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Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category

January 27th, 2019

Blog, Cycling

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Food for Life: Actively Advocating for Traffic Safety in the MA State House

Distracted driving, especially texting and driving, is killing an average of nine people a day in the US. That’s horrible for both those hit by cars and drivers themselves who have to live with the consequences of a completely avoidable life-taking crash.

It was therefore a great day last Wednesday in the Massachusetts State House joining my good buds at MassBike and a dedicated core of fellow proponents from Liveable Streets, Walk Boston, Best Buddies, Text Less Live More, Crash Not Accident, AAA, and many more advocating for legislation intended to decrease pedestrian and cyclist traffic-related injuries and deaths.

Though many of the bills have been on the books for years, the key to success this legislative session is leadership support. That support was clearly evident Wednesday when Governor Charlie Baker, pictured above, and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, just to the left of the table, stood out front, shoulder-to-shoulder in support of both legislators’s bills and their own comprehensive traffic safety bill. Those bills include SD. 847: An Act to Reduce Traffic Fatalities, a bill sponsored by regular State House cycling commuter Sen. William Brownsberger along with a house bill sponsored by active cyclist Rep. Dave Rogers, seen at the lectern below, as well as other bills that do not yet have links as the legislative session has just begun.

You can, however, stay updated by checking in on the Massachusetts Legislative website and clicking the “Bills” section shown with the arrow below.

Massachusetts, always the leader in revolution, is primed for revolutionary traffic law change intended to save lives on the road across the board. If you’re a Massachusetts resident, please advocate with your representative and senator for support of these much-needed bills. Together we can make a real difference to those on the road and those loving those on the road!

January 21st, 2019

Blog, Cycling Food, Fitness Food, Poultry, Seasonal/Holiday Recipes

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Roast Turkey – Warm, Fully Flavorful Feast Any Day

With all that it has to offer: its signature warm smell while it roasts, terrific comforting flavor fresh out of the oven, incredible leftover versatility, and much more, especially when it’s cold out, why have roasted turkey just on Thanksgiving?

I’ve roasted two turkeys since Thanksgiving: one to have leftovers at home after Thanksgiving, which I’m still enjoying in portions out of the freezer, and another to prepare for a Bicycles Battling Cancer dinner at the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge in Boston last week.

If you’ve never roasted a turkey, you might think it’s a real chore.

It isn’t. In fact, it’s stress-free easy.

The keys to roasting a turkey beautifully successfully are roasting the turkey without stuffing (which otherwise will lead you to overcook the bird to cook the stuffing safely), using a meat thermometer, and doing most of the roasting with the turkey’s most delicate meat, the breast meat, cooked out of direct contact with the heat, which means roasting the bird mostly breast side down as shown in the top left picture below.

Click either this link or any picture on this page for complete, easy to follow fully flavorful stress-free roast turkey directions.

December 9th, 2018

Blog, Mind Food, News, Videos

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Truth About Cell Phone and Wireless Radiation Video

There are more than 5 billion cell phones and well over 7.2 billion mobile devices in world. The number of those devices collectively has shot from zero to more than the number of people on Earth in just 30 years.

I came to the cell party a bit late ten years ago, and I’ve since been a big fan. I can talk with people just about anywhere on the planet – instantly. I can look up facts with incredible speed. My phone’s my go-to device to learn foreign languages – everyday – and there’s much more.

But what about the health risks associated with these devices? After all, mobile device technology is an offshoot of radar and microwave technology, and we know that direct exposure to electromagnetic energy is not what the surgeon general recommends.

I’ve search just a bit for mobile device health related information online – I just did that again now – and have found nothing more than “research continues with no conclusive proof”.

Sound familiar?

Then, last night I watched a much more conclusive video delivered by renowned Phd. epidemiologist, Dr. Devra Davis, who was one of the key drivers pushing for the smoking ban on airlines. To me, Dr. Davis’s 2015 video, “The Truth About Mobile Phone and Wireless Radiation”, comes with the same wake up punch as UCSF pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Robert Lustig’s eye opening 2009 “Sugar: The Bitter Truth” video about the severely negative health effects of sugar.

That video significantly changed my life.

The most significant consideration to bear in mind regarding mobile devices is that their energy does not treat all ages and sexes equally. Kids are most vulnerable, and men women are affected differently.

I already barely use my cell phone directly with my head. I use wired ear buds instead or talk on speaker phone. Beyond that, I’ll now make sure to keep my phone out of my pocket whenever I can.

Please give the video a look and then make up your own mind about how you plan to interact with your mobile devices.

All the best,

November 12th, 2018

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Anti-inflammatory Recipes, Blog, Cycling Food, Nutrition, Salads & Salad Dressings

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Anti-Inflammatory Fresh Ginger Cilantro Kefir Salad Dressing Picture Book Recipe

If you’re an athlete or physically active at all, you know how inflammation exhibited in joint or muscle pain inhibits how you move your body. Inflammation is also a key contributor to diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and much more.

The very easy to make, fully-flavorful fresh low fat salad dressing you see here goes great on any salad as shown below – or anything savory – and contains kefir (a good bacteria, yogurt-like fermented milk drink), fresh garlic, fresh ginger, fresh cilantro, ground turmeric, mustard, apple cider vinegar, ground black pepper, and honey – all of which are rich with anti-inflammatory benefits.

Life Changer: Sugar’s Bitter Truth Video and More

Last post showed how to make killer flavorful fresh lemonade using either the traditional amount of sugar, 2 tablespoons of sugar with 2 ounces of lemon juice, or with less sugar using a mixture of 2 teaspoons sugar and 1/3 teaspoon stevia (plant derived sweetener) for that same 2 ounces of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Why the sugar-reduced version?

As I’ve mentioned before, until 5 to 6 years ago I thought using as much sugar as I wanted was fine as long as I kept my weight down and stayed in good shape – not always easy. I’d have sugar in cereal, put it in my fruit pancakes, pour 2 tablespoons in every cup of coffee I drank, and much more – until I saw a stop-me-in-my-tracks video – and read the suggested book in that video.The video (nearly 8 million views – for good reason!), which you can see by clicking the title here or picture above – Sugar: The Bitter Truth, by UCSF Pediatric Endocrinologist Dr. Robert Lustig. The book – Pure, White and Deadly, by Dr. John Yudkin.Both the video and book had an immediate, profoundly positive effect on me. I cut back to almost no added sugar in everything I ate, which, admittedly was a struggle for the first month or so. Now I use sugar only in very limited, conscious doses, and I feel better for it physically and mentally.

I very much wish the same for you!

August 19th, 2018

Blog, Cycling, Cycling Food, Drinks, Drinks (no alcohol), Reduced Sugar

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Turning Lemons into Lemonade: Figuratively and Literally

First, the figurative lemon. I recently became part-owner of VOmax, makers of custom design performance sportswear. When my new business partner, Raj Singh, took ownership at the beginning of the year, the company was dysfunctional. Business was down. Morale was low.

Our objective as new owners: transform the company from dysfunction to excellence. Easy to say, hard to do. But even in dark times, there’s usually a bright side – and, in our case, quite a few of them.

We started right away promoting excellence in our products and service – always a dynamic process. On the personnel front, we recently hired a new graphic artist, Fred Crisp – excellent talent, positive attitude, and terrific eye for detailed art/design. Then, just last month, we hired an outstanding merchandiser and production manager with lifelong experience in the apparel business and fresh PhD, Charm Rammandala – you bet, he’s a charm!

We’ve also retained and added to our skilled, highly talented core of technicians on our factory floor, who expertly put all our products together with loving care. Love makes a family. The new VOmax is our family, and all of us are now fully alive exuding, “You’ve never seen us like this before!” pride.

Now, for the literal lemon and how to turn it into fresh lemonade. Just click this link or picture below for a complete, easy to follow step-by-step picture book recipe that shows how to do that both with the traditional amount of sugar and also with reduced sugar – that’s the way I have it now. Great stuff!

Bottom line: no matter how sour the lemon, there’s always a way to turn that bad boy around to something positively sweet.

June 6th, 2018

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Blog, Cycling, Cycling Food, Running, Running Food

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A Friend’s Genuine Cancer Note and Fresh Ginger Mint Tea – Super Easy Hot or Cold

The tea you see above: great stuff I drink just about everyday and look forward to after rides preparing for a now annual Bicycles Battling Cancer, Ride to Remember, and other rides that add charitable purpose to my daily joy of cycling – and now, running.

Regarding cancer charity efforts, I’m not a big Facebook guy, but last year about this time a Westborough friend I’ve known since our kids were in elementary school laid down a post that, as soon as I read the first few words, made me want to read what you see below, all of which she wrote beautifully.

“After chemotherapy treatment, it’s true that it takes years to feel alive… with the side effects of the chemotherapy and radiation, you will never be back to 100% because of the weakened immune system.
Sure, in the most difficult moments of life you realize who your real friends are or the people who really appreciate you.

Unfortunately, like most friendships, FB friends will leave you in the middle of a story. They’ll publish an “enjoyed” for the story, but unfortunately they don’t really read your message when they see it’s long.

More than half may have stopped reading. Some may have gone to the next post on your news feed.

I have decided to publish this message in support of the families of friends and relatives who have fought this terrible disease until the end…

Now, I focus on those who take the time to read this message until the end… a little test, if you like, just to see who reads, and who shares it without reading.

If you’ve already read everything, choose “like” so I can thank you on your profile.

Cancer is a very invasive and destructive enemy of our bodies. After the end of the treatment, the body remains devastated. Recovery from the damage caused by the treatment of the disease is a very long process.

Please, in honor of a family member or a friend who died of cancer, or still fighting cancer, copy and paste this as a post on your FB.

How many times have we heard others say: “if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me, I’ll be there to help you”. so i bet most people who saw this post (maybe even Reading until the end) will publish, to show your support to the family / friend who can wrestle.

Copy and paste – do not share this message.

I’d like to know who I can count on to take a minute of your day and really read this. When you finish this, you write “done” in the comments. Done for a friend.”

That was the post: clear and written with true courage and strength. I can’t tell you I know what it’s like or how she feels. All I can do is offer help to enable you to empower yourself to take charge of your life by enjoying life-promoting foods – there are tons of them that taste amazingly good – and promoting moving your body. Diet and exercise are the two primary contributors to improved quality of life and disease prevention.

Here’s a recipe for ginger mint tea that I drink daily – sure, I vary the flavor by adding other anti-inflammatory ingredients, just as you can.

Ride, run, and, most importantly, live on!

June 3rd, 2018

Blog, Cycling Food, Fitness Food, Grains

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Quinoa Power Bar Picture Book Recipe

Not too long ago, I came upon a recipe for rice cakes (nothing like the puck-shaped, crunchy variety you find on grocery shelves) put together by pro-cycling Team Sky nutritionist Nigel Mitchell to sustain top world-class athletes on long rides. Here’s a shot of Nigel’s rice cake recipe along with…

Nigel Mitchell's Team Sky Rice Cakes Recipe

Whole Grain Pancakes, Part Negative 1 – In Pictures

Memory’s a great thing, especially when you forget.

I’ve been posting a series of cycling training foods for the Bicycles Battling Cancer ride coming up June 10th out of Marlborough, MA, and thought it’d be great to put together a whole grain pancake made with some leftover brown rice, steel cut oats, and bulgur wheat I’d made recently.

And that’s exactly what I did yesterday morning, combining an egg, vanilla extract, the whole grains I just mentioned, ground cinnamon, and raisins. – all to come up with this -…

…not quite a cohesive pancake. No problem. Next time, I told myself, “Just add some flour and maybe some nut butter”. Should work great.

And then I checked my notes while putting this post together and saw I’d actually made and shot a pancake exactly like that with all parts in place called “Improvised Chewy Whole Grain Pancakes” last August. Excellent!

So, why show what I did today here? Because even fails can taste great. I just put what I had in the pan in a bowl and topped that with a spoon of almond-peanut butter, some quickly cooked apple-mango-cranberry topping, dried fruit, kefir, ground flaxseed, and a shot of honey.

All good and plenty of fuel to keep me going for a 30+ mile good-paced training ride on the bike. Next time: the recipe I forgot to remember – all in pictures.

May 14th, 2018

Blog, Breakfast, Cereal, Cycling Food, Fitness Food

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Supercharged Oatmeal – Great Training Fuel!

Here’s how to vary the flavor and supercharge oatmeal by adding protein and some fat to keep you fueled and satisfied for any kind of endurance athletic or physically demanding activity. First, though, a couple quick notes:

1. Flavor and taste – most important – are exceptionally personal. The ingredients you see below work great together – for me – but my taste is not your taste. For example, you’ll see in the picture below that I use plain nonfat Greek yogurt, which I love for its flavor, thick texture, and high protein content. You, however, might not like Greek yogurt – or any yogurt at all for that matter – and that’s ok. Skip it, replace it with something else – and do the same for any other ingredient you see below to make your simple to exciting oatmeal all yours. Read more »