5-Shot Friday, 7/8/16: Ancient Enemy, Bulletproof Coffee, And The Price Of Nice

Hello, and welcome to the 7th July installation of 5-Shot Friday

1) Morning Workouts, My Ancient Enemy

If you’re not a morning lark, but a night owl like myself, it is painful – excruciating – to get up at 5:30 to get the body moving.

It would be pointless torture…were it not for the fact that working out at any other time, like during the theoretical lunch break or after a long day of work, pretty much never happens. Generating a durable morning workout habit is one of the best ways to be active on a consistent basis.

Like Churchill’s statement about democracy as the suckiest form of government, it’s only bad until you compare it to the alte
atives.

2) Focused Screenings

In an earlier post, I noted how the pendulum is starting to swing away from “checkups” just because it’s been a year since your last one.

This page and its related links comes from the Department of Health and Human Services, and gives guidance along those lines: screening is most effective when looking for conditions that you’re at particular risk of having.

If you pretty much avoid doctors, you’re better off signing up for an “annual physical,” since you’ll likely go in less than once a year, and your doctor will have plenty to do to get you all caught up. But if you’ve been good about preventive visits, the next step in refinement is focusing on specific risks that apply to you as an individual.

3) Bulletproof Coffee

Dave Asprey is another name from the Paleoid camp. His work is a bit controversial, regarding mycotoxins in regularly available coffee (he offers reportedly fungus-free coffee for sale from his own website). But his coffee recipe does have its supporters, reporting improved focus and energy without the caffeine crash that some folks are subject to.

If you go this route and love it, a suggestion: get your cholesterol levels checked with detailed labwork. YMMV, and some people who emphasize “healthy fats” in their Paleo diets have a ginormous increase in unhealthy cholesterol subtypes.

4) Smelling Nice At A Price

I like having my garments smell nice as much as the next person – or rather, I’m guessing the people I work with like having my garments smell like spring breezes and meadows. Better than musky gym guy.

However.

If you have raging itch fits, whenever you sweat, or at night in bed, or have had seemingly random flares of rashes or hives, you may want to reconsider your fabric softener use, which can leave residues on your skin after rubbing, scratching, and sweating. Per this article, there are other potential downsides to commercially available softening agents, so alte
atives may be in order.

5) Mindfulness Is A Good Thing

It’s been at least 30 years since meditation as a valuable personal development tool became acceptable to the wider American consciousness. It’s been used to treat PTSD in veterans, lower blood pressure, increase calm and focus in students, and generally help counteract the endless internal brain chatter that accompanies modern life.

If you’ve been hiding under a rock, worried about it being too “woo hoo,” or “Oriental,” or non-Christian, or cultish, this article should help set you straight.

More at: http://www.fccmg.com/locations/fountain-valley-urgent-care