Friday, August 31, 2012
I, who does not laugh at Isaac
What a crazy weekend for us Louisianians. This is my last day at work before I go on vacation for a week. By vacation I mean going home to my new place and hoping that it doesn't flood. I have the little bit of expensive music equipment I own in my car. My dog is on a leash in my backyard with some water. My neighbor already admires Pete and has a boat so I'm pretty sure my neighbor (good guy mike) would throw Pete in his boat if things got bad. I'm so tired as I am sure most of my coworkers without power are. I was really counting on getting a shower (a hot one at that) in the gym at work. Gym at work is closed today, hopefully Lori's (gym manager) family is ok. Most of the roads leaving Loranger were blocked by water. Hopefully I can get back in the way I came out.
Lets hope the worst is over. I just moved to Loranger this last weekend, how very ironic.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Cool Zoo in New Orleans
to get me to go.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Alien nation
I'm starting to understand that when you take on any diet, you should be prepared to go it alone. It's very possible no one will support you and some friends may down right think you are crazy. I've been on a Paleo diet for maybe a little over 2 weeks and haven't gained a pound, in fact I have lost 1 pound. I have been eating organic beef, pork (i don't cut the fat off either), fruits and vegetables and a sweet potato or two. I feel much better than I did on my Vegan diet. On the vegan diet I lost 50 lbs, which is great but I did not have the energy to work out, which I do not think is healthy.
I listen to Latest in Paleo with Angelo Coppola and find it very informative with a little bias towards the Paleo lifestyle naturally. This Paleo movement is something I'm very passionate about and unlike when I was living Vegan, I don't feel morally superior to others, especially because of what I eat. I'm not saying all vegans feel morally superior to people who don't maintain a healthy diet, just that I did. Since I've started Paleo I just want to tell everyone about it. That gets me back to my point that everyone you tell about your diet might think that you have lost your marbles. My body works sooooo much better since I have lost my marbles and stopped eating things such as Little Debbie cakes and other grains.
Latest in Paleo's mantra...."We are not broken by default." I feel like my church tried to tell me the same thing. I believe this statement. God made us in his likeness and that design is not flawed. Even if you believe in evolution, do believe nature in all of it's splendor, rounded us into this package doomed for asthma, cancer, allergies and diabetes? If so, nature sucks. God does not make mistakes so to me Paleo makes since. I'm sure your probably thinking, doesn't the Caveman approach go more in line with evolution? Maybe most things that you and I read are not 100% correct, even stories passed down. Do some research on how memories are recalled in the brain, it will blow your mind.
What I do know beyond doubt is that Paleo is producing very noticeable results for me. I've done a few "healthy" diets with a little success here and there but nothing like this. It's all these other diets I have tried and gained very few results that convince people to dismiss my claims. When I think deep down they might be too afraid to quit sugar and grains. It's much easier to think that I am crazy than to face the idea that grains and refined sugar might be very bad for you. I wish you all health and happiness in whatever you choose to do.
Sources: "The Paleo Solution" by Robb Wolf and "Latest in Paleo" podcasts by Angelo Coppola available for free in the iTunes store.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Going Encino Man
I'll try and make this short and sweet sine I gotta run in a minute.
2 posts back I posted on Allergen avoidance. I think I had some good advice in there but like most people I wasn't completely informed. More on specifics later, maybe after I educate myself a little more. So I have pretty much been vegan for 3-4 months. I was not eating ANY animal products in my daily diet. I'll admit I did have pizza every now and then but I started to enjoy pizza a lot less. I feel like my vegan diet was only half right because I couldn't workout. It's a good thing I don't really have to physically fight for my life because I think I would have been dead.
So I have heard the word Paleo thrown around a lot lately in the exercise and health communities in podcasts. So I recently bought The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf. I'll give you a rough outline of what I know so far
1. Eat meat, nuts fruits and vegetables in season.
2. Eat ORGANIC foods.
3. Do your best to avoid packaged foods. (Look at the nutrient label, seriously)
4. Exercise.
I have been eating better foods for about a week now and you wouldn't believe me if I tried to tell you the difference it has made in the way I feel. Stop eating grains and most of the starchy vegetables. Most potato farmers won't even eat the potatoes they grow for the US. They have a separate plot they grow for their families.
I'm going to give this diet and exercise lifestyle everything I can. So much of what I am learning about Paleo sounds so right that I'm still stunned that it could have been kept from us for so long.
I will try to keep you up to date on my progress as it comes. Please read a little bit on Paleo, both negative and positive and let me know what you think. I don't expect my humble blog to convince you of much.See ya later.
2 posts back I posted on Allergen avoidance. I think I had some good advice in there but like most people I wasn't completely informed. More on specifics later, maybe after I educate myself a little more. So I have pretty much been vegan for 3-4 months. I was not eating ANY animal products in my daily diet. I'll admit I did have pizza every now and then but I started to enjoy pizza a lot less. I feel like my vegan diet was only half right because I couldn't workout. It's a good thing I don't really have to physically fight for my life because I think I would have been dead.
1. Eat meat, nuts fruits and vegetables in season.
2. Eat ORGANIC foods.
3. Do your best to avoid packaged foods. (Look at the nutrient label, seriously)
4. Exercise.
I have been eating better foods for about a week now and you wouldn't believe me if I tried to tell you the difference it has made in the way I feel. Stop eating grains and most of the starchy vegetables. Most potato farmers won't even eat the potatoes they grow for the US. They have a separate plot they grow for their families.
I'm going to give this diet and exercise lifestyle everything I can. So much of what I am learning about Paleo sounds so right that I'm still stunned that it could have been kept from us for so long.
I will try to keep you up to date on my progress as it comes. Please read a little bit on Paleo, both negative and positive and let me know what you think. I don't expect my humble blog to convince you of much.See ya later.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Allergen avoidance
If you are one of my closer friends or family you undoubtedly know that I have bad allergies. I found out through an allergy test recently that mostly inhalants do me in, dogs, ragweed, pollen, trees, grass, and dust mites to be specific. This allergies have progressed over the last few years to the point where I thought it was time to take somewhat drastic measures.
A little background first....Since I went to school for the career I'm in now, I've become fascinated with learning, mostly facets of our everyday life. So when I have a question about anything, the research starts. This is the age of information, I'm knees deep in it, and love it.
My allergen research started 3 years ago when my allergies first started. I was probably 6 months into school. Already I was experiencing more stress than I ever had before. I wasn't even 1/4 finished with school before I found out I was going to be a dad. Poor diet (lacking real nutrition), always on the go (full time work and school), smoking, lack of sleep, and lots of alcohol were really taking a toll on me. I believe these elements play a big part in my allergies. Some people like George burns can smoke until they die at the rip age of 100. I believe they are the exception, not the rule.
The doc informed me of this and firmly advised me to stop smoking.
With the hope that it would fix my allergy problem I stopped the next day and have not smoked since. Now like most smokers who have quit, I find cigarettes repulsive. I sympathize with those who try to quit still because I know how hard it can be.
It took about a year of being finished with school for the stress to recede a good bit but I still continue to work at it. Sometimes I have to focus on having fun. I think I'm getting better at it.
I do much more driving than I did before school but I have learned to make it a relaxing time. For me that means listening to Radiolab podcast. My driving schedule is much less of a factor than it used to be suffice it to say. I consume a lot less alcohol and sleep much more.
My diet, is the only element I've recently started to change. I mention this last not because it's the last element I started to work on but rather I believe it has been the most important in my life. I used to workout a lot and thought I knew a lot about nutrition. I would buy bag after bag of frozen manufactured chicken breast, canned tuna, protein powder, enriched wheat bread, low fat frozen tv dinners. Forksoverknives changed my perspective on that. My diet belongs in a whole 'nother post because I have such strong convictions for it.
These are the biggest past habits that I needed to change. I will list some things that I have learned that you can employ in your life and why you should, if you have bad allergies.
1. Shower before bed. It washes away the contaminants (like pollen) you've picked up throughout the day.
2.Get an allergen proof mattress and pillow case. It works great with other mitigation steps.
3. Eat organic fruits and vegetables. Foods really do enable your body to fix itself.
4. Drink lots of water! Water even makes Claritin and Zyrtec work better. I don't advise taking these antihistamines daily.
5. Use a vacuum w/ a hepa filter. You don't want to throw allergens like pet dander back into the air.
6. Take in as much vitamin C as you can. Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine. You will pee out whatever your body can't use.
7. Use ADMS spray. You can find it on Amazon.com. I have been using it for a few weeks and have noticed that it does what it says.
Check out my next post on raw diet.
A little background first....Since I went to school for the career I'm in now, I've become fascinated with learning, mostly facets of our everyday life. So when I have a question about anything, the research starts. This is the age of information, I'm knees deep in it, and love it.
My allergen research started 3 years ago when my allergies first started. I was probably 6 months into school. Already I was experiencing more stress than I ever had before. I wasn't even 1/4 finished with school before I found out I was going to be a dad. Poor diet (lacking real nutrition), always on the go (full time work and school), smoking, lack of sleep, and lots of alcohol were really taking a toll on me. I believe these elements play a big part in my allergies. Some people like George burns can smoke until they die at the rip age of 100. I believe they are the exception, not the rule.
With the hope that it would fix my allergy problem I stopped the next day and have not smoked since. Now like most smokers who have quit, I find cigarettes repulsive. I sympathize with those who try to quit still because I know how hard it can be.
It took about a year of being finished with school for the stress to recede a good bit but I still continue to work at it. Sometimes I have to focus on having fun. I think I'm getting better at it.
I do much more driving than I did before school but I have learned to make it a relaxing time. For me that means listening to Radiolab podcast. My driving schedule is much less of a factor than it used to be suffice it to say. I consume a lot less alcohol and sleep much more.
These are the biggest past habits that I needed to change. I will list some things that I have learned that you can employ in your life and why you should, if you have bad allergies.
1. Shower before bed. It washes away the contaminants (like pollen) you've picked up throughout the day.
2.Get an allergen proof mattress and pillow case. It works great with other mitigation steps.
3. Eat organic fruits and vegetables. Foods really do enable your body to fix itself.
4. Drink lots of water! Water even makes Claritin and Zyrtec work better. I don't advise taking these antihistamines daily.
5. Use a vacuum w/ a hepa filter. You don't want to throw allergens like pet dander back into the air.
6. Take in as much vitamin C as you can. Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine. You will pee out whatever your body can't use.
7. Use ADMS spray. You can find it on Amazon.com. I have been using it for a few weeks and have noticed that it does what it says.
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Check out my next post on raw diet.
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