The Psychology of Politics

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The importance of federal nutrition programs and the people who benefit

It was a weird feeling to be volunteering at a food drive on the same day that President Trump paused funding with the potential to impact key food programs in the country. Someone I was volunteering asked, “what do you make of it?” 

“They just don’t fucking get it,” I said. 

The administration claims that it won’t impact federal nutrition programs, but federal nutrition programs have long been in the crosshairs of republicans as a way to reduce government spending. 

The organization I volunteer with recovers food that would’ve otherwise ended up in a landfill. Perfectly good food like organic blueberries, oranges, apples, frozen tilapia, walnuts, canned salmon and tuna, the list goes on. All this food gets redistributed to people in need. If it were not for We Don’t Waste and other organizations like it, all of these items would end up in the trash, and millions more people would end up hungry. 

At least 50 percent of food in this country ends up in landfills. At least 60 million people are food insecure (a number that I personally believe to be extremely under reported).

The people who attend our food drives are a diverse group. Young and old. Americans and immigrants. Able bodied and not. Every ethnicity under the sun. Mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, grandparents. People wait for hours to receive food. Mothers wait in the heat or the cold holding their children. Grandparents wait to get food for their families while their children work. 

This diverse demographic isn’t unique to this organization. It’s been the same across all the organizations I’ve volunteered with. People of all walks of life are hungry, they are struggling, they need food, the same way WE ALL NEED FOOD. Knowing that they have a place to get food eases the burden of their stress just a slice.

It’s a strange thing to think that these people are just trying to “game” the system. I don’t know about you, but if I go to the grocery store and a line builds up in front of me and there’s no extra cashier in sight, I start to get angry. Why do I have to wait at all just to check out? Open another lane!

Here these people wait in line for hours at times. Trying to find shade from the Colorado sun, or keep warm in the frigid winter temperatures. Just to get some food. Completely unsure of what they might get, because every week it’s different. What’s available is dependent on what’s donated by the local vendors. And that varies from week to week. So I find it hard to believe that if they had the option to go to the grocery store that they would choose to wait here, outside, for an unknown. 

They are also the most grateful people. They are constantly thanking us. One young kid even shook my hand today as a gesture of his appreciation for us being there. They are also the most considerate people. Constantly declining food when they already have enough. 

“O no, I already have plenty of rice.”

“We have a lot of macaroni and cheese already in the house.”

“Take as many apples as you want. Do you want more?” I asked someone today. “No, there are more people in line, leave it for them,” was the reply I got.

This notion that these people are not actually in need. That they are gaming the system. That they are not worthy of the most basic and fundamental resource, is an idea that could only be considered by someone who has never seen it in person. 

It can only be considered by someone who just doesn’t fucking get it. 

Tell your lawmakers to visit a food bank and see if it doesn’t change their mind. Only a cold hearted person wouldn’t.

When Everything is Important, Nothing is Important

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My Biggest Pet Peeve

My biggest pet peeve, especially as it relates to health in this country and around the world is that everyone is working on their own thing, which isn’t necessarily the right thing. My pet peeve was triggered the other day after I read an email for a new documentary called Plastic People. The movie chronicles the rising presence of microplastics in our environment, in our bodies, and its impact on our health as a result.

This is good work. Important work. I agree that our obsession with plastic is definitely playing a role in our deteriorating health. I try to limit the use of plastics in my life all of the time. I just don’t think it’s the most important work if we’re really trying to solve our health problems. 

I don’t know how much time, money, human capital, and just overall resources were used in doing the research for this movie, analyzing the research, publishing it, and pulling a movie together, but all I can think about is that every resource used here, could’ve been used to tackle the real issue. Food.

The fact that most people don’t have access to the food they need to be healthy. Most people don’t have access to enough food at all. The fact that the majority of food is grown in lifeless soil. That most food is doused in chemicals like herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that kill life all around it. The fact that most animals are raised in inhumane and unsanitary conditions, and are fed the same toxic food we grow for ourselves. That most livestock are injected with hormones and given antibiotics when neither one is needed.

And, most importantly, the fact that all of that food described above is then processed in factories by large corporations who add more chemicals, sugar, and toxic ingredients to it. And that this same highly processed toxic food is convenient and cheap to buy. 

The average American’s diet now consists of at least 70 percent processed food. At least 70 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. At least 50 million Americans are facing food insecurity. Millions more face nutrition insecurity, a term that is not even spoken about. That is the biggest issue we face.

The fact that all of that food is wrapped in plastic, served on plastic, eaten with plastic utensils, doesn’t help. But it is not, in my opinion, our biggest problem. In fact, I would argue, that if we could change our food system, that if we could change people’s behaviors around food, that it would do more to limit the amount of plastic in our environment than anything else we could do.

If more people shopped for and cooked whole foods only, instead of buying packaged foods and pre-made meals. If more people cooked instead of ordering take out or going to the drive in. If less people drank sugar filled coffees, juices, and smoothies. If all of those things were to happen, if we could change the food system and change peoples habits, we could greatly reduce the amount of plastic on this planet.

And that’s why this is my biggest pet peeve. Because when I see a documentary like this one, or I hear a charity asking for money for research to study cancer, heart disease, Alzheimers, or any other chronic disease, or a research study like this one I wrote about, I automatically think, “what would happen if instead of spreading ourselves and our resources thin across all of these ‘issues,’ we aggregated them around the main issue. Food and the food system.”

How much better off would we be?

I’m sure this perspective will garner push back from many. But I think if you truly understand the impact the way we grow food has on the planet, and the way the food we eat impacts our health, you too would realize that there is no greater issue we face than this one. 

Everyone Already Knows the Answers

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I started chatting with a guy on the chair lift the other day. He asked me if I took off from work to be there. It was mid-day on a Friday. I told him I work from home, so I didn’t have to. I just skipped out for a few hours. When he asked me what I did for work, I told him I run a blog.

“That pays the bills?”

“No,” I laughed, “but hopefully one day it will.”

He asked me what the site was about, so I explained the focus on health and self improvement, which prompted the question, “Are you a psychologist, doctor, nutritionist? What qualifications do you have to give out this advice?”

“No credentials,” I said, “just a life long devotion to the cause, and 10 years working in the healthcare system, where I learned everything we do wrong.”

“Right, treat the symptom, not the cause. My doctor has me on a statin for high cholesterol, and high-blood pressure medication. He’s been telling me for 10 years I’m pre-diabetic, and every time I go back to him he says the same thing. But I keep telling him, this is my new baseline.”

“It might be,” I said, “but the problem is if you do end up with diabetes…” He cut me off.

“I’m not going to get diabetes. I know what my problem is. It’s the three beers I drink before bed. It’s the three brownies and Cheez-its I had for dinner last night. It’s not every night, it’s not all the time, and I’ve really cut back, but I know if I cut it all out, I’d definitely get rid of this belly.”

“But I’m happy,” he continued, “I’m having fun.”

Everyone knows but no one wants to do it. It’s this idea that prompted me to write this piece the other day talking about how the formula is always the same. It’s always the same, beer, brownies, and Cheez-its are bad, and everyone already knows it. But very few people act on it. Not until it’s too late.

The number one reason I hear and read about that makes people finally focus on their health is a health scare. Number one reason. I’d say the number two reason is for their children. I don’t know if there’s a third. Very few people wake up one day and just decide to do it for themselves, which is a shame.

But the problem as I see it is that drinking beers, eating brownies, and snacking on Cheez-its might sound fun, and it might make you happy when you’re doing it, but I have a hard time believing that it’s more fun and creates more happiness than doing the opposite. That it creates more smiles in the longer run compared to being healthy.

I can only speak from personal experience. I’ve been devoted to my health for more than half of my life. And during that time I’ve drank, I’ve done drugs, I’ve stayed up late, I’ve eaten shitty foods enough to know what it all feels like. But I’ve spent many more hours not drinking or doing drugs. Getting a full night’s sleep. I’ve eaten many more meals full of whole foods rich in vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients. And hands down, 10 out of 10 times, the latter is what has made me happy and have fun. And the more dialed in I’ve become over the years, the greater the returns on happiness have been.

If you’re just waiting until you have a health scare, until you finally cross that threshold from pre-diabetes to full blown diabetes, then you are wasting time feeling below optimal. You’re not feeling as good as you could be feeling, which might not seem possible to you, but I promise you it is. If you are allowing alcohol, added sugars, and highly processed foods to occupy a full time seat in your life, then you are allowing those substances to reduce your vibration. You are letting them keep you down.

Life is short, and you only get one. Don’t wait until you have a health scare or until having kids wakes you up. Start making the change now. Every day is a good day to try.

The Behavior of Change

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Pulling the trigger is the hardest thing we do

I’ve been talking to two family members for over a year about making investments in the stock market. In that time the market has returned over 20%. But neither one of them have benefited from the market’s performance, because neither one of them have pulled the trigger and invested.

Each of them has their reasons and excuses. One of them was waiting for the presidential administration to change. He had no faith in the outgoing administration, and is all in on the new one. The other one wanted something where he could make a HUGE return. The 8% average return the market yields wasn’t enough. So neither one of them has gotten involved, and neither one of them has grown their money as a result.

I should say, to be fair, that they each have their money invested, its just that their in products that they either don’t want to be in, or that aren’t getting them the returns they want. Which is the reason they’ve been asking my opinion on the market.

I think there are a number of reasons why we hesitate to pull the trigger on something we intuitively want. I think part of the hesitation is the illusion or distraction created by having too many “choices” (if you listen to Wendell Berry he says its the illusion of choice that is our biggest hindrance in life). Why should I invest there when I could invest here, or in that new thing everyone is talking about? What’s that thing everyone is getting rich off of? I think part of it is fear of the unknown. Of doing something you’ve never done before. Something you have little experience with. What if the market goes down? What will I do? And I think part of it is FOMO (fear of missing out). FOMO of bigger returns, better investments, doing something else with my money!

Whatever the reason the result is always the same. Inaction caused by indecision. Inaction that causes missing out on material gains, and mental distress left by the weight of your indecision.

Two years ago when Jen (my fiancé) and I were leaving Los Angeles I pulled a lot of money out of the market. We didn’t know where we would end up living, or what we would do, and there was the potential of buying a house when we did land somewhere. And for all of those reasons I wanted to have a lot of cash on hand. I didn’t want to be in a position where I was selling stock during a market sell off in order to pay our bills or to buy a house. I wanted to take my gains while they were there. I had played the waiting game before, and lost.

I also was very focused, and still am, on consolidating my portfolio. Trying to get the number of positions I held from 20 down to 10 or less. So, after going back and forth, reviewing my portfolio non-stop, I ultimately pulled the trigger and sold off a handful of stocks. I got my cash, and consolidated my portfolio. Progress on two fronts.

Two of the stocks I sold were Netflix and Uber. Both stocks had been on a bumpy ride up until that point. Hitting all time highs followed by huge sell offs. They were too volatile, and their volatility was causing me undo stress. I could no longer look at them and wish them to return to their highs. It was more important to dump them, free my mind, and get the cash. So, that’s what I did.

When I sold Netflix it was trading at $365. It now trades close to $1,000. When I sold Uber it was trading in the $40s. It recently hit an all time high of $87.

From a pure dollar perspective this was a terribly bad move, but the problem with assessing it that was is that it gives no value to the mental aspect of it. That yes, in hind-sight, I could’ve kept both, only sold a handful of shares. But had I done that I would’ve still been putting energy into watching them pop and then retreat. Trying to will them to go up, and stay there. It also would’ve been two more stocks in my portfolio, distracting me from my goal of consolidating. Two more stocks to watch, spreading my attention thin. And while I can’t quantify the value of giving myself the mental room to breath, in my experience it’s benefits far outweighs any dollar amount.

Because I believe that when you get stuck at a decision point, and you let it linger for too long, it starts to consume you, and it prevents you from making progress everywhere else in your life. I belie that when you have a desire to do something, or a need to do something, that’s your intuition calling to you. That’s your gut telling you what to do, and if you ignore it, it has ripple effects throughout the rest of your life. When this happens the call of your intuition starts to get drowned out, and quieter, and dull, until you can longer hear it or recognize it. And the more you ignore it, the worse it gets, until you’re paralyzed with indecision, and it starts to feel like nothing can go your way. And I think that following our intuition, that internal calling we all have, is what leads us on our path to the life we were meant to live.

Now the interesting and amazing part is that at any time you can get that voice back. You can reignite that calling and get back on your path by finally pulling the trigger. Releasing yourself and your mind from that roadblock, and allowing that voice back in to help determine what it is you need to do next.

The Behavior of Change

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Be careful of thinking its just the way you are

When I was working I used to wake up at 5 am so that I could be at the gym by 5:30 am when they opened. I wanted to get my workout in, shower, and be sitting at my desk no later than 8 am with my breakfast. I prided myself on being one of the first ones in the office. When I started training for my first Ironman I woke up at 4 am to meet my team for training.

After following this routine for 10 years I had convinced myself that I was someone that needed to work out first thing. And in some ways I did. Because when I didn’t, my mood suffered and my days were chaotic. Schizophrenic even. My mind couldn’t focus. I had become so programmed to that routine, and believed so deeply that I needed to workout that early.

In 2018 I left my job, and despite not having a job to get to, a desk to fill, I continued waking up at 5 am - 6 am just to workout. It’s been six years since I’ve held a formal 9 - 5 office job, but it’s only been recently that I’ve been working on de-programming myself. For a couple of years I’ve realized that I’d prefer to sleep in and spend my mornings writing and reading with a cup of coffee. And that I feel so much better when I workout in the afternoon. But I was so resistant to changing because I feared that if I did, my days would be ruined. 

I’m just someone that needs to start my day with a workout. I can’t miss it. And that belief kept me from doing what actually wanted to do. It kept me from listening to my intuition telling me “that’s not us.”

That’s just one example, but I havre many more throughout my life, as I’m sure you do.

I never believed I was the type of person to get married, until I met my girlfriend, who’s now my fiancé.

I never enjoyed the taste, texture, smell, or look of mushrooms, until I listened to a 3 hour podcast with mycology expert Paul Stamets, and I learned all about the health benefits of eating mushrooms.

There’s so many beliefs we tell ourselves that never allow us to get better. I can’t control my temper, I’m just an angry person. I can’t be happy, I’m just a depressed person. I can’t invest my money, I’m just not analytical. 

My grandmother used to always say “I’m just a scary person.” Her way of saying she was afraid of everything. Afraid of strangers. Afraid of being alone. Afraid that something would happen to her kids, her grandkids, her husband. When she was a child her mother passed away, and she was left with her father and step brother. I never met her father, but by all accounts he was a miserably and shitty fucking person who treated my grandmother like shit. And her brother, who suffered from seizures, was no better. Living in a house with these two was definitely scary. So it is no wonder why my grandmother was a “scary person.” She was raised to be.

I’m sure there is something in your life, a situation where you realized that the way you thought you were wasn’t true. Something changed that caused you to realize it. Maybe something happened at work. Or with your parents. Or while reading a book. Or on a trip to a new place. Maybe a podcast on mushrooms like me. It’s happened to all of us. Understand that that is true of almost everything you believe about yourself. That nothing about your behavior or actions is set in stone. That your habits and routines, your likes and silks, are all subject to change, and you can change them. 

My good buddy has the best saying. He’s a guy who’s competed in a handful of full distance triathlons (Ironmans). He and I cycled thousands of miles together all over California. Whenever someone says “I can’t do _____,” he says, “not with that attitude you can’t.” Believe you can and you will.

What do you believe about yourself that might not be true? What new information would make you believe change is possible? 

Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce

I’ve been getting these amazing wild sockeye whole salmon filets from this company Thunders Catch. I randomly stumbled upon them at a local food coop about an hour away from my house in this little town called Nederland. It was by far the best frozen fish I’d ever made. So I went onto the company’s website and discovered that I could order them in bulk, 25 lbs at a time. I had recently bought a freezer for a 1/4 share cow I purchased, so I went for it and bought the bulk filets.

Normally I bake the salmon with either just olive oil and salt, or sometimes I add a layer of dijon mustard to it. At 350 degrees it takes about 17 - 18 minutes. But I was wanting to try something different, so I searched for some recipes and came across this one.

Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce

I love butter but I don’t cook with it enough, so I was excited to try this one. Also the only time I’ve ever had garlic, lemon, butter sauce was at a restaurant so I decided it was finally time to try it myself.

I didn’t pan sear the salmon though. Since the salmon I buy comes in big filets, I opted to bake it instead and add the sauce once it came out. I also used vegetable brother instead of chicken broth. For one, I didn’t have any chicken broth handy, and two chicken broth and salmon seemed like an odd pairing although I’m sure it would be delicious.

I paired my salmon with quinoa and mushrooms, and zucchini, red bell pepper, tomato, and garlic, sides that I had made the night prior. The salmon was absolutely delicious. The sweetness of the honey in the sauce brought out the sweetness of the fish that I had never experienced before. Overall a great recipe and a nice dish for dinner.

The Behavior of Change

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Not eating before bed

Not eating before bed remains the hardest thing for me to do. I just love a little go bed go night night treat (that’s what they’re called in my house). But eating before bed, no matter what it is, has the biggest impact on how I sleep, how I feel when I wake up, and whether or not I’m able to to achieve my physical goals. Mainly, maintaining a certain weight, and keeping that small pocket of fat at the bottom of my belly at bay.

So it’s a real conundrum and a real battle for me. I know that if I can string a few nights together without having that bedtime snack, that I’m going to see and feel the results I want. But, I also know how much I enjoy those after dinner treats.

I have a few things I try to do to avoid snacking at night. First, I try to make sure I get in all the calories and macros I need throughout the day. This helps to limit my cravings at night. It also helps limit my ability to rationalize having a snack. I’m very good at convincing myself I need more food because I didn’t get enough calories, or protein, or fats. In particular after a hard training day. Along these same lines I try to make sure I have a balanced and substantial dinner that isn’t going to leave me craving more in a couple of hours. I’d rather overdo dinner a little bit, than leave myself hungry for food before bed.

Also, I look for signs that I’m just trying to eat. There are two signs that I always notice in myself. First, whenever I go to the kitchen looking for food but nothing appeals to me, I know I’m not actually hungry and I’m just looking to eat. Because when I am actually hungry it’s only a matter of moments that I’m putting together a plate with everything I want. Second is when I start telling myself I don’t care. The conversation in my head usually goes something like, “you don’t want to eat that, it’s going to negatively impact your sleep and your goals.” To which the glutton in me responds with, “I don’t care.” Well I do care, so I know that’s not the voice of reason, that’s the voice of someone bored looking for a treat.

But if I’m really needing something, I might mix some protein powder (usually casein) in water. Soy milk if I’m really getting crazy. Also, I’ve recently been on a milk kick. An 8 oz glass of whole milk can usually do the trick (I’ve been loving this A2 milk that supposed to be easier on digestion). Milk also works if I wake up in the middle of the night craving something. A teaspoon of CALM in 8 oz of water is another good trick. Something about the molecular make up of magnesium tends to settle med down.

But the hardest nights are the ones when my fiancé goes for a snack. On those nights it’s almost impossible not to join her in her indulgence. Luckily, she doesn’t do it often, so when she does I usually just cave and indulge with her. Just another reason why it’s important to be on the same page as your partner.

I love food. I love eating. I love eating all throughout the day. But at some point I have to put a lid on it, and I find that shutting it down a few hours before bed offers me the best results.

Workout Journal: Running Far and Fast

I’ve been wanting to get back into endurance shape, mainly running, but I have not been willing to put the work in. I’ve been telling myself a number of excuses that have kept me from doing it. All of them sounding legit and very believable.

My main excuse was that I didn’t want to give up strength training. My first true love. Even as I write this, all I can think about is that there is no comparison to the feeling of lifting weights. Something about it feels almost primal to me. But it’s that love and unwillingness to give it up that was also keeping me from getting back into running.

At the time I really started thinking about getting back into endurance training, I was lifting a minimum of 3, but more typically 4 days per week. Hard sessions too. So it left no time or energy to also build my running endurance. Whenever I went for a run I was too sore and my leg muscles were too fatigued to be able to make any progress.

The second excuse I told myself had to do with the injury I sustained a few years ago and never fully recovered from. It was an injury to the achilles tendon on my left foot, that became a chronic hip flexor, glute medius, lower back, and psoas injury on my right side. The pain I often experienced after running was always enough to make me think twice before my next run.

The third excuse was part of my ego. Before I ever got injured I could run fast. Sub 7 minute miles over a long distance was the norm for me. But now I’m lucky if I can run sub 9 minute miles for 3 miles. My run gait is too labored to get up to those old speeds.

But despite these excuses I wanted to so badly be able to walk out my door and go for a run. I wanted so badly to get back into a consistent pattern of running. While weight training is my first true love, running, especially over long distances at high speeds, is a very, very, very, close second. The high you experience after a good run is everything. And I desperately wanted to get back there. So, a few weeks ago I finally said fuck it, and started back on the road to running.

A few things did help me finally pull the trigger though. One, all that regular heavy lifting over the prior 2+ years finally got me burnt out. All of a sudden I found myself unable to imagine lifting weights. Just the thought of it made me tired and made my body ache. I needed a break. Plus, winter in Colorado rolled around and my garage gym became almost unbearable to hangout in and do a workout. It turned into a very different atmosphere than the one I had gotten used to over the warm spring, summer, and fall months, working out with the garage door open, the sun shining through.

Second, my injuries started to feel better, thanks in large part to a kettlebell class I started taking with the world renowned trainer Beth Lewis. The predominant exercises in the class are kettlebell swings and Turkish get ups. By learning the techniques and good form needed for these exercises, my mobility and range of motion began to improve, and a lot of my pain started to alleviate in the process. I discovered that one of my main issues was that I could not properly hip hinge, which meant that I was loading wrong, and by loading my weight incorrectly, I was causing issues throughout my body. These class began to correct that.

Lastly, I stopped worrying about being fast. I stopped worrying about running far. I remembered a saying I heard years ago. In order to run fast, first  you have to be able to run far. So, I went back to an old challenge my buddies and I did a few years ago. 30 days of 5k. Every day for 30 straight days you run at least a 5k. I modeled my new program around that. Not looking at the time, and not worrying about the distance. As long as it takes to run 5k, and stopping right there.

It’s been a few weeks now, and I’ve been consistently running 5 - 6 days per week, and I fucking love it. In total I’m hitting about 16 - 20 miles per week, averaging maybe 9:30 min/mile, and I feel good. I run even when it’s 0 degrees outside or when it’s snowing. Since I know it’s just ~30 minutes I’ll be outside it’s easy to convince myself to get out and do it. 

I’m still not lifting weights the way I was. Instead I’m working my kettlebells technique twice per week to supplement my running. Skiing or hiking when I get the chance. I’m thoroughly enjoying it, and I’m hoping that by the time the summer rolls around, I’ll have built up enough endurance to run far, and eventually run fast.

The Behavior of Change

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The formula is not that easy and never the same

I used to think that everyone was impacted the same way by everything. The first time I realized that wasn’t true was when a few friends and I tripped on mushroom. I was expecting for all of us to have essentially the same trip. We didn’t. It was my first time taking a heavy dose of mushrooms, and it’s safe to say I had the biggest reaction to them. I’ll spare you all the details except to say that I spent the 6 hours on the floor, under a blanket, going between fits of crying, laughing, and asking the group if I should drink water. It was something.

One of my friends spent his trip walking around draped in a shaggy blanket, laughing at everything and everyone. My other friend played DJ and sat in a chair, eyes closed, listening to the music. My last friend kind of did a combination of everything, feeding off whichever one of us he was interacting with. The one thing they did have in common, was that they kept a close eye on me.

Now, we did all take different size doses. We also are four guys with very different builds. One guy who took as much as me, threw up about an hour into it. A couple people had done full trips before. A couple of us had not. But despite that, despite those differences, I was still shocked by how different our experiences were.

I was also shocked by what we each got out of it in the days and weeks that followed. I had a number of different break throughs during my trip. Some I think were pretty common, like fully understanding the connectedness of the universe and mankind. While others were deeply personal, like a new perspective on strained relationships in my life and the decision to confront them. 

But I never heard of any of the other guys having any new revelations about life, or the world. Or anything they planned on doing differently based on what they saw or felt during their experience. No new insights about relationships, work, goals or ambitions. Maybe they had them but never shared them with me. Or maybe because I was such a mess during my trip that they couldn’t get the full experience I had. Or maybe the different doses and body types played a bigger role than I realize. Regardless, I had expected we’d all come away with something similar to share.

A friend who I no longer speak to, recommended reading Boyd Varty’s The Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life a few years ago. We were both at major transition points in our life, and trying to find our path. He assured me that this book would change my life. He was right. I listened to the audio version that first time, and I enjoyed it so much that I went out and bought a physical copy and have since read it three more times. It is the book I gift the most to people because of the impact its had on me. If you haven’t read it, and you are seeking your path, then I highly recommend it.

But it doesn’t appear that its had the same impact on my old friend. Although we no longer speak, we still have mutual friends, and they, unsolicited, update me from time to time on what’s he’s doing. In short, he seems to be doing the same stuff he was doing 4 years ago when he recommended that book.

So what is it about a drug, a book, a movie, a podcast, a news story, or an experience, that can have such a great impact on one person, while seemingly having no impact on the other?

A few years ago a friend of mine and I went to Patagonia for a 7-day trek around Torres del Paine National Park. It was only the third time I had ever been on a hike before in my life (I was 30 by this point). And it was the first time I had ever camped or backpacked. At the time both my buddy and I had just left long tenures at our respective jobs, and were unsure of what we would do in the future. That trip completely changed the trajectory of my life. It motivated me to leave New York, the only place I had ever lived, and it shifted my focus to exploring the outdoors. It also convinced me that there was more to life than a job. Six years later and I haven’t returned to New York, or work, while my buddy has. 

So what is it? I think it’s about intention. What do you intend to get out of this experience or do with your newfound knowledge? I think that you need to have an intention going into it in order to get anything out of it. I think that every body is at different points of their journey. Some people might not even have begun theirs. It doesn’t matter how old you are or where you came from. Your journey and where you are on it, is unique to you. And I think the number and types of experiences you’ve had prior tot his new one, whether it’s tripping on mushrooms, reading a powerful and influential book, or taking a trip that’s outside of your comfort zone, plays a role.

That’s why you can’t treat every person the same and expect the same outcome. That’s why you need to be kind and figure out where people are on their journey and meet them there. You need to understand where they’ve been and where they want to go if you want to help them. It’s very easy to just repeatedly bludgeon someone over the head with what’s worked for you, and wonder what’s wrong with them when you don’t get the result you’re looking for. But that’s why I’m saying no formula is the same and it’s not that easy. We’re all unique and we will all respond in kind.

Political Psychology

Maybe they should ban TikTok

I’ve thought it was a bad idea from the beginning, but I think I’m starting to come around to it. They claim the reason is because of Chinese influence on our society, and because China is collecting data on US citizens that could be used against us. But that’s not the real reason and we know it (at least some of us do). As the lawyer for TikTok accurately pointed out, if that really was the reason, then why are other Chinese owned companies that also collect user data still allowed to exist?

It’s like this excerpt from an article I read recently about why the US placed a $15 million bounty on Venezuela’s President Maduro. The US claims it’s because he’s been involved in trafficking cocaine into the US for the last 20 years, costing lives and ruining communities. But as the author accurately points out, that’s not the real reason. 

“If the United States were genuinely concerned about democracy and human rights, Venezuela wouldn’t even make the top ten of their hit list. If it were about promoting democracy or protecting human rights, they’d be placing bounties on the heads of Saudi Arabia’s royal family or Israel’s prime minister.“

No they want to ban TikTok because they don’t have control over censoring it the way they do Instagram and FaceBook, or the way they used to have control over Twitter (now X), before Elon Musk bought it. Or the way they have control over the narrative the news spins. “COVID misinformation,” most of which turned out to be true, spreading across TikTok is what started it, and now its about censoring the reality of the brutal atrocity that Israel, backed by US weapons and money, is carrying out in Gaza, and about squashing opposition to the US support for Ukraine.

But here’s why I’m coming around to the idea. Because maybe a ban on TikTok will lead to a ban of Instagram, FaceBook, X, BlueSky, Truth Social, pick your poison. Whichever platform you rationalize using. Maybe a ban on one, will mean a ban for all, and we can all start getting our lives back. People can stop endlessly scrolling at dinner, or while they’re crossing the street, or while they’re supposed to be working. They can stop looking at shit they don’t care about, and obsessing over things that don’t impact them. Maybe they’ll stop having their minds infected with things that don’t actually matter, and they can focus on what does. They’ll finally be able to get away from things that are just there to trigger their nervous system, to make them angry, and instigate a response. Maybe if we eliminate one, we can eliminate them all, and everyone can pick their heads up long enough to see what is actually happening around them.

Yes I could be in favor of a TikTok ban if it means all of social media goes away. I think we were doing just fine when it was just the internet. And I think if we can get back there it will transform the population. I know it will never happen, but this TikTok ban has got me dreaming.

The Behavior of Change

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“Every day represents an opportunity to start a new. To make the change you’ve been dreaming of”

Stay Close to the Pin

This is the advice I gave my buddy the other day. It’s also the mantra I repeat to myself. Particularly during times when my normal exercise and diet routines have been thrown off. Whether that’s by choice, like taking a trip abroad, or it’s out of my control, like hosting my fiancé’s family for a couple of weeks over the holidays. Stay close to the pin, the pin is your goal or desired outcome, means focusing on what is in your control that can keep you from veering too far off.

If there’s three meals in a day, and you know dinner is going to be an indulgent affair, like say going out for Italian, or celebrating a friends birthday, then make sure that the other two meals balance it out. As an example, when I’m traveling I like to have a big healthy breakfast with fruit, eggs, bacon, yogurt, and a garden salad. I like to fill myself up before I leave to explore for the day. This way I’m not jonesing for every piece of food or pastry I see. Also, so that when I indulge at dinner, which is inevitable when traveling, I at least know that I started my day on the right food. And, at breakfast the next morning I can balance myself out again. I’m just trying to stay as close as I can.

With family visiting, I try to do the same thing with breakfast, and I’ll also sneak other healthy snacks throughout the day. Some raw nuts. Some fruit. A protein shake. So when we sit down for dinner, I’m hungry, but not starving and in danger of overdoing it.

Exercise is similar. What can you fit in during your trip? Or while you have company? Or whatever else it is that might be throwing off your routine. Maybe it’s 10 minutes of squats, push ups, crunches, and lunges to start your day. Or a few variations of plank holds. If you’re staying in a city where you’re going to be walking non-stop, then maybe you don’t need to formally exercise. Just choose to walk over getting into a taxi, or taking the stairs over escalators or elevators. On a recent trip my fiancé and I walked for an hour from our hotel to where we were meeting friends. My one buddy kept messaging me asking where we were. They Ubered to the destination and ended up arriving 30 minutes before us and the rest of the party. When we finally got there I told him we walked. He immediately started laughing. He said, “We thought about walking but decided to take an Uber. I told the group if anyone would walk it, it was Jen and James.” He was right.

The idea is not to make physical gains while you’re traveling, or when you’re out of your routine in general. You’re not going to be able to make progress during these times anyway, so don’t force it. Take it as an opportunity to break routine. But do just enough to keep the muscle memory of your routine fresh in your mind. It might not be the 60 minute high intensity workout you’re used to doing, but something is better than nothing, and something keeps the habit front of mind.

Stay close to the pin also means to give yourself a little slack. Don’t torture yourself with your routine. If you’re torturing yourself, it won’t be sustainable. If it’s not sustainable then you won’t stick to it long term. And the most important thing when it comes to making progress is consistency over a long period of time. Back off a little bit if you need to. Indulge a little bit if you need to. Just keep an eye out throughout your day for opportunities to strike a balance. A big dinner out with friends can be followed the next day with a light healthy breakfast and lunch. A missed workout can be balanced by a long walk when you get home or in the morning the next day while you sip your coffee.

Stay close to the pin, so when you’re ready to return you don’t have far to go. Poor health, weight gain, is not the result of 1 or 2 missed workouts or bad meals. People don’t end up in a hole because they fell off. Everyone falls off at some point. What matters is how far off you fall and for how long. Stay close to the pin.

And if you have a desire to start eating better and getting more active, don’t ever let that desire die. Think about it every day. Tell yourself that today is the day. And if not, then tomorrow. That is the day. My boss used to take home a briefcase every night filed with work. But he never did any work at home. Finally one day I asked him, “why do you keep bringing everything home when you never work on it?” He said, “It’s the intention that matters, and one day I will.” Never lose your intention, and one day you will make it happen. Every day is an opportunity to make the change you want.

Not to get political

Healthcare

I was talking to my neighbor the other morning. We ran into each other walking our dogs. My fiancé and her both share a history of cancer. My fiancé currently has stage IV metastatic breast cancer. We found out less than a year ago. My neighbor knows this and was asking how she was. All things considered, she’s doing pretty great. But it launched us into a conversation about healthcare.

My neighbor’s new insurance doesn’t cover preventative PET scans, a very effective form of diagnostic imaging that could detect cancerous cells throughout the body. So she told me she’d first have to be diagnosed with cancer, again, for a third time, before her insurance would cover a scan. By which point it could be spread to multiple locations throughout her body. The best chance of survival when it comes to cancer is early detection. Which makes this policy insanely dangerous and stupid. 

Its backwards policies such as these that leave the patient out in the cold that caused me to leave a successful career in healthcare after nearly a decade. I could no longer be an accomplice to such crimes.

My neighbors husband it turns out left for similar reasons. He was working for an insurance company that celebrated when they got above a certain threshold of claims denials. The more claims they deny, the less services they pay for, and the more money that goes to their bottom line. The more of a chance that treatable diseases, like cancer, are missed, and people like my neighbor or my fiancé suffer.

One of my responsibilities at work was to fight the insurance companies for erroneously denying claims, and for what we called short pays (the health insurer is contracted to pay $90 for a service but they only pay $60). We had a whole department dedicated to this one function of recovering money we were owed, a large percentage of which was owed to the doctors we managed. We routinely negotiated multi-million dollar settlements ($30 x thousands of claims = millions of dollars). Wasting hours of our time, and never getting 100 percent of the money owed to us. The reason a doctor spends only 10 - 15 minutes with each patient is not just because of the low level of reimbursement they are receiving, but because sometimes they aren’t being reimbursed at all, and they need to make up for it with volume.

These are the very real games that health insurance companies play, and get away with. Sometimes the doctor pays for it. Sometimes the patient does. But the insurance companies always seem to walk away unscathed. Healthcare in this country is a business. And business, particularly in a capitalist society, is driven solely by profit. And when patient outcomes are pushed aside in favor of more profit, you end up with a nation of chronically sick individuals.

The Behavior of Change

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“The funny thing about a problem is that once you deal with it, it goes away.”

Are You Trying?

For the past 6 week I’ve been trying to lose the extra holiday/vacation weight I put on. According to the scale I’m up about 5 lbs. Most of the day I don’t even notice it. It’s only when I get in the shower, or at night before bed. That’s when it sticks out to me, and that’s when I usually mutter to myself something along the lines of, “I just can’t get rid of this belly.”

Now, the reality is that I actually have not been trying to Lise it. Ever since combing back from vacation and hosting the Christmas holiday, I’ve been allowing myself to indulge in food that I normally wouldn’t eat. Food that I wasn’t eating before my trip. The change has been sparked in part by a new desire to cook more recipes than are not in my normal repertoire, in terms of types of food, flavor, ingredients, and technique. Things like homemade granola (loaded with sugar), and homemade beef stew (loads with fat).

So really, it’s no surprise that I have yet to put a dent in those extra lbs. because I’m not really trying to. In fact, I’m consciously doing the opposite wow what I know I should be doing. And every time I look at my belly, I’m reminded of this. Right after I mutter to myself about not being able to lose it I follow it with a smile and say, “yea, but I’m kind of enjoying it.” I’m not ready to lose it. I’m not ready to begin trying. I’m enjoying the different foods, indulging for a change, and I don’t intend on stopping right now.

I talk to a lot of people who ask me for diet and exercise advice. Some are open to what I have to say, others are not. They don’t exactly say that, I can just tell by their excuses. “O that’s really hard, I love my pasta.” “What will I eat for cereal?” Or, “I don’t have the time.” They don’t realize it, but what they are really saying is “I’m not ready.” And that’s ok. But recognize the difference.

Stop torturing yourself with something that you think you want. If you don’t want to give up your pasta or cereal, and you don’t want to wake up early to exercise, then you don’t want to make a change to improve your health. Not yet at least.

You’re not actually trying, the way I’m not actually trying to lose my extra pounds but yet wondering why every night I see this “unwanted” belly. But one day I will, and so will you. Until then, enjoy the ride, stop beating yourself up, and come back when you’re ready. The point is, if you really wanted to do it, you would. Because when you really want something, you get it done.

The Behavior of Change

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As in a love relationship, we learn that what we thought we knew is not equal to what we are discovering. As in an intimate relationship, we learn that who we thought we were is not who we are now in the midst of all the disappearing boundaries. Almost always in relationship, what we think have to give, is not actually what is needed. What we thought was love, might not have been love at all. And what we thought we had to give up, is not after all what is being asked for - David Whyte

Sleep

It wasn’t long ago that I discovered that sleeping is a skill. For most of my life I considered myself someone who couldn’t take naps or sleep past a certain time in the morning. I was up when the sun came up, or the first time my eyes opened. When I went to take a nap, I would get up just minutes later. Sleeping extra was just not something that I was born with.

Until one day I realized that it was all a lie. That the reason I couldn’t nap or fall back asleep like so many other people I knew, was because I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to fall asleep during the day. I was busy, I had things to do. The same was true of the mornings. Once my eyes opened and I glimpsed the morning sun my mind would immediately start working and it seemed more important to get up and act than to stay in bed.

I realized this and so one day I did a little experiment. I went to take a nap, but this time I meant it. Instead of going into it with the mindset that I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep, I went in with the mindset that I really wanted to get some rest, even if it was for only a few minutes. I convinced myself that if I could rest for 20 - 30 minutes, that contrary to my prior belief that it would be a waste of time, that I would actually be more productive throughout the rest of the day. And it worked. And so for many days after, instead of fighting it and saying I can’t, I embraced taking a mid-day snooze.

More recently I’ve tried this same idea in the mornings. But for a different reason. I realized that on days when I actually slept past that initial wake up, that my days went smoother. I was less agitated. My brain wasn’t as foggy. Even my bowel movements were better. So I told myself that I could sleep in, and that I didn’t have to rise with the sun. That I could be someone who sleeps past 6 am. And so far it’s worked.

We have so many preconceived notions about ourselves. About things we are capable of and things we aren’t that are based on a lifetime of experiences. Since we’ve been doing something a certain way for most of our lives we’re convinced that it can’t be changed. That it’s innate within us. We were born this way.

But once you realize that that’s not true, a whole new world begins to open up. A whole new world where changing your behavior is possible. Where statements such as “I can’t, I’m not that type of person” begin to wash away and seem silly. We are capable of a lot more than we give ourselves credit for.

Your boots not in. 

We were out skiing and my fiancé was having trouble getting her boot into her ski. it was her third day ever skiing, and she was wearing new boots. From where I was standing I could see that her heel wasn’t lined up, and so when she pressed her foot down, her boot hadn’t clicked in. So, trying to be helpful I said “your boots not in.” She tried again. But the same thing happened. So I said, “your boots not in.” This happened one more time and she finally turned and, clearly frustrated, snapped back, “I know its not and you’re just standing there tell me its not. Do you think that’s helpful?”

I tried to explain that I thought it was, and that I didn’t think she could tell whether she was fully in or not. But, consumed with frustration, she didn’t see it that way. She just thought I was being a dick.And I can see how. But at the same time something else dawned on me.

It dawned on me how these small moments in a relationship could lead to bigger issues down the road, and leads to cracks in communication.

If one party thinks they are being helpful, but the other party doesn’t receive it that way, and is constantly pushing back, then it’s going to make their partner reluctant to give feedback. They’re going to hesitate to offer advice or even be truthful becasue they are expecting an unfavorable response.

They think they are coming from a place of being genuine, but they just end up getting their hand slapped. And the more and more it happens, the more and more they are going to default to being silent, and biting their tongue. Which is a crucial mstake in any relationship.

I realizd this as it was happening. And I realized its all these moments, if left unchecked, add up over years to lead to the demise of a relationship over time. But I also became aware of two other things.

One, no matter what, you can never be afraid to open your mouth in a relationship jut becasue of past experiences. Two, most importantly, that you also cant keep doing or saying the same thing and expecting a different response. I.e. “Your boots not in.”

You have to think o adifferent approach when the first one isn’t working. You have to think about a different way to get your point across, so that it is receifeved int the way in which you intended it. Maybe I should have skiied over and physically helped her place her boot firmly in. Maybe I should have showed her with my own skis. Or maybe I should have said nothing and just waited.

But its hard to see that in the moment, and correct yourself while its hapneing. But I think just being aware of it, even after the fact, will help the next time you find youself in that situation. And the more and more youre aware of it, the easier it will be to identify.

A disagreement or frustration over ski boots is not the end of the world. But I believe that getting it right in the small inconsequential moments in life is the key to having succcess in the moments that really matter.

Why are we paying for anything?

A few months ago I returned a rug to Home Depot. After a couple of weeks of having it in our bedroom we decided that we didn’t like the look or feel, so we returned it. Home Depot issued us a refund, and told me they were going to destroy it. The rug was new, but they decided it was easier to destroy it then put it back on the floor. The rug cost $250.

For Christmas my sister-in-law ordered my fiancé and I a karaoke machine. But after ordering it she realized it was the wrong one, so she logged back onto Amazon, cancelled the order, and ordered the correct one. They refunded her for the cancelled order, but sent both anyway and told her to keep them.

In Colorado and California I’ve volunteered with local food banks and food recovery organizations. Between them they recover millions of pounds of food each year, that would’ve otherwise ended up in the landfills. They distribute the food they recover to people suffering from food insecurity who are unable to buy enough groceries. The food being recovered is good quality food. Organic produce. Wild caught fish. Organic dry goods. Milk and eggs. Pork and beef.

Fifty percent or more of food in this country ends up in landfills. The waste starts on the farms, continues in restaurants and retail shops like grocery stores, and occurs the most in homes. 

So my question is, if all of these producers, manufacturers, and distributors are ok with just throwing away product, why not get organized and give it away? I know there’s a family who would love a $250 rug for their house. Or a karaoke machine for their kids. And most certainly everyone would love access to free nutritious food!

Or how about we get better at managing what ends up in our landfills so that we can lower prices by selling more product? I don’t know what the answer is, but I do know that more and more I wonder why I’m paying for anything.

In a society full of abundance waste is inevitable.

Ratatouille Stir Fry

Last night I made this stir fry. We had some veggies in the refrigerator that needed to be cooked but I didn’t want to just do the same old thing I normally do, which is either straight sautéed in olive oil and salt, or baked in olive oil and salt. Also, the original plan for the eggplant we bought was to slice it thin, egg wash, bread it, and fry it, but I was feeling like that was going to be too heavy for the night. So, instead I did a search for eggplant, zucchini, pepper recipe, and this is one of the recipes that came up.

Ratatouille Stir-Fry Recipe

I chose this one because I actually had all of the ingredients for it, except for the fresh basil which I wish I had because I know it would have made the dish that much better. But even without it it was really really tasty.

One thing to note, I had to do the eggplant in two batches because when I put it all in at once, half of the pieces were piled on top of other pieces and not getting cooked. So I removed about half, laid the remaining ones flat in the pan, and let them cook. Once cooked I removed them and brought the second half in.

I also didn’t use as much salt as this recipe called for. It felt a little bit excessive so I scaled it back. I rather under salt while cooking and add salt later on my dish.

I paired this recipe with leftover turkey from Christmas that I had frozen. A nice easy dinner for a Sunday night.

Workout Journal: Diet

I’ve had another realization recently that everyone’s approach to weight loss is the same. It doesn’t matter who you talk to or who you listen to, but its always the same. I had this realization while listening to Ethan Suplee on The Joe Rogan Experience.

When you ask someone what they did to lose a shit ton of weight, it’s never this big complicated plan that they undertook. It’s always the same.

I cut out sugar and refined carbohydrates and replaced them with fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. I only eat lean protein, and I exercise. It doesn’t matter what types of fruit, or what types of exercise. The key is just in eating those whole foods, eliminating the other ones, and starting to make yourself move for 30 - 60 minutes per day in some rigorous way. It’s basically what Ethan Suplee did to go from 550 lbs to under 300.

It is really that simple and it really is the same for every single person on the planet. Now how they convince themselves to make the change, and how they get themselves to commit to it long term, what their reason for the change is, that might all differ. But even that seems to be a pretty uniform thing. Someone has a health scare. They do it because they are a new mom or dad. They set a goal to run a race, climb a mountain, and need to get in better shape to do it. They’re incentivized by a work program, or their friend group. Or maybe their kids convince them. Whatever it is, it doesn’t really matter. They all represent a shit in mindset that says I want to feel better for X reason.

Some people might follow a certain diet, like paleo, keto, carnivore, or Whole360. But again, that doesn’t matter. You don’t have to follow a name brand diet. Because the foundation of all of those diets is that they are devoid of processed foods, added sugar, and refined carbohydrates, and they are loaded with whole foods and lean protein. 

So whether you accomplish that by only eating meat. OR eating a lot of healthy fats. OR eating a lot of raw nuts, it doesn’t matter. The formula is the same.

Eliminate added sugar, eliminated refined carbohydrates, and eliminate processed foods and the weight will fall off, and you will immediately start to feel better. 

My fiancé got diagnosed with stage IV metastatic breast cancer last April. Immediately upon finding out we cut sugar and refined carbohydrates out of her diet (cancer consumes sugar at a rate 100x normal cells). Within two months she lost nearly 20 lbs, and she only weighed about 116 lbs to start. Her mother, at my fiancé’s nudging, recently did the same thing. She stopped putting agave in her coffee throughout the day, and replaced her morning toast with fruit. She’s down 6 lbs in less than a month. She’s in her 70s. My father who’s 66 did it as well. He cut out all the junk, all the added sugar, and he’s lost over 30 lbs and is now shopping for new clothes.

The formula is the same. It doesn’t matter your gender, your ethnicity, your age. You just have to find your reason and your motivation to do it. And what better reason is there than to feel happier, more energetic, and clear minded. I don’t know of any.

Plant Based Meat Alternatives Are Bad, Kind Of, Depends Who You Ask

If you want to be confused, then read this article in Heathline. A new study was published assessing the health risks of eating plant based meat alternatives for vegetarians. In other words, ultra processed food that is devoid of animal protein. The takeaway.

“Researchers examined health outcomes for over 3,300 vegetarians by comparing those who consumed plant-based meat alternatives to those who didn’t eat these processed foods.

Vegetarians who ate plant-based meat alternatives had a higher risk of depression, increased inflammation, slightly higher blood pressure, and lower levels of a protein associated with HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

In spite of these changes, the researchers wrote that, in general, eating plant-based meat alternatives did not have any extra health risks for vegetarians, although they called for additional research on the possible links to depression and inflammation.”

When I read something like this I’m not sure if what I’m reading is actually real. Or if the author actually knows what they wrote. Or if they have even the slightest bit of a conscientiousness or awareness.

When I think about my diet, and the foods I avoid and the ones I incorporate, I generally try to avoid ones that lead to an increased rate of depression, 42% in this study, higher inflammation and blood pressure, and lower levels of good cholesterol. I don’t think that’s crazy to say and I don’t think that’s controversial.

If I said “here eat this foods, they are going to increase your chance of being depressed by 42%, increase inflammation throughout your body and your blood pressure, while lowering your good cholesterol,” I assume you would tell me to fuck off, and probably ask me why I’m trying to kill you.

But according to the research experts in this study, all of those side effects are not a cause for concern. According to these research experts, their conclusion is that “in general, eating plant-based meat alternatives did not have any extra health risks for vegetarians.” Really? Did we read the same study or do we need to redefine what health risk means?

It is exactly this type of “reporting” that has led to the insane health epidemic that we’re seeing in this country and that’s growing all over the world. This confusing, no real answer, wishy washy reporting, that always seems to ease your concerns after telling you that what you’re eating is killing you.

I can only assume that somewhere along the line the study authors and the author of this article were paid by plant based meat alternative companies to bend the reality into something that seems harmless. Otherwise, what would be the motivation other than complete incompetence?

It seems like the reason for this conclusion that plant based meat alternatives do not lead to extra health risks is because the study authors did not see a link between these processed foods and heart disease. Which I can only assume is the link they were after.

“Researchers wrote in the paper that despite these changes, eating plant-based meat alternatives did not significantly increase a person’s heart-related risks.”

It’s amazing to me that rather can ringing the bell on the 5 alarm fire that this report is, the researchers feel ok with the results.

“In conclusion, while no clear health risks or benefits were associated with PBMA [plant based meat alternatives] consumption in vegetarians, the higher risk of depression, elevated CRP, and lower apolipoprotein A levels in PBMA consumers suggest potential inflammatory concerns that warrant further investigation.”

Even if there is no direct link to “heart-related risks,” which I’m not sure I understand because I always understood high blood pressure and low HDL to be early signs of heart disease, shouldn’t there be an extrapolation of the trend to say that people who are depressed and have increased inflammation will eventually develop other chronic diseases as they age? I’m not a doctor, research, scientist, nutritionist, and I would bet my life that there is a connection.

But really all of that is not even the biggest tragedy of the study. The biggest tragedy is in calling it a “study” to begin with. The “study” included 3,300 people who were identified as being vegetarians based on a “a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire, which everyone completed at least two of.”

Said another way, before the study started, participants completed a survey about what they ate in the previous 24 hours, and then the participants biomarkers were monitored for the next 14 years! but their diet was never questioned again. They were assumed to have maintained the same diet over the 14 year period.

“In addition, data on people’s diets were gathered mainly at the beginning of the study rather than throughout. So researchers wouldn’t know if a person’s diet has shifted since the start.”

Levels of physical activity, stress, sleep, and consumption of alcohol, all things that could impact someone’s health, were also not monitored. 

These studies mean nothing. Their conclusions mean nothing. Every second we waste analyzing a “study” like this or even conducting a “study” like this is a second we could have spent actually helping someone. Every dollar we spend on “studies” like this are dollars wasted that could have went towards providing people with real wholesome and nutritious foods that we know conclusively leads to improved health. I’m not sure I understand how people believe the jury is still out. Processed food, added sugar, refined carbohydrates are the reason that America and the world is getting sicker and sicker. This has been well established for decades. But somehow we keep giving “experts” the leeway to discover the cause and come up with a cure.

Healthline: Meat Substitutes Linked to 42% Higher Depression Risk in Vegetarians

Food Frontiers: Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Intake and Its Association With Health Status Among Vegetarians of the UK Biobank Volunteer Population

Greed and Corruption

Greed

If you’re Kevin Hart or LeBron James, why are you doing Draft Kings commercials? I don’t know what either of them are worth, but I’m sure they’re each in the hundreds of millions of dollars in wealth. So could they really being selling their souls for a few more million? They’re better than that right?

So does that mean that they each believe that they should be using their celebrity status to promote online gambling? One of the most addictive addictions of all the addictions. In states that have legalized online gambling calls to help lines have increased 400 - 700 percent. So it couldn’t be that either right? So what are they doing? This is the question I ask myself every time I see a wealthy celebrity endorsing a substance or activity or food that clearly is contributes to illness and despair.

It’s the question I asked myself when I saw Tom Brady, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and others, doing a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial during the Super Bowl. Arguably the best football player to ever grace the field and two mega actors endorsing one of the biggest sugar dealers in the world (I don’t know who’s worse, them or Starbucks). Sugar, an addictive substance which has been directly implicated in the increasing rates of obesity and metabolic disease, leading to an increased prevalence of chronic disease.

Or when I’ve watched Reggie Miller endorse Wendy’s during basketball games, giving the impression to young viewers that Wendy’s was part of his path to becoming one of the greatest basketball players in history.

How often do you think Tom frequented Dunkin during his career, or Reggie Wendys?

How much money would it take for any one of these people to not promote something that’s detrimental to society? What would it take for them to not only not promote addictive habits, foods, and substances, but promote the opposite. To take out an ad spot talking about all the things they’ve done to get to the level of success they have achieved. To talk about what kind of food and beverages you should consume if you want to be an athlete. The kinds of habits and discipline it takes to achieve your dreams. To invest their time and money and take out a 30 second ad during the Super Bowl to talk about why these foods, substances, and habits, are killing us?

It’s a mental illness really. This tenacious quest for more. More money, more fame, more status, more houses, more cars. And in the end all we get is more illness.

Everyone says they want better for the people. More for the people. And yet when it comes time to show it, they act in direct contrast to their words. It’s an illness that has been allowed to penetrate through all of society, and promoted by those with the power to end it.

Corruption

At this moment in history, out of all the people I could think of that the US could place a bounty on, including more than one war criminal, President Maduro of Venezuela is not one of them.

The US alleges that for over 20 years Maduro and his government have collaborated with a Colombian rebel group to smuggle cocaine into America, causing devastation throughout the country. If that was true, and the government was actually concerned with pervasive drug, then the Sackler family, owners of Perdue Pharma, should find out what their bounty is soon. I’d expect it to be many multiples of the one place on President Maduro.

I mean, Perdue Pharma is responsible for not one but two drug epidemics in this country. The first was valium which they began selling in the 1960s. Under false claims that overstated its benefits and understated its risks, mainly its addictive properties, valium quickly became a number one selling drug in the country. Then, in the 90’s, following the exact same script, they shot OxyContin to the top of the charts, and while OxyContin sales may have faded since then, the widespread use of opioid drugs has not. Claiming hundreds of thousands of lives, and ruining many more. Communities were ravaged but the effects of OxyContin and subsequent drugs that filled the void left by tighter restrictions placed on prescription opioids.

Not only was there never a bounty out for any one of them, and there never will be, those criminals walk free amongst us. Punished only monetarily, forced to pay fines that are completely disproportionate to the hell they caused and the wealth they gained off of other people’s misery.

So what is the bounty on President Maduro really all about then? The answer is oil and not getting what the US wants. Venezuela is home to the largest oil reserve in the world. And the US has been after control of that oil for nearly a decade. Starting in 2017 the US began placing financial sanctions on Venezuela. In 2019 and 2020 they implemented sanctions on Venezuela’s ability to sell oil internationally. Oil accounts for more than half of its fiscal revenue. So its no surprise that the sanctions crippled Venezuela’s economy, which is the impact the US was hoping for.

Only it didn’t cause the change they were after.

While the goal of the sanctions was to put pressure on Maduro and other leaders who the US deemed as illegitimate, the effects, as are typical of sanctions, was only felt by the people. The crippled economy caused a humanitarian crisis. But rather than topple the government and force change at the top, many Venezuelans decided to flee. Many ended up here in America. Who could blame them?

Struggling to survive and with little hope for the future if they stayed in Venezuela, what other choice did they have?

So after nearly a decade of economic strangulation failed to create the change they wanted, they pivoted to plan B. Directly and openly remove him from office.

This is a move that the US had turned to time and time again throughout its history. They’ve used it all over the world, but perhaps most frequently in South America. When the US doesn’t get what it wants, it forces change at the top. First it tries with economic sanctions, seizure of assets, and embargoes on a country’s main exports. And when that doesn’t work, they try by force.

They did it in 1954 in Guatemala. After the democratically elected president announced a plan to redistribute land acquired illegally by American owned United Fruit Company, the CIA backed and funded a coup to remove him. [read: The Fish That Ate the Whale]

They did it in the 50s and 60s in Cuba. First with an embargo on sugar, it’s main export, then with the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. While they intended to remove Fidel Castro from power, it only led to a firmer grip on the nation, and a tighter relationship between Cuba and the Soviet Union. [read: Cuba: An American History]

Throughout much of the 1900s the US interfered repeatedly with the coffee trade in Latina America in an attempt to keep prices down. [read: Uncommon Grounds]

And it seems like just for shits in the 2000s the US helped block a raise in Haiti that would have raised the minimum wage to 62 cents per hour.

So no this is not about cocaine. This is about the US government once again putting their hands where they don’t belong, and once again ignoring the real issues at home. This is about oil, but its also about placing blame. About finding a scapegoat for the drug epidemic in this country. And who better than the president of a Latin American country.

Time, attention, and resources that should be used to fix problems at home and implement solutions, are instead sent abroad. As things get worse around the world, it should be of little surprise that they collapse here as well, and perhaps deservedly so. We can’t escape the despair we sow abroad. Eventually it has to come home to roost.

First Meal Post Holidays

I was in Japan and Hong Kong for 16 days at the end of November. We got back two days before Thanksgiving. After that, my family came to visit and celebrate my birthday. Less than two weeks after that we celebrated my fiancés birthday. Twice. Once with her friends. And again with her parents who came to visit. A few days later her brother and his family came to visit and celebrate Christmas. We hosted Christmas Eve and Christmas. From the moment we got home from our trip to Asia, up until a couple of days before Christmas, we were both sick on and off. Congestion. Coughing. Headaches. Body aches. Poor sleep. It was basically a month of feeling like shit and eating like shit.

I tried whenever I could to sneak in a healthy homemade meal or a protein shake, but it was impossible to string more than one or two meals together without being interrupted by something out of the scope of my normal diet. But, I tried anyway, knowing that while I couldn’t control all of my meals, if I could manage some of them, that eventually I’d be able to get back on track, and that those few small healthy meals would help offset the impact of the bad ones. So here I am on the day after Christmas trying to get back on track with a lunch filled with quality proteins, fats, fruits, and vegetables. I won’t really be out of the weeds until all of our family has left after the new years, but I’m not going to lose sight of my goal and lose total focus. Even during holidays, times of celebration, and visits from family, I know I can play a role in limiting the damage. 

Post Christmas Salad:

• Mixed greens

• Broccoli sprouts

• Cherry tomatoes

• Avocado

• Blueberries 

• Red onion

• Tuna with homemade mayo/yogurt dressing

• Hamburger with blue cheese, Swiss cheese, bacon

• Dressing: homemade pesto, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt

The Behavior of Change

Life is short, you have more time than you think.

---

“You have to choose in order to decide”

That’s something that I’ve realized recently which is kind of a mind fuck. Life is short, but you have more time than you need. What does that mean? It means that you don’t have to rush. It means that you can take your time. It means that while we know our time on this earth is finite, it doesn’t necessitate rushing through life to get everything done, lest we miss out on the most important moments.

This idea has been kind of a revelation to me in recent years. For the first 30+ years of my life, and my 20s to early 30s in particular, I’ve viewed time as the ultimate enemy. And with time always seeming to pass by without stopping, I predicated myself on squeezing the most out of each moment, each day, and each week. Going slow, taking a break, was a waste from my perspective. The old saying “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” was something that replayed often in my mind. It didn’t make sense to take my time. Not when we all knew the same thing. That one day we’d run out of time and be dead.

In recent years though I started to realize how this self-imposed pressure to always be busy and to eek out as much work as possible, was actually to my detriment. In my personal life, it meant overlooking important things that people I loved were trying to tell me. From a physical perspective, it meant multiple injuries. And from my professional life, it meant never being able to accomplish any of the big things I dreamed of, because I was too quick to move on before ever finishing.

I also realized how this rush to complete task after task often meant incorrectly completing a task the first time, which caused me to go back and have to redo it. Wasting more time than if I had just taken my time and paid attention on the first attempt.

On the one hand, time is always running out, and it creates this immense amount of pressure to get everything done before it’s too late. But on the other hand, if all we do is rush through life, then we miss out on life itself.

But perhaps the biggest revelation has been as I’ve been looking back over the last 6 years of my life. Over those 6 years I never gave myself a break. I never even contemplated completely checking out, or completely disconnecting. If I did for say a month, 2 months, 3 months, or maybe even a year, I would’ve wasted so much time that I could have been busy working. That I could have been busy accomplishing my goals.

Well, the reality is that I never took any long period of disconnection over the last 6 years. I’ve risen early, and gone to bed the same. I’ve worked hard during the time I was awake, and focused on all the things I wanted to accomplish. I mostly put aside the beautiful and fun parts of life, because I viewed them as a distraction. But as I sit here 6 years later I wonder how much of a difference it really would’ve made. If I had actually taken the extra time. Slowed down. Picked my head up and looked around. How much different would the position I find myself in right now be? My guess, not much. In fact, I’m convinced that I would be even further ahead.

I listened to poet David Whyte recently on the Tim Ferriss show. He said that most people are 4 - 5 years behind their true self. I think over the last 6 that’s where I’ve been. So, this idea of living the slow life to take in more, and catching up to myself, is something I plan on using now and in the future. 

Website Idea

A website dedicated to showing repeating headlines throughout history to show people that were just living the same shit over and over again. I just saw this headline “Meghan Trainor Says Lifting Weights Helped Her Shed Pounds and Boost Energy Levels” and it made me think of it. How many times have I seen this headline before just replaced with someone else’s name? How is this news……. Please someone smack me. 😩  

Parting thought

The next time you start thinking about what you don’t want to do, try thinking about what it is that you do want to do, and do that. But don’t do nothing.