed over the long haul. But, this time, I not only want to do this for my health and happiness, but for other people as well. You see, that gentlemen in Las Vegas, who I wanted to help...he was my inspiration. I want to help others in their personal journey towards health and happiness. I can't believe I didn't find it sooner. I love to coach and teach, and yet I've struggled to search for health and happiness through an active lifestyle and a healthy diet. The cross of the two is my new passion. And this 20 year struggle is the template.

Midlife Crisis and The Inspiration

This economic downturn has been tough on many of us. For the first time in my life, I was caught in between jobs. The company I had help found ran out of money, and had us all scrambling for what to do next. In any other time, this would be a non-issue, there would be a line of companies and people pulling me in every direction, and it would simply be a matter of choosing the best opportunity. Not this time. Nobody was hiring, and everyone was looking for a job.

I have been in the high-tech industry for many years, doing essentially the same thing, with different roles. To be honest, I've always questioned if being an engineer is my true passion, or if there's something else. I've coached and worked with kids since I graduated from high school, throughout college, and part of my engineering career. All told, I did that for over a decade, because it was my passion. After that ended, I've known that I needed a new passion. Well, the company I was with gave me an opportunity to chase it. I was in charge of building an engineering team from scratch. Go find the people, interview them, train them, and make them a profitable part of our business in a few years. Perfect! I recruited 4 great kids out of college, and spent the next few years mentoring and training them. It was a cross between my passion of coaching and working with kids, and my engineering profession.

But then, it all came to an end. And with it, questions about my true passion again. This time it was really different. Engineering is so limited and so focused. And it didn't help in my search for health and happiness. The engineering career I chose was a sedentary one, full of people who ate horribly and didn't take care of themselves. I've always tried to balance, but the inertia is tough to overcome, and like before, I tend to get swept up if the pressures of work take over. I found myself full-on into my midlife crisis, and I had literally no idea what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Can you imagine? My father died when he was 56 years old. So, if I'm to follow the same path, I have not that many years left, to live with my kids and my family. And I'm alone, with no direction whatsoever, and no passion in sight.

I went to Las Vegas for a quick vacation with my wife. We went spontaneously, as we are apt to do, and I was reading a book called "Eat to Live" by Joel Fuhrman. Great book, by the way. I'll discuss more about it in another post. We're having breakfast, and for whatever reason (maybe it's the book I just read!), I start looking around to see what people are eating. I see three middle-aged men ordering huge amounts of pancakes, waffles, bacon and sausage, coffee, juice, you name it. One of them says to the other, "Oh my god, that dish is insane!" when the waiter brings out a massive waffle with syrup and assorted stuff on top. The guy polished it off in a few minutes.

Then I look across the room and I see a nice gentleman with his companion. He was dressed very well, pressed white collared shirt with an expensive tie, fitted slacks and polished shoes. But, he is overweight, grossly so. He's hunched over filling himself with coffee, juice, and more bacon and sausage, and whatever pancake or waffle filled with whatever he could find. He is struggling to eat and overeat, and I felt for him. I almost wanted to go up to him and talk about what I read, and just understand why he was eating the way he was, and to try and educate him.

I looked around some more, and saw the same thing with nearly everyone. My goodness, is there anyone out there who cares about themselves and what they eat? For the record, I ordered a very large plate of fresh fruit, leaving the cut strawberries as is on the plate, because I didn't know if they were organic. Those who have read Dr. Fuhrman's book will get that. For me, it was a very fulfilling breakfast that carried me over to lunch without snacks, and in the 108 degree Vegas swelter. Moreover, my mid-life crisis was solved! I looked at my wife and I said, "I think I've found it!" And after 10 minutes of intense discussion with her, I had a new passion, something I know will carry me for the rest of my life...

Background

Thanks for stopping by. I'm a "regular joe," eternally in search of health of happiness. I'm a husband, and father of three daughters. I work as an engineer in the chip industry, something I've done since graduating from college. My wife is health care management, and we've been happily married for 12 years. My daughters are regular kids, who love to play as much as fight.

We have the same issues every family has. We're so busy working, schooling, and everything else that families do on a daily basis that we constantly struggle to live a balanced and healthy life. We try to "eat right and exercise" and try to teach and involve our kids as much as possible. We try to spend as much quality time together, but it never seems like enough.

Personally, I've been involved in a 20-year struggle, between being in great shape, physically fit, well nourished, mentally and spiritually centered ... to the other extreme. As a kid, I was always active, played sports on teams, never had any injuries or health issues. I ate anything I wanted, mostly junk food, and it really didn't matter because I was so active. After college, I stayed pretty fit for a while, changed my dietary habits, and remained very active. Then somewhere between that point and the blur that is midlife, I found myself moving toward the other extreme. My diet was awful, and exercise was limited to sitting at my desk working on a workstation or computer. I was a shell of myself, and it seemed like the changes happened overnight, when in fact, took many years. I said enough is enough and began anew, then something happened.

My father, who was 56 years old, at the time, became gravely ill. In a matter of weeks, he went from healthy and happy to sickly and dying. He passed away in 7 weeks from liver cancer. It forever changed my life, as those of you have lost a parent already know. My father was very active, but didn't exercise regularly. He worked all the time, to help support his immediate and extended family. His diet was awful. To this day, I don't know what the root cause of his cancer stemmed from, but I'm pretty sure if he took better care of himself better, he'd still be with us today.

Since my father passed away, I've began to take more notice of the disease and illnesses that are present in my family. My mother is a Type II Diabetic, my younger sister has epileptic symptoms, my older brother is a lifelong smoker, and my older sister yoyo's with her health and diet as much as I do. We all have our personal health issues, and I've constantly wanted to do something about it. Over the past 20 years, I've toyed with many diets and exercise programs, too many to name, I've read I don't know how many books, watched countless movies, research endless papers and websites, and experimented like mad...all in search of the answer to finding health and happiness.

In the coming days, I'm going to lay out what I tried over the many years, and share this information with you, and the reasons for doing so. I wish you health and happiness and thank you very much for stopping by.