Try Something That Scares You

This blog is normally about physical fitness but mental fitness is just as important. I posted on my Tumblr account not too long ago about the memory issues I have dealing with ADD.  It's not as bad as it's made out to be on TV but it is still pretty bad.  The short version is I was made to take pills to cope with my distractions all through school.  I resented my parents, doctors, and teachers who made me take them.  So when I turned 18 I took them until the bottles were empty and stopped cold turkey.  I'm almost 31 now and have done very well for myself without medical assistance.  However, now my distractions are causing issues with my relationships and I've recognized that I could do better at work if I could concentrate better. But after all the animosity I have for pills and medications and all the time I spent proving that I didn't need them it sure feels like I would be giving up if I just caved now.

Of all the things I took away from 3 years of graduate school, I appreciate the life lessons the most.  One thing that really stuck with me was this quote.  "What got you hear is not going to get you to the next level". Different accomplishments require different skills.  Sometimes you have to make changes to obtain those skills.  So here I am looking at the new addition to my cabinet at work.  I decided to go with a homeopathic remedy first.  This way I don't have to deal with the doctors or insurance companies.  I'm also not being monitored in any way so that is something to consider.  However the Triple Complex Brain Tonic that I decided to try has no listed side effects, at least according to the internet.  I know the name makes it sound corny but if it works who cares. I'm not going to say that it fixed all my issues but I will say that I have been forgetting less and that has help me at work and personal life which makes me happier in general.  

This Brain Tonic is made by Native Remedies and costs about $33-$35 depending if you go through their site or a re-seller like Amazon.  The site makes it sound like you are going to get pills but I ended up with the liquid form.  Directions are to take .5 mL every hour if you are just having "one of those days" (does this actually happen to non-ADD people?) or .5 mL 3 times a day for chronic issues.  That second one would be me.  I tried morning noon and before bed but that didn't seem to do much.  Now I leave it at work and take it at 8, 11, and 3.  That has helped keep me on track at least during work and gets me home.

Long term I would love to find out how I could not do supplements and just change my diet but I have yet to find anyone who thinks this is possible.  We shall see how everything pans out but one thing is true.  I have overcome a fear and changed for the better. 

Stupid Health People (A Rant)

Been reading a lot about health and fitness recently and I find the best information comes from individuals.  As soon as you put multiple people together and ask them to decide on something it all falls apart.  The funny thing is that all the individuals seem to agree with each other as long as you never ask them to admit to that.  But when it becomes a group or a coalition or a wellness center or some other collection of minds somehow not only do they not agree with the individuals but they do not agree with other groups.  I'm reminded of a saying I have seen on T-shirts, bumper stickers, and demotivational posters; "None of us alone are as dumb as all of us together."  There are variations but you get the idea.  The concept that as soon as people try to work together there needs to be a social system and a political system and hierarchy and everyone needs to put in there 2 cents.  With all the systems and processes hardly anything gets done after the easy ideas have been achieved. But worse that that is the idea that everyone must contribute something.  So that when things do get done it wasn't by the guy that came up with the ingenious fully formed concept.  It has been broken down and butchered and twisted until it's originator doesn't even recognize it anymore.

Lets get to what sparked this whole rant in the first place.  I've been researching a lot health topics recently and I started reading one about digestive health and it's relation to gas and bloating.  It started with a lot of good information the bacteria in your colon and the role they play in breaking down sugar and fiber that could not be broken down before. Wonderful.  Then we get to the part where they had to make some ridiculous claim.






"Vitamin dosages are critical in today's world since it's literally impossible to get the daily nutrients we need from the over processed food we eat every day"




Really now?  Define need please.  Need to survive? Well that can't be true because there are plenty of people living without it.  Need for the long term continued survival of the race? Need to fly? Okay that one I'll buy. All the people I know have eaten processed foods at some point and none of them can fly.  That word need that they all use aggravates me to no end.  I would even be slightly less irritated if they were trying to sell me something, but this particular site is not.  Then what do I need it for?  To enjoy my life?  I didn't even know I needed it five minutes ago.  The biggest irritation of all though is the fact that it never mentions what non-processed foods you can eat that will get you the vitamins you need to that you don't have to take supplements that they are suggesting.  This is of course assuming that the comment was aimed only at the processed foods being insufficient.  If the suggestion is that all food is insufficient that I want to know where the vitamins came from back in the day.  I'm picturing something like this

God: "Noah feed eat these each day and you will live well"
Noah: "What are they my Lord?"
God: "Oh I'm going to call them Fintstones.  Funny fictional family, kids are going to love them"
Noah: "Yes my Lord but what is this?" points at small yellow character
God: "That's Fred's best friend Barny.  He's my favorite because he so cheerful and lighthearted"
Noah: Opens mouth then closes it again. Long silence then "Yes lord"

-END RANT-

/Actuator/