Eliminate Your Off Season and Avoid Slip-ups

You had a great Spring.  You worked out at regular intervals.  Your Summer was amazing and you were in peak shape.  Winter arrived.  You cancelled outdoor activities.  You gained weight.  Your self-confidence dropped.  That was last year.  This time it's different.  All you need to do is eliminate the off season and you will avoid slip ups.  Here's how it works:

• Stop telling yourself there's an off season.  Make every month count regardless of the weather.
• Commit to activities that aren't weather dependent.  I'm staying in shape by playing indoor tennis and swimming indoors.
• Surround yourself with like-minded friends who wish to remain active during Winter.  Your friends will help you stay motivated when you feel the urge to skip a workout.
• Try the Caveman Food Experiment.  Phase III begins on January 1.  If you can handle three weeks of fruits, veggies, nuts and no processed foods, your off-season will become prime time.  Your past broken New Year's resolutions will stop haunting you and you will be in the best shape of your life, ready to have your best year ever.
• Send me your naysayers.  I want all the excuse makers and other negative people in your life to visit this blog and discover why they should be in the food experiment.  These people are capable of destroying your plans to eliminate your off-season because they're afraid if you change they may have to as well.  You can let them beat you up and possibly take your eye off the ball or send them to me and let me have a shot at helping them improve their health.  I truly believe I can handle those who lost hope because I've witnessed first-hand how easy it is to eliminate the off season when you make some changes to your food plan.

You have 31 days to decide if you want to eliminate your off-season.  Come back on January 1 and let's get started.  Your 21 day commitment to the Caveman Food Experiment will help you live healthy full time and avoid slip-ups.  Send me an email to let me know you're in.  Have a great day.

The Best Time to Beat Cancer and Other Diseases

Phase I of the Caveman Food Experiment changed my life.  Phase II changed the lives of my loved ones.  Phase III may change the world.  I'm referring to cancer and other diseases that are killing us at an alarming rate because we are eating the wrong foods.  Imagine a world where all these diseases are beaten BEFORE they attack.  Heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, diabetes – gone.  Can this be as simple as giving up unhealthy food and eating healthy food?  I believe the answer is yes and I need 100 volunteers to give up processed foods for 21 days, commit to a diet of fruits, veggies and nuts,  and prove that the American diet is responsible for our poor health.  The best time to beat cancer and other diseases is today but I'm going to wait until the Holidays are over and all the excuses for trying the Caveman Food Experiment are gone.  Will you help me?

The experiment is simple.  You can eat as many fruits and veggies as you want for 21 days.  Don't buy any food with a label on the package.  Nuts are okay.  Wine is fine as long as consumption is limited to one glass per day for ladies and two for men.  Measure your weight once a day and record it.  Have your blood pressure checked before starting and consult your physician if you're taking medication.  Measure your blood pressure at the end of 21 days and send me your results.  Note any other changes you observe during the experiment.  I will publish the results here on this blog.  Please share this story with anyone you know who may be interested in participating.  Thanks for your help.  Have a great day.

5 Longevity Tips for Fast Food Lovers

If you're one of those people who live in the fast lane, I'm asking you to consider moving over and slowing down.  Your food choices are sending you to an early grave.  Put the brakes on your processed food and you will live longer.  The World Health Organization said recently eating processed meat such as sausages and ham causes cancer while unprocessed red meat may also be carcinogenic.  Don't fret.  You don't have to go cold turkey on red meat to live longer, but these tips may be your ticket to forestall your appointment with St. Peter at the Golden Arches.

1. Special orders won't upset your stomach.  If you aren't ready to give up fast food, order a salad and drink water instead of a burger, fries and a soda.
2. Plan your meals ahead of time and keep a food emergency kit in your car.  The next time you're in a hurry, reach for that bag of nuts and raisins instead of visiting your neighborhood fast food hangout.
3. Start your day with a morning fruit and veggie smoothie.  This will fill you up and take away your hunger pangs.  Click here for my favorite Mulligan Big Cup.
4. Go big on your greens.  You can eat unlimited amounts of veggies and not gain weight.  In fact, if you stay away from fast food and eat more fruits, veggies and nuts, you will lose twenty pounds or more in just thirty days.
5. Cut the cheese and other dairy products.  The purpose of cow's milk is to add about 400 pounds of weight to a calf in its first year.  Your body doesn't know what to do when you overload it on dairy so it stores the fat in your belly area.  Give up that milkshake and watch your belly shrink.

If you need a little extra incentive for cutting back on fast foods, keep this in mind – nearly all heart attacks, strokes, cholesterol and blood pressure problems are food related.  Choose wisely.  Have a great day.

Got Spirit?

For some, Black Friday started yesterday on Thanksgiving as soon as they loaded the dishes in the sink and rushed to the shopping malls.  While I slept quietly in my bed this morning, shoppers battled one another for something bigger and better to replace last year's relics they acquired at the crack of dawn same time last year.  Maybe the quote above was written specifically for those of us who could use more self discipline with our spending during the Holidays, more love for the unfortunate, more power to stand up for what really matters in society, and a lot less time shopping for useless stuff we really don't need.

Spend some time today listening to Christmas songs on the radio.  Allow the words to soak into your soul.  The child inside you wants to come out and play.  Today is a good day to experience the Holiday season and the true meaning of Christmas.  Let your spirit soar on wings like eagles.  Show the world you've got a spirit of power, of love, and of self discipline.  Have a great day.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today's story is dedicated to the military men and women, past, present and future, who make days like today possible.  You sacrifice so we may have peace.  You are in our thoughts and prayers.  Your empty seat at the table is only temporary.  May God Bless you and keep you safe from harm.  Happy Thanksgiving.  We love you!

Day 90 Update on Food Experiment

It's been 90 days since I volunteered to be a lab rat in a life-changing food experiment.  The first 45 days was amazing and I discovered what happens when you eliminate processed foods from your diet – visceral fat disappears, cholesterol drops and high blood pressure returns to normal.  My body fat dropped from 30% to 20% in six weeks.  Here's a day 90 update for those of you following the experiment:

• Weight is holding steady at approx 153.6 pounds.
• Blood pressure remains constant at 115/70.
• No desire for snacks for 90 days due to no hunger.
• New foods (eggs, chicken, turkey, bison, fish, beans) introduced to diet in small quantities are not impacting blood pressure or weight.
• No snoring.
• No headaches.
• Energy levels remain high.

Phase II members are all reporting weight loss in the seven to fourteen pound range.  Phase III will begin on 1/1/16 and is open to anyone interested in participating.  The experiment is flexible.  The only requirement is that anyone on medicine check in with their doctor first as food changes may reduce the need for medicine.  Please send me an email if you would like to be included in Phase III.  Have a great day.

A Food Message from the Chickens

These chickens have an important announcement.  They want you to know eating kale is good for you.  I agree.  Ever since I added kale and other greens to my diet, reduced my animal products consumption and cut out all processed foods, my body weight, cholesterol and blood pressure numbers all returned to the healthy range.  My favorite way to eat kale is to blend it up in my morning smoothie.  Add half an avocado, a handful of spinach, a couple of stalks of celery, a banana, an orange, a half cup of water and your favorite frozen fruits and you will have more energy than ever.  I think these chickens are on to something.  Let me know what you think about adding kale to your diet.  Have a great day.

Here and Now

How are you doing living in the moment?  If you're feeling anxious about a future event or guilty about something that happened in the past, you may need some help getting yourself to the here and now.  I'm finding much joy and happiness focusing on today.  My meals taste better.  I appreciate the people I'm with.  Each season has something to offer when I enjoy all that it has to offer in the present moment.

Please don't ever defer your happiness.  Live in the here and now.  It's a gift.  Savor it.  Have a great day.

How to Beat Your Brain in the Negativity Game

Negativity doesn't have to be permanent.  I have a little trick up my sleeve that fools my brain every time it sends out negative messages.  I close my eyes and relive the moment I goofed but paint a positive picture of the event in my mind rather than the mistake.  My brain doesn't know what to do with the mixed messages.  After a while, my brain only remembers the positive image and the negativity stops.

Every morning when you wake up it's an opportunity to start over.  Show your brain you are better today than you were yesterday.  Move forward.  Leave the negativity behind.  Have a great day.

Greetings from Mother Nature's Sweet Spot

Mother Nature delivered on her promise last night.  We have six to nine inches of snow on the ground along I-80 where I live.  The weatherman is calling this area the sweet spot because it's in the center of our first storm of the year.  It's time for me to dig out of my driveway and get to my day job.  The change in scenery is the most dramatic I've ever witnessed in such a short period of time.

This may sound strange to those of you who may not live in cold-weather places like Iowa but I'm actually excited about the weather.  For me, it's one more challenge to face.  Mother Nature is simply another opponent in a long list of adversaries I've been dealing with for 55+ years.  I'm thankful for every opportunity I've enjoyed to grow and be shaped.  This is where discipline is developed and character refined.  I'm ready for a great day.  How about you?  Carpe diem.

Don't Let Mother Nature Ice Your Attitude in Winter

It's coming today – about six to nine inches of snow in our first major storm of the Holiday season.  Mother Nature may be chilling the air in the Midwest but she won't be able to ice my attitude.  I have an action plan to keep me focused on my fitness goals for the remainder of the year which include a half-hour indoor pool session once a week and two days per week of indoor tennis.  The biggest challenge is navigating the roads during snow storms.  I chose a health club located along I-80 so I could maintain my workouts even in the worst weather.

Don't let Mother Nature get you down.  Stay busy.  Your attitude during the cold weather months will be the difference.  Fitness is a personal choice.  It requires hard work, especially when you have to dig yourself out of the driveway after a big snow storm.  Have a great day. 

A Food Fight You Can Win in the Weight Loss Battle

It probably sounds too good to be true, but I found I way to lose weight even while eating unlimited amounts of certain foods.  It doesn't require portion control or calorie counting.  I hesitate to call it a diet because it's more of a lifestyle than some fad food program that requires starvation or deprivation.  If you're serious about winning your food fight, all you have to do is go back in time about a hundred years and eat the way your great-grandparents ate, that is three meals a day without any processed foods on the table.  The next time you visit your grocery store, purchase only foods without any labels.  Concentrate on fruits and veggies.  Nuts are also okay.  Eat as many of these foods as you desire.  The end result is weight loss.  You may lose twenty pounds in less than a month.

If you're hesitant to jump into the food fight because the Holidays are coming and you don't want to make your family mad by passing up on all their favorite recipes, I have the perfect solution for you.  Wait until January 1 and then join my food experiment.  100 volunteers are needed to test the theory that you can eat as much food as you want and still lose weight as long as these foods are in the fruit, veggie and nut category.  Bookmark this blog and come back on January 1.  Have a great day.

Help Me Find It

I understand better than most what it means to leave your comfort zone behind.  I remember what it felt like to be a stranger in a sea of unrecognizable faces on my first day of high school.  The opportunity to make new friends outweighed my anxiety about being in unfamiliar surroundings.  The experience prepared me for my biggest test ever – a relocation to the Midwest from California.  Everyone in the family was ready for the experience except me.  I wanted to hold on to the status quo but it was really only a mirage that disappeared as soon as the economy went into a meltdown.  There was no bridge to burn.  All I could do was let go of my comfort zone and move on.

The biggest lesson I learned about change is God's perfect timing.  In fact, while penning today's story, the song Help Me Find It, by the Sidewalk Prophets, played on the radio.  The lyrics mimicked my own prayers for direction the day I left California in search of a new life.  God answered my prayer.  I have a new life.  The truth is, I never really left my comfort zone; I expanded it.  All three of our adult children are doing the same.  That's the lesson.  Don't be afraid.  See the world.  Explore.  And trust that there's a God who will be with you wherever you go.  Have a great day.  Here's the video from the Sidewalk Prophets...

How Far Will You Go to Improve Your Health?

Most food experts agree about the dangers of processed foods.  The challenge most of us have living in America is not the access we have to healthy foods, but the access we have to the unhealthy ones, especially processed foods.  It's almost impossible to avoid them completely.  That's the reason for today's question:  How far will you go to improve your health?  Are you willing to give up processed foods for the rest of your life?

My answer today is different from three months ago when I didn't know I had some major health issues related 100% to my diet.  I entered a food experiment and gave up processed foods for 45 days.  Everything changed.  I'm a new person today.  My risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke is diminished.  There is no reason for me to ever eat processed foods again.  I now know first-hand how dangerous these foods are.  If you're reading today's story and you're not sure you can give up processed foods forever, why not take a baby step first and see for yourself how your body responds?  I'm suggesting a 21-day experiment beginning on January 1, 2016.  Consider it a sprint to your first finish line in the marathon of life.  If the experiment yields a successful outcome, just keep running right into your 60's, 70's and 80's.  Imagine what your life would be like if you could still run in your 90's or 100's, like the 104-year-old in the video below.  Here's some inspiration for you:

5 Tips for Maximizing Your Food Awareness Zone

What you don't know about food may be silently killing you.  It's the main reason I said yes to a colonoscopy exam during my annual physical.  I knew I was five years overdue.  It's never too late to increase your awareness about your health.  My doctor told me it's impossible to know if something abnormal is growing inside your colon without an inspection.  The colonoscopy wasn't the only thing missing in my quest to learn more about my body.  I needed to find a way to get out of the food blindspot.  Here are 10 tips to help you maximize your food awareness zone:

1. Read.  I'm on my third nutrition book this year and each page offers new insight.  I started with The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf.  Dr. Joel Furhman's book, Eat to Live, helped me understand what he calls the food equation and Rip Esselstyn shares his own food experiments in The Engine 2 Diet.
2. Measure.  I believe keeping daily logs about your weight and the foods you eat will help you discover what lifts you up and what brings you down.  Keep a record of how you sleep, your moods and any headaches.
3. Experiment.  I discovered my body works better when I avoid certain foods.  I recommend trying a diet of fruits, veggies and nuts for 45 days as an experiment.  See what happens to your body when you avoid any foods with a label.  Track everything so you have a record of your results. 
4. Ask Questions.  I made a list of questions for my primary care physician and my specialist to help me understand how my body works.  Questions help you find answers.  Seek and you shall find.
5. Challenge the Status Quo.  I no longer trust the people in charge of our nutrition guidelines.  Many are influenced by insiders who have something to gain by keeping the public in the blindspot.  Don't let this happen to you.

If you don't want to be alone in your quest for self-awareness, consider becoming a participant in the next phase of my food experiment.  Phase III is a 21 day experiment designed to help 100 people maximize their food awareness zone.  It's part social media, part fruits, veggies and nuts and lots of fun as we journey together in our quest for better health.  Please share this story with someone you love who may benefit.  Have a great day.

Are You Smarter than a Food Dummy?

Here's your chance to show your food IQ compared to a food dummy (me).  Ready?  Here are your questions:

1. True or false, drinking milk regularly reduces your risk of calcium deficiency and promotes stronger bones.
2. If there are 4 grams of sugar in 1 teaspoon and 39 grams of sugar in one 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola, how many teaspoons of sugar are in one can?
3. True or false, spinach contains more than 50% protein.
4. True or false, 74% of men in America are considered to be overweight or obese?
5. True or false, a group of 100 men and woman who avoid eating processed foods for 21 days and restrict their diets to fruits, vegetables and nuts can lose a combined total of 2,000 pounds (one ton).

Remember, I'm the food dummy here, so you don't need to trust my answers.  In fact, I won't even know the answer to #5 until January 21 when Phase III of the Caveman Food Experiment ends.  My theory is that if no one cheats, the group will lose one ton and be done.  Here are my answers:

1. False.  Countries where milk consumption is highest also have the highest level of osteoporosis.
2. 10 teaspoons.
3. True.  Spinach is 51% protein.
4. True.
5. Come back and see for yourself on January 21 when I post the results of Phase III.

If you scored low on this quiz, don't feel bad.  My level of food awareness was below the 5th grade level until recently when I discovered I was at high risk of a heart attack or stroke because of food related inflammation.  That's why I agreed to enter a food experiment.  I have a long way to go in the food journey and now my focus is helping others to get smart with food choices, lose weight and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.  Have a great day.

Phase III Caveman Food Experiment Preview

Phase I changed my life forever.  I had three strikes against me and all of them were self-inflicted because I was eating American style.  Now I'm eating like our caveman ancestors.  Ten of my friends and family members are part of Phase II and nearly all of them are reporting lost inches and lost pounds.  Phase  III expands to 100 participants and begins on 1/1/16.  The 21-day condensed version of the first two phases is customized for the regular person who has trouble with New Year's Resolutions.  In fact, it's so fast and furious it will all be over before the calendar flips into a new month.  I'm looking for 100 people who desire to lose twenty pounds each for a combined weight loss of 2,000 pounds.  Here's the slogan:  Drop a ton and we're done.  Here are the guidelines:

1. Don't eat any foods with a label for 21 days beginning on 1/1/16.
2. Eat as many veggies as you want – no limits.  The greener the better.
3. Eat as many fruits as you want – no limits.
4. Eat nuts.  Walnuts are my favorites.  I never ate them until I entered the experiment.
5. No dairy for 21 days.
6. No animal products for 21 days.
7. See your doctor if you're on medicine and have him monitor you during the experiment.  It's possible your need for medicine may change.
8. Keep track of your weight loss daily and post it on the group website or email me if you wish to remain anonymous.
9. Encourage a friend to participate with you.  It's easier to survive the 21-day challenge if you have a team-mate.
10. Don't cheat.  Do this for 21 days.  The group has no chance of dropping a ton if a few people lose their will power.

Bookmark this site and come back before the experiment begins if you would like to join the fun.  Let's drop a ton and be done.  Share this story if you know someone at risk for diabetes, heart attack or stroke.  Have a great day.

Got Polyps?

There's only one way to know if you have polyps growing in your colon.  That's why I'm having my first colonoscopy this morning.  I want to know if any abnormal growths are inside me.  Polyps can eventually become cancerous if they're not removed.

Anyone over the age of 50 should schedule a colonoscopy.  Have a great day. 

I'm Having My First Colonoscopy in 24 hours

My wife cracked me up with a joke about an 80-year-old who was about to have his first ever colonoscopy.  He told the doctor, "Please go easy on me, this is my first time." 

"Take your pants off," the doctor ordered.  The old man complied.  "Where should I put my pants?"  He asked.

"You can put them over there next to mine," the doctor responded.

The truth is colonoscopies are no laughing matter.  Two things can happen – either the doctor will find something or he won't.  If he doesn't find anything, your next visit won't happen for ten more years.  If he does find something, it's either cancer or it isn't.  If it isn't cancer, your next visit will be in three years.  If it is cancer, the good news is you can get treatment sooner rather than later because you made the appointment.  If you're over 50, it's time to make the call and take your pants off.  Have a great day.

A Word of Caution for Writers

Are you one of those writers who disappears for days to work on your next novel?  Do you forgo daily exercise in order to spend more time in front of your computer?  I can relate.  It's dangerous.  I was so focused writing my last book that my health declined and I didn't even notice.  I was eating all the wrong foods.  My blood pressure sky rocketed and my cholesterol levels entered the danger zone.  Long periods of inactivity combined with poor food choices is toxic and your writing career may end early due to a stroke or heart attack.  Most Americans are already at risk because they don't eat properly.  Writers who spend all their time sitting in front of their computers are in double jeopardy.

The solution is simple if you desire a healthier lifestyle.  Avoid setting overzealous writing deadlines and schedule exercise.  You may find spending time with nature will inspire creativity.  And don't forget to eat your veggies, especially the greens.  Have a great day.

My Two Cents about the Recent Blood Pressure Study

A new study for patients 50 and older is making headlines this week.  The study was cut short because the results were so dramatic doctors wanted the world to know immediately getting blood pressure down from 140 to 120 reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke by 25%.  The only problem I have with the study is in the interpretation.  These patients used three different drugs in order to get their blood pressure down to 120 – usually a diuretic, the first-line choice for lowering blood pressure, plus a drug called a calcium channel blocker and one called an ACE inhibitor.  I achieved the same results without any drugs when I became a part of a lesser known experiment.  My blood pressure averages 115/70 without medicine.

Do you really want your doctor to give you a permission slip to keep eating all those processed foods that are the cause of your high cholesterol, your obesity and your high blood pressure?  We've been duped by our own government into falsely believing certain foods are good for us when they're sending us to an early grave.

The real story is still untold.  Blood pressure below 120 is achievable without medicine.  That's what Phase III is going to prove.  I'll share more about that later.  It's not easy to change the world.  Stay tuned.  I'm betting my two-cent contribution is going to shock a lot of doctors who believe the only solution is prescription medicine.  Have a great day.  And don't forget to load up on your green veggies.  You don't need a permission slip to eat them.

Half-time Adjustment Tips for the 50-somethings

Some of you in the 50+ crowd may be thinking the game's almost over.  Maybe you've gained too much weight or your body isn't behaving the way it was back in the first quarter of your life.  Consider today's blog message your half-time talk.  I have something to say about the game of life:  we're just getting started.  Please get any negativity you may be carrying around out of the locker room and take a knee for a couple of paragraphs:

Three days ago I suffered a major blow on the battlefield.  The enemy attacked me with a series of all-out blitzes that left me dazed.  I asked for a time-out to get my thoughts together.  The experience scared the hell right out of me.  I needed to regroup.  What I realized is I have something worth sharing with those who want a better life and the other side is willing to do anything to try and stop me from sharing hope.  Please don't give up.  Please stay in the game.  Let's try some new plays in the next quarter.  The third quarter is the perfect time for change.  Here's the game plan:

1. Change your food program.  Eat as many fruits and veggies as you want for the next 45 days.  Mix in some nuts too.  Cut out anything with a label on it.
2. Commit to 120 minutes of exercise every week for the next six weeks.
3. Decide you're going to play the game of life for all four quarters with vigor and passion.
4. Under no circumstances are you going to give the other side any opportunities to keep you out of the game.  Their tactics may work for the confused or the weak who don't know our Savior.  Those who know our Savior already know who wins in the end.
5. Be willing to try new ideas in the third quarter.  You gained much wisdom in the first half of your life.  Now it's time to apply all you learned to these next two quarters.  Let's go!

Have a great day.  Have a great life.  I'm happy to be on the field of life with you.  Can I get an Amen?

Have You Booked Your Colonoscopy Yet?

My first colonoscopy is scheduled for next Friday the 13th.  According to my doctor's track record, he finds something in one out of four spelunking expeditions.  He'll be searching for colon polyps, abnormal growths sticking tight to the intestines that have the ability to turn into cancer if left unchecked.  Anyone over the age of 50 is considered at risk.  I'm five years late for the exam but my doctor told me not to worry about anything.  It takes years for polyps to transform into cancer and if he comes up empty, I won't need another exam for ten years.

The scariest thing to me about colonoscopies is not really the exam itself but what could happen if I have something inside my body that may eventually become cancer.  Those who refuse to get checked are the ones who may end up with much bigger challenges.  I'd rather prevent the problem now rather than take my chances later.

Do yourself a big favor.  If you haven't booked a colonoscopy and you're over fifty, make an appointment today.  Have a great day.

Remember One Thing in Times of Trouble

There are some scary things going on in the world today.  At times, I feel the enemy is doing whatever it takes to defeat me or at least confuse my sense of purpose.  Have you ever had one of those days?  Maybe you feel like you're swimming in turbulent waters and every time you come up for air a giant wave pounces on you, forcing you back underwater.  This is the enemy's specialty.  He's been studying our weaknesses for thousands of years.  He's an expert in trickery and deceit.  The believer who calls out the enemy is at risk and becomes a target of increased attacks.  When this happens, there's one thing to remember in times of trouble – focus on who you are and who you belong to.  You are a child of God.  You have the power within in you to push back against the enemy.

Here's a little something from my toolbox for you today.  It's one of my personal favorites ~ Isaiah 40:28-31:

²⁸ Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

Have a great day.

Your Snack Emergency Kit

I bet you carry some kind of emergency kit in your vehicle to help you survive a difficult situation, like a tire blowout.  But what about the kind of emergency you have when you're away from home and your food cravings kick in?  Why not pack a snack emergency kit?  Here are some ideas to help you get started:

1. Bottled water.
2. Homemade trail mix – Place almonds, walnuts,  pecans, and raisins in a baggie and seal it up.
3. Dried fruit.

Your food emergency kit is meant to get you through a crisis.  If healthy food is at your fingertips, you can survive without caving in to bad food choices.  You can do this.  Keep your emergency kit in your car and remember to replenish it after each use.  Have a great day.

How I Drink My Spinach for Breakfast

I call it Mulligan's Big Cup.  Based on recent food discoveries, I've modified the ingredients to improve the nutritional content and help you reach your fitness goals.  I drink two cups every morning and give a cup to Mrs. Caveman for her early morning commute.  She loves it and the smoothie fills her up until lunch.  Preparation is key.  I start with all the greens – two big handfuls of spinach or kale, two stalks of celery, 1/2 avocado and a half cup of water in a high speed blender.  Add a tablespoon of flax seed and a tablespoon of chia seed for fiber while the blender is mixing the greens.  Once everything is blended, turn off the blender and add two oranges and two bananas.  Mix at high speed until all the ingredients are blended.  Turn off and then add your favorite frozen fruits.  I like frozen blueberries, strawberries and pineapples.  Mix at high speed and serve immediately.  This is the best way to get enough spinach in your diet and you won't even taste it.  Kale will change the flavor so you may want to start with small amounts until your pallet adjusts.

Any high speed blender should work, however, it's important to blend in three segments – start with your greens first, the bananas and oranges second, and the frozen fruits last.  If you try to do everything in one step and you have too many frozen fruits, your blender will freeze up and shut down because it's working too hard.  Another solution is to use fresh fruits in place of frozen.  I prefer frozen because they last longer and it makes my smoothies colder without needing ice.

Please share this recipe with your friends.  One of the arguments I heard when I started making smoothies daily was that I would gain weight.  The truth is I'm 27 pounds lighter today than I was at the end of August.  Weight gain doesn't come from smoothies, it comes from everything else you eat for snacks and other meals.  I'll talk about that in futures stories.  For now, I recommend you drink your spinach every morning in a Mulligan's Big Cup.  Have a great day.

Thank 3 People Today

Here's a challenge for you today.  Take a look around you and find three people who are making a difference in your life.  Walk up to them and tell them how grateful you are for what they do.  A little bit of gratitude goes a long way.  You will make their day.  And you will make your day too.  Try it out.  By the way, I would like to thank you for taking time out of your day to read these stories.  Have a great day. 

Phase II Caveman Food Experiment Update

The reports are coming in and the pounds are coming off.  Phase II of the Caveman Food Experiment is off to a good start.  I would like to thank the volunteers for taking time out of their busy schedules to send me progress reports.

For those of you unfamiliar with the experiment, it all began when I became a lab rat in the first phase of the experiment set up to see if it's possible to lower risk for high blood pressure without medicine by changing food habits.  I lost 26 pounds in 45 days and lowered my blood pressure from stage II hypertension to an average of 115/70 without any medicine.  Phase II volunteers are seeking to reduce weight by following the same food program – a diet rich in green veggies, fruits and nuts and no processed foods.

Stay tuned for more progress reports.  And if you know someone who is interested in learning more about how to lose weight and optimize health, please share this story.  Have a great day.

Why I'm Giving My Health Insurance Company 5 Stars

My insurance company created a win-win scenario for themselves, employers, and at-risk people like me who are headed for costly health problems without some kind of intervention.  The 16-week program, named Prevent, includes one year of follow-up to help make the changes sustainable and permanent.  My health coach keeps in touch with our 18 member group weekly using Facebook-type group posts, private messaging and personal phone calls.  She receives daily tracking results from my Wi-fi digital scale provided at no charge by my insurance company.  I also post my daily steps using the free pedometer.  These tools helped me achieve dramatic measurable results in a short period of time.

Health care costs are spiraling out of control and I believe the only way we can get out of trouble is to prevent diseases like diabetes, heart attacks and strokes before we get sick.  I told my doctor and my health coach about an experiment I was asked to participate in, sponsored by my cousin, a doctor who is investigating why so many patients are getting sick from foods they eat.  He asked me to give up processed foods for 45 days.  Other foods on the do-not-eat list included anything that walks, flies or swims, grains and dairy products.  His ideas were the perfect complement to the prevent program and my physician agreed to allow a couple of blood tests during the experiment in order to have an accurate record of the results.  My blood pressure, cholesterol, body fat and weight all returned to the normal range without much effort.

If San Diego Padres broadcaster and Hall of Fame baseball player Jerry Coleman were still around,  Jerry would proudly yell out from the booth, "You can hang a star on that one, baby!"  This program deserves 5 stars.  And I would like to thank my cousin for simplifying my food program.  Some day I may graduate from my status as a food dummy and become food smart.  At least I don't have to read any labels.  It's all about the fruits, veggies and nuts.  It's more fun in a group setting like the one offered by my insurance company but these results can be achieved on your own if you're willing to give up processed foods for 45 days.  Give it a try.  Have a great day.

10 Action Steps to Better Health

My 45 day food experiment was a series of ten steps to improved health that can be repeated by anyone willing to try a new approach.  The key is to keep it simple and keep moving forward, one step at a time.  Try these action steps and watch your pounds come off effortlessly:

1. Clean out your refrigerator and your food pantry of anything unhealthy.
2. Commit yourself to only buying foods without a label on the outside.
3. Eat unlimited fruits and veggies, with an emphasis on the greens.
4. Limit your intake of dairy products and grains.  
5. Avoid alcohol (one glass of wine for ladies and two for men per day is okay).
6. Schedule 90 minutes of exercise per week like taking walks.
7. Make your own salad dressings without all the preservatives.
8. Write down everything you eat daily.
9. Keep track of your weight every morning when you wake up.
10. Repeat these steps for 45 days.

You are not alone in your journey to better health.  Others like you are involved in Phase II of the food experiment and you can follow the group by clicking here.  Have a great day.