Becoming your doctor within

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”-Hippocrates.

Did you know that the Internet is the new TV? Were you aware that you tube has more people watching it daily than all the major American TV networks combined? What if I told you that you could watch medical doctors and other health professionals talk for free, often for an hour or more, without making an appointment and paying a ton of money, just by typing in some words on you tube. So we have incredible technology at our fingertips (or keyboards :).

It's unprecedented. Start small. Type in areas that interest you. Since our country has the highest rate of disease in the world, I wanted to know about obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, organic foods, exercise, doctor lectures on health, etc. It's a way to start educating yourself. And that's the beginning of getting to a healthy lifestyle. Once you stop listening to commercials, billboard ads, radio spots and advertising, you can fine tune becoming knowledgeable about your health. That's taking your power back.

Ranman desert picture of the day: pineapple, banana, yogurt with maple syrup, granola, cinnamon and nutmeg. All organic.

Staying the course

I ain't no genius, that's for sure. I'm just another regular american that came real close to a heart attack or  stroke, something 600,000 of us here do each year and die. The pain in my lungs from multiple blood clots in that ER room was tremendous and no vicodin or dialadin worked until they came at me with morphine. But I'm smart enough to know it was just a short amount of time before some really bad stuff happened. I remember the nurse saying 'you made it. You got here in time. 50% don't ever leave their home. They just die right on the spot'. Gotta' love how blunt medical professionals are, eh?

So my motivation is very strong for never leaving healthy foods again. I believe that the foods we eat are the strongest possible medicine for our bodies. And I really like how good I am feeling these days :) It's been seven months now since I had my last burger and fries. And I just didn't think that was possible to do!

I don't have the room that others may have if I slip and start eating the foods that I feel made me sick. I take full responsibility for my heath choices now. And that's not something I used to do. One victory at a time, built upon one another, eventually wins the war.

Ranman dinner picture of the day: Whole Foods free range, grass fed chicken, lundberg short grain brown rice, raw almonds, sunflower seeds, teriaki and tamari sauces. All organic.

Attitude is everything

Growing up, I rebelled, like a lot of us. But now days, I'm all about 'buying in' to something I am interested in. So a positive, can do attitude can work wonders. Especially when it comes to health. When I go see my doctor every month, my favorite phrase to her is, 'whatever you want me to do, Dr, I am going to do it' :) Of course she loves that, but my point here is she is on my side, my team and here to help me. And my mindset is that I need to give her my full attention and work with her to get the greatest benefit I can. For in the end, it all benefits me. Only took me a few decades to figure that one out :)

So I listen to the doctors and nutritionists and other health minded professionals speak on healthy lifestyle and I do all I can to emulate that. I research, experiment with recipes that taste good, read labels on foods I buy, ask questions, etc. But the person who continues to inspire and influence me the most is my step father. He was a fisherman, a produce man for over 30 years and ran a health food store when I was young. He's been eating healthy foods for decades and has never taken an aspirin, had a stomach ache or even been to a doctor in his entire life! He acts like a man 30 years younger. So I do everything I can to learn from him. And that's probably the wisest choice I have ever made in my return to health.

Ranman lunch picture of the day: Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, salmon, curry powder, balsamic vinegar, pumpkin seeds and hazelnuts. All organic.

Choosing the choices

This one made me think for awhile.
"Obesity, diabetes, heart disease & high-blood pressure are all diet-related health issues that cost this country more than $120 billion each year". First Lady Michelle Obama. 
With such devastating statistics like this, it makes you wonder why people don't heed that knowledge and make a healthier change. But once you get out of the home, what do you see? Everywhere, within easy access, are restaurants, drive throughs, stands, convenience stores and markets filled with food that will eventually (in my opinion) make you part of the above statistics.

We grow up trusting our government to make sure our food supply is safe and healthy. And it takes work to read between the lines. You start reading food labels and you start seeing allot of stuff that ain't so good for you. But this is all part of the new educational process that is going viral on the internet. People are getting smart about this stuff.

Getting a big picture on your health involves lots of choices. And choosing the choices that are healthy for you can only benefit you and your life. The results are astonishing if you'll give them a chance. 

Ranman dinner picture of the day: garlic, white onions, red bell pepper, asparagus, zucchini, brown rice, tamari and teriaki sauce, sunflower seeds and cashew nuts. All organic. 

Don't leave home without it

So, it's morning and you are getting ready for work. This is a vulnerable food choice time for most of us. If you were anything like me, you were thinking, 'I'll just pick up a large latte and sweet roll at Starbucks on my way in'. Not good.

How about this scenario? The night before, put a few things in some zip lock bags so you can just grab and go the next morning. I keep fruit always at the ready, for example. Washed and ripe. Same with some veggies, too. And many different kinds of nuts right next to them. So, at worst case, I can get ready for work and grab them on my way out. Now, that's a good food choice victory that didn't take more than 15 seconds! Plus, you saved money because it's cheaper than Starbucks. And it's healthier.That's setting yourself up for success!

Someone once said, 'success is when opportunity meets preparation'. And a little planning can go a long way just by being a bit more conscious. It's the small, almost unnoticeable habits like these that can start to make or break a return to health. As one of my Tango teachers used to constantly tell us when we thought we couldn't do something, 'You can do it'!!!! :)

Ranman desert picture of the day: Apricots, bananas, mango, sliced raw almonds and soy yogurt. All organic. 

The Heart Attack Grill wasn't joking

This story caught my eye yesterday.
The Heart Attack Grill saw its name in action yesterday when a diner suffered a heart attack at the restaurant. The man was eating a 6,000-calorie Triple Bypass Burger at the Las Vegas branch of the restaurant. Moments later, he was wheeled out of the restaurant after a waitress - dressed as a nurse, as part of the restaurant's gimmick - called 911. At the restaurant, owner Jon Basso calls himself "Dr. John" and his waitresses "nurses." Diners wear hospital gowns. The restaurant's slogan is "A taste worth dying for."
CBS This Morning sat down with the "doc" himself - and what did he have to say? "Who doesn't want to risk a little danger once in a while?". "I'm here to tell you straight up that I'm here to make a buck," Basso said. "Anything that's legal that you want to eat or drink that's fun, that enriches your life at the moment, I will sell it to you. If I could put danger back into hamburgers, all the better."

I wonder if owner Jon would feel the same if it were HE that was being wheeled into the ambulance, or one of his loved ones, as is shown on the video that went viral. It's always a bit different when you personalize some accountability. Can you imagine if this guy was in charge of our children's meals at school?

Ranman lunch picture of the day: Yellow zucchini, green zucchini, red onion and cilantro. All organic.

Dr. Whole Foods, M.D.

I was shopping at Whole Foods market today, buying some organic vegetables when I saw my emergency room doctor right next to me buying his own! Now, stop, for just one moment and really chew on what I just wrote. An ER doctor was buying organic fruits and veggies! What does that say? He remembered me and I told him I had reversed my high blood pressure and high cholesteral with the organic foods. He smiled a huge smile and said, 'that's great'!

In our society, we are raised to believe doctors are almost God like, never to be questioned for the most part. And they do indeed have a job that can border on miraculous with some of the incredible things they do to save lives. But why are they not recommending healthy foods as medicine, rather than just automatically defaulting to giving drugs to treat the body? It's because they are trained that way. It's rare for doctors to get more than a few hours or days on nutrition while they are in medical school. And the pharmaceutical companies have to love that, because it's their pills, drugs and medications the doctors are prescribing to patients. And don't kid yourself, there is serious money in pharmaceutical drugs in America. I believe Lipitor has made something like 16 billion dollars and is the most commercially successful drug of all time.

But many famous and renowned doctors are switching sides. Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Colin Campell, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Joel Furhman and many others are recommending healthy foods as a lifestyle choice. So, to quote a favorite R&B group, The Impressions, 'people get ready, there's a train a' comin' and you don't need no passengers to get on board'!

Ranman snack picture of the day: avocado dip with almonds, curry powder, oregano, thyme and salsa. With corn chips. All organic.

Denial aint just a river in Egypt . . . . . .

I remember telling the nurse in my hospital room, just before they were going to release me, 'nurse, I'm going to change things in my life so I don't ever have to end up back here again'. She smiled as she went about her business. Then I asked, 'does everyone say that when they are in here'? I still can hear her answer as she turned to me and said, 'no, I have never actually heard any patient say that in all my years as a nurse'.

I was stunned. Surely nobody likes to be in a hospital bed or emergency room, so what gives? The only thing I could come up with was it was perhaps a form of denial for people. For whatever reasons they had. And all those reasons are valid. Who wants to look into the mirror and realize that most of the time, it is ourselves that created the health crisis in the first place? That's the last thing McDonald's wants you to be thinking, either, by the way. But somebody has to say something when an American is dying every 30 seconds from heart disease. How long can we afford to stick our head in the sand?

But change is happening. Organic foods are growing nationwide. Regular supermarkets often have a small section of organic produce now! Farmer's markets are popping up all over the country. People are realizing that organic food taste better and has no chemicals in it.

At a recent doctor lecture I attended on healthy lifestyle and eating, I was saddened to see so many obese people who were clearly in physical trouble. Some on canes. And others walking with great difficulty. And by no means were all of them considered 'old'. But during the break, I saw the ray of sunshine in the midst of a stormy horizon. Virtually every person who was eating had something healthy. I saw apples, bananas, oranges, salads and even stuff brought from home!

Hope springs eternal! And it's never too late to make a new start. And it starts with the food of the earth that will nourish your body, not something processed that will hurt you and make you sick.

Ranman lunch picture of the day: corn tortillas, yellow heirloom tomatoes, lettuce, cilantro, brown rice, black beans and oregano. All organic. 

TASTE-A-LICOUS

When I grew up, health food had a bland taste. I should know, too. My family owned a health food store in Marin County that my sisters and brothers all worked at. I remember the dry, cardboard taste of the 'candy' bars, in particular. I am happy to report things have improved!

Believe it or not, I actually do not know how to cook per se. I cannot bake at all. And I know no recipes. I followed one recipe in my life years ago. Did alright. And I made that dang dish a hundred times after that, because I am lazy :)

But what can be done at home to bring great taste in the mix of your daily foods? The use of herbs, spices, homemade sauces and healthy sweeteners (like juices, maple syrup, agave & honey) helps to make a healthy food choice taste great. And making great tasting food is crucial. Nobody goes to a restaurant that has horrible food. Same principle applies at home. A little attention, experimentation and adventure will result in tasty food dishes that will surprise yourself. Guaranteed :)

Ranman lunch picture of the day: romaine lettuce, tomatoes, kalamata olives, baby shrimp, almonds and blueberries. All organic.

Vending machine heaven . . . . or hell?

I once worked for the largest vending machine company in the U.S. People don't realize that in top selling accounts (like a hospital or school), there can often be a financial incentive for those machines as businesses receive percentages of sales of the junk food. Heck, the Pepsi and coke machines were installed free of charge, always. The driver comes to service it regularly and it's a big, fat check each month for many accounts! I also worked for Frito-Lay, Wonder Bread/Hostess Cake, Entemann pastries and Granny Goose. That's a ton of garbage food that I personally delivered to many schools, workplaces, restaurants and supermarkets. And that's something I don't feel too good about now days.

I remember a elementary school cafeteria lady demanding I leave her an entire extra rack of Twinkies with her usual order because 'the guy before you always left extra and the kids love them'. Hmm. And I recall the hospital contact and how happy he was that I was bringing him about $60,000 a year in monthly check form. He was in the nutritional dept. Hmm.

Today an article about how schools still aren't doing the right thing for our children came out. There's allot of negative news here. But also a silver lining. Some of the junk food options are trending down. And that's great. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46285305/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/#.TzDUcciO1Rw

Ranman lunch picture of the day: wheat bread, chicken, honey dijon mustard, mayonnaise, butter lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, walnuts. Corn chips. All organic.

What's for desert?

I love the little peer pressure we all get for the desert thing. 'What do you mean you aren't having any desert'? 'Make sure to save some room for desert'! 'You gotta' try this desert'! And I was the very willing recipient of every desert offer in the history of man. I even starting trying 2-3 different deserts at a restaurant.

Unfortunately, those little miracles often have serious amounts of sugar, white flour, salt, fat and a ton of butter in those delicious dishes. I noticed I started putting on pounds real fast.  And I just knew that eating so many deserts so often was not a good thing. But I just kept right on cruising along, never really wanting to know about a healthier way. We'll explore this denial factor of mine in later postings :)

I still love the idea of deserts! And who says I can't still have it, just with some different food choices that make them tasty and healthy? It's a win/win, if you ask me.

Ranman desert picture of the day: Mango, brown pear, hazelnuts and soyogurt. All organic.

From the richest to the unhealthiest

How did the richest country in the world become the most unhealthiest? Within a quick span of 50 years, we became top dog in cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and many other ailments too numerous to mention.The numbers tell the sad story. Over 1.5 million deaths annually. Who's to blame? The agricultural industry? The pharmaceutical companies? The medical system? Junk food corporations that pump out the fast food? Our supermarkets? All of them, if you ask me.

I mean, it's crazy what has become 'normal'. And it's everywhere around us. I recall the horrendous food during my hospital stay. And this is supposed to be a place of healing! Go to a cafeteria in children's schools and you'd be hard pressed to find anything 'natural' and healthy.

So it is easy to see that this state of health deterioration has sneaked into every aspect of our society. I was at a recent health lecture by Dr. Joel Fuhrman (http://www.drfuhrman.com), where he stated that eating healthy is often seen as 'extreme'. But in actuality, he said, the American diet is actually extreme. I'd have to agree. Before I got sick, I thought eating junk food was just fine. Of course, you couldn't get me into a doctor's office to take any tests, because I didn't want to hear something I might not like and have to change. That shortsighted philosophy of denial lasted until some 'change' was forced upon me and I landed in the hospital.
I like to think I learned this life lesson the hard way, but learned nonetheless :)

Ranman dinner picture of the day: King Alaskan Salmon with oregano, avocado, red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, radish and pineapple. All organic.