Vitamix in action

Vitamix in Action from Craig Given on Vimeo.

Julia got a new Vitamix for Christmas (from me:) and she is making delicious and nutritious smoothies. It does much more though.

Trailside Networking

A few days ago, my buddy Chris Simpson called me and asked if I would be interested in helping start up a group he had been thinking of. The basic premise of the group is to get out from behind the computer, and get outside for a hike!

Like me, Chris has recently found himself looking for new work. There is a lot of pressure involved. It may seem dreamy, like we have a lot of time to do whatever we want on our hands, but fact is there is constant pressure to do everything you can to find new work. This means spending many hours a day in front of the computer reading job posts, sending out resumes/cover letters, connecting with people, etc. It takes up a lot of time. Chris found he was walking a lot less than he should be (I knew I was, he proved it by wearing a pedometer).

So, Trailside Networking was born. There have got to be hundreds/thousands of people like us given the poor economy, plugging away daily looking for new work. We'd like to meet some of you, use our gift of free time to get outside and go for a hike, and talk about what we've been up to in our job searches. The first hike is in Marin but I can see future hikes in SF or the East Bay perhaps. I can even see the idea of this spreading to other areas.

Join us for the next hike. Even if you are working, you may be able to join us at lunch or at an upcoming weekend trip.

http://trailsidenetworking.com
@TrailsideNet
Trailside Networkring on Facebook

UPDATE 6/14/09:
Photos from our inaugural hike! Looking forward to a bigger turn out on our 2nd hike downtown along the SF waterfront.

Fighting Cholesterol

I went to the doctor recently for a cholesterol test, only to have him verify what I already knew - I have high cholesterol (total in the 200's) and am a risk candidate for heart disease one day if my life course remains unchanged. It wasn't a surprise for me b/c I have a family history of heart disease. In fact, I was getting this test rather early (mid 30's) in anticipation of what the results may be - in hopes of being able to turn it around while I am still semi-young.

Given my family history and the likelihood of having a high result, my physician recommended I get my blood test through the Berkeley Heart Lab. I am definitely impressed with the results - which consisted of a 4 page analysis complete with color codes and charts (I'm a sucker for stats!). I had a "regular" cholesterol test in the past and just got the numbers everyone has come to expect, but the heart lab results take it a step further by also analyzing the proteins in your blood - genetic proteins which are known to contribute to heart disease. The heart lab test also includes optional meetings with a nutritionist and a fitness program you can join. (I am planning to participate but have not initiated that yet. Will update when I do.)

Before immediately considering (life long) prescription medication to control my cholesterol, my physician and I discussed trying first to control it with diet and exercise. For exercise, you now what you need to do and you don't need me to tell you - but I did want to share some things I did with my diet that I hope help.

First, I stopped eating eggs for breakfast and I replaced it with oatmeal everyday. I think eggs are ok, but if you have high cholesterol you should probably consider cutting back on them. The fiber in oatmeal is very good for helping control cholesterol apparently. I also added some spices, herbs, and vitamin supplements to my daily diet. Here's a break down of my daily breakfast routine:

1. Oatmeal
2. Add cinnamon to oatmeal
3. Add flax seed to oatmeal
4. Multi-vitamin
5. Fish Oil pill
6. Vitamin E pill
7. Folic Acid pill
8. Aspirin pill (81mg)
9. Sm. Orange Juice (or other juice)
10. Coffee (not helpful, but have only ONE cup a day)

I've read that green tea, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and flax seed can help lower cholesterol - but that's not really proven. I am a believer in homeopathic approaches, and adding these things to one's diet is hardly harmful so I am incorporating them where I can. Anything "antioxidant" is probably helpful too (ie: pomegranate juice) Granted, also, the only things my physician actually recommended was the oatmeal, the aspirin, and the fish oil - but I don't think the other things I added can hurt. I'm going for a re-test in 3 months, and we'll see how this routine (in addition to more exercise and other diet changes) changes my cholesterol.

Disclaimer: I am not a physician, so don't take my advice unless you talk to your physician.