This blog hasn’t been updated recently, primarily because I’ve moved on to other group efforts. For my thoughts on religion, visit the group blog Per Christum. My brother, his wife, my wife, and I recently started blogging on health and home related items at Life in Your Years. The newest addition there is our Weight Loss Tips.
Today, Monday January 21st, is regarded by some as the worst day of the year. I’m not surprised since the psychologist who figured this calculated a variety of factors including time since Christmas, failure of New Year’s resolutions, debt (i.e. credit card spending from Christmas comes due), weather, and a couple more. Thus, this is the worst day of the year! Woo hoo. Let’s see how my day stacks up:
Time since Christmas: I love Christmas and seeing the two people who still have decorations up made me a tad sentimental yesterday. However, I have moved on from Christmas; in fact, I’m looking forward to Lent. It’s one of the beauties of the entire Church year!
Failure of New Year’s resolution: I didn’t really make any formal resolution, except to continue working out and being healthy. I’ve kept to these.
Debt: I have a mortgage, student loan debt, and credit cards. But, I pay the cards off every month and I didn’t overspend at Christmas. As hard as it is to pay any bill, I’m ready.
Weather: I live in the snowbelt. I’m terribly sick of snow by now. This weekend we received 14 inches of snow, but I was out of town. So, I get to return to my house to some serious cold and shoveling. I am not terribly excited at the thought, but I can handle it.
So, a bad day? I’m not playing golf in 80 degree weather followed by a dinner with my family, but it’s ok!
I am into health and fitness and have been since I was a teenager. In fact, I have taken vitamins on and off from the time I was fourteen. As an overweight teenager, I basically took matters into my own hands and read about health and fitness issues, including nutritional supplements. So, when I read about a supplement I hadn’t heard of from two sources in the same week, I’m intrigued! The supplement is Acetyl L-Carnitine, an amino acid. I can honestly say I’ve never experienced such an immediate result from taking any other supplement in my entire life. Here is my experience, both positive and negative.
I started by taking 250 mg. of Acetyl L-Carnitine the evening that it came. I immediately noticed greater mental clarity, sharper vision, and a generally elevated mood. I was able to sit down and focus enough to finish grading some papers I had been putting off for awhile. I’m not ADD by any means, but I still can be distracted. In spite of the greater focus, my sleep was lighter that night and I was somewhat restless. I figured taking it in the morning would help eliminate this, so the next morning I took 250 mg. on an empty stomach. I noticed the same benefits previously, with a little bit of restlessness thrown in. I was cruising along throughout the morning, but had a pretty big “low” in the afternoon. It came right as one of my classes was starting! Bad timing, I guess. I also experienced light sleep that night too, but this could’ve been connected to congestion, which I suffered from that day.
The next day, I modified my routine again by taking 125 mg. in the morning and 125 mg. in the late afternoon (all on an empty stomach). I still had an afternoon low and slept lightly to boot. More bad timing, I think. But, curiously, my workout that day was incredible. I got on the “virtual bike” and instead of my usual average of 220-230 watts over a 30 minute period, I was able to do 260 watts over the same period. This resulted in an additional 80 or so calories burned!
The next day, I cut my dosage to 65 mg. before breakfast and another 65 mg. or so before lunch. This removed the low and kept me going through school and my after school workout. So far, so good. During the weekend, I cut my dosage to 65 mg. one time before lunch. Once again, I noticed a nice workout boost, going from an average of 168 or so strides/minute on the elliptical machine to 175 or so strides/minute.
As it stands, I have had a great experience with Acetyl L-Carnitine, but only when I got the dosage correct. We all respond to supplements differently and even “recommended” doses can be wrong for different people. Here is the summary of my experiences:
Positive: Sharper vision, better mental clarity and more focus, huge workout boost (all at lower doses)
Negative: Restlessness, lighter/less sleep (at higher doses), some nausea (even at lower doses)
Bottom Line for Me: After I got the dosage correct, I noticed incredible benefits without the annoying side effects. Even today, my average watts on the bike were 250, which is incredible for 30 minutes after a full day of teaching. I’m definitely going to keep taking Acetyl L-Carnitine, especially on workdays and workout days. I plan on taking a break from the supplement some weekends and most holidays.
These are my experiences only. If you are interested in taking this or any supplement consult a doctor. Here is a good website on Acetyl L-Carnitine by Dr. Ray Sahelian.
Thanks to:
David Garrard
LaDanian Tomlinson
Maurice Jones-Drew
Santonio Holmes
Chad Johnson
Patrick Crayton
Jeremy Shockey
The San Diego Chargers Defense
Nick Folk
These are the members of my championship fantasy football team. It was a fun year and a great and needed victory.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government will be upon his shoulder,
and his name will be called
“Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Wishing all readers of this blog a wonderful Christmas!
I have been thinking a lot about politics lately, probably because I believe our country needs a change and the election season is fast approaching. Although at this point committed to Ron Paul, he may not be a viable candidate by the time I vote (since Ohio is such a late primary state). So, I’ve been thinking a lot about who else would be a viable option. I am interested in Mike Huckabee in a way. I like his disavowal of torture and his willingness to call the Bush administration what it clearly is: arrogant. On the other hand, I think he is largely a “compassionate conservative” in the mold of Bush (including “compassionately” spreading democracy around the world). And, although I think Ron Paul’s response to Huckabee’s recent ad was over the top, I do get sick of how much the candidates seem willing to try to see who can be the most Christian to win over evangelical voters. As strongly Catholic and Christian as I am, I also can see pandering a mile away. Peggy Noonan pretty much sums up my take on the whole Huckabee ad controversy.
One final thought: if it’s Huckabee vs. Obama in November 2008, it will be the battle of the lightweights.
This article is proof that some people are completely lacking in rational capacity. Here is the story: a 10 year old girl brings a steak knife to school and uses it to…get this…cut steak. Her punishment? She was reported to the Sheriff by teachers, hauled off to a criminal processing facility, and suspended for ten days. Oh, and she now faces felony charges because of a “weapon” on campus. There was overreaction at every level.
As a teacher, I am concerned about school violence. However, just as going after law abiding gun owners does nothing to stop gun violence, suspending and charging a student for cutting steak with a steak knife does nothing to reduce knife violence (or any other type). I guess this girl’s suspension and the felony charges mean the parties involved can say they’re “doing something” to make the world safer at the expense of a little girl who just wanted to cut some steak. Oh, and at the expense of liberty, but we don’t want to say that too loudly, now do we? Zero tolerance and all.
A recent study estimates that 75% of adults and 24% of children and teens will be overweight or obese in 2015. The specific projection for obesity in 2015 is 41% (obesity is considered a BMI over 30-39.9 or roughly 30 or more pounds overweight). Those are staggering numbers with huge implications for an already failing health care system since obesity is associated with increased risks in heart disease, diabetes and general poor health and increased mortality. Even being overweight can lead to many of the same issues.
So, what can we do? I’m not a big government kind of guy, but as long as the government has a role in health care (and I’m not necessarily saying it should), it also has a stake in helping to keep those costs down. However, the main solutions must come from private individuals and businesses. I especially think businesses need to realize the value in helping their employees stay healthy. I’m thinking in terms of less sickness, better performance, lower overall health care costs, etc. I also think insurance companies should shift the financial burden to obese people, smokers, etc. while reducing the burden for those who are healthy, fit, etc. I’m not suggesting this to be mean spirited, but to be fair. I also think that paying more for insurance will help those who are unhealthy have an incentive to get healthier and businesses which will also pay more for those employees will want to help too.
For more of my postings on this topic, see my health category
We’ve all seen them: the 40 year old fitness obsessed man at the gym who looks 30 and the 25 year old druggie/alcoholic woman on Cops who looks about 50. Can we determine how old a person really is based on lifestyle choices rather than calendar age? Now we can…for the most part anyway. It’s called the Real Age Test and it can be taken at the Real Age website. Is the test a perfect indicator? Probably not, but it does use the most current research about aging and lifestyle.
The entire website and the Real Age book are also great, even if it all seems like a big infomercial at times. I’m definitely a Real Age devotee since the “program” (in quotes because it’s more a series of suggestions) has helped me get in great shape and become much healthier. After following the suggestions in Real Age, I’ve lost about 25 pounds, lowered my blood pressure from moderately high to perfect, and my resting heart rate is now about 48. I was in great shape in high school, but am actually fitter now. I’d highly recommend the book and the website for anyone wanting to be healthier and become younger.
-A “catholic” diocese is attempting to leave the wider denomination- schism, how very catholic
-The inclusive, tolerant, and exceedingly liberal Episcopal leadership will most likely sue the crap out of said diocese to keep the expensive buildings- legal browbeating to keep property; how inclusive, tolerant, and liberal
These are indeed strange times for the Anglican Communion. Separations are messy. Just ask Henry VIII (or better yet Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard)
In the aftermath of the recent Church shooting, one person estimates that the security guard who shot and killed the gunman probably “saved over 100 lives.” That’s right, guns don’t just cause crime, but actually stop it. Most sane people recognize this fact and affirm the need for military, police, and private security to be armed. However, many of the same people still support keeping guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens who want to protect themselves, their families, and total strangers. In fact, if Kansas had denied its citizens their second amendment rights, over 100 people could well have been dead since this “security guard” was actually acting as a volunteer with a Concealed Carry License.
This is consistent with the overall research of John Lott, whose great book “More Guns, Less Crime” has demonstrated the role of guns and specifically concealed carry licenses in reducing crime overall. That book, and his other, “The Bias Against Guns” helped in my journey from a gun controller who bought every myth and half truth put forth by the interest groups via the media to a defender of our second amendment rights.
I’ve put up a new post at Per Christum about why my Catholic and conservative principles have led me to reject the death penalty in most cases. I guess this puts me in the traditions of those two great Pauls: John and Ron.
Read: Catholic, Conservative, and Against Capital Punishment
The mall where the horrendous shooting occurred was, not surprisingly, a gun free zone. And yet, as lots of anti-gun Americans are consistently finding out, a gun free zone just means the good guys (and gals) can’t carry their legally purchased guns that they are trained and licensed to carry. The criminals don’t obey laws, so we have tragedies like this Omaha shooting where the carnage continues until the cops arrive or some unarmed hero risks his life trying to stop an armed man. My family won’t be shopping at “gun free zones” this Christmas. Why? We know those little signs may placate the more squeamish among society, but they definitely do not make us safer. More on this later.
The music group the Killers have released a great new video for their charity Christmas single, “Don’t Shoot Me Santa.” Although the song has serious themes, the tongue in cheek video, featuring a red bearded Santa Claus, tacky Christmas sweaters, and comedy reminsicent of the Monkees, is fabulous.
Since this blog template doesn’t do embedding well, I’ll provide the URL for viewing:
My first contribution on Benedict XVI’s newest encyclical to the Per Christum blog Spe Salvi roundtable:
As I read through the Holy Father’s recent encyclical, my thoughts kept returning to the connection between hope and humility. Benedict consistently contrasts the philosophers, scientists, and activists who want to build the kingdom of God through technology and human progress with the humble saints of the Church who succeeded, in their lives and in their deaths, as a witness to the real meaning of hope. Outcasts know hopelessness so well that they are uniquely disposed to zealously embrace hope and just as eagerly share it with the world. Even those who are in positions of power and wealth and status need hope too, as Benedict points out, but it requires us to recognize that we are “living without hope and without God in the world.” Sometimes those of us who are rich or even “comfortable” have just the right number of toys, institutional affiliations, and reasons for optimism that we can put aside that nagging voice telling us that maybe something greater exists: the love of God and the coming of a life that is “truly” life. This is the great hope that we have as Christians, but are we humble enough to truly embrace it?
