December 2011
Where Did 2011 Go?
It's just one more day until New Year's Eve and I can't help but wonder where the entire year went. I mean, I remember everything that's happened and taken place but it all seems to have happened so quickly. Now when we date things, it's going to be with a '12. Like most, I'll still be writing '11 on accident for the first two weeks of January.
Sometimes we can look back and find happiness with all of the good things that have happened to us this past year and then there are memories that can be quite somber. I think it's a decision within all of us which highlights we want to remember.
I choose to look forward to a great 2012 year. I choose to stay focused on the path that I believe is meant for me. I quoted Epictetus yesterday, "The key is to keep company only wiht people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best." I got a great response from my friends on that.
So what's in store for me in 2012? Of course it's everything that I've already been doing but challenging myself to up it a notch. Boxing, motorsports, poker and being the ultimate entrepreneur. Thinking outside of the box in creative branding - becoming the product that the market has the need for. Every day it's about learning and getting better in everything. The moment we stop learning is the moment we stay stagnant.
Keep your head up and believe in yourself. The rest of the the pieces will fall into place. Have a safe and Happy New Year celebration everyone. =) Talk to you "next year".
An Edamame Inquiry
So after reading my blog on edamame yesterday, my friend asks me, "So what ARE the nutritional benefits of edamame?!?!" Now I've encouraged everyone to eat some, now I shall back up my encouragement with a little nutritional talk.
Looking for a minor history lesson? OK, here we go. Around 2000 years ago, soybeans originated in China. In the 13th century, Japan first developed the sweet green veggie known as "edamame" in which it was cooked and served in the pod.
Isoflavones. Antioxidants. Phytochemicals. Antioxidants are beneficial because they can help prevent negative effects of free radicals in the body. Antioxidant rich foods has been associated with the strengthening of the immune system therefore reducing the risk of cancer. Isoflavones are phytohormones that may help reduce prostate and breast cancer and diminish the risk of heart disease. They also help lower blood pressure levels.
Protein. Edamame is low fat and it packs a protein punch! You will find that vegetarians and vegans will incorporate edamame in their diet to make up for their protein needs. These beans have no cholesterol - even better.
Vitamins and Minerals. These beans are rich in Vitamin B and C and it is one of the few natural sources of Vitamin E. If that's not enough, edamame also has calcium, manganese, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and copper.
Fiber. Half a cup of edamame contains 4 grams of fiber. Dr. Oz suggests that you take in 25 grams of fiber each day. Fiber helps lower cholesterol and it also helps prevent heart disease. When you are looking for that snack that will take the edge off and keep you going, edamame is a good one to turn to.
If It's Green, It's Got To Be Good!
I don't know about you, but this picture gets me excited. Why? Because edamame is so darn good! Have you ever gone to a Japanese restaurant? Well, edamame either comes with your meal or you can order it as an appetizer. Now, it can come steaming hot (my preference) or it can come chilled. Some coarse salt is sprinkled on them and it's your task to get those little beans out of there. Yeah - don't eat the outer shell part.
Dr. Oz had featured edamame on his show last week because a woman who loved frozen foods couldn't really find any super healthy snacks in that section. Enter "The Doc" and one of his top recommendations was to eat edamame which can be found in the frozen section of your local grocery store. Now, I've never tried it from a frozen box out of the freezer, but I really don't think that you can go too wrong with it.
I'm pledging to keep inspiring as many people as I can to take a healthy approach to life. Does this mean that you have to give everything up? Of course it doesn't and I'll be the first to tell you that I don't give everything up either. What is life without indulgences? It's just that it's much too easy to go down the wrong path when it comes to food choices. If you make a conscious decision each day to at least eat one healthy meal, it will make a difference. It's a lifestyle change and it's not an overnight turnaround so be realistic about it. A good meal is something to be enjoyed and good healthy food can be just that.
So my tip for the day: Go eat some edamame!!!
Five books and counting...
I remember when I was on summer vacation between fifth and sixth grade when my mom imposed a "10 minute" reading rule on me. Every day, read for ten minutes. I decided to read Anne of Green Gables. Ambitious, I know. It's a thick book and it's only the first one of its series. Getting back to this reading rule my mom gave me, it was to encourage me to read more. As a kid, I grumbled about it because what I really wanted to do with all of my time was hang out with friends, listen to music and probably at that time, fold origami.
Twenty years later brings me to today and now I can't even seem to find enough time to enjoy a good book. I wish that I could spend hours just reading - both fiction and nonfiction. These days, it's more about reading news, how-to information and market research literature. This is the reason why I now completely treasure even having 15 minutes to read a book - a real book. I know with the Kindles, iPads and e-readers that e-book reading is extremely popular right now but I do love the old fashioned page turning that I get to do with a real physical book.
As of today, I have five books opened and one of them is an e-book - Steve Jobs' book - surprise, surprise. How better to honor the life of Steve Jobs than to read his book using technology. The person, the business, the building of the Apple empire is intriguing to say the least. Three of the books I'm in the middle of are poker strategy books. I take a little bit from all of my sources and I see through implementation what really works or doesn't work for me. It's all a matter of style and attitude during play that dictates the moves that I'm willing to make at the table. The last book that I am three-quarters of the way through is Zappos: Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh. It's not just a fascinating business model (being happy) but it's about how a company's corporate culture which was deemed so far off in the beginning now becomes the model in which other companies are trying to pursue. Being first to be innovative with promoting a highly encouraging and happy corporate culture, Tony Hsieh is genius. His current Las Vegas Downtown revitalization outlook has brought some of the biggest buzz to the city in years. I'm definitely excited to see the Zappos headquarters move Downtown.
To bring this story back full circle to my original opening paragraph - the ten minutes in which I used to dread has now become the ten minutes that I seek each and every day and being so thankful for when I can actually put that little bit of time aside for my books. While it's not the most efficient way to get through books, I'm having a blast every minute that I can get to spend some time buried in my books. It's five and counting...you never know, a sixth one may just be around the corner.