Requiem for a veggie
Let us pause a moment to take pity on the poor, underappreciated fresh vegetable: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, spinach, leafy greens and its multitudinous other forms.
If food is to people what fuel is to cars, then one might consider veggies akin to renewable energy - long-misunderstood and maligned by foodagogues as unappealing, unnecessary and an intrusion upon our freedom to consume whatever type of sustenance we see fit. Their crucial importance practically ignored by all but the smartest (and slightly eccentric) few among us. This despite the fact that both fuel sources are cleaner, better for our environment and easier on our engines, in both the literal and metaphorical senses.
This may not be news to many of you, but as a longtime junk food indulger, I've been blown away by the difference that adding a few more servings of veggies has made to my quality of life. Higher energy, greater clarity of thinking, a greater overall sense of well-being. Not to mention, uh, improvements in the ol' Dept. of Waste Removal.
Energy crisis
After blindly following a years-old pattern of picking up snack chips, cookies and preponderously heavy meats at the grocery store, I kind of accepted as a given the constant state of weariness and discomfort my body seemed to be in. I blamed it on the stressful nature of my day job as an MSM journalist and later, the additional strain of moonlighting as an entrepreneur.
Eventually it got unbearable, and I began seeking answers. My quest led me to Tony Robbins' DVD course "Energy for Life" which I picked up on eBay for maybe $12. It was well worth it. Now granted, if you've been exposed to self-help/motivational media for any length of time, much if not most of the stuff on here will sound quite familiar to you: Power of the mind to shape and create reality, yada, yada.
But let me just say, the DVD paid for itself and then some, with just one little tip. Tony said to drink a glass of water, diluted by half a freshly squeezed lemon, right after you wake up and right before bedtime daily. What this does is kill all the harmful, microscopic beasties and yeasties that are feasting on sugars in your body. Specifically, it balances your pH level to make your body a hostile environment for parasitic microorganisms.
The typical American diet, Tony explained, is so chock full of sugars and compounds that promote an acidic body environment, that it allows critters to run rampant. The critters in turn contribute to a host of health problems for us, not the least of which is chronic fatigue. It wasn't always this way, but food manufacturers over the past few decades have gotten into a sugary arms race, battling for the tastebuds of the American consumer, waistlines and health be damned. After all, this is the land of choice and freedom, right?
Outgunned, but not outfoxed
Sadly, the common sense and wisdom of the individual consumer is no match for the highly paid, highly skilled emotion-smiths of the advertising and marketing industries. They've tapped into decades upon decades of research into what combinations of images and words are most likely to gain compliance (the clinical term for "getting you to buy") from consumers. The best defense is awareness - of what's truly good for you and awareness of food advertisers' insidious techniques.
But the big aha moment came for me when Tony said, in essence, eat your veggies - and fruits, if they have a low glycemic index ranking. OK, so many of you out there are probably shouting pretty loud at your screen right now, "DUH!!!" And yes, I'd heard this dozens, no probably hundreds of times in my life, to eat plants. I always ate some vegetables, but never as much as I should have. But for whatever reason, upon hearing it that 599th time, it clicked. I knew I was going to make a commitment to vegetize my diet. Not go vegetarian, but to definitely eat animal meat only on rare occasions.
The results have been amazing. As I mentioned, I feel energized, smarter and relaxed. My physique is leaner and more defined, without at all feeling deprived. Stuffing full vegetable servings down my gullet isn't fully practicable right now, so I guzzle a glass of pureed vegetable mix (something like the old V-8 juice drink) once or twice a day, plus some apples and bananas (low on the g.i.) throughout the day.
And in case you're wondering, I do have the flexibility to eat a piece of cake or slice of pizza every now and then, but guess what? I don't even want to, not anymore. And I doubt you will either, once you've gained the ability to link advertisers' manipulation, bad health effects and unattractive lard to sugar-laden "treats." And the converse of that of course, being able to link carrot sticks, salads, beans for protein and other good stuff from the ground, with a lean, desirable body.
Domination, Baby
So the title of this entry is "Eat to Dominate." I might as well have called it "Eat Different," but it doesn't quite have the same sex appeal. So ask yourself, do people who dominate at anything follow the crowd? No, of course not, they're able to gain an advantage precisely because they do what most people are not doing. I'm going to suggest to you that one component of that is eating. Now if your job is to sit at a console or a desk all day and rarely face the public, body image may not be as huge a concern. Think Homer Simpson. If you're in this boat and don't care how you look, you may want to take note anyway - just because your health is on the line, particularly in such a sedentary job. While everyone else is eating whatever is pushed upon them, you can make choices and elevate yourself above their hypertension, weight problems and other maladies associated with poor diet.
You can eat to dominate by gradually adopting a bunch of small actions: Starting at the grocery store, replace any junk food you'd ordinarily buy with its more healthy alternative counterpart. Instead of Doritos, pick up some Veggie Stix brand snacks. Instead of candy bars, grab some apples, bananas and strawberries, which all taste great, pick you up and have good glycemic index scores.
At friend or family gatherings, if you know that lots of sabotaging fare will be on the menu, offer to bring your own more healthy dish and snacks, and whip up a little bit extra. At least a few of the other guests will probably appreciate the effort.
At work, many of us have come to dread the departure of a colleague, not only for the loss of camaraderie, but because it means we'll have to shell out for an unhealthy farewell lunch or dinner; and or that person will be "honored" with a ceremonial sheet cake, from which we're all expected to cut a slice. My best strategy for dealing with these situations: politely decline. You may feel as if you're being ruthless, or anti-social or perhaps selfish. But the fact is, these events happen with such frequency nowadays that if you honor each request, you'll never have time to reach your own potential.
Obviously, you will have to go to some of these things, but when you do, be sure to order the healthiest fare on the menu. Other people, no matter how well-meaning their intentions, have no right to hold you back from achieving your best self -- provided you do it ethically and honestly.
This article barely scratches the surface on nutrition, the glycemic index (good carbs vs. bad carbs), the mechanics of metabolism, etc. But it does lay out some powerful concepts that should get you on your way, and have you eating better than at least 85 percent of Americans. As with much of the wisdom shared on this site, the benefits you see will be cumulative and processional - that is, the longer you do it, the more impressive your results will be; and the longer you do it, the more far-reaching an impact you will have on yourself and others.
So give it a try. Become amazed at how much better you feel. And start dominating :) !Posted Oct. 2007
