There once was an entire think tank within the fitness and physical therapy communities regarding proper posture. More than a few different course would pop up promising to get anyone into the absolute correct posture.

But not only aren’t there many—if any—courses or classes featuring this as the main topic, artificial intelligence within a Google search has even jumped on board to verify the consensus that there is no one perfect posture position (say that 5 times fast).

Let’s explore what got us in this predicament of poor positioning in the first place. There certainly are a myriad of bad postures out there and it doesn’t take a trained eye to often see who is a culprit.

Why do we develop poor posture?

Many of today’s comforts and technological advances have contributed to our bodies residing in positions that are the path of least resistance. And staying in that position. That leads to muscle imbalances and atrophying (weakening) of tonic (stabilizing) muscles needed to keep a skeletal frame tall and long.

This isn’t to say evolution isn’t correct about being lazy: our ancestors were all about conserving energy and actually carrying body fat in case of the next famine (or lack of killed animal that we could forage from).

And that should still be the case somewhat today. However, our ancestors had it rough and lived in comparable physically challenging times. Nearly all of the daily chores didn’t have machines (or other people) to do the work for us. Needless to say, they got their steps in.

Now that it’s been verified there isn’t one perfect posture, that isn’t to say there aren’t a host of more preferred and body-friendly positions to reside in. How do we find them and what practices can lead us to a more robust, pain free and happier chassis to live in?

Movement capacity has really been the leading factor to establishing an ability to get in and out of different positions and thus a better overall posture. Improving joint range of motion will allow more body control and can also create greater body awareness. Certainly abdominal musculature and mid thorax stabilizers will help to support spinal stability thereby reducing the pressure on back muscles.

One of the most underlying components and overlooked aspects of an overall good posture is breathing capacity and breathing mechanics. Proper diaphragmatic breathing is necessary for optimal posture positions.

But good diaphragmatic breathing is multi-faceted. An ability to exhale fully and completely will make the diaphragm rise like a hot air balloon. This will expand the rib cage and inhibit many of the back muscles and allow for more movement in the back muscles and spine as they are not busy holding still to maintain stability.

Nasal breathing will allow the posterior attachments of the diaphragm to expand and further inhibit the back muscles and spine. Nasal breathing will also expand the lateral rib cage and take pressure off intercostal muscles and the serratus anterior (the primary muscle that moves the shoulder and arm forward away from the body). Taking pressure off all these back and side muscles allows them to move more, thereby creating more overall movement in the thorax.

Pauses between exhales and inhales can further stabilize the pelvic floor and lumbar spine. Inhaling will actually relax and lengthen the pelvic floor while a trained and skilled exhale will help to strengthen the base of the pelvis and protect the lower back.

As much as breathing is a huge factor, isometric, end-range-of-motion stretching can greatly enhance postural capabilities. Specifically, the hip joint, cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (mid back), lumbar spine (low back) and ankle joints are the primary sites for improved posture.

90 second-to-2-minute holds—with a moderate intensity—within these joints communicates with the central nervous system to tell the joint to bypass the normal stretch reflex. The result is a stronger neural drive (better control), blood flow, cellular adaptation (to understand the new demands) and stronger and more connective tissue to handle a higher demand on that joint.

In short, the more you do isometric holds under a moderate to strong intensity, the more load and abuse that joint can sustain in deeper positions. Not only will improved breathing mechanics coupled with targeted isometric stretching improve posture, it will also mitigate injury. And avoiding injuries is what we all want for as long as we can.

Healthy and injury-free bodies with longer and more austere postures: that’s a winning strategy.

The post Posture appeared first on Karjaka Magazine.

“People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those are doing it.” said the late playwright George Bernard Shaw. Putting in the time to accomplish end goals is often just a matter putting in the work on a gradual basis where we get better at the task at hand. Lamenting about doing the actual work is what leads to procrastination and making the activity appear to be harder than it is. Almost all ventures get easier the more frequently we do them.

Often we are consumed with thoughts about how we cannot do something. If we haven’t done it before, the simple thought of completing undertakings unknown becomes more intimidating than it often should be. It becomes a fierce animal that bears its teeth when it should be a house cat rubbing against your leg asking to be fed. 

We make the mistake of seeing the CEO’s today who are worth billions of dollars after they’ve put in 20 years of groundwork to get there.

No pain, no gain? Maybe. But is the “pain” mental or physical? And is it truly pain or is it just mild discomfort? Is doing a bunch of squats really that hard or is it rather the thought of them is too much?

Nearly everything attained in life is often predicated on the subjectivity of effort and level of perceived difficulty. As much as Shaw is close to the point above, the more apt quote I believe is pertinent to physical work is Theodore Roosevelt’s “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty…”

So does that mean that every training session needs to be heavy grunting coupled with snarling and Viking battlecries? Does it mean that attaining the best physique we can requires 9 hours a day of training and eating nothing but steamed chicken and lima beans with a glass of water 3 times a day? Not at all.

Many of the leaned out and chiseled athletes we see on Instagram (those that aren’t photoshopped, of course) are built on consistency of training and reasonable discipline outside the gym. Nearly all of the bodies that are held to such high standards are results of steady training programs with effort and dedication coupled with nutrition regimens that are thoughtful in their preparation and appreciation of their nutritional value.

ie: They don’t fall off the wagon for more than a reward meal or dessert.

That being said, the actual work put in needs to be one that requires focus and attention to high levels of energy. Each individual session must have a level of exertion that doesn’t allow the mind to wander to other concerns of the day. A training session should have the absolute attention of the athlete for the duration of the time and an intent that at least gets close to—if not meets—that session’s goals. 

It should be hard, but not unattainable.

In the beginning of a training program, many of the exercises will seem very challenging and perhaps scary. It’s more a product of the unfamiliar, however. As a lifter gains confidence from repeating the exercises and gains strength, progressive overload is essential to continuing to make gains and improvement.

And the cycle begins again; albeit with a more established foundation and a more confident approach.

As more and more sessions of accomplishment rack up, the brain releases and sustains higher levels of endorphins. These high levels of endorphins beget release of dopamine. Dopamine is the molecule that regulates motivation and an anticipation of accomplishment. Now the mental and physical components sustain and enhance each other as we soldier on to more sessions, programs and goals that get completed.

See how this all works?

Nearly everything we see from the outside is never as bad or as hard as it seems. We all have to have a starting place and that’s always the most difficult. But once we begin and understand what we have to do, we often wonder why we didn’t start it sooner.

Do you need to be perfect? No way. Do you need to be honest in how intense your approach is? Yes absolutely. 

Getting help creating, sustaining and adhering to obtain one’s goals is suggested because it isn’t just the end game that makes us proud and happy. The journey to get there is what we hang our hat on and reminds ourselves how we got there. 

The post No Pain No Gain appeared first on Karjaka Magazine.

In the ever-present world of “bio-hacking” and looking for the magic pill, there are claims of all sorts of substances that can mitigate certain human conditions and enhance a multitude of human performance measures. As much as I’d love to say Bradley Cooper’s metamorphosis in “Limitless” is a true story, there is yet to be an invention that can come anywhere close to the do-it-all genius pill his character was nearly killed for.

Being able to improve one’s brain processing speed and expanding the bounds the mind can eclipse have each long been part of modern and ancient culture. For thousands of years, Native Americans have used peyote for its religious ceremonies with its strong hallucinogenic attributes. Indigenous South Americans have been using ayahuasca for at least 1,000 years and its hallucinogenic properties have been well documented.

Psychedelics, such as early LSD-like alkaloids and psilocin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms better known as psilocybin now) have been traced back to Greek/Roman and Incan traditions. 

And although these compounds above have been linked to religious or spiritual ceremonies, they are often believed to open the minds of the users and tap into regions of the brain previously untouched. Chasing an edge in the ability to think beyond what we currently think is capable is nothing new. 

So while the above substances have been deemed (on the extreme end) dangerous in some societies and (on the more liberal end) risky in other societies, are there safer more ubiquitous sources of brain expanding foods and supplements out there?

Unfortunately there is no “Limitless”/panacea pill out there (despite assertions to the contrary), but there seems to be some specific sources that can help to improve a host of abilities.  Cognitive enrichment compounds have been studied for a long time and there seems to be some foods/nutrients/supplements that can make a case for providing brain boosting benefits (say that 3 times…)

Can certain diet choices help to lead to some positive brain stimulating effects? Experts think so. Specifically, spices such as curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) can decrease anxiety by lowering inflammation and thus protect the brain. Saffron has anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerotic and anti-Alzheimer’s components and can even combat depression. Pretty cool.

There is a school of thought that the enteric nervous system (the gastrointestinal tract) is our bodies’ “little brain”. A happy gut micro biome can impact our brains’ effectiveness.  Thus, many fermented foods can help lay good gut bacteria in our micro biome and help to make even better food choices moving forward. Kombucha, sauerkraut and certain Greek yogurts have shown powerful results. I make a homemade yogurt that I gently heat for 36 hours with 3 particular probiotics that exponentially replicate due to the long duration of heating. All my girls and I are currently eating it everyday after we’ve all had a bout with antibiotics given to us to proactively fight possible Lyme disease (and in my case a sinus infection).

Dark chocolate has flavonoids (used, among other things to produce more glutathione—the “liver antioxidant”) and other antioxidants. Avocados contain large amounts of magnesium to ward off depression. Walnuts, pecans and pistachios are some of the better nuts to choose from due to higher concentrations of omega 3 fats (macadamia—my favorite— is 4th). 

Eggs contain choline. Choline increases memory retention and reduces inflammation. Eggs also contain tryptophan—an amino acid that is a key player in protein synthesis. And yes tryptophan is a precursor for serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates sleep as well as a host of other functions. Sleep needed for memory retention and processing of ideas.

And leafy greens contain vitamin E, flavonoids and folate. Folate is intricate in red blood cell formation and is significant in neurotransmitter function. 

Other sources of potent cognitive benefits come in the form of supplements such as alpha GPC, creatine and certain racetams. While the first two alpha GPC and creatine have no side effects, racetams should be taken with caution. 

And remember that just pumping the body full of the above list is only part of the equation. Sufficient sleep and exercise are needed to balance the body and utilize the above calories. Small intermissions of little breaks and/or meditation can give the body much needed moments of rest in between work sessions.

Stop multitasking. Singular jobs will support clearer thinking habits. It’s harder said than done, but creating an environment that is conducive to less distractions will beget more efficient creative and thinking patterns. So resist responding to texts and messages on your phone during projects or put your phone in another room altogether (airplane mode is a good one too).

Ultimately, the benefits of the aforementioned food and supplemental choices need to be complemented with healthy lifestyle choices as well. We don’t necessarily need to hallucinate to have transcendental thoughts to become smarter overnight. A healthy food selection paired with optimal sleep and exercise should be enough.

So although there is no one “Limitless” pill your doctor can give you to make your entire life better, many combinations of the above foods coupled with those healthy life style choices can synergistically compile a “pill: pretty damn close to being limitless.  – CT

The post Bio Hacking 101: Peyote Pistachios Curcumin Creatine LSD & Sleep with Craig Thomas Fitness appeared first on Karjaka Magazine.

The Hollywood Diet 48-hour cleanse. The raw generation skinny cleanse. Dr. Kellyann’s 5 day cleanse and reset kit. The list of the overnight diet super fixes is quite long and infamous.  And the list of those who have advocated for it is just as long. But those were yesterday’s news.

Now we have a class of diabetes drugs that can help curtail appetite and make claims of losing vast amounts of weight in relatively short periods of time. Claims by famous actors and comedians have stated that semaglutide brands like Ozempic, Wegovy or Rybelsus have had life changing effects on health and appearance. And today these drugs have been in increasingly high demand and are being used recreationally all over—in no small part due to the celebrities advocating for its efficacy. 

But why have we—as a society—seen a huge spike in obesity over the last few decades?

There are many reasons. But the one I like to focus on is centered around how much and how long we work and how much time we spend on our mobile devices.  Constant stimulation via mobile phones with social media, news information and anything else that perks our emotional responses coupled with high stress levels of work equals a formula of sympathetic (fight or flight) response that doesn’t get enough parasympathetic (rest and digest) response.

But why the weight gain? High levels of anxiety and stress induce the body to produce adrenaline and cortisol to allow the body to stay alert and continue on the current course—despite a strong desire to stop. So the body and brain get no opportunity to take a break and get back to baseline; no time to heal. Add in a lack of exercise and two major responses occur:

—cortisol levels remain elevated and testosterone levels decrease.  

—cortisol stimulates sugar cravings and results in not-so-good eating decisions.  

Hamster wheel created.  A decade or two passes and we have lift off into the obesity class.

Enter the current Ozempic craze. It seems to be about as close to the Nutty Professor as there is.  And although I realize that many of us would give up most of our life savings to be first in line to go to sleep one night as Sherman Klump and wake up as Buddy Love, there is often a price to be paid.

I could go on to what semagutides do from a biologic and molecular standpoint, but it’s pretty boring.  Suffice to say that it initiates more sugar to be burned and tells the body it isn’t hungry (even when it is). Specifically, semaglutides are meant for the population that is clinically diagnosed as type II diabetic.  Are those who are not type II diabetic abusing it?  

As for side effects: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and other serious but uncommon major issues.  The list is pretty much garden variety for a major drug. 

But most damaging that I see is the unknown. It hasn’t been able to be studied in a long-term clinical analysis. Most of the studies encompass one year.  We don’t know long-term effects. Is it pernicious in its later effects?

It certainly seems safer than fen-phen (fenfluramine and phentermine). Fen-phen was a drug found in the early 90’s which was approved as an anti-obesity treatment. 

But fen-phen caused horrific complications in many and death for others. It was pulled from the market in 1997.  

While I do not see the same fate for semaglutides, I do believe taking shortcuts to get to a desired aesthetic appearance or avoid our relationship with food and exercise is a bit of a deal made with the devil. Ultimately, do semaglutides address our overwhelming inability to withdraw from electronic devices? Do semaglutides help us balance work and introduce more exercise and healthy living? 

To me, it cheats the reward for naturally improving body composition through hard work with exercise and disciplined decisions with diet and sleep. It cheapens lifestyle choices that become proof of respecting the bodies we live in. It also does not change our mental approach toward a cleaner and regenerative world.     

For as long as science has been tracking human physiology, drugs and shortcuts have always been at the forefront of ways to quicken results. But, there aren’t any panaceas or magic lamps. Usually the parable 

Ultimately, our bodies have responded best to nutritional diets that sustain muscle and lean tissue acquired through resistance training and challenging aerobic work. Concurrently, our brains work best when they are supported by physical work. Exercise produces the release of good feeling endorphins such as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine that help combat depression, anxiety, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and more.  

Our bodies are meant to move. Our minds are meant to feed off that ability to move. 

Medicine and drug treatments are meant to assist us in getting to our desired goals.  The big question is what are those goals?  I’m not here to say that there isn’t a place for Ozempic.  There certainly is. But a dependency on that to a point where we don’t address the problem?

The bottom line is our relationship with food has to improve. Our understanding of the benefits and love for exercise needs to be explained better and constantly reinforced. We must take some breaths and learn how to mitigate stress and anxiety and not simply act out to momentarily appease them only to have a bigger disaster looming. 

Leading a healthy lifestyle and a respect for the foods we put in our bodies should be incumbent on us to understand.  

Because our minds and bodies don’t need more 48 hour cleanses. We don’t need any raw cleanses. If we listen closely, all the mind and body want from us is to understand what their point of view is.  Only then can we slowly make changes that make us happy to be living in our vehicle and mainframe that we call our body and mind. – CT

The post Did the Nutty Professor actually invent Ozempic? appeared first on Karjaka Magazine.

May is absolutely one of my favorite months. The Kentucky Derby kicks off Spring for me. The days are always getting longer as the month heads toward its finish line. Kids culminate a long year of school work by the end of May.  

Mother’s Day is a much needed recognition of all moms who never get a day off.  

Memorial Day celebrates our indispensable past service men and woman and extends into a travel weekend for many.

And my twins birthday comes on the 29th and mine just two days into June.

But the real beauty about May is that it’s when most of all the rain that comes in April manifests in full blooming trees, flowers, lawns and shrubbery. Insects and birds come alive and there is a harmony to all living things. Balance.

This rebirth of the Earth as the Northern Hemisphere warms up and dormant/hibernating life returns to our lives presents an opportunity to connect with what’s outside our doorstep. It provides a sense of one with nature and a respect of all living things that make our world glorious.

I realize that might sound a bit corny, but I believe it’s true. There is a powerful synergy that surrounds us this time of year. We even tend to be much more tolerant of others and more loquacious in our meetings with each other. We gravitate toward exciting new adventures and bind with the Earth as we spend more time outdoors. Specifically, more time outdoors with our bodies open and shoes off.

Shoes off I say?

I’m not a big chick flick viewer (although I have a couple favorites and now with 4 women surrounding me that view could change to more), but Pretty Woman really hit the nail on the head when Julia Roberts’ character suggested to Richard Gere to walk around the grass without shoes and socks.  

And May is the ideal month to go strolling around your backyard (or anywhere with a healthy section of grass) touching your plantar surface of your foot to the ground. Not too hot out. Not generally cold. Lots of freshly growing plants and soil to immerse your naked skin in.  

Walking around on the grass is known as grounding.  Why is that a “thing”?  

Despite not being heavily researched, there is evidence that grounding can offer a host of benefits:

—reduced systemic inflammation

—improved cardiovascular health

—repaired muscle damage

—lowered chronic pain

—better mood

Furthermore, a good grounding practice can also mitigate chronic fatigue and restore energy levels to the body. It additionally battles anxiety and depression and boost sleep quality.  

How does grounding work within our bodies?  Much of modern technology such as mobile phones, Wi-Fi, radio waves, electrical appliances, radio and televisions are just a handful of the myriad of interference our bodies and brains are subjected to on a daily basis.  These devices send out electromagnetic fields (EMF’s) that our bodies and brains absorb.

In short, the Earth’s surface is packed with negatively charged electrons that help to neutralize free radicals within the body. When we make contact with these ions, the body absorbs them and they help to bolster immunity by negating the free radicals roaming our bodies from the bombardment of the EMF’s we can’t get away from.

While walking in grass is the most common and easiest form to follow, walking in sand at the beach or swimming in the ocean or clear lake is a fantastic alternative. For those that are a little more daring, lying down in any of the above is a more thorough method to soak up these negative immune-boosting ions.  

It takes very little time to do and it’s a good practice to adopt. The other hidden benefit of walking around barefoot is that it allows the foot to move freely and become free from the constrictions of modern foot ware. Grounding has a double effect as it enhances circulation while enabling better joint mobility.

So while Julia was simply attempting to calm business tycoon Richard Gere with some seemingly old wive’s tale, she was actually barking up a very scientific tree. 

Seize this May and undertake a practice of grounding a few times a week and watch your body transform into a self healing and calibrated machine. Coupling this practice with healthy eating, fitness and quality sleep can lead to a summer of happiness and productive activity. – CT

The post Getting Grounded with Richard Gere & Craig Thomas appeared first on Karjaka Magazine.

April is Earth Month and—to me—it’s a month in which we look at how we give back to what our planet provides.  I actually never knew it was a whole month dedicated toward environmental awareness and giving love back to the Earth.  I only thought it was one day.  Who knew…

Alright, maple syrup.

That has become our in-house response to anything that we didn’t consider an option at first but now is something seen as a viable answer.  We pulled that one from Cindy-Lou Who (yes, that one—but from the recent animated version of The Grinch).  If ya haven’t seen it, it’s kind of contextual so I’ll just leave it alone for now.

But speaking of maple syrup, one thing that can also be done to broaden Earth month awareness is also taking care of our agriculture and farming and thus what we place in our bodies.  Maple syrup is one of the few natural sugars we let our 3 little girls have.  As it’s naturally found in the wild, it falls under the umbrella of responsible farming.

But it extends beyond maple syrup.

Regenerative agriculture and responsible farming are two trigger words these days that tend to be a catch-all phrase, but the actual practice doesn’t seem to be taking flight.  As of the latter half of 2022, microbiologist and regenerative agriculture expert Dr. Kristine Nichols states that only 1.5% of the possible 900 million arable acres are truly regenerative.  That is not a lot.

Political and financial arguments aside, the human, animal and environmental benefits of regenerative agriculture is just something that cannot be replaced or replicated.  It’s a practice that not only creates better food, but better air quality and more beautiful and varied flowers, trees and plants.

So what can we all do to create a push for healthier and better farming methods?

One option is to support local farmers who practice these Earth-friendly and eco-system rich systems.  It might cost a little more, but it often means your body needs less of it and it’s more bioavailble over time the more you consume it.   It also often reflects the surrounding area you live is taken care of and things like drinking water and air quality are each healthier.  

Grass finished—not only grass fed — beef is both more human friendly and environmentally beneficial.  The excretion by grass finished animals re-populates the soil with good nutrients from the grass-only diet they consume and produces a densely nutritive soil. Additionally, grass traps atmospheric carbon dioxide and has a positive net effect on climate change.

Wild fish vs. farm raised fish don’t have as broad a difference as grass finished vs. grain finished beef, but there are some characteristic distinctions.  Farm raised fish often are less expensive, are fed controlled (and often cheaper) diets including antibiotics and can have both less flavor and less overall nutrition.  Because wild fish are caught in their natural habitat, those who consume them also consume their diet (which is usually much more nutritious).  Although a little more expensive, wild fish have a higher profile of omega 3 fats (a host of benefits from brain health to fighting depression) and therefore are usually more desirable.

Organic vegetables are usually understood within the general public to be healthier options.  They not only contain more flavonoids (antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and immune system  perks) but since they also have less chemicals and heavy metals, they fall into the regenerative agriculture movement as the soil is richer in vitamins and minerals.  A little more expensive (again), but well worth the extra money for the continuity of a safer and cleaner ecosystem. 

Oils.  This is a topic that has found its way into current vernacular in health discussions over the last 5-10 years and now seems to be practiced by more people.  Vegetable oils contain higher levels of omega 6 fats (these tend to be more inflammatory to the body), tend to oxidize when heated and often contain GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) pulled from the corn and soybean—among other sources—they are culled from.  Not a good option.

Conversely, olive oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, grass finished butter/ghee and even coconut oil are lower in inflammatory responses to the body and are sourced from natural resources on the Earth.  All of these—if they are minimally processed—are gut friendly and can even combat weight gain to some extent.   

Finally that brings me around to the topic of maple syrup—errr, sugar, sugar substitutes and varying degrees of sugar.  Without diving into too much detail, exogenous sugar’s main objective is to provide energy for the body that can be used for fuel.  But many people either vilify sugar, consume it in excess or have trouble quantifying some pluses different sweeteners and specific sugars have vs. the overarching theme of “all sugar is bad”.

There are a few different sugars out there, but I will only cover the main 3.  

1). Fructose is found in fruits and honey primarily.  It is the sweetest of sugars and can only be metabolized by the liver (thereby being more taxing on our immune system if ingested often enough). 

2). Glucose is the most ubiquitous sugar found in plants and is the the basic building block of sugar in our bodies.  

3). Sucrose is also naturally found in plants and is best known as table sugar milled from sugarcane.  

Although coconut sugar contains the same number of calories and carbs per gram as regular table sugar/glucose, it does incorporate a little of zinc, iron, calcium and potassium in addition to polyphenols and phytonutrients.  

Sugar alcohols, such as erythritol, maltitol and xylitol have about half the level of calories per gram as regular table sugar, don’t cause blood sugar spikes and have a lower dental risk.  Conversely, sugar alcohols can cause gastrointestinal issues (yours truly gets them from too much ingestion) and laxative effects.  These really have to be consumed in moderation.  

Moreover, there are really great sugar substitutes in stevia and monk fruit.  Each of these two products are found naturally in the wild and should be purchased as such and not with additives such as sugar alcohols to add to flavor and volume.  Both have reduced amount of calories and have been shown to help control blood sugar levels.  Although no long term study has been done to study any major health concerns, for the time being they are labeled safe.  

For myself and my family, we use coconut sugar, monk fruit, table sugar and—yes—maple syrup for our sweeteners in our household.  Honey can also be added in small amounts such as in homemade salad dressing and in bakery items.  

So think about giving a little back to the planet you live on and have a mind toward a healthier world when it comes to the food you put on your table and the farming habits you choose to support.  Whether it comes from the soil via vegetables or meats, from the water with fish and seafood to even maple syrup and other sugars, know that each purchase and decision you make impacts everyone else.  – CT

The post Grass Finished Cows, Wild Fish and… Maple Syrup. appeared first on Karjaka Magazine.

While watching Luke Skywalker successfully deflect the blasters from a training exercise in Star Wars with his lightsaber, Han Solo remarked:  “I call it luck”.  Teacher—and Jedi master—Obi Wan Kenobi, in turn, responded with a wry grin: “In my experience, there’s no such thing as luck”.  To which Han says: “Look, good against remotes is one thing.  Good against the living?  That’s something else”.  

Luck takes many shapes and forms.  Luck has taken on a ubiquitous description that gets thrown around from mostly visual assessments of how we judge other’s lives.  Some people will label those who are doing well financially in life lucky.  Others will call those with attractive spouses lucky.  Some will refer to those who travel to exotic destinations lucky.

It may have a light intention, but the undertone of calling others lucky infers that they are chosen ones; they have had a much clearer and easier path to all the gifts that life has to offer.  Its overly oft use suggests that those who do not get these benefits are powerless in their pursuit of attaining them.  The luck moniker becomes a crutch for those that feel that the people who are excelling in life have had all the breaks.  It seems to be consigned to the category of “those who were born into an advantaged life”. 

To me, luck is a very relative term.  As the above debate between Han and Obi-Wan above suggests, it’s a matter of perspective.  It usually has a pejorative connotation for those who have succeeded in something most others don’t believe could have been done by those same people; ergo we dismiss it as luck.  It helps to rationalize a situation that others don’t believe they can do it themselves.  So say the naysayers and armchair quarterbacks.    

Certainly being born into better opportunity bears more possibilities and resources, but it’s what is done with those opportunities and connections that matters.  In truth, all it takes is one very strong and powerful connection that leads down the yellow brick road.  One “yes” will counter one thousand “no’s” when the yes is a very big yes.  Especially when that yes is shrouded in fear and doubt.  

The old Roman philosopher Seneca quipped: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”.  The preparation part is pretty simple in theory.  It’s quite hard, however, to see through and accomplish.  It takes dedication and time.  And time is our most precious resource.  It can never be made up or re-taken back.  

Ultimately, it’s a belief in oneself to create opportunities that make our lives better.  But the result of getting to the pinnacle of your craft, profession or journey is rooted in hard work and lots and lots of practice.  Practice + hard work = Preparation.  And the more prepared you are, the more knowledge and experience you attain.

And that, as Obi-Wan alluded to, is not luck.  And as corny and clichéd as it seems, it as true today as it was 50 years ago and even 500 years ago.  

When it comes to health, nutrition, fitness and longevity it’s usually about getting started and staked to a plan of action.  Once you can begin a program, lowering expectations and immediate outcomes is foremost in integrating the course of action to simply be.  The process can take over.  And the process of seeing a plan through is predicated on preparation and seizing the opportunity of now. 

We get one go around with these mechanisms we live in called our bodies.  We do not get to turn the clock back to be healthier when we were younger.  It gets harder as we get older and our muscles, bones, tissues and cells require the hard work and practice to work as efficiently as they can as we age.  Father Time takes can only be acquiesced slowly and he’ll return the favor with compassion.  

So while there are many out there who are intimidated by the lucky ones who are in good health and move well, know that this all didn’t happen by chance.  Yes genetics are involved when it comes to appearance and many biomarkers.  But that’s mostly what we observe.  It can’t be shared as a feeling of health, strength, vitality and mobility.   

All that being said, it’s about optimizing what we are born with and currently have.  The name of the game is maximizing what we have and making an exemplary creation of what our archetype is.  If we can excel with what we have, our bodies and minds will return the favor with the intangibility of happiness and satisfaction.  And that is not luck.  

We nearly always get what we ask for in life.  What we put out in the world comes back to us.  I do not believe that is luck.  I believe that is aggrandizing what gifts we already have.

In your experience, will you believe that others who do well only have luck on their side?  

Will you allow luck to take over or will you take over luck? -CT

The post Prepared for Luck with Craig Thomas appeared first on Karjaka Magazine.

Self love, as a concept, is a paradox.  It’s both overwritten about and yet not given enough attention.  And that’s because the overwritten part is about the same message:  love yourself at all costs and don’t dare be critical of others for their flaws.  We all should be accepting and sensitive to others as we should be to ourselves.  

I think, however, self love is more than just blanket, general acceptance.  And what, exactly, is “self love”?  What does that even mean?  

There are varying levels of what self love embodies.  It is not a one-size fits all 1982 baseball cap with the plastic adjustable buttons in the back.  Self love has to be tailored to meet what is needed and what is lacking to make us all our own best friend.  I consider the foundation of the self love pyramid to be “how would I tell my best friend to act toward themself?” and apply that to the beginnings of my template.  

Ah a template, you say?  Yes, there needs to be a formula; a guide or template that can be followed.  A master plan.  

But the plan doesn’t need to be elaborate.  It can be a few specific tasks or accomplishments that need to be completed each day.  It can be a walk, a meditation session, visiting a museum or park or more focused activities like strength training, yoga or Pilates sessions.  It can be a combination of the above as well.  It can be a repeatable activity or it can be a one-off, but either way a plan should be made the day before on what is going to take place the following day. 

At its heart (I couldn’t resist), self love is an assessment of the components that make you happy and fulfilled based on who you are and what you need.  It’s putting your emergency mask on first before anyone else when the plane is in jeopardy.  ie—you are putting you first.   And it’s constantly evolving based on where you are in your life because—as Yoda would say— “Always in motion the future is”.  What was once a priority last year may not be one today.

The two priorities of my physical self care center around strength and conditioning work and doing contrast bathing: sauna and cold baths/showers.  While strength training has been talked about its benefits for quite a while, sauna and heat immersion has been studied more in foreign countries than it is here at home.  And sauna use isn’t just confined to good feelings of accomplishment and sweat:  Finnish research has shown that sauna use 2-3 times per week (at 20 min each session):

—had an 18% reduction in fatal coronary disease.  

—it also improves heart rate variability (reflective of the heart’s ability to respond to high stress moments and come back to baseline) and blood pressure.

—releases heat shock proteins which are useful to reduce body inflammation.  

—has also, as the coup de grâce toward health, shown to reduce Alzheimer’s disease by a whopping 60%.

As great as the benefits of sauna are, I spend my time in the sauna reiterating my mantras and core beliefs to myself.  Occasionally I will listen to some podcasts, but I prefer spending that time on nurturing my body and mind.  The intangible components are what bind the body and mind together.  As I say these more, they become more ingrained.

There are some days in which I will go through my CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations) while having 180-190 degrees raining down on me and really amp up the experience.  Other times I’ll be specific and just stretch a joint that has been feeling tight or not as open.  And there are still other times I will work on my breathing technique which is either box breathing (4 seconds breathing in, 4 seconds hold, 4 seconds exhale, 4 seconds hold and repeat) or 4-6-8 (4 seconds breathing in, 6 seconds hold, 8 seconds exhale).  The controlled breathing can also ratchet up the body thermogenic state. 

The antithesis of the sauna is the cold shower.  But this opposite is as necessary as night is to day.  The heat and cold are like blood brothers.  Some major studies have shown cold plunges/showers to:
—improve energy levels
—increase resilience to sickness/
    boost immune system trength
—improve sleep
—burn body fat
—increase circulation and boost  
   cardiovascular health
—induce cold shock proteins
    that help  with neuroprote
    tive properties (cognitive and
    memory protection)

The benefits of doing both the heat and cold can have perks that are both short and long lasting.  The best formula to follow for the temperature changes are to end with cold.  For example, 20 min heat, 3 min cold, 20 min heat, 3 min cold….then take a quick nap (nap is optional, of course).  

Despite sounding—again—paradoxical, self love is rooted in as much discipline as going to work or doing your taxes.  And, at first you won’t embrace it or value its significance.  But it slowly evolves into a can’t-do-without daily protocol that will serve to be your most reliable and appreciative investment.

It doesn’t have to be my examples above, but it does need to enhance your state of well-being and happiness.  It needs to serve you and it needs to make you feel better both right after and for at least that whole day.  It should feel like an accomplishment and it should feel like something you deserve to have.  And remember that if you were your best friend—what would you tell them to do to make themselves happy?

So, while it may seem like a superfluous task to wake up early and strength train or spend 20 minutes in the sauna 3 times a week, it will return its value in multiplications over the weeks, months and years you continue to do it.  And it isn’t just for you, it’s also for the people around you that will want to be around you.  There is no measuring stick for giving to yourself.  People will call you lucky.  You’ll know it was earned.   -CT

The post Self Love is a Sauna with Craig Thomas appeared first on Karjaka Magazine.

As park guests entered the Westworld theme park in the HBO series Westworld, they had the option of selecting the white cowboy hat or the black hat.  White, as you may have guessed, represents the good guy—the upstanding citizen who plays by the rules. The black hat is the villain, the renegade.  The Man in Black initially grabbed the white hat off the rack—he considered himself a virtuous, loyal soon-to-be-husband with a keen sense of integrity.  He believed himself to be devoid of self-serving actions.  Needless to say, he thought very little of his friend who invited him and demonstrated various acts of violence and hedonism (his friend chose the black hat).  

However, as he spends more time immersed in the debauchery of the theme park, he allows himself to take off the collar of obedience and abuse the life-like robots who represent the “hosts”.  With no repercussions for his actions, he reasoned that he did what any normal visitor to the park would do:  indulge in their every temptation.  Not only that, as he continued to frequent the park he lost his entire moral compass and felt zero empathy for the hosts he abused, maimed, and killed for his own pursuit.  He even took matters a little too far with his good friend (and brother-in-law) and left him in an abused and desperate situation. 

All of this was in pursuit of finding a child-like maze that he thought would solve all his problems and provide the answer to life’s biggest mysteries.  To say he had great difficulty separating reality from fantasy would be quite the understatement.

Perceptions can be tricky.  

New Year’s resolutions are probably the most criticized and scrutinized metric outside of politics.   They’re as old as time.  And yet we still all make these solemn promises to ourselves—and others—in vows of sworn self-testimony to make us better humans.  We want to believe that the turn of the calendar is reason enough to re-create ourselves, so we make bold declarations that are often very black and white in their expected outcomes. 

There is a certain tribal mechanism involved when it comes to any type of resolution, regardless of timing.  It’s often initiated by others who’ve publicly made their new aspirations known.  And I believe these pacts are better seen to the end when we know others are sweating, bleeding and crying as a syndicate during the process.  

Sharing this venture allows us to commiserate—within an understanding platoon—in a supportive way and lets us see that we aren’t alone. It can also be facilitated by having an experienced professional guide and direct decisions and actions along the way because they’ve been there before.  Academic advisors, financial gurus, lawyers and coaches are all within this ring of expertise that should be able to lead their clients through these life altering decisions.

There are no quick fixes.  No overnight solutions.  The truth about New Year’s resolutions is they aren’t so black and white.  They’re much more gray.   They can be nuanced and honed along the way as unfamiliar and new skillful regimens are habitually executed with techniques that get better over time. They need to be sculpted and drawn up to fall within the boundaries specific to the ability of the individual.  They should push someone into some discomfort, but not so much that they’re self-defeating.  

In two words, they are a delicate balance.

And these resolutions come in the form of 5 major categories (as per a survey by statista.com) for 2023:

1. Exercise more (52%)
2. Eat healthier (50%)
3. Lose weight (40%)
4. Save more money (39%)
5. Spend more time with family and friends (37%)

And—as it’s been well-documented—new health, financial and social proclamations often fall short of their intended goal.  It’s almost expected.

And that’s often because many targets are (among other things):

—poorly structured and not organized or tracked
—set too high and unrealistic 
—anticlimactic because despair creeps in
—not given the proper allocation of time

Unfortunately, no one is Neo.  We can’t upload martial arts in 7 seconds and become an instant black belt.  We can’t have the ability to pilot a helicopter in 4 seconds.  It sucks.  I know.

Instead our bodies and minds must observe the laws of modifications that embody thinking differently and moving differently.  These laws (which I pseudo made up as “laws”) take time to adapt to. Objectives with the highest success rate occur when there are parts that make up the whole: ie smaller attainable sections that lead down the Yellow Brick Road to the unveiling of the Wizard of Oz.

Transition before we are “ready” for it is the definition of transition itself.  Transition rarely comes at a convenient time.  And it comes at a cost.  The best transitions are the ones that occur proactively with a knowing sacrifice at hand—not when we are forced to due to straining circumstances.

So, how do you do it?

I can only speak on the strength and mobility aspects:

Plan your goals in smaller increments:  instead of looking to shed 10 pounds of fat in 2 months, try fitting into 1 size smaller of pants/dress every 6 weeks.  Or look to lose 1-2% of body fat each month.  These are sustainable goals that can be achieved each month that manifest in lifelong habits and will keep you on track for a larger goal that you don’t have to worry about until much later down the road.

Eat just 100 calories less each day.  That adds up to a deficit of about 3,000 per month or roughly almost 1 pound of bodyweight (3,500 calories equals 1 pound of fat).  Couple this with a workout routine and you’ll soar past a calorie deficit each month and could lead up to 10 pounds of body fat loss over a year.  Which leads to….

…a planned out strength and mobility program that is consistent, concise, intense and achievable.  The consistency of a program is the needed transition the body must endure on a weekly basis.  That creates more thermogenesis which will create a daily uptick in metabolic efficiency and utilize more of the calories consumed.  

A fitness program will also remove the wasted time figuring out what and how you want to spend your time training.  It sidesteps doubt and formulates a part of your day that is inclusive with all the other daily things you do.  Finally, it most accurately documents improvements both in the body internally and with external weights.  A consistent program will measure your progress—or lack thereof*.

*stumbling within a program is not a bad thing:  a good coach will find a different exercise or regress the prescribed one in the program.  It also can sift out a weakness not known before that—once rectified—makes other lifts and movements stronger.

Add to that a coach that can hold you accountable and that can help to:

—> troubleshoot questions
—> instill proper form
—> map out effective routines and
—> encourage you to break through mental barriers 

That’s a formula that embraces a healthy and balanced lifestyle that can even allow guilt free meals from time to time. It’s a mindset that one workout doesn’t make or break a lifelong pursuit; rather it’s a blip that’s afforded once the body acclimates to improved metabolic and movement demands. And that goes for having a one-off for eating sinful foods every once in a while too.

Ultimately, the journey to an improved self is a lifelong dedication.  It’s something that needs to be entwined into a daily ritual and awareness.  Once a program is established and seen through, it’s like the center of the maze that the Man In Black was seeking in Westworld:  it’s an expedition that never has an endpoint—and it’s not meant to.  The process in getting there should be embraced and used as a learning tool.  Racing to the end and seeing the answers is not at all satisfying and never sustainable.  We do not learn from being handed the answers.  The patience of allowing ourselves moments of highs and lows within all learning curves is priceless and can’t be substituted for. 

We may never find the center of the maze like Dolores from Westworld, but we aren’t supposed to and that’s ok.  It’s the path to get to the center that matters.

And we absolutely do not need to choose either a black hat or a white hat to designate our preference.  We can fall somewhere in between.  Soft goals to start out are better to adhere to and they can become more firm as we move through weeks and months of adjusting our lives around new habits and schedule changes.

After all, if millions of people can undergo physical transitions every year, why can’t you?

The post Black Hats, White Hats and New Years? appeared first on Karjaka Magazine.

When Indiana Jones found the Holy Grail, it seemed like a distant old man’s fairy tale.  I saw that film at the ripe adolescent age of 16.  Indiana and his dad were so close to attaining the fountain of youth, but were ok with letting it pass them by.  Maybe it’s because Indiana saw the Knight who couldn’t wield his sword due to feebleness of sitting still and old age.  Maybe it’s because Elsa died while trying to retrieve it. 

(Side note: this is the original Elsa—at least the one besides my grandmother— by the way.  With all due respect to Frozen and my 3 little girls.  I really didn’t care that Elsa didn’t sing.  I mean this Elsa…)

I really never got why they came all this way just to get so close, but go empty-handed.  I gotta say:  I might have been Elsa reaching farther for the Cup and not Indiana who let it go.

Of course, “Dad” Jones did recover from a gun shot to where his liver would be, so maybe that was good enough….

Anyhow, I figured when that time came in my life, I’d be happy just to still be walking the Earth.  I would complain about joint pain, wrinkles and difficult children, but I would be old and grateful.  Who would want to be go back in time and be young after getting to the top of mountain?  It seemed inevitable and something that I would deal with when the time came.  It seemed “earned” and a state of mind that I could commiserate with my friends and wife about.  I wouldn’t be alone and I could just kick back on my porch chair and talk about the good ‘ol times with other broken buddies.   

Now I’m about the age Indiana was, but I move a little better than him.  Maybe I can’t ride a horse as well, but I do not have discomfort or pain and I certainly don’t look or feel my age.   Thankfully, technology and research have created lots of supporting evidence that we can actually dial our biological clock backward and I’ve taken advantage of it and been my own guinea pig.

Looking and feeling your best doesn’t need to consist of eating cardboard and running on the treadmill for 4 hours a day.  As a matter of fact, too much exercise and strict eating actually can age the body MORE.  Inflammation in the body needs to be addressed.  Constant protein synthesis (from eating protein too much and too often) decreases immune responses, upticks cellular senescence and lowers autophagy:  ie giving the body a digestive break actually kills off cells that are like zombies and replaces them with new ones ready to work.  The longer a cell hangs around, the more aging occurs with someone—and can even lead to other worse conditions.

Life and the human body need balance.  The body is constantly seeking homeostasis.  It craves equilibrium.  It wants experience, but desires to recover from it.  It enjoys sitting still, but not for too long.  It wants some sun—but not too much.  Life is a constant ebb and flow with nearly everything we do.  

So how do we take care of ourselves?

1. Have a workout program to follow, but allow for rest time:  not only days off during the week, but “de-load” weeks (lesser resistance weight and lower intensity) and even a couple of full weeks off each year.

2. Allow for times of eating a lot less and give your digestive system a nice rest.  Fasting         allows the body to heal and/or replace cells as I mentioned earlier and it assists the body with recovery.

3. Sleep for a quality block of 7-8 hours.  Make your room completely dark.  Stop looking at any blue-light emitting screens (TV, computer, tablet and yes—your mobile phone).  Keep your room cool (or mattress as they make cooling mattresses).  Keep your room completely silent or you can use low level sound machines with background noises that calm you down.

4. Learn how to mitigate stress.  

• a). Go for walks if you can when working.  Gold star if you can walk barefoot in the grass to ground yourself with the Earth and benefit from the negative ions the soil and grass emit.  
• b). Practice meditation or some kind of breathing exercise (box breathing, Wim Hof breathing or my favorite: balloon breathing. There is a host of techniques).  Additionally, having a positive outlook and/or practice of gratuity can greatly improve the feel-good hormones (endorphins) your body produces.

5. Keep your sugar intake to an absolute minimum.  Sugar is your enemy and can age you faster than nearly anything else you can do.  If you need a sweetener, reach for stevia, monk fruit, allulose or erythritol.  Use honey or coconut sugar when you’re baking as an alternative. 

6. Surround yourself with people who love and support you.  Negative energy permeates the mind, body and soul and can have residual effects over time.  Being around people who make you laugh and smile more often have an incredibly powerful impact.

While these suggestions may not be quite the same as drinking from the Holy Grail a la Sean Connery, they can add years to your life and life to your years.  You may even have people looking at you twice when you tell them your actual age.  

And maybe then you won’t be talking about war stories and high school heroics.  You’ll be looking to get out and having some new adventures instead.

The post Indiana Jones and Aging appeared first on Karjaka Magazine.