Surviving Through A Nuclear Attack- How Ready Are You?

     Radiation exposure causes Radiation Sickness and the degree or severity of signs and symptoms depend entirely on how much exposure you may have had and for how long. The radiation dose that is absorbed by a human being is measured in Rads or Grays. In any case, the signs and symptoms of radiation exposure causing radiation sickness can present initially as nausea and vomiting, weakness, easy fatigability, followed by easy bleeding from mucosal surfaces, bloody diarrhea, sloughing of skin, and hair loss. This means literally all cells in the body are affected and in consequence as are organ functions.
   
     Radiation from a thermonuclear blast is different in that if you were to survive a nuclear blast or attack there are certain important factors to consider in terms of preparedness and survivability. A nuclear blast can produce a shock wave that can travel at a velocity almost as fast as the speed of sound and depending on the burst altitude and, more importantly, the explosive yield of the weapon, a blast radius can reach a circumference of of 60 miles or more.

     Of course it helps if you happen to have an underground bunker or shelter or if your house is made entirely of concrete walls, but honestly, how many of us have that? Here are some helpful key points or advice to consider:

1.      Distance is better. The further you are from the center the better chance of surviving. Also          stay close to ground level. Avoid being on anything but ground level floors.
2.      Depending on elevation and wind speed a blast wave can hit you in mere seconds so                  reaction time is crucial. Stay indoors. Look for a room in the house or wherever you may be      that, in your best judgement, think stands a fair chance of holding up against a concussion          blast. Basements are always better but if your house doesn't have that choose a room with          the least windows as long as it is in the ground floor.
3.      Once you got that settled there a handful of items you must prepare or have with you when        the time does come. This is not a thorough or complete list but it does entail the most                  important items you will be needing:

•  Drinking Water. You need at least a liter of water per family member per day and you need to multiply that by 3 because you might have to be "bunked in" for at least 3 days.
• Antibiotics, wound dressings, a good tourniquet, burn lotion or salves. Make or avail of a First Aid Kit.
• Flashlight, Flares, a Whistle.
• A fully charged cellphone ( or two)
• Important documents and ID's. Make a note of your blood type and every family member's blood type as well.
• Warm blankets and toiletries.
• Food, Honey, Beans, Dried Meats, Canned goods. MRE's
• Supplements that are high in antioxidants like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Vitamin D.
• A working transistor radio to listen in on emergency broadcasts.
• Shampoos and soaps to wash off parts of your body you think may have been exposed to radiation. Remember that if you go out you get exposed immediately.

     Try to resist the urge to go out unless you really have to because radiation levels vary depending on the materials which absorb them. The most important thing for you to do is to stay put and utilize your survival skills along with common sense to increase your chance of survival. Garlic, Onions, Green Juice, Apples, Beets, and even Papayas are foods that are high in anti-oxidant properties to try to cope with radiation damage but realistically speaking you probably will not have these around or even have time to gather them. Try to stock up on MRE's ( Meals-Ready to-Eat). Always hydrate and supplement. Also, know that your house is made of materials that can absorb or shield against radiation. Bottom line is you will have some degree of exposure even in the best or optimal settings.

     Remember that there is no real ideal model for surviving through a nuclear threat. Preparedness and a working knowledge can mean the difference between survival and demise. Let's hope and pray we never have to go through one.

Change your Diet, Change your Life.

A lot of people have misconceptions and false precepts about food in general. For the most part, this is due to what we see and hear and learn from the internet, television, and from colleagues and friends in general. It used to be that the old cliche would read," You are what you eat...". Nowadays, however with new technology and new discoveries on the nutritive value as well as healing and regenerative properties of different food types, it makes sense then that you as the consumer should and would benefit from having a wide understanding of what foodstuffs are actually made of and how they affect your health.

All food have nutritive value. Some, more so than others but in all there is nutrition to be had in food. At least, to that end we can all agree. What you should focus more on, however, is which types of foods offer the highest nutritive value? Also a lot of us have misconceptions on what proper and adequate nutrition should be. Let us take two very unique  examples of individuals who have certain eating habits, if you will.

Individual A works in an office, takes her kids to and from school, attends yoga or even a zumba fitness class whenever her time and schedule allows, and is really health conscious in terms of what she eats. She consumes a lot of salads, health drinks, nuts, fruits and vegetables, adheres to a low-fat, low-carb diet, but an occasional Friday night pasta wouldn't hurt either. The problem is she feels really tired most of the time, drowsy, and sometimes feels out of energy.

Then there is Individual B who works as a Construction Worker who is a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy who enjoys steaks, hearty sandwiches, and pan pizzas, with an occasional candy bar or two. None of that Tofu Bean sprout nonsense for this guy. The problem is as times goes by he starts to complain of irregular bowel habits, constipation, shortness of breath, drowsiness, and maybe an episode or two of chest discomfort.

Do you see where this is heading? If both individuals were to share their diets and eating habits with one another don't you think they can both benefit from it? YES!! They certainly can.

The point I am trying to get across here is that MODERATION IS THE KEY to healthy eating. Never dismiss the staying power and energy provided by a good slice of steak or even a glazed donut. However, don't dismiss the nutritive and rejuvenative value of a good bowl of salad or a tall glass of green Kale juice either.

You have to take into consideration several factors by which our bodies utilize food nutrients;

1. Your lifestyle- how much activity do you do on a daily basis.

2. How often do you eat in a day- do you space your meals or just constantly eat throughout the day.

3. Your age-you'll find that as you get older your nutritional demand changes as well.

4. Your BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate- how fast does your body burn utilize micro and 

     macronutrients.

5. The amount of mental or brain work you do in a day.

6. During Disease or Recovery states- when you are sick or are recovering from, say a surgical       

    procedure, then you will need special nutritional needs.

7. Your body's restive state- do you get enough sleep? If you lack sleep you find yourself eating more 

    to stay alert and focused

8. States of Hormonal Imbalance.

So there you have it. 

The TOP 7 REASONS Why You NEED to be JUICING MORE than you should!!!

Juicing has been a household term far and wide. You can buy different types of juicers and even search for juicing recipes to supplement your healthy, well-rounded diet. We will focus on a variant of juicing which incorporates dark green leafy vegetables as a basic ingredient.

Drinking green juice has been widely accepted as an effective weight loss supplement as well as for body detox or body cleanse purposes. The health benefits of green juice, however, goes beyond delicious green juice recipes or what most articles you read about describes. The truth is, not all green juices are the same. As can be expected, what you get out of the potent nutrient-packed drink depends on what you put in.

You can find many different types of green juice recipes but bear in mind that each variation serves a different purpose. Drinking green juice offers the following benefits:

1. Aids in Weight Loss
2. Boosts Immunity and Increases Disease Prevention
3. Revitalizes your Energy
4. Detoxifies your body naturally
5. Promotes digestive health
6. Has Anti-cancer properties
7. Promotes beautiful glowing skin

How does drinking Green Juice help in weight Loss?


Drinking green juice twice a day everyday offers a multitude of benefits towards weight loss. It resets how your body utilizes available nutrients for your daily activities.Drinking green juice on an empty stomach allows complete absorption of all the vitamins and minerals that are essential for optimal cell health and turnover.

Green Juice helps your body's satiety centers by making you full early and decreasing your carbohydrate and fat intake. By providing more than your daily recommended dose of vegetables and fruits you are able to curb your appetite better. Remember though that drinking green juice should be a supplement to your well-balanced diet. Also,it's important to remember that you need to have a base number of ingredients that I like to call staple ingredients as they are always in the mix regardless whatever else you add in or remove.

For optimal weight loss, detox, and alkalinity your juice MUST have the following: lemon, ginger,cucumber, celery. More on the why later when we cover green juice recipes. Add into your greens a fruit to offset the taste. Remember that the benefit of green juicing for weight loss is not to help you directly lose unwanted pounds but rather helps "reset" your body's metabolic usage of nutrients more effectively.

How to boost Immunity with Green Juice


This is perhaps the most beneficial attribute of drinking green juice. It is jam-packed with nutrients, vitamins and trace elements which helps boost your immune response to any infection and with all those anti-oxidants, help prevent disease process too.

As a general rule, dark green leafy vegetables are what you need to incorporate more of when you are recovering from an infection or you have the flu or even the common cold. They are rich in magnesium, zinc, caroteinoids, folate, and vitamin C- all of which are needed for cellular replenishment and nourishment in times of stress and infections.

Also, trace elements found in vegetables and fruits such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc among others are important co-factors in the millions of enzymes in our bodies especially enzymes needed to fight off infections or mount an immune response against an infection. By taking in these nutrients  and absorbing them directly, we are able to provide our cells vital components.

Don't forget to always include Ginger when making your Green Juice as it is a potent antioxidant, antibacterial, as well as anti-inflammatory key ingredient. Also Lemon has the ability to alkalize your body and this helps reduce stress,along with Ginger

How to Detoxify and Cleanse with Green Juice

Another important health benefit of drinking green juice is it cleanses your colon. Green juice contains chlorophyll which aids in the detoxification process by helping eliminate harmful toxins we get from the environment and even in the food we eat.

Drinking Green Juice daily helps remove unwanted toxins in our body. A juice cleanse is recommended to flush out unwanted toxins that build up in our colon. To start with,plan a time when you can do a proper colon cleanse as this will take 1-2 days preparation with hydrotherapy or water cleanse, followed by a 3 day juice cleanse, then 2 days of bowel rest and replenishment.

Remember that if you have a job that requires a huge amount of activity you may not do this as you will simply feel hungry all the time. To correct this you simply increase fruit content in your green juice to provide more sugar.If you plan to do a 7-day cleanse I would recommend including papaya or aloe vera in your juice to provide more cleansing.

You have to look for signs that will guide you in starting a juice cleanse. These are:

1. Poor dietary Habits. Too much Carbohydrates, sugar and fat-ladden foods.
2. Always having low energy.
3. Being prone to infections.
4. Always feeling fatigued and tired.
5. Always stressed out and feeling down.

Maintain a healthy well balanced diet after your Cleanse and you will feel energized and rejuvenated. Remember,however, to consult your Doctor prior to undergoing any Detox or Colon Cleanse with Green Juice.

How Green Juice promotes Digestive Health

Drinking Green Juice regularly helps maintain digestive health via 3 ways. The first and indirect method by which green juice improves digestive health is by reducing our levels of stress. As we all know, stress, aside from bad dietary habits is one of the leading cause for indigestion. The Lemon and Ginger in your Green Juice helps lower gastric acidity which can cause heartburn and allows for better digestion of food.
Secondly, when you detox with Green Juice you rid the body of wastes and unwanted toxins making absorption of nutrients and minerals better. Green Juice  helps in removing toxins from the blood for better nutrient exchange in the cells. When your body is replenished on a cellular level you feel rejuvenated and alive, sometimes referred to as the "kick" when drinking green juice.

Thirdly, drinking Green Juice keeps all of your Digestive and Metabolic enzymes happy.
Apart from maintaining Digestive Health it is also important to keep in mind keeping your Enzymes healthy. Juicing is a direct way to replenish your enzymes by providing necessary co-factors for proper enzymatic functions.

There are many recipes for improving digestion and help with healthy digestion and absorption of the foods we eat. You can mix and match to suit your taste and therein lies the beauty of juicing as the more adept you become in combining ingredients the more appreciative you become in terms of their nutritional contributions.


The Anti-Cancer Benefits of Green Juice

Juicing has a lot of benefits when it comes to Cancer prevention. First, Green Juice is packed with antioxidants to fight toxic free radical damage in our cells which can promote cancer. Secondly, drinking Green Juice on a regular basis helps boost our Immunity to help fight off Cancer. Also, because of the detoxification properties offered by juicing we can rid of the harmful toxins in our bodies which act as harmful carcinogens.

There are many types of cancers that attack different age groups. Some are caused by the lifestyle we lead, some are caused by environmental hazards, and some may even be inherited by way of genetic predisposition. It is important to take note of any family history of cancer and being mindful of the recommended procedures to screen for cancer when you reach a certain age group. Going back to raw foods and juicing allows for a lifestyle change that decreases risk for cancers. If you are 35 years old and above, Include garlic in your juices and diets.


How Green Juice promotes Beautiful, Radiant, and Glowing Skin 

You don't get beautiful skin by what you put on but what you put into your body. Simply put, radiant, glowing skin is a reflection of proper hydration but more importantly, proper nutrition. By drinking Green Juice daily you do wonders for your skin and you will start to notice that glow you've only dreamt of before juicing.

Drinking Green Juice removes unwanted toxins from your body which impedes nutritional uptake of your skin cells. Also, by detoxifying with green juice, you make readily available all the nutrients and minerals for healthy cell growth.

Also, the potent antioxidant properties of Green Juice helps reverse the cellular damage brought about by stress and poor nutrition and therefore helps in slowing down aging and wrinkles.

Another benefit of drinkng Green Juice is it keeps your blood vessels and lymphatic channels healthy which aids in properly hydrating your skin and for optimal nutrient exchange and waste removal.

So, what's in Your Green Juice?

The Greatest Story Never Told

You ever wonder what makes watching movies a very big part of our lives? Why do we constantly wait for the sequel of a favorite movie or even that promised summer blockbuster that is sure to pack the theaters when it does come around? There is a fundamental truth in our connection with movies. Let's digress a little on this.

Movies offer an alternate reality for us, a form of escapism where we simply immerse ourselves in, carried by the plot, into that world portrayed on the screen. A moment of respite from a harsh, often too unforgiving world , is afforded to us. If you ask anybody who goes to the movies why they continually do so they will simply say its because movies offer a sense of adventure, a brief connection to something larger than their ordinary  lives, a way to dream.

Good movies are good storytelling. It really doesn't matter what your preferences are in terms of genre or even actors, for that matter. It all boils down to how long can you be taken for the ride towards a make-believe world and feel as though you were indeed a part of it, even for just a brief period in time. Some movies have a special connection to some people in that they can relate to them. Perhaps a big part of what has happened in their lives or even an experience they had are portrayed on screen.

Yes we can argue that movies offer a form of escapism, a form of entertainment, or even a form of  relaxation. What we don't often realize, however, is the "Why". It all comes down to this simple premise- we always dream to be more. Think about that little statement for a minute," We always dream to be more". A good playwright can create a story so real, so exhilarating, so uplifting, or even so silly, it really doesn't matter. As long as you can relate to it, the movie is successful. You see, movies portray a reflection. They portray our inherent desires, aspirations, and even fears.

To step back and have your dreams relived in front of you and see how a struggle between two opposing forces culminate to self realization and finally, victory and self discovery of a higher, more enlightened state is perhaps the reason and only reason why we come to the movies. A reflection indeed. But what does this tell us about ourselves? We want a life that is anything but ordinary but we want to be in control. We want adventure, we want to take risks that are potentially dangerous but the rewards would be even more fulfilling. We want to be always victorious in a struggle. We want all these things but we fail to realize the one truth behind all this--your life is so much more than any movie can portray. Your dreams are so much more than any struggle.

The greatest story never told isn't that of your ideal movie. It is that of your own life. If you want to tell your life story and make it anything but ordinary then make changes in your life that will do justice to your idealism. Small changes, small increments, small acts, and an open mind goes a long way. Remember that if your life was a movie you will only get to see it played once so its up to you to make your daily living worth remembering. So, as I have done on my older posts, some guidelines.

The First thing you need to do is increase your sense of awareness. You do this by slowing your life down a bit. Listening more and being more attentive offers you a wider perspective of things rather than just simply living through them. By being more aware you get a better sense of what areas of your life needs work. Is it the way you relate to people, a connection problem, perhaps, or is it a confidence problem? Anything that may have eluded you before will be brought forth to the light for scrutiny.

The Second thing you need to do is you have to ask yourself if you are willing to commit. You need to change and this requires a commitment on your part. It is often hard to commit to life changes if we are having a harder time on Acceptance. Accept that there are some things you need to change about yourself and committing is as easy as giving in.

The Third and perhaps the most overlooked aspect towards making changes in our lives is that we often relate to change as a struggle. We think that it is better to sit and do nothing than doing something and end up getting hurt in the process. We confine ourselves into walls we wrongfully label as our comfort zones. Change is not the struggle, our fear to change is THE struggle. Our fears hold us back and cripple us to be more. How many times have you wished that you can do something about your own life and make it better for yourself and the ones you love and yet are unable to move. There you are waiting for a sign, any sign that its ok to forge ahead and at least try.

The Fourth and perhaps most important step towards lasting change is learning to overcome your fear. Fear, you see has a duality to it that you are not aware of. It can cripple us by hindering us completely or it can strengthen us and solidify our resolve. Realize one thing, and that is its ok to be afraid. Everyone is afraid. Everyone is a yella-bellied chicken at one point in their lives. See fear in a different light. Let it make you more cautious, use it as tool to make you do calculated risks in your decision making, but never let it stop you from becoming more.

The Fifth and last step is you have to learn to be happier. A lot of people will tell you that they are content with their life and that is ok. Realize, however, that contentment and happiness, although the same in some aspects are two different ballparks altogether. True happiness doesn't come with being content alone. It also comes with  having Faith. Faith in a greater power than yourself, faith in what you are capable of achieving and reaching, faith in the people you love, and faith in Life.

So you see, The Greatest Story Never Told is you going through the "Five Steps to a Greater You", outlined by yours truly above. Oh, and if you want a quick recap of all that, well, here it is:

1. Increase your Awareness Level
2. Commitment and Acceptance
3. Realizing your Fears
4. Dealing with your Fears
5. Seek Happiness

So there you have it. Go and watch a good movie, sit back and relax, get a bucket of popcorn (hold the butter, of course), then go out and think about what I just said. Once again, thanks for dropping by. Will see you again on m next post. JowelMD signing off but not signing out.

The 10 Things you need to know about your Health and Health Care.

     As we age our bodies succumb to  many types of illnesses and ailments, most of which, believe it or not, goes hand in hand with getting old. If you really take a step back and look at the bigger picture, the reason why Healthcare is always rising in cost is because of two reasons; the world's population density is increasing exponentially every year and more and more people succumb to lifestyle diseases. If you ever go to a rain forest and happen to come along an indigenous tribe living there you will realize that most of these people rarely or ever saw a syringe at all.  The simple reason of they being secluded from the rest of the world insured that they are with better health despite their crude and often inhabitable living conditions, at least to western standards.
   
     But what am I saying here? Well, in a nutshell, we live in a society where we have lost harmony with mother Earth, with nature. We have forgotten how it felt like to catch and grow our own meals eliminating the need for processed and artificially flavored foods. Furthermore, these people have no notion what exercise is because the daily toils necessary for them to undertake for survival are much more rigorous than any exercise regiment you can formulate. This, perhaps, is the basic premise for the Paleo Diet, as you would imagine, when we regress back to a paleolithic hunter-gatherer mode of self sustenance.

     So what are your options, you ask. Before we consider solutions or alternatives let us digress further on some basic facts and principles. As mentioned earlier, as we age we are more prone to more ailments and diseases. Some diseases develop over time, especially lifestyle diseases, and some diseases we inherit genetically or are more predisposed to acquiring due to our genetic makeup. With that it is important then to realize that over time our immune system isn't as adept to dealing with ailments such as infections simply because our cells age and succumb to cell death and free radical damage. Cellular turnover rate also decreases as we age simply because our metabolism slows down and the necessary building blocks are becoming fewer and farther in between.

The Ten things you need to know about your health NOW are the following

1. Smoking and drinking alcohol makes you age faster. Not only does smoking predisposes to Lung Cancer and increases the risk of other co-morbid conditions like Heart Disease and Colon Cancer but causes free radical damage to the body's cells.
2. Juicing can extend your life if done regularly, at least 3-4 times a week, by about 5-7 years. Juicing unlocks the metabolic powerhouses contained in organic food. I highly suggest taking the time to juice more often and read the literature about the benefits of juicing.
3. Avoid processed foods. It used to be the slogan was," Read the label" before you buy anything from the grocery store. Your slogan should be," If it has a label, don't buy it." You see, the processed foods we eat are far from being healthy. Yes, they have nutritive value but along with the nutrition they provide are chemicals and preservatives you would rather do without.
4. Exercise more often. Do not think of exercise as something you would have to make time for. It's all a matter of perspective. Many brisk stints of activity over the period of a day is far more beneficial than, say, scheduling a trip to the gym 3-4 times a week. It is about regularity and more importantly about maintaining it.
5. Sleep more. The more you sleep the more chance you give your body to rejuvenate your cells and release hormones for cellular growth and turnover.
6. Body Cleanse once in a while. Do a fasting stage in the days you expect the least activity. This allows your body to rid itself of those unwanted toxins and improves immunity.
7. Expect that as you age you will find that your doctor will discover something down the road and next thing you know you have prescriptions to pick up at your local pharmacy every month. Don't be afraid to ask your doctor about your Disease. Remember, the more you know about your ailment the better prepared you are and you will have an adept understanding in terms of symptomatology and disease progression. This is especially important for lifestyle diseases such as Heart Disease, Hypertension, Diabetes, and Hypercholesterolemia.
8. Don't be afraid to seek new alternatives of treatment. Alternative Medicine is no longer "alternative" but an important and often overlooked treatment modality. Read about new trends in Holistic and Alternative Medicine. I'll give you an example- years ago, it was discovered that Bittermelons (Ampalaya) can cure Diabetes.
9. Seek a calmer and truer path in life. Avoid things that will stress you and cause you anxiety and grief. Always seek the path of least resistance and always keep an open mind, a loving heart, and do the things that give you the most enjoyment. I keep telling my patients that the one key  Medicine that almost everyone overlooks is HAPPINESS. Being calmer, more relaxed, joyous, and stress free makes your body more alkali therefore lessening free radical damage and, in turn, adding some more years to your life.
10. Lastly, do not over supplement. Don't get caught up with the latest fad out there. When weight loss is concerned do not buy the latest "Lose 30 pounds in 30 days" wonder pill because IT DOES NOT WORK. Forcing your body to lose that much weight over that period of time is not only dangerous but will cause you to gain back 2 pounds for every pound you lost. Lose weight naturally. It takes a lot of Self-control, Dedication, Hard Work, and most importantly, Time.

I would like to apologize from my long absence from my blog. I always considered writing for whoever may read this a privilege. It was always my goal to share and be informative and lend a helping hand in matters of life, love, and prosperity. I have had this blog for several years now and I would like to keep it active again. I love to write because It helps me relax. I know I really don't have a following but if you are reading this, thank you for taking the time. My other posts are just as helpful, if not more so. I will do my best  to write again soon. JowelMD signing off but not signing out. Take Care. God Bless.

The Pacquiao- Mayweather fight; why even bother.

     In the world of sports, there are perhaps only few which cause so much excitement and hype and the world of boxing certainly tops that list. If you go beyond the monetary gains, both for the fighters and gambling fans alike, if you distill it down to its purest form, it really all boils down to the David and Goliath thing.
     Of course it wouldn't be so exciting if  both were antagonists. One must always be the underdog. However, who is trailing behind and aiming for a glorious win isn't always clear cut. Often times it's a matter of perspective and almost always people differ in that arena as well. A fight between two opposing forces must always represent something in order to be worthwhile in its purpose. In the classical sense, its almost always good versus evil, light versus dark, the oppressor against the oppressed, and the greater the odds of winning the better it gets.
     Well, let's think about this for a minute. We are willing to spend money to watch a prime event in television which is talked about the world over and over the period of many years culminating finally to that "fight" night under the scrutiny of the whole world to see and enjoy. How is that different from the gladiator matches of roman lore? It's much more similar than you think.
     The truth, plain and simple, is that we enjoy struggles. We crave for it. Only when we face enormous adversary do we truly feel alive. Only when we take sides to a cause do we really feel fulfilled. So, with the fight in question, we have to ask ourselves if Mayweather the defender can withstand the endless barrage of Pacquiao the aggressor. Will intense concentration win over sheer speed and heart? So many questions, and so many possible answers, still.
     Like everything in life, however...we will just have to wait and see. For my money, I want someone who represents more than the world of boxing, to win the fight. I want the ambassador to all cultures to win, the silent man who is not about the hype, the money, the material things, or even the fame that comes with multiple wins. I want Pacquiao to win. That is why I bother.

Weight Loss 101: The Basics and Fundamentals You Simply Must Know.

Weight Loss is a topic you see and hear more often than anything. Losing weight is a problem EVERYBODY has. More and more of us are becoming overweight by the second of each and everyday. When we become obese we are at risk for other co-morbid diseases such as Heart Disease, Diabetes, Hypertension, Cancer, and others. This fact we understand clearly from the outset. When we continually punish our bodies with eating too much we predispose ourselves to a myriad of diseases and conditions which make our daily living difficult for us. There are, however, factors we need to address when it comes to weight loss. I can go on and on about how dieting and exercise simply doesn't work for the majority of us but that would cover half a dozen posts and perhaps more. What we will cover here in this post is the basics and how we can leverage on the fundamentals to better understand what our bodies go through as we try losing those unwanted pounds. Firstly, lets talk about key facts:

1. The foods we eat are essentially proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Each macronutrient serves different purposes such as for energy, for cellular building blocks and replenishing, and for energy stores. Our body regulates how we take up and utilize food by many factors, some of which are internal and genetically controlled, but also, some are dictated by how much work we do on a daily basis; how many calories do we need to go through our typical day. So besides hormones and our metabolic rate, the environment also plays a key role in dictating how much food we need to consume on a daily basis.

2. Our diets are mostly cultural. We eat more foods from our ethnic backgrounds more so than from other ethnic groups. That being said it is then safe to assume that some foods are richer than others, at least from a cultural standpoint. HOW we eat and WHAT we eat is also dictated by WHO we are.

3. Less in, more out. This is the basic premise of dieting. This is also the reason why diets do not work. Lets take this in perspective and use an example. If, for instance, a person has been 30-45 pounds overweight consuming, on the average, around 4000 calories a day. Then we subject that individual to just 2300 calories a day and ask him or her to limit caloric intake to that. Then we turn around to complete the other half of the equation by asking the individual to exercise more in order to increase his or her metabolism and burn those stored fat. Do you see where the struggle is ensuing? Metabolism is not just dictated by the amount of activity we are subjected to. It is also hormonal. You see, after a while, our body adjusts to the kind of eating habits we have. In order to lose weight by dieting alone you would have to understand how to control and suppress your hunger. Satiety is key. When you feel full, the less you eat. That makes sense, right? Well, it's easier said than done. More on that on future posts.

4. The YOU factor. Losing weight also depends on you. What I mean by that is gender, age group, presence of other co-morbid diseases, vices and habits, among others. So when you read the label of any health product or weight loss supplement and see "RESULTS MAY VARY", this is what they mean.

5. Reprogram the program. In order to lose weight effectively we have to start from the ground up. We need to understand and put into effect why changing eating habits is not the first step to losing weight. It is the second step. The first step is changing our perspective of food. We need to inculcate a clear mental picture of how we see food. Do we see it to nourish and replenish our bodies or do we see it as something else? Eat only what you need.

6. Water is the key. When we metabolize our food our body's metabolic processes puts into play hundreds of enzymatic proteins which play key roles in breaking down nutrients, replenishing cells, and storing energy. The glue which makes all this happen is water. Water is required in our cells in order for metabolism to take place as well as waste disposal. What I am essentially getting at here is that overweight individuals need to drink more water in order to BURN THE FAT. Without proper hydration, losing weight will be a difficult and painful experience.

So there you have it. The basics you need to understand in order to formulate an attack plan on losing weight. Also, understand that there are foods that naturally speed up your metabolism, foods that selectively allows you to absorb other nutrients and prevent others from being absorbed, foods that decrease cancer risk, foods that make your skin look younger, foods that gives the most energy. But more on these food types on future posts. I covered some of these on my previous posts as well. Be well and until our next post, JowelMD signing off but not out.      

The Truth About Acid Reflux; How to Live With GERD

     A lot of us suffer from Indigestion or Acid Reflux. As a fellow sufferer I can tell you from first hand experience how debilitating this condition really is. There is a lot of myth out there regarding Acid Reflux, or GERD, or Indigestion, as it is sometimes called. A lot of it has to do primarily with what causes it and the so-called medications, remedies,and cures that are out there. What is Acid Reflux? You can do your own research in the internet on what the condition is and you will usually fall in either one of two camps of thought.   One explanation tells us that the valve on the gastro-esophageal junction is weakened, causing reflux of acid and food contents upwards toward the esophagus. Another explanation circumvents around the biochemical problem dealing with the body's alkalinity. It basically means you produce more acid than is necessary hence causing the reflux. Which is true? How effective are the over the counter medications we frequently buy to relieve our indigestion? Do they really work? Well, before we talk about which is which let's digress further on the risk factors involved for acquiring GERD.

The first risk factor is old age. As we get older the valve at the junction between our stomach and esophagus weakens and this is a natural event. This explains that our elderly tend to get more heartburn than the younger generations. Another risk factor is increased abdominal girth, as in the form of obesity and pregnancy. The mechanism behind these two is that our stomach has limits in terms of expansion as we eat and when we really engorge ourselves, acid and food contents gets pushed upwards by way of compression. That is why we doctors always advise a patient to try losing weight and see how his or her condition changes or improves. Another risk factor is smoking. Cigarette smoking weakens the valve hence causing acid reflux. Other often overlooked risk factors are stress, lack of sleep, and eating spicy foods. As you go by this list you can easily see how these risk factors, once compounded, increases the risk of having Acid Reflux quite greatly.

How is it that a lot of patients being brought in to the Emergency Room, who thought they were having a heart attack, are actually suffering from heartburn? Well, one of the symptoms of Acid Reflux is chest pain, often described as sudden and intense, causing sufferers to believe they were indeed having a heart attack. The other signs and symptoms of Acid Reflux are shortness of breath (laryngospasm), hoarseness, cough, regurgitation, nausea, laryngitis, and a sensation or feeling of something 'lumpy' in your throat. Acid reflux can take on thse myriad of symptoms and knowing what to expect from GERD helps you better deal with it.

There is no clear cut reason why we are predisposed to getting acid reflux. A lot of it has to do with our propensity towards this condition as a result of our lifestyle habits, our health conditions, our age, and many other things. What is important to understand however,  is that long-standing GERD can lead to more serious conditions such as Barrett's Esophagus and Cancer. Instead of looking at heartburn in this light let us approach the condition from a more hollistic understanding, which, in the end, will also dictate how we manage and deal with the condition in a day to day basis. I believe that hearburn is a natural event. It is a way by which our bodies react to what we take in and is a good indicator of our general health and well being. Our body's cellular processes are dictated by many biochemical and physiologic events which work optimally at a set range in pH. If our body has a problem with alkalinity ( meaning we produce more acid), our stomach overproduces acid in return. a balance must be set in order to control this stomach acid production and many cells and hormones are at play here.

Here are some home remedies which can help alleviate symptoms of heartburn:

1. Apple cider vinegar; take 1 tablespoon in a glass of water twich a day to slowly return the body to
    its normal alkalinity.
2. Ginger; boiled and allowed to cool then drink with honey. Works much like apple cider vinegar.
3. Papaya; this is a little known secret to return the body to its optimal function and clean our
    digestive system. The mechanism by which it cures GERD is still unclear but it does help.
4. Drinking Alkaline water.
5. Lemon, lemon, and lemon. It is actually alkaline and helps reduce acidity.


Here are some things to avoid:

1. Caffeine.
2. Overeating.
3. Going to bed on a full stomach.
4. Carbonated drinks like sodas.
5. Foods like onions, chocolates, high fat foods, processed foods, and others. It's always helpful to
    remember or keep a list of foods which trigger heartburn for you.
6. Smoking.
7. Alcohol.

Here are some things which help:

1. Eat in moderation and slowly chew your food. Eat in small, frequent quantities rather than big
    meals.
2. Get enough sleep. One of the risk factors discussed above is lack of sleep.
3. Wear loose clothing.
4. Lose the weight. You'll see how your heartburn improves drastically if you lose those extra   
    pounds.
5. Carry a roll of antacids with you wherever you go.
6. Eat organically grown foods only and increase your vegetable and fruit intake by at least 60%.

Well, I hope these help. Always be well, think only of pure thoughts of positivity and happiness, never be down for long, and strive to be more and you will be much much more. JowelMD signing off but never signing out. Until our next post, folks. Sorry for the long absence.

The Best Chicken Adobo Ever and Ever and Ever

     Ask any filipino what their favorite native cuisine is and chances are Chicken Adobo is right up there in their list. This comfort food is perhaps the best known recipe among filipino dishes in that it tastes just simply awesome. There are many variants to the dish depending which part of the archipelago you ended up asking, but the key ingredients remain the same for generations. These regional variations only adds more flavor and flair to the country's national dish. The proportion of the key ingredients themselves can vary ( soy sauce, bay leaves, garlic, black pepper) and depending on what your taste buds feel like you can add more spices, in the form of siling labuyo, jalopeno pepper, and bell pepper. Onions, pineapple chunks, and onions can be added as well.

     Chicken adobo is a dish inherited from the Spanish during colonial times. Although pre-spanish filipinos marinate meats in salt and vinegar to extend it, it was ultimately during the Spanish Period that the dish we know as Adobo was brought into fruition. Although many variants such as pork adobo, and beef adobo came soon thereafter, it is Chicken Adobo which gained worldly fame.

So, enough talk. Let's get cooking. You'll need the following:

• Chicken legs, wings, and thighs, about 5 lbs in all. 
• half a cup of soy sauce
• half a cup of white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons black pepper corns
• 6 bay leaves
• 7 cloves of garlic
• 1 whole onion diced
• 1 bell pepper, cut into strips
• a can of pineapple chunks
• half a cup of olive oil
• two and a half cups water

As in all filipino dishes, the secret to taste is in the preparation. Dice garlic and brown them in the olive oil. Add onions soon after until onions are tender. Let cool. In a large pot combine chicken soy sauce and your sauteed garlic and onions and let stand to marinade for about 3 hours or so. I usually marinade for a total of 5 hours to really let the flavors sink in.

Once marinated, brown the chicken pieces a bit in olive oil just enough but not too much. Then add in the remaining marinade as well as water and bring the mixture to a boil for about 30 minutes or so or until chicken is tender. Add in the black pepper corns, bay leaves, and if you decide to make this one spicy, add in the siling labuyo ( bird's eye chili).

when the chicken is tender, open the pan to allow the sauce to reduce. bring it down to a simmer then add in the bell pepper and pineapple chunks. Stir once. Then add the vinegar. Stir again and let cook for another 10 minutes or so.

Chicken adobo gives off that aroma you just can't resist once cooked. I serve mine hot over white rice topped off with chopped chives. If I want to get real fancy I would sprinkle some crushed pork chicharrones (think of it as filipino bacon bits) or browned sesame seeds. Dig in and enjoy!! 

Bon Appetit!!!

A Life Unhindered

Ever imagined how life would be like if we stop wanting for more, if we stop and take a deep breath and step back to see what we actually have RIGHT NOW? Wouldn't it be great if we actually say to ourselves," Yeah, I'm happy. I am where I'm supposed to be.". Do you think we'll ever get to that point?

Let's face it, the world we live in today is a world full of compromises. It is also a world riddled with dilemmas and issues yet to find reasonable basis not to mention solutions. Oh, we haven't gotten to the "solutions" part yet. Did you notice that anybody who is anybody out there seems to have a solution in mind for one of our problems. It can be in the form of a product or a service but the premise is the same; to solve a problem we may be having. All in the name of sound progress and efficiency, you might add.

Well, let's take a minute to imagine, just imagine for a second, what if we lived in a world devoid of material   things, devoid of schedules, devoid of tension and stress? Can you find your place in it? Putting the question more aptly, can you function in such a world? Do you know what your assets really are in this imagined world? My point in all this is that we often forget what our blessings really are and that we get caught up in the hubbub of everyday world that we forget to appreciate the little special things that are granted to us.

Living a life unhindered means some changes must be put into action. We cannot sit around idealizing such a world without putting at least some effort to see it to fruition. Living a life unhindered means you have to learn to let go of a lot of things. You have to let go of your desire for material things, your ambition for more money, the many different causative factors which put stress into your daily life. It also means having an open mind. You have to be mindful of what your options are. Remember that the path of least resistance is the best way to take. Learning to see through situations and changes in your life enables you to be more in control; to be able to step back every once in a while and see things in perspective gives you more freedom to exercise your power to choose what is best for you and when.

Lastly, learn to count your blessings. Don't wish for a fuller cup when you don't see a half-empty cup as being half-full. Don't want more than is necessary. Be forgiving and be more giving. When you learn to do these things a special feeling begins to dawn unto you. It is the feeling of being light, being content, being worry-free. Leave what you can behind. Carrying excess baggage only slows you down. Remember that life is about journeying and not simply just living. Don't try to find yourself in the universe of things. Chances are, more often than not, you are already where you are supposed to be. You just don't realize it yet.

Learn to see with your mind's eye and learn to feel with your heart. Don't be wasteful of your emotions. Rest when you can. Work when you aren't resting. Love all the time. Share what you have and share your gifts and skills. Learn to acknowledge the resounding truth that you are never alone and that you will never be complete until someone completes you. Respect the world around you. Listen to what mother nature teaches us over and over again. Learn to be a conservationist. Clean and green is not just a movement, it's a way to save a planet. When you finally get old and sit in that little stool of yours out back in the garden somewhere, take a deep breath. Recount back the years and just like the beautiful large tomatoes you see yourself planting someday, your life was indeed beautiful and unhindered. 

Live a life unhindered. Start now.

Fat Loss Factors You Need To Know

Weight loss solutions have been perhaps one of the biggest, if not the biggest, focus of any pharmaceutical company out there and primarily because of the huge demand for weight loss products which can run the gamut from diet pills, weight loss drinks, herbal teas, and pretty much anything and everything in between. The amount of products available for the consumer is unbelievably astronomical and yet people still jump on any new fad, online weight loss programs, exercise dvd's, pills, and exercise equipment with the sole hope of shedding those unwanted pounds.

Let's be honest with ourselves, who doesn't want to look good wearing clothes several sizes or inches smaller than what they normally wear. I can tell you pretty much everything that is health related in losing weight but what concerns most of us the most is how we look and how we feel after losing all that flab. The truth of the matter, however, is that there is a vast majority of you out there who do not really understand how your body utilize and store fat. Furthermore, fat is essential in the metabolic processes that run our bodies. To even add further to that simple truth is that adipose cells or adipocytes have key physiologic roles that our bodies can't do without.

So when you see a bodybuilder claiming to have only 1% or 2% body fat you have to think if that is even healthy. And by the way, measuring body fat with calipers is not the most accurate way to measure fat. The adipose under your skin is not the only place your body stores fat.  Fat can be stored in the omentum, the liver, the renal fat pads, and even in your long bones, among others. So what do we really need to know about fat loss? So before you engage in any quick weight loss tips or rapid weight loss diets some groundwork needs to be covered first.

Firstly, our body breaks down food into three basic building blocks or macronutrients; complex carbohydrates, fats in the form of lipids and triglycerides, and proteins. These macronutrients will be broken down even further into metabolites which our bodies will utilize to replenish our cells, to power our daily activities, to maintain our physiologic processes. The rule of thumb is whatever your body does not burn or use up gets stored. Stored energy is packaged in the form of fat handled by your adipose cells. So from this key knowledge we can deduce the first fat loss factor tip. Since most of what we eat comes from food groups high in complex carbohydrates, sugars, and fats, simply altering the ratio or percentage of food we consume from those food groups greatly affects the way our body's ability to utilize food nutrients. 

Secondly, how we eat and how much of what we eat should depend on the amount of work or activity that we do. Unfortunately, that is not the case since a great percentage of us are obese. In other words, we consume more than what is necessary. So the second key knowledge we have to realize in our quest for weight loss is how we understand what appetite and satiety really means. In essence, these two are medical terms which essentially cover how our body responds to hunger and how it responds to having been satiated. So here is the second fat loss factor tip;  we can control our appetite by eating frequently but in small increments. It is when we do not eat for long periods that we tend to eat more than what we really need. Satiety can be had by eating more of foods that are essentially low calorie and drinking more fluids. You see, stretch receptors found in the stomach tell our bodies that it already has it's fill hence we feel full. The fuller you feel the lesser you eat.

The third topic we need to cover deals with activity in the form of work or exercise and inactivity. What I am essentially getting at is metabolism. Metabolism, as many of you may not know, is controlled by many factors such as hormones ( or imbalance of hormones), diseases ( whether acquired or congenital in nature), and age ( as we get older our metabolism goes down). For or purposes, however, let us assume that metabolism is governed by the amount or lack of activity that we do. So here is the third fat loss factor tip; always be in constant motion. Always keep moving. You don't have to run or spend 2 hours in the gym everyday. You can do little things like take the stairs instead of the elevator, do more house chores, clean out that yard , etc. The fact that you are always about prevents your metabolism from slowing down and resetting itself. Remember this key knowledge, it is your metabolism which makes you fat!! It dictates when your body will start storing fat instead of utilizing it. Remember also that protein and carbohydrates that are unused are still stored as fat.

Lastly, there are other key points we need covering but will have to reserve them for future posts. Issues like mindset, emotional control, and others need to be covered in greater detail not just in passing. So until next time, do come back. JowelMD signing off but not signing out.

The Hurdle of Truths : Accepting what is and Looking forward to what is yet to be.

     The second  step towards lasting personal change isn't really a step in the sense that it is something you have to commit yourself doing. Rather, it is  something you have to commit yourself undoing. Our daily lives are so full of noise and clutter that we often miss out on the more important things. There are a lot of hurdles you must overcome in order to achieve a lasting personal change. The first thing you must realize at this point is that you will have to find a way to close your mind off from these noise and drawing deeply from within an inner calm, an inner solitude you can call your fortress. It's about finding a focal point in your life from where you can draw strength and energy from.

Many times, and more often than not, we forget to see a lot of obvious miracles happening before our eyes. Life, in and of itself is a miracle and not a day should go by that is without purpose, without having a chance to do something better, to hope, to dream, and to immerse yourself in all the beauty of what makes you uniquely you. Nevertheless, we often find ourselves unwilling to, and to some extent in vehemence, admit that there are truths that we simply have to live with; to accept with all of our being, and to make do with what those inherent truths give us in terms of how we grow physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

I guess the obvious question we are alluding to at this point is, " Is change possible?" or "Can personality change?" or maybe even, " Can we truly change for the better?". The answer to any and all of these questions is a big resounding YES!! One thing that makes us truly unique as human beings is how we adapt to environment and situations. It really all depends on two factors; our desire to change for the better, and our dedication to make that change lasting and final.

Ok, let's talk about the first truth we must face and overcome. You can seek any self-help guru or motivational coach you want but the inescapable fact remains, when you finally realize that you can make your life better, and when you also realize that it is inherently your task to rise up to this challenge and commit yourself to whatever is necessary to reach this goal, to be more content, to be more loving, to be one with the world around you and be connected with the people you love deeply and care for with a much deeper, fuller sense of connection, then you know that the first truth you must realize and inherit deeply is the fact that you cannot change alone. You need to change the world around you to better fit in it.

Your personal development goals may be different from everyone else's or may be similar but you still need to go through the same process. You can change the way you feel, think, opt for a more open mind, be more patient, be more understanding, be more compassionate, be more open to people in general, be unselfish, be more patient, and so on but if you don't change the environment or situations you are immersed in, it will be more arduous to implement self change strategies you want to commit yourself to. What I am essentially saying is how you engage the world around you is only half the battle. Just as important is what you choose to engage and what you choose to omit altogether. In other words, you need to see challenges and situations in terms of their relevance and immediacy. Filter out and do away with irrelevant stress in your life and deal with only the things that matter to you and matter most. Don't let the small things bog you down. Rise up and see your life for what it truly is.

When you learn to do all of these things you will find that your burden is lighter. You will re-learn and feel again certain it feels like o hope, to dream, to be excited about living life to the fullest once again. In other words, you look to tomorrow with fervent eyes. Tomorrow offers another chance to start anew, to make what today was even better.

" Weight Loss; How to do it naturally with Herbal Belly Fat Burners"

     If your'e like most people, you are probably on the heavy side and may have tried many diets schemes, diet fads, and expensive exercise equipment to help shed those unwanted pounds. The truth about diets is that they do not work. Exercise equipment often target specific muscle groups and if you wanted to focus on other groups of muscles you would need to buy a separate exercise machine for those. Diet pills which help curb your appetite do so by unbalancing your body's natural metabolic processes. Losing weight is easy if you understand key knowledge about the science of weight loss. 

     We often forget that in order to lose weight we need to change the way we see, think, and engage food. What most experts will tell you is avoid this, avoid that, eat more of this, eat less of that. That's a horrible way to lose weight don't you think? I wold like you to think not in quantity or even quality, but rather, in variety. What I mean is it's ok to eat what you want but you have to set certain limits on how much and how often. Don't punish yourself by eating salads and fruits for most of the week but salivate when you see someone eat a philly cheese steak sandwich. Get the picture now? You see, losing weight is more about a change in your lifestyle, your habits, and your way of thinking more so than your change in food choices. It's about understanding what you want for yourself, what your goals are, and how healthy you want to be. I can go on and on about how diet and exercise improves your health drastically but if it falls on deaf ears what good would that sound medical advice be? Rather, let's take this topic of weight loss in stages and see how we can better improve upon ourselves and better our state of health.

     As before, before I go on and expound on matters further, I like to give some helpful hints along the way to help break the ice. Here are 7 things you need to do to add 10-15 years to your life:

• Stop smoking
• Understand what a BMI chart is and where you are in it.
• Learn to swim and swim 30-45 minutes a day.
• Discover the wonderful world of juicing.
• Learn to be a "herbalist"
• smile often and think only of happy thoughts
• worry less

     As I mentioned earlier, losing weight involves many things; a change in your lifestyle, your habits, the way you prepare and cook food, and lastly, the way you see food. I don't have a given set of methods per se on what food types should you eat more of but let me share with you what most of the world's older cultures practice and believe in:

• Eat more of what grows from the earth.
• Raw foods are better than cooked foods
• Eat less of animals which eat what comes from the earth.

     A lifestyle change can be drastic to some people but to others it can be simple and life changing at the same time. You have to think in terms of wellness and health benefits rather than on the aspects of health alone. What do I mean by lifestyle changes? Well, for starters, do not eat at fast food restaurants often, do not buy canned and processed foods, do not drink beverages other than water, juices, and a glass or two of wine only. Know that you simply do not start out blindly. There are factors to consider which are vital to your target goal. First off, have your present state of health evaluated by your primary care physician. How overweight are you? Do you have co-morbid diseases like hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, etc? Are you suffering from arthritis? All of these factors need to be considered in order to plan a safe exercise regiment for you as well as helping your nutritionist formulate a table of what food groups should you eat more of, be wary of, and to avoid altogether.

     Move constantly. Never stay still. When your body is in constant motion you burn more calories and you lose weight. If you need to do an exercise regiment for weigh loss or simply to give your heart a good cardiovascular workout I recommend swimming. It's safer for your joints and works out all of your major muscle groups. You can't get that from any equipment from your local gym. Learn to be a "juicer". Juicing machines can be had for reasonable prices these days and I don't see why every household doesn't have one. When you drink extracted vegetable, fruit, and herb juices, you drink the raw, natural energy that is contained in plant life. Enzymes, anti-oxidative vitamins and minerals, natural sugars are absorbed readily giving your body an extra boost prior to any workout or rejuvination after working out. Learn to colon cleanse and drink lots of water. Celium husk based fiber preparations are available almost anywhere and at good prices. Drink these twice daily for 10-12 days to help rid of unwanted toxins from your body. Fiber serves a two-fold role in this case. It also serves to absorb some of that fat from your diet preventing further absorption.

     Lastly, learn to be a herbalist. Did you know that the rain forest contains more medicinal plants than the medicine list contained within the physician desk reference? Imagine a world of natural healing, constantly being one with nature. Most people have no knowledge of the medicinal properties of ginger let alone the rest of the herbs that are within our reach from the local supermarket. There is so much knowledge how plants can heal you and how they can stave off diseases like cancer, stroke, diabetes, rheumatism, and the list goes on, that it's a shame we don't take advantage of it. In order to prolong your life you need to drink vibrant life energy from juicing vegetables, fruits, and herbs. After about 4 days of juicing initially, which I recommend to be about a glass of juice 2-3 times  day, you will start to feel more energetic and vibrant. You will find that as you progress further you will learn to eat around your juicing and not juice around your eating.

     As I have mentioned earlier, herbs are power packed with essential vitamins and minerals as well as enzymes which help our body cure a disease, recover from a disease, prevent a disease, or simply boost our immunity against infectious processes. From the viewpoint of weight loss herbs excel in that they act in multiple ways to help you lose those unwanted weight. For instance, green tea is an effective wight loss drink because it increases the way the body utilizes and metabolizes fat. Green tea benefits, however, goes way beyond weight loss benefits. It contains one of nature's most powerful antioxidants, epigallocatechin gallate or EGCE, which inhibits cells that cause cancer. Green tea also reduces the following; heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, esophageal cancer, and many more. These herbs or herbal belly fat burners are a safer more natural alternative to diet pills.

     Lastly, don't lose hope. Losing weight doesn't happen overnight. Think how good you will look in your favorite outfit several sizes down. The compliments you will be getting and the way you feel when you wake up every day is much more gratifying than you think and it will make your journey to the new you even more special.  

 

The First Step to Lasting Personal Change

You know, It really amazes me how many infomercials, webinars, websites, links, etc. are out there promising you a "new and proven" technique, method, or secret that can make you thousands of dollars weekly or even daily through a home based business using nothing but a computer and an internet connection. What's more convincing is that these adverts include testimonials of regular people, presumably just like you and I, who have actually used the course or product to make the kind of money promised to them. Well, a lot of people actually fall for these internet business courses and buy them with the hope that a few extra hours a day can help make ends meet or even pay off the mortgage.

The truth is, almost always these products or programs fail to deliver the goods and the consumer ends up searching for something better. Making money in the internet is real. The way to make money through the internet is careful planning, finding a profitable niche, selecting a product or service to fill this niche, advertise, advertise, and more advertise. When I say advertise I mean targeted advertising and not advertising blindly. Of course you need to master using the right keywords and action words in your ads to be more visible to search engines and search phrases. Action words are words which compels your reader(s) to act upon them or catch their attention long enough to arouse their curiosity. But enough of this internet money-making venture. My purpose for writing this post is not to teach you how to make money on the internet but to make you ponder on, and later investigate and delve deeper  the factors which circumvent around this simple notion- we are never truly content. We yearn for more than what we actually need. Sounds familiar? You know it does.

There comes a time in our lives when we have to take everything in retrospect and try to undermine why we aren't happy and contented with our lives. We need to limit our associations with material things and focus our efforts and energies on relevant key issues like health, relationships, personal growth, and global outlook.
A lot of times, when you ask somebody what the central focus of most of their problems are you'll know that it usually revolves around the issue of money. Don't get me wrong, we need money to survive in society but we don't need too much of it. The media has hardwired financial independence into our subconscious as something that is attainable only if we make more money than we actually need. Of course a lot of people would disagree with me but let me ask you this- you have heard of business execs or even CEO's of companies actually dropping everything and leaving their job to live in the tropics somewhere living on simple living and eager means, right? They leave their cellphones, emails, laptops, and other "tie-me-downs" behind and start living a simple, stress-free life, being one with nature, being at peace with themselves, and donating their wealth to charity.

I guess the one question which begs answering is why. Why would someone making millions of dollars leave all that behind? Why the sudden and drastic change in retrospect? The answer is they have had enough. They have reached a truer sense of understanding of what their actual needs are and how to go about attaining them. The revelation is intense and so life-changing that their complete reversion to the exact opposite is so sudden and without hesitation. What do they know that eludes us? They have learned to LET GO. Letting go is the first step to lasting personal change. Your complete and utter surrender to the fact that something has to change or something will give is the paramount move by which you will plant your cornerstones on. Learn to let go and accept certain truths in your life. I usually advice people to make an honest list of what they need to change in their life. Here is an example:

       1. If I don't change my eating habits and exercise more often I will be unhealthy and die early.
       2. If I don't mend things between me and my parent/ brother/ sister/ wife the distance grows between
           us.
Now, how about rewording the first statement as, " If I don't do anything to start being healthy I will never grow old enough to see my grandchildren!" and the second statement as " If I don't come out in the open and  patch things up they will never know how much i really love and care for them.". Do you see now how we need to see things in a different light at times in order to compel us to act upon them sooner?

Letting go is not easy. It is, however, necessary in order to move on. IN order for us to change we have to admit to ourselves that we needed changing. We have to accept the notion that we need to let go of some things in order to attain something new. An old life for a new one, if you will. The next post we will cover is about uncovering and defining your fears.
  

The Storms Ahead

Life is full of surprises. Nothing is ever as we expect, and nothing is almost always as we suspect. Everything changes and very few things, if any, ever remains the same. How we cope or adjust to changing situations or uncertainties pretty much serves as a good measure of how our resolve stands up to the challenge called Life. We have our own storms to weather and our own crosses to bear but the most important and justifying factor above all else is the HOW; how me maintain sole control of our own ship even if the sails go awry.

I once knew a friend who had it bad in every which way possible. Everything he ever tried to do almost always goes wrong. He never saw himself as a failure or that he amounted to nothing, rather he saw himself as having a bad set of directions or road maps to life. In other words, he saw the whole experience as a learning curve. He saw it as a chance to rethink strategies over and, perhaps, gain new sets of guidelines or principles. Where is this friend of mine from my college days now? Well, he holds an MD, PhD now. If you are in the circle of medical research and the medical field in general, you probably know the weight of those two titles following a person's name. How did he do it? I had the good fortune of running into him back in 2004 and over a cup of coffee from our favorite brew shop he said to me, " Jowel, I can't even remember how many times I failed but I remember how many times I got up to try again."

That got me thinking then, and although I had no mind of trying to delve into his answer deeper, I had a notion of where he was aiming at. Now its 2013 and here we are, still trying to get ahead, still trying to make any unwasted effort count. The question that's been burning in the back of my head isn't about the HOW anymore. It's more of the WHERE now. The question of HOW we managed all this time and eventually HOW we got here is now irrelevant. A more important question that we should ask ourselves is, "WHERE is HERE exactly?". Are we where we should be, ought to be, or supposed to be?

Nobody can really answer that in the fullest sense, or at least in the sense where it should make some sense. Our notion of time and precedence is dictated by our priorities and needs in life. We don't really take the time to worry about nonsensical stuff in the midst of the flurry of everyday living. Well, let me ask you this? How many times have you felt that something is indeed lacking in your life, that your bowl is never really full, and that the answer always eludes you on what that key ingredient is to finally complete you. Does it revolve around a  certain relationship with a cornerstone figure in your life? Is it about finances? Is it about outlook in general? IT can be a lot of things, really, but the common factor is that you LACK or cannot GRASP it.

The problem boils down to this fact- there is an inherent feeling or need that we harbor which simply dictates to us or tells us that we have to BE IN CONTROL of most, if not all, aspects regarding our lives. I mean let's face it, with control comes a sense of security which affords us a solid stand on just about anything. When we are in control we have an explanation when something goes awry or amiss. With control comes a level of confidence which enables us to take command of any situation and turn it around to our advantage.

What about having FAITH in something other than our abilities? DO we simply confine ourselves to our beliefs and sense of understanding and be polarized from a larger, much wider world view? What happens when we lose control? How will we manage then when nothing goes our way? The storms ahead can get worse when we fail to deal with situations which leave us unhinged. The solution, my friends, is a rather simple one. Simple in the sense that it deals with how we define or, in some instances, how we re-define what our priorities are. It is, however, difficult in the sense that most, if not all of us, have the inherent difficulty of accepting what the situation really is, as it presents itself. Rather, denial and diversion is the mode by which we deal with crisis and problems in our lives.

So, the next several posts will deal with key issues to help you get back on top, be in command and yet have an open mind. Being the captain of your own ship depends on many things and we often omit our faith in the weather. Having a steadfast resolve requires patience, the humility to admit what needs changing and what is inherently lacking, and the courage to strive and forge ahead.              

Window To Your World

Ever wonder how life would be like if you were someone else? How many times do we daydream that our lives would be so much better  if we had money, fame, power, or even the power to have a choice. I guess it's safe to say we engage in such frivolities ever so often when things aren't going the way we want them to. Well, imagine this- YOU CAN make whatever you want to do or achieve happen and the only limit that prevents you from doing essentially just that is YOU. You can change and achieve anything given enough   desire, mindset, determination, and courage to overcome your fears.

We all remember a time in our lives when we were full of the vibrant energy of youth. The world laid out so much possibilities for us and we aspired to be anything we want to be, dreaming, hoping that one day we will BE that person we dreamed of becoming. Then life took a hold on us and we played our part in the scheme of things; we went to school and got a degree, got a job, married, started a family, sent the kids to school, and the list goes on and on. And yet we find that at some point in time amid all this is that there is SOMETHING LACKING. We can't quite put our finger on what that missing piece in our lives so we continue to do the things we do hoping that someday we will experience enough and understand enough of life so we can decipher what we thought we were "lacking" for so long.

Well, guess what, the years go by and you find yourself much older than you expected to be and you find yourself sitting quietly on your front porch one Sunday afternoon wondering to yourself where the years had been. Maybe you feel complete and contented on how life treated  you. Maybe you still find yourself unfulfilled and wanting for something missing in your life, something you felt you needed to uncover a long time ago but didn't get the chance to. Something  you need to find and discover for yourself in order to be finally happy. What could this key ingredient be?

A lot of times, due to our nature as human beings, we learn to compensate and adapt whenever something is lacking or amiss in our daily life. We fill the void with something else. This displacement of unspent energy occupy us but in the end leaves us with more questions in need of answering. How is it that we see things in lucid polarity, that there has to be a in-between of things, a black or white, a soundness of reasoning in place of scary uncertainty? The only thing that really sounds "real" is that we cannot always exercise control. At times, being fluid has its own advantages. Learning to roll with the punches and dealing with situations are lessons learned out of necessity.

So, this brings us back to our first question- what is lacking in our lives that leaves us empty and searching? The answer to that question is rather simple, if you haven't figured it out already. We merely have to learn to LET GO and ACCEPT what life has to offer and BE CONTENT with what we have and not what we don't have. You see, finding happiness is easy, keeping it and sharing it is the real challenge.In order to achieve this you must learn to harness, nurture, and emit positive energy. Positive energy comes from within and it starts by learning how to love. Learn to love yourself first. Take care of your health, nurture your bodies with rejuvinating foods, and do away with negativity in the way you think and feel. Your world has many windows and you simply cannot stay fixated in staring out of just one. Learn to love life from many angles and you will awaken long dormant joys you never knew existed in you.

Letters from Nowhere

Sitting on the back of a rusty pick-up truck bound for the highway of life, a lone traveler stares into distant skies with tired eyes. Eyes weary of a long hard life of toil and with nothing to show for it but calloused hands. Unheeding of the howling wind blowing by his face or the promise of yet another storm, he sat there, hunched to his thoughts and unaware of his misery. He fumbles around to regain his composure after a sudden jolt brought about by an imperfection on the road, he came upon a crumpled piece of paper amongst the many litters of trash people just dump on the back of any old truck. To save himself from further gloom he began to read.

     “If there ever was a reason to make a life justifiable it would be for all the right reasons and not just for a sole reason, even if such an idea would seem noble, if not too overly. If there was ever a time to search for a meaning to anything such a time would be, for whatever reason earnest would  deem necessary, be wanting and in need of haste. Too many wonders to seek explanations for and too many questions needing any sort of explanation just to make their time worthwhile in posing.

      And yet here we are, wanting for a liberation from a prison we ourselves do not yet know or are afraid to face. Lost in a daze we scramble to define our existence, not with words or actions or even ideals, but with hopes and aspirations; dreams we are waiting to unfold before our eyes, yet we are paralyzed by the mere notion of their fruition or the taxing commitment they inherently require.

      And then there is our notion of time, or lack of it. Everything revolves around many aspects which define how we live our lives but the painful truth is nothing really revolves. Everything evolves. Time passes and we lose it. Everything changes over time, nothing is eternal. Everything is ethereal. In this wisp of a moment we come to the sad realization that as we die slowly each passing day, we have forgotten how it must have felt to live. To live for a moment’s respite, to live for someone you love, to live for an ideal, to draw strength from the vibrance of this thing called life and drench yourself with its longing; its unquenchable thirst; its energy.

      In silence we hope, and if we remember, we pray. We hold on. We hold on to anything with semblance to substance, to security, to permanence. Even if we had to lie to ourselves to believe, at least long enough  for some sense of resounding half-truths , no matter how falsely or unstately that notion may seem, just so we can put meaning to our actions and gratification to unheeded effort. And still, we come to the point in question…the beginning of something we do not yet know or want to know and the end to something we would rather not ponder upon. The truth is we simply have to learn to let go. To let ourselves dream and bask in the silence of unconditional existence; to not take more than we need and go back to simple living.

      When we filter out the noise hard enough and long enough we can finally listen to the one person we haven’t heard from in a long, long time. Ourself. ”

     “Hey, buddy! Your stop’s just ahead. Let’s get a move on, shall we. Looks like another long night of rain.”, cried the driver. With that our lone traveler hops out of the truck that served as his refuge, at least long enough for him to finally understand. Staring at the blackening sky one last time, and after a long sigh, he forges ahead and the night finally swallows him.

     He smiles knowing that somewhere in this world, under a starry  moonlit sky, a child dreams and Hope is renewed. And with Hope comes Chance; a chance to start all over again, to finally be free, to be alive.

     Unbeknownst to our lone traveler a pick-up driver parks by the roadside somewhere, writes another entry to his journal, tears it off for want of something better to write about, to feel about, to feel alive about, and throws a yet another piece of crumpled paper at the back of the pick-up bed, and heads out. A chance indeed.

        

A Tale of Possibility

You know you are getting old when you do more reminiscing when you should be paying attention to the present time. Yes,everyone wants to relive a very special time in their life that stirs warm memories of  years gone by. It's hard to forget the past because of it's significance in our lives. Of course we can do away with the unpleasentries and focus on life changing events which we fondly remember. If I were to ask any of you what your best years in life were your most likely answer is either during the time you met your first love or the independence brought about by your first car. If you really sit down and think about it these two epic moments in our lives signify all that is beautiful in youth. They represent our thirst for freedom and our quest for true love. And if you were to REALLY think about it, nothing epic has happened to you lately if you are approaching your middle years. Nothing grand can be said about work or mortgage and bills and even the kids' college tuition. Then you come to the sad realization that you need to recapture some of that magic or vitality back in order to try to make sense of getting old. Sounds familiar? Of course it does. Take a seat and join the club. 

How much possibility laid before you then and although you may not realize it, the same chances present themselves to you now. You do not have to be bound by circumstance or obligation to the point of helplessness. You have a choice to CHANGE all that is around you and recapture or relive all of your memories of what used to be good. It all depends on what you are willing to accept and change, and eventually give up. What I am trying to say is life doesn't have to begin at 40, or 18, or 21 or even 50. It begins NOW, this MOMENT. It's what you choose it to be. I don't understand why people continually live with their burdens and, in the process, make anxiety and stressful living a daily routine in their lives. You have to ask yourself if it is really worth it. More importantly, to whom does this suffering afford the greatest benefit to? Let me tell you a story about two little boys and before I get  into what this particular story entails, let me give it to you plain and simple- the lesson of this story is about Possibility. It's about Opportunity. It's about taking chances and living  by the "choices" we make. Note that we can easily interchange "choices" with "mistakes" in the previous statement.

So, here goes...

Once there lived two little boys on a seaside town in some unnamed country during an unnamed time. Of what year this event transpired is really of no importance, just that these two boys were dearest of friends. They shared many interests, these most unlikely of friends, and consequently, as boys often do, they have spent many a summer day just laying around a lone tree in a field overlooking the vast ocean just over the horizon. Let's call one of the boys Charles, and the other Richard. Charles came from a well to do family 

coming from a lineage of educated merchants and business professionals. Just like his father and kin before him, Charles has honed an eye towards skepticism, economy, opulence, and security. In other words, he is a realist in the very sense of the word. Richard, on the other hand, comes from a family of farmers. His fathers knurled hands is testament to the hardships they must continually face in order to survive. To Richard, halls of splendor or even dining on a long table lined with fine linens and silverware is a thing of the books, a world away. Richard would spend most of his days daydreaming about a better life. To him, any life must be better than the present one. It was because of this polarizing difference that made the two boys the best of friends. Richard would listen with eager ears and fervent eyes as Charles would narrate a recount of the dinners and parties held often at his family's manor, as if he was simply blurting out details of a stone he found, unfeeling and simply disinterested. This "good life" added more fuel to the poor boys daydreaming and wishing until he often found himself staring into empty space, imagining, and wondering, and hoping.

One fateful day they encountered an old graying man sitting under their meeting tree, fanning himself, desperately trying to ward off the miserable summer heat. Cautiously, they took their place in their favorite "spot" and Charles, being the bold one, asked this seemingly hermit-looking figure of a man, what he was doing sitting under their tree. 

"Why, I am simply resting these old bones, my lad. It seems being old does has its setbacks after all.", the old man answered coyly.

After several minutes of hasty introductions and some background inquisition on both ends, they settled into a leisurely pace of  telling stories amidst a number of fancier tales. It was after an hour or so when Henry, the name the old man gave to be his, asked Richard why he isn't sharing much and was simply contented being an avid listener.

" What's to tell about a poor boys life?" blurted Richard. 

"There isn't much to eat at our house. On some days we have to make do with reheated broth and molded bread.", he added further.

"Well, I am terribly sorry to hear that my boy." replied the graying Henry, with saddened eyes.

After a long silence Henry broke the veil with a question.

" Let's suppose for a minute that we forget about your way of living, the both of you. Let us start anew, a clean plate, if you will. Let me pose a question to the both of you and I want you to be honest with your answer. I want you to speak of what your heart tells you. Now, suppose I were to ask you that if you had a choice to start a new life what sort of life would you like to have and why?"

Another long silence, longer perhaps than the one it replaced.

" If I were to have a new life I want to have one like Charles. I don't ever want to sleep with a rumbling tummy ever again and I want to wear better clothes, not these worn rags tethered together by more rags. I want to be able to afford the things I only dreamed off and not just see them in pictures.", Richard said with much gusto.

"I want a life like Richard.", exclaimed Charles, much to his friends surprise. "I am tired of this life where everybody isn't real. They only want me to be their friend because of my family's wealth and they don't even appreciate the things I truly want. I want a simple life. I want a life where I can still taste the salt from the sweat falling from my brow after a hard days work."

"Well,well,and well. It seems the both of you don't talk much about this after all, judging from the way the both of you exude surprise. It seems you both want a better life than the one you lead but don't know HOW or WHERE to begin. Am I correct for assuming so?", Henry posed. "The answer to your problems is rather very simple, my lads. You have the power to harness the possibility in front of you and explore where your humility may take you. Charles, all you need is to share to the less fortunate, be the answer to their needs. Richard, all you need to do is strive to work for your dream. Make it a reality and not just a dream. Work hard, develop good work ethics, educate yourself, and make your fortune with your bare hands."

And yet another long silence broken by Henry's abrupt preparation to bid these two boys farewell. After disappearing into the distance, he left two boys behind wondering if what just transpired in indeed real. 

Under the setting sun, the two boys walked alongside each other deep in their own thoughts and lighter hearts. Tomorrow is indeed a chance to begin. A new life awaits.

When I first heard of this story it didn't hit me as rather life-changing. I thought it was bland and didn't quite get the picture in it's entirety. When viewed from a different angle, that of from an outsider's point of view, I began to understand it's depth. The power is indeed in the choices we make. We can choose to remain in this way of living,  or we can choose to rise above our struggles or conditions and strive for something better.  Until our next post, you guys take care. JowelMD signing off, but not signing out.