Ya Gotta Start Somewhere--Foundation Block 1

I turned 58 in December.  Not a particularly auspicious year as years go.  Except for a couple of things.

First, I'm 30+ lbs. lighter than was on my 57th birthday and my waist is now 34 inches instead of 38.  That is very nice!  It is astonishing to look in the mirror and see a waist!

I have no idea if anybody is interested in how I did it, but I'm going to use this blog to document it, just for my own edification.  As is often the case with change, once "the change" becomes the norm and we forget how we got there.

First, let me give credit where credit is due.  Very little of the process I'm going to be describing would have been possible without Carolyn's help (she's my wife of 36 years for the those who may not know me well).  For many years, she has had a deep interest in alternative medicine, especially those science-based alternatives.  Her viewpoint is that alliopathic medicine is great for acute and emergency issues.  If you are having a heart attack, the ER is the best place of you.

If you want to keep from having a heart attack, not so much!  So, her quest to "stay well" rather than "get unsick" has been of great benefit to me.

Which leads me to very important disclaimer!  I'm not a doctor or medical professional and NOTHING I discuss  in this blog is meant to be an endorsement or recommendation for you personally!  Anytime you change your diet, exercise program and, especially medication, you should always consult a trusted medical professional!

Ok, with that out of the way, here is the first block in the foundation--hormone balancing.

Women know all about this.  Men, on the other hand, are clueless!

We go through a process similar to menopause, referred to by some as andropause.  The difference between men and women is that with men it starts earlier and is far more gradual.  We start "slowing down," become couch potatoes and end up with Type II diabetes, erectile dysfunction and, ultimately prostate cancer if we live long enough, and heart attacks or strokes that kill us quicker.  Key to this decline is another process called "metabolic syndrome" and the conventional wisdom is that all of this is just a process of getting old.

That is wrong!  It is not simple to undo and sometimes damage has been done.  But your deceleration and decline is not inevitable.  Yea, we all die.  But we can have a dramatically higher quality of life than many think possible by paying attention now, even in our 50s and 60s!

Here is a place to start.

I'll be posting a lot more on this topic.  It is vital to the success I've had getting and staying healthy! Buy the book.  It'll be the best $15 you've spent in a while!