Emu oil contains a unique fatty acid profile that provides excellent nourishment to the cells of your skin and hair.  Emu oil is renown for providing the following benefits:  nourishes/moisturizes hair and skin, alleviate acne, infections, and insect bites, speed wound healing, reduce itching, treat fever blisters, inhibit DHT receptor binding (good for hair restoration), soften appearance of scars and wrinkles, alleviate skin conditions:  sun burn, eczema, psoriasis, diaper rash, and shingles; and possesses anti-inflammatory affects:  alleviation of pain, arthritis, sprains, and muscle strains… the list goes on.

Emu oil is rendered from – as you probably guessed – the Emu bird.  Possibly prehistoric, the Emu bird is an indigenous species of Australia. For thousands of years, the Aborigines have used its fat for medicinal purposes, typically to treat various skin and muscle ailments.  Presently, Emu farms can be found in the US and various countries that raise them and harvest their subcutaneous fat for their healing and cosmetic properties.  Sound cruel?  Perhaps.  But the health benefits of the refined oil are wildly acclaimed.  Heck, I once banged my head into the edge of a wooden shelf – my skin immediately broke open into a little gash; probably could have used a stitch or two.  Instead, I rushed over to my local Vitamin Shoppe and picked up some emu oil.  The wound healed in a matter of days and didn’t even scar.

When I’m not banging my head into things, I typically use emu oil to treat skin blemishes and as a hair conditioning treatment.  Emu oil has been touted to block DHT receptor binding via alpha-5-reductase inhibition (blocks testosterone from converting to DHT).  Although I have a full head of healthy hair, my family has a strong history of male pattern baldness.  It’s better to be safe than sorry… and so far, I think its doing its job!

So, anytime you are dealing with some type of skin or muscle condition, be it sunburn, rash, acne, various infections, sore muscles, painful joints, or just trying to maintain your youthful appearance… massage in some emu oil.  Also, if anyone is suffering from alopecia, give it a try and submit your feedback.  I would love to hear how it works for you!

The pain or discomfort that people experience can be classified into two fundamental categories:  acute and chronic.  Acute injuries are typically caused by accidents, such as spraining your ankle, whip lash from a car accident, broken ribs or impinged inter-vertebral disc from severe impact, etc.  Chronic injuries are typically caused by muscle imbalances, which can be the cause and/or the effect of poor posture and muscle overuse, as well as residual effects from acute injuries (chronic low back pain from a car accident that transpired years ago).

Regardless of symptoms, prevention is always the best medicine.  To keep your body in optimal function, it would behoove you to maintain an adequate balance of muscle strength and flexibility surround each joint.  Muscles exert tension on joints – via muscle tone, which is the low level of electrical stimulation at rest.  Having excess tension on one side and deficient tension on the opposing side will deviate bones from their normal, anatomical position.  Practical example:  many people have forward displaced shoulders (excess scapular protraction) due to tight pectoralis major (chest) and weak rhomboids/middle trapezeus which is often associated with working at a desk for prolonged periods of time.  If left unchecked, the discrepancy will perpetuate; tight musculature will get tighter and the opposing musculature will get looser and weaker, further exacerbating posture deformations.  Frequently, poor posture/muscle imbalance can cause pain in effected or associated muscle groups (stabilizers, antagonists, etc.).

General Recommendations For Resolving Pain

If you are reading this and already dealing with joint or muscle pain, there is hope.  The process will not be easy, per se, but the corrective exercises and stretching required for relief is typically not strenuous – just very technical and articulate.

Step 1

Whatever movement pattern causes pain, try not perform it.  Instead, try to find a way to massage or stretch the same muscles/connective tissue that is negatively affected.  While stretching/massaging, you may feel slight discomfort, which may be ok and to a certain extent necessary.  It is essential that you learn to create a distinction between muscle contraction pain and muscle stretching sensation.  Pain associated with muscle contraction will usually feel like a compressive force while the sensations (maybe discomfort, but not the same level of pain) caused by stretch should feel like more like an elongation force.  A good sign that you have found a safe and effective stretch/massage for your specific problem will be that the area will feel ‘lighter’, ‘relieved’, and ‘alleviated’ after the stretch.  This may not come about immediately, as effective stretches/massage may create an immediate swelling sensation once finished, but the lightness and alleviation should be present in proximity to the stretch.  Example:  After I stretch my grastronemius (calve muscle), it may throb for a moment, and then feel less tense after wards.  Try to experiment with only 1 or 2 different stretching/massage techniques as a control to discern what is helping vs. hindering.

Step 2

Once you have found a couple stretches that affect the injured muscles/connective tissue, practice them frequently throughout the day; stretching/massing the tissue for 20-60 seconds at a time.  Be aware of positive or negative signs.  Positive signs include:  immediate relief, improved range of motion/functionality, less pain, decrease in inflammation (less knots and muscle congestion – which can be felt through touch).  Negative signs include:  prolonged throbbing sensation with the onset of pain that last an unusually long time, restricted range of motion/functionality, the same amount or greater pain sensations throughout the day, increased inflammation (more knots and muscle congestion).  If positive signs persist throughout the day and provide residual relief in the following day, you are on the right track.

Step 3

Assuming that your injury is feeling better as a result of the stretching/massage, start experimenting with very light intensity exercises that stimulate the affected muscles.  Note:  this process is usually a little more challenging, as the muscles that cause pain may need to be stretched, but other related or seemingly unrelated muscles may actually need to be strengthened.  In any case, be aware of positive and negative signs.  Positive signs include:  no pain or slight aggravation of pain with decreased pain sensations with continual repetition, subsequent increased range of motion/functionality, subsequent decrease in pain.  Negative signs include:  immediate and significant aggravation of pain, no pain or slight aggravation of pain yet increases pain sensation with continual repetition, subsequent decreased range of motion/functionality, subsequent increase in pain.  You should be able to perform 15-20 reps without any significant problems.  If by practicing specific exercises produces positive signs throughout the day and provides residual relief in the following day, keep it up!

Step 4

If you have discovered safe and effective stretching/massage and exercise techniques that are consistently producing positive signs (alleviation of pain, improved range of motion/function, etc.), then continue to perform them until the injury is resolved.  If functionality, range of motion, and pain is mediated, however, not fully restored and the benefits cease, then you may need to practice strengthening additional muscle groups.  The same methodology may be employed, but finding the key muscle groups that need to be strengthened is a complex process.

Lastly, if your are dealing with pain that is so significant that it substantially affects your movement patterns, try to get it resolved immediately, either by yourself or with a qualified professional.  The human body is very smart (or incredibly stupid, depending on how you look at it) – will automatically avoid pain by alternating recruitment patterns to avoid stimulating injured muscle groups.  Although this defense mechanism is an essential function, it is meant to deter people from moving so that the body can rest, recover, and heal.  If you keep aggravating it, the other muscles that are forced to take on the additional load can experience experience overuse and lead to more injuries.

The prevention of injuries is essential.  Not only can it improve the quality of your life by enabling full functionality – pain free!  But by keeping inflammation within the body down, you can improve oxidative metabolism, thus improving fat utilization.

Ever Heard of a “Niacin Flush”?

This occurs when an individual consumes a dose of niacin that exceeds their metabolic threshold, which varies from individual to individual.  In most cases, people may experience a niacin flush by consuming 500-1,000 mg at one time – effects may be more significant if consumed on an empty stomach.  The “flush” is the consequence of excess niacin stimulating the production of prostaglandins (D2 and E2) – causing peripheral vasodilation – and histamine (which I will touch on later).  Typically, this produces drying, itchiness, and reddening of the skin.  This side effect is mild to moderate – depending on individual threshold and dosage – and may initiate within 20-60 minutes post consumption and last anywhere from 20-180 minutes (again, depending on individual factors).

Although a physical nuisance, the flushing effect of mega-dosing with niacin may have beneficial effects – though difficult to say definitively; most of the “positive effects” of niacin are anecdotal at best.  However, western science has validated the practical application of niacin supplementation in the reduction of LDL and VLDL (“bad”) cholesterol, with a concomitant increase in HDL (“good”) cholesterol.  The supression of LDL and VLDL may be attributed to the inhibiting triglyceride synthesis in the liver (1).

As I have indicated, mega-dosing with niacin has alleged ancillary health benefits among various health and fitness circles.  Many claim that the flushing effect of niacin stimulates the “detoxification of adipose tissue”.  Regardless if niacin acts on these tissues or not, the fact remains – yes, excess toxins that cannot be filtered out via liver/kidneys and eliminated via urine/feces do get stored in adipose tissue.  And if niacin does stimulate detoxification, then the itchiness that proceeds may be the consequence of elevated histamine in the circulation.  Taking this hypothetical chemical reaction a step further, histamine likely would be produced as a natural defense mechanism due to the influx of toxic substances into the blood stream that were once isolated in fat tissue.

The extent of this purported detoxification effect is speculative at best – I can find no specific research that backs up the claims – but nor would I expect it (western medicine does not care about detoxification as most drug are actual toxins themselves).  Aside from detoxification, niacin may also have positive affects on growth hormone production, particularly in combination with amino acids:  arginine, ornithine, glutamine, glycine, and lysine.  Fitness enthusiasts claim that growth hormone production is significantly improved above baseline when these supplements are taken on an empty stomach post workout.  Likewise, since the pituitary optimally produces growth hormone during sleep, perhaps supplementing with niacin and the amino acid complex prior to bedtime would be another ideal metabolic window of opportunity.  Unlike the detox, boosting growth hormone may not require the flush effect.

Lastly, niacin has also been claimed to improve/treat depression.  Actually, this is the basis for my entire discovery of niacin as a mega-dose supplement.

My Experience with Niacin

After watching the documentary film, Food Matters, and listening to the inspiring words of Andrew W. Saul (Ph.D., Therapeutic Nutrition Specialist, and author) I decided to recommend it as an additional aid to one of my clients who suffers from debilitating periods of depression (already medicated with Cymbalta).  According to Andrew Saul, the recommended dose for treating depression is 3,000 mg of niacin per day.

I do not have depression, but I figured that if I am going to be recommending it to one of my clients, I should have first hand experience with it and the prospective flushing effects.  At first I did this for integrity purposes (I very rarely recommend something I haven’t tried first), but then my supplementation became experimental as I tried to discern if their are any distinguishable health benefits.  The results…?  Certainly some potential.  But a word of caution first…

I started off somewhat fast, taking 1,000 mg three times daily.  At each dosage, I would flush for 1-2 hours, which was an uncomfortable but tolerable reaction.  Within about a week, on one particular Friday, I started to experience significant flu like symptoms:  fatigue, light dizziness, nausea, muscle aches and weakness.  This came about rather quickly, and within 2 hours of the onset, I was completely debilitated!  My body produced a constant neuromuscular pain – unlike anything else I have ever experienced before!  On Saturday, I experienced a migraine for the first time in my life!  It was excruciating… By Sunday, the migraines ceased, yet the muscular pain persisted (mostly in my upper, middle, and lower trapezeus, and posterior deltoids).  The pain was so intense I had to take pain-killers to sleep.

I tried almost everything to help speed up my recovery.  The only definitively successful treatment was electrolytes.  Once I started drinking an electrolyte powder mix, my muscle pains began to subside.  Apparently, I must have flushed them out, causing an imbalance in ionic potential that caused my nervous system to hyper-activate my muscles (well… that’s my deduced hypothesis anyway).  Once I got better, I got back on the horse and reduced my intake to 500 mg three times daily.  Be warned…

Now that things are back to normal, what I have noticed is that my keratosis pilaris and dandruff disappeared.  I have had the keratosis pilaris on my upper arms for years, and though I never really cared much about it, it never faded regardless of my diet or skin care products.  As for the dandruff, I had been experiencing flakes for several years and no amount of organic shampoos/conditioners seemed to help.  But that’s pretty much the only benefits I have noticed, for now.

If you or someone you know plans on supplementing with niacin, I highly suggest slow and gradual increases toward the coveted  mega-dosages (+1,000 mg/day).  For more information about niacin, please refer to these links:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=83

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-niacin.html

Sources

1.  Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1999 Apr; 19(4):1051-9.  Niacin accelerates intracellular ApoB degradation by inhibiting triacylglycerol synthesis in human hepatoblastoma (HepG2) cells. Jin FY, Kamanna VS, Kashyap ML.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10195935

I find in my career as a personal trainer that there are two basic types of people that regularly consume soy products:  vegetarians/vegans, and everyone else.  Vegetarians and vegans may consume soy products because they need additional protein in their diets – 9 times out of 10, soy is the default supplement.  And as for everyone else, you guys are usually consuming soy as an arbitrary preference and not as a protein necessity.

Regardless of your needs or preferences, you should seriously reconsider consuming soy.  There is a significant probability that we have all been tragically deceived by the extravagant false advertisement of the soy industry.  There are a plethora of objective assays on the deleterious health effects from soy consumption, but a large scale cash-crop motive inspires an elaborate and consistent cover up; so notorious and malicious as to be called the “Soy Conspiracy.”

If you are new to the “Soy Conspiracy” concept – as many people are calling it – please read on before writing this off as rubbish.  If you don’t like what I have to say, then at least this article will provide a basis for your debate.

The Dangers of Soy

The problems with soy are abundant and unfortunately, fundamental.  Organically grown, naturally occurring soy and derived soy products contain: trypsin inhibitors, phytoestrogens, goitrogens, phytates, and hemagglutinin.  These potentially harmful chemical compounds – as I have stated – are naturally occurring and a fundamental component of the soy plant. However, fermenting soy – a safe and common process used for centuries – deactivates many of these potentially caustic compounds.  Examples of fermented soy products are tempeh, miso, natto, and soy/tamari sauce. 

There is an abundance of literature that investigates and discloses – what I believe to be – the truth about the soy plant, its history as a cultivated crop, and its traditional use as a fermented food substance.  I will provide links at the bottom of this page for further reading, but the focus of this post will be a brief outline of the hidden dangers of soy.

Trypsin Inhibitors

The soy industry has done a fantastic job of marketing soy as a “a complete, high protein super-food“.  To our demise, this is complete bunk.  Soy may contain nearly a full array of amino acids, but it is lacking in cysteine and methionine; close, but not cigar.  Complete protein or not, it doesn’t even matter.  Why, you may ask?  Because unfermented soy products are full of naturally occurring trypsin inhibitors!

Trypsin inhibitors are chemical compounds that – as the name implies – inhibit the function of trypsin.  Trypsin is an essential enzyme that is released from the pancreas and is responsible for digesting proteins in the small intestine.  Once consumed, they can produce chronic amino acid uptake deficiency and associated gastric distress symptoms.

Think about this for a second… if soy proteins contain trypsin inhibitors, and trypsin inhibitors interfere with protein digestion/metabolism, doesn’t that contradict soy’s incessantly proclaimed high protein benefits?  High temperature processing methods and cooking can partially deactivate these trypsin inhibitors, however, fermenting soy is much more effective.

Phytoestrogens

The phytoestrogen content of soy and soy products probably accounts for the majority of the ‘raised eyebrows.’  Many of you are aware that soy has naturally occurring bio-active phytoestrogens, that – when ingested – mimic estrogen hormones within the body, regardless of age or gender.  What you may not know is their extensive deleterious effects.  The phytoestrogens consumed by unfermented soy alone can produce an excess of circulating estrogen. This poses a significant problem as excess estrogen/phytoestrogen can be linked to:

-Various cancers, such as: breast cancer, uterine cancer, prostate cancer, and brain cancer (men and women, respectively).

-Hypothyroidism and associated symptoms: loss of energy, lethargy, depression, hair loss, and fat accumulation (men and women).

-Gynecomastia (the development of breasts in men).

-Testosterone deficiency, headaches, lowered sex drive, infertility, and heart disease (men and women).

-Irregular bleeding/heavy menstruation, increased cramping, water retention, infertility, and “estrogen dominance” (women).

-Hypogonadism: Delayed and/or stunted puberty resulting in underdeveloped sexual organs and possibly hypospadias (boys).

-Premature onset and accelerated of puberty with possible future reproductive problems (girls).

Note: the hypothyroidism listed above is a consequence of the goitrogenic effect of isoflavones (the more ‘user friendly’r term for phytoestrogens).  Goitrogens are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in various foods.  When ingested, they disrupt thyroid function by blocking iodine uptake/metabolism within the thyroid gland.

I am sure the list goes on, but you get the idea.  And worst yet, the soy industry is claiming that many of the health benefits of soy are attributed to their isoflavones.  Cancer causing or not, their incessant claim that soy products can reduce cancer has NOT been clinically proven.

Phytic Acid

It is important to remember that plants are living things, and in order for plants to survive, they too need to reproduce.  Many plants contain a chemical called phytic acid within their seeds/legumes, which serves the function of storing phosphorus and delaying germination (growth) until the environment is conducive towards growth (warmth, moisture, etc.).  Coincidentally, or perhaps an evolutionary protective mechanism, phytic acid is poisonous when consumed; it inhibits mineral absorption in the small intestine.  Although phytic acid does possess antioxidant properties, it is generally considered an anti-nutrient due to its affinity for blocking the absorption of minerals: calcium, magnesium, iron and especially zinc.  Mineral deficiencies can cause a grip of various negative health affects, including: hair loss, anorexia, diarrhea, acne, impaired memory, taste, and smell; fatigue, weakness, impaired immune function, irritability, asthma, ADD, fibromayalgia, muscle spasms, migranes, diabetes, osteoporosis, etc.

As you probably have already guessed, soy beans have the highest phytic acid content of all of the legumes that have currently been studied.  Often times, soy products with be enriched with additional minerals, but thats like putting a band aid on missing limb.  Fermenting soy tends reduce the phytic acid content, but the extent is currently unknown.

Hemagglutinin

Lastly, soy contains moderate levels of a particular protein called hemagglutinin.  When ingested, hemagglutin causes red blood cells to clot together and reduces their ability to effectively bind with and carry oxygen to all of the cells of the body.  Interestingly, viruses also have this particular protein structure and function, which has been considered one of the most virulent aspects of the flu.

Aside from inhibiting oxygen delivery via blood clots, I am uncertain as to whether soy gemagglutinin actually suppresses the immune system comparable to that of the flu.  Regardless, fermentation – yet again – seems to remedy this problem.

The Conspiracy

The egregious chasm between health promotion and health commotion is the driving force of the highly probable soy conspiracy.

Since the industrial revolution, soy protein has been a waste product from the extraction of soy oil.  Soy oil has been used for decades as “vegetable oil”, “margerine”, “shortening”, etc., while the soy protein waste was predominantly used as feed for live stock.

Up until 1975, the leftover soy protein was predominantly used as feed for live stock. However, a cap was placed on animal intake as only so much soy protein could be tolerated until animals started experiencing serious health and reproductive problems.  And so began the target for human consumption.  Yet, unfortunate for soy manufacturers, soy protein had a stigma for being a “poverty” or – at best – “hippie” food.

This all changed in 1975 when a marketing guru of the United Soybean Board developed a comprehensive – false – promotion of soy products as an ‘upscale health food.’  The United Soybean Board aggressively lobbied in Washington and invested millions in self interest “medical research”.  Then in May, 1998, with the joint effort of the Dupont’s Protein Technologies International, petitions were submitted to the FDA to condone various health claims with inconsistent or non-existent scientific research.

According to FDA’s mission statement, the petition should have been denied on the basis of an apparent lack of scientific data.  But the FDA – presumably under the influence of lobbyist campaign funds – violated its own regulations, edited the petition and and sped up the executive process by reducing the time in which members of the public could protest (from ____ to 30 days).  The FDA knowingly disregarded the protest of top scientists at the FDA’s own National Center of Toxicological Research (and from other experts in the field) on the evident dangers of soy.

Soon after, health claims of lowering cholesterol, decreasing heart disease, lowering risk of specific cancers, improving osteoporosis, etc., began to emerge as intrinsic benefits from the consumption of soy.  Almost audaciously, specific health claims were often attributed to the isoflavones (phytoestrogens).

How is this possible? It’s big business as usual.  “Soy foods are one of the fastest growing sectors in the food industry with retail sales growing from $0.852 billion to $3.2 billion during the decade from 1992 to 2002.  In order to accomplish this, the soy industry had to convince a lot of people that soy is good for them.  To do that they’ve had to cover up and suppress a lot of evidence to the contrary”, says Dr. Daniel, author of the book The Whole Soy Story.

Soy is quite possibly a huge cash crop, and this becomes even harder to dispute when you consider it’s “hidden ingredient” application.  As a hidden ingredient, soy can have aliases (“vegetable oil”, “textured vegetable protein”, etc.), or be simply undeclared (not listed on the label).  Functionally, added soy can improve texture, enhance flavor, emulsify fats/oils, etc., and is reported to be found within 60% of conventional foods.

What to Do:

My suggestion to you is this: stay away from soy! Its absolute avoidance is not necessary (and nearly impossible), yet a upper limit intake of 36 grams of soy protein per day is advised. However, if you are allergic to soy, you must practice great caution in discerning which foods/products have trace amounts of soy.  Soy is considered to be among the top 4 common allergens, and the least bit can cause severe adverse reactions in those that are sensitive.

As a Good Samaritan bonus, share this information with your friends and family to help them improve the health of themselves and especially their children.  When I go to the grocery store and see a mother/father buying soy milk for their children, I take the time and consideration to explain the dangers of soy consumption, offer references for their own research, and say “you’re welcome”, because they almost always say “Thank you so much!  I had no idea…”

References and Links

Effects of Soy on Health Outcomes

Beware of the Toxicity of Soy Products

Good Soy is No Soy

1979:  FDA’s Approval of Soy Protein Isolate

The Soy Conspiracy

Estrogen Dominance

Dangers of Excess Estrogen in Men

Sans Soy!

There is a particular reality that needs to be acknowledged, and that is that for many of us, our finances are tighter than what we would like them to be. So maybe, for some of us, hiring that miracle-working Personal Trainer to help get back on track is a little out of the price range. But not to worry, there are plenty of creative and cost effective ways to stay in shape, and even break through existing plateaus without breaking the bank. But before I get into the good stuff, it is important to acknowledge the unequivocal maker or breaker of fitness achievements… and that is motivation.

Got Motivation?
Motivation is a very interesting and dynamic concept. For some of us, motivation works extrinsically (from the outside-in): receiving rewards; money, praise – or in some cases, derision – can provide a sense of empowerment (or in the case of derision, a chance to prove yourself). For others, motivation works intrinsically (from the inside-out): personally creating a tangible feeling of appreciation, passion, and/or a heightened sense of value that can really get you excited about something. Respectively, from my professional and personal experiences, I believe that being intrinsically motivated is much more powerful, self-sufficient, and is more likely to be associated with long term results, despite the endeavor.

So then, how does someone that is not easily intrinsically motivated about exercise, get the proper motivation? Million dollar question. And I wish I had a simple answer for you, but the perfect piece of inspiring advice for each individual is just as unique as the individual themselves. And since everybody is different in their own unique way (in this case, tragically), the most appropriate answer would be… find out what inspires you. Not by fear. Not by marketing trickery. Not by false promises. But by pure, innate passion. Tapping into what you are passionate about can be extremely empowering, and that energy can be harnessed for anything. I will explain more later, but first, let me share an interesting story with you.

A great client and friend of mine once told me (and repeatedly reminds me in the most entertaining stories) “I have a small brain that is easily amused…” Now before you jump to any perverted conclusions, let me clarify what this simple belief means. His statements, “…small brain, easily amused…”, always puts a smile on my face because it reminds me of how we tend to complicate simple pleasures in life. What do I mean by that? It took some training and patience, but eventually I learned to enjoy the simple pleasure of exercise; not just the results that it gave me, but the shear pleasure of doing it! And like my friend, I too have developed (or is it un-developed?) a “small brain, easily amused”, and express that by sharing my simple achievements in life with whoever is willing to listen! Now, if you do decide to give this a try more often – possibly as a little habit in life – It’s important to note that it may be beneficial to share your little achievements in life with people that will humor you, and not get jealous or annoyed. That could be bad.

There are many simple pleasures to be acknowledged and shared! Another personal example, I learned to enjoy the simple pleasure of studying and working hard to get good grades in college. Again, let me point out a critical detail and distinction: I have always enjoyed getting good grades, but it took some work, patience, and diligence to learn to appreciate and enjoy the process. See, this is where simple things get complicated. Often times, especially as Americans, we complicate things by focusing on the end results; focusing on the results/rewards (extrinsic thinking), instead of the process/work (intrinsic thinking). And things get even worse when we are result oriented, and we don’t get what we want… For the extrinsic thinker, this particular situation can be more devastating, compared to that of the intrinsic thinker. Staying motivated absolutely may require a mind frame of NOT what happens to you, but rather, what you do about what happens.

Tying this all into to exercise and fitness is simple… well, at least on a conceptual level. Learn to enjoy the process. Learn to enjoy the work. Learn to enjoy the challenge, the struggle, the sweat, and the soreness associated with exercise! And coincidentally, or perhaps as a prerequisite, learn to enjoy sharing your simple achievements with someone else with a “simple brain, easily amused.”