Losing Big, Winning Big

At one time, our bodies—with innate intelligence developed over millennia—had to plan for famine. This is no longer the case; we live in a time of abundance. In a time that allows us to eat bananas and avocados year around, which was akin to driving a Ferrari only fifty to one-hundred years ago.

We have more food than our ancestors could imagine and almost none of the work that went into getting it. Life is easier, and we live longer.

But do we really live better?

And, what does it mean to live better?

As a means of sustenance has developed into a path to temporary gratification, we have sacrificed our health. So many of the ailments we face today are the result of how we live our lives, triggering inflammation pathways to run amok.

Inflammation serves a purpose as a temporary fix to an injury. However, chronic inflammation is chronic stress on our bodies because we constantly expose ourselves to irritants, which ultimately sparks body-wide inflammation. This degree of inflammation is toxic to our cells.

Sadly, we don’t treat this—despite how simple it should be—instead, we treat the symptoms, hoping that throwing gasoline on an out-of-control fire will bring it under submission.

Currently, I’m reading a book called the Grain Brain. While the title lacks imagination, the book is packed with substance. It’s a new take on an old diet: Our natural diet of high fats, low carbs, and enough protein to keep us growing.

The author speculates that our brains are so adversely affected by carbohydrates and the accompanying gluten that we’re killing ourselves one mouthful at a time.

Several years ago I gained a lot of weight and lost it. Last year when I quit smoking, I gained much of it back, so I’ve been overweight and I’ve been at my ideal weight, and to be honest, there’s nothing quite like being at a healthy weight.

The plan is to use this book’s wisdom to move the needle to the left, feel better about myself, and live healthier.