Health, Music, Stress and Survival

Never stop moving.

Self control determines longevity. Heart disease, diabetes and cancer are the real killers of mankind (and maybe covid for the time being). Your body needs vitamins, minerals, protein, lipids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids to function on the cellular level. Don’t deprive your body of these vital nutrients. First rule: minimize the sugar and processed foods. Sugar is more deadly than gunpowder. Everything in moderation because everything is a toxin. It is only dependent on the dose (good examples are arsenic and water). I try to stick to the paleolithic diet: grains, nuts, fruit, vegetables, meat and water. Your body is an internal combustion machine and oxidizes (burn) stuff you eat. Some things in life are about the numbers. If you are not burning more calories than you take in you will gain weight. Discretion is the better part of valor. Worship the Sun: it brings warmth, joy and light. Movement is life. Warmth is currency in nature. Exercise daily. Want peace and serenity? Walk around the block. Walking is a sanctuary in motion. Get your heart pumping once in a while. Keep the fluids in your body flowing. Don’t sit down for over an hour. Blood will pool in your feet. Maintain good posture and use proper kinesiology when you walk. Breath through your nose to establish a stable airway. Take care of your teeth and wash your face every morning. These steps and goals add up.

Had a bad day or stressed out? Times change worries tend to stay the same. If you have family, friends, spouses, roommates, coworkers or parents than don’t take it out on them. Focus on what’s right in your life and not what’s wrong.  It’s not about you; it’s about making their lives better. React with your brain and not your emotions. Learn to deal with stress in appropriate ways. It can be tough to maintain emotion, especially during this pandemic, but people depend on you and you need to be there for them. It’s ok to be emotional. It’s not OK to harm or abuse. If you don’t have much family or many friends find something you enjoy and look forward to. In the long run sometimes a life without suffering can be meaningless because suffering then overcoming generates magic.

I suggest music therapy. Music, like the heartbeat, has rhythm which equals good brain chemistry. Music taps into evolved psychology like a mechanism that is adopted for other functions but likes to use similar sensory modalities. Music is the universal language. When I start to feel blue I play a song that I love. It puts me in at least better mood. I think our descendants were happier because they had more challenging lives. Another good solution to stress is pets. I prefer in order: dogs, snakes, birds, ferrets then cats. All will help alleviate stress. The bond that I have with my dog is good therapy when I feel stressed. Avoid hardcore drugs or opioids. Too dangerous. Don’t do that to your family or your body. Smoking some weed and drinking some alcohol are one thing. Don’t overdo it. I’ve always been more of a smoker.

Have respect for all life even microbes. Its their world and we are lucky enough to share it with them. They are with us at all times. You are never alone. Always remember that we live in-between pandemics. They will never end. Always avoid stepping on insects while were talking little guys. Remember the golden rule- He who has the gold rules!

Thinking gets you killed. Reacting keeps you alive.

Gary O’Neal from American Warrior

Chess is good exercise for your brain. Chess is the oldest and most popular board game in the world There are 10x120 possible games of chess. There are 10x80 atoms in the universe. That’s a lot of valuable life lessons:

  1. Always take an opportunity; you may not get a second one.
  2. Make a plan and adjust as needed; be flexible.
  3. All plans fall apart after first contact.
  4. Think ahead. 
  5. Pay attention to detail. 
  6. Never underestimate the power of teams.
  7. Sometimes sacrifice is necessary. 
  8. Take your time.
  9. Never give up.
  10. History shows victory favors the daring.
  11. Never take it personally.
  12. You learn more from a defeat than from a win.
  13. Develop pattern recognition.
  14. Learn to foresee problems.
  15. Triple check your work.
  16. Timing is everything.
  17. See the obvious when others do not.