Hope Unfiltered: Just the Basics

One of the greatest theological virtues is that of Hope. The month of October was full of chaos in a way that almost caused people to be paralyzed in fear, further driving division and destruction into the world. However, I can find a small thread being woven through everyone right now and that is the desire of Hope. It has been said that Hope is the anticipation of that which is yet to happen. Fo...

In 1934, BJ Palmer stated: "the only thing permanent is change...progress is evolution....growth is a flight of stairs." When I think about the pursuit of health, the immediate image that comes to mind is bland food pyramids from the FDA, cheesy commercials on TV, and the latest drug to help us curb our gluttony as westerners. Quick fixes and lies is the best description I can give. Howe...

When you pursue anything worthwhile, especially regarding health, there are two statements that can almost be considered a principle of the task. First: it is going to take a long time. Second: expect setbacks to happen. However, there are a vast majority of people who have been conditioned to believe otherwise by mainstream media. The people who we are "supposed to trust because they are an...

Over the last few weeks, I have developed a slight curiosity with J.R.R. Tolkien - the author. Many of you will recognize the name from his writing of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings." A podcast I listen to on a rather frequent basis featured a professor who spoke for 3 hours about his character as a man and how that provided for him the opportunity to craft the world o...

For the majority of history, humanity has communicated using stories. Stories that have been passed down between generations. Stories of our own lives and personal history. Stories of challenges we faced and stories of challenges we lost. What is most important about the story format, in my opinion, is a two fold answer. First, they give us the opportunity to imagine ourselves (something we rarely...

Last week a poll was dropped by an MD that I follow that asked the following question: When will America pass the 50% obesity rate? Excuse me? You mean to tell me that approximately almost 150 million people, yes...million, are obese in America. I was blown away - I had to go "fact check" this and sure enough, we are approaching the 50% obesity rate rather quickly. Why? In my opinion, an...

Humanity is a story of suffering compounded with a story of courage. The first story is the massive odds we have faced and suffered throughout the centuries of our existence. The second is how courageous we were to embrace the suffering and plow forward regardless of the odds against us. However, I have recently become shocked by the narrative that is conditioning and indoctrinating the greater pe...

It is quite natural for the human experience to be filled with doubt. From the moment we are born, we are continually exploring our environment and learning from it. This experience is a testing of boundaries that can be filled with multiple opportunities to encounter doubt. As we grow and become adults, we seem to believe that all of a sudden everyone has our best interest in mind, they are truth...

Last week I was struck by a post on social media that a friend shared with me. It was a simple statement. 5/7 = 71%.  When you show up 5 out of 7 days, don't expect A level results, you didn't earn them.  Damn. How many of us does this resonate with in more than one way.  Too often I catch myself in the same conversation and goals list on Monday.  However, come Friday night, these goals ar...

In the late 1990's a self help book called "Don't sweat the small stuff" was all the rage. In 2023, my challenge to you is to actually sweat the small stuff. Last week in my private practice I had multiple conversations with patients surrounding the concepts of health and how to achieve it. For many of them, they have been indoctrinated into the health and fitness concept that su...

The most difficult path you will ever carve in your life is the path of personal self excellence. This path challenges you to carve a new path in your life in all areas and facets. You will be challenged by who you believe to be your closest friends and advocates. Your family will question your choices. The news media will tell you otherwise. Your medical advocates will call you crazy. However, yo...

I dont know about you but I have had enough of the number of trendy diets that are continually being shoved down our throats on social media. However, I do know a few things. The true pandemic we are facing in the United States is a pandemic of obesity. This has caused a pandemic of metabolic disease that we are treating with medical intervention with little to no success. Obesity numbers continue...

A recent social media fad has been the Plunge. You may have seen people hopping into a bath tub or a whiskey barrel filled with ice cold water...let's be honest that doesn't sound fun at all. Regardless, as I was watching this phenomenon take place I started to wonder if there was any data related to the benefits on the opposite side of the spectrum - the sauna. Thankfully, there are benef...

One of the biggest struggles we face in our western culture is consistency in the basics. What the world attempts to sell us through social media and other authoritative outlets is the idea and concept that whatever we desire is achievable in a fast paced environment. You can become a millionaire over night. You can get abs in 6 minutes. You can shed 30lbs regardless of what you eat with this simp...

One of the most basic tenants of health: your sleep is sacred. Every single process in the human body, especially processes that are focused on improving and optimizing your success in health and prevention of disease hinges on your ability to maximize quality sleep. It is probably the single most overlooked factor when the rubber meets the road regarding your health and longevity. On today's...

I am pretty sure that you have been in the place where you have either A: presented an option to someone or B: been presented with an option by someone where you either were told "I want to try it out" or you answered with "can I just try it out". Regardless, in some circumstances, the act of exploration is definitely necessary for self improvement in the basics of life and hea...

If you have been anywhere near social media in the last 6 years, a trend that might have caught your attention is the idea of a challenge. I know it caught mine at a time in my life when I was in desperate need of a change. In 2019, a concept was released by Andy Frisella called 75 Hard. While many people viewed this as being a challenge for physical fitness, it was anything but that. This was a c...

In 1907 a book was written by Fr Robert Benson titled Lord of the World. In it, the author contrasts the world of globalism with a renewed and purified church world. When highlighting the world of globalism he illustrates how the powers that be issue promises of peace and prosperity by using powerful machines and a well crated message to seduce the heart and mind of man. However, when living in th...

Have you ever heard of a Michelin Restaurant? What about a 3 star Michelin Restaurant? In my life time there are only two 3 star Michelin Restaurants I have heard of and the story of how is featured in this show. However, the more important story is in the details of how the Chef achieved this designation. I'll give you a hint, it wasn't done overnight. The one common point these two have...

Have you ever had a moment where you are sitting in a space that is designed for contemplation? If you haven't then you are missing out. One of my favorite places to do this is in the time before celebrating Sunday Mass. Typically the space is quiet and focused on what is about to take place. It is a good time to sit in quiet and to work on slowing down your own thoughts and reactions to align...

Merry Christmas 2022. What a great year we have been blessed with. As we enter the Christmas season, I have a special gift for all my listeners. I hope that today's episode blesses you abundantly and you may take time over the next two weeks to reflect on just how great 2022 was. 

Once you go to a Chiropractor...you always go to a chiropractor...or something like that. There is something odd about this statement in the western world. It is almost as if they are spinning this off as a bad thing. Meaning, you never really "get better." Now, if you were indoctrinated into the western mindset of "if I have a symptom, I have a pill" I would completely agree with you. However, it...

A rule that all of us have heard is to keep it simple stupid. In today's meditation, I highlight how spiritual simplicity can yield fruit that will bring peace to all areas of your life. 

There is a difference between living in the mountain top experience and experiencing the seasonality of life. While the western world will sell you the mountain top experience. The more prudent world will share with you the raw reality that seasons of life are to be expected. Many of us will attempt to silence the moments of suffering and loneliness in order to supplement a constant state of unatt...

For the last three years I have started this podcast with the definition of health - being a complete state of wellbeing. Yet, I have failed on one front that I have been hesitant to address, that of spiritual health. Today, I take a dive at the first episode that will begin this format called meditations. In it, I hope to read through various meditations that have helped me in my life spiritually...