livelife365

Exploring Today's Path

2012-02-12T15:49:00.000-08:00

One of the few bloggers I make the time in my busy schedule to read is Susan Blake, who is the creator of the wonderful website, Today’sPath. Suzen (as she sometimes goes by), like myself, is all about healthy lifestyle, better nutritional choices, and offering proactive solutions to preventing unnecessary disease and health—dare I say LIFE—ailments.

Suzen writes about diverse topics like:

The importance of being regular
The Global Cancer Summit
N atural Alternatives
Migraines
Quinoa (one of my fav foods!!)

…and just the other day, she took the time and space on her excellent blog to blog about me. And my book:

LIVELIFE365: A PRACTICAL SELF-HELP GUIDE TO BETTER HEALTH, NUTRITION,WEIGHT LOSS, MOTIVATION, PERSONAL GROWTH, AND LIFE

Here are the first few paragraphs of her kind words, offered in her downhome delivery, with emphasis of why people like Suzen and myself invest our time and efforts in our websites:

To reach as many people as possible, affording them the opportunity to change their lives for the better!

…please visit Today’s Path to read the rest. Thanks again, Suzen, for all your support over the years and for living life 365!!!

LiveLife 365 with and by Mike Foster!

This is such a special blog for me to write, I'm grinning ear to ear - can't ya tell? Sometimes you meet somebody and you know they are kindred spirits. I must have a good healthy love for mine then cuz I sure love his!

I started following a blog by Mike Foster called Live Life 365 about three years ago. Mike does videos on his blog that are great - I learned the easy way to cut/eat avocados, for instance. You name it, he will tell you what it is, how to cook it and eat it - many things the average person has never tried I'll bet ya! He is ALL about healthy foods, nutrition, staying motivated, taking walks in nature, and making good choices. Every once in a while he will write a song and sing it with his guitar. The walks I've actually BEEN ON with him since he takes his camera right along with him.

He videos from his lanai in Maui on his vaca there every year - so nice to see it when there is winter in the air here - he videos when he is gardening and sweating - always good to see somebody sweat, isn't it? - and of course many videos in his kitchen. Writing songs, writing blogs, making videos........

Visit Today’s Path to read the rest and enjoy Suzen’s site.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Mikesdaily…

The New Silent Killer

2012-01-28T11:44:00.000-08:00

Q: What is the most lethal silent killer facing the world today?

The first reply from most of us would probably be hypertension—as it is seldom symptomatic. Or high cholesterol, for the same reason. How about obesity or heart disease? All valid guesses, but how can obesity be considered a silent killer?

What about diabetes?

I recently finished an excellent book called Sugar Nation, written by Jeff O’Connell. In it, Jeff, a thin and seemingly healthy man who is fighting diabetes, goes into lengthy and fascinating detail about how this disease is growing at record numbers. And is not only afflicting the obese and sugar-scrafers. It attacks the slender and fit folks, and potentially people like me, who ingest little sugar, but have some carbohydrate food challenges.

Jeff’s father died from diabetes; I’m sure this motivated him to write Sugar Nation. I can relate to that, as my father died in his mid-fifties from years of tobacco abuse, along with overindulging in alcohol and unhealthy food choices. It was through his death that I became the health advocate that I am today. And helped motivate me to create this blog and my website, livelife365.com.

I was recently asked by Jeff’s marketing team to write a review of Sugar Nation. I offer it here for you to read and learn, and strongly urge you to buy the book. It just may save your life.

Oh, and, of course, I also produced this video about Jeff's book for your viewing pleasure:

Is Sugar Killing Us?

One thought that continued to meander around my brain as I dove into Jeff O’Connell’s must-read book, Sugar Nation, was that I did not consider myself a sugar-eater. All my life I have been lucky to eschew the temptations of a sweet tooth for the desire to indulge in more salty snacks. I could literally walk past a mound of brownies and dishes filled with chocolates without batting an eye. Yet find it quite difficult to put down a bag of potato chips without consuming most of them. But did you know that the carbohydrates from that bag of chips turns into as much sugar, once processed and stored inside the body, as consuming spoonfuls of the sweet stuff?

Sugar Nation reads as much like a personal memoir as a convincing diatribe against the medical community for seemingly turning a blind eye toward one of the worst killers decimating the world today—diabetes.

Jeff O’Connell, a diabetic battling the same disease that killed his father, knows of what he speaks. A former executive writer at Men’s Health and editor at Muscle & Fitness, Jeff decided to take matters into his own hands in his fight against this growing disease. Through a tireless energy and investigative zeal (challenging, given his constant battle with low blood sugar, spiking insulin, crashing insulin, and the countless maladies that accompany diabetes), Jeff shatters conventional (and at times very incorrect) wisdom, deciding to battle his illness with diet and exercise, rather than the all-too-often remedy: prescription drugs.

I am familiar with this type of attitude when it comes to not accepting the first (or second or third) opinion of someone in the medical profession. A few years ago I was overweight, had high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol and glucose levels. The immediate reaction from my doctors was to reach for a prescription pad. My immediate reaction was—do I want to spend the rest of my life gobbling pills? Or could I do something myself to change those life-threatening results?

Like Jeff, I combated my nemesis through diet, exercise, and supplements. The results were so amazing (I dropped forty pounds in six months and lowered my blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol down to healthy levels) that I created my self-help video website, livelife365.com. I wanted to reach as many people as possible so I could share my successes. Just like what Jeff is doing with Sugar Nation.

While I consider myself a guy who knows what to eat, and what not to, I learned a lot from Jeff about healthy diet—especially when it comes to carbs. I lost most of my weight through a high-fiber, low-fat diet. But that diet may not work best for diabetics. More animal proteins and only carbs high in fiber are the keys to not only healthy weight loss, but assisting in the fight against diabetes. I learned that some carbs I have been consuming daily for years (potatoes and bananas) may not be as good for me as I thought.

Sugar Nation is a wakeup call. Not just for the billions of overweight and obese people out there who are walking time bombs for stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. But to all those seemingly fit folks (like Jeff, a tall and thin man often misdiagnosed because of how he looked) who need to change the way they live. It is also a very well written critique of our healthcare system, the medical profession, and the powerful pharmacological lobby that seems to affect how the former go about their business.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

Who knows, reading it may just save your life…or a loved ones.

Think about it.

peace,

Mike

Looking Forward

2012-01-10T22:37:00.000-08:00

Last week I wrote a post about looking back at 2011, reviewing many wonderful accomplishments, as well as taking a moment to do some self-back-slapping. For me, it was a memorable year that had many achievements. But not all of 2011 was stellar—I start this year with plenty of opportunities for improvement.

My 2012 to-do list shares many of the same daily expectations I hold myself accountable to while ensuring I maintain my triad of balance—the interconnected coexistence between the MIND, BODY, and SPIRT.

Let’s start with the MIND:

Read more, if possible (especially more diverse, undiscovered areas that I normally do not venture into).
Finish writing two books and self-publish them (both are almost done, just need some tweaking, polish, and editing. “God’s Will,” and “We Can Change the World…If We Wanted To.”).
Continue to create and produce more entertaining and relevant videos, start another website, with a goal of doubling my current success I have had with livelife365.
Continue to grow in my “day job,” strive to reach more people in whatever endeavor suits me best (in other words: keep plugging away, be thankful to be employed with a job that challenges my creative side while affording me the ability to earn a decent wage…).
Learn to organize better—I have lots of strengths as a human being, but being organized is not one of them. I vow to continue to work on being better with all of the above.
Produce two more music videos and another original song (both already in the works, with the hope of publication by mid-year).
Be a better social networker—while I am not as fond of this practice as one would think, given the success and necessity of my websites and this genre, if you will, I need to be better to ensure said success. And to grow even more! I am working on it daily.
Get back to doing daily crosswords (my new desk calendar, by the way, is a daily ten-minute crossword puzzle…that should help).
Write more…again, if possible, given all of the above. But one of my passions in life has always been writing. And while I do write daily and have produced a plethora of wide-ranging results of that practice, I would still love to write even more. It can be done, I just need to find the time and balance (see SPIRIT goals).

Next, the BODY:

Drop these excess travel pounds! This is a major bone of contention for me, as I have always been in great shape and advocate the need for limited dietary intake. I also know that a dozen (or more!) excess pounds can lead to so many detrimental physical ailments: heart disease; diabetes; cancer; gastrointestinal problems; and bone and muscle issues.
Maintain a better routine of exercise. By that I mean, walking EVERYDAY! And upping my thrice-weekly weight program with more reps and pounds. Also keeping it going on weekends—these are the times that I tend to kick back.
Cut back on the carbs and add more protein. As a vegetarian, I tend to consume more carbs than I’d like. While I always strive to eat complex, high in fiber, carbs, I sometimes do not. I vow to cut back on the empty carbohydrates, while concentrating on more complex, high fiber carbs. And will add more fish into my once only vegetarian diet. A good thing, in the healthy long run.
Sleep more! I used to get by on six hours of sleep a night…not anymore. I need to kick back in bed and close my eyes sooner rather than later. Sleep deprivation will shorten one’s life as fast as poor diet and lack of exercise. Don’t under estimate the necessity of adequate sleep. I’m not going to.
Balance. I need to spend more time with my wife, family, and friends versus staring at this computer screen. While I love the work I do, I need to also find the balance in my days to spend less time working and more time enjoying. I often advocate the need to find the time and balance in one’s life to do all that you need to do to be all that you need to be…but also you need to find the time to be just you. Think about it.
Incorporate more diverse exercise programs, et al. into my weekly routine. Like yoga, tai chi, and even Pilates…whatever works. As we grow older, our bodies change and what once worked as an exercise regimen may no longer. I am cool with discovering new ways to stay in shape. Even Wei…whatever floats your boat and keeps that boat afloat.

Last, but not least, the SPIRIT:

Spend more time with my wife. We have already started an every quarter day out of work to spend together. Last month we spent a Friday away from the office, went out to breakfast, and then just hung out. We also investigated local volunteer opportunities that we could work on.
Volunteer more. While I pride myself in spending time helping others, I still can do lots more. 2012 I want to do even more than ever. My wife and I have applied to several local charitable places that need support, like Meals on Wheels and Hospice Care. We are in the process of setting up a regular volunteer schedule that will assist these places over the coming years.
Find more balance. I have mentioned this earlier in this post, but repeat it here to underscore its importance. While I love working at my full-time job and all of my blogs and websites, I understand the importance of balancing those vocations with the rest of my life. Family and friends, working around the house, relaxation, or just kicking back and doing little other than watching some goofy television show are equally as important as earning a living and spreading the good word of livelife365. One of my biggest opportunities of this year is to better balance my life. All work and no play really did make Jack a dull boy.
Stretch my mind to understand others more. While I consider myself a compassionate person, I sometimes overlook what motivates and makes other people do the things they do, and in turn, be so utterly different than what I feel they should be. My desire to help them change, or just be better in many aspects of their lives, at times flusters me. One of my spiritual goals this year it to be more open minded, forgive more, and stretch my mind to openly embrace more diverse attitudes and personas…while still vowing to share the programs and successes of livelife365 as best I can.
Practice more random acts of kindness. It sounds simple and very obvious, but holding open the door for someone or reaching for an item from a tall self for a wheelchair-bond person used be the norm, the decent thing to do. No matter how we arrived at this place in society, I still have no problem waving someone before me into traffic or holding the elevator door rather than frantically pressing the close button. Kindness is a virtue, a compassionate necessity that makes us human beings what we are.
Meditate even more. I take great spiritual joy from my daily zazen, every morning. Yet my desire and my ability to add more time to my sittings often conflict. This year I would love nothing more than to double my meditation times, daily. I have no doubt that this will lead to nothing but good things: a more relaxed, complete, fulfilled and happy Mike Foster.

This is a pretty big list, but one that I am thrilled to have at. What’s on your list of things to do in 2012?

Resolutions and goals are a vital necessity for anyone who wants to change their lives for the better. But as I always encourage, don’t only set goals at the start of a new year. Set goals to better yourself and your life throughout the year.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Reflecting Back…

2011-12-30T23:16:00.000-08:00

As 2011 winds its way down to the last few hours, I take this time to reflect back on what, for me, was a very fulfilling year in many ways. A perfect year? Not by a long shot, but one loaded with enough action and accomplishments to fill a…well, a blog post.

This is a necessary, and important, exercise to do, by the way. Most of us, if you are like me, don’t take the time to look back and bask in our accomplishments. As a constantly driven person, someone who is always looking for the next big opportunity (I get bored easily) and challenge, I tend to push myself to the point, at times, of exhaustion. Taking a few moments (hopefully a few days) to go back and put a few asterisks next to your completed “to-do” list is an excellent way to end the year.

Before I twist my arm out of socket from so much back-patting, I must add that this post on reflection will be followed by a post on looking ahead: embracing another arduous list of things I’d like to accomplish in 2012.

2011 was a year of travel—personal and business. I was fortunate enough to have visited several new cities this year (Dublin), as well as returning to some of my favorites (Maui). All in all, I logged over 30,000 air miles—wow, that’s a lot of recycled air, stale pretzels, and cramped leg space!

I traversed across this great country six times! Over two Oceans! With stops along the way at:

· Las Vegas

· Tampa

· Phoenix

· Boston

· Newport, Rhode Island

· Narragansett, Rhode Island

· NYC!

· Maui

· Dublin

· Letterkenny

· Atlanta

· Sacramento

· Reno

I began the year not knowing my future with my current “day job,” and am ending this year with the hope of soon getting my second promotion. It has been a very rewarding year career-wise—a good thing!

I am blessed to work at a job where I get to interact with and lead and mentor dozens of people each day. I have creative freedom to use my triad of balance-mind, body, and spirit.

I was able to get my website back up and running (and looking better than ever) after over a year of idleness! Besides this blog, I also started another called “Mike’sDaily…”

The hits from my YouTube Page, Facebook, Twitter, my blogs and website have resulted in millions of visitors this year. Thanks to all for the continued and tremendous support!

I published my second book (my first is a young adult novel) this year and while the sales have not gone through the roof, they have been steady.

http://www.livelife365.com/Mike_s_Books.html

I produced another round of interesting and entertaining videos, along with another music video:

Along the way I’ve continued to cultivate a wonderful and solid relationship with my wife of almost twenty years, a son that just turned thirty (man, I’m/he’s OLD!), and my family and friends near by and Back East.

But mostly, I was able to help countless people change their lives for the better, lose weight and eat healthier, become motivated and inspired, and, hopefully, gave a few a good laughs along the way.

Reflecting back on 2011, it has been a pretty good year. And while it has not all been roses and sunshine, it has been worth looking back on and taking a few moments to enjoy…and give myself a few pats on the back.

You should do the same.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Mike's Daily Thoughts

2011-12-18T19:03:00.000-08:00

First off, many of you are probably thinking: "Mike actually has daily thoughts?"

Ahem...funny.

But believe it or not, I tend to have a lot on my mind, a lot of which seems destined to be shared via blogs, pics, vids, and Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or one of my many websites.

The wonderful thing is that we have all of this technology at our fingertips, the ability to transmit those thoughts across cyberspace, literally reaching billions of folks. Okay, that's only if your SEO is strong. Otherwise, said thoughts and pics and vids, etc., may only reach a handful of interested people. No matter, I got things to share and if you are reading this, I am very pleased to share them with you.

I created this blog several years ago, as a way to promote my video website, livelife365. I have been overwhelmed and thrilled at the response and feedback I have gotten from both this blog and my website, so much so that I wrote a book to expand my base, so to speak.

I have further expanded my ability to share the healthy, inspirational, motivational, and entertaining word of livelife365 with the creation of another blog, called:

Mike's Daily Thoughts, Pics, Videos, and More...

This blog is a less formal way to communicate and share many of my videos and photos, insights and just whatever is on my mind that day. The intent is to write a post everyday, but sometimes life gets in the way of all those plans...you know what I mean. I would be pleased to at least get five to six posts out each week...any more than that and we will all be sick of me (if you aren't already)...

So, when you have a few spare minutes in your hectic and busy day, please take a stroll over to my new blog and check it out, leave a comment, and enjoy.

Here is my latest video, by the way, about a very sweet and tasty fruit I recently discovered while vacationing on Maui, called Chico Fruit, or Sapodilla:

What is Chico Fruit (Sapodilla)?

Until next time...

peace,

Mike

Mike's Daily...
Buy the book
livelife365

Cooking With Mom

2011-11-27T22:54:00.001-08:00

I have just returned from a long trip across the country, which actually began with a wonderful trek over the Pacific to Maui. From there, after a brief stop in Northern California to repack and refamiliarize myself with my home, I was off to New England. I stopped in, again, very briefly, to visit my family, and then was off to Ireland for two weeks, on business.

After a very successful stay in Northern Ireland, I returned to New England, where I stayed at my mom’s house. We hung out, had a good time, but I complained about how I could not find any decent vegetarian food while on the Emerald Island (lots of good beer and deep-fried potatoes, but a dearth of healthy green, leafy types of foods; and very poor Italian recipes).

I informed my dear old ma that I was dying for some pasta, made with a very healthy tomato-based sauce. She said that she had a bunch of jars of spaghetti sauce in her cupboard that I could drizzle over some pasta. I asked if she felt like making one of her famous tomato sauces. She replied, “I have all the ingredients, but don’t have the time nor desire to make that time-consuming sauce much anymore.”

“Hmmmm,” I replied. “How about I whip up my own marinara sauce, one that tastes amazing and only takes a mere thirty minutes to create?”

She said, “Only if I can hold your camera and film it.” (Totally fabricated).

Here is the delicious and amazing result:

30 Minute Marinara Sauce (Cooking with Mom)

I am now at work on editing an outtakes video from all the film footage I tossed out after creating this wonderful vid. My mom is not only a good sport, but an excellent cook who taught me everything I know about healthy eating and cooking. I hope that this is only the start of many more "cooking with mom" videos.

Enjoy and manga!

Until next time...

peace,

Mike

livelife365

Maui Avocado! WOW!

2011-11-12T17:26:00.001-08:00

Aloha from Ireland...huh?

Okay, so maybe just greetings from the Emerald Island, where this post is being transmitted. Besides my lingering jetlag, my confusuion stems from my desire to be back on Maui...and the size of this amazing avocado.

I could have called this post:

THE ATTACK OF THE KILLER AVOCADO!!

And these babies were killer - killer tasting, that is. I love Maui avocados even more than the California-grown Hass variety, which before encountering the above monster, were once my favorite.

I don't think you really can see from the above pic what I am talking about. Maybe this photo will help demonstrate the size of this beast. And while size is good, the taste is even better.

Is that a Maui avocado, or are you just happy to see me?

All of these fun and delicious recollections have moved me to reprint one of my favorite posts. Please enjoy:

VIVA AVOCADO!

As much as I love eating avocados today, it's hard to imagine that I didn't taste my first one until I was well into my twenties. I grew up in a small town in a small New England state. Our foods of choice leaned more toward clam cakes and chowder than tacos and enchiladas. Avocado? I hadn't a clue what one was.
And don't even get me going about guacomole. Guaca...huh?

I understand that the avocado existed when I was growing up Back East, and they may even have been available at the local grocery store where my mother shopped. But mom never purchased one, never brought one of those green-skinned babies home. Believe it or not, I did not know WHAT an avocado WAS until I relocated to sunny California in the mid-80's. And even then, I wasn't sure what to do with one or how to eat it.

Today, avocados seem more popular and prevalent in everyday cuisine. In most restaurants you can find them chopped atop salads, sliced in between sandwiches, and, in its most popular form, as guacamole, that amazing green nacho-chip-dipping-taste-sensation.

While your mouth is watering, consider these interesting facts about the avocado:

a member of the berry family, avocado is a fruit, not vegetable
the Aztecs named it after the word, ahuacatl, which meant "testicle," because of its shape
they have been around since 900 A.D.
they have been grown in North America since 1856
also known as the alligator pear, Jamaicans call them pears

(for more fascinating information about the avocado, visit this site)

Most of you by now have tasted avocados, but if you still are like I was, back in the day, you should give them a try. You don't know what you are missing. But do you know the best way to cut one open? Here's a video that will help:

Hey, next time you have that chip loaded with guac, happily remind yourself that besides enjoying a delicious snack, you are also getting:

10 grams of dietary fiber
more potassium than one banana
vitamins E and B
10 grams of the good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated)

RED FLAG!

While very healthy for you, avocados are also high in calories and fats. The good news: these are the good fats--monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. These are heart-healthy fats and help lower LDL (bad cholesterol).

The bad news, for those counting calories or watching their weight, is that an average size avocado has around 300 calories--so tread carefully. I know that I can eat one all by myself, diced, with a sprinkle of sea salt.
Try it! In moderation.

It's hard to imagine that I spent half my life deprived of the succulent taste of avocado. Maybe that's why I've spent the last twenty-five years eating more than my share, trying to make up for lost time.

You should too!

Always remember that you can watch hundreds of self-help videos about health and nutrition, and any number of other topics, at livelife365.com.

Until next time...

peace,

Mike

Drink Green Tea Every Day!

2011-10-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

Aloha and Drink!

Green tea, that is!

I have been a green tea advocate for years, ever since I gave up my once addicting and overwhelming Diet coke habit. Searching for a healthier alternative, I discovered green tea and have enjoyed its wonderful taste and amazing health benefits ever since.

Why should you drink green tea every day?

It is loaded with antioxidants, can help reduce the threat of cancer, lowers cholesterol, assists in weight loss, and even fights tooth decay. Cool, huh?

But do you know what's really cool? Turning a successful green tea video (search YouTube for "green tea" and my vid comes up tops out of 45,000) into a cool music video. Please watch and enjoy my newest music video:

DRINK GREEN TEA EVERY DAY (MUSIC VIDEO)

Livelife365 is all about eating healthy, losing weight, and motivating yourself to do all that it takes to change your life for the better. All done in a fun and entertaining way. I hope the above videos continue that message and help you become the person you strive to be.

More cool stuff:

Please visit my new daily blog called: Mike's Daily...Thoughts, Pics, Vids...and more...

And recently livelife365 was voted one of the top fifty health blogs in the world by healthyhideout. Cool!

Lastly, I have a new self-help book for sale. Please check it out and tell anyone you know that is looking to change their lives for the better. I'll even toss in 30 of my top videos and 5 original songs. All for only ~~$24.99~~. Oops, guess again. Special Sale Price now only $19.00. Or you can get just the book for only $14.99! Sweet deal, huh? Check it out and let me know your thoughts...

Until next time...

peace,

Mike

livelife365

Aloha!

2011-10-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

Aloha from Maui! Please enjoy this helpful and humorous video I created on how to eat a coconut. I picked that baby up yesterday at the local farmer's market. Enjoy!

Mahalo and peace,

Mike

livelife365

mikes daily

Without Hope, We Have Nothing

2011-10-01T19:34:00.001-07:00

While researching this post, I encountered so many excellent, usable quotes that I had to stop for a second and further ponder why I desired to write a post about a topic that has already been written about extensively. I mean, the current president of these United States of America, Barrack Obama, practically based his entire candidacy on hope, or better put: on the premise, and promise, of believing in and rediscovering a lost hope. He even penned a best-selling book called “The Audacity of Hope.” One of his heroes, Martin Luther King, Jr., constantly orated about hope:

“If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.”

Men and women throughout history talk of hope, the opposite of despair, which is also a highly quoted subject matter. Hope and despair are forever linked; you can’t think about one without thinking about the other. The great writer, George Bernard Shaw, may have put it best:

“He who has never hoped can never despair.”

And for those who like their hope quotes a bit darker, there’s always that cheery, optimistic philosopher Freidrich Nietzsche:

“Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man.”

Although I prefer a softer, kinder hope, as I mentioned earlier, “Ya can’t talk hope without talking about the bad stuff too.” (One of my quotes. Don’t think it will be enshrined into the quote hall of fame anytime soon). To hear me talk more about hope, and why I feel this is a worthwhile topic, I produced this video:

WITHOUT HOPE, WE HAVE NOTHING

One of the things that continually amazes me is the hope I witness in others who have no business believing in anything, much less hope. It makes little difference what specific hardship or malady, act of violence or bad luck I am referring to, only that these brave, resilient souls somehow find it within themselves to persevere, to go on and rise above whatever tragedy that has befallen them and do something with their lives. Which, as always, brings me to what I’m all about—what livelife365.com is all about: living life every day in every way and not letting anyone or anything stand in your way.

Which also brings me to this amazing email I received from a loyal follower of livelife365. His name is Pierre and he is a lot like you, me, and millions of other people in this world. He is a human being and he’s made mistakes, embraced vices like smoking (cigarettes and marijuana), overeating, and practicing bad nutritional habits, which means he is not perfect, just like you and me. But like those aforementioned folks who refuse to give up even while facing great odds, Pierre wanted to change his life for the better. He began by researching green tea, because he had heard that drinking green tea was a good way to lose weight. He found my green tea video on YouTube, and then, like many others, stumbled upon my site, and began watching my videos on weight loss, diet and nutrition, and motivation. And, according the Pierre, livelife365 helped him lose 18 pounds in three months and changed his life. I was so thrilled by Pierre’s story that I produced a video about it:

FEEDBACK: LIVELIFE365 IS WORKING!

Like I said on the above video, and as I say countless times, there are hundreds of thousands of Pierre’s out there that need to change their lives for the better. All they need is a push in the right direction and some common sense advice on how to do it. I strongly feel livelife365, both this blog and my video site, can offer that push and advice.

At the end of my video about hope, I play a short version of my theme song, called “livelife365.”

Gee, Mike, how did you come up with that name?

Ahem, no one likes a wise guy…

Anyway, that song, along with letters like Pierre’s, epitomizes what livelife365 is all about. The lyrics say it all.

Click the below widget to listen to the complete version of the song, “livelife365.”

In closing, I leave you with a quote from one of the most quoted political figures of the last century, Winston Churchill:

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Until next time…

peace (and hope),

Mike

livelife365

Stop Eating Your Angst

2011-09-17T22:53:00.000-07:00

What is angst and why would anyone want to eat it?

Dictionary.com defines angst this way:

angst:

Spelled[engk-stuh]

a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.

Per Merriam-Webster:

angst: a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity

For me, angst is an emotion, a feeling; and not a very pleasant one. But one that we all encounter every now and then, and have to deal with.

How do you deal with your angst?

One way far too many people deal with anxiety, anguish, apprehension and insecurity is through emotional eating.

What is emotional eating?

It is using something as basic and necessary—like ingesting food for survival—as a crutch to combat angst, all of those sometimes everyday emotions we must learn to deal with in a healthy way.

Why not just ignore your angst?

That’s part of the problem—angst, or any adversity, when ignored still festers inside us all. In fact, pretending that what’s bugging you is not really bugging you may lead to having that anxiety present itself in an unhealthy way—like through an indulgence with food when you are not hungry.

Without eating we do not live—that’s as basic as breathing, sleeping, and drinking water. And there’s nothing wrong with using food to celebrate a success, a birthday, anniversary, or any number of wonderful reasons to take your family, friends, and loved ones out for a night of wining and dining. We all do it; in fact, it is quite healthy to do.

But eating as a celebration should be done only occasionally. Eating to hide or ignore emotional adversity done oft times daily is another story.

Emotional eating, or eating ones angst, is not only the wrong approach to what’s ailing you, it may just kill you.

Overeating, which leads to being overweight and obesity, is the leading cause of death in the world. Being overweight leads to:

· Heart desease

· Diabetes

· Cancer

· Degenerative joint disease

· Gastrointestinal distress

· Depression

· Death

What can you do?

We all have our share of angst, of distress and anxiety from time to time. The best way to deal with it is to embrace it, acknowledge it, understand it, and then take action.

If the first thing you reach for when you feel angst whispering in your ear is a candy bar, slap that thought out of your head and replace it with:

· A stick of sugarless gum

· A handful of healthy almonds, pistachios, walnuts, or peanuts

· A sugar free hard candy

· A toothpick

· A piece of fruit

· A book

· A jump rope

Replacing a bad habit with a good one—in other words, reaching for a jump rope or taking a walk when I feel anxious, rather than cramming a handful of potato chips into my mouth—has helped me more times than not.

What else can you do to help stop eating your angst?

· Take a walk

· Meditate

· Call a friend

· Plan a vacation

· Volunteer

· See your doctor

· Research your health options

· Rethink your lifestyle

· Go on a healthy diet

· Livelife365

Changing your life for the better is something most of want to do—who wouldn’t? But taking that first step, understanding that you are not alone in your struggle, is challenging. The first thing you need to do is to realize that when you are upset about something and automatically seek refuge in the refrigerator or cupboard that you must take a moment, suck in a deep breath, and just say no.

Reach for help, a friend, another option, an alternative.

And not eat your angst. Eat to live, to celebrate occasions and successes, in moderation.

Do all that you can to try to be the person that you know you want to be, that you deserve to be, that you will be.

Livelife365 will always be there to help you on your journey to better health, to balancing your mind, body, and spirit, to living your life to its fullest, every day in every way.

Think about it.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Post 9/11

2011-09-12T00:35:00.000-07:00

In honor and in memory of the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil ten years ago, I offer this video. To quote Sir Winston Churchill, when standing up to Nazi Germany as they continuously bombed London night and day:

"Never, ever give up!"

peace,

Mike

What is Malabar?

2011-08-31T22:48:00.000-07:00

Good question.

Is Malabar a:

a) castle in Ireland?

b) Middle Eastern city?

c) Name for a famous cartoon dog?

d) Delicious, nutritious leafy vegetable?

Those of you who are familiar with me and my healthy lifestyle choices here at livelife365 no doubt opted for D. Yup, Malabar is a spinach-like, leafy veggie that not only tastes delicious (and a bit like asparagus), but is loaded with vitamins and minerals that will help change your life for the better.

A member of the Basellaceae family, Malabar looks and tastes a bit like spinach, but is not—even though it is often referred to as vine spinach, given that it grows vine-like, up to dozens of feet in warm weather climes (like right here in Northern California, where I call home).

As you may have surmised, Malabar thrives in heat, growing mostly in tropical regions of Asia, India, and Indonesia, as well as right here in some North American hot spots.

Besides being a good source of fiber and low in calories, Malabar is also high in antioxidants, vitamins C and A, iron and calcium.

Eat it raw in salads, stir fry it with your favorite Asian wok recipe, or steam or boil the leaves and stems for a tasty side dish. No matter how you serve it up, Malabar is a wonderful addition to your summer vegetable harvest. Just this season I discovered Malabar and love this healthy and delectable vegetable. I think you will too.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

2008 All Over Again?

2011-08-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

It's happening again: Wall Street is slumping, people are panicked, and the economic health of the world is in jeopardy. Sound familiar? This pattern of turbulence is very similar to what occurred only a few years ago. At that time, I wrote an article on how to survive such a drastic and life-changing financial challenge. Those words of wisdom helped me, and many others, through that crisis back in 2008; I feel the tips below are still apropos today. And one more thing:

PRACTICE PATIENCE!

How To Survive an Election-Year Financial Meltdown

I know what some of you are saying, "Why should I listen to what you have to say about the economy? You're a self-help guy, who specializes in healthy lifestyle and personal development, as well as makes funny (goofy) videos and goofy (funny) parody songs."

Why? Because in dire times like these (seen the Business headlines recently?), during the most important presidential election of our lifetime, it takes a commonsense and practical approach to combat all the craziness going on out there.

Q: But, Mike, you write and make videos about diet and nutrition, motivation and how-to, what do you know about finances?

A: As much as the next guy, and more than enough to help you.

TEN THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SURVIVE THE ELECTION YEAR FINANCIAL MELTDOWN

1. DON'T PANIC

Wall Street seems to feed on panic--panic buying and panic selling. While others overreact and sell off their stocks and put their cash in safer investments, you don't need to follow suit. Unless you need the money from those investments right now, standing pat is still the best option. Why? Because stocks eventually ALWAYS come back up--this is a historical fact. And if they don't, then we're all in trouble. This too shall pass.

2. SIT ON IT

Rarely, as a self-help, fitness guru, do I suggest sitting back and doing nothing. But, in this case, go right ahead! Pass the popcorn and park it on the couch. Okay, you still need your daily exercise, but with regards to your money--LEAVE IT ALONE. Sit on it. In fact, the best advice that I hear the most from those that get paid to know this sort of thing is: DO NOT stop contributing to your 401k or IRA. Why? Right now stocks are cheap. When the market goes down, prices go down. The more stock you purchase NOW, at lower prices, the more you will have LATER, when the market stabilizes and goes back up. Think about it.

3. KISS (KEEP IT SIMPLE, SHERLOCK!)

Simplify your life. Cut back, spend less. Analyze what you NEED versus what you WANT. If you dine out 3-4 times a week, cut that in half. Do you really need satellite TV and radio? The recent trend now is stay-at-home vacations--you spend less on gas and airfare, while discovering local attractions you may have been missing, or avoiding, for years.

Bottom line: Simplify your life and save money.

4. TAKE A WALK

How much do you spend a year on that health club membership? Figure out a way to stay in shape at home, and cancel that costly membership. Walking is one of the least expensive, but most effective, ways to stay in shape. Plus, it gets you outside, and is good for the mind and spirit. In times like these, that's a good thing.

If you desire a more strenuous workout, look into purchasing dumbbells, a stationary bike or other equipment; whatever fits your specific needs. The initial investment may smart a little at first, but will more than pay for itself for years and years.

5. INVEST IN YOURSELF

While exercise and keeping fit are vital aspects of personal growth, don't stop there. Continue working on self-improvement and personal development all the time. livelife365.com offers hundreds of self-help videos that can change your life for the better, all free of charge and just a mouse-click away.

6. LISTEN TO YOUR BOSS

There is no place continued growth is more important right now than in the job market. Now is not the time to take your job for granted. Nor is it the time to mess up the job you have. Yes, keep that resume handy and continue networking and sharpening your skills so that you are more marketable. But you also need to keep your boss happy with your work. Work harder. Do the best job you can to make yourself indispensable. Most companies will have cutbacks and layoffs--YOU cannot control this. But you CAN control your effort, productivity, and attitude.

ALWAYS be in the TOP ranked twenty percent of good performers, not the bottom twenty.

Why? GOOD companies seldom layoff GOOD employees.

Be good, listen to your boss!

7. STOP AND SMELL THE FLOWERS

Enjoy yourself. Enjoy each day. Live life 365. This simply means to live your life every day in every way. Yes, times are tough, the economy is a mess, the world is a bigger mess, but you can still find a way to enjoy the little things in life that have nothing to do with the bigger things that are out of your control.

Every Day Every Way

8. GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY

Now is the time to roll up those sleeves and get to work. But you're already working on self and your job; what next? Go outside, dig up the garden. If you don't have a garden, start one. Landscape. Mow the lawn. Do house repairs, spring or fall cleaning. Learn a new (inexpensive) hobby. Do it yourself. Besides saving you a ton of money, DIY is good for the mind, body, and spirit. A sense of self-accomplishment goes a long way. And if you're picking ripe tomatoes off the vine, you're not worrying about Wall Street. Besides, growing your own will save you more money in the long run (and they taste so much better, too!). Can, bottle, preserve, or freeze whatever you can't consume now, and have a winter of homegrown, inexpensive veggies.

9. BALANCE YOURSELF

And your portfolio. The only movement you should be doing with your portfolio is rebalancing it. This simply means you need to take a look at your asset allocations. When there are sharp fluctuations in the stock market, your assets will also shift. But do me a favor, check with your financial consultant before you do anything.

As for you and YOUR balance: you should always be working on managing your Triad of Balance, the harmonic balance between Mind, Body, and Spirit.

10. VOTE FOR CHANGE

Now, more than ever, we need some major changes in Washington. If YOU do not like what is happening in YOUR life due to decisions made by our political leaders, YOU have the power to CHANGE it.

The current financial meltdown we are witnessing needs to be fixed. Fixed fast! We have the choice to keep on making the same mistakes that have led us here.

Or opt for CHANGE.

For the better.

I hope these tips help make dealing with these turbulent times a bit easier. And always remember that YOU have more power than you think to CHANGE your LIFE.

peace,

Mike

What is Zucchini?

2011-07-31T23:54:00.000-07:00

A) An Italian opera

B) A starting shortstop for the New York Yankees?

C) One of Christopher Columbus’s ships?

D) A very popular summer squash

If you picked anything other than D, then I suggest reading on. In fact, no matter what answer you gave, understanding this tasty and versatile vegetable is well worth the effort.

Zucchini is one of the few varieties of squash that was developed in Europe, Italy to be specific. Now popular worldwide and found in most gardens in the United States, zucchini probably migrated to America during the 1920s, brought over by Italian immigrants. Being an Italian-American, may I be the first to say: “Grazie tanto!”

Now that we know how this delicious veggie got here, let’s take a look at how to prepare it.

I love dicing small zucchini and adding them to my salads. Mixing with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and lettuce, zucchini add an additional crunch and nutritional value to a simple salad.

Another way to eat zucchini is grating them to use for breads. My mother used to slice zucchini up, add tomatoes, onions and peppers, and simmer in a skillet, and then serve it up with fresh Parmesan cheese as a mouthwatering side dish to one of the many Italian meals she used to make. You can even eat the zucchini blossom.

But one of my favorite ways to prepare this squash is slicing one of the larger ones in half, scooping out all of the yummy insides, and mixing that with anything from rice or quinoa, along with tomatoes, black olives, artichoke, carrots—anything you can think of—and then topping it off with mozzarella cheese and baking it. Oh, and don’t forget to drizzle in some extra virgin olive oil—can you say: “Buon appetito!”

Zucchini is very low in calories, and therefore a good food to add to your daily diet if you are trying to lose weight—and who isn’t, right? It also is high in antioxidants, vitamin C, and manganese. Also a good source of beta-carotene, zinc, potassium, and dietary fiber.

Consuming this versatile and delicious vegetable may also help combat many cancers, improve prostate health, and act as an anti-inflammatory.

No matter how you slice it (pun intended); zucchini is one of the most popular squashes in the world. Easy to grow, tasty, healthy for you, and simple to serve. What’s not to like?

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

How to...Eat

2011-07-18T22:58:00.000-07:00

Come on, who doesn’t know how to eat, right? But there are certain foods that we eat all the time that are not that simple to prepare. Take, for example, my latest video:

If you’re like me, you love asparagus, but may not know the best way to eat it. The above video should help.

Some of my most popular videos are those where I demonstrate how to prepare and eat many of my favorite foods. Like this one:

Simple, right? I know, we all have been chowing down on watermelon most of our lives. Okay, how about a more challenging food?

There are few veggies I love more than the thistle-laded artichoke, but, man, those guys are a chore to prepare…but well worth the effort.

And these tasty fruit:

That’s right, avocado are a fruit, not a vegetable, but amazingly delicious and good for you just the same.

Another one of my favorite fruits is mango. What’s the best way to eat one? Thought you’d never ask:

Every time I visit my favorite vacation destination, I always try to add a few more local delicacies to my palate. Like papaya and passion fruit. Here are the best ways to ingest them:

And don’t forget:

We all know how to eat, but some foods need more assistance than others. My websites and my channel at YouTube have helped hundreds of thousands of people around the world discover and eat myriad fruits and veggies, all of them quite healthy for you. Like these guys:

And some just for fun:

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Walking New York

2011-06-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

My wife and I just returned from a wonderful vacation Back East. We attended the wedding for my niece in scenic Narragansett, enjoyed an emotional tribute honoring the twentieth year of my father’s passing in rural Exeter, then hopped a train in quaint Kingston for the hectic mania of NYC.

During all of the above, my wife, embracing a new fitness kick (hmm, wonder where she got that idea from?), meticulously kept track of all of her steps, using a pedometer. Now, I’ve used pedometers for years, but since I walk basically the same route just about every day, I seldom use one anymore. My loss, by the way, as I still feel they are an excellent tool for not only tracking results, but to assist in motivating, inspiring, and celebrating vital fitness gains and successes.

Since we spent the majority of our time together, I was able to piggyback her step results as if they were my own (except for my morning two-mile walks, from which I added 4000 steps to my daily tally). The goal, by the way, is to shoot for 10,000 steps a day. One mile is approximately 2000 steps, so 10k is roughly five miles. Depending on your size and how fast you walk, you can burn around 100 calories per mile. Add this 500 caloric burn to the rest of your non-sedentary lifestyle, and you can easily see how counting steps, using a pedometer, and walking every day can assist in losing weight and living a healthier, happier, better life.

I am thrilled to report that my wife and I were able to exceed 10,000 steps most days during our two-week getaway. Shuffling through airports, racing from car rental agency to train stations adds up! We averaged well over ten thousand steps per day, which was a big help in balancing all of those extra vacation calories one consumes while away from it all.

But it was while visiting the Big Apple, traversing endless city blocks, that we amassed historical step results. Both days we were in the city we tried to walk to as many destinations as possible, eschewing taxis and the subway, often challenging each other to take one more step, try for one more city block, before yielding to fatigue and hailing a yellow cab. More often than not we amazed ourselves by doing just that and congratulating each other on our results.

Both days on Manhattan I exceeded 20,000 steps—a very good thing! We stayed at a hotel on 57^th street. My wife was going to spend a day shopping at Macy’s down on 34^th street, while I wanted to prowl the aisles of one of my favorite book stores that was in the financial district. After breakfast, we took off toward downtown with the goal of no taxis or subways unless we were really beat.

Walking twenty city blocks isn’t that difficult, so I was still fairly fresh when I dropped my wife off at Macy’s. But my bookstore was another fifty-plus blocks—at least an hour of more walking! I decided to walk until I was too tired to take another step, then hail a cab. The weather was overcast and humid. My head was covered in sweat. I sucked down the last of my water. I was parched and in need of napkins to mop my damp brow. I ducked into the first friendly shop I found, bought water and grabbed a handful of napkins. Rehydrated and patted dry, I continued my trek. I was crazed, determined not to give in; I stepped in a pothole, twisted my ankle, blistered the soles of my feet, yet I continued onward.

Why?

The only reasonably response was to echo what the mountain climber says to those who ask why he climbs that mountain—

“Because it’s there!”

Huh?

Overlooking blistering feet, a sweat-drippy skull, near-dehydration, and cluelessness as to where my bookstore actually was, I found myself at the site of where the twin towers once stood. The place was alive with activity. Thousands of tourists gawked and stood proudly where those behemoths once guarded lower Manhattan; while men at work did their thing in trying to rebuild what misled cowards tore down.

Me? I was both emotionally taken by where I was and exhausted at how I arrived there. I asked someone who looked like they’d know what I needed to know, and was sent back uptown toward my bookstore, sweaty, beat, and proud to have walked so far in one of the great cities known to man.

I enjoyed a few wonderful, air-conditioned hours of book shopping, continuing to accumulate steps on my wife’s pedometer, far exceeding any previously recorded steps for one day in my life, no doubt. The moral of this story, is that you can stay fit while on vacation, no matter where you are, be it traveling the endless city streets of Manhattan, or the gorgeous beaches of Maui, the wine country in Europe…or right down the road from your house.

The secret is finding the good in the moment, while on vacation or when doing that thing called life we all must do every day. 365.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Odds and Ends

2011-06-13T18:43:00.000-07:00

Mike is on vacation (what, another one?)...ahhh, actually, it's been a while. So here are a few recent videos to keep you occupied while I tour the East Coast for family fun, with a stop in the Big Apple along the way.

Until next time...

peace,

Mike

GO SOX!!

Building Self-Confidence

2011-05-22T01:25:00.000-07:00

What is confidence? I checked out the definition and one of the reoccurring words used to describe confidence was “belief.” Think about that. What is belief but a conviction of one’s ideals? You can even toss some faith into the mix.

How does one go about improving their self-confidence? I’m, for the most part, a very self-confident person. Hey, if I wasn’t then I bet there would be a good chance that no one would bother to watch any of my self-help videos, or read this blog. But would you believe that, at times, I question my own self-confidence? You bet I do!

The key to success is not in the questioning of one’s belief or confidence, but in the understanding that it is okay to do so. And then know what it takes to build that confidence back.

· SEE YOUR SUCCESS

One of the things I’ve practiced over the years is what I call Life Writing. Basically this a version of goal setting, or writing down what I’d like to achieve over the course of a few weeks, months, and even years. A few years ago I was in a rut with my career—I worked at home, telecommuting (which was a good gig for awhile), but only using a fraction of my experience. I decided that I wanted to head back into the office, pursue a path that would eventually lead me back into managing people, rather than sitting at a desk at home banging on a keyboard by myself. I literally wrote down what I needed to do to attain this goal, how I was to go about it, what short, mid, and long-terms goals I needed reach in order to succeed. Now, less than 18 months later, I have moved up two levels into management, successfully realizing what I only dreamed (and wrote) about. You can too!

· RELIVE YOUR SUCCESS

We all have had some modicum of success in our lives, right? Come on, close your eyes and let your imagination roam—see it now? Of course you do. Problem with most folks is they tend to remember to failures more than their successes. Hey, we’re human! Whenever I feel my confidence waning, I force my mind to remember a time when I was very successful, encouraging those images and sensations to the forefront of my being, and soon I am basking in my own personal love fest. This is the time to toss the ego out the door. There is nothing wrong with recalling past success to remind yourself that you not only can do the task before you, but HAVE done it, or something similar, many times over.

· PRACTICE YOUR SUCCESS

Practice may not make perfect, but it sure goes a long way toward making you successful. Sweat equity overcomes myriad other weaknesses. The opposite of success is failure, but failing is not a bad thing. Through failure you learn, get important feedback, and improve. But you have to try and fail first, to be successful, leading to that all important self-confidence. The best athletes are not always those blessed with the best physical gifts. Often, they are the ones who work harder, practice longer, and want it more than the other person. Hard work never hurt anyone; in fact, it just may be the key to improving your confidence.

· BELIEVE IN YOUR SUCCESS

There’s a fine line between being overconfident and arrogant—believe me, I’ve walked that tightrope all my life. But I’d rather have too much confidence than too little. My father taught me at a very young age the power of motivation, of positive thinking, of believing that I could do just about anything I put my mind to. And, being young and one who looked up to my old man, I believed him. I’ve taken that belief in myself with me throughout my life, a life, by the way, filled with as much failure as success. Don’t wait for someone else to believe in you, believe in yourself and success may be right around the corner.

Building self-confidence will not happen overnight—hey, most overnight successes struggled years and years before reaching the top. But it is can be easier than you ever imagined. All you have to do is See, Relive, Practice, and Believe.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

2011-05-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

Most of you, I assume, know what this date is all about—lots of delicious Mexican food, right?! Actually, Cinco de Mayo, besides literally meaning May 5^th, represents Mexico’s army’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, not to be confused with Mexico’s Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16^th.

But for many of us, Cinco de Mayo is all about celebrating the amazing culinary wonder of Mexican cuisine. Hey, I’m all for cheering about who won what battle for whatever, but, more importantly it's really about how to make excellent salsa, right? Check this out…

Actually, salsa is only one of the many reasons why I indulge in and love Mexican food. Guacamole is another…

Okay, seriously, why else should you embrace this cool day? How about healthy, tasty, easy to make enchiladas?

I never heard of Cinco de Mayo until I migrated from New England out to Southern California in the eighties, but now this tasty holiday appears to be growing in popularity. Whatever the reason, take today off and dive into some Mexican history, with some guac and salsa on the side. Oh, and don’t forget the jalapenos…

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

The Grind

2011-04-23T22:59:00.000-07:00

Hey, what’s up?

Nothing, working.

Uh-huh…

Tell me about it.

Yup.

Why is it, whenever I ask someone at work how they’re doing, invariably their response is one of misery, fatigue, angst, depression, all delivered with equal parts whine and woe-is-me? Okay, not everyone, perhaps, but way too many. Are that many people that unhappy with their jobs?

The answers may surprise you, even during these economically challenging times. If you asked many of the above folks if they didn’t have to work would they be toiling away at their jobs, what do you think their response would be?

Silly question, huh? Anyone of us who does not HAVE to work wouldn’t, right? Certainly not at a job that made you miserable. But even if I won the lottery tomorrow, I would still wake each day with a choice: do nothing, or do “something.”

That “something” is what makes us who and what we are. We all need to have that “something” that motivates and keeps us going. The real lucky ones are those who love what they do—their “something” is SOMETHING they would literally do for nothing.

And that’s the key—finding that “something” that you really would do for nothing…only make it something that can pay the bills, at least a few of them.

Here’s a newsflash—life can be a grind, when you think about it. Why would anyone think that their day-to-day jobs wouldn’t have some grind in them too? Even movie stars and million-dollar athletes, at times, feel the grind of their chosen professions.

I suggest doing all you can do to eliminate the grind in your daily grind. How?

· choose to be positive

· smile, laugh, spread the job

· look for the good in all your tasks

· look for the good in all your coworkers

· take care of yourself by keeping your triad of balance fit

· work hard, focusing on living in the moment

· take pride in your job

· help others

· lower expectations when necessary

· raise the bar when needed

· leave your work at the job

· then go home and forget about it

Most importantly, try to find a career, vocation, job, or profession that puts you in touch with your creativity, your bliss, what makes you happy, and what draws from you the wealth of desire and knowledge that drives you. If your current job offers none of this, make it your quest to find one that does.

Even in these challenging economic times. Why wait—life’s too short.

Think about it…

Until next time.

peace,

Mike

Hummus, Anyone?

2011-04-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

If someone were to ask me a few years ago what one of my favorite snacks was, I would have probably said: potato chips, or some other salty treat. Hummus would have been far down the list; in fact, it would not have even made the list. Back then, I didn’t even know what hummus was. Do you?

Well, today, most of us have at least heard of hummus. But how many of you have actually eaten it? Interested in learning more about this intriguing food? Read on.

Hummus is a dip, spread, or paste made from cooked and mashed chickpeas. It is then blended with tahini (crushed and soaked sesame seeds), olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. The best way for me to describe how this delicious spread is made is by letting watch this video:

Hummus is Middle Eastern in origin, and has been around forever. Chickpeas have been a food item for over 10,000 years. Wow, that’s a lot of hummus over the years, huh? Most people eat hummus with pita bread—tearing off pieces to use as a scoop. You can also use your favorite dipping chip or cracker. I like to eat it with soy chips. My favorites can be found at Glenny’s; and they are loaded with vegetable protein. A snack of soy chips and hummus, which I consume two or three times a week, gives me around 10.0 grams of healthy protein and 7.0 grams of fiber. And they taste amazing!

Besides being a wonderful source of vegetable protein and fiber, hummus is also high in vitamin C, calcium, and iron--and is a good source for antioxidants.

As for different types of hummus—shop around, there are dozens of flavors and styles and brands out there. And, as always, read the nutritional information—some are high in fat and calories (read the ingredients, see what you’re eating!). These days you can find hummus in most grocery stores. I love the eggplant hummus at Trader Joe’s. And this site has some excellent organic hummus and other products you may enjoy.

For all you lovers of hummus (like me!) out there, keep enjoying this flavorful food’s myriad tastes and healthy benefits. And for those of you who have yet to try hummus? Give it a shot; you may end up loving it and making it one of your favorite snacks.

For more about hummus, I suggest visiting these two great sites:
The Hummus Blog
Desert Candy

And, as always, you can enjoy self-help videos about health, personal development, entertainment and much more at my video site, livelife365.com.

Until next time...

peace,
Mike

Salsa—Delicious and Good For You!

2011-03-20T19:50:00.000-07:00

I eat Mexican food all the time, several times a week, on a good week. I make my own guacamole, tacos, bean burritos, as well as my very own fresh salsa. I also enjoy dining out, eating at any of the dozens of wonderful local establishments that feature Mexican fare. I often judge which of these restaurants to break bread (and dip chips) at by their salsa. If their salsa isn’t fresh, tasty, and hot enough to bring tears to my eyes, then I take a pass. Why? Because, to me, salsa is king—it is loaded with flavor and heat, yes, but also high in these nutritional benefits:

· Lycopene, a cancer-preventing antioxidant found in tomatoes

· Vitamin C and Potassium, also from tomatoes

· ONIONS have been known to help fight bacteria, aid in breathing, and treating coughs and colds

· Garlic helps fight cancer, improves your iron metabolism, may aid in weight loss and assist in lowering blood pressure

· Capsaicin, the chemical that makes jalapeno peppers hot, provides relief for migraine and sinus headaches, fights infections and cancer, and makes you feel good.

· Cilantro aids in digestion and may help symptoms of arthritis

· Lime is high in vitamin C, aids in digestion, is good for your skin, assists with weight loss and constipation

The health benefits found in salsa’s ingredients are endless.

Another wonderful thing about salsa is that it is so easy to make.

Add a few cloves of garlic and a chopped onion (I use shallot) to your food processor, toss in some fresh cilantro, a couple tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, squeeze of lime, salt and pepper to taste. It’s that easy!

Most folks use tortilla chips to scoop up their delicious salsa. I do too, but I also enjoy salsa on salads, with veggies, and atop my other favorite Mexican dishes.

What’s not to like, huh?

Tasty, good for you, and versatile, salsa is more than just that tomato-based sauce that arrives with the basket of chips. It is one of the healthiest foods around.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

CBS Replaces Charlie Sheen With a Monkey!

2011-03-06T20:35:00.000-08:00

I am sick and tired of hearing about Charlie Sheen. I barely watch TV, and certainly not the gossipy shows that live off the detritus of train wrecks like Carlos Estevez (his real name, by the way)—so for me to even be writing this means that this story is everywhere. And I do not like having it invade my space!

For those of you living under rocks or on some secluded island, Charlie Sheen is a television actor on a popular situation comedy who is too screwed up to show up for work. As a health and fitness guru, not to mention a self-help and personal development guy, I do have some empathy for the messed up Charlie’s of the world—in fact, I would love to be the person who helps him and sets him on the path to enlightenment and recovery. But, alas, Charlie does not want help or feels he needs it. He is cool with who he is and how his behavior not only affects himself, but those around him. Still, I would be more than willing to work with him…if he asks.

Since I’ve not received any SOS flare from Chuck, I have instead decided to offer up a few suggestions on how CBS, the most-watched television network in these United States, should handle the sad case of Charlie Sheen.

REPLACE HIM WITH A MONKEY!!

Here are the bottom-line, no-nonsense facts: Charlie Sheen is just an actor, a very lucky actor who was able to take mediocre talent and transform it, along with an established family name, into an amazing career. He has been paid outrageous amounts of money for, basically, standing in front of a camera and reciting bad lines of dialogue that make millions laugh. Now, there’s nothing wrong with making people laugh. I think finding humor in things throughout the day is a necessity in living one’s life to its fullest, along with being one of the essences of living a healthy life.

But Sheen is just a guy who has a job that reaches millions…but IT’S JUST A JOB! AND HE’S JUST A GUY! AND HE DID NOT SHOW UP FOR WORK BECAUSE OF SELFISH REASONS AND THAT HAS AFFECTED HIS COWORKERS' LIVELIHOOD!!

The simple solution is to replace him. If I behaved like Charlie has behaved, I would, indeed, be fired, terminated, axed, canned, let go, replaced, and FIRED (again!). Why? Because you cannot get away with being bigger than the job. If you do not comply with what is asked of you by your employer, then you will not be employed. End of story.

CBS can and should fire Sheen. And replace him with…not a monkey. That was my way of getting the attention of the masses (and CBS). But replace him with any of the hundreds of talented, working actors out there looking for a break.

That’s why I suggest that CBS have a reality-themed show designed to replace Sheen. Find ten hungry, talented, funny, out-of-work actors, put them all in one apartment, and have one replace Sheen each week on “Two and a Half Men.” At the end of the ten-week talent search, and after creating a ratings powerhouse, the new “Charlie” is revealed. Everybody wins. The current cast of the show, who, because of the selfish antics of their star are not making a living, get to work and get paid. And someone new on the horizon, as good as but more than likely better than Sheen, gets his shot at stardom.

And best yet, the audience, you out there who need laughter to end your day after having to scrape and toil for your daily bread and gasoline, you, my friend, gets to chuckle during dinner, a necessary respite, delivered by a fresh face, hopefully sans chemicals and attitude, that will make you smile…and not give a moment’s thought to Carlos Estevez.

Life is too short to put up with the Charlie Sheen’s of the world. Think about it. If this guy lived next door to you or, heaven forbid, were related to you, would you allow him to continue with such bizarre, destructive, and repugnant behavior? No, you would see that he seeks help…and change the channel, in hope of discovering something to take your mind off your troubles. And have a jolly chortle or two in the meantime.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

How to Make Tasty Guac!

2011-02-19T20:29:00.000-08:00

I love Mexican food!

I am originally from New England, Back East, Red Sox and Yankee Country. We have harsh winters and humid summers, eat clam chowder, both white and red, and have that “Faggahettabbbouttitt!” attitude. Italian food and the best pizza around can be found there, but Mexican food? Like the guy said: Faggahettabbbouttitt!”

When I moved out to California in the eighties, I didn’t know an avocado from and apricot, and had only sampled a handful of Mexican classics, sadly mostly from a fast food chain with a bell on its façade. I never tasted guacamole until I was well into my twenties.

Today, having lived on the West Coast for over half my adult life, and for decades being a rock’s toss from our amigos to the south of the boarder, I not only am familiar with Mexican cuisine, but nosh on it as often as three times weekly.

One of my favorite dipping snacks, right there alongside spicy salsa, is guacamole. The best part about this delicious, avocado-rich dip is how simple it is to make. Watch for yourself:

Take four ripe avocados, dice them up, add half a chopped white onion, a chopped tomato, without the seeds, handful of chopped cilantro, finely diced radish, diced jalapeno, depending on how hot you like it, squeeze of lime, salt and pepper to taste, and you have yourself a fresh, delicious, fast snack.

I may be an east coaster at heart, but as the years go by I am more and more a west coaster who embraces the cultures and tastes of the land—like Mexican food, especially avocado-laden foods like guacamole.

Next time you’re in the produce aisle of your grocery store and see one of those rough, green, odd-looking hand grenade things, grab a few, along with onion, tomato and the rest of the gang, and make yourself some guac.

You’ll be glad you did.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike