* Photo
This is my son Aaron. Don't worry, it's not a real razor. He is a true blessing as are my other two children as well.

* Motivational Quote
"Effective people are not problem-minded; they're opportunity-minded. They feed opportunities and starve problems." -- Stephen Covey

* Personal Health Status
Well, I did a pre-weigh-in this morning and I gained a pound from last week. I could definitely feel that I was not on track, but I think my gym workout this morning may bring me back so that my official weigh-in tomorrow will show that I have maintained my weight this week. It was rainy here in NJ this morning so I'm glad I was able to get my gym workout in this morning. Overall I am feeling well and I am continuing to seek new healthy habits to develop.

I've set a goal to make drinking 2-3 cups green tea every day a habit. From what I read Green Tea has many health benefits including aiding in lowering high cholesterol levels. It also contains anti-oxidants that help to fight off cancer causing free radicals. My other take away is to eat more fiber by eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day and using FiberSure as a supplement for days when I haven't gotten enough fiber.

* Lessons Learned - Integrative Medicine
I'm a big fan of the teachings of Dr. Andrew Weil who is the developer of a philosophy called Integrative Medicine. Integrative Medicine is basically the combination of modern medicine and alternative/natural medicine/practices. On his website (http://www.drweil.com/) this morning I read an inspiring article about a woman named Sherry who, after dealing many issues with a regimen of chemotherapy and radiation for cancer treatment, was able to obtain freedom from cancer with an integrative approach. You can read her story at http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/ART02724 .

My wife had a situation recently where her liver counts were abnormally high. One doctor recommended that they do a biopsy of the liver, a procedure which has many risks. My called to schedule an appointment for the biopsy and was told that they would call her back with a date and time. Oddly enough, they never called back. We took this as a sign that this procedure is something that we should avoid. As an alternative, I've read that the herb Milk Thistle helps to cleanse the liver so I told my wife to start taking this on a daily basis. In addition, she stopped taking Lipitor (a cholesterol lowering medicine) which has a known side effect of liver toxicity. This alternative was discussed with her doctor and he agreed to try fish oil to control her cholesterol. Long story short is that her liver counts returned to normal adn there was no need for a biopsy. Integrative medicine is definitely worth exploring as an alternative to some of the more risky procedures offered by modern medicine.


* My Random Fact Sheet
-- I'm a huge football fan. I can't say that I have a favorite team, although I enjoy watching the Indianapolis Colts lead by Peyton Manning. Unfortunately, our local team, the Philadelphia Eagles are not doing so hot this year, although Garcia is not doing to bad as a backup QB.
-- I got married when I was 18 years old to a wonderful 23 year old brunette.
-- I dark chocolate