The Counterattack

We've heard the story over and over.  Our first ancestors didn't comply with the rules of the garden.  Congrats to the Evil One for his cunning ways.  What seemed relatively harmless at the time resulted in damage to every single member of the human race.  Paradise was lost.   The Evil One pretty much incarcerated every single one of us.  The fallen angel even tried to tempt Jesus when he came to rescue us.  Even though Jesus conquered sin, we are all still damaged.  The attacks continue.  Is there a way to survive? I have an idea, although it's not original.  It's a counterattack.  It may not be the approach you might try if you were placed in charge.

The answer, my friend, is love.  Specifically, love your enemy.  Besides loving your enemy, pray for your enemy.  Go big.  Pray that your enemy is blessed beyond his or her wildest dreams.  Celebrate when your prayers are answered.  Love is the only weapon I know that can completely disarm those rebels who want you to suffer all the days of your life.  Give love a try.  Don't forget to forgive.  Have a great day.

Is There a Template for Your Best Life?

Before I delve into today's story, I would like to give a shoutout to my aunt Teresa, my first cousins, Mary, John, Tom, Mark, Patty, Paul, Steve, and David, who are grieving the loss of Dr. Thomas Mulligan, my dad's older brother, who is now in Heaven.  My prayers are with you.  Today's story is inspired from one of his mini talks with me during my childhood years.

Are you living your best life today?  If not, it may come down to three areas of your life.  When these three areas are out of alignment, chaos ensues.  The wheels fall off the bus.  I fully believe with every fiber of my being that the right alignment allows a fulfilled life.  These areas are your work, your family, and your faith.  Warning.  If you don't have room in your life for God, nothing else really matters.  

Consider how you rank these three areas of your life.  If work is number one, I have a feeling you are driven by things of this world.  What happens to all the "things" when you die?  Do they really matter?  That's why I'm not in favor of putting work as your number one priority.  In my opinion, you are not the best employee you can be when you do this because your family suffers.  Eventually, this will seep into your work life.  Your marriage will suffer and your relationship with your children will suffer.  

What happens when you put family first?  Sounds plausible, right?  Family first has merit but it lacks the most important part of your life, God as the top priority.  Family first means all those events that happen to be going on during worship time keeps you away from God's house.  It may be hard to believe that sports can be false gods.  The truth is, anything that keeps you from regular worship is a a false god.  No bueno for your eternal life.

If you buy into having God as your top priority, you are on your way.  The next is to rank family and work.  Many people I know choose work first because they want to provide for the family.  The challenge here is that when there is a conflict between these two, the family suffers.

The ideal template for your best life?  God first, family second, and work third.  Before you call me a slacker, let me assure you putting work after God and family, in my opinion, makes you a happier, healthier, and more productive employee.  Take a look at your template and consider doing some rearranging if you feel you are lacking the proper priorities.  Have a great day.

Men's 18+ Tennis Team Off to Fast Start in 4.0 Division

 I finally got to contribute to my men's tennis team this season.  We are grateful to have a committed coach, Jim Sichterman, who is tasked with helping us maximize our tennis potential.  Due to staffing shortages at my day job, I'm often away from my teams.  The Men's 55+ team is on their way to post season play.  Unfortunately, I didn't meet the minimum guidelines of two regular season matches and will not be able to participate.

This year's team is loaded with talent.  One teammate is from Australia.  Another is from Indonesia.  We have fun but we also work hard.  It's also a great place to test my food theories.  At, 62yrs old, it's vital that I find every edge possible to remain competitive.  So far, so good.  Congrats to my teammates on a big 3-2 win against a competitive team from the quad cities.  Special thanks to our captain who logs numerous hours filming us and sharing video with the team for needed feedback.  Also, I would like to thank one of my teammates at my day job for trading shifts with me so I that I could be back on the courts.  Have a great day.

Are Your Border Collies Guarding Your Stored Energy?

 This story comes from my own food storage vault.  I've accumulated some interesting ideas about food theories.  The idea here is to present the information in a way that may inspire you to dump the SAD (Standard American Diet) approach and perhaps return to the ways of our ancestors.

One of the highlights of our Ireland pilgrimage last year was a trip to a family farm.  We watched in awe as the border collies herded the sheep.  I got this crazy idea that what was going on at the farm is similar to what's going on inside your stomach every time you eat processed foods, sugar, and anything else that might pose a danger to your health.  Think of the sheep as the harmful foods.  The body senses trouble and sends out the border collies to protect the farm.  The sheep are corralled where they remain as stored fat.  

Do you ever wonder why you're always hungry no matter how much food you consume and how often you eat?  Does it seem like you're hungry every couple of hours?  Why isn't that herd of caged sheep shrinking when you reduce your food consumption?

Maybe the problem is that those border collies aren't going to let the sheep out of their pens until something important happens – your decision to stop eating the same foods that become like dog whistles summoning the border collies.  You need access to the caged sheep and you need to send them into your blood stream as energy.  You need to unlock the gate and let them out.  Stop blowing the dog whistle.  Set those stored sheep free and you will eventually slim down.  Think about this when you're watching the border collies in action in the YouTube video attached.  Have a great day.

Do You Have a Food Strategy?

Remember all those resolutions you made at the start of the New Year?  How are you doing?  Are any of them still in play?  If you are in the middle of the pack, I have a feeling most or all are gone and these resolutions won't resurface until about ten months from now.  Also, it's probable that those resolutions involved getting your budget in line and/or trimming some pounds from your belly.  Maybe a resolution isn't the best way to achieve your objectives.  I'm focusing on the area of food management today because that happens to be what I'm working on.  I'm discovering that food strategies as opposed to annual New Year resolutions seem to have a better chance of having a successful outcome.

A food strategy is your guide that you implement in order to achieve your goals.  Keep in mind you have very strong opposing forces trying to stop you.  There may be some people with ulterior motives who want you to consume their products even when they are detrimental to your health.  When these people become influencers by being elected to positions of power and they say something that may not be truthful, beware. 

Another opposing force is your brain.  Sadly, this brain of yours sends signals to the stomach that may be contrary to what you need to trim belly fat.  Listen to these messages from your brain and you're doomed to failure.  That's why a food strategy can counter negative influences.  Teach your brain to follow your strategy and demand complete obedience.  

My own food strategy is a baby step approach.  The first step is to tell your brain you are in charge of the food strategy.  The second step is to lay out your action plan as detailed as you can.  Consider your food strategy as something that will become a way of life rather than a resolution.  The next step is to decide which baby step you want to act on first, like giving up soft drinks.  Stay on this step until the food addiction is mastered.  Now, keep going.  Is the next step chocolate and all things sugary?  Stay here until mastered.  Keep going.  The advanced steps are ideas like intermittent fasting or even OMAD (one meal a day).  This doesn't have to be every day but it can be what you want it to be.  That's it.  Remember, this isn't a fad or a diet, it's a strategy.  Follow this for a year and let's see what happens.  Have a great day.

Do You Care to Take a Faith Quiz?

 Don't worry.  You are the only one who will see your answers.  This is a quick quiz for you to see where you stand.  Here goes:

1. Do you believe in God?
2. Do you worship regularly?
3. If you answered no to question number one, do you think maybe you could change your answer if you found proof there is a God?
4. If you answered no to question number three, why do you think you are on this planet?
5. Do you believe in evil?
6. If you answered yes to question number five, where do you think evil comes from?
7. If you are stuck on question six, is there a possibility that evil comes from the absence of the presence to God?
8. If you answered no to question one, and no or maybe to question seven, are you willing to pay the eternal consequences of an eternity in Hell should you wake in the afterlife and discover you were wrong?
9. If you answered yes to question one but no to question two, are willing to pay the price of an eternity in Hell because you said no to God's commandment to keep Holy the Sabbath?
10. How do you feel about your answers.  

Thank you for taking this faith quiz.  Have a great day.

Created, Captured, Rescued & Response

Ash Wednesday, today, marks the beginning of a journey for Christians of many denominations towards what I consider to be the most important event in the history of man.  If you are thinking about who created you, why you're here, and want to explore a bit more about this 40 day journey(Sundays and the final three days including Easter Sunday are excluded), this story may be of interest to you.  It's a summary of an online presentation I heard that I believe is the most concise summary of who we are and why we're here.  If you happen to be a nonbeliever, let's compare notes the next time our paths cross.

I suspect one of the reasons nonbelievers remain on the fringes of organized religion is because they view the Bible as something filled with untruths.  For example, in Genesis, we hear the creation story.  Seven days.  Really?  Something out of nothing.  Really?  How can this be?  Science reveals we have been around much longer.  So, what's the deal?  Let's begin with what you and I both know – we exist.  Yes, we were created.  But how?  Was this random or did someone create us?  I happen to believe we were created by an all-knowing and all-loving being.  I believe we were created in love.  There is a theory that this all-loving being shared a thought about creating us with other beings that this being, God, created prior to us. These angels are 100% spiritual in nature so they have no physical bodies.  The theory is that this may have caused a rebellion in the spiritual world.  The idea was these angels would serve man once created in the image of the Creator.  That didn't go well with the angels who believed they shouldn't lower themselves and serve man.  These angels were kicked out.  Then, God created us.  Was it seven days?  No.  That is a poetic way of showing that God could have an idea, create based on his idea, and, poof, we were on the planet.  In fact, God is still creating.  Science and God do not have to be apart.  Science explains God's brush strokes.

The dark angels didn't like us showing up on the planet so one of them tempted our first ancestors, Adam and Eve, to break the rules set up for their benefit.  What happened next messed up everything.  Like the dark angels who refused to obey God, our first ancestors were captured by the first of God's rebel angels.  Everything has been a hot mess since we were captured.

The rescue is God's response to our fall from grace.  It was planned even before all of us were created.  The plan was to set apart a chosen group of people and prepare them for the rescue plan to be initiated.  That's what the Old Testament is all about.  First, the creation story.  Next, the capture, and then, our Creator slowly revealing himself to his Chosen Ones.

How did the rescue happen?  Well, it was done so perfectly that not even the Chosen Ones could see it even when it was right in front of them.  That's the time period believers are in now beginning with today, Ash Wednesday, where believers are reminded, "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."  We are preparing ourselves to see God's rescue plan unfold once again as it was over 2,000 years ago.  The rescue plan was carried out and we are now free.  All debts are forgiven, not by anything we do, but by the Son of God becoming man and dying on the Cross for all our transgressions.

What is the final step of the plan?  It's our response.  We are asked to share God's love story with others.  The rescue plan has no meaning if we don't respond to God's perfect love for us and share this with others who think all of this is a fairy tale.   

If you happen to be a non-believer, ask yourself one question, "What if I'm wrong?"  I personally have been asking this question over and over in one area of my life where I believe I have been misled by people who should know better.  This happens to be in the area of food.  Maybe, just maybe, you might be enlightened when you explore the idea that there is a God.  If you are a believer, maybe this period of time leading up to Easter Sunday can be a time of great reflection.  Have a  great day.

Avocados, M&M's, and Water Balloons

 Today's story is a simplified view of the Standard American Diet (SAD) and how it may be silently killing you.  I'm using avocados, M&M's, and water balloons to illustrate what's going on inside our bodies.  Share this with your doctor and consult with him or her before making serious changes to your food intake.  

The avocados represent healthy food choices.  Notice the valve in the pipeline which can be turned on or off depending on what your choice is to eat foods that lead to a healthy body.  The M&M's are your non-healthy food choices.  In my opinion, nearly 2/3 of Americans leave this valve on throughout the day.  These foods are the foods that make you fat, sick, and nearly dead.  Think of M&M's as a hot water valve and avocados as a cold water valve.  Many falsely believe they can eat foods from the hot water source all the time as long as the cold water is turned on once in a while to "balance" the SAD diet.  A quick examination of the belly size will confirm or deny this lifestyle.  Warm water may not be the solution.

Let's take a look at what is going on inside our bellies when we leave the hot water valve open too long or we open it too often throughout the day.  Keep in mind that food is energy.  It can be used or stored.  That's where the water balloons come in.  Your body will store energy in the water balloons until the energy is needed like when there may be a famine.  This happened to our ancestors.  They turned on the hot water during times of plenty, stored the excess energy in the water balloons, and tapped the water balloons when food was scarce.

Since when did we in America experience famine?  That's why the water balloons are always full of stored energy.  I challenge you to name one disease that is not related to over-filled water balloons.  By the way, if your doctor is prescribing pills, ask yourself if these pills are merely permission slips to allow you to keep your hot water valve open.  Is it possible that if you changed from hot water (M&M's) to cold water (Avocados), then perhaps you could open up a valve inside your body and drain some water balloons (stored energy)?  

In case you're wondering why so many of the diets you tried in the past didn't work, I have a thought for you.    Maybe your brain has been behaving like a spoiled child.  Do you cave in every time your stomach (spoiled child number two) growls and you're forced to turn on the hot water valve?  Do you avoid turning on the cold water valve because you're always stuffed from unhealthy snacks?  These frequent outbursts are because your brain and your stomach are in cahoots.  They work together to control the opening and closing of your valves.  When they are running the show your body becomes overwhelmed with balloons.  The good kids (kidneys, liver, etc) rebel.  They quit doing their chores because they are fed up having to clean up the mess.  The result of this is more doctor visits and more permission slips.  That may be a reason why cases of Diabetes are on the rise.  

Is there a way to find peace amidst all these avocados, M&M's, and water balloons?  I'm experimenting with my own valves.  I'm not allowing my brain and stomach to make the call, especially when they may be screaming at the top of their lungs, "I want more M&M's."  That valve has been completely shut for the last three weeks.  Not only is that valve shut, but the other cold water valve is only turned on once or twice a day.  My brain and stomach have no choice but to shut up and turn on the valve that drains the water balloons.  Yep.  It's like a giant water balloon party.  This is what intermittent fasting is all about.  It's a clever way to pretend you are living in caveman times when food was so scarce that our ancestors learned to adapt.  Interesting things happen when the spoiled kids (brain and stomach) realize they are no longer in control.  

Remember to always consult with your physician before you begin experimenting with your hot and cold water valves.  Share this story with a friend if you would like to engage them in the avocado, M&M's, and Water Balloons debate.  More about this will be shared in "Live Long and Prosper."  Have a great day.

Good Riddance to the Fake NMN Sellers

 There's a very good reason why consumers are complaining about a lack of results when trying NMN, a natural molecule the human body produces.  According to Harvard professor, David A. Sinclair, these molecules may aid in extending lifespan.  Unfortunately,  some sellers on Amazon have been selling snake oil and not the NMN they are advertising.

I'm in a group that closely follows Sinclair.  The moderators of the group warned others that vendors were misrepresenting their products because samples were being tested with poor results.  Some products had no NMN at all.  

Remember to check in with your doctor before making changes to your food program.  Also, make sure your vendor is reputable before ordering your products.  Have a great day.

The Fork in the Road

If you were to place your hand on the table with the palm down and your fingers together, you can imagine it as a road all of us our traveling on in America.  When the fingers are together we are all going in the same direction.  Most of us are pretty much consuming the same thing, the standard American diet (SAD).  While the palm of your hand is still facing down, move the thumb away from the other four fingers.  This represents some sort of off-ramp where people like me are experimenting with food to see if health can be improved.  This is a fork in the road.  It's the road less traveled.  

My hope is that by exiting from the mainstream and trying new ways of eating including the timing of meals, I may find ways to increase my health span as well as my lifespan.  More importantly, I want to share what I'm learning in my stories to inspire those other four fingers on the SAD highway to find their own offramp and change their food habits.  If 50% of the country could do this it would be as if another fork in the road appeared and the four fingers separated between the second and third fingers.  The image on your hand would be the "live long and prosper" gesture from Mr. Spock in Star Trek.  That's my wish for you, to help you live long and prosper.  

What about your fork in the road?  Are you interested in trying some new food ideas?  Stay tuned.  It's a long road.  Have a great day.

Video Feedback Aids Tennis Game

I would like to thank my captain, Jim, for helping all of us playing league tennis improve our game.  Last night I reviewed three sets of tennis which he filmed on his GoPro and shared with interested players.  I was the weakest player and lost all three sets.  All I'm going to say here is, "Watch out."  That isn't for my teammates because I'm substantially behind them due to lack of time on the courts.  It's more for future opponents who may not be so fortunate to partake in video feedback.

I have one more thing going for me and that happens to be my commitment to finding the optimal food program for optimizing my health.  It's one thing to know what works best and another to execute.  I'm really looking forward to improving my tennis game and refining my food choices in the coming months.  Have a great day.

8.5 Inches of Snow in Our Area

Yesterday was a homebound day.  I called my boss at my day job asking about the status knowing the roads were pretty much unmanageable.  Thankfully, we had enough staff to open and I was excused for the day.  I'm hustling this morning to finish clearing snow in the driveway from our biggest snow event of the season. Thankfully, the sun is shining and we have a reprieve for nearly a week.  The challenge today is frigid cold.  The thermometer shows 1º as of sunrise, although it feels like -11º so I will be bundling up.  Time to get busy.  Have a great day.

How I'm Measuring My Blood Glucose and Ketone Levels

 This morning I completed my second 24-hour fast.  The last one was two weeks ago.  Unfortunately, I didn't get the opportunity to measure results the first time other than observe how I felt.  Contrary to what many people think about skipping meals, I actually felt great.  There was zero hunger.  The same thing happened this time.  Also, my tennis game didn't seem to suffer.

My new device arrived yesterday and this morning I performed my first blood glucose/Ketone level test prior to eating my breakfast.  For the medical peeps who are following, here are the results:

Glucose 80 mg/dL

Ketones 1.0 mol/L

What does all this mean?  I'm not sure.  I have much to learn about this.  One meal a day isn't killing me.  Maybe it's helping me.  The food experiments will continue.  I believe this is important due to the scary rise in US diabetes rates.  Rates have increased more than sevenfold since the 1950s.  Yikes!  I don't know if one meal a day will be my new norm.  Two meals a day seems fine with an occasional OMAD (one meal a day) while I monitor what is going on inside my body.  What seems to work for me is a go slow approach.  It's similar to getting out of debt.  This doesn't happen overnight.  Baby steps get the job done.  Always remember to consult your physician for guidance before you make changes.  Have a great day.

The Caveman Combo

 It's no secret I've been experimenting with food programs ever since my cousin, John, asked me to tinker with my food intake years ago.  He designed a 45day experiment to see if my blood pressure could be lowered to safe levels without prescription medicine.  Not only did my blood pressure drop within days, I also released fat that accumulated in my body over the decades eating the standard American Diet (SAD).  Dr. John Mulligan snatched me from the jaws of premature death and set me on a path for what may be an extended health span as well as an extended lifespan that may appear to outsiders as sci-fi.  He rescued me when I had two health strikes against me and that guy on the mound was staring at me with a devilish grin.  Strike three was just one pitch away.  The fat lady in the choir was getting ready to sing and I could already hear her humming a few bars.

Fast forward to today.  The 45day Caveman Food Experiment opened my eyes to a better lifestyle.  I've been consuming as much information as my brain can handle about food and how it can affect the body positively and/or negatively.  I'm certain about a few things... Almost everything we were taught in school about food is wrong.  Food pyramids are false.  Genetic engineering may influence negative outcomes.  Everything is suspect.  We should kill the standard American diet and celebrate with an old-fashioned Irish wake.  

Ask your primary care physician how much time was dedicated to food education during his or her training in medical school.  Many doctors in my circle of friends confess that it comes down to about an hour or so.  The emphasis is on drugs.  Sadly, poor health is good for business, especially if you happen to be part of a pharmaceutical company.  Prescription medicine is almost always the first choice for treatment.  If the first pill doesn't work, another is added, then another.  

I had a caveman smoothie this morning, a family favorite at Casa de Mulligan.  This morning I added two fried eggs and leftovers from last night's dinner out at A8 Chinese Restaurant (thank you, Shane, for treating us).  Robin, the owner, made my kung pao shrimp gluten free which seems to keep my stomach happier than the traditional style.  I consumed one gram each of transreservatrol and NMN, natural molecules being researched by David A. Sinclair, a Harvard scientist who has been studying mice and yeast cells for most of his career.  He's not a medical doctor but I do think he may be on to something.  That's why I'm also taking eight other pills every morning that he talks about in his book, Lifespan.  

If you made it this far in the story today, I have something new to share.  It has to do with the timing of my eating.  This morning's meal was a bit larger than a typical breakfast for a specific reason.  This is the only food I will consume for the next 24 hours.  I know.  I know.  This is highly unusual for someone living in America.  My first stint at this was two weeks ago and I felt like I was floating on the clouds.  No hunger.  I repeat.  No hunger.  This didn't happen overnight.  I slowly cut out snacks.  I gave up sugar (mostly).  I cut my meals to two times a day.  I heard about OMAD (one meal a day) from a friend who is also eager to understand what foods are best for our bodies.  Apparently, the timing of when we eat may be beneficial.  The best way to know?  Experiment.  I suppose I really enjoy being a lab rat.  I also enjoy playing tennis and tonight I will be on the courts for at least a couple of hours.  It will be a good test for OMAD.  

Remember one important thing before you go out on a limb, check in with your primary care physician and get the proper advice about changing your food program.  In my opinion, if you give up processed foods and change your ways, it's quite possible your need for prescription pills may decline.  Without the proper guidance you too may hear that fat lady singing.  Be careful.  Have a great day.

The Best Gift You Can Give Your Valentine

 What are you giving your Valentine today?  In my opinion, the best gift you can give is your commitment to live healthy.  My heart goes out to the two people on my day job team who lost their husbands within hours of each other on the same day recently.  That's why I'm offering today's story featuring a healthy lifestyle.

The jury is out on which food choices may be the best.  The one thing we can all agree on is that SAD (standard American diet) is not a worthy choice.  If you can commit to eliminating processed foods from your daily choices, you are making serious improvements.  

Give your Valentine the gift of a healthy lifestyle.  If you've been eating excess sugar all your life and you bought your Valentine a box of chocolates, enjoy.  When the box is empty, perhaps you can find a way to reduce your sugar intake to near zero levels.  Wise choices today will pay amazing health dividends in your golden years.  Happy Valentine's Day.  Have a great day.

Did Jesus Get Invited to the Super Bowl?

 I sat out of the Super Bowl.  Maybe my pastor's words during his sermon struck a nerve when he talked about the moral decline in the world.  Particularly, he zeroed in on the half time shows.  I was pleasantly surprised when there was positive coverage about Jesus getting an invitation.

Imagine growing up in a household where Jesus isn't allowed.  Or attending a school where God is barred from entry.  How long can we thrive as a country when God is asked to stay on the sidelines?

Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs.  I'm happy for one of my first cousins who lives in Kansas City.  I'm also happy Jesus was invited.  Jesus may not pick favorites on the field but he sure loves being invited to live in our hearts. I'm hopeful yesterday's invitation will build momentum.  Have a great day.

Can Anything Good Come from Nazareth?

 

The package arrives tomorrow.  It's a gift from my friend, Boris, a descendant of Aaron, brother of Moses, from the tribe of Levi.  He's gifting me a carving from an olive tree he acquired while in Nazareth many moons ago (click here for more about Boris).

My time with Boris while on assignment in Ankeny was cut short.  He's a wine steward at one of our locations in Wisconsin.  Most of us on the support team were surprised his boss would release him during the Holiday season because there is at most only one wine steward per location.  His place got super busy and they recalled him before I could get to know him better.  Boris is one of those people who knows how to light up a room.  He sent me a text message yesterday telling me he didn't know anyone who would appreciate this gift as much as I will.

I replied, "Now I have a special connection to you and your people."  My mother has visited Israel on multiple occasions.  Our youngest son commented that he noticed an instant transformation of the land when he crossed the border from Egypt where he was stationed.  This place is on our bucket list.

Can anything good come from Nazareth?  I said those lines many times on various stages when I played Nathaniel in the Living Last Supper play also many moons ago while residing in Southern California.  I'm about to receive one of the most meaningful gifts of my life from one of the most interesting people I've ever been blessed to meet.  I believe this was not a chance encounter.  In fact, a mutual friend, Georgia, couldn't wait for us to meet.

Thank you, Boris, for your thoughtfulness and your generosity.  Thank you for gifting me something with so much significance.  I will make a prominent place for it in my home office so I can remember our brief time together.  Our paths will cross again and we will continue where we left off.  May you live long and prosper. Have a great day.

Do Your Bones Hold a Secret to Longevity?

This story may seem like science fiction to you.  It's not.  Your bones may be keeping a secret deep inside your bone marrow where your blood is made.  Researchers at Columbia University in New York have discovered something that may possibly extend our health and lifespan by decades.  While it's no secret our bodies start producing fewer and fewer red blood cells and immune cells as we age, there may be a reversible solution based on a drug which has been approved for use in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis cases.  Before you go rushing out to get this drug, anakinra, keep in mind that human trials haven't even begun yet.  So far, the experiments have only been conducted with mice.

What have these researchers learned about what's going on inside old bones?  That's the million dollar question.  I'm especially curious about this because my own body seems to respond in a similar way when I eat the wrong foods that cause inflammation.  Thanks, cousin, for following up on your suspicions that there may be a different reason why my blood pressure readings can spike.  

The new study at Columbia University reveals that in aging mice the blood-producing stem cells inside the bone marrow become overwhelmed with inflammation.  The stem cells deteriorate leading to stem cell dysfunction.  No bueno.  When this happens aging occurs.  

The takeaway here is that once human trials begin and if they offer the same results already found in the mice studies, we may have a way to stop the inflammation in the bone marrow where red blood cells are made allowing healthy blood production to be maintained as we age.  

There is another question about this research gnawing inside my head.  It's the same question I asked a few years ago of one of the doctors in my tennis circle of friends who specializes in treating rheumatoid arthritis.  "What causes inflammation?"  My follow up question today is, "What causes this inflammation these researchers found in old mice bones?"  

In my opinion, my old bones may behave better when I minimize the foods that cause inflammation in my body.  I'm happy researchers are unlocking the secrets that may help us lead better lives in our advanced years.  Have a great day.

Wife's Retirement Gift Picked Out

 My wife's final day at her day job is on the last day of this month.  She has been blessed to be on a small team that works together to get things done.  Her boss loves travel as much as we do and hopes to hear stories about our travels.  I'm still working out the details of Helen's retirement gift.  She has a pretty good idea of what that gift may be.  

If you've been reading my daily stories, you could probably venture a good guess.  No, it's not a vacation.  That will be on hold until my vacation time resets in May.  While the gift won't be shared until February 28, I will offer one hint.  It's a gift that keeps on giving.  All I can say at this moment is my wife is super excited for the next chapter of her life and I'm thrilled for her.  Come back at the end of the month and find out what her retirement gift is all about.  Have a great day.

What Happens When You Decrease Your Food Window?

 It's been twenty-two hours since my last meal.  I don't recommend this for someone following the typical American diet which consists of three meals a day and regular snacks between meals.  Your brain will rebel and life will be miserable.  I also recommend that you speak with your physician before embarking on something like I'm doing.  Before you write me off as a lunatic, let me share what's going on at Casa de Mulligan.

I'm doing my best to finish "Live Long and Prosper."  It's gone through so many changes that it is now unrecognizable.  It's like that ugly caterpillar that entered a cocoon and then magically became a butterfly.  Something was missing during the cocoon stage so I went back and tinkered with the manuscript searching for ways to refine the material.  One of my discoveries is that I can't write the chapters until I've lived the chapters.  Yes, I'm a human lab rat and my food experiments are being tested on myself before I share my lessons.  

You may think I'm a lunatic.  Who in their right mind would skip that many meals and snacks?  My answer to you is people who want to change the world.  Who says three meals a day are good for you?  Who says you need snacks between meals?  I'll tell you who...people with fat bellies.  They unknowingly shove food into their mouths throughout the day because they are hungry.  Guess what?  I'm not hungry.  I played nearly three hours of tennis last night and never sat down once between games.  How can this be?  I believe it has something to do with decreasing my food window.

If you think I'm crazy, ask yourself why so many people in America have fat bellies?  If you say it's part of the aging process, guess again.  Maybe we have been duped by the companies that process our foods.  Maybe they found a way to get our brains addicted to foods that are actually harmful for us.  Perhaps our best defense against this is to gradually decrease our food window so we can return to the ways of our ancestors when we had to hunt and gather for our next meal.

Did you know that when you skip a meal your brain and body go into defense mode?  Brain fog disappears.  Blood sugar levels drop to optimal levels.  Cells repair themselves.  Why?  This is to prepare for a famine which the brain thinks must be happening because the food supply was interrupted.

Stay tuned for more updates.  While you're waiting, consider the idea of decreasing your food window.  Have a great day.

Life Momentum

 Newton taught us that an object at rest tends to stay at rest.  Think of your body early in the morning when the alarm goes off.  Challenging to get moving, isn't it?  Newton also taught us that an object in motion tends to stay in motion.  Once your body is moving, you're cruising and life seems fine.  What about momentum?  Do you really want to be on cruise control when you have an opportunity to hit the accelerator?  That's what I'm calling life momentum.  It's the difference between dreaming about what you can accomplish and actually doing the work, a little better today than yesterday.  How does one do this?

One of the most important lessons I'm learning in the life momentum arena is that getting over any fear of failure contributes to building momentum.  Fear is the opposing force that can stop you dead in your tracks.  This means believing in yourself and your capabilities more than any fear you see in front of you.

There is another ingredient that will serve you well as you seek to build life momentum.  It has to do with the people you surround yourself with.  Negative people will drain you, discourage you, and even decelerate you as you pursue your predetermined worthwhile goals.  Positive people will not only keep you in motion, they will help you build life momentum.  

Life momentum may appear to be future-focused.  Be careful not to overlook what is happening right now at this very moment in time.  Soak it in.  Appreciate your surroundings.  Be thankful for every obstacle you have.  Why?  The most important moment you have is the moment you are in right now and how you deal with your challenges determines what lessons you learn.  The more you appreciate your life as you are living it, the easier it is to improve your relationships, your attitude, and your sense of well being.  You will want to get up and get moving every morning.  You will make better choices that help you build life momentum.  You will die without any regrets.  Have a great day.

Ideas for Consideration When Seeking the Truth

 You don't have to look far to see lies.  Most things in this world are filled with lies.  Without getting political, consider what the opposing forces to your beliefs are doing.  Easy to spot the lies, right?   It may be a bit more challenging when the side you happen to be with is in power because you truly want your side to tell the truth.  Sadly, the lies are on both sides.

There is another area where the truth is also difficult to see.  Religion.  Yes, religion.  This is one area you might believe is safe.  If this is true, please tell me why there are so many fights between believers?  Examples of this are the Holy Wars, the schisms, and the false leaders who proclaimed they are acting in God's best interest.  

I would like to share my opinion about why the truth is so difficult to discover.  Believe it or not, there are opposing forces much more powerful than we humans.  They know the truth.  They walked away from the truth falsely believing they were superior to the One who created them.  Bad move.  They are losers.  Yes, losers.  Sadly, they want to take you down with them.  Their weapon of choice is trickery.  They rely on lies to squirm into your life.  They know a million and one ways to block the truth from you.  

When you are seeking the truth, please be cautious of the opposing forces.  Be wary about the dissension that the dark side will seek to draw you into.  There is no rivalry in God's house.  There are no lies either.  Those closest to the truth are willing to die for it knowing that the truth is who God is.  God cannot lie.  He will never lie.  He only knows one thing – love.  Love and truth are inseparable.  Love and truth may be hard to find when you are seeking it but that is only because the opposing forces don't want you to know truth or love.  Seek and you will find.  Do not be discouraged when you hit a roadblock.  The reality is that if you are hitting obstacles in your life, it's may be because you are close to finding the truth.  Find truth and you will find God.  That is your challenge.  Have a great day.

Where You Can Find Answers for Your Final Exam

We never really know when it's time for our final exam which takes place after death.  Sadly, many will fail. I have a feeling some will be surprised since they falsely believe this world is the real deal and there isn't anything left except the funeral plans.  What a surprise it will be that there really is eternal life.  The exam is pass/fail.  Pass and you have eternity with the Creator in Heaven forever.  Fail and you have eternity away from God.

Maybe you're reading this and for the first time in your life you're thinking, "What if Michael is right about an eternity?  How can I pass the final exam?"

There is not a human being on this earth that can pass on his or her own.  God knows this.  That's why he sent Jesus into this world.  It's all about love.  You are loved so much that God sent Jesus to die for you and open the door to Heaven for you.  Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, invite Jesus into your heart, and do what he asks and you will pass.  If you don't know what he asks, here are the answers for your final exam...

If you have a Bible, go to Matthew and read chapters 5, 6, and 7.  Jesus tells us directly what he wants from us.  Warning!  This is far different from what the world has to say.  There will be others who may try to keep you away from the truth.  Be careful.  Your eternity is at stake.  Have a great day.

5yr Anniversary of My Miracle on Ice

 My closest encounter with death happened on this day five years ago.  The moment I crossed the double yellow line which was barely visible on the snow covered highway I knew we were in big trouble.  We made it all the way across the road and I was skidding on ice attempting to stay in a straight line parallel to the highway but I was completely out of control.  The worst possible thing happened next.  My Honda drifted back onto the highway in the direct path of oncoming traffic.  The passenger side of the vehicle was exposed and the only thing I could do was attempt a last second jerk of the steering wheel to get our daughter out of harms way.  This oncoming van moving about 50mph was going to smash into my driver's side door and end my life.  The horror in the van driver's eyes just before impact was most certainly going to be my last memory of life on earth.

My brain was processing every moment with some kind of hyper awareness... the sounds of the exploding windows, the shards of glass shooting through the air, the vehicles around me moving in slow motion as we spun backwards twisting like we were on a merry-go-round ride.  We landed in a ditch facing the scene of the accident.  I was still alive but couldn't breathe and I was in excruciating pain.  Nicole grabbed my hand and looked into my eyes.  "Dad, please tell me you're okay!"  I couldn't answer.  All I could do was pant in very quick short breaths to avoid the pain of my seven broken ribs.  My body was gurgling like the sounds an empty stomach makes.  Nicole called 911 and jumped out of the vehicle running around to the driver's door to see if she could open it but it was smashed in and touching my ribs.  I was completely helpless and unable to breathe.  

The first person on the scene was Ray, the chief of police.  He ran through the stopped cars and peered into my window.  This was personal for Ray.  He happens to be my wife's first cousin.  The ambulance arrived within four minutes.  "Seat belt on," the first responder yelled before attempting to open the driver's door.  I was still breathing in short pants and not able to speak.  The first responders decided the best move was to get me out through the passenger side of the Honda and they hurriedly excavated me, placed me on the stretcher and carted me off leaving Nicole stranded on the side of the icy road.  She was supposed to go with me but the paramedics were focused on getting me to the hospital with Godspeed.  A stranger drove Nicole home.  Her only injury was a laceration on her lower lip from the broken glass.

I requested that all family members stay home.  There was already another fatality not far from my accident site and I needed my family to be safe.  Our son, Ryan, who lived nearby the hospital at University of Iowa came into my room but I didn't know he was there because I was wearing a neck brace and all I could do was look straight up.  He witnessed me crack a couple of jokes with the nurses and called Helen to tell her dad was going to be okay.

The next morning I was sitting on the edge of my bed talking with my doctor when Helen and Nicole walked  in expecting the worst.  We were chatting about my discharge.  Helen's jaw dropped.  She knew the extent of my injuries which included a pleural effusion, a hematoma on my spleen, and seven broken ribs.  "The spleen is already healing," the doctor told my wife.  He explained to my family that if I could walk around the top floor twice I could be released.  Then he asked, "How far do you think you can walk?"  

"Five miles," I responded still wanting to know how long it would be before I could return to the tennis courts and support my teammates.  I learned that you don't ask that question when you're in the trauma unit.  The lead doctor didn't answer the question but did request a neck brace for a probable head injury.  

I was discharged 24 hours after the accident.  My miracle?  It was the ice that allowed me to bounce off of the oncoming vehicle and skid away from certain death.  It was also my body which was finely tuned from playing indoor tennis with my team.  It was also my incessant prayers for healing during my sleepless night in the hospital.  It was the great care I received from University of Iowa Hospital.  It turns out that the only casualty from the accident was my favorite blue tennis shirt from my days playing competitive tennis in Southern California.  The paramedic tending to me in the back of the ambulance asked if my shirt had any sentimental value before he cut it off my body with his scissors.  It was the only time I cried.  Have a great day.

The Million Dollar Ping Pong Table

 Today's story is dedicated to Joni and Tina, two precious teammates at my day job who both lost their husbands within hours recently.  It's difficult to know what to say or do when something unexpected like this happens.  This is my way of honoring two great friends who lost their soulmates.  Please keep Joni and Tina in your prayers as they go through the grieving process.  Prayers are requested for our small team that is trying to hold everything together during this difficult time.

I have always been a big believer in health and wellness.  Stories of suicides at other locations inspired me to do something, anything, to bring some kind of stress relief to my teammates.  I reached out to my general manager, a talented leader who knows exactly how to inspire others to reach peak performance.  When I suggested a ping pong table he responded with a challenge.  He knew what he was asking was borderline impossible but maybe he was just trying to shut me down because we really don't have the space necessary for something like a ping pong table.  Nevertheless, I accepted the challenge and told him our team would find a way to win.  

All I can say is that what happened next leveled the playing field for the challenge.  The nearly impossible goal became possible.  All of this was related to the pandemic.  New members flocked to our location so they could do one stop shopping and buy toilet paper.  Every time the news broke about shortages more new members arrived in droves.  Towards the end of the fiscal year my boss got nervous about the ping pong table request.  We did it.  We closed out our year breaking all kinds or records and shattering every goal the bosses set for our location.  

My general manager came to me and told me he was worried about our lack of space for a new ping pong table.  "I have a plan," I responded in the same tone, Tyler, my general manager uses to explain how to implement his ideas.  I unveiled a plan to add an upstairs break room with plenty of room for the ping pong table.  Tyler's bosses agreed we needed to expand and they had a different idea.  When the costs of each idea were weighed, it turns out my original plan for upstairs expansion is less costly at about a million dollars.  The top bosses will be this month to make the final decision about our remodel.  

In case you're wondering how the "million dollar ping pong table" got its name, I give all the credit to Tyler who came up with name when he saw the estimate for construction costs.  I also give my teammates kudos for responding when membership lines were nearly out of control during the pandemic.  We rallied.  If all goes well we will soon have a bit of stress relief in our new break room.  Table tennis anyone?  See me in the new break room.  Have a great day.

Sunrise at -20º Windchill

This backyard photo was shot from my home/office window this morning just before sunrise.  A cold front from the north moved in last night causing the temps to drop quickly.  The winds are howling and our vehicles are groaning during startup.  The good news is that this weather is short-lived.  

Extreme weather like this has a way of exposing our true identity.  For example, if you happen to be grumpy, this climate will certainly reveal your grumpiness for all the world to see.  If you're an optimist, this weather will serve as your opportunity to see the good like this amazing sunrise brought about by the clouds that rolled in.  There is much to be thankful for.  My wife offered to let me park my Ford Escape in the one car garage for a couple of days to give it a rest break from last week when it barely started due to the super low temperatures.  God bless her.  Her SUV may have been grumpy parked outside overnight but she was in good spirits.  

There is one more thing I'm enjoying with during this Winter season.  It's all the lessons.  I'm learning our family can adapt to change.  I may not be able to control everything Mother Nature sends us but I can certainly learn how to cope.  My attitude is about the only thing I can control.  By the way, having a happy wife is all I need to get through cold days like today.  Her Irish eyes are smiling because we are surrounded by family.  How about you?  What do others see when you are facing challenges?  Have a great day.

Why Do You Do the Things You Do?

 Do you ever feel like you are living your life according some sort of a computer software program?  Think about this for a moment.  Do you get up at the same time every morning?  Do you repeat everything you did the day before right up to the moment you hit the pillow?  Whatever you do, whether it's the same routine or a different one, why is this?  What drives your behavior?  Understand this and you will be able to take control of that computer software inside your brain and make positive changes.

I believe at the core of my being I have this desire to learn.  I also enjoy passing these new ideas along to others.  That's it.  I also have a curiosity about wanting to discover better ways of living my life.  It's fun for me to see others improve the quality of their lives.  

My routine changed yesterday because one of the players in our Wednesday tennis night got the flu and had to cancel.  I was originally scheduled for the 8pm time slot due to my day job schedule which keeps out of prime time tennis at 6pm.  My captain asked me to come out early and my boss approved my request to leave early.  The next thing I knew I doubled my tennis fun.  It was also an endurance test.  I wanted to see if my molecules I'm experimenting with can increase my stamina.  Also, tennis is fun and we all need some fun in our daily routines.  

The opposing question to ask yourself is, "Why do you avoid doing things you should do?"  If you're willing to explore this you may uncover certain things like fear of failure or even fear of success.  Anything that may lead to big changes in your life may not be welcomed by your brain that likes the status quo.  Perhaps not doing to the things you should be doing is related to allowing your brain to control your fixed software program.  I do know one thing about myself, change is not easy.  Change requires hard work.  If you happen to be contemplating making serious changes in your life, I salute you.  Have a great day.

A Memorable Month Unfolds

 This will be a month my wife and I will treasure for the remainder of our time on this planet.  It's one of those life-changing milestones.  My wife is signing off at her day job for the last time at the end of this month.  We got a preview of what our lives will be like yesterday when her boss allowed her to come home in the middle of the day.  We decided to have a date and catch a matinee.

My wife was the one to pick our movie, A Man Called Otto.  I knew nothing about the movie and neither did my wife.  I don't want to spoil the plot here so I'm not going to say anything other than I believe this is a must see movie.  If you can, avoid previewing any trailers and just go.  You may question why I suggested this movie but you need to see it all the way to the end before you make any judgments.

I would like to acknowledge all the hard work my wife has done for our household over the years.  She stayed home to raise our kids when they were young.  She gave them a great start.  It wasn't until they were older that she re-entered the job world.  My wife inspired me to get on the Dave Ramsey band wagon which led us to a debt-free lifestyle.  Now it's time for her to enjoy the fruits of our labors.  

A wise man once told me, "You never lose your first multiplier but you can lose your last one."  This maverick was teaching a pint-sized young buck about the importance of saving for your retirement years.  I listened.  I also took some risks that didn't go my way.  So, while my wife prepares for life sans a day job, I will be adding one extra "multiplier" to my life at my day job.  Just like yesterday's story referring to metabolic flexibility, I will be keeping in mind that I must be somewhat flexible when it comes to an exact retirement date for myself.  July of 2030 may seem very distant right now but the way time is flying I do believe when my own retirement month unfolds it will seem like yesterday when my wife signed off for the last time at her day job.  Congratulations to my wife for all her efforts keeping us afloat these last 33 years.  Have a great day.