Fitness Articles

What we call "Skin" is actually the body's largest organ. It is what we "see" when we look at not only ourselves,but others. As such it is more than worthy of any time or care we give it. If you are a fitness buff, you may fall prey to even more than the usual problems associated with keeping your skin in great shape. Fitness types perspire more and therefore have extra sebum and sodium production. Sebum is an oily secretion of the sebaceous glands. It reduces water loss from the skin's surface and is also colonized by a bacteria that may have a role in immune regulation. This excess exercise-added oil can cause acne. An increase in blood circulation during exercise also produces extra lymphatic fluid. This fluid is useful in carrying fluid to the cells and helping to fight infection and dehydrated skin. But the excess perspiration of exercisers –with its high sodium content- can dry the skin. This is why some exercisers may suffer either from dry skin or be acne prone or both!

Whether you work out or not, you need to know a few basic skincare facts and tips to look your best:

Clean Deep: the extra sebum that comes to the surface during exercise needs to be eradicated. (FITCAMP recommends the Signals Skincare System because it contains a light, daily exfoliation cream/cleanser that is perfect for this task.) Our skin normally produces "dead skin cells" and forms a layer of them. These must be removed if the skin is to remain fresh and open to the "nutrition" of a good cleansing followed by an effective moisturizer. What good is spending money on products if all they do is work on the "dead skin layer" that has been left unattended on top of your skin?

Moisturize: Dry skin on the face makes you appear older than you are. Applying the right product before you exercise protects the skin by working as a barrier to the sodium and bacteria that seep into the pores that have been opened during exercise. A product that has been formulated properly will be absorbed by and nourish the skin.

Sunscreen: Start each day with a good cleansing and moisturizing routine followed by an application of sunscreen. Even on wintry, cloudy days, the sun will take its toll and add years to your "age" in terms of wrinkles and drooping, sagging, collagen-depleted skin.

What Shape Is Your Skin In?

Skin Elasticity TEST: Lay your hand down on a desk or table, palm down. Pinch the skin at the back of your hand for five seconds. Let go and time how long it takes your skin to go back to its smooth appearance. If you're very young, it should snap back immediately. An average 45-year-olds' skin will take 3–5 seconds. At age 60, it takes about 10–15 seconds on average. By the time you are 70, it usually takes 35–60 seconds to crawl back. So if you are 60 and it takes 3–5 seconds, this test indicates your biological age is around 45.

FITCAMP offers the Signals Skincare System for a variety of reasons. First of all, anyone who has ever tried it refuses to use any other product. True. In anecdotal "tests" that have taken place for more than three years we have not met a person who wanted to switch products once they started with SIGNALS. So many people have asked us over the years "WHICH BRAND" we recommend for skincare that we needed to drill down, guinea pig up, and find the best product. We tried the ones that cost hundreds of dollars, those that were bargain basement cheapies and everything in between. We sampled those that were endorsed by big celebrities and top skin experts. With SIGNALS, we believe that people have the BEST value and the BEST product. And we're not the only ones who think so: in a test at an independent lab that does such studies, SIGNALS beat out EVRY OTHER PRODUCT ever tested. The results were measured in terms of which product activated the most genes that were common in young skin. SIGNALS was the hands-down winner for putting your best face forward.

Category: Tanning   Comments (1)

Yoga is an Indian traditional practice that combines postures, breathing, meditation, and stretching to achieve an enlightened state of total mental and bodily flexibility.

In its various forms, yoga has been around for centuries, and is generally acknowledged as a physical exercise for bringing about optimal health. Yoga is touted for reversing the aging process by improving flexibility, massaging the internal organs and glands, sending oxygen to all the body’s tissues, and enhancing a state of serenity. It can enhance sexual desire, calm neurotic impulses, and balance the mind and the spirit.

Ever notice that you can judge a person's age pretty darn well from a distance just by observing the way they walk and carry themselves? From two blocks away you can usually tell if someone is a teenager, middle-aged or beyond. It has nothing to do, in those instances, with the wrinkles on the face or the suppleness of the skin. Looking youthful has as much to do with the ease with which you can maneuver through your day as it does with cosmetics and superficial improvements. Keeping your body young and springy has more to do with stretching than with pumping iron.

You'll find very few yoga practitioners who look OLDER than their years. Yoga can keep you spry and stretched and help you look and feel younger than your years.

Yoga can help you lose weight because it allows you to work deeper into the muscles, pumping up the heartrate and burning calories. The increase in blood flow you get during a moderate to vigorous yoga class improves circulation. Better alignment through yoga improves your posture. Daily life activities seem easier when your range of motion is improved. You can run up that flight of stairs, walk the dog, or race to catch that last-minute flight with greater ease, thanks to yoga.

Yoga is one of the world's best stress-busters.
"Mentally, we go through life soaking up stresses like a sponge. Stress blocks energy. Doing a rigorous yoga rings out your sponge leaving you feeling clear and puts you into that calm eye of the storm ridding you of the poisons and pressures of everyday life. Yoga is like Mylanta for the mind," he said in that same interview.

Many yoga enthusiasts believe that as we age we become "mummified" if we don't keep our bodies limber and stretched through yoga. In effect, the theory goes, we become prisoners of our own bodies as they tighten and restrict over time.

Yoga has been proven to reduce stress and tension, increase overall health, energy and vitality, help create a stronger, more lean body, and improve mental concentration.

Although yoga is a physical practice, it also works for us on the spiritual plane. You learn not to judge yourself in life-just as you don’t when you get on the mat, breathe and fall off as you push for more advanced poses. So you can use yoga as an Inner Fitness technique as well as for physical purposes.

The thought of beginning a yoga practice fills many people with fear. "I've never been flexible and I don’t think I can learn now," some think. Or, "It's boring and I need a really fast-paced workout" others say. Super stiffies need not fear: some of the most flexible people in any yoga class did NOT start as as GUMBIES. With time, anyone can become flexible. And for those who think yoga is not enough of a "workout" I suggest they take a rigorous Power Yoga class and talk to me afterwards---if they can get their breath long enough to do so

Want to take give yoga a try? Sign up for a beginner’s class at your local "Y" or checkout that class you've been thinking about trying at your gym. You might be surprised at the compliments that begin to accrue after just a few weeks worth of groovy asanas (yoga poses).

Category: Yoga   Comments (0)

Reduce Stress and Stop Aging: 4 Stress-busting Tips for Women
Some women find that they lie awake at night, unable to sleep. Others feel irritable, angry, or just tired. Nearly everyone gets headaches...

And all because of stress.

According to one study in Prevention magazine, 73% of adults experience moderate to high levels of stress on a weekly basis.

Sound familiar?

What you may not know is that stress is not only affecting your peace of mind and your body's weight, it's actually making you older.

If you have teenagers in the house, you've made jokes about this, but the fact is that recent scientific discoveries are showing us that it's absolutely true.

When your cells divide, the tips of your chromosomes – called telomeres -- get shorter. Over the last 20 years scientists have shown that there's a huge correlation between the length of your telomeres and your age.

Of course, cell division is normal, but guess what? Oxidative stress also shortens telomeres, and as a result, if you're under constant stress, you age more quickly.

A stunning revelation came in the late 1990's that showed if you could lengthen the telomeres, human cells actually get younger.

Now that's some news you can use! The only question is, how can you turn back the clock?

It's not nearly as difficult as you might think.

Here's a list of 4 stress-busting, clock-stopping, tips that can bring you back the youth and vitality you thought was gone forever. Pick one and get healthier, younger, and happier starting now!

1. Take a 3 minute "Tranquility Break"
Sounds simple, but it's incredibly effective. You may not be able to walk out of your office and stroll on the beach, but you CAN find five beautiful beach images and make yourself a little slideshow – or simply plug in an audio track of ocean waves – filled with peace. Block out 3 minutes and bliss out. Let your breathing return to normal, let your mind stop racing, and know that you can have another Tranquility Break any time you need it.

2. Treat Yourself to a Girlfriend Call
Instead of filling your mouth with foods that are wrong for you, try chatting with a friend who is right for you! Sometimes there's nothing better than a 10 minute chat with a wonderful girlfriend. Keep your Support network of friends easily accessible by phone, and take the time to share your struggles as well as your joys with each other on a regular basis.

3. Get in the Child Pose
You may not have time to do an entire yoga class, but this easy pose is known for it's ability to relax and soothe. You can google "child pose" to see it, or you can simply kneel down on the floor and sit on your heels. Lay your torso down between your thighs, and let your forehead come to rest on the floor. Extend your arms comfortably behind you to rest by your feet (palms up), or stretch them in front of you (palms down).

4. Gift Your Body with Antioxidants
Forget diamonds (maybe not entirely) – antioxidants are a girl's best friend. They protect and nurture your cells, fight disease, and promote great health. Brightly colored berries and beans are incredibly high in antioxidants. And there are some great supplements that can provide these valuable nutrients when you don't have access to the foods themselves.

Category: Motivation   Comments (1)

As a longtime health and fitness magazine Editor and loudmouth on all things that have to do with staying alive and kicking for a LONG TIME, I have access to some great resources. I often/usually get the scoop before it goes mainstream. With cold and flu season lurking just around the corner, I thought this item might be of interest to my readers. It’s from Health Behavior News Service, part of the Center for Advancing Health and it provides what might be very useful information for helping to stave off sniffles -and worse!) as Winter approaches. Believe it or not, taking probiotics might keep you ticking when others have taken a licking.

Taking probiotics seems to provide both children and adults with a mild degree of protection against many upper respiratory tract infections including the common cold, according to a new systematic review. People who consume probiotics are also less likely to end up taking antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection, the review found.
Probiotics are found in fermented foods like yogurt, soy yogurt and kefir. People also often take probiotics as supplements. The reviewers compared how often colds and other respiratory infections occurred in people who consumed probiotics to people who took placebos and found a statistically significant difference.



“Probiotics intervention was better than placebo in reducing the number of participants experiencing episodes of acute upper respiratory tract infections,” said review co-author Qiuikui Hao in an email “Limited information from three of the 14 studies we included in our analysis also showed that probiotics can reduce the prescription of antibiotics.”

Hao is a medical student at Sichuan University in China, where he works with lead review author Bi Rong Dong, M.D.

Colds and other upper respiratory infections are the most common reason that people in the United States seek medical care, the reviewers say. The average American has two to six colds each year, usually mild viral infections that resolve themselves after a few days.

Upper respiratory infections also include tonsillitis, laryngitis and pharyngitis, an inflammation of the pharynx and the most common cause of a sore throat. Other frequently occurring upper respiratory infections are acute sinusitis, acute middle ear infection and croup. Symptoms including nasal congestion, sore throats, hoarseness and coughing.



The researchers based their conclusions on 14 randomized controlled trials that included 3,451 participants. More than two-thirds of participants were children. The average age of adults was 40. Studies were conducted in Australia, Chile, Croatia, Finland, Japan, Spain, Sweden and the United States.

Probiotics include a wide variety of live active microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria, also called lactobacillus, and bifidobacteria. The review considered any probiotic, whether it was a single strain or multiple strains, at any dosage level for more than seven days.

There was no difference in how long a respiratory infection lasted in the probiotics group compared to the group consuming placebos.  Participants taking probiotics experienced only a few minor side effects. These were mostly gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, flatulence and discomfort or pain in the lower intestinal region.  The researchers found when studying all the pooled data that there were no significant differences in the occurrence of such side effects among people taking probiotics and those taking placebo.

The review appears in the current issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic.



In Greek, the word “probiotics” means “for life.” Quikui Hao said that more than a century ago, Elie Metchnikoff a Nobel Prize-winning researcher in immunology, ran a series of studies that showed that the ingestion of microbes produced by lactic acid, that is probiotics, could help relive both respiratory tract and digestive disorders.

However, more recent studies focusing on the impact of probiotics upon URTIs have been inconclusive, Hao said. “With the increasing consumption of probiotics in fermented foods or as dietary supplements, we feel that it is very important to understand the effects of probiotics on acute URTIs and their potential adverse effects in humans.”

Mohamed Mubasher, Ph.D., a former associate professor of Biostatistics at the University of Texas, said, “What's exciting about this research is the fact that probiotics, a drug-free natural product, can potentially boost and enhance the human immune system and also regulate the production of beneficial bacteria within the human system.”

Mubasher said that he considered the authors of this review to have competently evaluated the results of the 14 studies they reviewed. However, he added that with regard to reducing the duration of URTIs,  he suspected that many of the studies covered by this analysis were of insufficient sample size to really support such claims.

He also noted a drawback which the authors had themselves acknowledged: 

Elderly adults were not included among the study participants. As people age, their immune systems weaken. Older adults might stand to benefit significantly from immune system enhancements, even mild ones such as those that probiotics seem to offer to younger people.



GB Note: Thanks to Milly Dawson, Contributing Writer
Research Source: The Cochrane Library
Health Behavior News Service

Category: Supplements   Comments (1)

 "The one absolute,unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world- the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous- is his dog." George Graham Vest "Eulogy on the Dog" speech during lawsuit ,1870

Any hospital emergency room is a real theater of life. Those of you who follow my newsletters know that I have not been a stranger to hospital vigils this year. I spent a good part of last night with my little guy Romeo at the Animal Medical Emergency Center in NYC.

I can hear the moans and groans now. "Please Gawd, not another chick waxing philosophical about her furry friend." Or "Dogs should be treated like dogs and not like people so get over it..whatever IT is, Greta."

What I learned last night did have to do with my little guy, but it also had to do with sticking to your guns, handling stress so that it doesn't kill you, and sorting out real friends from faux.

Romeo had been lethargic and moody for a couple of days. I dangled fresh grilled chicken breast in his face and he turned his nose up. I broke out his favorite toy, the one over which he will fight me to the death rather than relinquish, and he gave it a quick sniff and went back to sleeping in his little bed.

He did not eat for a full day and a half and he didn't want to go outside for a walk. Fine. Not feeling well. We all have our bad days.

At about 11PM last night I returned from dinner to an even MORE listless and enervated pooch. He looked at me sadly with those big brown eyes as if to say, "Help me, but I can't tell you what's wrong."

I was settling in for some much-needed motivational reading and sleep when he crawled up close to my face and gave me a little whimper. That did it. No way I could just do my own thing and nestle in for the night while he suffered.

Off we went to the doggie Emergency room. 

Once there he had bloodwork done, some x-rays taken and lots of palpating of his little cuddly body by the vet. (Who, by the way, looked about 12 and I'm not kidding. Young Harry Potter has a double and he works the night shift in NY.)

The waiting room was filled with people who were : crying, clapping, cuddling...depending on the diagnosis they received.

People spoke to their pets with loving words and consoled them with careful and concerned hands. 

It was then that I remembered a conversation from earlier in the day. Then, I'd gotten into it with someone who was complaining about "chicks with little dogs" and commenting on how neurotic it was to love a pet deeply. "After all, the adversarial dickhead said, "they're just animals."

Sitting with Romeo in that waiting room, watching his baleful eyes looking at me with such trust and love, I could not fathom the concept of him being treated like "just an animal"..whatever that even means. I also realized that out of this ONE single occurrence I was being shown the simple keys to so much of life.

FRIENDSHIP:

When I called my BFF Laura to ask her advice about what to do with Romeo she said, without hesitation, "Take him to the emergency room. You can't risk something happening and not having done that." Good friends understand how you tick, what makes you run, and are there for you when you call. They don't try to change you, even if being YOU is very different than being THEM.  End of story. Anything else is something other than friendship.

STICKING TO YOUR GUNS:

IF someone tells you to do something that is not YOU, there is an inner alarm, a knowing, a "gut" feeling that cannot be ignored. If, for example, the dickhead from earlier that day had been consulted, he would have undoubtedly said, "Ahh, he'll be fine. He's just a dog. Don't worry about it." Romeo is doing better, he probably would have been OK without the midnight trip to the ER, but better safe than sorry. People will always have THEIR idea for how you should do ANYTHING. Stick to your guns.

HANDLING STRESS

Stress will age and kill you quicker than anything, in my opinion. When you can implement a solution to a troubling situation, then for gawd's sake, do it. Laboring over a decision or letting it fester and grow will only stress you out and wear you down. Move quickly and decisively and then don't look back.

It's amazing the things you can learn at midnight with a sick dog.

Category: Motivation   Comments (2)

The change in seasons and the loss of summer pleasures can bring on a whole series of stress reactions. It’s a great time to consider adding meditation and yoga breathing to your daily practice.  Anything that makes you feel relaxed (as you did on the beach in summer) will benefit both your body and mind.

Your food choices need to be dictated by awareness and clarity as well.   Instead of reaching into the refrigerator for a crappy snack, surprise yourself and eat right.

Make smart choices. These can include Increasing your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as adding Vitamins E and C, and green tea extract that can all contribute to bolstering your immune system, not a bad thing to do in advance of cold and flu season.

This is a time that I rejoice in because it’s apple time and I love ‘em. I suggest that you do as well because they can become your new best friend for a variety of reasons: not the least of which is that they contain several important flavanoids that can help fight cancer.

I’m not gonna lie to ya’, there are many other fruits and veggies that are higher in key vitamins and minerals, but apples trump that stuff with the antioxidant phytochemicals that made Korean researchers in the Journal “BIOFACTORS” concluded that, “Our results indicate that the cancer chemopreventive activity associated with apples is associated with the combined antioxodant capacity and antitumor-promoting activities of diverse antioxidants.”

The Korean study found that apples have high levels of quercetin, epicatechin and procyanidin. They  are also a good source of fiber, Vit C and K and potassium.

There are 7500 different varieties of apples in the world and 2500 can be found right here in the US. (Early colonists in the 1600’s brought them with and planted the first orchard near Boston.)

More good news is that cooking an apple does not destroy the antioxidants. When you drink juice or cider you get a nice concentration of the good stuff found in apples. Even dried apples retain the benefits.

One medium-sized whole fresh apple has about 95 calories, about a half gram of protein, no saturated fat, 4.4 grams of fiber and 25 carbs.

To see a video about different apple varieties online, go to www.FruitsandVeggiesMoreMatters.org.

Select:  Choose firm, shiny, smooth-skinned apples with intact stems. Should smell fresh, not musty.

Store:  Store apples in plastic bag in the refrigerator away from strong-smelling foods. Use within 3 weeks.

Nutrition Benefits:  Fat free; saturated fat free; sodium free; cholesterol free; high source of dietary fiber.

Eat:  Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash is a true celebration of the favorite fall fruit, the apple.  This recipe meets the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) strict nutrition guidelines as a healthy recipe.

Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

Preparation time: 1 hour

Serves: 8

Cups of Fruits and Vegetables per Serving: 1/2

Ingredients:

¼ cup raisins

2 acorn squash (about 4” diameter)

8 seconds butter-flavor cooking oil spray

2 tablespoons sucralose no-calorie sweetener

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon2 medium Fuji Apples

2 tablespoons light butter

Cover raisins with warm water and soak for 20 minutes, then drain.  While soaking, pre-heat oven to 375°F. Cut acorn squash into quarters and remove the seeds. Spray the inside of each squash quarter with one second of cooking oil spray. Mix sweetener and cinnamon together. Sprinkle squash quarters with ½ of cinnamon mixture. Bake for 10 minutes. While baking, cut apples into quarters and remove the core. Chop apples into ½” pieces. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add apples, raisins and remaining cinnamon mixture. Mix well and remove from heat. Take squash from the oven and top with equal amounts of apple mixture, making sure to scrape sauce pan well. Squash needs all the melted butter to stay moist as it bakes. Return squash to the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes or until apples and squash are tender. Serve warm.

Category: Nutrition   Comments (0)

 "Every relationship, whether it is with our parents or with life partners, must end one way or another.  Our life span is finite and we cannot stop inevitable death and physical separation."

The quote above, is just a snippet from a message I received from Dr. Yukio Ishizuka. I had met him at a Boardroom Inc. (publishers of The Bottom Line newsletter) dinner where experts from various fields came together for a stimulating discussion about the economy, life in general, longevity, and more. Brian Kurtz of Boardroom is a dear friend and amazing human being. When he puts these groups together one can count on a powerful experience and many new friends. Thanks, Brian and of course, Marty Edelstein. 

Below is the message in its entirety. In subsequent conversations with Dr. Ishizuka and after further contemplation, I realized that my father's death is a closing of one door and the opening of another. On the other side of the new door is a renewed focus on connecting deeply and authentically with people. I am also more deeply committed to creating meaningful relationships in every area of my life. That is a huge part of my Father's gifts to me now.  

The message from Dr. Ishizuka:

"I am sincerely sorry about your father's passing and appreciate your deep grief as reflection of your love for your father, who has been dear to your heart.

However, your father's physical death is not the end of your close relationship with him. In fact, he has become part of you and will remain so as long as you live.  I remember a female attorny, a partner in a law firm, who came to see me in severe distress as she faced her beloved father declining rapidly with terminal cancer.  She told me that it was her father, who had encouraged her to dare and pursue legal career and helped her become what she was. She could not bear watching his father diminish and die.

My advice for her was to visit him every day, try to get even closer to him as he was declining, until the last moment of his life, being grateful that she had had such a wonderful father, and redouble her efforts to become even closer to her husband. She required only that single session to overcome her grief.

Death is not a tragedy, although our response often makes it into a tragedy, from which we have difficulty recovering. You have not lost your father by his death. Your father lives on in you.

Psychologically, we take our parents into our personalities and carry them with us, as our DNA is carried on by our offsprings after our physical death.

You must put yourself in your father's shoes. He already knows how much you love him. You don't have to prove it by depth of your grief. You must cherish your memories of him, keep loving him, and must not shrink from new close relationships, for fear that it may also end.

All relationships in life end (physically) in death sooner or later. The only choice we have is to live our life out as fully as we can, which includes loving another human being while we still can.

I suspect that your father would agree with me."

Category: Motivation   Comments (1)

You think you're stressed now--by the economy, the earthquakes (in highrises?!), the pending hurricane, you name it. Those are at least things you can SEE. It's the stuff you can't see that has me worried. Like, for instance, rampant INFLAMMATION. I'm gonna throw some bad news at you but I'm also gonna throw some solutions your way. Ignorance, after all, is NOT bliss.

A December 4, 2007 Discover Magazine ran an article entitled “Can We Cure Aging?” In it, the author says that leading gerontologists now believe that aging is “actually something that our own bodies create, a side effect of the inflammatory system that protects us against infectious disease.”  The theory is that as our body goes to battle to protect us, there is massive collateral damage and our organs are poisoned, our tissues break down and we become our own worst enemy. Click here for more bad news but I’ve seasoned it with some solutions.

The article in Discover Magazine cites many top aging docs who see aging as a “consequence of inflammation.” Inflammation works slowly but surely to undermine your health. It’s like waves lapping at the shore and eventually changing the shoreline. The article also talks about people who suffer from Alzheimer’s having brains that are clogged with plaques that are associated with senility. “Inflammatory cells and cytokines” caused by inflammation are a problem given that cytokines block memory formation.

The Bullet Points “Take-Away”:

Inflammation also breaks down skeletal muscle and that leads to a decrease in lean muscle mass.

Inflammation is a predictor of most of the bad outcomes associated with aging. It’s linked to heart attacks, heart failure, obesity, cognitive decline, diabetes, fragility, and even cancer to some degree.

Inflammation can be inhibited with supplementation with Omega 3’s that help your immune system modulate response.

An inflammatory system left unchecked runs amok and wreaks havoc on our health. It’s silent, but it’s treatable.

Avoid “bad fats.”

Eat lots of veggies and foods rich in antioxidants.

Exercise regularly.

CRP (C-Reactive Protein) is a great indicator of inflammation levels. It rises during systemic inflammation. Have your CRP levels checked to determine your risk for the ravages of inflammation.  Hs-CRP (high sensitivity CRP) is recommended by the American Heart Association site as a predictor of a number of unhealthy conditions.

Category: Longevity   Comments (1)

“All relationships in life end (physically) in death sooner or later. The only choice we have is to live our life out as fully as we can, which includes loving another human being while we still can.” Yukio Ishizuka, MD, Founder of Lifetrack (www.lifetrack.com)

When last you heard from me I was promising pictures from my Dad’s 90^th birthday party, which took place June 25 in my hometown of Ft. Wayne, IN. (See photo section below.) The party was a huge success. 80 people attended, including friends and family from all over the country. The party had been planned by my Dad’s loving wife Shirley for months in advance and was by no means a surprise. What happened a little more than a week later was.

That is when I received a call from my Dad (in the hospital) telling me that he had suffered a heart attack. There was an operation planned for the following day.  I had just recently returned back to LA from IN and then NY when I received that call and I had exactly 45 minutes to pack my bags and grab the only flight out that would get me to his hospital room by end of day.

The next 10 days are simultaneously a total blur and at the same time vivid imprints in my memory. The bottom line is that my Dad passed away on July 20.

That ‘s why I‘ve been missing in action for so long. I would apologize but I think that those of you what have travelled this road know that it has fits and starts and unforeseen stops. This road cannot be trusted to get one from Point A to Point B with any respect for “normal” time.

Dad underwent a “successful “ surgery and implantation of two stents. He was released from the hospital for a day, only to have complications and return to the hospital.

His wife Shirley, my brother Greg, my sister Shelby, his stepdaughter Lisa and I were with him constantly after the hospital return. We were there to support him through a recovery that would enable him to have another operation to fix the newly surfaced heart problems. I slept in a chair bedside and stayed with him day and night, taking a break only once to take a shower and change clothes.

I had promised Dad that I would be there with him if anything happened. And I was.

There is so much more to this story than I am able to relate now.

Dad was given a burial with full military honors on July 25.  I have always been proud of him, but perhaps never more so than on that day. The burial was at Scipio Cemetery in Harlan, IN, the small town outside of Ft. Wayne that he grew up in and where his father was the beloved town veterinarian. He is buried next to his sister Jean’s memorial  (a USO performer, she and her husband disappeared in a plane crash during WWII) as well as next to his son Billy’s memorial and that of his mother, father, grandparents and his family going even further back in time.
Donations in his honor continue to come in and a memorial to him is being created at the Hoosier Warbirds Aviation Museum in Auburn, IN. A humble guy, he would be both surprised and honored by this. 
Here is what I, the family's firstborn,  had to say at his memorial service: 

A page in our book of memories,
 Is gently turned today.

Everyone in this room is here for one simple reason: Because they loved my Dad, Bill Blackburn. And why would they not?

William Leroy Blackburn was a perfect storm of lovability: good looking, smart, tall and athletic. He was a country boy who grew up to serve his country in the military, travel the world, play more than a few poker games really well, and raise four children (three of whom are here today and one who is undoubtedly with him watching us right now).

He was blessed with a razor sharp mind and a rapier wit. When he allowed his impish, youthful, cat- that- swallowed- the- canary grin to surface—and it did a lot these past few weeks- it made him appear even decades younger than he already did.  With one quick smile and a light in his laughing eyes, he could go from military man demeanor to little boy with a secret.

Let’s talk about that. My Dad, even as he advanced in years, had none of that “old guy” energy or looks. He loved to be stylish, with it, a bit edgy, even. Even during these last two weeks, in and out of Lutheran Hospital, the recurring comment from nurses, doctors and staff was, “I’m looking at your chart and it says you’re 90. That can’t be right.”

He fit in anywhere, whether it be a movie set with me on a remote hilltop in the 80’s in South Korea, to his country clubs both here and out west, to celebrity events in Hollywood, to hunkering up for some good grub at Coney Island or Powers.

I could go on and on about so many wonderful memories from the past. But the real hallmark of any man is who he is when the chips are down. Or, as Dad would say of people in these past weeks who stood by him and showed their love and concern, they show their TRUE COLORS.

My sister said at one point last week, “This is like watching a heroic movie with Gregory Peck starring in it. Dad is being amazing.” And he was.

If we adored this man before the events that began almost exactly two weeks ago to the day, we now REVERE him. He had not ONE negative, complaining moment. He cracked jokes when he was almost certainly at least a little frightened and unsure of what the next moment would bring. Even though he told me last week, “I’m not afraid of dying.”

He THANKED the nurses who came to give him shots here, there, everywhere, even in the stomach. “We’ve NEVER had someone thank us for giving them a shot,” they told us.

He made many of those sly wisecracks for which he is famous---he sang songs and reminisced. He handed out Lucky Bucks like a lottery winner gone mad. He remembered the name of each and every nurse- and there were many—and called them by name when they entered his room.

He was concerned that he was “wasting our time” and keeping us from more important matters---and of course we assured him that there was nothing more important then being with him at this time.

He trimmed his moustache, shaved and showered when lesser men would have been moping, whining and feeling sorry for themselves.

Who goes to a rock and roll concert the night of the day they are release from the hospital after suffering a heart attack? My Dad did. Layla’s band, serendipitously, was playing in Fort Wayne and there was no disabusing him of the notion of playing rock and roll fan for his beloved Granddaughter.

So let’s talk about that serendipity: Somehow, Dad managed to have that great 90^thbirthday party June 25 with all of his friends and family in attendance to celebrate, managed to see his granddaughter perform for the first and as it turns out last time right in his hometown, and then managed to have all of his children-who live at distant ends of the country- holding his hand, side by side with his beloved wife Shirley, telling him they loved him as he made his transition. Serendipity? Or the final master plan of a guy who was nothing if not organized, deliberate, and in control of any situation.

We all learned so much about who William Blackburn REALLY was through this experience. He showed his true colors: he was a hero, he was an incredibly brave man, he was a sweet and loving man. As his doctor said toward the end: “I fell in love with this guy.”  Welcome to the club, my friend.

Oh, please don't feel guilty

It was just my time to go.

I see you are still feeling sad,

And the tears just seem to flow.

I don't want you to keep crying

You are shedding so many tears.

I haven't really left you

Even though it may seem so.

I have just gone to my heavenly home,

And I'm closer to you than you know.

Just believe that when you say

my name, I'm standing next to you,

I know you long to see me,

But there's nothing I can do.

But I'll still send you messages

And hope you understand,

That when your time comes to

“cross over,”  I'll be there

to take your hand.

When Greg and Shelby and I went to get some lunch after a meeting with Lisa and Shirley to plan Dad’s service the day after he passed, the cashier rang up our food and turned to us. “That’s 19.21,” she said. Our Dad was born on June 24, 1921. She said, “I don’t know why, but I just got chills.” So did we. Thanks, Dad.

Final quote from an unknown author:

There is a link death cannot sever,

Love and remembrance last forever.

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Earthing. Grounding.

 Remember these terms because they may soon replace “Spinning” and “Yoga” in your fitness vocabulary. OK, maybe not exactly replace, but they may become a key part of your health and fitness program.

And there’s good reason why. Either word means making contact with the earth in a low-tech practice that can reduce inflammation, improve your immune system, lower blood pressure, and provide terrific anti-aging benefits. Care to give it a try? It’s as easy as a barefoot walk in the park. 

 In recent decades, the incidence of chronic diseases, allergies, auto-immune conditions and insomnia has skyrocketed in modern societies. One overlooked reason is the immune system began functioning less efficiently as humans increasingly separated themselves from the earth’s energy.

 The human immune system evolved over millions of years. All that time, we were virtually in constant barefoot contact with the earth. In our modern society, humans no longer walk barefoot. We wear shoes and live in buildings that insulate us from the earth’s energy.

 Earthing is among the most natural and safest forms of prevention and anti-aging you can do. It’s extremely low tech, and it works. Earthing (grounding) refers to the process of establishing conductive contact between the surface of the earth and the surface of the human body. This allows electrons to flow from the earth and maintain the body at earth potential.

 A ground is defined as a conductive object that makes a direct electrical connection to earth and has the ability to absorb or dissipate an electrical charge. In effect, an electrical ground drains away any unwanted buildup of electrical charge.

 The research, which is only about ten years old, has demonstrated that earthing the human body plays a substantial role in reducing inflammation and the functioning of many negative physiologic processes. It generates a powerful and positive shift in the electrical state of the body and restores natural self-healing and self-regulating mechanisms.

 We know earthing allows a transfer of electrons (the earth’s natural, subtle energy) into the body. We know inflammation is caused by free radicals, and free radicals are neutralized with electrons from any source. Electrons are the source of the neutralizing power of antioxidants.

 Inflammation, sickness and pain, at least in some part, result from an electron deficiency. The ground may represent the biggest and best natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that exists.

 Earthing refers to the process of connecting by walking barefoot outside, as humans have done throughout history, or sitting, working or sleeping grounded indoors. Modern lifestyles, in addition to separating us from the earth, have also provided us with a simple way to stay grounded, even as you sleep.

 For more than a decade, thousands of people around the world—men, women, children and athletes—have incorporated earthing into their daily routines and report that earthing:

 ·        Reduces inflammation (the underlying cause of more than 80 chronic illnesses)

·        Thins blood

·        Improves blood pressure

·        Lets you sleep better

·        Relieves pain, muscle tension, headaches and stress

·        Gives you faster recovery from trauma and intense physical activity

·        Reduces or eliminates jet lag

·        Energizes you

·        Lessens hormonal and menstrual symptoms

·        Protects your body against electro magnetic fields (EMFs)

·        Helps circulation

·        Promotes normal cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and immune systems

·        More

 Earthing is natural and simple, and it affects every aspect of human physiology. When you ground yourself, your entire body readjusts to a new level of functioning. That level, in fact, seems to have been designed throughout evolution.


Anyone can try this. If you don’t feel well, for whatever reason, just make barefoot contact with the earth, and see what happens. Of course, if you have a medical problem, you should also see a doctor.

 Everybody seems to benefit in some way, but we are all different. The results can come quickly and dramatically, such as less pain and better sleep, or subtly and gradually over time. Often people who are very ill feel the difference most profoundly.

 Some part of your body needs to be in direct contact with the earth in order for you to get the full benefit. The simple way to do this is to get a special earthing pad or bed sheet that plugs into the ground (3^rdhole) in one of your electrical outlets. I use the pad. Go to www.earthing.com for more information.

Note: Special thanks to David Kekich (www.maxlife.org) for this information.

 

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