Daily Effort is the Secret Ingredient in Your Life Recipe

Want abundant life?  Daily effort is the secret ingredient most people lack.  They are usually the ones most eager to close out a bad year and start over with high hopes for a different outcome once the calendar flips on January 1.  A year is composed of 365 days.  Daily effort is necessary all the time, from beginning to end.

I'm satisfied all my goals for 2015 are complete and I'm already putting a plan together for next year that will push me to maximize the opportunities ahead.  When others ask about my New Year's resolutions, I'll answer with this:  "I want to change the world."  It requires daily effort all the way until the last day of 2016.  It will be something I work on every year I remain on this planet.  The plan is simple – raise awareness about all the foods we eat that are killing us and persuade others to try a food experiment designed to help them recognize they can look and feel better, live longer and eliminate most diseases like heart attacks, strokes, diabetes that are mostly food related.

A gentleman I met last week told me last night as he was packing his bags he is going to try the Caveman Food Experiment on January 1.  He's going to see for himself if foregoing eating processed foods for 45 days while concentrating on fruits, veggies and nuts will help him drop his blood pressure from 215/120 to the healthy range.  He told me he would also give up smoking during the experiment.  There are more people like my new friend suffering from food related health issues.  I'm going to keep reaching out every day to help them.  Will you help me?  Consider how you're going to use your secret ingredient to help others.  Share your life recipe with anyone you meet who hungers or thirsts for something you have that can help them have a better life.  Have a great day.

Don't Let Peer Pressure Raise Your Blood Pressure

There's one thing I won't be bringing with me on my trip next month to visit family members – 33 pounds of weight I lost when I participated in a food experiment set up to lower my blood pressure.  The experiment was a huge success.  I would label it life-changing.  It turns my body responds negatively to certain foods, causing my cholesterol and blood pressure to spike.  There now remains just one challenge on my food chart – peer pressure.  What do you do when a loved one presents you with a labor of love all wrapped up in ingredients that will kill you if you devour it on a regular basis?  It's the classic Kobayashi Maru, a science fiction no-win scenario.  Beam me up, Scotty.

The last thing I want to do is offend someone because I'm rejecting their cooking.  Most people don't understand the ugly truth about processed foods.  One of my friends told me it's almost impossible to live in America and avoid processed foods completely.  And if you have friends who try to bully you into eating the American way then you can relate to how I feel.  Here's my response the next time someone tells me, "come on, have a small piece.  A little bit isn't going to kill you." 

"No thanks.  Your cooking is so tempting that if I cave in to my desires, I may not be able to stop.  I may become a food addict and eventually die from diabetes, a heart attack or stroke.  I know what happens to me body when I eat what you're offering me.  Thank you for understanding my situation."

My food experiment is now evolving into a social media experiment.  Is it possible to convince loved ones to change their ways?  The real test for me is in January.  Have a great day.

3 Ideas to Consider for New Years Day

Are you looking for a great way to start your New Year?  Here are three ideas to help you get off to a great start:

1. Watch the Rose Bowl on January 1.  My hometown team from Iowa is making its first appearance in 25 years.  At an average asking price on the resale market of $900, it's the hottest ticket around.  I'm a value guy so I'll be watching at home with my family.  This game epitomizes what happens when you unite a bunch of people with above average talent in pursuit of worthy goals.  This is entertainment at its finest.
2. Take a walk.  I don't know what the weather will be like on New Year's Day but it won't stop me from taking a stroll with my wife.  Add this to your daily regimen and your body will thank you.
3. Try the Caveman Food Experiment.  This is especially for you if you're one of those people who has trouble keeping resolutions.  Participate for just 21 days and your done.  The experiment is to help you discover what happens when you focus on fruits, veggies and nuts for 21 days while refraining from any processed foods.  I believe if you do this you will be on your way to your healthiest year ever.

Bookmark this blog and come back on New Year's Day.  I'm seeking 100 people who want to try a new approach to healthy eating.  Have a great day.

Reduce Your Worries in Five Minutes

Worry – a state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.

You can't make your problems go away unless they're self-inflicted and you're willing to make changes in your life to eliminate the root cause but you can reduce your worries about the problems in five minutes.  Ready?  Here you go:

1. Make a list of all the things you're worried about.
2. Put a yes next to the worries on your list you have control over.
3. Put a no next to the worries on your list you have no control over.
4. Set the timer for five minutes and use that time to decide what changes you're going to make for any worry marked yes.
5. When the timer goes off, get busy working on your list of changes.  Tell yourself you don't have time to dwell on any worries marked no.  The "no worries" are preventing you from the "yes challenges."  The yes challenges lead to solutions.  

Spend five minutes every day going over your yes challenges in your mind.  The more you work on these, the more uncertainty you will remove from your life.  Eventually the no worries will drift away and your anxiety will be reduced.  Try it.  Have a great day.

Hail Mary Food Play Extends Season

Two men from California with the same last name made history recently with an amazing Hail Mary play and it happened with no time left on the clock.  The Green Bay Packers were granted an untimed play thanks to a penalty.  Click here to see the video.  The announcer called the play a rainbow of a prayer and it was answered in the end zone in a sea of Tiger opponents against all odds.  The play reminds me of a similar Hail Mary pass involving two players in the game of life also with matching last names.  Dr. Mulligan huddled with his lab rat and told him to go long.  His receiver limped into the end zone.  Touchdown!  The play granted new life to the lab rat.  It was a game changer.  The opposing team was stunned.  They had no idea something like this could happen.  Here's what Dr. Mulligan told his receiver in the huddle:

"The other side is going to be all over you.  They're going to try to smother you with their overweight bodies.  Don't freak out on me.  Remember your training.  Your plant-based diet you've been on these last 45 days is going to make the difference.  Your blood pressure is normal.  Your cholesterol readings are normal.  This Hail Mary is for you.  Don't let anyone take the ball away from you.  I expect you to stay in this game for a long time.  You can do this."

Special thanks to the quarterback who believed in me.  My season has been extended.  I will use the extra time on my clock to help others turn their game around.  It starts with the training.  Fruits, veggies and nuts for at least 21 days.  Fluids should be restricted to water and wine.  Up to two glasses of wine per day is fine.  No processed foods.  Find the end zone and jump for the ball when it's thrown to you.  The next food experiment begins on New Year's Day.  Will you join 100 players in the next huddle?  I hope you answer the call.  Have a great day.

The Processed Food Jig is Up

I met a young man yesterday who is in eminent danger of sudden death.  He refuses to get help even though his last blood pressure reading was 220/115.  He won't quit smoking.  I looked directly into his eyes and told him, "you're going to die.  You must change your ways immediately."  He fired back a list of excuses.  His dad had open heart surgery at age 21.  His brother died suddenly.  "It's my genes," he answered, exposing his perceived hopelessness about his situation.  That's when my adrenaline kicked in.  I knew it was my turn to be an angel in this man's life and I wasn't backing down.  I shared my own blood pressure success story and offered him hope.

Food awareness is the key.  My actress friend who is dealing with cancer wrote in a blog story, I avoid certain foods now because I know they feed my cancer.  Most of us have been duped by the supposed food experts who trick us into believing processed foods are safe.  We're dying in record numbers.  This doesn't have to be our reality.  All we need to do change our ways, give up processed foods and make healthy food choices.  The processed food jig is up.  I'm not backing down.  Please share this story with your loved ones.  Have a great day.

Angels Among Us

I met an angel yesterday at my day job.  They sometimes disguise themselves as humans so they don't frighten us but I knew almost immediately something special was happening.  I felt uplifted.  My challenges seemed less overwhelming.  The timing of the conversation was perfect.  There was a special gleam in her eyes near the end of the conversation when she said, "Merry Christmas," before disappearing into the crowd.

If an angel shows up in your life when you need one the most, don't be startled.  They are intuitive creatures who somehow know exactly what you need to get back up after a fall.  They may go by familiar labels such as cousins or coaches but I know there's some kind of super power inside them that sets them apart from others.  Today I want to send out a big thank you to all the angels in my life, both past and present, who help me navigate this most awesome challenge course I call life.  Thank you.