tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7410632024-02-06T22:36:34.305-06:00journal.melendez.orgNotes on this site and other things.EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.comBlogger278125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-62763191975828777362020-03-09T13:43:00.003-05:002020-03-12T14:02:43.345-05:00Some Things You Can Do to Get Ready<i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Version 1 - 3/9/2020</span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Version 2 - 3/10/2020 (fixed the awful formatting from my word processor, added link to <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/19w6gjHwind7OVzIuUm6kCSOwN0QO_EGUhMKGEMzgT2U/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">information resources</a>). </span></i><br />
<br />
First off, I’m writing this in a personal capacity. Nothing I say here reflects the views of my employer. Second, I’m writing this from the perspective of someone who reads a fair amount and thinks about these things. I’m not a doctor, or positioning myself in any way as an authority on these issues. <br />
<br />
I am someone who saw the meltdown of one city firsthand after Hurricane Katrina and watched the US government struggle to assist people in need. I was also teased unmercifully for my many years of over reaction every time there was a hurricane near the city. But you only have to be right once.<br />
<br />
I will be updating this and adding links as I think of more.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Expect Social Distancing Mandates/Requirements</h3>
<br />
<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/208354">What we know</a> from the influenza pandemic from 1918-1919 is that when you don’t have antibiotics, antivirals, vaccines, or sophisticated respirator technology, you have social distance. That’s what worked in the olden days, what worked in China, and what we can expect here because antibiotics could be in short supply, antivirals and vaccines will take time to come online, and there will never be enough respirators in hospitals for a surge of patients.<br />
<br />
At some point, we’re going to get the word to stay home if you can. While this is <br />
easier for many <a href="https://www-buzzfeednews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.buzzfeednews.com/amphtml/alexkantrowitz/the-coronavirus-is-forcing-techies-to-work-from-home-some">professional workers with access to technology and tools</a>, this will be a huge financial disaster for small businesses, and service workers. I expect the current occupant of the White House to eventually get around to a stimulus package for his buddies, but I really don’t expect that to trickle down to local businesses and people who are hurting. <br />
<br />
<br />
Here are some thoughts:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The Austin Foundation started a <a href="https://www.austincf.org/Stand-with-Austin">fund</a> for businesses impacted by the cancellation of SXSW. I like ideas like this and we should look for similar opportunities in Austin, or wherever you live. </li>
<li>If you can, keep paying the people who are counting on your few bucks to stay afloat. Pay your local business memberships (gyms, classes, etc.) even if you can’t go, pay services people what you would have in a regular month. If you are out, TIP at least 20%. You should be doing this anyway. The balances will all be rectified in the long run, and I expect local entrepreneurs to help in creative ways. And, karma.</li>
<li>Write to your elected officials about mandatory sick leave policies for service workers, and how they keep the population healthier in times just like this. And maybe send some strongly worded emails to business owners who fought these policies as well.</li>
<li>Enjoy the time with others while you can. Remember that everyone else is mad, or scared or manic also. We were already very atomized before this, and if we have to stay in our houses even more, we’re going to get worse. Just be kind.</li>
<li>Vote. Situations like this are exactly why a strong, well-funded, fully functional government should exist. Our taxes should have been paying for just these types of scenarios, and we shouldn’t be carrying this burden individually. But here we are. Think of this feeling when you vote and remember, it’s not just backing away from the awful, but moving towards making this country better too.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Be Prepared to Take Care of Others in Your Community</h3>
<br />
But first, take care of yourself so you can help others. You should definitely have 72 hours worth of food and other basics in your house so you don’t have to leave right away. If you can swing it, have a couple of weeks worth of food in the house.<br />
<br />
Don’t go nuts at the grocery store. Slowly double up on your regular food and favor things that are shelf stable and easy to prepare. Buy something you think of as comfort food too. The little things can be nice when times suck. If you want more detailed instructions, <a href="https://theprepared.com/wuhan-coronavirus/">here’s a list</a>. But don’t get yourself overwhelmed - this doesn’t have to be a full-blown prepper event; those are selfish/paranoid/dumb people and they are ones who freak out first in a disaster. <br />
<br />
Try to get the right amount of sleep, don’t drink too much, and eat the food that is good for you. Here’s a slick <a href="https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-minimalist-s-strength-workout">workout you can do at home</a>. Partying like it’s 1999 right now is especially unhelpful, because this will be a long-term issue to wrestle with. You’ll need your strength because it’s not all going to go boom suddenly.<br />
<br />
Say hello to your neighbors. You know that person you occasionally wave to as you're both bringing in your garbage cans? Say hi, ask how they’re doing and exchange phone numbers. <br />
<br />
Check in on others. Even if they don’t know of anyone with <a href="https://elemental.medium.com/how-to-tell-if-you-have-the-flu-coronavirus-or-something-else-30c1c82cc50f">symptoms</a>, many older or vulnerable people will be starting to think about practicing social distance. If you know someone like that, give them a call and see if they’re doing OK, or if you can pick up a couple of things for them when you’re at the grocery store. <br />
<br />
<h3>
Expect a Rollercoaster</h3>
<br />
Right now, my biggest problem is obsessively refreshing the news. Even high-quality sources are struggling to give good information. Compound that with the malpractice of government by the White House, and it’s impossible to easily process the twists and turns in all of this, so I say roll with the punches, but don’t think any piece of news is final, good or bad. Expect to improvise.<br />
<br />
Check high quality news sources a couple of times a day. Every 12 hours or so is plenty. For now, I trust the CDC, but I reserve the right to scratch this one off my list depending on how much more they get politicized. Here is a beginning <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/19w6gjHwind7OVzIuUm6kCSOwN0QO_EGUhMKGEMzgT2U/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">list of reliable resources</a>. Besides those, the NY Times and Washington Post are timely without being hysterical and well documented.<br />
<br />
Be careful of the emails that you are forwarded that claim “inside information.” Some of those can be true and even helpful, but please check them (the Snopes people are working fast on this) before you forward them or post them. If you're not sure, don't post it. <br />
<br />
—-<br />
<br />
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EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0Austin, TX 78704, USA30.245672799999991 -97.76883579999999130.190801799999992 -97.849516799999989 30.300543799999989 -97.688154799999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-91429359798887701392020-02-07T17:30:00.000-06:002020-02-10T12:27:35.903-06:00Starting Over<br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Reboot of the Blog</span></span></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm winding down my Facebook use. That whole <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSMr-3GGvQ" target="_blank">destruction of democracy</a> thing weighs on my soul. I know that it's probably impossible to give it up completely. Social media is like oxygen in our disconnected society as well as the general precarity of our jobs. But I am committed to using it less and less and definitely not getting my politics and news from it. So, I'm going to bring this blog back and start using it to corral some of the things that I am reading and share them out. I'll probably set up an email list too for anyone who's interested. I'm sorry that we're having to go back to walled gardens, but between foreign disinformation, surveillance capitalism and generally more challenges to social media use, it's going to have to happen. Even this blog content itself is product that someone is monetizing. I'm going to start using some of this extra time I'm now blessed with to explore alternatives to "free" blogs and email lists (and social networks). I'd love to hear ideas if you have them. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">For now, I'm going to put together some sort of unifying theme to what I'm thinking about, and what I've come across in the past week to share. At the very bottom, I'll layer in some self-defense and general fitness resources that have popped up as well.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I really need to shut up more and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/09/opinion/listening-tips.html" target="_blank">listen</a> to other people. At work and in personal relationships, nothing has been more impactful than when I really pay attention and <i>demonstrate </i>that I have heard someone. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm sorry about using a YouTube link up above. Some people a<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/24/21075830/youtube-moderators-ptsd-accenture-statement-lawsuits-mental-health" target="_blank">re getting PTSD </a>from working there as content moderators. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I never realized the <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/01/26/business/tech/email-global-warming/" target="_blank">carbon footprint of email</a>. This may mean I have to back off of my dislike for Slack, but I wish there was an etiquette police for it. <a href="https://github.com/SparkPost/slack-etiquette" target="_blank">This is a good start</a>. And dammit, if you ask me for something in Slack, please acknowledge that you received it. No thanks necessary, just a thumbs up is enough.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm not apologizing for him, but it can be really tough for anyone to run for president without people remembering all the really dumb things they have done in their lives, and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/us/politics/andrew-yang-president-campaign.html" target="_blank">Andrew Yang is no exception.</a> We were all spoiled by the virtually unattainable standards that the Obamas had for themselves. That does not excuse the behavior of the current occupant in the White House, though. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Self Defense and Fitness</span></span></span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcctXSWpfT9Ohi3Rr7p3Fee7LRgstXavuMVCarwxlqAtIJ5SFcRpIVV5sTyhlCuD-3imDB6utlRKCzEa5Os1Nu910tEvT_x1Y3Z1OuXHCb3NY_pU2iVxJJ5CIE6oWGJvOhTaI/s1600/hermes-rivera-264340-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcctXSWpfT9Ohi3Rr7p3Fee7LRgstXavuMVCarwxlqAtIJ5SFcRpIVV5sTyhlCuD-3imDB6utlRKCzEa5Os1Nu910tEvT_x1Y3Z1OuXHCb3NY_pU2iVxJJ5CIE6oWGJvOhTaI/s400/hermes-rivera-264340-unsplash.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="_1l8RX _1ByhS">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/crTsAncPE6Y?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Hermes Rivera</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/search/photos/fight?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /><a href="https://indigenousability.blogspot.com/2018/05/awareness-drill-top-down-scan-by-mark.html?spref=fb">Awareness Drill: The Top-Down Scan</a></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"It has been observed by sociologists that Western man whether on a hike outdoors or in an urban environment seldom looks up from the ground or above eye-level. I would wager that today, he seldom looks up from his phone."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/2408467/case-against-stretching-flexibility-research">The Case Against Stretching</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"We could spend hours parsing the evidence for whether the loss of strength after stretching is significant, how long it lasts, and so on. But if you zoom out to the big picture, the important point isn’t whether stretching is a tiny bit good, a tiny bit bad, or neutral—it’s that any benefits, at least on a population level, are pretty much invisible." </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://mountainguerrilla.wordpress.com/2018/07/13/combatives-concepts/">Combatives Concepts</a></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"There are no “super secret, advanced martial arts techniques” that actually work. There are just the basics, applied at an advanced level." </span><br />
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<br />EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0Austin, TX 78704, USA30.245672799999991 -97.76883579999997730.190801799999992 -97.849516799999975 30.300543799999989 -97.688154799999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-84980852868906800612020-01-26T19:23:00.001-06:002020-01-26T19:23:32.237-06:00A more realistic January <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9k_J8wXZuvrwzhSt4bYd0E8I44F_KE_SBLukE6T5xXARpyeciwMCUBlsUx6cG7ocaVOLltdXgK_nhbEqfZD2EUwo5jjAkEHTjP7hxekLY99f5xQz4VB3SlSHp9gs7eI3HEg0/s1600/6F836050-42A6-40C6-8E2A-EE0B78BF2526.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="1600" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9k_J8wXZuvrwzhSt4bYd0E8I44F_KE_SBLukE6T5xXARpyeciwMCUBlsUx6cG7ocaVOLltdXgK_nhbEqfZD2EUwo5jjAkEHTjP7hxekLY99f5xQz4VB3SlSHp9gs7eI3HEg0/s320/6F836050-42A6-40C6-8E2A-EE0B78BF2526.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-30392704384275251652019-10-05T09:30:00.003-05:002019-10-05T09:30:50.515-05:00October Binge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdn0wvu3Bmy0M5sKHFSlYSkyFBzMlXJ1UDydLViFsJRO678MUygb7AKjghCGtosyRT2BQCGw4g1gn8beE880YqiWhvhaoNhzZFNjwihzL-QAeyfD4hGEsvnfS2DWuRtxNJp4/s1600/17C79859-A8C4-4177-879D-C45544242729.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdn0wvu3Bmy0M5sKHFSlYSkyFBzMlXJ1UDydLViFsJRO678MUygb7AKjghCGtosyRT2BQCGw4g1gn8beE880YqiWhvhaoNhzZFNjwihzL-QAeyfD4hGEsvnfS2DWuRtxNJp4/s320/17C79859-A8C4-4177-879D-C45544242729.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
Still have a few from last month to work on too.EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-55600193459566525722019-08-17T15:32:00.001-05:002019-08-17T15:32:09.153-05:00Late Summer Binge More than I can chew...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhSFu8UAM9ZrcpBtHnxKoV8frDzvIEvqV-CCoIXIqevsp8kt96LBJVLcEOcFK10fSb49UW5fW4kV3h45nLggZZfOTq6bw3rrLIJ1mvt9ZDCfX47S7vAYzORuI4c53qSlSlcY/s1600/F3FC6775-1A0D-461C-8FB5-CAF14CC5535F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhSFu8UAM9ZrcpBtHnxKoV8frDzvIEvqV-CCoIXIqevsp8kt96LBJVLcEOcFK10fSb49UW5fW4kV3h45nLggZZfOTq6bw3rrLIJ1mvt9ZDCfX47S7vAYzORuI4c53qSlSlcY/s320/F3FC6775-1A0D-461C-8FB5-CAF14CC5535F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-38159682282994067972019-07-01T07:37:00.000-05:002019-07-01T07:37:00.204-05:00Binge Reading for the Month <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhNqQ1lUeiA1oxijUWIBDhnfdNIm4CIjwtFelYPbUgJsL4NXdbfXkr3exjhdSb7DoNEzjCQ2EnVpZrmpaPzvVugA4x3f82Dd3VtXY3SIPA_vSa-I1QdqDeIUu1iinjFArU6w/s1600/081FD859-D74C-4188-AD16-CD42E225C4BA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1482" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwhNqQ1lUeiA1oxijUWIBDhnfdNIm4CIjwtFelYPbUgJsL4NXdbfXkr3exjhdSb7DoNEzjCQ2EnVpZrmpaPzvVugA4x3f82Dd3VtXY3SIPA_vSa-I1QdqDeIUu1iinjFArU6w/s320/081FD859-D74C-4188-AD16-CD42E225C4BA.jpeg" width="296" /></a></div>
<br />EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-82062344933600706962019-05-27T10:25:00.001-05:002019-05-27T10:25:21.882-05:00Binge Reading This Month<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qf-PambmAVJ6QCFnJCwkUPQvR-SGUpPQ7jkIY1ZMtMtVH7afjJyA20qsH6egxQhZuSVQ2OLmxlBbgXkz0pf9aSmqlXKuSQ3MLdoLNABFT0IHoP-X4P8typg6ZQ2Zz5LUasU/s1600/75B3672B-6DC7-4137-8543-5D2D520EFAEA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qf-PambmAVJ6QCFnJCwkUPQvR-SGUpPQ7jkIY1ZMtMtVH7afjJyA20qsH6egxQhZuSVQ2OLmxlBbgXkz0pf9aSmqlXKuSQ3MLdoLNABFT0IHoP-X4P8typg6ZQ2Zz5LUasU/s320/75B3672B-6DC7-4137-8543-5D2D520EFAEA.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-51036689020282360052018-06-16T15:14:00.001-05:002018-06-18T17:11:42.289-05:00Krav Maga and Self Defense Topics #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZecXiPLjilkOgo3k-4toBCCImsu9Gu0-i2QCvfUPAJGVjYtBsCYTmdrC5t8boqs0QcBOiHJViO_cYzEhUAHw5vjw9__Ht7KjwsFrfoycOCfkJhPQ2EQQMpf9PxsI4xhinNjc/s1600/joshua-jordan-260400-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZecXiPLjilkOgo3k-4toBCCImsu9Gu0-i2QCvfUPAJGVjYtBsCYTmdrC5t8boqs0QcBOiHJViO_cYzEhUAHw5vjw9__Ht7KjwsFrfoycOCfkJhPQ2EQQMpf9PxsI4xhinNjc/s320/joshua-jordan-260400-unsplash.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<div class="_3bJ2H CHExY" style="text-align: center;">
<div class="_1l8RX _1ByhS">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/ZfiV8EgglsY?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Joshua Jordan</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/search/photos/fight?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></span></div>
<div class="_1l8RX _1ByhS">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Need to study this hand wrap technique.</span></div>
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<b> </b><br />
<b><a href="https://soundcloud.com/interference-archive-nyc/audio-interference-45-teaching-self-defense" target="_blank">Audio Interference: Teaching Self-Defense</a></b><br />
“When I first took karate, I was already an activist. And I could see right away what this could do for women in the 70s.” — Annie Ellman<br />
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Good reminder of how privilege can be at play when we practice martial arts, with the luxury of multiple memberships (I'm guilty) and extended coursework (also). Great podcast featuring interviews with two groups that teach self-defense skills: <a href="http://popgym.org/" target="_blank">Pop Gym</a> and the<a href="http://caeny.org/" target="_blank"> Center for Anti-Violence Education</a>.<br />
<b><br /></b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT1zBg8alBY" target="_blank"><b>Dealing with Strikes from the Guard</b></a><br />
Practical self defense BJJ training.<b> </b>I'm always surpised how much sport jiu jitsu does not reflect the realities of fighting, so this is a refreshing change.<b> </b>Kind of a "no-duh" for Krav people, but good nonetheless.<br />
<b><br /></b> <a href="http://www.kmdi.com.au/krav-maga-articles/2018/3/8/why-krav-maga-is-different-from-martial-arts" target="_blank"><b>Why Krav Maga is Different from Martial Arts</b></a><br />
"A Krav Maga practitioner is not challenging anyone in their realm, or in any other realm. We are normal people living our lives. We are comfortable in who we are and confident enough to not have to challenge anyone in an ego contest."<br />
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<br />EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-52038454767040183132018-01-28T18:10:00.001-06:002018-01-28T18:10:18.195-06:00Krav Maga and Self Defense Topics #1<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="height: 315px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; width: 472px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidclS2ThymJ8o7QHMfLUNaPnR__R3MBayHAE8hpQZGNFKFcl3-x628C2i06AM2ywhIuxq1I4sjHRRDf6xorr_G5sxmtXW5aX8upMeCLdX_uOxYGo0Pe5kJnVd0M0FDNopufXc/s1600/martin-knize-37047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidclS2ThymJ8o7QHMfLUNaPnR__R3MBayHAE8hpQZGNFKFcl3-x628C2i06AM2ywhIuxq1I4sjHRRDf6xorr_G5sxmtXW5aX8upMeCLdX_uOxYGo0Pe5kJnVd0M0FDNopufXc/s400/martin-knize-37047.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks, <br />
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<a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/1iHpSdiZyFA?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Martin Kníže</a> </div>
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<b>Slashing versus Stabbing</b><br />
Interesting comparison of knife attacks. My summary of <a href="https://sofrep.com/98822/slashing-versus-stabbing-knife-tactics-relevance/">the article</a> is sometimes stabbing is better and sometimes slashing is better, and most of us thankfully will never have to actually find out first hand. <br />
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<b>Sticks and How to Attack with Them</b> <br />
My instructors always remind us to be good attackers as that's the only way that your partner will learn. I'm guilty of occasionally pulling my punches on my partners in the interest of not injuring them, but I'm trying to be more aggressive while still demonstrating good control. Plus, in the world of self-defense fighting, training in how to be a bad guy is as helpful as the training to be a good guy.<a href="https://sharpdefense.blog/2017/08/04/swing-for-the-fence-ii/" target="_blank"> This article</a> about how to attack with a stick is good stuff if you're trying to learn how to defend well against it. <i>Hopefully</i> you don't run into someone who knows how to do this, but the mechanics are very helpful to understand. Plus there's a cool video of pistons in there too.<br />
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<b>What's Your Easy to Exploit Weakness?</b><br />
Your hair, footwear, jewelry or your man-bag? This <a href="http://paladin-pressblog.com/2017/08/03/whats-your-handle/" target="_blank">piece</a> is helpful in thinking it through.<br />
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<b>Verbal Skills in Your Toolkit</b><br />
"In personal and home-defense situations, verbal skills can be important.
But don’t assume yelling forceful commands is always the answer.
Sometimes it’s better to speak softly or not at all. It’s up to you to
gauge the situation and respond appropriately. <a href="http://www.handgunsmag.com/concealed-carry/verbal-skills-during-an-armed-encounter/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=verbal-skills-during-an-armed-encounter">You’ve got to think before you speak</a>.<b>"</b>EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-47171387392069671592017-10-06T15:56:00.000-05:002017-10-09T10:19:25.204-05:00Supplements I Have Loved: The Sleep Issue<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-84597752-f371-440c-5d51-f597d69f1ee6" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m
not a doctor and only know what I have read and documented below. I’m
not offering you medical advice in any way, shape or form. You should
talk to your doctor before doing anything I or anyone else suggests to
you.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am writing this at the same time as I nurse </span><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4Cb0JUFpClncnMzSXlqeGxqYmc/view?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">my injured eye</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. I blame this recent kick boxing mishap on my lack of sleep the night before. Exercise can reward you with better sleep, but I would suggest that sleep be prioritized over exercise. Besides impacting reaction time and thus making you more prone to injury, we know that sleep affects </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4444051/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">metabolism</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, the </span><a href="http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">ability to learn</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, and even </span><a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070301081831.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">moral judgment</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span><a href="http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/hypersomnia" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Too much sleep</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> can also be a problem. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As we age, </span><a href="http://sleepdisorders.sleepfoundation.org/chapter-1-normal-sleep/age-and-sleep/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">our ability to sleep uninterrupted gets more difficult</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, even though we still require the same amount of sleep. There’s a lot of advice out there and a lot of people hawking fixes to our sleep woes. It’s enough to make you stay awake at night fearing too little or too much sleep. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Turn off your gadgets at sundown, you damn millennial. Photo by</span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/y8OPPvo_5mU?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Abbie Bernet</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> on</span><a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Unsplash</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Research suggests that adults typically need seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Since your mileage may vary, the easiest way to figure out your ideal amount of sleep is to go for an extended period of time going to bed when you are tired and waking up without an alarm clock, like on a vacation. Preferably doing it in a </span><a href="https://sleep.org/articles/temperature-for-sleep/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">darkened, cool room</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> with </span><a href="http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/power-down-better-sleep#1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">no electronics</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> after sundown (I know, this seems impossible). You can usually find an ideal number of hours and ideal time to go to bed and get up. In a perfect world, you wouldn’t have to wake up with an an alarm, but your boss may disagree, so my advice is that you set a time that you always get up in the morning and then work backwards for when to go to bed so that you hit your goal. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="IMG_7795.jpg" height="311" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/K4NGmF0RSO8IeEXfRBiEEF5Zs3o06lQuPmhFHFEpVsa61KanXN0kHmgsz3J4unEj4lYAcoi4lDUqLorbhopQxmo5-qCVfJysCKS-Q6BQUdy4T2fWx81GjtKf7_FWNPhGqJSZjcro" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="379" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reliving my undergraduate days in UNM Library. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I have naturally awakened at 5:30 AM for years, a vestige of the 6:30 AM study groups in business school a decade ago. I’m a big fan of early morning exercise. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">No one in the continental US wants your time at 6 AM</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. There is no other time like that in the day. I’m currently working on getting up earlier in the day, targeting 4:30 AM so that I can do some more morning activities before rushing off to exercise at 6:00 AM. Also, it makes me feel like a </span><a href="https://www.maxim.com/maxim-man/navy-seals-advice-to-win-at-life-2017-1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Navy SEAL</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, which is my fantasy lifestyle. But instead of jumping out of a helicopter and double-tapping bad guys, I’m trying to add light mobility work, breathing practice and journaling to that time. But for now, I’m usually just lying in bed and grumbling until I have to get up and rush to exercise. The hardest part is just getting my magic seven to eight hours of sleep. That’s an early bedtime.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="alex-iby-212875.jpg" height="316" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/tcKZX4E3GgjyPfbRP1EBsrWcmUzt_UHigT042VtpXhO0onDEDz1hTnQobkKo-P4rU7uUXX9U512mCZJhwKHtPjfKNjdDOKY2WS7cCw4RZd63ObzHlT9_qyDli4ztibSthdHg598Z" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="474" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Old dude, dominated by sleep. Photo by</span><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/QkNFU7EnR6E?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Alex Iby</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> on</span><a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Unsplash</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To get to that kind of early to bed, early to rise rhythm, I have nixed prescription medication to help me sleep. Besides not liking the effects of sedatives in general, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zolpidem">Ambien</a> gave me truly horrifying nightmares on a trip to Europe (not to mention that the <a href="https://www.drugs.com/sfx/ambien-side-effects.html">list of side effects</a> is as long as your arm) and I got violently ill on a flight to Japan after taking another prescribed sleeping pill, to the horror of the staid Japanese people around me (full disclosure: that one was my fault). Over the counter sleeping aids and antihistamines generally frighten me and leave me feeling groggy the next day. While I am trying to practice good habits about bedtime and waiting for my body to adapt to a new schedule, I do supplement specifically to support good sleep. My physician friend tells me I’m doing it backwards; that I should be working on my “</span><a href="https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/sleep-hygiene" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">sleep hygiene</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” first and then supplementing once I have mastered the right habits. As usual, I’m trying to take a shortcut with these items.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Supplement</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dosage</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Why?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Evidence</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Magnesium</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1000mg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sleep, cardiovascular health, stress</span></div>
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<a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NIH</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">L-Tryptophan</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">500mg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Possibly helpful for sleep -</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> TAPER DOWN</span></div>
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<a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/326.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Medline</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">L-Theanine</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">200mg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sleep, relaxation, also good combo with caffeine</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18841456" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NIH</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Potassium</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">200mg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sleep, blood pressure, and stress</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-851-POTASSIUM.aspx?activeIngredientId=851&activeIngredientName=POTASSIUM&source=2" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">WebMD</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">L-Ornithine</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">500mg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sleep, athletic performance</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-200-ORNITHINE.aspx?activeIngredientId=200&activeIngredientName=ORNITHINE" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">WebMD</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Melatonin</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1mg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sleep - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">MINIMIZE</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-940-MELATONIN.aspx?activeIngredientId=940&activeIngredientName=MELATONIN&source=2" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">WebMD</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Minerals - Magnesium and Potassium</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If you exercise a lot, you probably sweat a lot. </span><a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4Cb0JUFpClnNFVSWUFiTnN5Z28" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">I do</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Sweating and physical activity can deplete </span><a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">magnesium</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><a href="http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/potassium" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">potassium</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in the body. The NIH thinks you probably aren’t getting enough </span><a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/#h4" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">magnesium</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and there are many reasons including dehydration that you may not be getting enough potassium. Severe dehydration is what leads to cramping, especially in the legs. That’s why most sports drinks (like </span><a href="https://www.lifeaidbevco.com/fitaid-24-pack#sm.0001bvwnt34qef0tv0s1g5mwci7oi" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">FITAID</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) have lots of magnesium and potassium in them. </span><a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Restless-Legs-Syndrome-Fact-Sheet" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Restless leg syndrome</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> may be partly related to moderate dehydration and can be disruptive to sleep. </span><a href="https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2015/08/scientists-discover-what-controls-waking-up-and-going-to-sleep-/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Potassium is a factor in the sleep cycle,</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> although the mechanism is not quite understood yet. Besides your wiggly legs, the magnesium and potassium combo is great for metabolic health and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">probably great </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">for regulating cortisol levels, blood pressure, preventing osteoporosis in the ladies as well as migraines. They’re also critical to staying alive.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Amino Acids - Ornithine, Theanine, Tryptophan</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now we start to get a little more esoteric. Ornithine is one of the non-essential amino acids, which means that our bodies can produce it naturally. It is the precursor to another amino acid, Arginine, which is </span><a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/#arginine" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">weakly linked to improved athletic performance</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Both Ornithine and Arginine are produced in small amounts by our bodies and ideally, we can get more from </span><a href="https://www.onnit.com/academy/l-arginine-benefits/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">diet</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. There are no known safety issues with Arginine, </span><a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/#arginine" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">even in large doses</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. There’s a reasonably solid </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4055948/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">study</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> from Japan that suggests Ornithine helps with stress, sleep and my favorite, “reducing anger.” The study is relatively small but since there aren’t any known safety issues, I say bring on anything that could potentially help me sleep better.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Theanine, an amino acid found primarily in green teas, is a big deal in Japan. A common food additive favored for its relaxing effects as well as its <a href="http://www.umamiinfo.com/">umami</a> savoriness, it has been a common item in the Japanese diet since it was </span><a href="http://www.leffingwell.com/Japanese%20Flavoring%20agents%20as%20food%20additives-Final.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">approved</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> by the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare in 1964. Theanine has been approved in the US as a dietary supplement and the combo of theanine and caffeine is a big favorite of the nootropic crowd. I actually take theanine in this fashion myself. A pair it with my morning coffee (and occasional <a href="https://vivanaturals.com/supplements/mct-oil">MCT oil</a>) as a way to take away the jitters from coffee on an empty stomach and get an enhanced focus. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="63.png" height="322" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/a8g3Ayy8E9KOxq75TaxeO8L1eav66JkPoGXe1rSwN-VnJVX9FTsuU6cAaANn792swQmRYxVoqQ0f8rxi3D5ckg0dY9iJk4jZjvpKqBv3Ybx_Z1u_fJgTshBTeFi1lDMqYsmU3qa8" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="456" /></span></div>
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<a href="https://en.rocketnews24.com/2016/05/26/new-sleep-water-from-coca-cola-japan-promises-to-help-you-drift-off-wake-up-refreshed/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Japanese Sleep Water from Coca Cola with what appears to be 200mg of theanine</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You can certainly take it before bedtime as well to get the relaxing benefits of it, although it may </span><a href="https://examine.com/supplements/theanine/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">not stimulate sleep</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. While the Japanese have been consuming it for some time and its popularity among the body hackers suggests that a lot of people have experimented with it, the number of clinical studies establishing its safety are still rather small. The Berkeley Wellness Newsletter </span><a href="http://www.berkeleywellness.com/supplements/other-supplements/article/theanine-calmness-pill" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">recommends</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> the tried and true benefits of drinking green tea in the morning as opposed to taking a supplement for your theanine fix. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Researching supplements for this series has encouraged me to inventory everything I’m ingesting. Tryptophan is one that merits closer attention. Similar to the others, tryptophan is an essential amino acid. You can get it in your diet from eating a variety of plant and animal sources. Many people have heard of turkey as a source of tryptophan, but there are much better sources of the amino acid, including eggs, soy, and cheese. Tryptophan is a building block of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood and brain functioning. The evidence suggests that it is possibly effective for </span><a href="https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-326-l-tryptophan.aspx?activeingredientid=326&activeingredientname=l-tryptophan" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">premenstrual mood swings and smoking cessation</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, but the connection to improved sleep is weak, even though tryptophan is a precursor to the hormone melatonin (more about it below). In 1990, trypotophan supplements were recalled from the US market due to an outbreak of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS), with 1500 reports of severe illness and 37 deaths. This was probably related to a contaminated batch of tryptophan from Japan, but </span><a href="http://www.berkeleywellness.com/supplements/other-supplements/article/tryptophan" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">conservative advice</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is to avoid tryptophan supplements altogether and instead seek sources of it in diet. Another concern is that tryptophan could </span><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/326.html#DrugInteractions" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">interact adversely</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> with anti-anxiety drugs and sedatives (e.g. valium) as well as medications to treat depression and could possibly inhibit the body’s ability to absorb other amino acids. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="DTS_Matte_Black-Dustin_Giallanza_free_1.jpg" height="350" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Ln9AAN6T0FyUhOhAkZQoaBaj7pIaIQ8lwP2P_FcFl27xhgs_by3uF5x2oftN-ODkdVpzFiFvVdN1Rtgq0mjuCLRnaXMkgsRML5zwcB8NzYAThlQGXkOZcaVsGgqFcYszw1Cbk2vc" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="280" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sleeping on the job or office death cult? No one knows for sure.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Melatonin</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is on my “use sparingly” list from now on. Melatonin is is a hormone that is produced by the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineal_gland" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">pineal gland</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in animals and regulates sleep and wakefulness. While Hunter S. Thompson had some </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=R11qaqN4jzQC&pg=PA132&lpg=PA132&dq=%E2%80%9Cextract+of+pineal+%E2%80%9D+he+stared+at+me+%E2%80%9Csure,%E2%80%9D+he+said+%E2%80%9Cthat%E2%80%99s+a+good+idea+one+whiff+of+that+shit+would+turn+you+into+something+out+of+a+goddamn+medical+encyclopedia!+man,+your+head+would+swell+up+like+a+watermelon,+you%E2%80%99d+probably+gain+about+a+hundred+pounds+in+two+hours%E2%80%A6+claws,+bleeding+warts,+then+you%E2%80%99d+notice+about+six+huge+hairy+tits+swefling+up+on+your+back%E2%80%A6%E2%80%9D+he+shook+his+head+emphatically+%E2%80%9Cman,+i%E2%80%99ll+try+just+about+anything%3B+but+i%E2%80%99d+never+in+hell+touch+a+pineal+gland&source=bl&ots=ZYsM6t6Fe_&sig=oIRKnSZ_scDVy_ZTxLsqN8BlseU" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">choice ideas about the extract of a pineal gland</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, its primary output is the chemical that tells your body it is time to sleep. Since it naturally occurs in the body, it has been a very popular supplement and achieved US prominence in the 1990s, although </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/01/science/hormone-pills-aid-sleep.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">even then its use was cautioned</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Additionally, studies show that melatonin nets users </span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/think-act-be/201702/taking-melatonin-still-cant-sleep" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">an additional eight minutes of sleep over placebos</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Melatonin, after long walks at the end of the day in sunlight was a primary remedy against jet lag when I was traveling regularly to the west coast. It takes a little bit of searching to find a dosage that is 1mg or less and I’ve seen bottles of 5 or 10mg on friends and families’ shelves. Those doses are </span><a href="https://vanwinkles.com/the-dark-side-downsides-side-effects-of-melatonin" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">excessive</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (that’s a lot of hormones for anyone to be taking), may backfire (some users report abrupt interruptions of sleep shortly after taking it) and melatonin does not have much clinical support</span><a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/22b2/5964037b31066d172a2325c0681c70fc6863.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> as a treatment for insomnia</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. There are not many studies of the </span><a href="https://nccih.nih.gov/health/melatonin#hed1" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">long-term effects</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> either. </span></div>
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<br />EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-37505731336844578212017-09-15T10:44:00.001-05:002017-09-17T14:31:15.119-05:00Supplements I Have Loved<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-4dbb17fb-862f-8af9-ba63-69b8ab7f12f2" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We are eating very different food than our grandparents and most certainly different from our more distant ancestors. Not only has the nutritional density of food </span><a href="https://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/opinion/sunday/breeding-the-nutrition-out-of-our-food.html?referrer=" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">decreased over time due to modern farming</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, researchers are now suggesting that the carbohydrate density of food has <i>increased </i>as well, making plants and all the things that consume them less healthy by </span><a href="http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/09/13/food-nutrients-carbon-dioxide-000511?utm_source=pocket&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pockethits" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">impacting metabolism at the same time as the nutrients are diminished</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. This has the unfortunate effect of making us consume more while benefiting less.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCFFuL8MacgbJApG-C9WJYUhCE6W-1Ucm7hR7JY3C1oqDWRupsNqac-Lk0rrBZHlkAVE8m0nh-9dNFuqzAr_L1ZzMvHoDvapV7cktjP6nTPtCIBsbQ_PMRo1RWoRYaXSH56o/s1600/crazy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCFFuL8MacgbJApG-C9WJYUhCE6W-1Ucm7hR7JY3C1oqDWRupsNqac-Lk0rrBZHlkAVE8m0nh-9dNFuqzAr_L1ZzMvHoDvapV7cktjP6nTPtCIBsbQ_PMRo1RWoRYaXSH56o/s1600/crazy.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not Kurzweil crazy - yet.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’d like to think that this is why I’m so interested in nutritional supplements as I have slowly gotten into the habit of consuming a wide variety of them daily. While it stands to reason that we need to compensate for the lack of nutrition in our diets, if I’m honest with myself I really take supplements for the same reasons that we over consume medications; we’re all looking for a quick fix or an edge, enhancing ourselves to productivity, longevity and general well-being. While my pace of experimentation has slowed, I have landed on a pretty long standing core of vitamins and similar items I take regularly. Various fitness, nutrition and quantified-self types have inspired me over the years and while I avoid reading much from them anymore, I have been guilty of taking too much advice from self serving and dubious bloggers and not enough from good research. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I decided to write this to share what works for me and also to do a little inventory on my intake of supplements and look into whether I’m taking anything that is either a waste of money or possibly unhealthy for me. I found a few items that are possibly bad for me or a waste of money.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here’s an utterly overwhelming list of what I’m currently ingesting. There are a couple of <a href="http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-23772-fitter-happier.html" target="_blank">nootropics</a> that I consume every now and again, but that’s another study. I’ve highlighted a few that I’m either </span><span style="background-color: #ffd966; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">looking into, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: #f6b26b; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tapering off of</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, or </span><span style="background-color: #cc4125; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">eliminating</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> completely.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Supplement</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dosage</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Why?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Evidence</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Calcium</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1000mg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bundled with Magnesium</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">N/A for men</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Magnesium</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1000mg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Good for sleep, cardiovascular health, stress</span></div>
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<a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NIH</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Turmeric</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1500mg</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Good for joint pain but use for inflammation is not supported by research</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://nccih.nih.gov/health/turmeric/ataglance.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NIH/NCCIH</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vitamin K (K2)</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2700mcg</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Anti-cancer, bone health (for women) and CV health</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://nccih.nih.gov/health/turmeric/ataglance.htm" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">OI</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Glucosamine Sulfate</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">500mg</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Joint pain, arthritis</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/807.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Medline</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">DHEA</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">25mg</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bone density, weight loss and depression</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/dhea/evidence/hrb-20059173" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Mayo Clinic</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lutein</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f6b26b; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">20mg</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f6b26b; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Weak evidence showing it helps eye health</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f6b26b; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/ds-eye-conditions" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NIH/NCCIH</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">L-Tryptophan</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f6b26b; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">500mg</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f6b26b; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Possibly helpful for sleep</span></div>
</td><td style="background-color: #f6b26b; border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/326.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Medline</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Methyl Folate</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">400mcg</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">May be synergistic with Vitamin B12</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3927946/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NIH</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vitamin C</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1000mg</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Immune health, eye health</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/#h7" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NIH</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fish Oil</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1200mg</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Anti-cancer, aging, brain and heart health</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://gut.bmj.com/content/61/1/135" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">BMJ</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Potassium</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">200mg</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Blood pressure, sleep/stress</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-851-POTASSIUM.aspx?activeIngredientId=851&activeIngredientName=POTASSIUM&source=2" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">WebMD</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Astaxanthin</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">12mg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eyes, inflammation, CV health</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://drc.bmj.com/content/3/1/e000107" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">BMJ</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">B12</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5000mcg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eyes, necessary vitamin, paired with Methyl Folate</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-926-B12+VITAMIN+B12.aspx?activeIngredientId=926&activeIngredientName=B12+(VITAMIN+B12)&source=2" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">WebMD</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Florasist</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3b CFU</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Probiotics to support mood and mental health</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/assessment-of-psychotropic-like-properties-of-a-probiotic-formulation-lactobacillus-helveticus-r0052-and-bifidobacterium-longum-r0175-in-rats-and-human-subjects/2BD9977C6DB7EA40FC9FFA1933C024EA#" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">BJN</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">L-Ornithine</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">500mg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Athletic performance (weak support for it and Arginine)</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-200-ORNITHINE.aspx?activeIngredientId=200&activeIngredientName=ORNITHINE" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">WebMD</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">L-Theanine</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">200mg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Good combo with caffeine for alertness and focus</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18841456" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NIH</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bacopa</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">300mg</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-left: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-right: solid #000000 0.75pt; border-top: solid #000000 0.75pt; padding: 2pt 2pt 2pt 2pt; vertical-align: bottom;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Research supports improvements in memory especially for older adults</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-761-BACOPA.aspx?activeIngredientId=761&activeIngredientName=BACOPA" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">WebMD</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Melatonin</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1mg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Improves sleep</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-940-MELATONIN.aspx?activeIngredientId=940&activeIngredientName=MELATONIN&source=2" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">WebMD</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vitamin D</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1000 IU</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bone health, immune system support</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-929-VITAMIN+D.aspx?activeIngredientId=929&activeIngredientName=VITAMIN+D&source=2" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">WebMD</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Zinc</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">80mg</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Eye health, immune system</span></div>
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<a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/#en83" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NIH</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Creatine</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5g</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Athletic performance</span></div>
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<a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/#creatine" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NIH</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I will detail my thinking on each of these over time, but I will start with my favorites first. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">CREATINE</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If I’m thinking about my favorite supplements, which means the ones I’d rather not ever give up, creatine probably tops the list. When it began to be commonly used in the 70’s, there was a fair amount of concern about its safety, especially when it was mixed up with <a href="https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/steroids-anabolic" target="_blank">anabolic steroids</a> and all the other stupid things body builders engaged in back then. The Schwarzenegger-era body builders were the body hackers of their time. But what clinical studies proved out was that at least creatine wasn’t going to kill people like some of the other behaviors that were popular at the time.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Not actually sure what this is, but typical for the time. Credit: </span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jbcurio/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://www.flickr.com/photos/jbcurio/</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I won’t go deeply into the science here, but creatine is found in meats and seafood and helps stimulate production of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adenosine_triphosphate" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Adenosine triphosphate</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> or ATP. ATP is the energy currency of biological processes like our muscles and is especially relevant to short term bursts of energy. Creatine has been definitively shown to improve athletic performance in the short term in younger athletes and can increase muscle mass in people as they age. Vegetarians in particular can reap significant gains from supplementing with creatine. In general, it has been consumed for some time now and it is generally shown to have few side-effects. I guess this is where I write the following: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m not a doctor and only know what I have read and documented below. I’m not offering you medical advice in any way, shape or form. You should talk to your doctor before doing anything I or anyone else suggests to you.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A pretty comprehensive overview of the research on creatine is available at the </span><a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/#creatine" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NIH</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> site and </span><a href="http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-873-CREATINE.aspx?activeIngredientId=873&activeIngredientName=CREATINE" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">WebMD</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is good for dosing and contraindications and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Wikipedia</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> ties up the science and the research handily.</span></div>
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EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-78296175522796655562017-08-12T06:00:00.000-05:002017-08-28T09:01:45.721-05:00Breaking Up the Usual<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/FzFH41IucIY?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Paul Bergmeir</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There was a moment in my life a few years ago when I realized I had pretty much met every type of person in the world. I think I can put most everyone into an archetype. I haven’t really articulated those out loud, but I can reasonably guess most people's their political leanings, salaries, professions, and lifestyles/beliefs. Sure, I’d be wrong sometimes, but at the moment I'm writing this, I’m sure I can generally figure out how to relate to this random group of people I’m looking at in the coffee shop. I’d talk about startups and business with the spoiled 30-ish male with baseball cap on backwards, I’d talk about the politics of healthcare with the late 50’s white male with shorts and novelty shirt that suggests “I’m retired,” and I’d talk traffic and old Austin with the middle aged lady with the early adult daughter that appears to be developmentally delayed. And so on.<br /><br />But these kind of topics are so damn predictable that I would only discuss them if I had to, like we were stuck in an elevator for hours, or I needed to make a connection to them in a work or business environment like having to sell them on something. That makes me feel like a con man and reminds me of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Lustig" target="_blank">Victor Lustig</a>. Here are his Ten Commandments:</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Be a patient listener (it is this, not fast talking, that gets a con man his coups).</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Never look bored.</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wait for the other person to reveal any political opinions, then agree with them.</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let the other person reveal religious views, then have the same ones.</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hint at sex talk, but don't follow it up unless the other person shows a strong interest.</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Never discuss illness, unless some special concern is shown.</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Never pry into a person's personal circumstances (they'll tell you all eventually).</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Never boast - just let your importance be quietly obvious.</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Never be untidy.</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Never get drunk.</span></span></li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0toIW2aOXFrrHlNKpAIgl30d6Q-NL0PJbuzxBDgL8CWY5lSPqrXXkr_yc9z4qXEJB0JlAyJwcc2O8Ukx_kZIOvtgYEew230yf7TMDejE4EotSJm9xkQ-1GNAagekvKn8tOS8/s1600/Victor_Lustig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="460" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0toIW2aOXFrrHlNKpAIgl30d6Q-NL0PJbuzxBDgL8CWY5lSPqrXXkr_yc9z4qXEJB0JlAyJwcc2O8Ukx_kZIOvtgYEew230yf7TMDejE4EotSJm9xkQ-1GNAagekvKn8tOS8/s320/Victor_Lustig.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But that's not how you connect with people. That's how you fake connections so you can manipulate them. I really want to ask things like:</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">How many times have you been in love? </span></span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What makes you really happy? Really sad? </span></span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Have you ever been in a fist fight? </span></span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">How do you get along with your family?</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Where would you live if you could live anywhere on earth?</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think I would be more surprised than I typically am by the people I meet. I would almost certainly have more interesting relationships to them. Maybe I wouldn't feel like I’m trying to pull something over on them, even if it’s just avoiding awkward silence.<br /><br /><style type="text/css">p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; }</style>
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EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-8620620890817517572017-07-24T12:36:00.000-05:002017-07-26T21:01:33.634-05:00Nostalgia: This Bike<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpM-jMQ04_mmzCDhr4EUbwNw6w6vNTBo4epMBIKvWqAAtZ0e3NvYrDamCNl8If7AhIX1gNy-KN1mE3QpHADgl1G7xjOAD-MsI6ct6KHpY6mqWKMBxJ-0m18asvPVzfQ7EDyAM/s1600/20246147_10155129909652659_209509607467743352_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="691" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpM-jMQ04_mmzCDhr4EUbwNw6w6vNTBo4epMBIKvWqAAtZ0e3NvYrDamCNl8If7AhIX1gNy-KN1mE3QpHADgl1G7xjOAD-MsI6ct6KHpY6mqWKMBxJ-0m18asvPVzfQ7EDyAM/s640/20246147_10155129909652659_209509607467743352_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Following a fast few rounds of vodka tonics and I'm certain, vehement arguments about nothing of importance at </span><a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/parasols-bar-and-restaurant-new-orleans" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Parasol’s</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> with Alex, I crashed my bike and face planted in front of </span><a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/coliseum-square-new-orleans" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Coliseum Square</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and a group of winos who checked me out and said I was "probably fine." I rode home covered in blood (scaring tourists in the French Quarter), and ended up getting 15 or so stitches in my face at Touro Hospital. I decided it was time to give up on my beloved </span><a href="http://superissimo.com/the-cult-of-the-bridgestone-rb-1/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">RB-1</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> that had been crashed a few times before and, I suspected, had a stress fracture somewhere in it that made it prone to failure. Clearly, it couldn’t be the vodka.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I decided I needed a new bike for getting around. I was disappointed to hear that my favorite bike shop in the world, </span><a href="http://archivalblog.com/tag/momovelo/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">momovelo</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> was kaput and I wrote to the owner Kai for advice. His advertising had a picture that I still consider one of the <a href="http://archivalblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/cheese1_760.jpg" target="_blank">Top 10 Sexiest Bike Nerd photos in the world</a>. And that's saying a lot, after spending a lot of my spare time looking at sites like <a href="https://www.rivbike.com/pages/staff-bikes" target="_blank">this</a> and <a href="http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/" target="_blank">this</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He told me about </span><a href="https://www.jitensha.com/eng/ebisupics_e.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Ebisu</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, where he got many of the frames that he sold. I bought the frame and then proceeded to collect a series of specialty parts for it, including Ritchey cranks, moustache handlebars, bar end brakes and one of those little </span><a href="https://www.rivbike.com/products/bell-26-brass?variant=23334256897" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">brass zen bike bells</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I put on every bike I own. Tim at </span><a href="https://www.bicyclemichaels.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Bicycle Michael’s</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> built it from all my crazy parts and it was tight. I found the picture above recently on an old thumb drive. It’s jauntily posed in the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faubourg_Marigny" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Marigny</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, probably moments after I picked it up.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsWePwMNzOhC1OYxYcby0I4_jXIO5cKmYj8LaD2820Njl0hi0rHtH2CDsumfpny8rsaLLJqQngweJI4i_lIGPme0AU2DAHUIAYtWhRbQKmi20cppRUpmXW5I3JaxnDSFxKGc/s1600/gGKon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsWePwMNzOhC1OYxYcby0I4_jXIO5cKmYj8LaD2820Njl0hi0rHtH2CDsumfpny8rsaLLJqQngweJI4i_lIGPme0AU2DAHUIAYtWhRbQKmi20cppRUpmXW5I3JaxnDSFxKGc/s400/gGKon.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Mustache handlebars definitely deter theft.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This bike went underwater when the levees broke in August 2005 and our recently purchased house got nailed. When I finally retrieved it a few months later, it had been buried in muck for a month and was rusty and unusable. It ended up in those multi-story piles of debris </span><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/photos/55890152?excludenudity=true&sort=mostpopular&mediatype=photography&phrase=55890152" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">you would see</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in Lakeview after the storm.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcA7eHN8Jd_Y5Ea25JBl6bXKCLB4Xo4IE8Km9lk9eUA7XPFryABcjYmTqXfJtSqKYCjvF4_I3IIlcbSTxtwzfiuZB3tTHdmj9r06Zmq51D4iC48hw4eIUt3W_6xcjT8kgBGY/s1600/DSC00021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcA7eHN8Jd_Y5Ea25JBl6bXKCLB4Xo4IE8Km9lk9eUA7XPFryABcjYmTqXfJtSqKYCjvF4_I3IIlcbSTxtwzfiuZB3tTHdmj9r06Zmq51D4iC48hw4eIUt3W_6xcjT8kgBGY/s640/DSC00021.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The bike in the storage shed post storm - October 2005.</span></span></td></tr>
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EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-41969614616538103732017-07-21T11:04:00.003-05:002017-07-23T09:15:16.935-05:00The Importance of Breaks<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-7d66be9c-65e0-b654-7609-15e9a185ec92" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When you’re 50, physical activity gets very interesting. Training as hard as you can feels great and anything you can do to build muscle is a good long-term investment in an old body. On the other hand, I see people who end up with stress and overuse injuries that end up taking a long, long time to recover. While I have not had any major injuries (seriously knocking on wood here) since I started </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krav_Maga" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Krav Maga</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> about two and half years ago, I am very much aware of the possibility of injury and potential loss of fitness that could arise from a forced recovery period that takes longer than a few weeks. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiardHP7zQj7lAEfT9a60aNOTmQqshSFO5FQBodBmIV7skekiifS2WxynTN_-hv6Fehyphenhyphen-8q2DYEu1BFa2UiGriN4u66Ry1iHBvPb-7xr42Qa8cQN2cBwvUp5uiQwjtugZIyTck/s1600/cristian-newman-67308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1471" data-original-width="1600" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiardHP7zQj7lAEfT9a60aNOTmQqshSFO5FQBodBmIV7skekiifS2WxynTN_-hv6Fehyphenhyphen-8q2DYEu1BFa2UiGriN4u66Ry1iHBvPb-7xr42Qa8cQN2cBwvUp5uiQwjtugZIyTck/s400/cristian-newman-67308.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What my millennial training partners see. Photo by</span><a href="http://unsplash.com/photos/Zi8-E3qJ_RM?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Cristian Newman</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> on</span><a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Unsplash</span></a></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Almost all of the serious injuries I have seen in others are related to some sort of overuse or overtraining. I’d even posit that most of the minor injuries I’ve seen (or sustained) due to accidents have their roots in overly exhausted training partners. In many cases they are the result of not being in good condition to start with and then amping up to 110% in a </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqSASKPZjK0&feature=youtu.be" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">stressful training drill</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now that I have a decent base of fitness, I am going to be more mindful of how I train. I’ve observed that during particularly hard weeks, sometimes my control falters during drills and will execute poorly on techniques that I usually have down cold. I also noticed that after a few intense weeks of training, especially now that I have added </span><a href="https://stronglifts.com/5x5/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">weight training</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and bicycle commuting into the mix, that I would be very low energy, irritable, have disrupted sleep and often I’d get colds or some other malaise that would cause me to sleep late or otherwise miss workouts. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Right around every three to four weeks of hard training, I would often crater in my willpower and sit on the couch watching Netflix, eating <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_dog" target="_blank">crap food</a> and feeling sorry for myself. I’d still exercise on an abbreviated schedule, but my form would be sketchy and I’d be riddled with self-doubt. I hate skipping workouts and I have a couple of “all you can eat” memberships at gyms, and just like similarly styled buffets, something in my background leads me to take those as challenges to see just how much I can consume. But keeping track of workouts has helped me think it through. </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="328" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/SxLlilrXbkuSOKL7Wgk9tw8hFFexJqQANEWk9T3LtxDq0d0DUjIITrWDxMBYHnJsI5MHvffg14jY9VbPHRK1zuvOveKwTLrMTNIP-VjXgge4aXBJc6BNF0qoN6-RQGyA_wa6Qnr5" style="border: medium none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" title="Chart" width="624" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The number of hours exercised weekly in the past year. You can see a pretty steady progression as
well as some cycles. The big upward spike was the week of the Level 2
belt test with 12 hours in one day. The big downward spike was when I
was in New Mexico right after my Dad got seriously ill.</span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There is a general pattern of peaks and valleys when plotted out. You can also see that over time, the amount of time I spend exercising is increasing. I averaged 7.5 hours a week of workouts in 2016 and I’m averaging about 9.3 this year. I’m happy with my general fitness and a minimum of two times a week of weight training. I’ve gotten a </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTwzH340W71OEAiz52s4n_5Qge4Tjs1lWNtH0k2urqSgggXsCcQkkx1h0OCIp9MIGRiC6qP-Ja9ALsX/pubchart?oid=2&format=interactive" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">little bigger</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and hopefully that is more muscle to hold on to before I’m seriously old like these people. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="lotte-meijer-142578.jpg" height="499" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XuNJCFpCc0vVvqMh8mZfOpKDvs1HClw3hm2orTfutQS676ItkV9TnEuQDTaxFUXOn1DP9_7cJEN_RAhXlstK7_DGXMzxe4fOiHWuXpyyv4_KAlJFwqq5FFKUr4VAVBK5o_GPDaQ4" style="border: medium none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="375" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I could probably take these happy old grapplers. Photo by</span><a href="http://unsplash.com/photos/ULz8ELesYBM?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Lotte Meijer</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> on</span><a href="https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Unsplash</span></a></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is clear that a regular break is good and actually helps me get stronger. Not only does the recovery time also help me think about a bigger and possibly happier world than blocking knives, kicking groins and punching faces, but I’m probably most at risk for a debilitating injury when I’m fatigued by over training. I just started a little bit of </span><a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-deload-week-what-it-is-how-to-do-it-and-why-it-might-help-you-get-stronger/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">reading on “deload” weeks</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and it sounds like everyone’s peaks and valleys are a little different depending on age and overall fitness. In the past, my work and travel schedule tended to force breaks, but then I discovered that most of the </span><a href="https://www.kravmaga.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Krav Maga Worldwide</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> affiliated gyms will honor my membership and are also very welcoming, so I rarely <i>have</i> to miss a workout wherever I am.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m going to start scheduling my breaks more thoughtfully. This week I’ll probably exercise hard for about five hours at most and I may even do less on the next break cycle. I’m (mostly) not sitting on the couch eating crap food and watching Netflix, though. I’m taking hour long walks with <a href="https://flic.kr/p/WG5KoA" target="_blank">my associate</a> and trying to make myself do 30 minutes of mobility work every day. I hate stretching, but I know I need to do it. I’m reminded of it every time I get up from a chair or reach around to scratch my back. I’m also getting a side benefit of being super excited to go back to class after the break, a little fresher and hopefully happier and with a better attitude as well.</span></span></div>
<br />EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-26495520159452750872017-06-27T09:27:00.003-05:002017-06-28T13:36:34.780-05:00Just Write about LA, and Things Get Much Nicer<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been swearing, SWEARING, that I was going to dust off the blog and start writing again. That day has come. I'm still struggling with how to parse out my "audiences" for this blog. If you know me from the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/emelendez" target="_blank">personal social media sphere</a>, you know my politics, my weaknesses and whimsy. If you know me from the <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardmelendez/" target="_blank">LinkedIn space time continuum</a>, then you know that I geek out pretty hard on healthcare, technology and in general the new world of work. Those threads are similar, albeit a bit more pointed when I'm speaking semi-privately to an audience of friends and former colleagues that generally share my values. I also wear different glasses depending on whom I'm talking to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sometimes I think it would be a good idea to start an <a href="https://tinyletter.com/edwardmelendez" target="_blank">email newsletter</a> for the small audience that might be interested in my longer and more opinionated ramblings, but I worry that many people are just not ready for that kind of commitment. Email is a funny thing that way. For personal correspondence, most people are very stingy with it. I have been thinking hard about a blast email to my contacts to drum up business for <a href="http://tmo-consulting.com/" target="_blank">TMO</a> or at least refer me to a job with a company that has good values and mission, but I've put that off for a while. Worried about that whole sanctity of the inbox sort of thing. And maybe my fear of rejection will be so heightened that I will cry each time someone unsubscribes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">So for now, I'm committing to just blow out this old blog again. I try to journal every day by hand, and I'll try to put something thoughtful and of hopefully some value or interest in each of these posts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lucy-jones-why-earthquakes-scare-us-20170524-htmlstory.html" target="_blank">near-certain apocalypse</a>, I'd love to move to Los Angeles. Or at least have an excuse to travel there regularly. I have no illusions about what it would take to live there: <a href="http://www.lamag.com/longform/leaving-los-angeles/" target="_blank">big piles of money</a>, but it stirs my imagination like no other city in the country. Sure, Seattle or Denver would be much more practical and perhaps aligned with our lives, but there is something that I find fascinating about the city; its crevices and <a href="https://la.curbed.com/2017/5/18/15505446/hollywood-sign-hike-address-history-font" target="_blank">artifacts</a> of both <a href="https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2015/12/04/slow-days-fast-company/" target="_blank">its vapidness</a> and its role as a testing ground for modern culture. And don't forget that it's likely the biggest center of manufacturing in the entire country, even the <a href="https://getpocket.com/a/read/1798740937" target="_blank">LA-style weirdos</a> have factories going full bore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's still a city where people go to re-invent themselves or find fortunes, and certainly all those stories don't play out. There's <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/31/homelessness-count-los-angeles-record-level" target="_blank">even deeper misery</a> there today. But there has been no surer example of American optimism and hope as LA in the 20th century and that pull is still there for me today.</span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7CvZJIEsHW_4uYABOcufz5qXVv6KfWWRR0uRSqsFqldm5964nH2KRwn8VJg5P3KyBiIEjIGfeqETzoqcCsniDsogaIkR7eWGW6kTfYqvB7tWT2vbbWSMnegayJFi1XvaldA/s1600/ev-295467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7CvZJIEsHW_4uYABOcufz5qXVv6KfWWRR0uRSqsFqldm5964nH2KRwn8VJg5P3KyBiIEjIGfeqETzoqcCsniDsogaIkR7eWGW6kTfYqvB7tWT2vbbWSMnegayJFi1XvaldA/s400/ev-295467.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-91566343775806376042016-11-11T12:13:00.003-06:002016-11-11T12:13:34.181-06:00What's in Store for Obamacare?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">November 11, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The election upset took most of us by surprise. Given the
tenor of the lead up to the election and Republican control of Congress, the
healthcare space sees Obamacare squarely in the crosshairs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In the broader public’s mind, Obamacare or the Affordable
Care Act is viewed mostly as the individual mandate, exchanges, and certain
provisions that impact coverage like pre-existing conditions and adult children
remaining covered through a parent’s insurance. The ACA is much more than just
these items. It was intended to be a massive shift in how healthcare is
financed and managed. And like any public policy, especially one that is trying
to manage $3T or so in spending, the ACA was in need of serious adjustments.
The high profile problems with the exchange business would have to be tackled
regardless of who was elected. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">While it’s impossible to predict how it will ultimately play
out, here’s my take.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Some modifications to
individual insurance, but <i>mostly</i> status
quo<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">What will stay: accepting members regardless of pre-existing
conditions and the ability to keep adult children under 26 on their parent’s
insurance. These have been very popular pieces of healthcare reform and the
public is unlikely to support any change. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">What will change: the health exchanges are the most visible
sign of Obamacare, covering 12.7 million people this year, with a significant
surge in enrollments occurring this week. Expect a “rebranding,” and if
previous Republican thinking holds, a move towards allowing insurers to sell
across state lines as a means to introduce competition in pricing. Most policy
research suggests that this will not make a significant impact to pricing
provided that the pre-existing conditions guarantee is maintained, but there is
a strong will to remove government intervention in the model, so expect it to
be the initial strategy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Medicare will be
untouched; Medicare Advantage will remain strong and continue to grow<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">MA will be strongly in play for two reasons: first, in
general tinkering with Medicare, a popular program, is incredibly dangerous politically.
Second, Medicare Advantage was originally conceived of as a private-market
alternative to traditional fee for service Medicare. Despite concerns about the
overall cost of the program as compared to traditional FFS Medicare, expect MA
plans to gain traction and continue to be a key driver of revenue for many
health plans.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Value Based Contracts
and ACOs will still be in play<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">While the concepts and programs of Accountable Care
Organizations and Value Based Contracts are hallmarks of the ACA, they are
largely hidden from public view, despite the fact that 23 million Americans are
now being serviced in some type of ACO arrangement. This is more than CMS at
work. As of 2015, over 132 private payers (health plans and employers) are now
engaged in some type of ACO activity. Even if CMS pulls back on its aggressive
plans to move all of its payments to some type of value basis, the horse is out
of the barn. The effectiveness of these types of programs, while incremental,
is meaningful at controlling costs. Expect commercial payers and providers to
be actively engaged in ACOs and VBCs for the foreseeable future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Wild Cards: Medicaid
Expansion, Drug Costs, Medical Loss Ratio<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Extremely hard to predict. This is where the alchemy of
lobbying will come into play. Medicaid expansion not only helps millions gain
coverage they wouldn’t otherwise have, the dollars that are flowing into
hospitals in expansion states are shoring up billions in what would otherwise
be uncompensated care and bad debt. Expect these stakeholders to be highly
vocal in the coming months as healthcare employers (especially rural) are a
significant driver of good quality, well-paying jobs in many cities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Drug costs are a rallying cry for payers and consumers.
Expect the administration to be torn between heeding a populist call for relief
and a pro-business mindset led by the pharmaceutical industry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Similarly, we could expect to hear calls to adjust the
Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) for payers if the costs of covering the individual
market are in any way capped to protect consumers or if additional benefits are
added to individual plans to assuage consumers over prices increases, for
example by mandating Behavioral Health benefits as a component of all coverage.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Regardless of where one stands politically, it’s one thing
to repeal a policy of this magnitude that impacts 20% of the US economy. It’s
wholly another to replace it with another policy that will make an appreciable
impact on those costs as the non-partisan <a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/50252">Congressional Budget Office noted
in June of last year</a>. The landscape is dynamic and will be for at least the
next decade. But it would be no matter who is elected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">However, the principles of improving population health,
patient experience and reducing the overall cost of care will have to be
addressed if we are going to meaningfully impact cost and outcomes. Among other
tactical items, that will require continued focus on reducing variability in
systems and the reliability of data to guide both systemic change and improved
quality of care.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-58944824770387412732016-10-17T10:29:00.003-05:002016-10-17T10:33:16.911-05:00A slightly dated list of places to check out in New Orleans<div align="left" style="font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">All of these distances apply if you are staying in or around the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faubourg_Marigny" target="_blank">Marigny</a>, which I believe is an ideal location to experience the city.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Marigny – Triangle</b></span> <span style="font-size: 11pt;">(very close to you)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Spotted Cat – great music club, little or no cover, great dancing</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Dba – cocktail lounge with cool New Orleans bands</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><strike>La Peniche</strike> Horn's – a fine update of an iconic location with good breakfasts by the Slim Goodies people.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Snug Harbor – Burgers as big as your head</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Marigny – Rectangle</b></span> <span style="font-size: 11pt;">(a cheap cab ride/Uber away - <$8)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Mimi’s in the Marigny (Bar-upstairs they serve tapas and have great bands play in an intimate setting)</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><sup>1</sup></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Orange Couch – Great coffee shop and an easy walk from Royal Street Inn. During the day, the neighborhood is a visual delight</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><sup>2</sup></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>French Quarter</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Coop’s – Dive bar with a great kitchen of classic food. Oyster po-boys.</span> <span style="font-size: 11pt;"><sup>3</sup></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Cosimo’s – What a bar in the French Quarter should be. Local, chill and affordable</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><sup>4</sup></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Molly’s on the Market – bar with a great jukebox, people watching. Check out the frozen Irish Coffee. This place stayed open the whole time through Katrina and the aftermath</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><sup>5</sup></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Mid-City</b></span> <span style="font-size: 11pt;">(take the Canal Streetcar to these places)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Mandina’s – Seriously old-school seafood joint</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><sup>6</sup></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Brocato’s – a quick jog from Mandina’s. Family owned ice cream shop that has been blowing minds for 75 years</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><sup>7</sup></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b>Uptown</b></span> <span style="font-size: 11pt;">(take the St. Charles streetcar to these places)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Cooter Brown’s – maybe the world’s best bar food. Try the Radiator Special (1/2 shrimp/oyster poboy with melted cheese on top)</span> <span style="font-size: 11pt;"><sup>8</sup></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Mat and Naddie’s – excellent (but not pretentious) restaurant and a streetcar ride away from downtown</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><sup>9</sup></span></span></div>
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<ol style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6667px; margin-bottom: 0mm; margin-top: 0mm;">
<li style="font-size: 11pt; margin-left: 5pt; margin-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";">This is where I spent many many happy hours through very late nights. </span></li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt; margin-left: 5pt; margin-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";">This is the neighborhood where Cassie and I owned a home (920 Spain St). I once tried to launch a coup of the neighborhood association here</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt; margin-left: 5pt; margin-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";">This is where steampunk people eat food</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt; margin-left: 5pt; margin-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";">One of the few bars I will tolerate in the French Quarter</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt; margin-left: 5pt; margin-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";">I love sitting in the window and watching the people around 4pm until dusk</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt; margin-left: 5pt; margin-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";">Neon in the window and old dudes at the bar</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt; margin-left: 5pt; margin-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";">The strawberry ice is made with Ponchatoula strawberries. Amazing. Great selection of sweets.</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt; margin-left: 5pt; margin-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";">There is a bartender there who has been serving drinks for 20 years. That’s amazing. It amazes me that I have had at least one drink and often many more there every year for that same 20</span></li>
<li style="font-size: 11pt; margin-left: 5pt; margin-right: 0pt; padding-left: 0pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri";">Locally owned, locally grown fine dining. This is where progressive New Orleanians eat</span></li>
</ol>
EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-46156754119521776962016-06-20T08:59:00.000-05:002016-06-20T08:59:00.885-05:00Managing Through Plateaus and Disappointment<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the hardest thing I struggle with. And I struggle with many things. I'm constantly amazed at how feedback (or the lack of it) drastically impacts me. I'm very motivated by positive feedback in general and very demotivated by a lack of feedback. I’m actually slightly less demotivated by feedback poorly given. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I take this as a challenge to me. Of course, I can complain about the delivery or quality of the feedback, but it seems more constructive to inoculate myself to it, especially when it comes from those with whom I disagree with or don’t share their perspective. The best feedback comes from those who a) have actually viewed what I've done over time and don't rely on one sample, b) give me meaningful points to build on and finally c) have struggled to build skills themselves versus having some degree of natural aptitude or demonstrating that they indeed need to practice. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the problem is being too driven by feedback, good or bad. That means you are looking outside yourself for validation and self-worth. Still, it’s a balance. We still need to honestly assess and be honestly assessed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the challenge is to identify good teachers for any goal and work with them exclusively, or more attainably, to inoculate myself against bad instruction, because I think I’d rather get less than ideal feedback given with authenticity, then to hear nothing. So while I will work to identify teachers that expect good performance but are also supportive, inoculation is most important. Finding ideal instruction will be a unique circumstance at best. So, how do I do that? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I remember an improv instructor once giving a group of us the advice of taking the feedback that works for you and ignoring the rest. I like this because it means that you don't have to be influenced by trying to achieve something just like someone else with different strengths and talents did. I’ve also watched people that I think are good learners who do the same thing. They try the advice out and if it works for them, they pursue it. And if it doesn’t work for their style, they drop it. Treat everything like an experiment. Some experiments work out and some don’t.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After that, I have to remember that my goals may or may not be different from my teacher’s goals. Do I want to be great at something, or merely competent? And by whose standards? I need to keep in mind the reasons why I practice anything and remember to measure myself by those standards. Another great piece of improv advice was “if you’re not having fun, then you’re the asshole.” Life won’t always be fun as in uninterrupted amusement, but your actions should lead you good places. If you think you’re getting lost, reassess. Maybe you need to get back on course, or maybe you’re heading someplace new.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A great deal of this comes back to remember who you are trying to satisfy. Are you achieving a goal you’ve set for yourself? Are you in competition? Are you trying to impact other people’s perceptions of you? Win someone’s opinion? Any of these can be an absolutely desirable goal, as long as you understand that motivation, especially when you are looking outside yourself for an evaluation and you might not like the feedback. But if this matters <i>for you</i>, go for it with abandon. Just make sure you check your head along the way.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-73322430127230007252016-03-23T09:05:00.000-05:002016-03-23T09:06:43.326-05:00Autonomy<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I read an interesting study the other day. I say “interesting” in this case because it confirmed my instincts. The </span><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/03/people-want-power-because-they-want-autonomy/474669/?single_page=true&utm_content=buffer1f258&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">study</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was a way of measuring how much people crave power and exactly what they want from it. In sum, the study found that most people don't want to control others, but rather they want power so they have autonomy, i.e. they get to control themselves. I've thought about this for years. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-cb1ff337-a3c8-f25a-c7f4-ad2b3aabb8ac" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While I would love to have a VP title to round out my resume, I have not wanted to be anyone's boss in a long time. I like the prestige that can be conferred by the title, the possible perks and greater autonomy, but I don't necessarily want to tell others what to do. My experience managing 50 people when I was in my 20’s was a lesson I learned well. In fact, I am now suspicious of anyone who actually wants to be a boss. That's not to say that I don't like being a coach and helper to my colleagues. I often enjoy these types of positive engagements with people and I crave feedback from my bosses, worded with care, that helps me get better. I like to give others feedback as well, but try hard to offer it in a spirit of "take it or leave it." But most of all, I like being responsible for myself and the good and bad results of my work.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I find power and money to be synonymous to autonomy. The most pleasurable time in my life was when I had a big pile of money saved up. While I certainly spent some of it on a few gadgets, I was generally pretty conservative financially and we lived fairly simply, with a small mortgage to pay on our home, a paid off car and a bicycle that was my primary transportation. The wonderful thing about having two to three years of salary in the bank was the freedom. I wasn’t worried about satisfying a boss or a market in order to be able to eat, keep a roof over my head, or get health care if I fell off my bike. This was the time of greatest productivity for me. I co-founded the <a href="http://www.urbanconservancy.org/" target="_blank">Urban Conservancy</a>, helped launch other non-profit groups, took an active role in my community and major issues, and grew a huge network of friends that I keep to the present day. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While we still live fairly simply, we’re now a single income family in an expensive city. Houses cost a lot in Austin. A lot. A car is an absolute necessity in the sprawl, even though we live in the core of the city. What we do spend our money on is mostly experiences: travel, classes of all sorts, exercise. But the wolves never sound too far away from the door. It’s easy to imagine all sorts of economic disasters in the fragile world we live in right now. </span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My commitment however, is rather than let that fear gnaw quietly in the back of mind, use those thoughts to inspire a pruning down of spending and consumption, to try to tighten up on something that I have spent money on that I could do without. Because reducing the expenses buys a little bit of freedom. I think that's a good investment.</span></div>
EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-84237583013714304362016-03-21T11:20:00.003-05:002016-03-21T11:20:58.941-05:00Know Yourself<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are some things that I know about myself. I learned them through some type of quantification, either formal or informal.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My average weight over the past three years has been 151 pounds</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can subsist on 24oz per day of water, assuming moderate physical activity and 80-85 degrees temperature</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can survive for 3-4 days with no food with minimal impact to my energy or mood.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I typically sleep 7.5 hours per night. I almost always wake up at 5:30 AM. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My mental state suffers at less than 6 hours of sleep. The result is typically slower reaction time, mild depression and irritability</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I travel, I sleep less. I am also more depressed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My stress behavior is typically to want to connect MORE, rather than less with others</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What do you know about yourself? How do you use this information to be more self-aware and manage yourself more effectively?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Know your limits. Know what you can do with yourself. Test yourself before you're tested.</span><br />
<br />EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-55684723126420375632016-03-07T10:23:00.000-06:002016-03-07T10:26:35.596-06:00Focus<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yesterday was the last day of a weekend of baseball tournaments for this guy. Unfortunately, the team was bested by their opponents in a three hotly contested games. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My son is a pretty good ballplayer. He makes up for his average athleticism with a good mind for the game and incredible powers of observation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What really amazes me is his absolute love of the game. After playing a hard game, his only wish besides eating the sandwich he had stuffed in his gear bag was to watch some other teams play. It wasn't watching the team he had just played, it was ANY game. So, after a long day, we sat in the stands and watched more games played by teams we've never heard of. Then we walked to another field where he could watch a team in his league play for the championship.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hunger and baseball overload finally got the best of me and I made the suggestion that we go get some dinner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On our way out of the fields, a homerun baseball came flying over a fence. Santiago shagged it and ran it to the other side, in case the kid who hit it wanted it as a keepsake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm grateful to be around someone who does what they love and makes me better by just watching them interact with the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-67364941848079894532016-03-02T09:31:00.000-06:002016-03-02T09:31:34.163-06:00Sleep<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last night I tried to stay on top of my "sleep hygiene," namely turning off screens and going to bed on time with an appropriate amount of winding down time. While I didn't execute it perfectly, I did get seven and a half hours of some of the most blissful sleep I've gotten in a while. That makes for a good day all around. I have already banged out a workout and I'll do another one at lunch. Plus, my mood is so much better automatically. When I think of how chronically under rested we Americans are (and maybe all of us modern people - my sleep app shows that a lot of countries get even crappier sleep), it's pretty amazing we can get anything done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, I will say that I think we want to avoid a slavish devotion to doing the same thing all the time. While generally getting a good nights sleep is good -and when you're in your late 40's, it's a freaking blessing every time it happens- I also think that we need to break patterns every now and again to give our body new and slight stress to compensate for. So, every now and again, I try to experiment with staying up late and getting up on time, staying out all night doing something moderately exciting like doing that ride along with APD or something else that messes with that pattern. Then watching as the body compensates. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I still avoid doing anything too tricky on days with minimal sleep as my reaction times and my frustration thresholds are pretty lousy on those days. Rather on those days, I try to do moderate exercise, like long walks with exposure to lots of sun to help the brain and body compensate. Your mileage may vary, but just like eating and exercise, occasionally mixing it up is probably good for you as long as you take precautions against injury or stupid errors. I remember once being so tired that I dozed off while being stuck in traffic on Mopac (the busy Austin highway), which absolutely scared the bejeezus out of me. Don't do that.</span>EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-69519651332925481992016-03-01T08:09:00.004-06:002016-03-01T08:09:42.650-06:00Listening<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In keeping with my alarmist postings about people being "checked out," I am thinking about the lack of good listening that goes on in my world. Probably yours too. How many times do you feel like someone is just keeping quiet while you are talking, waiting for the chance to insert what they were going to say, regardless of your point? How many times have you done this, if you're being honest with yourself? I'm a major offender myself. Oftentimes, I've thought up something witty and likely very relevant...to what was said five minutes earlier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week, along with practicing good <a href="http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/sleep-hygiene" target="_blank">sleep hygiene</a> (damn you, Words with Friends!), I'm going to practice listening more and talking less. The challenge I have right now is that we're all competing for airtime and people are so used to being interrupted that they talk and talk and talk if no one busts in. My experiment will be to see how long it takes for someone to finish what they have to say and then hold my tongue for a few seconds more.</span><br />
<br />EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-11591750044438119042016-02-24T15:40:00.000-06:002016-03-01T08:10:18.004-06:00Attention<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lately, I've been very alert to people who are checked out while doing their job. It's fairly obvious with people who have service jobs, or office workers. It's not always so apparent when I'm observing professionals with high requirements for safety: doctors, first responders, truck drivers, etc. But if at least some percentage of these folks are checked out (or distracted by their phones, their own thoughts or otherwise not fully present), this has incredible ramifications for the people they serve, i.e. all of us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is so much competing for our attention all the time. I'm certainly not immune. I'm one inch of finger movement away from checking Facebook RIGHT NOW. What if I'm driving a car at the same time? What if I should be making an important decision at work?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pay attention.</span>EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741063.post-19260182017235846202015-05-12T14:35:00.000-05:002015-05-12T14:36:07.890-05:00What's Harder Than Riding a Moose?<br />
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<b>Reforming health care?</b><br />
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Teddy Roosevelt was the first president to come out as a proponent for universal health care coverage. Roosevelt, running as a third party candidate, announced his support for this during a time of Progressivism in American politics (great reading, the history around the late 1920’s and 30’s, by the way). Given the mood of the country, this idea had HUGE likelihood to actually be enacted when Roosevelt was elected. In fact, the American Medical Association was supportive of it as well as many influential lawmakers.<br />
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It wasn’t partisan politics that led to its demise. It was the ultimate bummer, World War I that was one of the primary reasons for universal health care to be scuttled. Roosevelt had actually borrowed the idea from Germany, whose head of state Otto Von Bismarck had actually enacted this type of coverage in Germany. However, the United States’ mood towards Germany even before its entrance into the war made it quite unpopular to be associated with anything German.<br />
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Another key factor that contributed to the downfall of Roosevelt’s plan was that it was not supported by American Labor, a movement which was perhaps at its strongest point in US history. The movement rallied behind their leaders, particularly Samuel Gompers, who felt that it could actually negotiate better terms for their members by working with employers than they could have by negotiating with the government.<br />
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Amazingly, this time was actually the most supportive in all of US history for such an effort and ultimately, progressive labor could be said to have shot itself in the foot <em>long-term</em> in this instance by inextricably tying health coverage to employment.EMMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15509200641643760496noreply@blogger.com0