Doug's Missoula Blog | Healthy Living

POOP Should NOT smell like Chocolate! Butt...

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:49:00 +0000

Seems like just yesterday, but it was over twenty years ago, at sea, overdoing it on chocolate. See my "POOPY post"

Motorcyle for Sale A GREAT DEAL!

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:48:00 +0000

THIS BIKE HAS NOW BEEN SOLD.

USA Swine Flu Cases

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Latest Swine Flu statistics from the U.S.A. Federal Center for Disease Control (CDC) shows how many lab-verified cases of Swine Flu in the United States: (The CDC estimates that "lab-verified" cases represent just a small fraction of the total infections in the United States, with estimates of up to 1 million people with Swine Flu.)

As of June 25, 2009, 27,717 cases with 127 deaths
As of June 12, 2009, 17,855 cases with 44 deaths
As of June 5, 2009, 13,217 cases with 27 deaths
As of May 29, 2009, 8975 cases with 15 deaths
As of May 25, 2009, 6764 cases with 10 deaths
As of May 22, 2009, 6552 cases with 9 deaths
As of May 20, 2009, 5710 cases with 8 deaths

You can view the CDC site here: Center for Disease Control Swine Flu National Map and State by State Statistical Reporting

Breathing a large part of staying alive

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:58:00 +0000

Every once in a while I come across a blog post and wish that I had thought of that subject!

Obviously, we have to breathe to stay alive, but there is more to breathing than just the "automatic" process.

Today, I found a post on a blog called Lazy Bear Blogs, but I quickly determined that I could not have written a post on breathing that made this much sense!

So I am simply going to mention the post and link to it so you can visit for yourself.

The post was captioned "Is there a right way to breathe?" The author discusses CO2 levels and pH balance, mouth breathing, asthma, and much, much more. This is a great site for health-minded readers and you will find links to numerous other articles too.
Definitely worth your time.

Newest and Biggest Losers

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:30:00 +0000

I have to admit to really admiring the contestants on The Biggest Loser. These people really put it all out there for the World to see. Big butts, big guts, big boobs, triple chins, crying and tears. But it all ends well.

The big 2009 "Season Finale" was long but enjoyable. It's great to see so many happy people after watching so much frustration and anger from so many of them for so many weeks.

Helen Phillips, age 48, is the latest winner. She lost 54.47 percent of her body weight (loss of 140 pounds),and ended up weighing in at at 117 pounds. She took home the $250,000 prize. She plans to take her husband to Las Vegas for a vacation.

Michael Morelli, the 18-year-old kid whose overweight father, Ron, was also on the show, lost 207 pounds, a 53.35 percent loss, and weighed in at 181.

Finishing third was "green team ace" Tara Costa, who lost 155 pounds and 52.73 percent. She was long-thought to be unbeatable, as she won both the half-marathon and the marathon, and never "fell below the yellow line" during the entire run of the show.

The $100,000 consolation prize for the person who lost the most at home (not a finalist), was 64-year-old Jerry Hayes, who most notably "passed out" and was taken to the hospital during the first episode after working out in the gym for an hour. He only lasted two weeks on the show, and most of his weight-loss was accomplished at home. Hayes lost 177 pounds and his weight loss was 48%. Jerry showed off not only a terrific physique but also demonstrated some muscular strength by lifting trainer Jillian Michaels in one of the show's only original, non-scripted moments.

Coming in second for the "at-home" consolation was Ron Morelli, Michael's father, who lost 44.66 percent and weighed in at 238 pounds. His starting weight was 430!

Swine Flu Detection and Prevention

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:44:00 +0000

There is a fellow who writes very good health blog called Healthy Fellow (quite by coincidence, I'm certain) and he recently posted an excellent article on Swine Flu.

Early Recognition can be just as important as early treatment, perhaps more so, and Healthy Fellow has included a graph captioned, "Flu Symptoms at a Glance" that explains many of the symptoms we need watch for, both in ourselves and in our children and co-workers.

Healthy Fellow also offers some prevention tips, but more importantly, some common sense and well-known methods for strengthening our immune systems and lessening the effects of flu should you come in contact with it.

Great site and a great post; saves me a lot of time. Check it out at the links provided below:

Swine Flu Prevention

Healthy Fellow

Mom's Day Still Special

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:43:00 +0000

In light of all the other "special" days on the calendar, many of which were fabricated by the greeting card printers, I still enjoy Mother's Day the most.

I am fortunate to have an 81-year-old Mother who is vibrant, witty, determined, independent and sassy. She wrote and published her first novel at age 75. What an inspiration to those of us who have long-aspired to be writers of novels and such!

My Mother's Day greeting to my Mom is usually flowers in a vase or basket, delivered, because I live many miles away. I am not much of a traveler anymore, and in that respect, I am much like my Mom.

Sunday will also be a day for telephone calls. If I recall correctly, Mother's Day is the number one day for telephone calls in the USA. It is also a BIG day for men and women who are in the military services to remember Mom and call home.

My Mom is the best!

Millions of Swine Flu Posts

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:02:00 +0000

I suppose there are over 100 million blogs in the World by now. Many of us are posting about Swine Flu today (and yesterday--and tomorrow).

One of the traits common to pandemics is also common to blogs: the viral-like spread.

The World Health Organization raised the alert level to 5 today, and within a day or so most medical experts anticipate a level 6 and full-blown pandemic of swine flu.

We mustn't be fooled by the small number of cases around the World thus far. The fact that the swine flu cases are NOT restricted to a single geographical area is part of the definition of a pandemic.

United States cases have increased each day this week. We can anticipate that many more individuals who have been exposed will soon manifest the symptoms and report themselves into hospitals and clinics. My previous post also contains hyperlinks to the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization.

Be advised, be alert, keep informed.

U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 20, 2009): 5710 cases (with 8 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 15, 2009): 4714 cases (with 4 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 14, 2009): 4298 cases (with 3 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 12, 2009): 3009 cases (with 3 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 10, 2009): 2532 cases (with 3 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 8, 2009): 2254 cases (with 2 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 7, 2009): 896 cases (with 2 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 6, 2009): 642 cases (with 2 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 5, 2009): 403 cases (with 1 death)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 4, 2009): 279 cases (with 1 death)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 3, 2009): 226 cases (with 1 death)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 2, 2009): 160 cases (with 1 death)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 1, 2009): 141 cases (with 1 death)

Swine Flu Pokes Up Again

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:32:00 +0000

Swine flu is influenza that occurs in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu but human infections can occur. The most recent cases of swine flu appear to have the ability to be passed from person to person and have resulted in a number of cases in the United States as well as widespread disease in certain parts of Mexico. It is likely that this swine flu will spread to many if not all parts of the United States.

When people catch swine flu they may have a fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue just like the regular flu. Some people may also have vomiting and diarrhea. Previously, swine flus have also caused severe illness and death. As with the regular flu, people with chronic medical conditions are at risk for more severe illness.

Most people catch swine flu the same way they catch the regular flu. You can catch swine flu by coming in contact with droplets from infected people after they sneeze or cough. This can occur by being in the path of a sneeze or cough or touching something that has those droplets on it and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.

There is a medicine to treat swine flu. Both Tamiflu® and Relenza® are effective against swine flu. You can get these medicines from your doctor. If you have swine flu and need treatment, treatment should start within two days after you begin to feel sick. However, the best treatment is prevention.

There are a number of ways you and your family can reduce the risk of catching swine flu:
Avoid people with the flu:

Wash your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
Wash your hands before eating or touching your face, after touching surfaces that someone might have coughed or sneezed on, after going out into the community, and after caring for someone who has the flu or touching something that someone who is sick may have touched.
If someone in your household is sick stay home until that person no longer feels ill.

If you are sick there a number of things you can do to reduce the chances of passing swine flu to others:

If you are sick stay home from work or school.
Limit your contact with others.
Cough and sneeze into disposable tissues. Throw these tissues away into a plastic bag. Limit your exposure to the dirty tissues.
Those with flu should use separate eating utensils that are washed in hot soapy water after each meal.
Don’t share objects like remote controls or pens.
Disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched like door knobs, remote controls, light switches and toilet handles.

(An effective disinfectant can be made using ¼ cup of household bleach and 1 gallon of cold water.)

If someone in your house is sick you should also stay at home. Don’t go to work or school until they no longer feel sick.

If you think you have swine flu contact your health care provider. He or she will be able to determine if you need testing or treatment.

For more information go to the U.S. Government Center for Disease Control (CDC)

And, this is a link to the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 20, 2009): 5710 cases (with 8 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 15, 2009): 4714 cases (with 4 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 14, 2009): 4298 cases (with 3 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 12, 2009): 3009 cases (with 3 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 10, 2009): 2532 cases (with 3 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 8, 2009): 2254 cases (with 2 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 7, 2009): 896 cases (with 2 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 6, 2009): 642 cases (with 2 deaths)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 5, 2009): 403 cases (with 1 death)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 4, 2009): 279 cases (with 1 death)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 3, 2009): 226 cases (with 1 death)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 2, 2009): 160 cases (with 1 death)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (May 1, 2009): 141 cases (with 1 death)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (April 30, 2009): 109 cases (with 1 death)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (April 29, 2009): 91 cases (with 1 death)
U.S. CASES UPDATE from CDC (April 28, 2009): 64 cases
U.S. Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
(As of April 27, 2009 1:00 PM ET)
State (in USA) Number of laboratory-confirmed cases
California 7 cases
Kansas 2 cases
New York (City) 28 cases
Ohio 1 case
Texas 2 cases

TOTAL COUNT (April 27, 2009): 40 cases

Living the Good Life on Earth Day

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:15:00 +0000

The "Earth rising over the lunar landscape" is a spectacular photo from the Apollo 8 mission that circled around the moon and returned to Earth. This is an official NASA photograph.

The question of whether or not we are really living the good life occurs to me more and more often; most recently, upon the annual observance of Earth Day.

We have been "observing" Earth Day for 39 years. I'm not so optimistic about the Human Race on Planet Earth; the planet will survive and continue to orbit the Sun. We may not. In fact, our prospects for continuing to exist beyond the next couple of hundred years are not so bright.

We don't have any place else to go, so we'd better find the will, and the technology, to correct our many environmental errors, or we will go the way of so many other species, and become extinct.

There are some good sites to look at on this Earth Day:

Earth Day 2009 This is the Earth Day Network site.

On the right, is the "unofficial" Earth Day flag, the big blue marble.

Bloggers Unite Here is a project for bloggers to get with the Earth Day program.

Here is a link to the Wikipedia article about Earth Day

And finally, this is the link to the U.S. Government's official Earth Day site.

Biggest Losers are All Winners

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:02:00 +0000

The Biggest Loser television program has made us all more aware of the problems faced by overweight people. I also now understand so much more about diet and nutrition than I did before I began faithfully watching this program every week.

The people who have exposed themselves to public viewing for us to watch during their weight loss experiences are really inspiring and they are to be admired.

The shows trainers, Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper, as well as the host, Alison Sweeney, have become prominent spokespersons for a healthier lifestyle. Most of us will experience some unwelcomed weight fluctuations during our lives. We have to give a lot of credit to these incredible "Losers" for their amazing transformations: (Clicking on photos will open a larger sized picture.)

From Top, left to right: Suzy Preston, Matt Hoover, Pete Thomas, Bill Germanakos, Ali Vincent, Michelle Aguilar, and Eric Chopin. All but Suzy Preston and Pete Thomas were seasonal winners on the show.

ANXIETY vs FEAR

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:52:00 +0000

I know about FEAR. I know about ANXIETY. I am not so certain of the differences.

I did a little research and found a helpful "fact sheet" from the Mental Health Association.

Fear and Anxiety have similar emotional symptoms. With a fear, we generally know what it is that causes our symptoms; i.e., we know what we are afraid of. Healthy fear protects us from doing unsafe things or getting ourselves into potentially dangerous situations.

With Anxiety, the reasons for our emotional symptoms are not clear to us; we don't know WHY we feel a certain way, and that "unknowing," that "lack of control" can send us spiraling off into a serious "panic attack," a chest-tightening, heart-palpitating, sweating, nauseous experience that can get worse and worse over time, even becoming life-threatening.

When our normal little "anxieties" about life begin to affect our ability to function in a "normal" way, we are said to have an "anxiety disorder."

There are several identified anxiety disorders, among them are Obsessive Compulsive, Post-traumatic Stress, Agoraphobia, and many other phobias. All of these conditions merit professional assessment. There are several avenues for treatment including counseling, medication, and alternative therapies.

I know individuals who have lived with uncontrolled anxiety for DECADES! Some just thought it was normal; others knew they were "different" but thought it was just something they had to "deal with." When properly diagnosed and treated, these individuals experienced amazing improvement in the quality of their lives. More than once, I heard: "Oh, if I had only known this before!" What a shame--to have spent 30 or 40 years of their lives in fear and isolation.

Don't believe that there is nothing that can be done. Talk to your doctor; get a referral and have a professional evaluation. You might be denying yourself the wonderful life you deserve.

Water, Water Me Well!

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 19:06:00 +0000

Yes, it's a goofy title; but the point is that water is so important to our health I wonder why we must remind ourselves so often to be sure to drink water.

Helpful hint: If you are accustomed to drinking coffee with your meal, try drinking hot WATER instead. Not only will your palate be fooled but your digestive system will avoid the caffeine (and 3000 other compounds in coffee).

Better than drinking coffee or hot water: Soup! Soup has nutritional value while also helping you feel full sooner so you reduce your caloric intake.

My favorite WATER SOUNDS:

The Roar of White Water rapids
A Babbling Brook
The gentle Lapping on the Lake shoreline
Rain on the roof of my car!

Here is a link to one of my favorite bloggers, Family Health Avenue, and an article on WHEN TO DRINK YOUR SIX TO EIGHT GLASSES A DAY.

Diet and Exercise are NOT Enough

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:40:00 +0000

We know that the basics for a healthy lifestyle include diet and exercise.

A good diet means an "appropriate" number of calories in the proper proportions of protein, carbs, and fats, with necessary vitamins and minerals. ("Appropriate" for our age, gender and activity level.)

The exercise part means burning calories for aerobic and anaerobic fitness, to maintain or enhance endurance and muscle tone.

There is a third part to a heathly lifestyle and that lies in knowing our body and maintaining its systems. This aspect includes annual physical examinations and tests or procedures that monitor the body's condition. Just like an automobile, the body has critical parts that need a checkup or tuneup from time to time.

Here are my top Five Health Maintenance Recommendations:

Dental Care. Regular x-ray exam and cleanings. Dental control program with brushing and flossing. New research has connected many diseases to poor dental health; some of these can be fatal.

Blood. An annual physical exam includes blood work that can reveal an incredibly large number of conditions and afflictions that you MUST catch early to avoid costly treatment later, as well as possibly painful and deteriorating health leading to death. This includes abnormalities and imbalances in blood chemistry like cholesterol levels that will result in an early death.

Prostate and Mammograms. One for the guys and one for the ladies (depend on your physician for recommended testing ages and frequencies).

Bone Density. Having a quick and simple bone density checkup can alert you to osteopenia before osteoporosis. This is for men and women. I, a male, discovered that I had thin bones and was diagnosed with osteopenia when I was 55 years old. A simple ankle bone density test led to a complete bone density scan for femur, pelvis, vertebra, etc. My advice is to catch this early.

Supplements. Regular medical examinations will enable your physician to recommend appropriate food supplements. For me, it was calcium and vitamin D. Much of our food simply does not carry the nutritional value that we expect. Most of us do not eat enough of the correct food. Few of us could maintain a diet that would provide ALL of our needed nutrients, and as we age, those nutritional needs change. Keep your doctor in the picture.

We can't put all of our physical health efforts into just any one aspect of fitness. Diet alone, Exercise alone, or Physical Examinations alone, will, in the long run, mean a shorter run.

Women's Health - Struggle for Equality

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:28:00 +0000

Women in the World still live at a great disadvantage, and often at great physical risk. For girls and women in MUCH of the World, there is no equality.

Here in the United States, we have make great strides, although the work is far from complete.

President Obama has created a top level panel on Women's issues to work with him on ensuring that women are afforded the same opportunities as men in the United States. The members of the panel, including some cabinet members, will coordinate the government's efforts across all departments.

As a father of two daughters, he has expressed not only great interest, but great concern about their future, and therefore, as President, the futures of all young girls and women.

As a son and grandson, he observed the struggles experienced by his mother and grandmother in raising a family as single parents and in an adverse and unfair work environment.

During the signing ceremony for the Executive Order creating the panel, President Obama noted that women still make only 78 percent of men's salaries.

Women are the primary victims of violence, domestic violence particularly, with 25% of all women in the United States experiencing domestic violence at some point.

It is estimated that one-third of all girls will experience sexual abuse before they are 18.

March is Women's History Month. There are some terrific web sites with observances of the roles of women, including the U.S. Government Library of Congress site at Women's History Month, the Smithsonian, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This blog is about Healthy Living, and that can also mean Living with a sense of Safety and Security, with Equality and Equal Access to services, Equal Pay, and Equal Opportunity for Advancement.

International Women's Day is March 8th

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:07:00 +0000

International Women's Day has been observed since 1911.

Many historians have cited the advances of women in society as the single biggest World-wide development of the 20th Century.

Indeed, the focus of International Women's Day (IWD) has shifted in just the past few years to a celebration of the great strides made, rather than the lack of equality and outright discrimination that marked most of these first 100 years.

In the background is always the reminder that the work is not done, and the struggle to avoid going backwards is ongoing.

Interestingly, IWD is recognized as a national holiday in many countries (sort of like an equivalent to Mother's Day in the United States). The countries that observe IWD as a national holiday might surprise you too: China, Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam!

There is a very good website you may want to look at, called, naturally, International Women's Day.

Congress also designated March as Women's History Month and the U.S. Government provides an EXCELLENT web site on women's history at Womens History Month.gov

To see an article I recently wrote on powerful women, including Oprah Winfrey, Barbara Walters, Meryl Streep, Ellen Degeneres, and Dara Torres, see my Retired and Restless blog post Powerful Women to be Admired.

Obesity Among ChildrenHow to Destroy the Next Generation

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:18:00 +0000

Fifteen percent of American children ages 6-19 are overweight; that is triple the percentage from ten years ago. Another fifteen percent are at risk of becoming overweight.

Poor Diet, including fast food restaurants that feature cheap food, strongly flavored with sugar and fats. This kind of diet will result in the current generation of children who are now age 12 and younger, dying at an earlier age than their parents. The causes will be obesity, heart disease and diabetes, all attributable to POOR DIET and lack of exercise!

Sugar in the Diet. To a White Blood Cell, Sugar looks just like Vitamin C, chemically, and sugar will supplant the Vitamin C in the white blood cells thereby impairing the immune system. Every parent could benefit from a little research into the subject of sugar and the frequency of colds and flu during the holiday season. See my own article here: Fight off Colds and Flu by Cutting Out Sugar.

Body Image: We don’t have to be “stick figures” to be healthy. A robust lifestyle will build muscle and reduce fat. Your body type will find its own form. Be comfortable in that shape, if it suits you and you are otherwise healthy.

I believe that all children should receive a medical evaluation of their current health and Body Mass Index (BMI). This will give them and their parents a baseline from which to plan for the future and measure improvement. Don’t wait.

(This would be an excellent way to use some of the President's economic stimulus money--provide free physicals and BMI evaluations of every child in America under the age of 21 or so.)

Time to Move Beyond a Broken Front Tooth

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:11:00 +0000

I had my "Donate" at Paypal button up in the previous post, and I thank the sympathetic contributors for their donations. I received $44 toward repair of the tooth, and every dollar is appreciated and will be put to good use.

A broken front tooth is difficult to live with because it is such a "public" display of infirmity.

Hugs to all this morning, and I promise to write more substantive articles in the next few days, including a Post on youth obesity, which endangers our next generation.

My New Front Tooth

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:26:00 +0000

Oh man, but how do you like this "look"?

I wasn't eating anything hard, just a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I "felt" the tooth suddenly break away. What an awful, awful feeling.

Now I will humble myself and ask for donations to the cause for having this repaired.

Any, and I mean "any" amount will help. Thank you in advance for your compassion.I guess Paypal will accept credit cards or paypal transfers.

Meeting Paul McCartney

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:35:00 +0000

Paul McCartney was in town over the weekend for the Grammy Award Show and I had an opportunity to sit down with him for lunch.

There we were, just the two of us, sitting at an Elementary School lunch-room table, on plastic chairs, with aluminum trays.....????? WAIT A MINUTE!!!

I'm DREAMING. Or I should say, I WAS dreaming.

In my dream, I was just chatting up a much younger Paul, already famous, but still so darn friendly and open to everyone who approached him. What a guy!

It would have been nice to actually experience such a meeting. I have been a fan for 45 years. Wow. Forty-five years. Paul is 66 now. (I am 62...he was like the older brother I never had. We are both left-handed, but he plays the guitar and I "sort of" play the drums.)

I remember 1964 with such clarity; and the other night, seeing Paul McCartney at the Grammy Awards, singing one of the Beatles' hits from that year, must have kicked my subconscious into gear.

It was a good dream.

My Blog is one year old but...I am turning 62!

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:06:00 +0000

This has been a long year. I started up this blog, which was my first, just one year ago. During that time I have expressed myself verbally, and have featured some different "looks." My different looks are not like a woman's "do" but show different moods and faces during the year. Here is a look. Feel free to laugh.

Fill Your Lungs with Clean Air andNegative IONS

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 22:13:00 +0000

Up here in Big Sky Country Montana we enjoy a lot of mountain air.

I live 3,300 feet above sea level, and am surrounded by mountains. It's not just the view that I enjoy, but the invigorating and healthful AIR that I can breathe.

Just hiking up to the top of the mountain across the road from my house fills my lungs with purifying negative ions.

I think that naturally occurring negative ions, in the mountains, at the beach, alongside a waterfall, are even better than the "negative ion generators" that many people buy for their homes to purify the air.

The jury is still out on whether or not negative ions are good for your soul, but we know they are good for our bodies. The positively-charged air of our air-conditioned shopping malls and commercial buildings increase the burden placed on our lungs.

One excellent article on the benefits of negative ions is published at WebMD, called Negative Ions Create Positive Vibes.

Smoke-filled rooms are the worst, and the effects of second-hand smoke are well-documented. Third hand smoke, that is, the particulate that remains in the air and on surfaces where it is continually agitated and recirculated throughout the room, is only now being fully evaluated for it's debilitating effects on health.

We endure enough stress on our lungs just by driving our cars and inhaling the horrible air along city streets and interstate highways; by walking around in a downtown area that is filled with polluting cars, carbon monoxide, and positive ions.

I highly recommend we all take a breather once in a while and hike up to the very highest nearby peak (within reason of course) and task our lungs with a fast pace and expand our lung capacity.

Breathe in those negative ions! Live long and Prosper!

Feng Shui for the Mind

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:14:00 +0000

I was just reading about Feng Shui, the Chinese Art of Placement, which is a method for determining the placement of furniture and other objects in a room, a home, or an office in order to achieve the optimal flow of Chi. I have a couple of friends who are feng shui practitioners and consultants, so I have a general idea of the theory.

I am just beginning to study this subject and I am withholding judgement, but I tend to give a lot of credibility to anything that has lasted thousands of years.

I was thinking how my mind is like my home too, with lots of little rooms that are locations where stuff is perceived, manipulated, evaluated, stored, etc.

A lot of my mental rooms are pretty messy and I think they must be disorganized as well, and in need of some mental feng shui.

After looking at the feng shui bagua, which is the eight-sided figure above, I have decided that most of my mental feng-y stuff is crossing over and in between the areas. Yup. Messy and disorganized. I need to apply some feng shui.

What I envision here is establishing purpose and priorities. At this phase of my current life, now age 61, I am past the concerns of career, so I can concentrate my efforts on the "Life Path" portion of the Water area.

There are so many family and relational aspects of life that transcend three or four generations in our lifetimes, that I see why we continue to struggle with these areas of the bagua forever. I will have to give this entire "mental feng shui" idea some additional thought, and I would welcome any contributions.

Living in the Light or Living in the Dim

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:22:00 +0000

If you feel that you are in touch with spirit; if you feel that you do the right things by others, give more than you receive, treat others with respect, kindness and gentleness, then perhaps you are on an enlightened path.

If you rob banks, shoot people, hurt, molest, curse, cheat, and otherwise work only towards your own benefit without regard for the interests and well-being of any others then you are living in the darkness.

But what of the rest of us? We who are "kinda" okay most of the time, don't do anything overtly damaging, hurtful or endangering to others, while at the same time we don't go out of our way to help anyone else, do not contribute to charitable causes, do not volunteer for charitable organizations, provide only the support for others that is required by conformity or law. Where do we fit in? Where are we on the path? Or have we fallen to the side and can't find our way back again? We see everything through our own "filters" which is kind of like looking at the World from inside our screen door, never opening the door to let in the full light. Can it be said of us that we live in the "dim"?

Life in the "dim" is pretty much self-centered--egocentric--I guess, is the word. The World revolves around us. Like a child who believes that the Sun comes up in the morning "because it is time for me to wake up" some of us never grow beyond our own smallish ego-centered world.

We who live in the "dim" need a wake-up call. Oftentimes this comes in the form off a serious accident, injury or illness that forces us to face our own mortality and neediness.

If we turn ourselves around in this time of need, perhaps we have a chance to find our way back onto the Path. If not, we may be assigned to the gutter where we will remain until the day we die.

Better hope for reincarnation and another chance.

A Little About Our New Dog, CheyAnna

dkueffler@gmail.com (Doug Kueffler) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:50:00 +0000

A Dog can bring so much love into a home...particularly a puppy. And...oh God...but they can be FUNNY!! Our new puppy is so full of energy...her little tail wags so fast and furious that I'm surprised she doesn't hurt herself hitting it against the coffee table edge. That blur you see in the photo above is her tail spinning!!!Just looking at her little photo you would probably think she is a Dalmation, but you are only "half-right." She is also half Boston Terrier, plus there is a little of something else mixed in too, but we don't know what it is. She is called a "Dalton Terrier." I have "googled" that but come up with very few entries that are not related to my own sites. She is learning to potty outside...and we give her a little treat after each outside "trip." I think, in the dark, she has learned to "fake it" and then come rushing back onto the deck to tell me she is "done." I can't say "not this time" to her because I do want to reward her good behavior. She has learned to come up to me and fervently "paw away" at my arm or leg to tell me she needs to "go" We have had her for only two months, but she is now the queen of the household that she shares with a 100 pound male lab-rott cross, and three cats.

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