All posts by Papo

I enjoy running, weight training, playing chess and writing poetry. My God, Jehovah, and family is most important to me. Currently I am teacher, but I wish not to define myself by occupation. I'd rather be known as a kind, loving person and that is what I'm always working towards.

Long time no see?!

My last post here was in 2011. I was 49 years old then raising a family 👪 teaching, but running actively. It’s 21, December 2021 and life has changed. I’ve overcome my teeth problems, had some drilling and crowns 👑 put in, some wisdom teeth pulled. 😬 your dental health has a lot to do with your overall physical and mental wealth… I’ll end it by saying that.

Today there is covid and it’s mutant friends. As I close in on 60 years old I am not as rugged as I used to be. Now the emphasis is on prudence, maintaining the delicate balance between not being sick/ injured and retaining as much youth as possible. It’s a game in which we all lose in the end, inevitable decline of old age, death. (BOY, that was depressing, let’s lighten it up with something more hopeful ☺)

Besides I’m a Jehovah’s Witness who believes that one day mankind will live in a paradise 🌎. Jehovah, God and his son, Jesus Christ will restore the earth, restore obedient mankind, rid the earth of wicked influences, and bring about a righteous Kingdom government. I mention all of this because it’s important 😌 to have a healthy outlook on life. If you’d like more information on the prospect of living forever in paradise (who wouldn’t?) you can email my wife and I at lewisnclaire.jw@gmail.com or simply visit our website at http://jw.org.

Ahh, so finally, why you’ve come to this blog. I will continue to blog about all things regarding maintaining good health and please be aware your dear blogger is also a poet and this blog is attached to http://www.papopoetry.com So there will be the occasional foray into waxing poetic.

I’m visiting my parents in New York this week… watching your parents decline from what they once were sucks 😒 but I’m doing the little I can to make their life’s journey pleasurable. I cook meals, bath my father, and try to get my mom out of the “death” chair 💺 to exercise. Now in her late 80’s it’s not exercise, it’s more like stand up, try to walk because the alternative is atrophy and even faster decline.

I put a belt with hooks in the back around her waist; and attach elastic bands; the bands are hooked to a door 🚪 hinge; she stands positioned in front of her walker and alternately steps forward with each leg. The next progression is to position more inside the stepper and alternately step backwards with each leg. I only use the 10-pound resistance band for now. As I will be leaving in a few days to return to Florida, I left instructions with the health aide and my brother. It’s a very simple movement and effective. I will let you know brand names (see picture above), just leave an inquiry in the comments to this blog.

I use this system myself to strengthen my hips. Stepping back off a stepper is especially effective. And it’s good to bring this equipment along on a vacation.

My health tip for this blog: some movement, even just walking, is better than no movement on regular daily basis, especially as you get older.

So fortunately, that’s not where I’m at physically, though not the person I was 13, 14 years ago. What am I currently doing to stay fit and healthy? I’ll share that in my next post.

A new year, a fresh attitude

It’s been a month since I’ve written on my blog and I sit back and reflect why this is so. I have a myriad of excuses as a teacher, as a busy father, I’ve been on vacation etcetera. But the truth is blogs keep you motivated and in touch with like minded people.

Vacations are a good time to revamp your efforts. You can step back and take a subjective look at things and set your priorities. It’s a time for reorganization and clarity. Over my two week vacation I ran 8 miles per day for a week straight. I’m battling, still, with troublesome teeth. This time a newly put on crown refuses to heal and is causing excruciating pain. It’s tough staying focused under this condition.

And it can be dangerous too as exercise takes a toll and struggling with health problems while you exercise may cause more problems. But I must say I’m the better for exercising. I’m just smart and realize when I really need that break.

I’m back in school (as a teacher), but tomorrow I’m looking forward to another 8 mile run. ;^)

Live Life Lean eating plan

The Live Life Lean nutrition plan is focused on increasing our diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains. While decreasing our diet of unhealthy foods that are often processed, contain trace toxins, chemicals, refined sugars, and other ingredients that foster an unhealthy digestive tract and immune system. In short, we often feel tired, sick, overweight, and unhealthy due to our diet.

The Live Life Lean nutrition plan consists of eating ONLY fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains every other day, 3x per week. My wife, Claire, and I follow this eating plan on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Fruits consist of just fruit, whole fruits unprocessed, as opposed to fruit juices or “fruit” that contain preservatives, added sugars, “fortifiers” and the like. Vegetables may include the roots, such as potatoes, malanga, salsify, radish, beets, etc. Nuts may be lightly salted, but nothing like honeyed, or sugar glazed. Whole grains not milled grains, flours, or bread stripped of its vitamins and fiber. And with all of these eat fresh and uncooked as much as possible– frozen vegetables are okay. Exceptions to the above are the gbg vitamin supplement, spices, herbs, tea, and regular coffee without adding creamers, sugars, and the like.

Our “Eat as You Like” days are on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and the weekends. You get to eat your meats, dairies, breads, condiments, etcetera on these days! We include healthy portions of vegetables, fruit, nuts, and grains while allowing ourselves to eat the “forbidden foods” in moderation, and often reluctantly. This is because our bodies are very, very happy on Live Life Lean days. Our energy is boosted, we feel lively, light, and healthy; and, we find ourselves fighting off sickness more easily.

HALF DAYS: Some Live, Life Lean days may be tough to get through due to illness or other physical conditions. Or you may find you are losing too much weight. Instead of losing the full benefit of Live Life Lean days, make it a half day. Live Lean Lean for breakfast and lunch, and then eat as you like for dinner!

Live Life Lean- a sample menu
(hold “ctrl” key & press the “+” on your keyboard to enlarge font size)

Breakfast- whole fruits such as oranges, bananas, and apples. 1/4 cup serving of Muesli, which is a mixture of whole grains, nuts, and dried fruits. Muesli is readily available in most health food stores or shop iHerb online. GBG vitamin and mineral supplement. Lunch- A salad sans the dressing and croutons. Or just a peeled carrot and another vegetable, such as a slice of green pepper. 1/4 cup serving of Muesli with or without additional nuts. I recommend 3 servings of Muesli mix per day. GBG vitamin supplement at either lunch or dinner. Dinner- We usuallycook a package of frozen vegetables adding a crushed clove of garlic, a slice of onion/ chopped, salt, pepper, a couple of potatoes diced into cubes, and 2 tbs of olive oil. On other nights, we make delicious split pea or vegetable soups with zucchini and squash.

** The Live Life Lean nutrition plan is my personal recommendation and works perfectly for my wife and I. It may or may not work for you. If you have reservations about this eating plan, please consult your doctor or other qualified health care professional for advice.

And the secret to true happiness is… (drum roll please)

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In my last journal entry I spoke about happiness being within ourselves as opposed to some external thing making us happy. How does one weather proof the soul and create a happiness generator within? Well, in my opinion, there are two key components to happiness:

 

1)      Take the initiative and be proactive rather than reactive to your environment. When we “let things happen to us” we are enslaved to circumstance, waiting for the next circumstance to react to. Instead, let the world react to you. Decide on your course of action beforehand and stick to your well thought out intentions and plans despite the ominous well intentioned warnings from people who think they know you and what’s best for you. If you internalize the fears of others, you immobilize the force of your dreams and they are never realized. If you need advice in a particular area, make you get it from people who have proven their success in that endeavor.

2)      Whatever decision you make, make sure it is your decision. There is a difference in deciding to serve others and being enslaved by others. Many people, for their own selfish motives, seek to make you feel obliged to serve them or do things their way. Well, not even God forces us to serve him for he loves a cheerful and willing servant. So we should never do things based on a nod of approval from others, this motivation always proves to fail when our decision proves faulty and those we sought to please suddenly withdraw away from us into the shadows. The moral of the story is, we alone are always held accountable for the decisions we make, and so those decisions should be based on what we feel is right after we’ve weighed the evidence to the best of our ability.

In these two components we are not advocating a selfish me first attitude, which is opposed to enjoying personal interactions or sharing an interchange of thought with others. What we are discussing is true autonomy that enhances our enjoyment in interacting with people who are who they are by choice. Would you rather hear the words, “I love you” from someone who said it just to please you or some moral institution or would you rather hear those words springing forth from a heart and mind that genuinely admires you? Of course, if you’re like most people, you want an expression of affection to be out of a person’s free will, unpretentious.  

 

So there you have it. Happiness is something within the realm of conscious decisions. You choose to be happy or you choose to be miserable when you let happenstance and the wills of others dictate it. Always be the captain of your ship, keep sight of your goals- even in stormy weather- and you will reach all your destinations in life.

 

By Lewis Jackson

Natural Solutions for Total Fitness
http://www.mistergoodbuy.com

Adventure is not outside; it is within…

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Yesterday, my Chinese Fortune cookie said, “Adventure is not outside; it is within.” And today I say, “Happiness is not outside; it is within.”

Hmmm, yesterday my adventure was truly outside, The Jacksonville Gate River Run.” The grim reality of recovery is now hitting my 16 year old daughter. She’s sleeping as I type this, but I’m sure she’s going to wake up like a groggy bear this morning. As for me, it’s 5 am and I know better to be up typing in my journal…

Anyway, there is some good food for thought today: “Happiness is not outside; it is within.” I felt miserable yesterday due to recovering from the flu. Some glimmers of sunshine shown through to my face I’m sure. The happiness and energy that surrounded me yesterday somehow did infiltrate into my inner soul and struck a cord. The energy of people around can certainly affect you. But you have to let your environment affect you; happiness is an inner working that largely is in your control.

Your thoughts and feeling do not happen to you, you generate them and make them happen. You are the captain of your ship. One thing I do know for certain is that when you let others steer your ship it leads to shipwreck. Good advice, “Take counsel from people who have proven their success.” And when you do, make sure it is only after quite reflection that you have come to agree this is the best choice for you.

Okay, I can see this is going to be one of those long and deep journal entries—but I think you get the point. Cherish your autonomy, avoid the habit of reacting to life and instead take time by the horns and plan your future; avoid being superficial, take time to meditate and search your soul for true genuine feeling and thought. These are the ways of the genuinely happy person.

 

By Lewis Jackson

Natural Solutions for Total Fitness
http://www.mistergoodbuy.com

Time to pass the torch…

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My daughter, Shannan, and I completed the Jacksonville, Florida Gate River Run today. It’s a 15k, 9.3 mile course that has a hill, two bridges, at the beginning and near the end. After 8 miles it’s basically all down hill into the coliseum.

 

Today was a new experience for me jogging in the “turtle pack.” No offense guys, knowing many of the 10 minutes per mile plus runners are giving it their all and many are newbies like my daughter. The objective for a first race is always just to finish the race. I took great pride in my daughter jogging the whole way, stopping only for water breaks. So many people cut corners or walked the last mile. Some were injured, dehydrated, or just had a ‘blowout’ from running out to fast at the start—I take my hat off to you as you did the best you could. But I know many simply cheated themselves of a best effort. I ask how can you honestly accept that finisher’s medal and look yourself in the mirror and be proud of yourself?!

For me this was a semi-dangerous run having still some remnants of the flu running through my veins. I felt very weak and sensed a hint of pneumonia. Oh. I hope I didn’t have pnuemonia. I expended every effort to prep myself for this race to run with my daughter– Golden Seal, Cayenne Pepper and Apple Cider Vinegar drinks, eating raw garlic, staying away from meat– in fact, I went vegetarian, but that’s another story.

Anyway my daughter totally surprised. She blew out on a 4 miler just a few days before race day complaining of cramps. I wondered if I over trained her by having her do 2 miles of fartleck at a bridge and then jogging another 4 miles—all this a week before the race. But we stuck to our game plan—nice easy pace without letting yourself get excited by the racing atmosphere.

Oh what an atmosphere (okay, I’m going to use an antiquated word here, watch out)full of such gaiety, nice circa 72° weather, racers hooting, singing, and hollering the whole way, live bands pumping out rhythmic beats, and even livelier spectators who were very interactive with us racers. One boy gave my daughter a necklace, another woman have her a a very enthusiastic high 5. There were people running in Superman, Wonder Woman, and Flash costumes. I saw one guy dressed up like a carrot, a fireman with real water tank on his back, a soldier wearing a fully packed backpack. Believe they real know how to throw a party. One spectator group had bear and bacon handouts, really.

Anyway, I looked at my daughter Shannan near the top of that last bridge. She asked me how people could give up and walk so close to the finish line. I looked at her face and she had the look of pure determination. Nothing more needed be said. The last few yards of the race she let loose a burst a speed that caught me totally by surprise. It was time to pass the torch. 

 

By Lewis Jackson

http://www.mistergoodbuy.com

Restore Your Health and Energy!

***Do you wake up feeling tired and lethargic?

***Do you always seem to be sick, fighting
off colds or infections?

***Does something seem to be draining your
energy right out of you?

This website may be your cure:
http://ads.profitrally.com/m594p

I am not a doctor, but this is how I felt
for years. I tried numerous cures and remedies,
some worked better than others.

I began to suspect the answer lie in some
sort of bacterial inbalance or virus
that had gone awry.

I was on the right track…

I will share one of my favorite remedies after
this email…

But I had never got to the true source of my problems
until recently.

If you too are suffering from the same mysterious
symptoms as I have, I urge you to please visit this
website. It may be the answer you have long been
looking for.

Visit my website here:
http://ads.profitrally.com/m594p

Sincerely,

Lewis Jackson
http://www.mistergoodbuy.com

PS: I will share with you my favorite remedy. You
may already be familiar with the healing powers
of garlic. You can crush a bulb and drink it in
tea with honey, but I suggest for maximum effect
you eat a bulb raw and chase it down with your
favoirte beverage.

My all time favorite? Mix 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne
pepper with water. You can gargle or drink this.
I drink it and sometimes add 2 tablespoons of apple
cider vinegar for added potency and about a tablespoon
of honey for taste.

Extremely Fatigued? It could be lack of enzymes!

Digestive Enzymes
by Tery-Bailey , Dec 15, 1998 12:00AM

  I have been going through a battle of fatige all my life.  I wanted to lie down even in department stores.  I started taking digestive enzymes and to my great surprise my fatigue vanished.  It is so profound that I find myself taking the time to share this with others.  I feel like a modern day “Rip Van Winkle”.  In this day of prepared foods and fast foods it doesnt take long to have a shortage of digestive enzymes

.  When the body is shorted it takes them from the body cells.(metabolicMetabolic acidosis

enzymes). This allows digestion to take place but allows the body to be distressed in other ways including the immune system.. It was interesting to see the cocktail that is designed for aidsAids
Aids – resources
Early symptomatic hiv infection

patients to be a protease inhibiitor. Cooking kills all enzymes, so most of what we eat is lacking enzymes.  Vegatarians may be healthy for this very reason.  The older we get the fewer metabolicMetabolic acidosis

enzymes our body retain. I had went through a long line of physicans and had all the blood tests along with.  They counldn’t find the problem.  People with extreme fatigue should try enzymes because they aren’t  expensive and withing a week you’ll feel more productive.  
Dear Terry:
Thanks for the information.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD

Delicious Pancake Recipe

My Famous Flap Jax Pancake Recipe:

Mix two cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar or 3 tbsp honey or 3 tbsp raw brown sugar.
Grate in chilled, 4 tbsp of butter
Stir in milk to desired consistency
Scramble 2 eggs, then stir into batter. (Do not whip eggs into batter as batter may stiffen.)

Serves 4 or more people easily. Recipe may be measured in half to serve less people.
Pour desired amount into black iron skillet if available. Turn pancake when bubbles begin to form. Top with whipped cream, strawberry slices, and syrup. Add bacon or sausage w/ scrambled eggs for a grand breakfast. Or do your own thing! Bon appetite!

You’re Welcome!

Lewis Jackson
http://www.mistergoodbuy.com