massage and fitness (as well as old posts) at my new website!

Greetings, fellow humans!

For those of you who have been on this journey with me for a while it will be no surprise, but I'm taking the "Next step" and moving my blog over to my new website!

Also, feel free to like and share my facebook page if so inclined,
 or follow me on instagram.

All of your favorite recipes and videos will soon be available, but through this page:

http://www.mothehuman.net/blog/

My first post to the new blog is here in reference to the importance of sleep and some simple tools to improve your sleep.

For now, old posts will still also be available on this blogger site as I transition everything over.

Luckily, I'm so busy giving massages and coaching people on efficient, safe exercise that I don't have a ton of computer time available in my schedule.

Thanks to all of you for all of your support.

OK, now go outside and play!



                                                                                        Much love and respect,  Mo the human

Natural Human Movement videos

Greetings, fellow humans!

As a reminder, I am happily now offering top quality "mo-ssage" and one on one holistic fitness coaching at Synchronicity Wellness in Asheville! 

Regardless of what part of the world your ancestors came from, it's safe to say they moved a lot. They walked every day, the squatted every day, and they lifted things every day. Perhaps, they even ran every day. Think of it like this:

• Graceful

• Efficient

• Powerful…

• and PLAYFUL!

This is how you and I were meant to move.

Unfortunately, for many of us, modern life has disconnected us from how our body was meant to stand,walk, sit, lift, play, dance, and run.
By re-integrating our natural, ancestral movement patterns into the context of our modern life,
my approach to “natural human movement” encourages movements and postures that are helpful rather than harmful to our physiology.
The result is a safe, enjoyable approach to attaining our full human potential for movement.
When we view our own health from the ancestral health or biological perspective, we start to ask: “What was our body designed to do?”
This perspective shifts us toward a more natural, whole foods way of eating. Similarly, this perspective must also take into account how we move.

In an effort to share some  ideas on how our bodies were meant to move, I am in the process of co-creating a series of short videos on ePhysiologix. Below is a link to some of what has been published so far:

http://www.ephysiologix.com/fitness/naturalhumanmovement/

some individual links are below:


Tap/click here to watch:   Squat to sit/ squat to stand: 

Tap/click here to watch: Self massage of the calf (this one is more "self care" than natural movement)

Tap/click here to watch: Run like an animal, not a machine  (a one minute "selfie" showing what gentle trail running can look like)

If you want to see an older (and much longer) video with a somewhat in-depth explanation of why we have lost our natural human gait, and how to begin regaining it,

Tap/Click here to watch: Grace in every step 

It's a wonderfully cold and soggy day as I look out the windows from my beautiful work place.
As "old man winter" sets in, it's easy for many of us to just snuggle up on the couch, enjoy a warm beverage, and watch movies. I'm not suggesting for even a second that you miss out on these truly wonderful comforts. However, it's worth mentioning that you were meant to move. Enjoy these moments of relaxation, but also take every opportunity to move.

OK, Now go outside and play! 

                          Much love, -Mo the human

the magic of human touch

Greetings, fellow humans!

We humans were born to touch. Photo credit: Warner Photography

As social animals, the very core of our survival has always relied on being part of a supportive group. More than words, the sense of kind touch from another person lets us know on a deep level that we are safe and secure. When we are sad, a good hug often does something for us that nothing else can. When a child is upset, the calming cuddle of a parent or trusted friend is the best medicine. The therapeutic effects of touching each other have been proven by countless studies, yet most of us in western cultures still do not get enough positive touch in our lives. Many of us get loads of “virtual contact” through social media, text, email, and we even have the occasional face to face interaction. Physical contact, however, seems undervalued in modern western society.

So… Where do we start?

1. Hug your friends, family, and anyone else who won’t get offended. (There’s no need to creep out strangers, right?)

2. Cuddle your kids, grandkids or your partner.

3. Get a massage! Much as an opera singer has devoted their life to perfecting the human voice, a trained massage therapist has devoted theirs to perfecting the skill of therapeutic human touch. A skilled therapist can help calm your mind and body to allow your true self to shine!

If you want to schedule a massage with me, contact Synchronicity Wellness, or find me on my facebook page

OK... now go hug someone!

                                                       Much love, Mo the human

The most technologically advanced shoe ever made.

Greetings, fellow humans!

There is a shoe available which is far beyond any technology we normally associate with sports equipment. It is equipped with thousands of microscopic sensors designed to make the sole adapt instantly to changing terrain and traction environments. An extremely powerful, yet portable data processor constantly monitors the information coming from each shoe making minute adjustments with every step to ensure a smooth and efficient gait whether walking, hiking, or even running.

While not suitable for use in every sport, these shoes are extremely lightweight and supremely comfortable and breathable, with a truly custom fit for every athlete. Unbeknownst to the general public, many top athletes and training facilities have used these shoes for some or all of their training with overwhelmingly positive results.

With proper training and frequent use, these shoes can help build maximum core strength, coordination, efficiency, and balance in athletes and normal people of all ages.

These shoes, sadly, are not for sale... The good news is, you already have a pair! We are referring to the natural human foot. 

Over one billion people are currently using the most popular shoe on earth: None. While the unshod populations of the earth do have many struggles in life, their feet are remarkably healthy. 

Those of us who have spent most of our lives in shoes, however, are in need of a serious "software update" to take advantage of our feet. Once we learn how to feel our feet, we can then move on to building the necessary strength and flexibility to take full advantage of our truly amazing and capable feet. I have seen bunions, hammer toes, plantar fascia issues, knee pain, and even back pain improve tremendously through carefully training and regaining a natural human gait. If you have any interest in getting back in touch with your feet, consider the "sobriety test" as a careful first step into an exciting new journey.

Finding Your Natural Human Gait Step 1 

The “Sobriety Test” Exercise: 

Teaching Your Brain to See with Your Feet 

Expect this to be a joyful, but possibly very slow process. Different people learn at different speeds. Approach this as if you are gardening. You cannot force a plant to bloom. As such, do not force your feet or brain to adapt too quickly. Let this be a short time you take every morning to experience the sensation you brain has been hungry for since childhood.

1.     Start completely barefoot on a flat, hard, smooth surface such as a wood or stone floor.

2.     Stand for a moment and gently shift your weight from foot to foot without lifting either foot off the ground.

3.   While looking forward (not down) with a soft gaze, begin lifting each foot very slightly, then gently placing it onto the ground before you slowly lift the other foot.

4.     With a soft, relaxed ankle, place one foot just barely in front of the other foot, then WAIT for the front foot to “invite” your weight onto it. This will involve some gentle contraction of the Gluteal and hamstring muscles in the back leg.

5.     As you shift your weight to the forward foot, gently lift the back foot without “pushing off”. 

6.     Repeat at a slow, gentle pace. If you are “thumping”, slow down.

7.     Try the same movement walking backwards. Notice the sensations in your feet.

After some time, you may wish to experiment with some different textures: rough surfaced concrete, dirt, etc… eventually even gravel. Do not rush this. With patience you can avoid possible injury as you slowly regain a very gentle and joyful gait. In time the muscles, tendons, and bones of the feet will become stronger as your brain-foot connection becomes “smarter”.

If you would like additional resources, click here.

OK, Now go outside and play!
                                       Much Love, Mo the human                

Paleo berry crumble recipe

Greetings, fellow humans!

This recipe has moved to my new blog at www.MoTheHuman.net (click anywhere on this text 

link)!

Thanks for all of your support. :)

Much love and respect- Mo the human

Where is "Me"?

Greetings, fellow humans!

Years ago in Boulder, CO I was a busy massage therapist working on a wide variety of clients, many of whom were competitive athletes. One particular client was experiencing some chronic pain in her iliotibial band. (This is a common issue for competitive runners and cyclists.) She was training for one of her numerous triathlons and getting massages to relax and to address her various pains. As I worked on the area just above the lateral aspect of her knee, I asked her, “Is the pain here?”

“No,” She said, “It’s a little closer to me.”

I paused for a moment. “I’m already touching your leg,” I said, “Tell me... Where is Me?”

We spent a few minutes exploring this idea. As I touched other places on her body, we worked closer to her head, finally touching her head, yet I still could not touch “Me”. Together we figured out that “Me” was a tiny little spot in the very center of her head, somewhere between the ears. This highly successful professional with all the outward appearances of athleticism was somehow almost completely separated from her body! With some time and a little renewed focus, we worked to expand “Me” to fill her physical body. According to her, the transformation was huge, allowing more pleasure in her athletic endeavors, and better results at the finish line. I would venture to say, perhaps she gained more pleasure from life in general.

Over the years, this example has illustrated what I see as a common mistake in our society: Many of us view our own body as somehow not “us”. We seem to view our physical self as external, like some brain transportation device, or perhaps at times even view it as an enemy. We may struggle against our own physiology in an attempt to “get fit” as if waging battle against some unwilling foe. I often hear people refer to “My stupid shoulder”, "My bad knee", “My lousy back”, etc… We have taken the false dichotomy of mind and body to an extreme. Many of us even look in the mirror with disdain on a daily basis as we badmouth this one miraculous body that must last a lifetime.

There is much debate on what happens when we die. However, I think most of us can agree, So long as our heart is beating and air is filling our lungs, we only have one place to live. Why not live in all of it?

So here’s my question for you…

Where is “Me”?

Close your eyes and take a moment to feel your answer this question. The answer may surprise you.

Pop goes the veggies!

Greetings, fellow humans!
It's summertime, and everything is hot. If you have a garden, your cucumbers might be coming along just in time for some serious deliciousness...
If you want to whip up some fresh and truly amazing paleo-esque refreshment, "pop" on over to my brother's blog for a couple of amazing popsicle recipes:

http://www.food-sheriff.com/blog-1/2014/7/2/pop-goes-the-vegetables

OK... Now go outside and pick some veggies from your garden!

                       
                                                                                                                  Much love, -Mo the human

Run like an animal, not a machine.

Greetings, fellow humans!

First of all, let me say... I know next to nothing about competing in races of any distance.

I have worked on thousands of runners in my massage therapy career, many of whom have been quite accomplished competitors. However, I personally have little to no interest in competition. I'm not saying you should not compete, so much as I'm saying my approach to running is kinda the opposite of a competitor's mindset. Competitors seem to view their runs in miles and times, pacing, training schedules, etc. I do none of that. I'm not saying competitors don't enjoy their runs, but based on what I hear from the competitors I know, it seems like there's a lot of suffering going on there. (and quite a few injuries as well.)

 I consider running to be "PLAY" and not "EXERCISE". Not that no exercise comes from running, but I think if you goals are to"get in shape", running is an inefficient way to do so.


I run for 2 reasons:

1: Sheer JOY! (see 1 minute video below, or TAP/CLICK HERE if on a mobile device)

2: Quick transportation. (Walking is not as fast as running, even for a slow runner like me.)



About four and half years ago, I couldn't even consider running. Luckily, I was opened to a whole new approach that truly changed my life.

Thanks to a re-learning of this basic human skill, I can run again in a joyful and pain-free manner!



 If you want to go "further down the rabbit hole" on techniques for regaining a gentle, non-impact gait, watch the video below (or TAP/CLICK HERE if on a mobile device). Even if you are a competitive runner, I think this approach can lead to a more efficient and pleasure-filled run. The first 12 minutes is where I describe how and why the important first step in learning to run is learning to walk with a natural gait. The rest consists of a lengthy Q&A/discussion of ideas.

If you want to read more on some of my favorite resources, bunions, plantar fasciitis, and my favorite shoe options go here.

                                                     OK... Now go outside and play!      Much love, Mo the human.

My flying dream comes to life!

Greetings, fellow humans!

Recently I was fortunate enough to partake in an "Asheville influencer" day at Navitat Canopy Tours which is about 20 minutes away from Asheville. If you have never done a zip line tour, or even if you have... I heartily encourage you to check them out. This is a really safe and easy way to get an unforgettable adventure.

Since I was a little kid, I have dreamed of being able to fly. On May 20th, 2014 it happened in my waking life. Below is a "selfie" video I took on the tour:

Western North Carolina is a beautiful and lush place. I love hiking and biking here. It was also a nice treat to fly above it.

OK, now go outside and play!                        Much love, Mo the human

Every car is a "convertible"

Greetings, fellow humans!

Do you love your car? Bluetooth, cruise control, automatic transmission, power windows, AC, keyless entry... My first car had none of these. Heck, it didn't even have a radio. And I LOVED that rusty old Datsun station wagon! It was the thrill of mobility. It was the wind in my hair, the pure joy of fast movement and the simple visceral pleasure of driving! Sure, it was about as pretty as a stretched out Ford Pinto and smelled a little funky (ok, sometimes a lot funky), but it was loads of fun.

I had a wonderful decade in Boulder, CO where I rarely used a car... I commuted mostly by bicycle. I would enjoy almost every ride (even in wet or cold weather) as I rode through the masses encased in their steel and glass capsules. Since moving back to North Carolina, I find that am part of the encased masses myself.

These days, I sometimes see someone in a roofless jeep or an open corvertible and have a little envy. The other day, I saw someone in a convertible on a beautiful sunny day with the roof and windows up. "What are they doing"? I briefly thought. -Then it occurred to me... "What am I doing"?

I promptly turned off my radio and rolled down all of my windows. (Something quite easily accomplished with the modern convenience of power windows.) Sure, there is no rag top, or even a sunroof in my car, but my work commute changed immediately:

There it was... The pure, simple joy of driving. 

Thank you, random human encased in a closed-up convertible!

OK, now go outside and play!    -Much love, Mo the human.

Agave Nectar: Not so good after all?

Greetings, fellow humans! Please forgive me for the long hiatus from blogging.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying a little bit of agave nectar will kill you... What I am saying is that if you avoid high fructose corn syrup you should be even more concerned about agave nectar.

If you're on any kind of "health kick" whether it be an attempt to lose body fat, fight diabetes, or just to feel great and live a long, happy life... You are probably trying to cut back on sugar consumption. Most folks who are paying any attention to what they eat are aware that sugar isn't good for you. You may even be aware of things like glycemic index and glycemic load.


In plain english, the higher a glycemic index, the quicker a particular food will raise your blood glucose aka "blood sugar" levels. In general, raising blood glucose levels quickly isn't really good for you. When this happens, your body must produce loads of insulin and quickly store the excess sugar as body fat. (The exception to this is for post-workout nutrition, which is a subject for another day.) This is just one of the many reasons modern wheat is so bad for human health, but for today, we'll stick to sweeteners.

Many look to agave nectar as a "healthy alternative". At first glance, this seems to be a great idea. Agave nectar is "low glycemic" which means it causes less of a blood sugar spike than other sweeteners like sugar, maple syrup, and honey. Thus, agave is touted as a great alternative sweetener for diabetics and anyone trying to avoid excess sugar. Alas, it seems agave is no better than High Fructose Corn Syrup and quite possibly even worse. How can this be?


This is because the sugar in agave nectar ranges from 57 percent to as much as 90 percent fructose!

Look Here for a list of the glycemic index of common sweeteners.

Look here for a more detailed look from way back in 2010. Or look here for Dr. Andrew Weil's take in 2012. However, we still see the stuff being sold as "health food".

Alas, sweet agave nectar… How we wanted to love you. You are still the dishonest darling of so many health-minded folks. Some vegans still love you as an alternative to honey. Sadly, it seems, like so many food stories we've been told… Your sweet promise turned out to be a lie.

In fact, this lie has been uncovered for quite some time.

 From now on I think I'll call you "High Fructose Cactus Syrup".

OK…  Now go outside and play!

                                        Much love, Mo the human.

Give in to spring fever! (if only a little)

It happens every year...

SPRING FEVER!!!

 It's as if the virile, playful, wild animal within us is awakening from hibernation.

Color seeps from the tips of every grey branch on every grey tree. We see more skin as the people around us peel off their cozy winter layers. The smell of various blossoms explodes in the morning air. Depending on where we live, a gentle chorus of songbirds says good morning or perhaps a raging cacophony of birds fights for our ears. Warm sun bathes our skin. A gentle breeze carries with it more than just pollen, it carries a childish hope of things to come...

As responsible adults, we are dutifully working to accomplish all the tasks in our busy, scheduled lives. However, everything in nature is determined to undermine our narrowly defined "success".

In the brief moments where we walk from our house to the car, from our car to work, or into a store... Spring is teasing us. All of the beauty is begging us, perhaps even daring us to blow off work and go play.

I say do it. Give in to spring fever. Perhaps you cannot fully let go, but take in a few little bites of freedom.

Eat your lunch outside. Go barefoot, as you drive to work with the windows down. Take a few extra minutes to sit in the sun. Stop off and play outside on your way home from work. Go for a quick run in the woods, if only for 10 minutes. If you are lucky enough to be commuting by bicycle, take a scenic route, and enjoy a new path. If you have kids, go outside and play with them. Wade in a creek. Take your dog for a hike.

The animal within will thank you.

We don't have to completely destroy our busy schedule. However, by just allowing a little playtime, we can go on doing all the "to do's" and feel a little happier in the process. Who knows, we might even have some fun!

OK, now go outside and play! 

                                                             -Much love, Mo the human.

Your most invisible ally

Sorry fellow humans, but I've been spending lots of time lately doing everything but blogging...

However, I invite you to enjoy a wonderful post from a fellow human that I have learned much from. If you don't yet know of Frank Forencich, now you do. Here's the link:
Your most invisible ally

OK... now go outside and play!

Much love, Mo the human.

What if "CARDIO" doesn't exist?

Greetings, fellow humans!

I'm now ready to put "cardio" in the same bin with "heart healthy whole grains" "artery clogging saturated fat" and "a good supportive shoe".

Don't get me wrong, fellow humans... I love to move!

(August 2014 update... I am now available as a personal trainer at Synchronicity Wellness Hooray!)

Vigorous physical movement is vital to my physical and mental health. Hiking, biking, trail running, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu... Numerous things that I have LOVED throughout the years could easily be considered "cardio" by most people.

If you love exercise bikes, treadmills, ellipticals, etc... Have fun! I'm not suggesting anyone stop doing any of that stuff. However, I now have pretty good reason to believe the term "cardiovascular fitness" is a cultural misunderstanding of biology.

Please allow me to give a "plain English" explanation:


About 10 or more years ago, my wife and I were a walking stereotype of Boulder, CO:

• We were young(ish), slightly tan, and relatively fit.
• She was a full time yoga teacher, and I was a full time massage therapist.
• We had the typical medium-sized athletic dog that we would take for hikes on the steep trails near town a few times a week. 
• We rode our cruiser bikes downtown to have sushi with our insanely beautiful friends. 

Essentially, you could have pulled us off a "GREETINGS FROM BOULDER!" postcard.


One day, we ran into my friend "Bob" (not his real name) who we hadn't seen in a few years. He invited us to join him and a group to hike three "14ers" in one day. (To those who don't live in the Rockies, this means we would be hiking up and down three 14,000+ foot tall mountains in one day.) This is the kind of thing Boulderites do for fun, I swear!

A few days later, we meet up early in the morning at Bob's place. That's when my wife and I realized we had accidentally found ourselves surrounded by another Boulder stereotype: the Uber-Athletes! You know,  The folks who train with heart rate monitors, have clothing and footwear sponsors, test out fancy new fabrics and gadgets for companies, model for fitness photo shoots... Yeah, like that. During the early-morning-coffee-in-the-kitchen conversation, we discovered a key factor we hadn't considered... Bob is now a competitive marathon runner. Actually, to our surprise, so is everyone else going on this hike except for the two of us!
But wait, it get's better...
"We've got a race coming up," one of these uber-athletes casually mentions, "and we'd kinda like to use today as a training day. So.... hopefully, you two don't mind if we keep a pretty good pace?" She says with  smile.

My sweet wife and I looked at each other with thinly veiled dread and agreed that we'd try to keep up with these kind and friendly folks... And then we got to the trail:

These "cardio kings" (and queens) couldn't keep up with us! "Oh, that's right," We thought, "These people are pros! They're pacing themselves. We know nothing about pacing. We better slow down, or they're going to just blow past us at some point."

So, we slowed down to the pace of the pros... And our dog started going nuts. He wanted to go normal pace... He wanted to GO!
"OK then", we figured, "We'll go our normal speed, and they'll pass us when they pass us."
They never passed us.

We sat at the top of the first 14 thousand-and-some-odd-hundred-foot-tall mountain and ate our lunch, then packed away lunch, waiting for these super-fit freaks (actually, very nice people) to catch up.
Finally they did catch up... IN PAIN.
Not only were they as confused as we were, but they appeared to be hurting themselves trying to catch us! The rest of the day went just like this. These folks could NOT keep up with us! 

For about a decade, my wife and I racked our brains and could not figure this out! I'm guessing the marathoners are still baffled by that "mystery hike" day.

Then I read the book "Body By Science" by Doug McGuff, MD and John Little...

This book changed my perception of exercise immensely. Among other things, it explains where the myth of "Cardiovascular Fitness" came from! Apparently, it was invented by a doctor who worked for the US Air Force. It went kinda like this... Allow me to grossly oversimplify:

We are all familiar with the "Cardiac Stress Test", right? You know, a person is running on a treadmill while hooked up to wires that measure heart rate, breathing into a snorkel to measure their breathing.
Our good doctor would have a soldier doing such a thing.

• Day 1: Heart rate and breathing go WAY up.
• Train the same soldier on the same treadmill for an hour a day
• Day 30: Same soldier, same speed, same treadmill: Heart rate and breathing are now much slower.

"Cardiovascular Fitness" is born! We all now accept that the heart and lungs are now more efficient at transporting oxygen to the body.
Hence, we dutifully "break a sweat" every day, getting our heart rate up for at least 30-45 minutes... Right? With me so far? OK.

So, what most of us DON'T realize is that this good doctor took his research a bit farther. He'd take the person who (after "cardio conditioning") did very well on the treadmill, and put them on a stationary bike. Guess what?- The heart rate and breathing went through the roof! He could put this supposedly "fit" individual on a stair-stepper/ elliptical machine/ nordic track... Heck even if he let this test subject run outside and his heart rate would go up!

Wait a minute... If the heart and lungs are more efficient, why are they only good at the treadmill?

It took years (and more sophisticated technology) to figure it out. However, we now know that the majority of change that happened from running on a treadmill was NOT in the heart and lungs. It was in the muscles!

By running at a specific speed, on this specific machine, he trained specific fibers of specific muscles to efficiently perform the very specific task of running on a treadmill... Thus reducing the amount of work his heart and lungs had to do... While performing that specific task.

So... Going back to the "mystery hike": By hiking on the steep, rocky trails around town a few times per week, my wife and I had unintentionally, and unknowingly conditioned our muscles to efficiently walk up and down steep rocky trails... Thus creating the illusion of superior "cardiovascular fitness" while performing that specific task! AND... I have very little doubt: If she and I had joined that group of runners on a run that day (instead of a hike) we would have had the worst day EVER... And they would have appeared to have amazingly superior "cardiovascular fitness"! While indeed we just had different types of "myovascular fitness"!

This starts to go into the explanation of the physiological advantages of strength training, HIT, crossfit, and cross-training, but we'll talk about that another day.
If you'd like to spend an hour learning a LOT about HIT, watch this talk by Dr. McGuff.


OK... Now go outside and play!

Much love, Mo the human.

Pork Rinds and Cider... "loose paleo" to the rescue!

If you are a paleo purist, please skip the rest of this post, as I will surely offend someone.


Recently I met a really cool woman who told me that her good friends were having amazing success eating paleo. She was "trying to do paleo", but had trouble with two key weaknesses: Cheez-its and beer.

What immediately came to mind is how I have managed to find "paleo-esque" substitutes for those kind of things in my life.

"Pork Rinds and Cider." I quickly replied.
She was thrilled. Her face lit up... "Wow, what a great idea!"

It then occurred to me how seamless my transition into paleo eating has been. I live in "Beer City, USA" and haven't had a beer in over a year. When my kids want pizza, my wife or myself can quickly whip up a "Chebe crust" pizza that would make anyone swear it was "real" pizza. (Admittedly, not the BEST crust from NYC, but still pretty darn good.)

Personally, I still prefer the "Meat and Veggies, some fruits and nuts." approach most of the time, but for some folks a little "loose paleo" can make a big difference.

Especially if we are living a crazy busy life (more on that later...) and/or have kids, it can be easy for many paleo folks to "fall off the paleo wagon" or to tell ourselves we can't do this paleo thing. For me, it's really not an issue. I truly love the food I eat, and am so thrilled with how good I feel on a daily basis.

When others are eating crispy crunchy stuff and I'm wanting some chips, I find pork rinds are convenient, delicious, and crunchy. Yes, I know they're from industrial hog farms, but these are an occasional indulgence, not a staple of my diet. Would you rather I eat canola-fried GMO corn? I'll take my chicharrones, thanks.

 I loved beer for years. I really don't find that I miss it now. When I want a fizzy-boozy thing, hard cider is a nice option. (or a Nor-Cal margarita in the summer sometimes.) I've found that alcohol in general is just playing a much smaller role in my life these days. Just as often, my cold and fizzy choice is just seltzer.

Chebe fills the "bread void" when needed for my kids. Yes, it's a load of starch, but I make it with a good dose of fat and eggs. Chebe www.chebe.com can be found in Ingle's markets (in Asheville area) or at Whole Foods stores (for a considerably higher price!) Are any of these things health food? Not really. However, they are relatively harmless when compared to what they replace. I think there is a delicious balance between a happy and quite healthy person and someone suffering through a self-imposed prison sentence.

Willpower is HIGHLY over rated, By the way... That's why I refuse to rely on it! I really have no discipline, and no willpower. Instead, I remind myself of all the awesome things I CAN have now:

• a pain-free body
• youthful, exuberant energy
• clear skin
• no -ahem... "digestion issues"
• better physical fitness in middle age than ever before in my entire life
• I truly enjoy every meal!

OK, now go outside and play!

                                                                              Love, Mo the human

Grace in every step: Regaining our natural human gait

Disclaimer:
As with everything on this blog, I am not telling anyone else what to do. I'm merely sharing my own experiences in exploration of human health. Think. Learn. Be your own teacher.

If you live in the Asheville area, you are lucky for a wide variety of reasons. One of them is that Synchronicity Wellness has gotten in the habit of hosting monthly "Paleo Potlucks" which are announced on the "Paleo Asheville" facebook page. At these events, I've met some wonderful people and had some truly amazing food. No wonder some folks call paleo eating "the foodie's diet"!
 I have also greatly enjoyed the various talks given at these potlucks. Each speaker has brought to the group a whole new perspective on a different subject. It's really cool to see how this "paleo thing" is encompassing so much more that just the classic diet and exercise stuff!

In October I got to give a talk at one of the potlucks regarding natural human gait.
The "lecture" is about 12 minutes, followed by a lengthy and somewhat funny Q&A/ discussion.
To watch the video click here:

If you watch, please let me know what you think. 


If you'd like some additional resources, including loads of shoe options that I consider healthy for our feet and Books for runners... Click here:

A simple exercise I have used with considerable success to regain a gentle, natural human stride is what I like to call...

The “Sobriety Test” Exercise:

Teaching Your Brain to See with Your Feet

by Mo Goldstein, happy human

Expect this to be a joyful, but possibly very slow process. Different people learn at different speeds. Approach this as if you are gardening. You cannot force a plant to bloom. As such, do not force your feet or brain to adapt too quickly. Let this be a short time you take every morning to experience the sensation you brain has been hungry for since childhood.

1.     Start completely barefoot on a flat, hard, smooth surface such as a wood or stone floor.

2.     Stand for a moment and gently shift your weight from foot to foot without lifting either foot off the ground.

3.   While looking forward (not down) with a soft gaze, begin lifting each foot very slightly, then gently placing it onto the ground as you lift the other foot.

4.     Gently place one foot just barely in front of the other foot, then WAIT for the front foot to “invite” your weight onto it. This will involve some gentle contraction of the Gluteal and hamstring muscles in the back leg.

5.     As you shift your weight to the forward foot, gently lift the back foot without “pushing off”.

6.     Repeat at a slow, gentle pace. If you are “thumping”, slow down.

7.     Try the same movement walking backwards. Notice the sensations in your feet.

After some time, you may wish to experiment with some different textures: rough surfaced concrete, dirt, etc… eventually even gravel. Do not rush this. With patience you can avoid possible injury as you slowly regain a very gentle and joyful gait. In time the muscles, tendons, and bones of the feet will become stronger as your brain-foot connection becomes “smarter”.

OK, now go outside and play!

                                                                          Much love, -Mo the human

My sister the vegetarian... Transformed by paleo!

In this weekend following thanksgiving, I am noticing that I'm thankful for many things. One thing that truly makes me giddy with appreciation is my family.

Like all families, we have had our struggles from time to time. However, for the most part, we remain open to each other's ideas. We are constantly asking each other for support and advice...

 A couple of years ago, I got a call from my sister. She is a very intelligent, educated, and highly capable nurse midwife who unfortunately lives far away from me. To the best of my memory, the call went something like this:

"Hey, Mo... Which barefoot running book should I get?"

"Why?" I replied, "You don't run."

"Yeah," She agreed, "But I've been wearing the fivefingers for about a year and I'm wearing Soft Star's at work like you do. My feet and knees are feeling much better. However, I just turned 47... and I'm tired of getting fatter every year. I want to get in shape."

"If you want to get in shape, forget running," I said. "If you want to be fit and healthy, read 'The Paleo Solution' by Robb Wolf. I gotta warn you, though... He loves to pick on vegetarians."

I love my sister.
Like most vegetarians, she had come into it for all the right reasons:

She wanted to do the least possible damage and the most possible good to the planet.
She wanted to do the least possible damage and the most possible good to her body.
She wanted to be kind to animals.
She really wanted to enjoy a long and healthy life.

Luckily, She was open both to my suggestion and Robb Wolf's sarcastic wit. If we had the same conversation today, I'd probably recommend a different book like "It starts with food" by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig or "Practical Paleo"by Dianne Sanfilippo  Neither of these was available back then, but they both take a much less combative tone with those who don't eat critters.

About 6 months later, I got a text from my (formerly) vegetarian sister:
"I have some local grass-fed sirloin steaks. What should I do?"

Unable to contain my "snarky little brother" self, I replied:
"EAT THEM."

She texted back:
"No, Seriously. I don't know what to do with such a thing."

This time I called her:
"You know that fancy, full-color cookbook with the 12-step process to turn tofu into something delicious? You can get rid of that. Those steaks are such high quality, you could probably eat them raw. Just throw the steak in a hot cast iron pan. Maybe add a little salt and pepper... Flip it over, and take it out when it's too raw. You can always cook it more if you need to."

An hour later, she sent another text:
"OMG, this is so GOOD!"

I replied:
"Welcome to the wonderful world of meat. :)"

On her 48th birthday, after about a year of eating paleo:

•  she felt like a leaner, more muscular version of her 18 year old self.
• she had to buy an entire new wardrobe 3 times in a year to fit her rapidly shrinking frame
• she is now an amazing paleo cook, even making her own "bacon fat mayo"!

A last-minute addition directly from the happy, healthy woman herself:

 "Add in there somewhere that I went from 148 at 5'4" tall to holding at or below 125. But the BIG thing was that two weeks into it I was waking up without any aches and pains at all, and am more flexible than I was when I practiced yoga three times a week--which I don't do any more."

Here she is at 49... A glowing, vital human!

Why I DON'T ice injuries.

Ice is for cocktails... NOT injuries!

Disclaimer: As with everything on this blog, I make no pretense of being a professional or "expert" on nutrition, foot health, exercise, etc. I'm a massage therapist, and a really good one (or so they tell me)... And I'd like to continue massaging people for years to come. Therefore, my scope of practice prevents me giving advice on what YOU should be doing. I'm merely sharing my own personal journey in health exploration.

Anyone who has had some training in sports medicine, first aid, or health care has heard the old "sprains and strains" acronym. RICE

1. Rest
2. Ice
3. Compression
4. Elevation

Personally, Though I heard this through so many of my trainings, I've never been a fan of icing injuries.

First of all:
 I don't like it. It feels awful to me. Perhaps I'm kinda selfish - I tend to avoid things I don't like.

Second:
Years ago, a good friend/teacher/mentor of mine explained that in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) they believe icing an injury stops the flow of "Qi"  or "Chi" (vital life energy) to the injury. Since qi this is what brings healing, we don't want to stop it, but would rather encourage flow of qi.

Third:
About a year ago, I felt so very much relieved when I saw a humorous, yet  quite geeky video post from one of my "virtual mentors" Kelly Starrett.
He finally gave me a solid, western medicine, biological explanation that's hard to ignore.

This explanation meshes perfectly with the TCM explanation, and that makes me happy... I like when we can all get along!

So, here's my "Plain English" lowdown:

Say, for instance, You just sprained your ankle/worked out really hard/bruised your shin... What's going on?

INFLAMMATION! (lots of extra blood flow/aka"Qi" coming to the area)

Lately, many folks see inflammation as a bad thing.
I agree that CHRONIC inflammation can be a serious issue. That's another subject for another day.

In the case of such an acute injury, acute inflammation is a necessary part of your body's natural repair process.
Torn, damaged tissues need loads of resources to repair themselves. Your body is miraculously bringing in all the necessary nutrients for repair while also removing the debris of damaged tissues.
This is the purpose of inflammation.

As the video says, (and I very much agree.) "There can be inflammation without healing, but there can be no healing without inflammation."
Let me say that again slowly. YOU. CAN. NOT. HEAL. WITHOUT. INFLAMMATION.

The whole purpose of icing an injury is to "reduce inflammation"by decreasing the blood coming to the injury. As these fellas put quite bluntly: "Do you honestly think your body is making a mistake by bringing more blood to an injury?"

"Groceries in, Garbage out." is Kelly Starrett's little phrase for what your body is trying to accomplish. Therefore, the idea here is that if we want to speed healing, we should speed the process of blood LEAVING the injury, not slow it ENTERING. Of course, the brilliant man offering the explanation in the above video is selling a high-tech and high dollar machine to do this. If you play on an NFL, NHL or NBA team, you and your trainers are probably already using one of these awesome gadgets.

Fortunately for the rest of us, we can "walk it off". Or, better yet... Get a massage! I know a really good massage therapist in almost every part of the USA, and even a few in other countries... If you don't see me, see someone. OK?

Furthermore, Dr. Starrett (aka "KStar") has come up with a new acronym to replace "RICE"...

MCE
Move safely when you can, what you can. Compress lymphatics and soft tissues (use bands, muscle contraction, clothing, normatec, etc.)  Elevate when you can.  MCE.

Now, to add further information for the biology geeks out there... a one-year later follow-up on the idea!

Tell me, fellow humans... What do you think?

OK, now go outside and play!  

                                                                                     Much love- Mo the human

Attention Diabetics: I know nothing

I'll  admit it... When it comes to diabetes, and how to prevent and/or reverse it. I know nothing.

I have read LOADS of books and blogs on the biochemistry of hormones and glucose, taken numerous college courses on human anatomy and physiology, Worked as a teaching assistant for anatomy and physiology classes AND nutrition classes... Watched "FAT HEAD" by Tom Naughton, Read "Good Calories, Bad Calories" and "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes...

Yet, Since I myself am neither diabetic, nor certified by anyone to talk about such things, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING about diabetes.

Luckily for all of us...

Steve Cooksey does! (AND he seems to have a growing number of "proper" dieticians supporting him now.)

This man lives in Charlotte, NC and is royally upsetting the ADA and many other folks who seem intent on NOT curing diabetes. Therefore, since I hope to not make any enemies, I'm asking you to keep taking drugs, and don't listen to anything this happy, healthy, used-to-be diabetic says.

Thanks, that is all.

Now go outside and play! Love, Mo the human.

Caramelized Sweet Potato Recipe

"Heat, Oil, and Neglect" are all you need for delicious sweet potatoes!

1 Preheat oven to 450 degrees while peeling and chopping sweet potatoes into cubes of about 1/2" to 3/4".

2 Spread cubes out single layer in large baking pan and toss a few spoonfuls of coconut oil on them (about 1 or 2 tablespoons per large sweet potato).

3 Put pan of cubes and oil in oven for 5 minutes to melt the oil.

4 Stir to coat all sides of cubes with oil, bake for 20 minutes.

5 Stir cubes again (scraping from pan with a stiff spatula), bake for 15 more minutes.

6 Scrape cubes from the pan as soon as you pull them out to prevent sticking... Watch your family devour the toasted marshmallowy, caramelized crunchy sweetness!

Enjoy! Love, Mo the human.