Running the risk of being extremely unpopular, I'm going to dedicate this page to health-related issues. I've always been one to help debunk misinformation and promote THE REAL STORY. If you don't want to learn anything about health, or you don't really care, then I ask that you stop reading. However, I'd like to believe that you'd want yourself (and friends, employees, & family members) to be healthy. My agenda is this: to inform my audience. I'm not selling anything.

So why be healthy? Why even bother? Well, do you like being sick? Do you like being tired? Part of being truly healthy isn't having to worry about those sorts of things. For the longest time, I've had a chronic cough. See, I've got year-round allergies (I bet that some of you do, too). Shots didn't help (I hate needles anyway), drugs didn't help, and living in the husk of the Silicorn Valley certainly didn't help. Every year, without fail, I would get sick with bronchitis. It would last for a few weeks and strike me any time between Fall and Spring. Let me tell you, phlegm isn't fun. But what could I do to stop it?

I thought I was eating right. I thought I was getting a decent amount of exercise. I thought I knew what I was supposed to do. I've always had problems with my ears, nose, and throat (since birth). I figured there was nothing I could do to stop from being sick or coughing all the time. Heck, even people who constantly work out and "do the right thing" get sick. So, I assumed that my sickness & allergies were just a part of human nature. KEY WORD: assumed.

When the media shoves all these "great" products down our throats, we eventually accept their stories as gospel truth. Most mainstream articles are based on heresay and conjecture, not solid science fact. Just about everything you see in the grocery store is "low-fat". Or, worse yet, contains an artificial sweetener. Let me ask you these questions: do you HONESTLY THINK that humans evolved on low-fat, processed foods? And, do you think there's a direct correlation between your diet and your health? Keep your answers in mind as this page progresses; I'm trying to open your eyes to something big here.

This isn't a diet. Forget diets. This is a dietary change.

On The Rise

When I was student teaching, every other kid was diagnosed with a behavioral problem. Don't believe me? Ask your "teacher" friends. If kids aren't jumping out of their seats, they're semi-sedated with drugs. This isn't every child, but there's enough of them around for there to be a national (American) problem. I would have been the poster child for Ritalin, quite possibly for the same reasons.

An alarming number of kids AND adults are overweight. Some would say it's because of the lack of activity, but let's try another approach just for a second: what do we eat? For breakfast, we load up with sugar-injected low-fat fruit juice and a low-fat granola bar (or cereal). For lunch, we grab a low-fat sandwich, some low-fat potato chips, and a can of pop. For a snack, we pig out on a few cookies and a can of pop. For dinner, we eat potato, rice, or pasta casseroles with other low-fat trimmings. Oh, and possibly another can of pop. Later on, we might grab some low-fat popcorn. Nothing wrong with that, right? Then why is most of America overweight with a plethora of health problems?

I'm not a physician, nutritionist, physiologist, or pharmacist, but now I'm starting to question why I was gaining weight, getting sick, and constantly feeling lousy for the last fifteen years of my life. Some would say I wasn't eating enough low-fat stuff--but that was ALL I was eating. Some would say I was snacking too much--but I was hungry... when you're hungry, you eat. Some would say I wasn't exercising right--but isn't 30 minutes every day ENOUGH? I listened to the officials, as most of us do. I got scared when a new study would come out. Hey, let me relate this to you in geek's terms: Just because Windows 98 sold the most copies doesn't mean it's the best operating system out there. Get my drift?

I'm a few paragraphs closer to bringing all this information together for you (stick with me). I'm not selling anything, either. I'm just tired of seeing people waste their lives and time on CRAP. My eyes were opened for the first time a few months back, and I've been a better man ever since. I'm thrilled to be able to share this kind of info with you guys & gals. And here's the kicker: it ain't new and it ain't revolutionary. It's science. It's been around for quite a long time, but the media has chosen to ignore it. Go figure.

The Enemy

For years, everyone claimed that there was "good" and "bad" cholesterol. However, recently the same individuals are figuring out that there wasn't any problem in the first place. You could eat more or less, and the levels are going to stay (for the most part) the same. My dad is taking a drug for high cholesterol, but he hadn't eaten any cholesterol-rich foods for YEARS. Quite odd if you think about it. We're also "fed" this line: when you eat fat, you get fat. Oh really? Hrm... then why is it that those people who avoid fatty things wind up getting fat? If we're not eating fat, where's it coming from? Let's go back to seventh grade science for a moment, people.

We eat one of three things: fats, proteins, or carbohydrates. Ooooh, that last term sounds scientific. Well, it's nothing more than a fancy term for SUGAR. That's right, a carbohydrate (simple or complex) is a sugar. Your body treats sugar as it treats a carbohydrate. Here's where it gets real scary, folks (and yes, this SHOULD scare you): we're carbovores. We're led to believe that carbohydrates are good for us, that they're great to live on, and should be the main part of our diet. Oh really?

Why is adult-onset diabetes on the rise? Do you know someone who has it? Why are most people I see more than a few pounds overweight (yes, even here in Iowa)? That's not right, gang. Our bodies weren't designed to live off of junk. And don't think that just because you don't touch junk food that you're not eating junk. You're not likely to eat a candy bar before you head off to work? But did you know that a single bagel has *6* teaspoons of sugar!? C'mon people, something's definitely not right here. This is just the TIP of the iceberg...

Now, if you're a long distance runner, you're going to need those carbos. If you're constantly moving around and being active, you're going to need those carbos. But how many of you run marathons every day? Your body doesn't need to have carbohydrates, and if anyone tells you otherwise, they're basically saying that they don't want you to burn fat. That's not a joke, gang--that's science. Don't go to magazine articles for your answers, don't turn to your local nutritionist--go straight to the biological sources and look.

And before you start screaming: "but, my doctor says..." ask yourself what does SCIENCE say. Ask yourself what hasn't worked for you and millions of other people. This is an epidemic, and I'm trying to set the record straight for all of you Lockergnomies, overweight or not. Fat is just a "small" part of the larger problem: your health. And that's what I'm trying to wake you guys & gals up to.

If you're a doctor, I ask that you hear me out. If you don't agree, that's fine. All I know is that I'm ABSOLUTELY LIVID at being lied to for all these years. Who wouldn't be? And if you don't want to believe what I'm going to be telling you in a couple of paragraphs, that's fine, too. But I can't sit back and let this stuff go on without saying something about it. You guys & gals know me--I'm all about high-quality stuff. Believe me, I'm going to be showing you the real deal. And again, I'm not the one selling it, I'm just letting you know about it. You can make decisions on your own (and you should). Consult your doctor, but don't expect to get the same answer from him/her as you might from another doctor. You can always get a second, third, fourth, etc. opinion, but... what are you really in search of? True answers.

Sick of it

When I was married in October, I weighed a little over 160 pounds. I stand about 5'5" and have always "hidden" my fat well. Losing fat has always been a struggle for me, and I had tried everything for YEARS. My parents have been overweight for most of my life, and I knew I was headed in the same direction. Every year, I had to get a new pair of jeans... sound familiar? My mom constantly works out nowadays, but she's been stuck at the same weight forever. She eats "healthy". Ya know, all that "good" low-fat stuff. If it was low-fat, then why is she (and the rest of the world) not?

I tried the treadmill. I tried the exercise videos. I tried the diets. I tried the pills. I tried the diet shakes. I tried the herbs. I tried the vitamins & minerals... just like the rest of "you". Of course, I always wound up at ground zero, and I could never figure out WHY. Nobody can figure out WHY. Nobody can answer WHY. Some tell others what they "do" but they don't have an answer for YOU. They don't have a solution for YOU. They say that "you can be healthy" with these great products, but they don't bother to tell you WHY. Well, I'm a curious sort, and I always wanna know WHY.

I'm not taking a miracle drug, I'm not eating less calories, and I'm certainly not doing what a majority of Americans are doing. My eyes are open, and they'll forever be open. Hopefully, by the end of this page, you'll at least KNOW about the "other" side of the story.

At this point, I'm not listening to the "professionals". They've missed the mark for so many years, and I'm finally getting my life back in control by NOT listening to what they've been saying. Lockergnome is known for giving YOU control over YOUR own computer, and now I'm going to try to help you get your life back in control as well. I want you to be alive for DECADES with me. Fear and misinformation keep these urban legends going. I'm doing my best to stop it.

One Solution

Let me AGAIN say that I'm not selling anything. My agenda is this: to inform my audience. In October, I read a book that (quite literally) saved my life. It explained why we're overweight, why we're unhealthy, and most importantly, what every one of us can do about it. At this time, I hope your life is in nobody's hands but your own. You haven't seen this on TV, and chances are, you've never thought of trying something like this until now. This is a long term solution--and it works 24/7, 365 days a year.

Brian Scott Peskin, a life-systems scientist (and professor), wrote "Beyond The Zone". I heard him talking on a local radio show with Jan Michelson (a well-respected local Lockergnomie). He was talking about all these "radical" (and not-so-new) health issues and telling us that just about everything that we were lead to believe has been a lie. Nobody likes to be wrong, so I don't even expect most of you to understand and assimilate the information he has provided.

Again, gang... this book SAVED my life. I've lost the fat I haven't needed, I've lost the cough I've always had, and I'm finding that with every passing day, I have more energy and am feeling more healthy. It's what Brian calls the Foundation of Radiant Health. And yes, he sells natural products, too. But, I suggest you read the book first. YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK, even if you "don't read books". I've been doing it, and I've met others who have been doing it. The results are nothing short of phenomenal.

I believe that EVERYONE needs to know about this. I don't care who you are or where you live. You can order the book directly at 1-888-432-0001 (they're open 8-3 CST on weekdays). If they're not in, you can leave a "message"--but I suggest waiting to talk to a real person during their operational hours. Tell them that I sent you--feel free to ask them questions. If you need a contact there, ask for Renda--a very sweet, classy lady who has answered my questions many times over the phone. Or, if you don't have any other preliminary questions, you can get it from Barnes & Noble! This book is an investment for your family's future--it's worth it's weight in gold for the information it contains inside. Solid research that stretches back over 100 years. Trust me, you'll be just as angry as I was when you start noticing the things that I've started to notice in society. They just put a Web page up, too! Head over to RadiantHealth.org.

If you choose not to order the book, then at least try to curb your carbohydrate consumption and get your EFAs (essential fatty acids, otherwise known as Omega 3 and Omega 6). This won't kill you!! If somebody tells you about the "harm" this kind of dietary change does, why don't you take a serious look at how healthy THEY are. When they say that "ketosis is bad" they're telling you that you weren't designed to lose weight. Period. Think back to the first questions I asked you at the top of this page. Did the caveman evolve on food that came from boxes? What do you think the human body was designed to live on? Why do you think America has so many health problems today? Why? Just about every day for the last four months, I've had 3 eggs fried in REAL butter, 3 strips of REAL bacon, a couple slices of cheese, and soda water for breakfast. I'm usually not hungry for lunch, and when dinner rolls around, I typically have a good slice of meat and other low-carb trimmings. No joke--all that and I've lost 30 pounds of fat (losing no muscle). But I'm getting unadulterated EFAs, too... those are important (Omega 3 & 6).

Brian answered my questions with his book. He's the Lockergnome of health, gang. Please, take my words to heart--I'm trying to open the door for you guys & gals. I wanted long-term scientific solutions... and I found them (and thankfully so have others). If any other Lockergnomie has read this book and can relate, please let me know. When you finally do read the book, again, let me know. This is your next Lockergnome challenge: to become informed. Even if you don't believe, at least the information was sitting in front of you. SALUD!

The Book

Some of you wanted to know a bit more about what's inside the book and what makes it different from others. First off, Brian goes straight to the original sources (he doesn't rely on second-hand information). He also presents stuff that has been proven over and over again--that's the science of the situation. Beyond The Zone isn't a diet plan, and it doesn't tell you what to eat. However, it gives you a better idea about what types of foods to eat. He's talking about a major nutritional deficiency in America, and he tackles that subject head-on.

His ideas are "radical", but they're anything but new. If you don't believe me, do a search on the Internet for other low-carb resources. Brian's surely not the only one in the game, but in my opinion, he's the only one who understands the complete picture and offers a comprehensive solution. While most would stop at the "losing fat" part, Brian takes you BEYOND that. For instance, he explains that calcium isn't that great for you (believe it or not). Homogenization ain't good, hydrogenized oils ain't good, trans-fats ain't good, chemicals ain't good, irradiation ain't good, artificial sweetners ain't good. The list goes on and on...

His book should enable you to UNDERSTAND the science of your body. That's what I like about it. He offers a unique and root-level insight which I didn't find with Adkins, Sears, and the other low-carb activists. If nothing else, you're going to gain a new perspective on this thing, gang. He spends a lot of time covering the important role of EFAs in your body (Omega 3 and Omega 6). The other authors (that I know of) do not, and this is a very important part of the puzzle. And don't think you're getting them in the food you're already eating--they've been destroyed through extensive processing. Yes, even meats are processed to the point where they have no more EFAs for your body to use. If you walk away learning nothing else from this page, then at LEAST find a source for unadulterated EFAs!!!

Peskin offers products called "The Foundation of Radiant" health. Yes, I take them daily. They're 100% natural--no chemicals added. I get my minerals (coupled with amino acids), my EFAs, as well as a nifty herbal tonic (which is the thing that pretty much cured my cough). You can make up your own mind (again, this is my life, and this is what I'm choosing to do with it). Look around you before making any decisions, though. Look at the obesity, the health problems, the stranglehold the drug industry has on our lives, the chemicals in our food... and more importantly, our children. I'm not asking you to believe me or believe anything you read--I'm just asking you to at least think about this stuff.