The Next Chapter

I've been blogging here for several years almost entirely under the Cybercise heading. My blogging volume has decreased of late due, in part, to my attempt to restrict this blog to Cybercise related topics. Doing so made me feel, well, restricted. All of who I am and what I'm working on is wrapped up not only in Cybercise but also in my consulting firm, Market Strategies, and my new book series, Move.Eat.Be., and the newest exciting thing I'll announce in a few months. All of my work is centered in one area: Improving Healthcare.

Doing so happens in various ways: Some of the very exciting consulting projects and programs I'm designing in the public sector. Cybercise and helping people get more exercise. Move.Eat.Be. and helping people find their own personalized approach to sustainable wellness. The Real Food Label project to help people make better food choices. I'm one of those people who thrives on having lots of  interesting stuff going on all at the same time.

Fixing our healthcare system isn't a "one walk dog." In other words, there isn't one single thing we should, or even could do, to fix our healthcare system. We need to do lots and, in my own small way, I'm moving lots of pieces around and are all related. The healthcare system itself needs to change. Our focus on "disease care" and "test and drug" is unsustainable and it doesn't help people stay healthy. The food system, farm policy, our education approach, special interests and politics is a huge mess which has a direct impact on people's ability to eat well on a budget. Our culture of "busyness" has driven us out of our kitchens and into the drive thru. We've forgotten the joy of a walk after dinner, climbing a tree and playing sports and we spend way too much time in front of a screen of one sort or another.

Ultimately, I'm working to create a national self care system where each of us has access to the tools, support and community to live long, healthy, and fulfilling lives. When people are healthy there will be enough providers and money in our disease care system to take care of people when they're sick. Plus, hopefully everyone will be happier and feel better.

Stay tuned for more!

Front of the Box

Inspired by Michael Jacobson's blog in the Huffington Post yesterday, I decided to do some more research into food labels and "front of the box" activities. This summer, inspired by my niece, I offered the idea that we only eat things less than five degrees from nature. That work inspired further research into processed food and I then thought it would be a good idea if the processed food box was required to list what had to happen to get the food in the box. 


Combine all of those thoughts with some of the ways the U.K. uses labels to help consumers and....  I have designed a "front of the box" label for all food sold in the U.S. Yes, you are welcome. We can now avoid and eliminate months of wrangling and politics and simply implement my idea. I'll even give it away!

My front of the box label looks like this ------->


As you can see, it is very clear from the beginning the food is processed. The label then lists each ingredient (with synonyms) and describes the process used to create the ingredient. 


Doing this research was frightening. I have no clue what "epimerized" means and I'm too afraid to look. To make matters worse, in the attempt to find this information I came across a catalogue of food additive manufacturers based in China.



Are the majority of our food additives made in China? Given some of the concerns with pet food and baby formula recently, this is really scary. Not to mention the fact many of these additives say "safe for infant food" on them. Safe? Who made that decision? The FDA and the GRAS list? Am I the only one who is a bit skeptical here? Apologies for the rant. Back to the label...


The bottom of the front of the box food label lists Fat, Sugar and Salt with easily understood, colored stickers. This particular product (a real product and a relatively "healthy" one which I omitted the name from to protect the innocent) scored all green. The protocol for the labels would also allow for yellow and red stickers. It would be relatively easy to educate the public on how to use this system: Choose products with mostly green stickers. Yellow stickers are to be used in moderation. Avoid things with red stickers. 


Of course, there are some details to work out and maybe we add another category or two into the sticker system. This box label gives consumers the information they need to make better choices about the food they buy and consume. Shoppers would be able to quickly see information and would not be distracted by cartoon characters and health claims. Plus, it would help to educate people on what the "processed" in processed food actually means. I don't know about you, but this information would certainly impact my eating decisions. And I think, over time, it would improve the way food is made for Americans. 

Salute! Slainte! Cheers!

Happy Friday! Much has been written about the benefits of the moderate consumption of red wine. We won't bore you here with the studies... a quick web search will produce millions of results.

To partake or not to partake, that is the question. The decision? Is yours. Some people don't like red wine, some people do. Of those who do, some have a glass each day, some people only on the weekends. While a truly personal decision, there is one thing worth consideration. A 5-ounce glass of red wine has between 90 and 105 calories. And those calories, like all of them, add up.

If you choose to enjoy red wine, consider the impact on your overall calorie intake. And, while you're making those decisions, think about the other kinds of drinks you consume on a weekly basis. If you drink beverages other than water, you could be adding a great number of "empty" calories to your body. For reference, calories in 1 cup servings of:

• Hot cocoa with skim milk: 135
• Coffee (black): 2
• Cola: 136
• Grape juice: 154
• Orange juice: 105
• Pineapple juice: 132
• Tea: 2
• Tomato juice: 41 
• Water: 0

The important thing is to recognize the calories we consume as liquid. If you choose to drink something other than water, do a little research so you know the impact of your choices. Your best bet is always, always water. And, when you have something else have a little toast. A Votre Sante! 

Body Fat Tool

The best way to know where you are going is to know where you are coming from. If you are considering a new wellness program, knowing your body fat percentage is a great piece of data. Calculating body fat can be done by a personal trainer, on a fancy scale (though they are unreliable) or through other high-tech tools available at some gyms and medical facilities.

And then there is this little tool published by Mike Moorehead of Healthy Widgets. It seems to be pretty accurate and is a quick and easy way to get an idea of where you are. A big thanks to Mike for making this great little tool!

Body Fat Calculator
Height:	4 feet 4 inches4 feet 5 inches4 feet 6 inches4 feet 7 inches4 feet 8 inches4 feet 9 inches4 feet 10 inches4 feet 11 inches5 feet 0 inches5 feet 1 inches5 feet 2 inches5 feet 3 inches 5 feet 4 inches5 feet 5 inches5 feet 6 inches5 feet 7 inches5 feet 8 inches5 feet 9 inches5 feet 10 inches5 feet 11 inches6 feet 0 inches6 feet 1 inches6 feet 2 inches6 feet 3 inches6 feet 4 inches6 feet 5 inches6 feet 6 inches6 feet 7 inches6 feet 8 inches6 feet 9 inches6 feet 10 inches6 feet 11 inches7 feet 0 inches7 feet 1 inches 7 feet 2 inches7 feet 3 inches7 feet 4 inches
Neck:	10 inches11 inches12 inches13 inches14 inches15 inches16 inches17 inches18 inches19 inches20 inches21 inches22 inches23 inches24 inches 25 inches26 inches
Waist:	20 inches21 inches22 inches23 inches24 inches25 inches26 inches27 inches28 inches29 inches30 inches31 inches32 inches33 inches34 inches35 inches36 inches 37 inches38 inches39 inches40 inches41 inches42 inches43 inches44 inches45 inches
Hip:	24 inches25 inches26 inches27 inches28 inches29 inches30 inches31 inches32 inches33 inches 34 inches35 inches36 inches37 inches38 inches39 inches40 inches41 inches42 inches43 inches44 inches45 inches46 inches47 inches48 inches49 inches50 inches
Gender:	FemaleMale

Once you have your number, use the table below to see if you have room for improvement. 

Female	Male	Classification
10-12%	2-4%	Essential Fat
14-20%	6-13%	Athletes
21-24%	14-17%	Fitness
25-31%	18-25%	Acceptable
31%+	25%+	Obese

Your Body Fat is
Female	Male	Classification
10-12%	2-4%	Essential Fat
14-20%	6-13%	Athletes
21-24%	14-17%	Fitness
25-31%	18-25%	Acceptable
31%+	25%+	Obese

Life Through a Straw

How far would we go? In our busy lives, we are forever seeking the easy answer, the fast way, the quick fix, the lottery win of millions. Somewhere along the path to find the shortest way possible to do everything in our lives, we lost something. The joy of the journey, the feeling of accomplishment. You plant some seeds in Spring and the taste of that first tomato is like nothing else. How much more of life would be that sweet if we only gave it a chance?

We are always creating new tag lines for Cybercise (really, always!). Recently, we created marketing material for our Workplace Wellness program and on the folder, used the phrase, "Wellness. On Demand." When I gave the material to a colleague he asked if he actually had to do anything other than demand wellness. He was teasing me, of course, but it made me think.

Would we, if given the chance, order one-click wellness? Click here and you are instantly healthy? No more avoiding the french fries and burgers. A pint of Ben & Jerry's every night. Sounds pretty good. Would you do it? Given our overuse of prescription medications in this country (many of which are not needed with lifestyle changes), I think most of us probably would go for it. And if we did, what would we lose in the process?

One visual sticks with me.

Would you give up the hard for life through a straw?

Change is Hard

Congresswoman Barbara Lee spoke to a small gathering at Tai Sophia Institute today. She spoke about health reform and the work still to be done. She spoke about her work with the Congressional Black Caucus. She spoke about politics and how changing the status quo is difficult. She was gracious enough to take questions from the audience near the end of her time and was asked how she remains hopeful in the light of what are sometimes seemingly insurmountable issues (the war in Afghanistan and energy policy, in particular). Her answer was simple and brilliant. She said change is hard and each one of us has to get up each day and be hopeful. And she said with hope, we can make the changes we need for the better.

If you are working to improve your health, be encouraged and inspired by Congresswoman Lee's words. Change is hard. Stay, hopeful and each day, at each moment, know you can choose hard and choose change.

We believe in you.

You Know Best

Have you ever been to the doctor's office with a complaint of a nagging pain or a strange sensation in your body? If so, your doctor probably asked you a few probing questions, he or she maybe even probed the area in question a bit, and without any definitive answer did one of three things: gave you a prescription, ordered some tests or told you to come back in a month if it wasn't any better. And, we pay for this? Yes, we do and a great deal actually.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not attacking physicians. I happen to like them, have several friends among them, and am ever grateful for the times they've kept my family members alive. We need our physicians. No doubt about it.

I do want to share a, perhaps, radical idea: you know your own body better than your doctor. Gasp! Shocking!

The concept is simple and potentially very powerful. If your body is sending you a message, stop what you're doing and listen to it. We talked about this earlier in the week, read about Your Body is Wise.

Today, on this Friday before a holiday weekend, let's take the idea one step further. Declare yourself your own Primary Care Provider. Be the one best person, in the entire world, to look out for your own health and well being. It is not always a glamorous job, but the rewards are terrific. This weekend, you can enjoy some great rewards: get some extra rest, eat some summer vegetables and go outside and play.

Happy 4th of July!

Do you hear your body?

Your body is wise. This is a rather simple idea and one too many of us ignore. The concept is your body knows what it needs and when it needs it. I've heard the idea from several of my teachers and it is a good practice to remember. What does it mean, exactly?

We all know when we are sick. You wake up in the morning and your first thought is "Ugh. I don't feel well." Maybe a sore throat, muscle aches and headache. All too often, too many of us ignore these signs from our body. We press on and do whatever important task is on our list. Often times, rest is the best medicine for most of what ails us. And, water (a headache is an early warning sign for dehydration). If your body doesn't feel well we know we should get some rest and drink some water.

Do we? Sadly, not. During the last several decades, we've been trained not to listen to our own bodies and worse yet, we've learned to mask the messages we receive from our bodies with medications. Knee hurts, take some ibuprofen. Headache, take some ibuprofen. The list goes on and on.

Sure, when we aren't feeling well, all we really want is to feel better. And yes, often the fastest way to feel better is to take some pills. The long term consequences of this pattern can lead to a bigger problem. Sometimes small little pains are our bodies simply telling us to slow down and take a break. If we keep ignoring the signs or masking them through chemicals, our body will continue to send us signals until one of them finally puts us down for the count. Most of us, at one time or another, have been so sick we cannot move and have no choice but to stay in bed. Why would we torture our bodies so much and leave them with little choice than to escalate the problem until we have to listen?

My advice? Take a few moments and listen to your body. Go ahead, do it right now. I'll wait here...

Very good! Now what did your body say? Need some more sleep tonight? Maybe a little stretching to loosen tight muscles? Are you thirsty? Maybe calling an old friend to catch up is just what the body wants.

Each and every sensation your body sends your way is a message. I think it is time we cherish the one and only body we have to take us through this life. Why wouldn't you listen? After all, the body only has so many ways to say ouch.

Gratitude to my teachers. To read more about them, see the links below:

Bob Duggan, Tai Sophia Institute

Joshua Rosenthal, Institute for Integrative Nutrition

Dr. Mark Hyman, The Ultra Wellness Center. Dr. Hyman is credited for "the body only has so many ways to say ouch."

The Pursuit of Health

How do we get healthy? If you have a great deal of time you can go through the 44+ million Google search results and perhaps figure it out. Naturally, part of the problem is much of the advice conflicts with other advice and some of it is created by people with significant special interests. What is the average person (with a job, kids, pets and not enough free time already) to do to get healthy?

I had an opportunity to listen to Dr. Mark Hyman this weekend at IIN and he put the pursuit of health into two very simple questions:

1. What do you need to get rid of?
2. What do you need to add?

Wow! Is it really that simple? The questions are simple enough and if you consider all of the parts of your life and answer those questions, odds are you'll be well on your way to health. (Dr. Hyman has a great deal of information on his website which dives into detail so head there for more information. And his book, The UltraMind Solution, is terrific). For a quick synopsis, here are possible things to examine for each question.

Get Rid Of?

• toxins
• allergens
• infections
• poor diet (i.e., processed and fast foods)
• stress

Need to Add?

• Healthy whole foods (i.e., vegetables and fruits)
• Vitamins, minerals, nutrients, hormones
• Light, water and air
• Movement
• Rhythm and sleep
• Relaxation
• Love and community
• Meaning and purpose

Voila! Perhaps you can spend a few moments this evening thinking about those two questions. Who knows what brilliant ideas you'll have? Remember... every little bit helps!

10 Lists Amended

Yesterday, we blogged about Dee's blog on "10 Lists You Should Write Before You Die." I've been developing my lists for quite some time now and offer a few changes based on my experience. To review, here is the original list:

• 10 people who helped me most in my life
• 10 most memorable places I've visited
• 3 best things I've ever made
• 5 best days of my life
• 10 best friends I've ever had
• 5 best journeys I've ever made
• 10 things that gave me the most pleasure
• 5 best books/movies/TV series
• 5 best gifts anyone ever gave me
• 10 things I wish I had done but didn't

Dee is perhaps more reasonable than I by keeping the list of lists to 10. Since I'm not one to contain a great idea, I'm adding some lists. If you live to be 100, it would seem making a list of only 73 things leaves a great deal left unsaid. Granted, the idea is to make the list meaningful versus a yearly accounting of one's life.

At any rate, here are my suggested additions:

• 10 favorite songs
• 10 best gifts you've ever given
• 5 places you most love to be in the world
• 5 things you did and wish you hadn't
• 5 things you'd like people to remember about you

With my additions, we're up to the 15 Lists to Write Before You Die for a total of 108 entries. A lovely number, if I do say so myself. More tomorrow...

Life Portfolio

Hopefully, you began your gratitude practice today. Easy enough to do, remember, you can express gratitude for others or start a list for yourself. If you've begun your list today, you are already feeling a bit happier. Come on now... you can admit it. You're here among friends.

Not being one to stop with one good idea, here is another wee thing to consider. Create your Life Portfolio. A Life Portfolio is a collection of the greatest moments in your life. The Life Portfolio is best designed as a scrap book and is best done in the moment. The idea is to have a place to collect and remember those moments in your life when you say "I'll never forget this" or "This is the best day of my life." I suspect, while we have the best intentions of remembering such things, as the days and years go by, we can forget the thoughts, emotions and feelings associated with the greatest moments in our life.

What are the greatest moments in your life? I think it differs for each of us. Some obvious choices are college graduation, your wedding day, your child's birth, a great promotion or quitting a job that didn't fulfill you, dropping your first born at college. I contend there are more subtle choices as well (and the subtle choices can result from your gratitude list). A particularly beautiful sunset. A moment when you felt utterly and completely content. The first time in a new country. Receiving flowers just because. Or sending them.

Why would you devote time and energy to creating a Life Portfolio? Mostly because life is ever so sweet and even more short. And before you know it, the days have gone by and it will be your time to go. Collect and record the best moments of your life so you have something to read while sitting in the rocking chair on the porch. You'll really appreciate it then. And, the best reason of all? Something to leave to your loved ones. Some small piece of you to share with those who will live on after you've gone.

Health comes in all forms. Exercise and eating well are two ingredients. Enjoying each day and being grateful as we live them... that is the real secret.

A Steady Diet of Gratitude

Yesterday we talked about getting rid of any anger you may have stored up inside and dispersing any new anger coming your way. Remember --- growl and spew! I'm assuming each of you, dear readers, has followed said sage advice and has gotten rid of any residual anger. And now? Now you are hungry! All of the space inside previously full of anger is now empty and you may not be quite certain what to do.

Do not fear, there is an answer. And a good one! Gratitude. If you feel any space or void inside fill it with gratitude, I promise your days will become brighter. It is very easy and something you can do for yourself or express to others.

Some ideas.... look the cashier in the eye and say "Thanks for your help" when buying your groceries. When your barista puts your cup of coffee on the counter, give them a smile and say "You've made my day!" Give your partner/kid/pet a hug in the morning and say "I'm glad you're in my life." When you see a spring robin hopping about the yard, give him a little whistle.

To practice internal gratitude, start a list. This is not a test and not something you need to do all at once. If you have a journal, devote a page to Gratitude. Start making a list of all the things you are grateful for. Family, friends, work, sunshine, rain, pets, your favorite cozy sweater... you get the idea. Be as specific as possible. And keep adding to the list. For a great life practice, take a moment each day and add something to your gratitude list. Simple things, big things, shared things, secret things. It is your list. When you're feeling blue, read your list. When you're feeling happy, add lots of things. There are millions and millions of things to be grateful for. Fill yourself up with them.

Pretty soon, you'll feel more happy! When you feel more happy, your health will improve. Really, truly. It is simple and easy. Give it a go!

Labels

Have you ever noticed a car covered in bumper stickers? You read the stickers, like some of them, completely disagree with others, and in the span of 60 seconds or less have made a judgement about the person who owns the car. Perhaps none of the stickers are controversial, they only give you an idea of the interest of the person driving. I recently saw this truck at a gas pump. The license plate was from a running club, one bumper sticker said 26.2 and the other JFK 50. Clearly, the driver was a runner. Why do people label their cars, and themselves, and what do those labels mean? Are they bragging? Are they seeking a community? Are they trying to make a political statement?

Could we change our labels and, by doing, so change our lives? Imagine you are someone who desperately wants to lose weight. Imagine you are obese and all of the clothes you wear are big and dark to camouflage the fat. Contrast this "label" with the ones donned by athletes. We've all seen the healthy, fit looking people running about during our weekend errands. What would those people look like covered in yards of fabric and all dressed in black?

What if the people who wanted to lose weight wore athletic shoes and clothes during their weekends out? Would they be more apt to adopt the behavior of those more athletically inclined? A quick Google search revealed several theories about how clothing choices impact children, especially teens. I found nothing compelling on adult behavior and clothing choices. I think there is a theory to be studied in this tiny idea. Suggest diet and exercise changes to a group of people, one half of them are given athletic clothes and the other half told to wear their normal wardrobe. I suspect the athletic clothes group would show greater weight loss after a few months.

As you choose your wardrobe for tomorrow, take a few moments and ponder. What labels do you wear?

Leaps

Ready to leap? Yesterday we talked about five steps you could take to improve your health if you aren't quite ready to leap. In the interest of equality, let's talk about leaps. Leaps are not for the meek or mild. Leaps require bravery, commitment and internal fortitude. Leaps often happen at the moment when you've finally, completely and without doubt had enough. I suspect everyone, at one point or another, has made a leap. Some leap out of airplanes, some move to the other side of the country, some leave unhealthy relationships, some quit smoking, some lose weight. If you haven't ever leapt, give one of these a try. They are all leaps designed to improve your health.

Leap 1: Eliminate all sugar from your diet. Ellen leapt!
Leap 2: Eliminate all processed foods from your diet.
Leap 3: Exercise every day, without fail.
Leap 4: Commit to 8 hours of sleep each night. Zzzzzzzzz...
Leap 5: Give up meat.

There are two great things about leaps... The first is the moment right before you leap, the adrenaline, the bravado and excitement. The second is each and every moment after you leap and you win the battle against the 'anti-leap' and regression into your pre-leap world. That battle, by the way, is all in your head. The lizard brain, the demon, the gremlin (the voices who fear change).

Our suggestion? Go for it. Leap. As Wayne Gretzky said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

Do Squirrels Call the Vet?

Mobile phones are ubiquitous. The number of Americans with a mobile phone is 89% (as of June 2009). How many wild animals have mobile phones? Zero. Or at least I have not witnessed any animals with mobile phones. Google doesn't even know what to do when I seek such data. Go ahead and try it... interesting results.

When Americans feel sick, we call a doctor. Not only do we call a doctor, but we expect the doctor to cure us. And cure us NOW. Give us a pill, a shot, a surgery, a something (an anything!) to make us feel better.

Here is an interesting thought... What do squirrels do when they feel ill? Do they call a veterinarian? They cannot, even if they had the desire. They don't have mobile phones.

What they do is perhaps the best model for what we humans might consider. They rest, they eat a specific plant or root (proven effective by eons of squirrel experience), they drink more water, or their animal family gathers to say goodbye.

I'm not proposing we stop calling our doctors when we don't feel well. I'm not suggesting we walk away from our American medical system in favor of walking into the forest and eating plants. I'm also not suggesting we call a vet when we're not feeling well (though I do contend my animals get far better health care than many humans I know).

What I am suggesting is each of us (yes, I mean you and me) consider our bodies intuitively know what is best for us. I am suggesting we stop assigning responsibility for our health to someone else. Be your own primary care doctor. Be your own caretaker. Make the choices you know are best for your health and well being. Not the choices some "expert" suggests, certainly not the choices a marketing campaign suggests, and, in many cases not the choices your family exhibits.

Health is personal. Take a hint from nature. Make your own health your own first mission.

What to Eat?

A Facebook search on "Nutrition" returns about 2,900 pages and 18,000 group results. An "old school" Yahoo search returns 503,000,000 results. Google? A mere 101,000,000.

Food is, perhaps, the only thing all humans have in common. We all choose the food we eat. The simple act of picking up food and putting it in our mouths renders each of us the supreme ruler of our bodies. How well do we rule? Depends. Our food choices are impacted by where we are born, when we are born, to whom we are born, how we are educated and the culture in which we live.

What we actually choose to eat, day after day, has a greater impact on our health than any other factor (and perhaps all other factors combined). The only big question that remains: What to Eat?

The answer is really rather simple. If you're a quick study and just want the very basic answer here it is:

• More vegetables and fruits


• More water


• Appropriate protein


• Less meat, dairy and sugar

Getting people to follow the answer proves to be more difficult. Add to the difficulty, different things work better for different people.

What to do? Our first advice: follow the simple answer above. For more detailed advice... stay tuned. I'm currently enrolled in the Professional Training Program at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. If you read and follow along, you too can enjoy the benefits of this world-class program.

One To Two

Sometimes the most simple of ideas can go a long way on your path to health and wellness. Yes, it takes a commitment to finally lose the weight and get in shape. It can be easy done one step at at time. And yes, it is worth it.

We recently blogged about "The Moment" and the long term improvement we can realize if we make the choice for health 80% of the time. Today's idea is how the right choice in one moment sets the stage for the right choice in the next moment.

A few examples:

A good strategy for improved health is to drink enough water each day. According to these stats, only 34% of Americans drink the recommended 8-8oz glasses each day. If you make the health choice to get out of bed and exercise on Sunday morning, you are more likely to drink more water. Why? You'll be thirsty from your workout.

If you take a 10 to 15 minute walk before your lunch break, you're more likely to make better choices for your lunch menu. Why? Your body will feel good from the exercise (aka happy endorphins) and you are less likely to seek the comfort of a burger and fries.

Sure, being well and healthy requires vigilance. You have to be aware of The Moment and make the right choice. For one day, tomorrow perhaps, make the choice for health in The First Moment of the day and just pay attention to the impact it has on the remainder of your moments. One to two...

The Moment

Perhaps all of life comes down to the moment over and over again. Successful people act in the moment, others don't. What is the moment? How would you recognize it?

Here are some examples:

• Sunday morning, waking up and feeling rested - Do you get up and exercise or lounge around in bed watching TV?
• Weekday 3 PM, sitting at your desk and feeling tired - Do you go the vending machine for a soda or do some stretching at your desk?
• Weeknight, before dinner - Do you stop and get pizza on the way home or do you toss a salad and cook dinner?
• Weeknight, after dinner - Do you sit on the sofa and watch reality TV or take a walk with your spouse, kids, pet?

By and large, people that are healthy and fit use the moment to make the choice that best supports their health. Health doesn't come in one big dose. There isn't a pill to take and you're not going to wake up one day 20 pounds lighter. Health comes from making the "right" choice 80% of the time. The other 20%??? Have some fun and be aware you're doing it on purpose.

Health comes in the moment. Each and every one of them.

E = mc2

It would seem many Americans are in search of the one easy answer to achieve and maintain health and wellness. I think the vast majority of people would happily take a pill to stay thin if they could continue eating fast food (we spend billions of dollars each year on weight loss pills and surgeries). We could continue to treat our bodies poorly and wait for the magic cure to make us better (or end up like the humans in Wall-E). I, for one, don't want to live that life. There really is a better way. And, the answer is something far more simple.


Let's invoke the wisdom and intelligence of Einstein with his theory of relatively. E=mc^2 where E is energy, m is mass and c is the speed of light squared. Could we perhaps modify the equation just a bit for health? I propose: E = Health and Wellness, m= food and c squared = exercise. Therefore we'd achieve Health and Wellness if our approach looked something like this:

In other words, exercise more than you eat. You would have more energy (health and wellness) if you ate moderately and exercised more.

There are a few things to keep in mind here. Whole, natural, organic (aka non-processed) foods are better for us than the things stored in the interior aisles of the grocery store. And, every little bit of exercise counts. Sure, it is great if you spend an hour a day doing cardio and lifting weights. And, if you don't do that, don't be discouraged. The best approach to exercise is to start small, do a little more each day and include lots of variety so you (and your body) don't get bored. You can make a huge difference in your "E" by simply taking a walk every day during your lunch break.


So can we have this diagram as a subtle reminder to take better care of ourselves. Perhaps you'd like to print it and put it on your refrigerator. Magnets anyone?

City on a Diet

A little encouragement from friends and family go a long way in helping us make better choices for our health. What if an entire city was focused on losing weight? Amazing things can happen with that kind of support!

The Mayor of Oklahoma City, Mick Cornett, has launched a program called "This City is Going on a Diet." Mr. Cornett is setting a good example with his own weight loss and is now encouraging everyone in the city to do the same. They've developed and launched a web portal to help support all Oklahoma City citizens to join the effort.

Kudos to you, Mr. Mayor!