Regarding health, wouldn't it be better to build a fence at the top of a cliff than park an ambulance at the bottom? -Dr. Dennis Burkett [1] Modern (allopathic) medicine is an extraordinary use of applied science, that has produced many benefits in treating injury and disease. Coronary bypass surgery, for example, is a procedure … Continue reading Healthy Aging With a Preventive Medicine Specialist →

I worked pretty hard on my blood pressure since my bad reading at my new doctor's office last week. Measures I took included : cut back on exercise volume and intensity a bit (possible overtraining)stop taking phenylephrineremember to drink more water (being slightly dehydrated can drive up blood pressure)do a better job at quality of … Continue reading BP Follow-up- Improving But Not There Yet →

My new Doctor is very thorough with preventative screening, so she sent my off to the PT to get a gait evaluation. This is seems a like a bit of overkill since I'm so active, but it does provide a baseline to compare against in the future. Also I did have to get my rotator … Continue reading Passed My Gait Evaluation! →

"Of all that is wonderful in the human being, our most glorious asset is the capacityto change ourselves." - Eknath Easwaran Philosophers argue about whether we have free will. The thought that we might not is understandable because people often behave compulsively rather than rationally, and then "rationalize" poor decisions afterward. For me this has … Continue reading Changing For The Better →

Up until last week we were woefully short on rain, less than 3 inches so far this season (dating back to October). But we had a really good week of several storms in a row. Officially Morgan hill got 6 inches of rain last week, though my rain gauge read 7. This puts us close … Continue reading The Green Hills Are Back, and So is My Trek →

“The mantra becomes one’s staff of life, and carries one through every ordeal.” - Mahatma Gandhi This refers to the continuous repetition of a mantra throughout the day, called Japa in the Hindu tradition, but also practiced in other traditions. The breath is also used for the equivalent purpose. A mantra or the breath helps … Continue reading The Breath or a Mantra as Mindfulness Aids →

This is my latest challenge. I found out I have pretty significant hypertension (elevated blood pressure), . This occurred at my new doctors office (general practitioner). I have had "white coat disease" in the past, where BP reading is elevated in the doctors office, but when I go home it's fine. So when I got … Continue reading New Blood Pressure Adventure →

https://www.outsideonline.com/2410181/masters-marathoners-physiology-research At the Frankfurt Marathon in October 2019, Irishman Tommy Hughes set an impressive age group record of 2:27 for the marathon, at 59. He also set a combined father-son time record of 4:59 when his son Eoin finished in 2:31. The combined time might have been a little better if Eoin had trained as hard as … Continue reading Cool Data From Record-Setting Older Marathoner →

It's supposed to rain multiple times this week which is great because we need it. I headed out to the hills West of Morgan Hill while the weather is still nice. I love the country roads out there, and it is nice to have them so close. This was a pleasant ramble of about 90 … Continue reading Longer Ride Out in The Country Before the Next Rains Hit →

Getting out in nature is a great antidote for the “hustle and bustle” of modern life. Just a stroll in a local park will do, or a jaunt in a wilder or more “unmanicured” natural setting is even better. I strive to do get a dose of this at least once a day. It doesn't … Continue reading The Healing Power of Nature →