Real Men Drink Tea!

Real Men Drink Tea!

I started drinking green tea out of laziness.  Seriously, who has the time to brew coffee?  Plus, all the added pressure of having to have sugar, non-spoiled milk, and a spoon handy.  Way too much pressure for me... well at least younger me.  While laziness brought me green tea, the taste and health benefits have made me a lifelong convert.

What makes green tea so good?  Green tea is created from unfermented Camelia sinesis leaves.  Those leaves possess a very high concentration of antioxidants.  Antioxidants help the body fight free radicals that have harmful effects the body's cells.  It is commonly accepted that radicals contribute to many heath problems.  Toxins from cigarette smoke, liquor, and a lot of other fun stuff contribute to the creation and acceleration of free radical growth.  Several laboratory studies have suggested that drinking green tea helps neutralize the effects of the free radicals.    

Sure most of that sounds fancy smancy but all it means is that green tea will help your body fight the negative effects from a wild Saturday night!

Results from many laboratory experiments theorize that drinking green tea can help prevent, or slow the advancement of, several types of cancers including: breast cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer.  It has also shown to assist individuals battling other illnesses too.  Green tea has been shown to: help control blood sugar levels assisting people with diabetes, boost metabolism to help the body burn fat more efficiently leading to weight loss, lower the inflammation caused by arthritis, and many more.

Green tea typically has caffeine which can cause some users to experience negative side effects.  Common side effects include: insomnia, anxiety, irritability, upset stomach, nausea, and diarrhea.  However, it is very easy to find naturally decaffeinated tea bags.


I'm drinking a mug of decaf green tea right now as I write this post.


Most of the time I drink my green tea plain but from time to time I get a little fancy and try one of these alternatives:

• Add some honey - Some people think that the taste of plain green tea is a little bitter.  Honey is a nice natural sweetener that may help.
• Add some whiskey - This is a personal favorite!  It creates a warm sake like effect.  A mug or three eliminates all daily stress!
• Add fresh garlic - I do this when I begin to not feel well.  Not only does this help keep away colds it also keeps everyone else away!  I've even convinced my wife to try this a few time!

Let me know if you have any unique ways to drink green tea...
If.... or should I say when you try the green tea and whiskey let me know what you think!


Green tea is a great drink that offers many possible health effects.  Grab a mug and give it a shot!



Sources:

100 for 100

My schedule doesn't easily allow me to fully workout everyday.  Typically I have about three days a week where I can find time to break a sweat, but schedules often change and "emergencies" seem happen and get in the way.  To supplement my normal workout schedule, and add some consistency to my routine, I've decided to do 100 pushups everyday for 100 days.  As I'm writing this post I've just completed day 46.

"Get comfortable with being uncomfortable!" ~ Jillian Michaels

Why pushups? Pushups are a very basic body weight exercise.  They build strength in your core, forearms, wrists, upper arms, shoulders and chest.  Pushups are also proven to increase your metabolism, and boost your confidence.  Plus they give you an effective workout in very little time.

"I believe that every human has a finite amount of heartbeats.  I don't intend to waste any of mine running around doing exercises." ~ Neil Armstrong

Check out this Bloom to Fit video demonstrating 48 pushup variations:

"Yesterday is gone.  Tomorrow has not yet come.  We have only today.  Let us begin." ~ Mother Teresa

Carpe diem! Start your own streak today!

Get going and let me know how you do.

Running Games

Running is fun, but running for extended distances can get pretty boring at times.  To limit the boredom, I try to run in new and interesting places and play simple games along the way. 

A fun game, particularly during this time of the year, is to see how many leaves I can catch during my run. 

What do you do to keep you mind focused on long runs?

"Long distance running is 90% mental and the other half is physical." -Rich Davis

Taking a Stand at Work

Sometimes it feels like the powers that be at work are trying to keep you down.  Not in a motivational sense, but in the stay seated and do your work sense.  For the past month, I've been fighting those powers and standing the whole time at work.  I converted my cube from a normal 'grow old and retire cube' to a high action power standing cube!     

 "Writing and travel broaden your ass if not your mind and like to write standing up." ~Ernest Hemingway

The American Cancer Society found that women who sat more than six hours a day were 37 percent more likely to die an early death then women who sat for less than three hours a day and men were 18 percent more likely.  To make it worse, other studies have have suggested that the time you spend exercising does not negate the time time you spend sitting and being lazy when it comes to heart-disease.  Statistics have shown that the more hours a day you spend sitting increases your chances of living sickly or dying young.  Exercise, even daily, don't allow you to escape this truth.

"Regularly exercising is not the same as being active.  A person may hit the gym every day, but if he's sitting a good deal of the rest of the time, he's probally not leading an overall active life." ~Peter Katzmarzyk, Ph.D

Standing cubes, while not a new idea, have been growing in popularity over the past few years.  I first saw a standing cube last year while touring the Treasury Building in DC and the Wall Street Journal did an article last year refering to them as "Silicon Valley's newest status symbol" (Standing Desks Are on the Rise).   Some notable standing workers include:  Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Winston Chirchill, Earnest Hemingway and Donald Rumsfield.  Currently in my office, myself and about five others have transitioned to the standing cube.

"Prolonged sitting is a risk factor for all-cause mortality, independent of physical activity.  Public health programs should focus on reducing sitting time in addition to increasing physical activity levels."  ~Archives of Internal Medicine

So what's it like standing all day?  Don't your legs start to bother you?  Standing all day is certainly different than sitting all day.  There isn't that "let me sit down and get to work" feeling when you arrive because... well... you don't sit down.  Standing locked into one place can get uncomfortable after just a little while, so I find myself swaying and rocking back and forth a lot.  I admit, if others could see my movements through out the day they would probally think I'm crazy crazy!

"Excessive sitting is a lethal activity." ~Dr. James Levine, Mayo Clinic

With one month in the books I don't plan on stopping this experiment anytime soon.  If you are looking for a way to get more active and shake-up your at work experience at the same time - I highly recommend giving the standing cube a try.

My Product Review: Vibram FiveFingers - KOMODOSPORT

"With today's athlete in mind, Vibram FiveFingers has raised the intensity with the Vibram FiveFingers KomodoSport. This aggressive multisport design inherits what we love about the KSO with functional improvements that appeal to the most active fitness enthusiast. For the first time ever, Vibram introduces a stitch-free, seamless 2mmfootbed to reduce friction. Heel and instep hook-and-loop closures help secure the stretch nylon upper to the contours of your foot-just like a second skin. The KomodoSport wouldn't be complete without a4mm Vibram TC1 performance rubber outsole which provides the grip and protection you need for a variety of cross training activities. Machine Wash, Air Dry.” ~ www.vibramfivefingers.com

General Product Info:
Type: Running, fitness, minimalist
Cost: $110
Materials: UPPER - Stretch Mesh and Polyamide - SOLE - TC-1 Rubber - FOOTBED - 3mm PU & CoolMax - Machine washable. - Air dry away from sun or heat source.


My thoughts:
I had considered buying a pair of these since I first saw a fellow participant wearing them at the 2009 McGuire “Beast of the East” Mud Run and since then have gotten close to buying a pair several times, but could never seem to pull the trigger. Just after this past Christmas, in need of a little extra something to get me motivated enough to go for a run in the cold, I decided to just go for it and buy a pair.

"Stadiums are for spectators.  We runners have nature and that is much better. ~Juha Väätäinen

Prior to buying them, I was concerned about how comfortable it would be having my toes separated. However, after wrestling with the shoe to get them on, and finally getting all of my toes into the right spots, I knew that these funny looking shoes were going to be fun! They were much more comfortable than I was expecting. They felt more like an extension of my foot as opposed to something I was wearing on my foot.

"Running is real and relatively smple, but it ain't easy." ~Mark Will-Weber

Minimalist shoes, like those offered by Vibram, have really gained in popularity ever since Christopher McGougall's "Born to Run” book hit shelves in 2009. The book tells the story of how the Tarahumara Indians are able to run great distances barefoot. Since then, many articles have been written to the pros and cons of running barefoot or with minimalist shoes. The pro camp claims that the human body was designed to run. And only recently have we begun doing wearing shoes. The con camp claims that most people are not perfect running machines and shoes can assist runners compensate for their physical shortcomings. Both camps claim to be the healthier, better option.

"Every run is a great run!" ~Sasha Azevedo

Before buying the shoes, and since, I’ve read quite a few articles about how to properly ease into this type or running to avoid injury. Most runners won’t be able to put on a pair and run as they normally would without some discomfort. Typical running shoes absorb much of the impact and provide stability to the runner. Since these shoes don’t provide cushion, or additional stability, the runner must adjust his/her stride to feel totally comfortable while running. It does take a few minutes to get your stride down but once you do it feels very comfortable and natural. However, I found my feet and legs got tired very quickly. This was because my muscles were being used in new ways. Experts recommend transitioning to these shoes be done slowly. Starting off with about 10% of your normal running load and slowly building up and I would certainly agree... but too many miles too fast isn’t the only way one can hurt themselves.

"Learn to run when feeling the pain: then push harder. ~William Sigei

My interest in these shoes had nothing to proper running form or healthy running. I was more interested in wearing them to get muddy. This pair in particular, I bought to wear during the Tough Mudder event I’ll be doing in April. So far, all of my running I’ve done in these shoes has been done in the woods on and off the trails. Instead of avoiding mud, I aimed for the mud. (Yes, the mud feels cold and mushy between the toes.) Who needs bridges? Not me, when I could just run in the creek.

"Life is short... running makes it seem longer." ~Baron Hanson

So... I got hurt. I pulled something in my leg. But my injury wasn’t because of too many miles, or poor running form, it was done trying to do something silly. I hurt my leg while trying to jump out of a creek onto a steep muddy embankment and crawl up the hill. Why was I trying to do this? I’m not sure, it was not the first odd decision I made on that run but it was the last.

"My greatest ideas stem from running." ~Sasha Azevedo

So would I recommend a pair? Absolutely. The shoes are comfortable and easy to wash. Up until my injury, I had fun every time I wore them. Actually, I had fun the time I hurt myself too!  But if you get a pair use them wisely -start slow and remember you are not a superhero just because you are wearing super shoes. 

Movember - A Look Back

Well, I survived Movember and my face is now back to normal.  My month of facial hair beauty was quite a unique learning experience.  The most prevalent lesson learned was that the stache is a powerful tool and should only be worn by the most manly of men.  When you don a stache, you are no longer viewed as a mortal man - you are a Rock Star!  

"BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE: If you are not already doing some form of exercise, start small and work up to a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activities most days of the week." ~Movember.com

Over the course of time, the world has had the pleasure of sharing space with some great moustaches:  Hulk Hogan, Ned Flanders, Tom Selleck, Charlie Chaplin, Einstein, Super Mario, Groucho Marx, and Burt Reynolds. But for unknown reasons, the stache is no longer a mainstream look.  Instead, the stache has more of a cult-like following along with the likes of the mullet and acid washed jeans.  When one decides to grow the stache, they can not do so with half intentions, or the greatness of the look will consume you.

"EAT A HEART HEALTHY DIET: Fill up with fruits and vegetables, whole grains; include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and eat foods low in saturated fats, trans-fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars." ~Movember.com

While growing the stache was fun, and it gave me something to talk about for the month, the main goal of Movember is to educate men about the health risks they face and to raise awareness of healthy actions they can take to prevent illness.  While I'm sure I could have done more to promote those issues, I talked to enough people to feel I did my part.  I think I may have even convinced a few people to participate next year!  

"MANAGE YOUR STRESS: Stress, particularly long-term stress, can be the factor in the onset or worsening of ill health.  Managing your stress is essential to your health & well being and should be practiced daily." ~Movember.com

Men's health is important not only during Movember but everyday!  So men, don't forget to check your balls! 

 

Below is a pictorial journey of my stache...

 Day 8 

 Day 13 - at Tough Mudder

 Day 14

 Day 16

 Day 22 - Co-workers getting into the spirit!

 Day 26 - The stache at the beach.

 Day 27 - The stache tours the city with the boy.

 Day 30 - The end is near!

 It was one wild month!

Time to go...

Free at last!

Tough Mudder - Mission Complete

This past weekend I completed the Tri-State Tough Mudder in Englishtown, NJ.  Billed as “Probably the Toughest Event on the Planet” this Tough Mudder event was a 12 mile obstacle course designed to test the all-around strength, stamina, mental grit and camaraderie of its participants.  Would it live up to its billing?

First off, I would definitely recommend a Tough Mudder event to anyone interested in entering a challenging but fun event. Obviously, this event is not for everyone but if you think that you have what it takes... go for it! (Click here to read my original 'Tough Mudder' post describing the course.)

After entering the Tough Mudder it is difficult to explain the event to others without mentioning "Electroshock Therapy". It is the one obstacle that sticks in everyone mind. It is the one that makes your mom think you lost your mind. Mud - you know about mud. Cold - you know about cold. Twelve miles - you understand running twelve miles. But most people don't really know about being electrocuted. Could it really be that bad? Well... after going through it and discussing it with my running mates I've learned that it just depends on how the wires hit you. You may feel a little jolt or what one of my team members described as "getting kicked in the face by a mule." But know this, when you run through the obstacle you will get shocked!

For me, getting shocked was never really a concern. It was fun to mention but nothing I thought about as something to worry about. What did concern me was the tunnels. I'm not a fan of tight places so the idea of crawling though a dark tunnel under ground was not too compelling. Since the Tough Mudder is a two day event and I was running on the second day. I decided to see if anyone posted and videos of the course. That's when I found this video... it didn't ease my concerns regarding tight spaces.

But as it turns out the tunnels were not the biggest challenge.  It also wasn't the fire, the mud, the twelve miles, carrying a tire around a race track, the hills, etc... it was the COLD water!  I have never been in such cold water and a few years ago I had a broken water heater for a few weeks in November!  After one of the water events I saw a person whose face was dark purple with spots that appeared ghostly white.  (I'm not 100% sure but I don't think they let that guy finish.)

Instead of trying to explain the experience, here's a video that runner made the same day I did the event. It doesn't capture everything but it gives you a good idea...

All-in-all it was a fun challenge and I'm glad that I did it.  If you decide to enter a Tough Mudder event I highly recommend doing it with a group of people.  It makes the adventure more fun!

New York City Marathon... A year later

With the 2011 New York City Marathon right around the corner, I’ve been thinking a lot about my experience running it last year.  And since the expiration date for me rehashing the story without living too much in the past is quickly approaching, I thought now would be as good a time as any to tell my story.  Hopefully it will calm the nerves of someone about to run it this year and maybe inspire someone else to run it next year.

Why did I want to run the marathon?
I didn’t have any great reason to want to run a marathon other than just to say I did it.  For whatever reason, I kept hearing about marathons.  It was either someone I loosely knew was running one or stories on the news, but one way or another I kept hearing about them and it planted a seed.  At that point, I really didn’t run very often and would not have considered myself a runner.  Sure I had gone through brief periods of time where I would take a jog but nothing too substantial.  My biggest challenge to date was a 10k mud run.  The idea of running a marathon was kind of crazy.    

"Marathoning is just another form of insanity" ~John J. Kelly     

One day, after hearing an inspirational story about a about a person that overcame a grave illness and went on to accomplish some grand goal, I remember thinking that if I ever get some disease or illness that I hope I’m one of the people that fights back as opposed to just rolling over and accepting my fate.  

"If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon." ~ Katherine Switzer

But why should I wait for a potential tragedy to motivate me?  I was perfectly healthy and able now but wasn’t doing anything special, why should I wait?  So I decided that I would run a marathon.  Knowing that completing the goal would take a lot of time and motivation, I decided that it would be easier for me to get psyched up over a major marathon as opposed to a local race.       

How did I get in?
Immediately following the 2009 New York City marathon, I went to their site to find out more information and discovered there are many ways to become a participant.  The “simplest” way is to pledge to raise a large sum of money or to get in through a lottery.  So... I added the lottery entry date into my calender and then basically forgot about it.     

"The marathon is a charismatic event.  It has everything.  It has drama.  It has competition. It has camaraderie.  It has heroism.  Every jogger can't dream of being an Olympic champion, but he can dream of finishing a marathon." ~Fred LeBow 

A few months later, I received an email alert that today was the day that the lottery would open.  At first, I ignored the message.  Running a marathon would be crazy.  But as the day went on, the thought of running kept coming back into my mind.  So I did a little research and realized that the odds of me being selected were quite small.  So I went for it...  if I didn’t get in it would still be an interesting story (sort of).

"You should run your first marathon for the right reasons, because you'll never be the same person again.  You must want to do it, not because your boss or spouse did it." ~Bill Wenmark

About a week before the lottery results were going to be announced, I figured it would be a good idea to go for a jog.  Considering that it was quite possible that I’d be training for a marathon, it seemed like a pretty solid idea.  Well, as it turns out it was a good idea because to my surprise I was one of the lucky people selected.

My Training Plan
The first thing I did was research how to train for a marathon.  I read as much as I could and tried to learn the basics.  Quickly I realized that most training plans only lasted a few months.  So I decided my the best thing for me to do was to get running, build up my miles and over the next couple of months develop my training plan.

"A marathoner is a marathoner regardless of time.  Virtually everyone who tries the marathon has put in training over months, and it is that exercise and that commitment, physical and mental, that gives meaning to the medal, not just the day's effort, be it fast or slow.  It is conquering the challenge." ~Mary R. Wittenberg

I researched just about every site, blog, and book I could get my hands on.  What I learned was that marathoners, and marathon training plans for that manner,  fall into one of two groups.

1. Anyone can run a marathon.  With proper training and pacing anyone can finish and enjoy the marathon experience.  Oprah ran a marathon, how hard could it be?
2. Marathons are only for serious runners.  If you are not running 75+ miles a week and training everyday you should not enter a marathon.  Marathons should not be a bucket list achievement but instead a race that you intend to win.  The first person to run a marathon died so only the fittest should attempt!

I ultimately found both groups rather annoying.  Group 1 was too easy going and Group 2 was out of my league, so I ultimately developed my own plan.  My plan certainly won’t be touted by anyone as a recommended option but it worked for me.  I basically ran three days a week and tried to improve each week.  My plan kept my legs fresh while still allowing me to work towards the 26.2 goal.  (If you are interested my training log can be viewed here:  My Training Log)

"No doubt a brain and some shoes are essential for marathon success, although if it comes down to a choice, pick the shoes.  More people finish marathons with no brains than with no shoes." ~Don Kardong

One race day tip offered by almost all sources was to do nothing new or different on race day.  During your training you should figure out what actions work best with your body and stick to them.  Good in theory, but this run was going to be different than all of my training runs.  I never had: travel to take a run, catch a bus to a parking lot where I’d have to wait in the cold, and I had never run as far as I was going to run.

The Big Event
The night before the race was surreal.  After all my months of training, coming to NY and partaking in all of the pre-race hoopla, the race was all that was left.  Was my training sufficient?

"The body does not want you to do this.  As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be strong.  You always go too far for your body.  You must handle the pain with strategy... It is not age; it is not diet.  It is the will to succeed. ~Jacqueline Gareau

Standing at the starting line I felt great.  Any shred of doubt I had was gone.  I was going to run the New York City Marathon and I was going to do it now.  I felt pumped!

"The Marathon is an art; the marathoner is an artist." ~Kiyoshi Nakamura

Aside from just finishing, I had a personal goal of finishing somewhere between 4:30 and 5 hours.  As the race began, I felt healthy and confident that I could accomplish my goal.  After the first few miles, my confidence grew.  

"A marathon is a string of moments, mixtures of events and emotions that we sample as we move along." ~Unknown

I felt so good, I quickly got caught up in the excitement and was giving the spectators high-fives as I ran the course.  I stopped briefly twice to say hello to two groups of people that made the trip to see me run.  (They were both exactly where I thought they would be and I found them without any difficulties.)  Around the 13 mile mark I was ahead of my goal time and still felt great.  I felt unstoppable...  

"The marathon can humble you" ~Bill Rodgers

Over the next few miles things began to change and my body quickly began to tire.  I slowed down, walked a few times, but managed to keep going.  Despite feeling tired, and going noticeably slower, I was still confident that I would not only finish, but still manage to finish within my desired time.  However, my spirits quickly began to damper with about 8 miles to go.  I knew I would finish (no matter what I was going to finish) but my goal time was quickly becoming unrealistic. Approaching mile 20, I was 4 hours into my race. To achieve my time goal, I would need pick up my pace and gut out the last six.

"If you feel bad at 10 miles, you're in trouble. If you feel bad at 20 miles, you're normal. If you don't feel bad at 26 miles, you're abnormal." ~Rob de Castella

I gave those last few miles everything I had.  My legs were shot, I was chafed, snot was flowing out of my nose, and tears were flowing down my face with each step, but I kept going as best I could.  At this point the race became personal.  I set a goal, worked towards the goal, and had the goal insight.  All I needed to do was make it a reality.

"If you want to win something, run 100 meters.  If you want to experience something, run a marathon." ~Emil Zatopek

When it was all said and done I finished in 4 hours and 56 minutes.  

"There will be days you didn't think you can a marathon.  There will be a lifetime of knowing you have." ~Unknown

I know my time is far from great, but it is my time.  I put in a lot of hours into getting that time and I am proud of every second.  

Movember - The Stache is Back!

The time has come for me to release my inner stache! This November, along with men (and women) from around the world, I will be improving my look by donning a moustache. 

"I...left the stubble on my upper lip for a moustache I planned to grow" ~P. Theroux

Now, I'm sure many of you are thinking: "of course you should grow a mustache - it is an all-time classic look", "Nice!" or "Great, I was thinking how awesome a stache would look on Jay". And for those kind thoughts I thank you, but this endeavor is about more than just looking awesome. The goal of the moustache is to celebrate Movember to and help raise awareness of health issues affecting men.

Napoleon Dynamite: How long did it take you to grow that moustache? Pedro: A couple of days. ~Quote from the movie: Napoleon Dynamite

The information listed below was taken from Movember.com. Please take the time to read it over and afterwards share it, or what you have learned, with someone you care about. Men are people too!

Thanks,

Jay

WHAT IS MOVEMBER?

Movember is the month formerly known as November, where men and women across the globe join together to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues. Men grow a Mo (moustache) for 30 days to become a walking, talking billboards, for our men’s health causes - specifically cancers affecting men.

Men who support Movember, called Mo Bros, start by registering at Movember.com. Mo Bros start Movember 1st clean-shaven, then grow and groom their Mo, for the rest of the month, raising money along the way. Women who support Movember, called Mo Sistas, also start by registering at Movember.com. Mo Sistas champion the Mo by supporting their Mo Bros, organizing events, leading a team and spreading the important message of men’s health.

MEN'S HEALTH FACTS

• The average life expectancy for men is five years less than women (presently 77 years old compared to 82).
• 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 3 women will be.
• Evidence suggests that about a third of the 571,950 cancer deaths expected to occur will be related to obesity, physical inactivity, poor nutrition and thus could be prevented.
• 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. 240,890 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed and 33,720 men will die.
• Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in American males between the ages of 15 and 34. 8,290 men will be diagnosed with the disease and 350 will die.
• Smoking accounts for at least 30% of all cancer deaths and 87% of lung cancer deaths. An estimated 115,060 men will be diagnosed with lung cancer and 85,600 men will die from the disease.
• While not as common, men can get breast cancer. About 2,140 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among men and about 450 men will die from the disease.
• The most common cancer in the US, skin cancer strikes 1 in 5 Americans. An estimated 43,890 men will be diagnosed with skin cancer and 8,080 men will die from the disease.
• An estimated 13 million adult men over the age of 20 in the US have diabetes- and a third do not know it.
• Approximately 50 million men and women in the US have high blood pressure- almost 30 per cent of them do not know it.
• About 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure, and blood pressure tends to rise with age.
• 1 in 8 men who suffer from mental illness actually seek help (inspire.org).
• Four times as many men commit suicide compared with women.
• 24% of men are less likely to go to the doctor compared to women.

Let’s face it, men are known to be more indifferent towards their health, especially when compared to the efforts of women, who proactively and publicly address their health issues in a way not traditionally seen with men. As a result, today the levels of awareness, understanding and funding for support of male health issues, like prostate cancer, lag significantly behind causes such as breast cancer.

The reasons for the poor state of men’s health in the US and around the world are numerous and complex and this primarily due to a lack of awareness of the health issues men face. This can largely be attributed to the reluctance of men openly discussing the subject due to longstanding traditions, coupled with an ‘it’ll be alright’ attitude. Men are less likely to schedule doctors’ appointments when they feel ill or for an annual physical, thereby denying them the chance of early detection and effective treatment of common diseases.   

Studies show that many men don’t get regular health checks for the following reasons:

• Fear it will lead to a hospital visit.
• Embarrassed to discuss their health issues.
• Find it too hard to see a doctor because they just can’t fit it into their schedule.
• Just can’t be bothered making an appointment.

Statistics show that, on average, men die at a younger age than women – the average life expectancy for men is five years less than women (presently 77 compared to 82). That said, despite trailing the women’s health movement, things are beginning to change, but much more progress needs to be made to close the gap between the state of men and women’s health.  Established taboos and barriers relating to men’s health are gradually being broken down.
Movember aims to change the face of men’s health and reverse this way of thinking by putting a fun twist on this serious issue. Using the moustache as a catalyst, we want to bring about change and give men the opportunity and confidence to talk about their health more openly.

Movember's primary campaign objective is to raise awareness of men's health issues, specifically cancers affecting men. We want everyone to know that most cancers are highly curable if caught in the early stages - including prostate and testicular cancer.  Movember aims to increase early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment, as this will ultimately reduce the number of deaths from cancer.  It’s time men face the startling health facts.

It’s not all bad news! Maintaining a good diet, smart lifestyle choices and getting regular medical check-ups and screening tests can dramatically influence your health, Regardless of age, stay on top of your game by doing the following:

HAVE AN ANNUAL PHYSICAL
Find a doctor and make a yearly appointment each Movember for a general health check.  Getting annual checkups, preventative screening tests, and immunizations are among the most important things you can do to stay healthy.

DON’T SMOKE!
If you do smoke, stop! Compared to non-smokers, men who smoke are about 23 times more likely to develop lung cancer.  Smoking causes about 90% of lung cancer death in men.

BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE
If you are not already doing some form of exercise, start small and work up to a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.

EAT A HEART HEALTHY DIET
Fill up with fruits, vegetables, whole grains; include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and eat foods low in saturated fats, trans-fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

STAY AT A HEALTHY WEIGHT
Balance calories from foods and beverages with calories you burn off by physical activities.

MANAGE YOUR STRESS
Stress, particularly long-term stress, can be the factor in the onset or worsening of ill health. Managing your stress is essential to your health & well being and should be practiced daily.

DRINK ALCOHOL IN MODERATION
Alcohol can be part of a healthy balanced diet, but only if it’s in moderation, which means no more than two drinks a day. A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.

KNOW YOUR FAMILY HEALTH HISTORY
Start a discussion with your relatives about the health issues they’ve had in the past. Be sure to learn about relatives that are deceased too.  

Keeping Pace...

On a recent run along the canal, I noticed a fellow runner in the distance and decided that I should catch that runner.  So I picked up my pace a bit and started my pursuit towards this unknown runner.

"A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more." ~Steve Prefontaine

After about half of a mile, and seemingly only gaining slightly on the the runner ahead, I decided the best approach would be to just keep a nice steady pace and slowly catch the runner over the next few miles.  Since this stranger didn’t even know I was chasing him, he certainly wasn’t going to be impressed by me passing him and then collapsing at his feet in my personal victory.  

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

With only a few hundred more yards to go, before I was to exit the path, I finally unceremoniously passed that runner.  

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.... or not

My real goal was to get to my destination, not to pass this person.  As I approached my exit, still feeling proud of myself, I suddenly realized that the bridge I was going to cross was not there.  The bridge was removed and the area was surrounded by construction equipment.  This jog just got interesting!

"To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping." ~Chinese Proverb

Recently everything in my life has been interesting.  At home I’m still adjusting my routine to having baby #2.  Baby girl is growing and changing almost daily while the boy keeps developing into his own person.  At only three years old he already thinks he knows it all.  The potty training is still moving along slowly but regardless... he thinks he knows it all.  (Only two weeks til preschool starts!)  At work, no different...my situation keeps changing.  As soon as I think I’ve set up one thing, I find out something else is in the works.  Throw in the fact that Tough Mudder is fast approaching and every aspect of my life is... interesting.      

"Success is not a place at which one arrives but rather the spirit with which one undertakes and continues the journey." ~Alex Noble

So I kept going down the path as the lack of a bridge ran through my mind.  I knew of a bridge a few more miles down the path but there had to be a closer bridge, right?  After pondering this for a few minutes I stopped running to determine if crossing the canal was an option.  Moments later, that mystery runner passed me, but I had other issues now.  

"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us." ~John Steinbeck

So my five-miler turned into nine and half, and the last few were down a stretch of road I don’t plan to revisit. But, I reached my goal.  During those last few miles I was really happy that I didn’t burn myself out chasing that mystery runner.  I just kept a nice pace and was able to finish despite how the circumstances changed.

"Too often we are so preoccupied with the destination, we forget the journey" ~Unknown

Now I just have to remember to pace myself with everything else in my life...  

Run til you're tired... then keep running!

As a kid, the thought of me exercising would have been crazy. I was way too busy playing basketball, riding my bike, playing manhunt, running around, etc. to have any interest or need for exercise. What would have been the point?

"Whenever I feel like exercise, I lie down until the feeling passes." ~Robert M Hutchins

Regardless of the activity, I could just go and go all day.  I  don’t remember ever getting tired or sore and I certainly don’t remember ever having to take a day off or having to take it easy because I played the day before.  I just had fun.

"Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game." ~Michael Jordan 

Now, as another birthday has arrived, I unfortunately have to exercise to avoid falling completely apart.  Sure, sometimes a workout can be fun but most of the time it isn’t fun.  But the lack of fun is kind of what I like.

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.
It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed.
Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up.
It knows that it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve.
It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle
when the sun comes up you'd better be running.

(But, unless you're a runner, you won't understand.)

~Anon

The other day I was on an afternoon run.  The heat and excessive humidity were making it difficult for me to breathe and covered me in sweat.  With each stride my shirt moved just enough to being chafing me raw.  While this may not sound ideal, I realized that the temporary suffering is what I like about running.

"Human beings are made up of flesh and blood, and a miracle fiber called courage" ~George Patton

When I first started running, I would run a couple of blocks and feel exhausted.  When the exhaustion became too great, I would slow down and begin to walk.  Walking would instantly make me feel better.  Ironically, the quick removal of the discomfort hurt my pride more than the running hurt.  How could it go from so bad to perfectly fine so quickly?  

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." ~Confucius

I began to ask myself on runs... did I want to feel better temporarily or feel great when I was done?  Sure, sometimes I still have to give in and walk but most of the time I’m able to push through.  The more I have to fight myself to keep going the more rewarding it is when I’m finished.

"Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started." ~Steve Prefontaine