Clarkw17

025 Is the Effort Required for Optimal Health Worth it?

Navy SEALs are perhaps some of the most well-trained and respected warriors on the planet. To attain such a status SEALs begin at Basic Underwater Demolition/SEALs Training (BUDS), a rigorous physical, mental, intellectual, and spiritual 24-week program designed to push hopefuls to their limits and make them quit. 90% do. What about the 10% whoContinue reading “025 Is the Effort Required for Optimal Health Worth it?”

024 Poor Health is Reversible; So is Good Health—Do the Former

Three years ago I began to have pain in my thumb joints. I noticed the pain more when texting. I experimented to determine if thumb-texting was the cause by texting with a different finger. It worked. The pain went away. On another occasion my lower back chronically ached as I drove in traffic daily toContinue reading “024 Poor Health is Reversible; So is Good Health—Do the Former”

023 Form A Simple, Healthy Water-drinking Habit

A brother was a college soccer captain. With a desire to optimize his performance he prioritized hydration. While roommates I observed him drink water before he went to sleep and when he awoke. I tried it. That was over 15 years ago. I still do it. While at a Toastmasters meeting about the same timeContinue reading “023 Form A Simple, Healthy Water-drinking Habit”

022 Serving sizes and finishing them

For Baby Boomers it was not uncommon for parents to encourage or insist that children eat everything on their plates. Not wasting food and money is a good thing however this approach to eating becomes harmful when it leads to overeating because Consistent Overeating + Time = (Preventable) Disease. The good news You can bothContinue reading “022 Serving sizes and finishing them”

021 Breathe Intentionally

In his book Breath, James Nestor shares his experiences dealing with respiratory health challenges—allergies, sinus infections, sleep apnea, you get the idea—and the people he met and the actions he took to improve his situation over 10 years. *Key Takeaways Close your mouth, breathe through your nose. Most breathing should be nose breathing. It’s howContinue reading “021 Breathe Intentionally”

019 Eat More, Feel Full, and Live Longer

Not long ago my wife and I began cooking dinner meals together— Chinese chicken salad Hawaiian haystacks, split pea soup, lettuce wraps, and today, sweet-and-sour chicken… No doubt you have delicious recipes, traditional and comfort food of your own you regularly enjoy. Jules designed these recipes to taste good, be inexpensive, and be easy toContinue reading “019 Eat More, Feel Full, and Live Longer”

020 Showing Up

I work with a group of outstanding young men. I invited them for one week to read one scripture every day. Some did. Others did not. The purpose of the challenge was not to develop deep, spiritual roots; such only comes from consistent concentrated study over time. Rather, this invitation’s purpose was for them toContinue reading “020 Showing Up”

018 Eat for Weight

It was Thanksgiving in Manaus, Brazil. No one else around me cared except my missionary companion. It was my first Thanksgiving outside the United States and as patriotic Americans and finding ourselves sans the usual turkey, mashed potatoes , and gravy Elder Donat and I decided we’d feast with the closest thing—McDonald’s. For a 19-year-oldContinue reading “018 Eat for Weight”

017 “Bliss Point” and Intentional Eating

Salt, sugar, fat…much food today is engineered using these three levers for a “bliss point” or “the right amount of ingredients to generate the greatest appeal among consumers”1. One such food is the Lunchable chips, salsa and cheese. SO GOOD! Combining these three in one mouth makes tastebuds sing! Where’s the balance? Is there aContinue reading “017 “Bliss Point” and Intentional Eating”

016 More about Goldilocks…Don’t Be A Hero

As a varsity high school athlete my beliefs about effort on the field and during practice workouts shaped my fitness habits as an adult. “Leave it all on the field,” “Give 110%…”. You’ve heard the phrases. Was this your experience as well? I’m not saying these are incorrect or demotivating. They had there place andContinue reading “016 More about Goldilocks…Don’t Be A Hero”