1.  Great thing I learned about and got to witness this week… I am a BIG fan of just about anything that honors our Veterans. These men and women deserve so much more than they get after serving our country, upholding our freedoms, and protecting the rest of us that stay back and get to…

1.  Great movie scene I re-watched this week… Certain movies have scenes that we remember forever. There is a scene in the movie Hugo that I have re-watched numerous times and think of often. It’s the scene where the orphan boy Hugo Cabret, who is living in a Paris train station, is explaining to his…

1.  Great news I heard this week… Texas just made history! Senate Bill 25 passed unanimously. This restores daily PE (physical education), eliminates toxic additives from school meals, and prioritizes real nutrition education. This is a HUGE step in the right direction to reverse the devastating physical and mental state of today’s children. All states…

1.  Interesting report I saw this week… There is a U.N.-sponsored report called The World Happiness Report. This is an annual report that ranks happiness among more than 140 countries, considering factors such as social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom from corruption, and generosity. Finland topped the list again (8th year in a row) as…

1.  Video clip I saw this week… Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that is released when we experience pleasurable activities. Humans LOVE and SEEK dopamine! Unfortunately, we are getting constant, tiny, fleeting hits of it through junk food, social media, video games, drugs, and gambling. FAKE dopamine, as these things are called, lead to a bunch…

1.  Cool video and story from this week… Someone sent me a video of an ice climber caught in an avalanche that was pouring over him as he hung by his ice axe. It’s a wild video. What’s wilder is that, coincidentally, the guy in the video was one of my guides when I climbed…

1.  Something I spent time thinking about this week (and thought I’d share with you)… Ever tried to help someone who wouldn’t let you help them? Especially when they really need help. Frustrating, eh? Oh… and exhausting… confusing… annoying… etc. A good friend, Dr. Noel Abood, shared a very good, and helpful, way of thinking…

1.  Snack I’m loving… I love potato chips. I avoid them because they are not good for you. Boulder Canyon is a brand that I do eat. They have no artificial junk in them, they do not use bad seed oils, and there are only three ingredients… potatoes, avocado oil, and sea salt. They taste…

1.  Inspiring video I re-watched this week… If there’s one thing I love to see, it’s someone doing something extraordinary… something they were told they could not do. I remind myself regularly that just because something has not been done, or just because everyone says you can’t do something, doesn’t mean that it can’t be…

1.  Something of interest to me… I’ve always been intrigued with human history. Our ancestors endured incredible adversity. For us to not only survive, but thrive, through history as a species is amazing. One period of time, the 1800s, has captured my attention lately. We’ve watched three shows that help capture what things were like…

1.  Misogi completed… This year’s misogi was for me to do a cold plunge in the lake behind my house EVERY DAY in January. Well… today is January 31st, and I am DONE! I knew I was going to be out of town today (January 31st), so to make it official I did TWO cold…

1.  App I am using… I recently downloaded, and have been using daily, the BobbyApproved app. Bobby Parrish is someone I follow. He’s been posting information on what foods are good and which are bad since 2012. He has more than 15 million followers. He created an app that allows you to simply scan a…

1.  This year’s misogi… I have committed to doing one big challenge, called a misogi, each year. Last year, I climbed Mt. Rainier, spending three nights on the mountain in 40 mph winds at 20-30 degrees below zero with the wind chill. This year, I committed to doing a cold plunge every day in January.…

1.  Quitter’s Day… The second Friday of January has officially been called “Quitter’s Day.” Why? Because a majority of people abandon their New Year’s resolutions on this day. It’s about now that most people realize they are not committed to the new goals, have not prepared properly, or set goals that were just too big.…

1.  Great New Year strategy… Jesse Itzler is an entrepreneur, author, speaker, and more. He created a simple formula to make your year (and life) better. The idea is this… (1.) Every quarter, choose a new habit to work on… (2.) Plan six mini-adventures (one every other month)…. (3.) Commit to a “misogi”… a massively…

1.  Video clip I saw and loved this week… A clip popped up on Instagram this week of Dr. Wayne Dyer. He was one of the first personal growth experts I came across, and that was when I was probably 14 years old. His content is VERY good! He’s written more than 40 books (21…

1.  Study worth noting… There was a study done in 1966 where 20-year old college students were confined to 3 weeks of bedrest (called the Dallas Bed Rest and Training Study). Researchers were testing the effects of this inactivity on cardiac function and physical fitness. As expected, their physical fitness declined significantly (by an average…

1.  Books that make great holiday gifts… Book are great gifts. They are usually reasonably priced, something that the other person might not buy for themselves, and easy to wrap. I could list one hundred good books that are worth gifting (and reading yourself), but I’ll list a handful of the ones I think are…

1.  Something I will be avoiding in the future… As we continue to work to limit our exposure to biphenol A (BPA), which is used to make plastics, I just found out that the lining in canned soup is loaded with it. A study showed that one serving of canned soup daily for just 5…

1.  Happy Thanksgiving!… We had a GREAT day yesterday on Thanksgiving. I hope you and your family did too. It is a day to reflect on what we are grateful for. Gratitude is a known immune-booster, mood-elevator, and overall health-enhancer. Don’t let Thanksgiving be the only day you express gratitude. Make it part of your…

1.  New sweet treat we made… Unfortunately, I have a sweet tooth. Because of that, I am constantly looking for healthier sweet treats. This week, we found one. They are Chocolate Date Nut bars. They contain (as you might have guessed) a base layer of pressed dates, almond butter, chocolate, and nuts. No baking required.…

1.  Great podcast I listened to this week (a MUST listen!)… This podcast, The Model Health Show, with guest Brigham Buhler, blew my mind. The healthcare system is BROKEN! I’ve known that. And I’ve known that hospitals are profit-driven, that the FDA is corrupt, that big pharma operates like an organized crime family, and that…

1.  Shout out to Veterans… With Veterans Day this Monday, I want to take this moment to give a big THANK YOU to all veterans. I think there is no greater contribution one can give to our country than to put their life on the line in serving our country. We recently were in Kentucky…

1.  Word that I love… Most are not familiar with this word, but I think about it a lot. That word is hormesis. It is defined as a biological response where organisms adapt to moderate stressors, which can improve their functionality and tolerance to more severe challenges. Basically, that is saying… what doesn’t kill you…

1.  Documentary I watched this week… We watched Sly: The Sylvester Stallone Documentary last weekend… and loved it. There was A LOT I did not know about Stallone. When it comes to high achievers and big doers, I always like to get more of the back story. It is usually loaded with adversity, crazy hard…

1. Problem I have… I have shared mistakes that I’ve made, bad habits I have, and some of my shortcomings in these Friday’s Findings. I haven’t in a while, and I wish it was because I make so few mistakes, have so few bad habits, and have so few shortcomings… but… that’s not why. So……

1.  Powerful perspective I heard last week… John Maxwell has written many books and is considered one of the great business leaders. I recently saw this 2-minute clip he had put out on his “Minute With Maxwell.” Very, very good! I sent it to our kids and several friends. I think everyone NEEDS to hear…

1.  Great image and quote I saw this week… “A wise man once said nothing.” 2.  Join me on Instagram… I’ve been asked over and over to put out more short videos. While Friday’s Findings and my weekly blog do allow me to share a decent amount of content, I’m going to start utilizing Instagram…

1.  Something I learned this week… I heard Dr. Jamil Zaki on a podcast this week. He is a Stanford psychologist and author of Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness. I learned that there is a difference between optimism and hope. Optimism is the belief that the future will turn out well.…

1.  Some startling… and hopefully eye-opening… stats/facts… Sorry to hit with such bad news, but something MUST move us to take massive action to turn our health, and the health of our children, around. Pass these stats on to family, friends, and co-workers. They NEED to know! Oh… and the person who has the ability…

1.  Something I have always appreciated… As a chiropractor, I work with my hands. And after 26 years in practice, I have acquired a skill set that allows me to be able to accurately find spinal problems and make specific adjustments to work to correct them. The nervous system is the master controller of the…

1.  Nature video I was able to catch this week… We see lots of neat stuff living on a lake. Recently, we’ve watched an osprey fly high above the water, see fish, then dive into the water to get it. I tried repeatedly to catch it on video. Finally, I was able to get footage…

1.  Great video clip I watched this week… Dr. Zach Bush is one of my all-time favorite experts/people/speakers. He is a triple-board-certified M.D. with a very unique and special background. He speaks very eloquently, scientifically, and everything he says can be fact-checked. I LOVE what he has to say in this Instagram post… and don’t…

1.  Great Instagram post I saw this week… Below is an Instagram post (from Farmer’s Footprint) that highlights the INCREDIBLE HEALING POWER of nature. We underappreciate and underutilize the natural, free, and powerful environment around us. Take a moment to read these scientific findings related to birdsong, green spaces, aquatic environments, earthing (a.k.a. grounding), sunlight,…

1.  Word I Love… One of my all-time favorite words is potential. As humans, we are given gifts, skills, and talents that often lie dormant within us. Imagine for just a moment what you are REALLY capable of in this life. How much more can you do? How many people can you help? What kind…

1.  Olympic highlights that have caught my attention… I have not been able to watch as much of the Olympics as I would have liked, but love seeing the highlights. The stats, pics, and video clips have been AWESOME! I recommend Googling “best pics from Paris Olympics” for some very cool pics. I posted my…

1.  Poem I love… I realized early on in life that a key trait that differentiates those who succeed from those who fail is the act of refusing to quit. I had a copy of the poem Don’t Quit (by Edgar A. Guest) above my bed and/or desk through most of high school and college.…

1. New therapy you need to know about… Most of you have heard about Red Light Therapy (a.k.a. photobiomodulation or PBMT). It is a very powerful way to improve cell function, thus potentially impacting just about ALL health conditions.  PBMT stimulates the release of free radicals from the cell, allowing more oxygen to be utilized…

1.  Something I am excited about… We do not have room in our yard for a garden, but each year a patient of mine gives me some type of plant. It usually ends poorly. This year, however, the tomato plant and pepper plant that she gave me are both thriving. I am excited to cut…

1.  Some things I learned about watermelon this week… I love watermelon. It’s a refreshing and tasty summer snack. I saw this video from a Dr. Pompa about watermelon that did two things… reminded me why we buy organic almost always… and… boosted my excitement about eating it because of the nutrients it provides. Not…

1. Patriotic display worth noting… I love the 4th of July, or Independence Day, as it signifies our independence and reminds of us of our amazing freedoms. I am a HUGE fan of those serving our country, as well as all of those that have served. The American flag is something that elicits emotions in…

1.  Song I heard and really liked this week… I heard a song this week, called Running Out of Time, by Wyatt Flores (Thanks for sending it, Alie R.!). I love the lyrics! And yes… it is country, but even if you don’t like country music… hate country music… or cannot even bear to listen…

1.  Something cool I realized this week… We have a healthy and robust pothos(?) plant in our dining room. I realized this week that this plant is from a piece of a plant that I took from my grandmother, Estelle Bizjak (a.k.a. Grandma Biz), when I was in college (over 30 years ago). I replanted…

1.  Documentary I watched this week… I watched the documentary The Blue Angels, and it was awesome. I’ve been impressed, intrigued, and in awe of the Blue Angels since first seeing them when I was a little kid at the Cleveland Air Show. Absolutely incredible! The speed, precision, talent, and sheer guts these pilots have…

1.  Concept I spent time thinking about this week… Goal setting is SUPER important! But simply stating a goal you want, writing it down, reading it each day, and visualizing it, will not get you what you want. Setting outcome-based goals is hugely important, but setting effort-based goals is critical. This includes the actions and…

1.  Interesting fact I learned this week… Our brains are very good at keeping us aware and alert to the environment around us. What most don’t know is that it spends most of its energy on blocking out unnecessary stimuli. If it did not do that, we would be overwhelmed. Our subconscious mind is capable…

1.  Concept I keep thinking about… We know that it is when we push ourselves that we experience the most growth. It requires being uncomfortable… uneasy feeling, fear, sweat, tears, and even blood… to become the best versions of ourselves and to live an extraordinary life. I shared a quote with a friend in the…

1.  Cool gesture I saw this week… My sister-in-law, Nicole, bought a car last week. She was very happy with her salesperson and her purchase. When she went to fill up the gas the first time, she opened up the gas cap and found his business card with a short note he wrote that said……

1.  My recovery from Mt. Rainier… Many have asked what I did to recover after my Mt. Rainier climb. Any physically, or even mentally challenging event causes you to be broken down, which then requires time and effort to recover. To cut the recovery time, I utilized just about everything I had access to. I…

1.  Goal I accomplished last week… I set out this year to work on four habits (one per quarter), do at least six significant “field trips” (one every two months), and one Misogi… which is defined as one big year-defining, life-impacting event, so hard it might not be able to be completed. Well… last week…

1.  An “effect” I gave thought to this week… There is something called the Hawthorne Effect which refers to the fact that people behave differently when they know they are being watched. Basically… we try harder and perform better when others are watching what we do. Something to think about. Should you structure certain areas…

1.  Someone I have been learning more about… I have always been intrigued by Nikola Tesla. “Tesla invented, predicted or contributed to development of hundreds of technologies that play big parts in our daily lives — like the remote control, neon and fluorescent lights, wireless transmission, computers, smartphones, laser beams, x-rays, robotics and, of course,…

1.  Powerful event we ALL experienced this week… I knew the eclipse would be neat to see, but didn’t think too much of it… until I saw/experienced it. Wow! I’m not sure what made it so powerful… maybe the awareness of how big the universe is… maybe how small it made me feel… maybe the…

1.  Great video clip I watched this week… I have followed a guy named Brian Johnson for many years. He puts out a daily video (usually just a few minutes long) that is called “Heroic +1.” I just watched one titled, “The Miracle of Flight: Hours vs. Months,” which really made me think… and I…

1.  Wellness tip… Take a moment and think about how good it feels to not be sick. To be able go to the bathroom without trouble. To be able to breathe in and out deeply. To not be bedridden. To be able to talk, think, walk, and smile. We tend to only appreciate feeling good…

1.  Series I finished this week… We watched the ninth and final episode of Masters of the Air (on Apple TV+), the series produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, about the 100th Bomb Group during World War II as the bomber crews run mission after mission into German-occupied Europe to destroy targets. It is VERY good!…

1.  Something I pondered this week… Every time we do the whole time change thing, most of us wonder why we are still doing this. It is a mostly outdated act, serving no real purpose, and is a hassle for most of us. Every time we do the time change, I take a moment to…

1.  Cool thing I saw this week… We are seeing bald eagles more regularly on our lake. I know I posted a video of one a few months ago, but last week… INCREDIBLY…I saw SIX bald eagles together in a tree across the lake from our house. I was able to get the drone out…

1.  Book I just finished… I just finished The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy), a book by Admiral William H. McRaven. It’s an easy read and loaded with great quotes, stories, insights, and strategies related to leadership. Admiral McRaven, who also wrote the best-selling book Make Your Bed, served as…

1.  A very cool gift… I receive lots of great gifts around the holidays and am grateful for ALL of them. We were able to finally hang one of those gifts this week. It was a handmade American flag, made of wood, with the wood having burnt accents and hand-painted. It was as solid as…

1.  Question I get a lot… People often ask me if everything I buy is organic. The answer is no. Environmental Working Group (EWG) put out a list years ago called the Dirty Dozen and another list called the Clean Fifteen. They analyzed and found out what produce contained the most pesticides. Those listed on…

1.  Article I read this week (that requires some discussion)… I read an article that expressed concerns that more people are not being prescribed the anti-viral drug, Paxlovid. I found it very odd… and concerning… that this tactic is being used to have people pressure their doctors to prescribe drugs that the doctor does not…

1.  Stat that concerned me this week… Aza Raskin and Tristan Harris, two guys who starred in the movie, The Social Dilemma, and presented The AI Dilemma on YouTube (both are a MUST-WATCH!), were on Joe Rogan’s podcast. Along with A LOT of frightening and thought-provoking information about artificial intelligence, they shared something I was…

1.  Video clip on breakfast I watched this week… What should you eat for breakfast? I tend to intermittent fast and skip breakfast most mornings. But if eating breakfast, what should you eat? According to one Harvard study, those eating oatmeal were hit with an increase in stress hormones and ate 81% more food than…

1.  A part of the brain that I spent time thinking about this week… The human brain is incredibly complex. One part of the brain that has intrigued me for decades is called the Reticular Activating System (RAS). Simply put, this part of your brain takes things you’re interested in, and makes you more aware…

1.  Quote I love, think about often, and spent time this week thinking about… “You Can Have Everything In Life You Want, If You Will Just Help Enough Other People Get What They Want.”   -Zig Ziglar I heard Zig Ziglar say this many years ago. I decided to buy in and give it a try.…

1.  Poem I love… Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem titled “If.” I actually heard it read before reading it. I LOVE it! I’ve copied the poem below, but I recommend listening to Michael Caine read it. He does a GREAT job. I’ve included that video below also. My favorite, or most significant line in the…

1.  7 simple tips for a healthier, happier, fuller 2024… We’ve overcomplicated health. It doesn’t need to be confusing, overwhelming, difficult, or painful. Here are 7 simple tips that are guaranteed to boost your health this next year. Implement them immediately. Eat more real, whole foods, and less processed, junk foods. Move your body every…

1.  Video clip I saw this week that everyone needs to see… Dr. Zach Bush is one of the few triple board-certified M.D.’s in the country, an amazing, smart, and dedicated human being, and one of my favorite people to listen to. Here’s a quick clip from him that is POWERFUL. He speaks so fluently,…

1.  Tool I’m going to try in an effort to make 2024 exceptional… Entrepreneur, author, and a guy living an extraordinary life, Jesse Itzler, designed a calendar and concept called the Big A$$ Calendar. I bought it, we are going to use it, and I’ve posted a video below explaining a bit about it. You…

1.  Stat I heard this week that caught my attention… I was listening to an Ed Mylett podcast, and he cited a study and stat that caught my attention. I jotted it down so I wouldn’t forget it. Here it is… If you applied yourself to something (giving it deliberate practice, effort, study, attention) for…

1.  30-second video that AMAZED me… One of the main things I check when looking at food labels is the “added sugar.” Our consumption of sugar has skyrocketed over the past several decades… and is absolutely a MAJOR contributor to the chronic illness boom we are seeing. My buddy sent me this video that is…

1.  New tradition I’m instilling (or at least trying to)… I am a BIG fan of tradition. And as life changes, it is important to welcome new traditions… and honor old traditions. Past traditions are lovingly engrained in our memories (Thank you, Huhman family!)… being welcomed with open arms into existing traditions is heartwarming and…

1.  Super cool thing that happened to me this week… People are often surprised to know that I see lots of babies and kids in my practice. This week, I was blessed to get to check 5-day-old Francesca. As she lied across her father’s lap, it hit me that I had been taking care of…

1.  Story worth sharing again… I posted this story on here a few years ago, but it’s worth reposting. The story of the Golden Buddha pretty much sums up my philosophy on health, wellness, human potential, and the fact that you are an AMAZING human being. Here it is… 2.  An old study I’ve been…

1.  A remarkable human being… I had heard about this guy years ago, but came across his story again this week. His name is Steven Wiltshire, he is autistic, and he has an incredible ability to draw city landscapes and skylines. What makes it so amazing? He does it from memory, after just a 30-45…

1.  Message I heard this week that I loved… and have shared with friends, patients, and our kids… Ed Mylett has a podcast each week with interviews of significant people. He also posts motivational and personal growth messages each week that are usually less than 20 minutes. This one is only 12 minutes, and it…

1.  A bill approved in California worth noting… California becomes the first U.S. state to ban the use of four chemical food additives (brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye No. 3) due to potential health issues connected to these chemicals. These are commonly found in candies and soda, and this ban will affect…

1.  Snack I love… I am constantly on the lookout for sweet and tasty (and healthy) snacks. We found these freeze-dried fruit snacks… Crispy Fruit (from the company Crispy Green)…and love them! There are no other ingredients in them other than the fruit itself. We’ve tried all of them, and they are ALL great. My…

1.  Movies I like… I like movies that are based on true stories. And I really like movies based on true stories about real people that have done something extraordinary. Sure, they make you feel good… and are inspirational… but I love that they expand our minds on what is possible, break down limiting beliefs…

1.  A poem I have revisited these past two weeks… There are a couple of poems that I have kept with me since high school. This one… The Man In The Arena… is a great one. I have posted it before, but I’m reposting it for those that are being criticized by people who have…

1.  Series we watched this week (and you should too!)… We finally watched the Painkiller series on Netflix. This drama, starring Matthew Broderick, exposes Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family’s role in creating the opioid epidemic that is STILL wreaking havoc on our country. It is a MUST WATCH series for everyone. I had recommended…

1,  Advice I’ve pondered a lot this week… I recently finished the book, Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Way to Joy, by Mo Gawdat. After showing how almost nothing is truly in our control, he points out that the two things that actually are under our control are our actions… and our attitude. I’ve thought…

1.  Healthy snack we experimented with this week… I am constantly trying to take the unhealthy foods that I love and find or create a healthier version of them (I even tried to make a healthy version of sausage gravy. Didn’t go too well!). This week, Lana and I made sweet potato chips. We sliced…

1.  Movie I saw last week (and you NEED TO also!)… We finally made it to the movie Sound of Freedom. This is a movie about child sex-trafficking and has shaken everyone that I know that has seen it. Oddly, there was A LOT of resistance in getting it released, and even more oddly, it…

1.  Recurring quote I keep seeing… Jeep Wranglers have the spare tire on the back of the vehicle. They often have logos, images or quotes. I love the one that is one big smiley face, but there is one that I have seen numerous times, on numerous Jeeps, in numerous different states. I’ve taken a…

1.  Concerning news I read this week… In case you missed it… Walmart is being sued because the fish oil they sell in their stores (Spring Valley) does not contain ANY omega-3’s found in fish oil. According to the article I read (https://www.courthousenews.com/walmart-must-face-suit-over-deceptive-fish-oil-labeling/), “Walmart will have to face claims that its fish oil supplement is…

1.  Very important video clip I saw this week (and you need to also!)… As part of an Australian parliamentary inquiry into Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, questions were asked about Pfizer’s research on the vaccine’s ability to prevent transmission of the virus. The clip below shows one of Australia’s Senators trying to get a straight…

1.  Series I watched… Graham Hancock is a British journalist who is often mistaken for an archeologist because of his interest in, knowledge of, and theories on early civilizations, historical documents, and archeological facts. He is strongly disliked by the archeological community because of the questions he asks and the observations he has made (kind…

1.  Some great insights I read this week… Tim Ferris re-posted “100 Tips for a Better Life,” by Conor Barnes. I was expecting a basic list, with things that I had already read or heard, but much to my (pleasant) surprise, it was loaded with tips that I had not heard of, or thought of,…

1.  Words of wisdom I received this week… I am blessed to be able to see hundreds of patients every week, from newborn babies to patients in their 90’s. My ears always perk up when my oldest patients share some wisdom. They have SO MUCH to share, having seen and experienced so much. This week,…

1.  Move More Challenge results… Our Move More Challenge has ended. It ran throughout the month of June, and we had approximately 55 participants. It was our 1st Annual challenge and went extremely well. We utilized an app called GymRats to track activities and points. This was pulled together in a short amount of time…

1.  Awareness I’ve had this week… We had someone jump off the boat last weekend and, because it was so shallow, she scraped her leg in multiple places on an old tree stump in the water. When I heard the splash, I immediately hoped that whomever hit the water did not dive head first. I…

1.  Podcast I really loved this week… The Ed Mylett Show is one podcast that I check each week. I don’t listen to every episode, but if the guest catches my attention, I listen to it. He also added a shorter episode each week with just Ed giving success tips. I listened to a few…

1.  Cool stuff that happened this past week… This past week, Lana and I celebrated our first anniversary (it was June 3rd, but we celebrated it last Friday), and we celebrated Father’s Day. Several cool things stood out… -We ate at The Marble Room (one of Cleveland’s best steakhouses) where our meal and service were…

1.  An inspiring video I saw this week… Here is a short video of a guy sharing some wise, and inspiring, words using a story about a donkey that fell into a well. I’ve seen this guy share other life lessons, and he definitely is a good storyteller. Think about what he is saying. I…

1.  Video that moved me this week… I am not sure where I saw it initially, but I watched a video of a chimpanzee, named Limbani, reuniting with her caretakers after six years.  I was not able to include the video in this post, but you can click here for the Yahoo news story which…

1.  Wild (and great) story I have to share… Alie, one of our front desk/office superstars, told me about a peacock that wandered onto her parents’ farm. Apparently, it belonged to someone else in the community, had left that property, and ended up on their farm. Well… her mom, JoDee, fell in love with this…

1.  Movie I watched… We watched the movie Air, the movie about Nike’s surprising deal that made bringing Michael Jordan onboard possible. It chronicles Sonny Vaccaro’s (played by Matt Damon) relentless and creative pursuit to do something unheard of in the shoe industry. It told a story that I had known about, but never really…

1.  Significant event that happened this week… My son, Kyle, graduated last night from Aurora High School. He is the last of our six kids, so it is pretty significant. He graduated Summa Cum Laude (not bad for a kid who doesn’t care much for school). It’s been quite a past two weeks, with awards…

1.  Happy Mother’s Day… Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers out there! A few history tidbits… President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, signed a bill designating the second Sunday in May as a legal holiday to be called “Mother’s Day,” which was dedicated “to the best mother in the world, your mother.” Anna Jarvis, the founder of…

1.  Great gift I got… I had a birthday a couple of weeks ago and got some pretty cool gifts. Here is one of the coolest… The Thinker statue. We had one in our house growing up, and there is something about it that resonates with me. As humans, we tend to act without thinking…

1.  Cool art I saw this week… I saw a glass and bronze sculpture this week on the wall at University Hospital’s Ahuja facility. It is called Trust, and it is of two trapeze artists, one about to catch the other. I took a deeper dive into the artist, David Bennett. You can see a…

1.  Lyrics I love… During my senior year at Walsh Jesuit High School, one of our teachers had us lie down in the chapel, close our eyes, and listen closely to the lyrics of Rod Stewart’s Forever Young. (Thanks, Mr. G!) The lyrics are great, and after listening to them this morning, Lana and I…

1.  Something I’m super excited about… Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are devices that stick to the back of your arm and measure your glucose (sugar) levels throughout the day. The data is sent to your phone. You can see how your body responds to different foods, so you know which foods cause more of a…

1.  Something I thought about a lot this week… The single most powerful factor in healing faster, achieving success, and living optimally is ATTITUDE. I was reminded of this last weekend (Thank you, Sharon M.!) and noticed it A LOT this week. We can’t control what happens to us… but we can control how we…

1.  Coolest thing I saw this week… My brother sent me a link to Twitter about Sergio Romo, the now-retired major league pitcher. The post (by Alex Pavlovic), which you can see the screenshot below, says… “Every time a kid asked Sergio Romo for an autograph in spring training, he asked them to sign his…

1.  Funny (and not-so-funny) anecdote I saw last week… Someone shared this funny, but sadly accurate, take on how politics, big business, and the world work. (Thanks for sharing, Chris T.) I could not find a source, so I just reprinted it here… I told my son, “You will marry the girl I choose.” He…

1.  Happy St. Patrick’s Day… St. Patrick’s Day has always been a celebrated holiday in our family. My grandmother was half Irish and was proud of it. My mother used to take us out of school to attend the parade in downtown Cleveland. I have fond memories of getting together with my family, complete with…

1.  Study that everyone MUST be aware of… Last month, a study was published in The Lancet proving that natural immunity to COVID is “at least as high, if not higher” than that provided by the vaccine. You don’t say!?! This was the largest meta-analysis to date, and included an impressive 65 studies from 19…

1.  Something I’ve been thinking about this week… There is a lot of talk about lifespan. This is the total number of years we live. We get very excited about the thought of being able to live longer and longer. But as we become sicker and sicker (which we have), we need to put more…

1.  Frightening stat I learned this week… There had been a study in 2017 showing that the sperm count in men had been dropping a little over 1% each year over the past 50 years. Well… they just updated the data… and it AIN’T GOOD! Turns out that the sperm counts in men WORLDWIDE is…

1.  Great (and uplifting) story I heard this week… We’ve all encountered online scammers. Well… what started out as an apparent online scam in this CBS Evening News story, ends with a surprising twist. Not sure how I came across it, but I’m glad I did. It’s a great story! 2.  News story I’ve been…

1.  Event (and photo) that moved me this week… I looked up the latest news on the earthquake in Turkey and Syria late last night and read that the death toll was up to 21,000. I couldn’t help but remember how we all felt after the 9/11 attacks (fear, anger, confusion, sadness, frustration, etc.), and…

1.  Something I’ve been asked about a lot lately… There is a lot of buzz around infrared saunas lately. Saunas have been in use for over 2,000 years (invented in Finland), and the number of benefits continues to increase. Of course, they feel good, sooth sore muscles, loosen joints, and have detoxifying effects, but research…

1.  My most recommended books… For some reason, I have had numerous people ask me these past two weeks for a book recommendation (maybe because of the new year???). I figured I’d share my two all-time most recommended books. They are The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Steven Covey, and The Compound Effect,…

1.  Some surprising facts I read this week… I find myself digging into details and facts on some of these holidays to learn a little more about them. I have read a lot about Martin Luther King Jr. in the past, but came across an article titled “5 Things to Know: Surprising Facts About Martin…

1.  Upsetting/confusing/scary (and very pertinent) news that I heard this week… New data, just released, indicates that the COVID-19 vaccine is causing adverse effects. Utilizing data involving 17 million Medicare beneficiaries, a study published just two days ago, found a 40% increase in heart attack and 50% increase in blood clots. One study showed risk…

1.  Podcast I listened to this week… James Clear is the author of the great book, Atomic Habits, which has sold more than 10 million copies. I highly recommend this book, especially as we start a new year, and most of you have set new resolutions. I heard him on The School of Greatness podcast…

1.  My #1 Wellness Tip for 2023… 2.  Hilarious (and telling) video clip I saw this week… I must have watched this video clip from TikTok at least a dozen times this week. It’s hilarious! The little kid celebrates after seeing what is likely a team scoring on the television… until he sees that his…

1.  Great analogy I heard this week… The obesity and overweight rates in our country continue to rise to ridiculous numbers. It is so weird that we can’t seem to figure this out. I heard Dr. Jason Fung, New York Times best-selling author of The Obesity Code, The Complete Guide to Fasting, The Diabetes Code,…

1.  Wellness gift ideas… When trying to figure out that perfect gift for family or friends, consider healthy, wellness-oriented gifts. There are tons of options in our office, in local stores, or on Amazon, and still time to get them before Christmas. Most people would benefit from massage tools, foam rollers, therapy balls, ice packs,…

1.  A video clip from my talk last week… Thanks to all that attended my talk last Thursday. We had roughly 115 people in attendance. It was good to be in front of a live crowd again. There is SO MUCH to talk about these days, so it was hard to distill it down to…

1.  Cool thing I came across this week… We have two sets of sliding barn doors in the back section of our office. The wood for these doors came from a barn in southern Ohio that was over 100 years old. It belonged to a neighbor of one my best buddies, Jeff Snyder. We took…

1.  Happy Thanksgiving… I hope you all had a phenomenal Thanksgiving. What a great time to reflect on what we are grateful for… as we all have SO MUCH to be grateful for. For us, it’s been a time of creating new traditions, while remembering past ones. We had a large group of family and…

1.  Three questions worth asking… While listening to Brendon Burchard on the Ed Mylett podcast this week, Brendon recounted his near-death experience that left him pondering three questions… Did I live? Did I love? Did I matter? Those questions shifted his life and put him on the path he is on now. These are questions…

1.  A salute to ALL that have served our country… Today is Veteran’s Day! A HUGE thank you goes out to ALL those who have served our country. We tend to take our freedom for granted, but MUST remember those who sacrificed their lives, or put their lives on the line, by serving in our…

1.  Therapy I’m committing more time to… There is a lot of talk about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) these days. It is a way to subject a person to higher levels of oxygen under high pressure to increase the oxygen content of the blood. It is known for its use with scuba divers suffering with…

1.  Cool concept I learned (or at least was reminded of) this week… I listened to a really good interview with Ken Honda, the Japanese best-selling self-development author and money expert. (He was on the School of Greatness podcast with Lewis Howes, which you can listen to here.) He had some interesting, neat, and quirky…

1.  Inspiring clip I watched this week… One of my best buddies sent me a 1-minute clip of entrepreneur Ed Mylett in an interview talking about something that inspired him. I loved it! I watched it several times, and it hit me just as hard each time. I can’t imagine anyone not being moved at…

1.  Concerning thing I saw this week… While on a flight to Austin this week, I picked up the magazine provided by United Airlines. After flipping through it, I noticed in the upper right hand corner of the cover it said this… “This magazine has been treated with an antimicrobial process.” I understand wiping things…

1. Product I switched this week… Flossing your teeth at least once per day is super helpful for lots of reasons. I made it an absolute must years ago. Well… like many things these days, I found out that there could be a downside. A new study looked at the PFAs “forever chemical” in different…

1.  GREAT story I heard this week… I watched a YouTube video of Trevor Moawad telling a story about kid and his SAT test. I loved it! And you will too. It is POWERFUL! But don’t just listen to the story. Think about how powerful our thoughts and beliefs really are. What we believe about…

1.  Question I have been getting a lot this week… Many people have been asking about the new COVID booster shots that are being recommended. I have to remind them that drugs (of any kind) are out of my scope of practice and that I cannot make any recommendations. I usually then share some data…

1.  Video I watched this week that was eye-opening… As we roll into fall, everything pumpkin is starting to show up. Starbucks has introduced three new pumpkin drinks. What people do not realize is how much sugar is in these drinks. Their Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino has a terrifying 65 grams of total sugar. That is…

1.  Entertaining (time-lapsed) video I made this week… A patient brought me a celery plant a couple of weeks ago. I asked how often I need to water it. She said when it starts to droop, water it. Well, the other day I came out, and it was COMPLETELY drooped. Oops! I gave it water,…

1.  Something I learned this week… I’ve always enjoyed the long weekend with Labor Day, but never really knew anything about. So, I read up on it. Here are a few facts I did not know… – Labor Day was declared a national holiday in 1894. – On Sept. 5, 1882, union leaders in New…

1.  Best stretch for the midback… Check out this stretch (my favorite stretch) that is ideal for today’s lifestyle… The fitness balls are sold at my office, or you can click here for the Amazon link if you are interested in getting one. 2.  Interesting lesson I learned this week… I heard billionaire investor, Ray…

1.  Movie I watched this week… There’s a new movie out called Thirteen Lives. We watched it… and loved it. Things that prompted my interest… it’s based on true events, it is directed by Ron Howard, it’s a survival story, and it has a few actors that I recognized and like. All I can say…

1.  Uplifting patient encounter I had this week… I have a patient that I had not seen in a few years, as she had moved out of state. I won’t give you all the details, but simply put, she was struggling with a recurrence of cancer that was deemed incurable. The doctors told her chemotherapy…

1.  Cool thing I learned about this week… There is a tree, called the rainbow tree, a.k.a. rainbow eucalyptus (Eucalyptus deglupta), that will amaze you. I’m not sure how I’ve never seen it before, or heard of it, but you have to see it to believe it. I’m posting a pic of one below, but…

1.  Article I read this week… I read a great article this week, realizing about halfway through that the author, Oliver Burkeman, was the author of the excellent book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management For Mortals. The article was in The Guardian and is titled… Oliver Burkeman’s last column: the eight secrets to a (fairly) fulfilled…

1.  Video I watched and book I’m listening to… I’m about halfway through a book titled Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know, by Adam Grant (Thank you, Robin P.!). I wanted to share a bit about it, and found this very well-done video on YouTube summarizing the book. At a time…

1.  T-shirt I love… I saw this t-shirt last week and loved it. It’s from a restaurant/bar in Clearwater Beach, Florida (Palm Pavilion). I love the colors, love the image (beachside shack, palm trees, surf boards, sailboat, Adirondack chair, etc.), and LOVE the quote… “It’s never too late to start Living the Dream.” (Thanks, Jim…

1.  Cool video footage I re-watched this week… I am a fan of drones,… and I am a fan of fireworks. So, the two together is a definite hit. My brother had sent this video a few years ago (thanks, Greg!), and I re-watched it this week. It is a drone flying through a huge…

1.  Something cool I saw last weekend… While pulling into a large shopping plaza last weekend I heard, and then saw, two gentlemen playing music in an open corner in the parking lot. The one was playing the violin, the other playing a keyboard. There was a large speaker projecting the music loud enough that…

1.  Wording I’m working on this week… I have read about it before (and you likely have also), but this week I read it again. We know words are VERY powerful. Simply using the words “I get to” instead of “I have to” can have a profound effect on your attitude, enthusiasm, and outcomes. After…

1.  Documentary I watched… I recently watched the documentary Fantastic Fungi. It is so good! (Thanks for the recommendation, Jack!) I love learning more about things I think I already know and understand. The medicinal potential of mushrooms is incredible. They are extremely powerful, amazingly safe, cannot be patented, and treatments utilizing mushrooms (for difficult…

1.  Biggest news this week… Well… Lana and I got married last week! We kept it small and simple, with just us and our six children. We did it on the beach in Costa Rica and packed in some adventure around it. The trip was incredible, the weather was perfect, and the wedding was amazing.…

1.  Moving video I watched… In this time of immense uncertainty, I can’t help but think of the potential we have as a country. Coming off Memorial Day, thinking of all the men and women who have given their lives for the freedoms we have (and shamefully take for granted), I hope we can stand…

1.  Posts I’ve been following… I love new designs, breakthroughs, and seeing new inventions and ideas. I find some really new and cool stuff on this site… Absolutely fascinating! Here is one of my favorites… 2.  A reality check I had this week… I was sent this pic/post this week (thanks, Sue M.!) with this…

1.  Post I loved this week… TownHall in Cleveland is one of my favorite restaurants. They do as good with social media as anyone I’ve seen. Their posts on Instagram are great. I loved this one that was posted this week… 2.  Great shirt I saw last week… This shirt caught my attention and got…

1.  A habit I am working on… I’ve written about the importance of getting sunlight first thing in the morning to reset your circadian cycle to ensure better sleep. Well, after listening to neuroscientist, Andrew Huberman, again this week, I am committing to doing this more often. He said it’s the MOST important thing he…

1.  Nature scene I saw this morning… Our home gym is on the second floor, with the entire back wall being windows which allows us to look out over the lake that we live on. It definitely makes working out easier. And it’s like watching a National Geographic special every day… the wildlife behavior and…

1.  Book I just finished (and am strongly recommending)… I just finished Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, by Oliver Burkeman. (Click here for the Amazon link.)  I have been very critical of my use of time, and it turns out, the approach and philosophy I have been taking has been futile. I have…

1.  Image that caught my attention (and thoughts) this week… This was a great post that someone shared with Lana (Thanks, Kelly W.!). It was a screenshot, so I can’t give credit to whomever created it. I REALLY, REALLY like it. It says A LOT! Check it out… and think about it for a bit.…

1.  Fun thing that happened this week… I own a 1940 Ford Coupe. It was a gift I gave my dad for his 60th birthday (Read next week’s blog for full details on that!). When he passed away, it became mine. I partnered up with a good friend, Ray Tartabini (who knows more about cars…

1.  Great image I saw this week… This one pretty much sums it up. At a time when our relationship with time is getting more and more screwed up, we have to remember that being present will slow time down and help us to appreciate life a whole lot more. I believe this is one…

1.  Series we just finished (and loved!)… Sam Elliot, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill star in the new series, 1883. “The series follows the post-Civil war generation of the Dutton family as they leave Tennessee, journey to Fort Worth, Texas, and join a European immigrant wagon train undertaking the arduous journey west to Oregon, before settling in Montana to establish what would eventually become…

1.  Something I am rethinking now… On most days, I take a 10-15 minute nap. I fought it for years, thinking I shouldn’t need to, but it recharges me, clears my head, and boosts my mood. After feeling bad about taking these short snoozes, I now know that the science is clear how helpful and…

1.  Emotions I was hit with this week… There were two recurring emotions I kept feeling this week… empathy and gratitude. Last Saturday, at a wrestling tournament, with my hand on my chest and listening to the National Anthem, I couldn’t help but think that, as we were about to start a day full of…

1.  Motivational speaker I came across this morning… I was trying to open a TikTok someone sent me, but it wouldn’t open. Then, this one popped up and oh… what a pleasant surprise. I’ve watched this several times already today. ABSOLUTELY priceless!!! It is a MUST WATCH! 2.  Fact that I have been thinking about…

1.  Documentary I watched this week… There is a documentary called My Octopus Teacher on Netflix that I really enjoyed (Thanks, Chris J. and Jack for the recommendation!). The biggest take-away for me… the reminder of how complex, connected, interesting, and amazing our natural world really is. I commend Craig Foster for making such an…

1.  Some wisdom I came across this week… I was sent this link, titled “This is too good not to share. I asked a friend who crossed 70 & is heading towards 80 what sort of changes he is feeling in himself? He sent me the following:” Click here to check out these 14 words…

1.  Olympic story that caught my attention this week… I didn’t realize the Olympics were on until mid-week. Not sure how I missed that. While watching the snow skiing big air event, I caught the story of skier Colby Stevenson. He was in a horrific car crash five years ago, fracturing his skull in 30…

1.  Sleep tips I picked up this week (many I knew, some I did not)… I listened to a podcast with Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist who knows A LOT about the brain, sleep, and human behavior. He was on Lewis Howes’ podcast, The School of Greatness. They were talking about sleep. Here are several…

1.  Strategy I took a deeper dive into this week… I’ve known that there are ways to increase your success in achieving goals or improving behaviors and habits, but did not realize there was a term for those strategies/devices. They are called commitment devices. I believe knowing more about these will help you be more…

1.  Thought-provoking video I watched this last week… I consider Dr. James Chestnut one of my mentors. I have hundreds of hours of post-graduate study under him. He is one of the smartest doctors/scientists I know. Therefore, I pay attention when he speaks. He makes one of the MOST IMPORTANT observations and states the MOST…

1.  Product I love… I believe activity trackers can have big benefits. I also believe the Oura Ring is the best one out there. I had the 2nd Generation model (thanks, Lana!), but lost it :(. I just received the new 3rd Generation Oura Ring (thanks AGAIN, Lana!!!), and I’m excited about some of its…

1.  Observations I made this week… A majority of patients I saw this week had contracted COVID over the holidays. Symptoms varied wildly, including one, some, or all, of the following: Sore throat, fever, body aches, sinus congestion, runny nose, cough, headache, fatigue, loss of taste and/or smell. Several stated that they knew of friends…

1.  Super creative food idea I saw this week… I saw this last week. For the person who really wants to bring cookies to a party, but is told to bring a veggie tray… 2.  New study published this week worth noting… A new Cleveland Clinic study showed that those that have lost weight among…

1.  Podcast EVERYONE needs to listen to… This podcast is being touted as controversial on the internet. YouTube took it down. It’s Joe Rogan interviewing Dr. Peter McCullough. I’ve heard a lot from Dr. McCullough over the past year and a half, and find him to be very knowledgeable, genuine, and credible. I felt this…

1.  Person I’m grateful for this week… I have an amazing staff! Sue, Joy, and Alie are all so committed to our mission of helping as many people as possible. Sue has been with me for over 20 years! Wow! Sue is our resident holiday/seasonal decorator, and is so good at it. I wanted to…

1.  Interview I did this week… Most of you know that we run a weight loss program in our office and remotely. The amazing transformations we get to see and the incredible stories we get to hear are what drive us to continue doing what we do. This week, I interviewed Dan, one of our…

1.  Video clip I loved this week… My brother, Greg, sent me this 2-minute video. I loved it. I think you will too. 2.  Toys for Tots drive we are having… This year marks the 24th year we will be collecting toys for Toys for Tots. If you are looking for a place to give…

1.  Upsetting (and alarming) thing that happened to me this week… I have written articles every week in the three local papers (Aurora, Hudson, and Twinsburg) for roughly 17 years. These articles are the same as the blogs I post every Tuesday on my site (drbizjak.com). This week, the paper WOULD NOT publish my article,…

1.  Healthier snack I have been looking for… Nuts are a healthy snack, and I eat quite a bit of them. I prefer roasted over raw nuts. Someone recently pointed out how roasted nuts can be dry roasted or oil roasted. When oil roasted, the oil used is often from unhealthy vegetable oils, such as…

1.  Cartoon that made me laugh this week… 2.  Something I’ve added to my daily regimen… We started drinking limeade every day. What is limeade??? A full lime squeezed into 12 ounces of water and 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of Himalayan salt. There are many reasons to include this into your daily routine, but what…

1.  Scariest thing I heard this week (and maybe ever)… While reviewing the FDA’s meeting to approve the COVID-19 vaccine for children 5-11 years old, I was stunned to hear one of the doctors, Eric Rubin, make the following statement… “We’re never going to learn how safe the vaccine is unless we start giving it.”…

1.  New series we started, and I STRONGLY recommend… We just started a new series, Dopesick, a drama on Hulu starring Michael Keaton, which “examines how one company triggered the worst drug epidemic in American history. The series takes viewers to the epicenter of America’s struggle with opioid addiction, from the boardrooms of Big Pharma,…

1.  ANOTHER medical contradiction reported this week… Once again, we find out that the medical advice that has been given to millions of Americans was wrong and dangerous. It was reported this week that The US Preventive Services Task Force is changing its recommendations on daily aspirin use, saying adults 60 and older should NOT…

1.  Something that got me thinking this week… I am VERY good at procrastinating. Sure, I do get a lot done, but it always seems to happen in the eleventh hour. I watched a really good TED talk this week, Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator, by Tim Urban. (Click here to watch it.) …

1.  Quote I love… “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” -Einstein Einstein gets credit for this quote all the time, but it turns out, he probably did not say this. And many people…

1.  Poem I re-read this week… There is a poem that I had, and read regularly, since high school. It’s titled, Man in the Glass, by Peter Dale Wimbrow, Sr. Reading it last weekend prompted the topic for this week’s blog, titled Who Should You Be Trying to Impress? You can read the blog by…

1.  Story I read this week… Someone sent me this short story this week. (Thanks, Andy H.!) It’s a good one. It got me thinking. When I hear or read stories, poems, fables, or quotes, I take a moment, think about it, and see how it might apply to my own life. A lot of…

1.  Something I am reflecting on… I am thinking about 9/11. I’ve spent some time this week reading some articles and looking at historic photographs from that event. I was surprised to find out that of the 2,753 people killed in the World Trade Center attacks, more than 1,100 victims (about 40% of those who…

1.  Wellness tip… There are many “keys” to success when it comes to living the wellness lifestyle. One of the most impactful keys to being more consistent and more successful is preparation. If you fail to plan for your day or week, it is very, very hard to stay on track. Laying out supplements ahead…

1.  Great nutritional tip I heard this week… Someone told me that when trying to get her grandchildren to eat healthier foods that they don’t like, like vegetables, she reminds them that their tongue is the only thing that doesn’t like them. She reminds them that their stomach, organs, and every other part of their…

1.  Quote I love… “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” -Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from the Birmingham Jail I wanted to add this quote to the blog I posted…

1.  Someone I am following closer… Dr. Zach Bush, I believe, is one of the smartest, most well-spoken, and thought-provoking people ON THE PLANET. He’s one of the few triple board certified physicians in the country. I LOVE this guy! I’m watching and reading anything and everything he posts. It’s people like this who give…

1.  A recognition that got me thinking… Last week, it was announced that the Cleveland Clinic again has been ranked the No. 1 hospital for heart care in U.S. News & World Report’s 2021-22 Best Hospitals rankings. This is the 27th consecutive year for this recognition. I couldn’t help but note that heart disease has been the leading…

1.  Habit I am trying to reinforce… There’s a great lesson that I picked up a while back… Road block vs. Road sign. I can’t remember where I read it, but I had put it in my notes on my phone and have been thinking about it ever since. The idea here is that when…

1.  Something that changed this week (today, actually!)… They announced that the Cleveland Indians will officially change their name next season. I knew it was coming. The new name… The Cleveland Guardians. Part of me thinks it’s foolish to change the name, the other part doesn’t really care. People have their reasons for thinking the…

1.  Habit I am recommitting to… In a time when customer service seems at an all-time low, I have found myself complaining about it A LOT. Well… after a really good meal with excellent service at lunch this week (Dante at Cedar Creek Grille), I have recommitted to praising those that do a great job.…

1.  Awesome gift idea… I was thrilled to have family come in for my daughter, Quincy’s, graduation party. A couple sisters-in-law made one of the coolest gifts for her. (Thanks, Kym and Cheryl!) It’s basically a photo album with an inspirational or funny quote in the middle of each page, with the rest of the…

1.  Quote I love… “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou 2.  Powerful word I just learned… Ecocide… “Unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused…

1.  Quick, easy, healthy meal… We try to make meals that are lower in carbs, plant heavy, good protein, low sugar, and overall nutrient-dense. Lettuce wraps are just about perfect. We start with a piece of romaine lettuce, add a protein (sliced chicken thighs or breasts, higher quality lunch meats, steak, or pork), sliced pickle,…

1.  Word you should know… Iatrogenesis… the causation of a disease, a harmful complication, or other ill effect by any medical activity, including diagnosis, intervention, error, or negligence.(Wikipedia) Iatrogenesis is injury, harm, or death that was caused by the medical care given. It is estimated that these medical errors result in as many as 225,000 deaths per year in…

1.  Important study released this week… The Cleveland Clinic recently studied the COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness among people who previously had COVID and those who hadn’t. They found that anyone who had previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 did not get any additional benefit from the vaccine. You can read the data here. It can be summed…

1.  Something that entertained and impressed me this week… I’ve always liked trampolines and have seen some videos of people on Tramp Walls, but never knew that “Tramp Walls” are what they are called. After a friend sent me a video this week of a guy shredding on a Tramp Wall (Thanks, Brad B.!), I…

1.  A moving moment… Just a couple of weeks ago, I attended an Aurora High School scholarship banquet. Recognition was given to the high school seniors who have enlisted in the U.S. Armed Forces. Of all of the scholarships and recognition given that night, the one that earned a standing ovation… the longest applause… gave…

1.  Powerful story that I heard this week (with a lesson)… I had never heard of Jenna Kutcher before, but heard her speak at a virtual event that I watched this week (Day 1 of Own Your Future Challenge, with Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi). She was good! She told a quick story that I…

1.  Best news I heard this week… It was so good to hear Governor Mike DeWine announce that on June 2nd most pandemic health orders will be lifted. “Measures being removed will include facial covering protocols, social distancing guidelines, and capacity restrictions for indoor and outdoor events.” Phew! 2.  Weirdest news I heard this week……

1. A shout out to mothers… It’s Mother’s Day this Sunday, and I want to wish ALL mothers a happy day. To all mothers, never underestimate the influence you have on your children. And you are doing a phenomenal job. If you have young/teenage boys, do not take their behavior personally. My mother would often…

1. Video I captured this week… We had some great weather this week. I caught some video of the sunrise on Tuesday. Total video was 26 minutes long, but I went in and out of iMovie with the video, speeding up the video each time, I was able to get it down to 24 seconds.…

1.  My latest wellness tool… Infrared saunas are among the most talked about, most impactful, and most affordable higher-end biohack devices.  I’ve been using one for over a decade. We have one in our office (which used to be in our home), and this week we installed a new one to my home. Like all…

1.  Video clip I loved… I was sent a quick video clip (thanks, Kevin G.) of a college football player making a great catch in a recent scrimmage. The player is someone I’ve known since he was a baby, and his parents have been great friends of mine for a long time. This kid is…

1.  Wellness tip… I talk regularly about intermittent fasting as a major health booster. Our much healthier ancestors fasted regularly, not for health reasons, but because they had to, as food was scarce at times. I regularly skip breakfast, allowing for 16-20 hours of fasting between my previous dinner and that day’s lunch. This week,…

1.  A huge concern I’ve had that few people are thinking about… In an effort to combat the SARS-CoV-2 virus, we’ve gone into hyper-sanitizing mode. Two BIG problems with this… First, research showed early on that virus transmission through contact is very unlikely. So, the positive impact of sanitizing the heck out of everything is…

1.  Something I’ve been thinking about this week… I’ve been thinking more about contrast this week. I frequently listen to Lewis Howes’ podcast, School of Greatness. I was excited to see that he had Dr. Rhonda Patrick, a PhD biochemist, who is one of the smarter researchers I have heard talk about aging, cancer, and…

1.  Adventure I had this week… My son and I headed to Colorado for a quick trip for some spring skiing. We flew out late last Thursday night to ski Friday and Saturday, and possibly some skiing early Sunday before flying back home. Well… a huge storm hit. Our flights were cancelled, the highway down…

1.  Interesting thing I heard this week… One of our patients who recently completed our weight loss program noted something that he found interesting and helpful… as did I. He was incredibly successful, losing over 30 pounds in just 6 weeks. He said that he and his wife realized that there were essentially three components…

1.  Something I am super excited about… We had a new doctor join our practice, Dr. Michael Abood. I’ve been looking to bring another doctor in for a while, and I am so happy to have him join us. Dr. Michael did his undergraduate studies at Miami of Ohio and his doctorate work at Life…

1.  Wellness tip… As the weather breaks from time to time, we need to capitalize on it. GET OUTSIDE!!! The best exercises are walking, hiking, biking, running, etc. It was sooooo good to see my neighborhood booming with outside activity this week. The fresh air, the sunshine, and moving your body are critical to optimizing…

1.  Product I love… I owned this alarm clock for over a year, but never took it out of the box until two months ago. It is the Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light. I LOVE this thing! Their description is this… Colored Sunrise and Sunset Simulation, 5 Natural Sounds, FM Radio & Reading Lamp. Basically, it…

1.  Video clip I saw this week… Tony Robbins teaches some of the best success strategies. And I love when success isn’t tied to the amount of money you have, the size of the house you live in, or the number of possessions you have. Everybody likes the idea of being financially abundant, living in…

1.  Movie I watched… A patient recommended the movie, The Railway Man, which is a story described by IMBd like this… “A former British Army officer, who was tortured as a prisoner of war at a Japanese labor camp during World War II, discovers that the man responsible for much of his treatment is still…

1. App I’m using… I’ve committed to daily meditation, which I do each morning. Like most people, my brain wanders, my thoughts never stop, and I need help with meditation. I am thrilled with Calm, a meditation app. I am currently doing a 30-day series on Calm called How to Meditate. I’m loving it! The guy guiding that course…

1. Quote I love… “Marriage is hard. Divorce is hard. Choose your hard.Obesity is hard. Being fit is hard. Choose your hard.Being in debt is hard. Being financially disciplined is hard. Choose your hard.Communication is hard. Not communicating is hard. Choose your hard.Life will never be easy. It will always be hard. But we can…

1. Product I’m loving… I started a new morning routine this year. I’ll share more details about that in a future Friday’s Findings. A key component of that routine is the ritual of writing three things I am grateful for. I’ve talked numerous times about the power of gratitude, so to pick out three things…

1. Quote I love… “If you want to hide the divine from a human being, the best place is to hide it within them. They’ll look everywhere else for it.”  – Dr. Joe Dispenza I was listening to the second part of a two-part podcast with Dr. Joe Dispenza, and that was a line that…

1.  Happy 2021!!! What you focus on this next year will matter… 2.  Commitment I am making in 2021…I posted a video a few weeks ago with Hal Elrod, author of the book Miracle Mornings, doing a keynote speech about attitude, overcoming adversity, and creating the life you want. I mentioned a movie, called The Miracle Morning Movie, that…

Wishing you and your families the happiest of holidays! If you celebrate Christmas, I hope Friday was a special day for you, and you got to spend the day with at least a few family members. 1. Great holiday light show video I watched (1.5 minutes)… This guy has the best Christmas light displays. His…

1. Moving video/commercial I saw this week… Someone sent me this commercial. I love it! Definitely reminds me how important the WHY is behind the WHAT. When you are trying to change your behavior, or want to achieve a goal, you MUST have a big enough WHY. If your WHY is big enough… you’ll always…

1. Good news I heard this week… It is clear that the divorce rate is very high. I had assumed that it was getting worse each year, and had read that the divorce rate was spiking during COVID. This week, I read that the divorce rate has been steadily declining over the past decade. What…

1. Great speech I heard this week… Hal Elrod is the author of the best selling book, The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM). He has a documentary, The Miracle Morning Movie, premiering on December 12th, which I will be watching. While looking for more info on Hal, I…

1. Something I had posted in my office this week… Each week, we change what we post in our treatment rooms, and this week, there was one that people seemed to really like. It is ideal for spring, but seemed to resonate around this Thanksgiving holiday. It’s titled, For the Garden of Your Daily Living.…

1. Study that concerned me this week… There is a new pill, called the polypill, that has made the headlines this week. It is a combination of three blood pressure medications and a cholesterol medication combined in one pill. A new study showed that this pill combined with an aspirin daily reduced heart problems and…

1. Something I read this week… As my daughter, Quincy, applies to colleges, she has been writing essays as part of that application process. I have enjoyed and been impressed with her writing style and the content. This week, I read an essay she wrote in response to the following question… “Get comfortable with being…

1. Video clip I liked this week… I believe I had seen this before, as I don’t think it’s new, but I thought it was worthy of sharing. The clip I saw on Twitter was titled “Work smarter, not harder.” Since YouTube videos are easier for me to share, I found the same clip there,…

1. Video I made and need to share… I came across an article (click here for that article) about these new COVID-19 vaccines that will soon be available, and was rocked to find out that they will not slow down the virus, eliminate the virus, or even protect us from getting the virus. The goal…

1. Quote I love… “Well done is better than well said.” -Benjamin Franklin The world is full of talkers. I like doers! We talk about change, but we don’t change. We talk about doing better, but we don’t do better. I love leaders, athletes, and human beings in general that silently achieve. They talk less…

1. Moving video I re-watched this week… I saw this story/video about ten years ago. I’ve never forgotten the gist of the story, but could not remember the details. Last weekend, I searched for it online numerous times, trying every combination of words, but could not find it. Finally, I found it… and it was…

1. Great story I heard this week… I received a text from a friend (thanks, Al B.!) with a picture of the following story. I believe I would have had to sit down for a moment after reading it had I been standing up. I love stories, especially true stories, that move me. This one…

1. Coolest thing I saw this week… After last Tuesday’s rain, a rainbow emerged. I’m not sure the pics I took quite do it justice, but it was the most vibrant, clear rainbow I have ever seen. And I believe it is the first time I saw a complete rainbow. Check out the pics and…

1. Podcast I was a guest on this week… John DiJulius invited me to be a guest on his podcast, The Customer Service Revolution Podcast. The title… Health and Wellness has Never Been More Vital Than It Is Today. John does a great job with interviewing and getting his guests to open up and share…

1. Products I love… Massage is very therapeutic. There are many massaging devices on the market, and most do a decent job. I have several. One popular device is the Hypervolt by Hyperice, a handheld percussion gun, which has 3 speeds and interchangeable heads. I love it, but it is pretty hardcore, even on the…

1. Cool thing I witnessed this week… I have a patient who was unable to keep his regular appointments in our office for the last few months because of COVID. He is on a wellness plan and pre-paid for the full year of care. At his appointment this week, he was talking about coming more…

1. Great talk I watched this week… I was sent a video of a talk by Scott Calloway, called The Algebra of Happiness (thanks, John DiJulius!). I loved it… and I know you will too. It’s a fast 30-minute presentation loaded with some thought provoking and practical info. If, at the end of the day,…

1. Story I re-read this week… Here is a story that I believe I first read years ago in a Chicken Soup for the Soul book. It popped into my head this week, so I looked it up and re-read it. Doctor Jim Clark was fighting for his patient’s life. Little Liz had a rare…

1. Person I was thinking about this week… My mom sent a reminder this week that Monday would have been my grandparents’ anniversary. She included a couple of pics. My grandfather, Bill Padavick, is one of my ALL TIME favorite people. He was always laughing and joking around, was kind and caring, and lived a…

1. Podcast I really enjoyed… This week, I heard Les Brown on the podcast Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu.  (Click here to hear the full podcast.) Les Brown is a legend in the self-improvement arena, and I picked up A LOT from this podcast. His website describes him as “straight-from-the-heart, passion and high-energy, motivates audiences…

1. No pain, no gain… It is easy to watch someone do something really well and wish you could do it too. The problem is that we don’t see all the blood, sweat, and tears that goes into mastering a particular talent. Last year, I shared a video of my daughter landing her first flip…

1. Topic I’m taking a deeper dive into… Two topics often overlooked when it comes to health and wellness are sleep and breathing. Recently, I was sent a link to a Joe Rogan podcast with James Nestor, author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. (Thanks, Matt M.!) I loved the podcast and…

1. Event I’m really excited about… I was invited to speak at this year’s Customer Service Revolution Conference. It’s an honor to be speaking with some of the best speakers out there, like Seth Godin, Guy Kawasaki, Tom Bilyeu, John DiJulius, Ken Blanchard, Jesse Itzler, and more. This is one of the best customer service…

1. Great podcast I listened to this week… Somehow, Tim Ferris manages to keep me interested with almost 2-hour long podcasts. Podcast number #444 is with Hugh Jackman… and it’s a great one! I always wonder what big stars are like in real life and was so happy to find that Hugh Jackman is down…

1. Article I revisited… Two years ago, I saw an article that rocked me. Why it didn’t rock everyone, I do not know. The title? “Goldman Sachs asks in biotech research report: ‘Is curing patients a sustainable business model?’” We all know drug companies are not in the business of curing disease, but aim to…

1. Question I was asked recently… I had a new patient that stopped on her way out of my office and asked if she could ask me a question. She asked what I did for birthdays with my kids in regards to things like cake and ice cream. She knows I’m all about making healthy…

1. Belated Father’s Day wishes… A little late, but I wanted to wish all dads a Happy Father’s Day! Our role as fathers is HUGE. Children do what they see… not what they are told. So we need to keep leading by example as best we can. I had a great Father’s Day that started…

1. Something I have been working on… I started jotting down things you could do each day to boost your level of wellness. I planned on gathering 365 tips…one for each day of the year. I’m not exactly sure what I will do with it, possibly post them on my website, share them with patients,…

1. Great news I heard this week… I took my son, Kyle, and nephew, Mason, fishing in Buffalo on the upper Niagara River (which flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario with Niagara Falls in the middle) for my son’s 16th birthday. Our guide, Chris Cinelli, has been fishing that area his whole life…

1. Quote I’ve been thinking about… “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” -Mahatma Gandhi We live in a world where people talk A LOT, but do VERY LITTLE. With all that is going on in our country right now, I took some time to reflect on what I think versus…

1. Making more sense of this COVID-19 fiasco… Like most people, I am taking in as much info on this virus as possible. I am not doing it in a fearful, panicky, anxious kind of way, but making sure that I have all the facts so that I can make the best decisions possible and…

1. Great interview I watched (and STRONGLY recommend)… One of my favorite health and wellness experts is Dr. Zach Bush. He is a triple board certified medical doctor with a background like no one else. I love hearing what he has to share any chance I get. I am sharing a recent interview that was…

1. Workout I am doing… I am currently doing resistance training three days per week and cardio training three days per week. The cardio I am doing varies between rowing and running. I will add in biking outdoors and trail running as the weather improves. I follow the protocol laid out in the old Body…

1. Quote I love… “To get what we’ve never had, we must do what we’ve never done.” We are in unprecedented times. The future is uncertain. The ones that will not just survive in this upcoming environment, but thrive, will do so because of their beliefs, attitude, and commitment to work hard. I came across…

1. Stat no one is talking about… We all know that the #1 risk factor for complications associated with COVID-19 is age. Do you know what #2 is??? OBESITY. I knew it was a major complicating factor, but was interested to find it was actually the second biggest risk factor. This is scary… yet exciting.…

1. Tip I heard… I listened to a Tony Robbins podcast this week, titled The Small Business Resiliency Kit, that shared strategies for business owners from four experts. Ryan Diess shared one tip that caught my attention… During this time, think about what you do miss and what you don’t miss. When we are in…

1. Craziest thing I learned/heard this week… At a time like this, I hear a lot of crazy things, but the one that shook me the most was that doctors have been instructed to list COVID-19 as the “probable” or “presumed” cause of death if they suspect that the patient had the virus EVEN IF…

1. Something I started doing again… When my three children were younger, every morning I would leave a quote written on a piece of poster board in the kitchen for them to read. I would then explain the quote that night. These quotes were motivational, educational, and/or thought provoking. I’ve always liked quotes from leaders,…

1. Word I learned this week… Euthymia: A Greek word used by Seneca in his essay on tranquility, he defined as “believing in yourself and trusting that you are on the right path, and not being in doubt by following the myriad footpaths of those wandering in every direction.” I came across it this week…

1. Book I read… I finished a great book, Stillness is the Key, by Ryan Holiday. It is very timely, as many of us have a little more free time. We tend to think that to be successful we need to go…go… go. Personally, one of my problems is that I do something, get a…

1. An Important Video Message… 2. Something I’ve been doing more (I did it this morning)… We often don’t appreciate feeling good… until we feel bad. I have been taking time more often to stop, close my eyes, breath in and out, and really appreciate feeling good. When you are sick with a cough, aching…

1. Coronavirus update… Simply put, this virus is fairly benign for most of us. However, the concern is how contagious it is, and its effect on the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. The action to shut down sporting events, schools, and other highly populated events and activities was confusing to me at first,…

1. Something I get to check off my bucket list… I love snow skiing. I’ve done some hardcore skiing in the past, in the back-country, through unmarked terrain, but it required hiking in, then skiing down. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to go heli-skiing, where a helicopter carries you to the…

1. Smoothie company I tried… and love… Smoothies are a great way to get a lot of nutrients into your body quickly and easily. I find that the easier it is to make them, the more likely I will do it. I recently tried a company called Daily Harvest (www.daily-harvest.com), who sends you cups full…

1. Statistic that caught my attention this week… While in the gym, I saw, but could not hear, a news story stating that there is an increase in maternal mortality. Later, when I looked, I was unable to find that exact story, but came across the data and felt it important to share. Here is…

1. Valentine’s Day Tip/Challenge… Many people wonder how their marriages have weakened, crumbled, or how they have simply grown apart. They speak of how amazing things were early on. How fun, exciting, and passionate they were early in the relationship. It has become a common thought, and accepted, that the weakening, crumbling, and growing apart…

1. Product I love… The best thing you can do to fight flu’s, colds, and infection is maximize your health through healthy lifestyle choices. But even healthy people will get sick on occasion. If I feel like I’m getting run down, have a scratchy or sore throat, or feel like I’m getting sick in any…

1. Quick thought on Kobe Bryant tragedy… A tragedy like the death of Kobe Bryant can elicit many emotions. Anytime I hear a story like this, or a person tells me about the death of a loved one, one of my first sets of thoughts goes something like this… Do I like what I am…

1. A phenomenon I find fascinating… We hear about Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), but more people need to know about Post-traumatic growth. Yes, trauma can cause long-term stress and adverse behavioral changes, but in many, it can cause growth and improvement. People with post-traumatic growth have seen results such as “greater appreciation of life; changed…

1. The importance of educating yourself… In our office, we have what we call feeder rooms, which are small rooms patients go into from the waiting area, that lead into my treatment room. This design allows me to work out of one treatment room, while maintaining a smooth flow for patients to come in and…

1. Story I heard this week… A patient was telling me about severe inflammation and arthritis that he was suffering from years ago. He had gone to a doctor, where he was told to take an anti-inflammatory. While eating lunch that day, and sharing his story with an older co-worker, the older gentlemen pointed to…

1. Quote I think about this time of year… “Most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade.” -Tony Robbins This is a powerful quote… because it is so true! We have a tendency to set big goals, then think we can do it all…

1. Wellness tip… Add a fresh fruit or vegetable to every meal. We are constantly talking about what to cut out of our diet. As humans, we do not do well with deprivation. Simply adding a fruit or veggie (preferably a veggie) to your meal will add vitamins and minerals that you would not get…

1. Something I am proud of… Twenty-two years ago, I started my practice. One month in, we participated in our first Toys for Tots drive. The idea that a child might go through Christmas without a toy really bothered me, so it was the Marines and Toys for Tots that were the perfect groups to…

1. Something I read… James Clear (author of the very good book, Atomic Habits) puts out a weekly newsletter on Thursdays, called 3-2-1 Thursday, which includes 3 ideas, 2 quotes, and 1 question. It’s loaded with wisdom (You can check it out here). Two weeks ago, it included this little nugget that I thought was…

1. Article I read… With childhood obesity, diabetes, attention deficit issues, and even fatty liver on the rise, what kids are eating is critical. What they are drinking is just as critical. This article, “Top 34 bestselling ‘fruit’ drinks for kids deemed unhealthy,” By Sandee LaMotte, on CNN.com, might open your eyes to the problem…

1. Something I am thankful for… One virtue I put a lot of attention on is gratitude. In this week’s blog, which you can read here, I talk about the Law of Familiarity, which states that if you are around anything enough, you will tend to take it just a little bit for granted. It’s…

1. New Year’s Resolution to lose weight??? Just FYI… we will be launching a weight loss group on January 2nd. It will run six weeks, involves no exercise, and you’ll lose 20 pounds or more (Designed to reset your metabolism for long-term results). This is supervised by me. The cost is only $899 for those…

1. A salute to our heroes… Last Monday was Veteran’s Day. As I drove past the Aurora Cemetery, there were dozens of flags lining the driveways. It caught my attention and moved me to pull over. It got me thinking about my father, who was drafted, along with his three brothers, during the Vietnam War.…

1. Amazing fact that few people are aware of… There has been a lot of hype around genetics these past few decades. We’ve been led to believe that your health is dictated by your genes. Here’s a word you need to know… epigenetics. It’s a word literally meaning “above the gene.” Here is a simplified…

1. Health benefits of turning clocks back… This weekend, we will turn our clocks back as Daylight Savings Time ends. As I take a deep dive into the science of sleep, it turns out that Daylight Savings Time has been a great opportunity to study the effects of less, or more, sleep in large populations,…

1. Image I love… I saw this image decades ago and instantly loved it. First… it’s amazing. Second… it immediately struck me as symbolic… what we often see is only the “tip of the iceberg.” Because my mind always thinks in terms of wellness, I thought about how the symptoms we have and feel are…

1. A graph that caught my attention (and made me happy!)… I came across a book that I have not read yet (but will) called The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After 50, by Jonathan Rauch. I want to share that Happiness Curve, as it is quite interesting (see below). Basically, our overall happiness…

1. My latest adventure… Last week was my daughter Emma’s birthday. We decided to fly down to see her at school, take her to lunch, and give her presents. I flew my Piper Arrow into Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, took an Uber to the university, grabbed lunch, took an Uber back to the airport, and…

1. Nutrition tip… It is always easier to eat healthier if you have healthier choices available when you need food. If unprepared, you’ll grab whatever is fastest and easiest… which is pre-packaged, sugar-laden, and non-real foods. I usually make chicken on Sundays for the week. I used to use chicken breasts, but now use chicken…

1. Upsetting (and frightening) study I revisited… The Environmental Working Group (EWG) led a study that checked the umbilical cord blood of ten newborn babies and found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants. This study, done in 2004, found a total of 287 different chemicals in the blood. This is crazy! These chemicals,…

1. Something I saw… As I boarded an airplane out of Jackson Hole, Wyoming last week, I chatted briefly with an older gentleman as I passed his seat. He had retired from the U.S. Air Force. I loved his hat… so I snapped a pic. Obviously, I love the pride that ex-military have, as he…

1. Habit I’m working on… I like to keep things pretty clean, but it seems like it takes a lot of work. I realized it is because I don’t put stuff back after I use it. Things pile up… in my bedroom, on the counters, on my garage workbench, and in my truck… then I…

1. Great way to get better, longer-term results… Not sure why you aren’t getting the results you want in your life? Trying to figure out what you need to do to get what you want in life? What you do is important, but WHY you are doing it is more important. It’s the why behind…

1. Why exercise… Most people think of exercise in terms of burning calories, losing weight, and producing endorphins (chemicals that help relieve pain and stress). I mentioned it in a recent blog post, but there is a chemical called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that acts like Miracle-Gro for the brain. It helps neurons in the…

1. Word I love… I love the word congruent. Wellness, happiness, and true success will all involve congruence. Congruent is defined as “in agreement or harmony.” The big things in your life have to be in harmony. What you say should be congruent with what you do… the work you do should be congruent with…

1. My favorite candy bar… The wellness lifestyle includes snacks and sweets. Yeeehaaaa! The key is choosing snacks and sweets that use high quality ingredients, avoid artificial junk, and contain healthful nutrients. So… I want to share my favorite chocolate candy bar with you… Hu Chocolate Bar. The Hu is short for “human,” and their…

1. Can you help me…? Fifteen years ago, I started writing weekly wellness articles in three local papers. My goal was simple… to help shape the community’s philosophy on health and wellness and help provide the readers with solid, useful information that they could use to improve the quality of their lives and the lives…

1. Recent event… I hate running, I am not a great swimmer, and I have not biked much, so a triathlon would seem like an unlikely endeavor for me to sign up for. Fortunately, there are shortened versions of athletic events like these. That’s why every year I do the Cleveland Triathlon. There is the…

1. Question to ponder… “Are you pointing out the window… or pointing in the mirror?” I can’t give credit for this quote, as I cannot remember where I heard it earlier this week. But, as humans, we love to point fingers and blame other people and our circumstances for our shortcomings. It is easy to…

1. Cartoon I love… Here is a cartoon that we hang up in our office from time to time, and it always gets a laugh. It is funny, but also sad… as it is so true. I seldom see a new patient who isn’t taking at least one medication regularly, and most take multiple medications.…

1. Documentary worth watching… Joseph Campbell was a professor of literature and author, who was well known for his work with comparative mythology. The documentary, Finding Joe, delves into how a hidden pattern that shows up in every story, which he called “the hero’s journey,” is “relevant and essential in today’s world.” Joseph Campbell was…

1. Phenomenon you should be aware of… There are processes called trophic cascades which “are powerful indirect interactions that can control entire ecosystems. Trophic cascades occur when predators limit the density and/or behavior of their prey and thereby enhance survival of the next lower trophic level.” The trickle down effects of removing a species for…

1. Book I’m listening to… I just finished reading (actually listening to) the book, The Power of TED, by David Emerald. I recommend it! TED stands for The Empowerment Dynamic, which is a way to move from a victim mentality to a “creator” mentality and break what is called the Drama Triangle. It’s creatively written…

1. Wellness tip… As Americans, we eat A LOT of food. One simple strategy to lose weight and be healthier is to consume smaller portions. When we are out to eat, it can be tough to control portions, but at home, one simple step would be to use smaller plates. We tend to fill up…

1. Happy Father’s Day! I would have to attribute much of who I am today because of my dad. What about him had the most impact in my life? Simple… he led by example. I got to see what a dad is supposed to be like by watching him. I remember being in college, and…

1. Best dad? Or Worst dad? You decide… I took my daughter skydiving last weekend for her 18th birthday. I’ve gotten mixed responses… some saying that it was an awesome idea… and some thinking I was nuts for doing that. The bottom line is that the wellness lifestyle is about living fully. Personally, I never…

1. Happy Memorial Day (late)… Memorial Day is a day to honor and remember those who died while serving our country in the Armed Forces.  I have always had great admiration for those putting their lives on the line so we can retain the incredible freedom and lifestyle we have. I remember visiting Arlington National…

1. Product I love… I tend to chew a lot of gum. In an effort to avoid the artificial sweeteners, like aspartame (terrible stuff!), I have tried every natural gum I could find. Some stick to your teeth, most have flavor that disappears within a minute, and not too many taste very good. My favorite…

1. Back in the day… Remember when Sea World had a water ski team? I was fortunate enough to be on that team for five seasons. What an incredible experience! I will write a blog soon that I will call, “Five Life Lessons I Learned as a Professional Water Skier.” One of those lessons is…

  1. Inspirational person… Check out this quick interview I did with a patient and friend of mine, Beth Dowell. She has amazed me. She’s been a patient of mine for over 15 years. For ten of those years, she weighed over 240 pounds. She had finally had enough and decided she was going to…

Word I love… One word I love is authentic. It is defined as “not false or copied; genuine; real.” Another definition… “representing one’s true nature or beliefs; true to oneself or to the person identified.” In a world where everyone seems to want to look like, dress like, and act like everyone else, it’s refreshing…

Documentary I watched… I recently watched the documentary, Free Solo, about professional rock climber Alex Hannold’s attempt to be the first to free solo climb El Capitan’s vertical rock face (900-meter) at Yosemite National Park. To explain a little more… free soloing is where a climber climbs ALONE… WITHOUT the use of any ropes, harnesses,…

Inspiring people… Tiger Woods…. Winning The Masters… again… 14 years after his last win there! Wow! It’s so inspiring to see something as remarkable as that. He makes it look easy, but what most can never realize is how much effort, sacrifice, and mental toughness goes into a comeback like that. To overcome the odds,…

1. Inspirational person… I LOVE this quick video from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He talks about his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL getting shattered when he gets cut from the Canadian Football League. But… had that not happened, he wouldn’t be where he is today. My favorite line from this one minute video……

1. Quote… “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.”            ― Mother Teresa Years ago, I remember someone asking me in a sarcastic tone if I thought I was going to change the world. I was young and almost embarrassingly said “no.”…

1. Cool Experience… Spending spring break in the Dominican Republic. Chartered a boat yesterday and went scuba diving. As my family swam along the coral reef, seeing stingray, squid, lobster, and thousands of amazingly colorful fish, I could not help but think how cool it is that we have the ability to go underwater, be…

1. What’s Wrong With That… Not sure if you saw this article in April of 2018, but you have to read this! Many people believe there is a suppression of a cure for many diseases so that the pharmaceutical companies and medical system can continue to profit. It is easy to see why, as there have…

1. What’s Wrong With That?… Patients are given treatment options by their medical doctor. They are often told those are their only options. What the doctor should say is that those are the only options that they have for them. Surely there are many other options. In fact, there are usually dozens of options when…

1.What’s Wrong With That…  I came across this article about a mid-wife who was arrested for “practicing midwifery without a license,” yet does have a certification (CPM, Certified Professional Midwife). Obviously, there are complex issues involved, but women and families are seeking this type of birth process for a variety of reasons (religious, philosophical, cultural, financial, etc.).…

1. Inspiring person… If you haven’t heard of Dick and Ricky Hoyt, you’ve got to check them out. Watching Dick Hoyt, and seeing what he has done for his son, will make you feel pathetic as a parent. Click here to get the background on these two amazing individuals (it’s about 13 minutes, but worth it!), and…

1. Inspiring Person… Click here for a cool instagram post. Wow! I love watching human beings do things that I might have thought impossible. This came to me in Tim Ferris’ 5-bullet Friday weekly email (loaded with good stuff and partly what inspired these Friday Findings). 2. Recommended Book… Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results…

1. Recipe/Food I Tried… I’m a big fan of zucchini noodles. They are easy to prepare if you have a zoodler (Under $12 at Amazon… ). Most grocery stores now sell them pre-cut, and many Italian restaurants allow you to substitute them for pasta. Keto-friendly food that is a great substitute for pasta noodles. Obviously, does not taste…