A Rewarding Morning

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I'm a weather wimp when it comes to seasonal workouts. Even so, I went for a run yesterday when it was barely 30 degrees out. This was my first official workout run in preparation for the half marathon I plan to run in April.

If you know any runners, even casual ones like me, you've probably heard them say that getting out the door is the toughest part. Figuring out gear and stretching or warming up a bit, deciding where today's run will take you... it's seems easier to just skip it. The reality, though, is that once you're out and running everything changes, and that's what many runners know - just get out there and it will be well worth it. Yesterday's was another run like that.

When I run I'm a purist - no earbuds for distracting music, and rarely do I wear sunglasses. I want the whole experience, all the sights and sounds (and smells... this is Lancaster county, after all). So here are some of the things I was blessed to experience on yesterday's run:

• a biplane chugging along its approach to Lancaster airport
• the sunrise over Welsh mountain
• several dogs with their owners, one of which really wanted a piece of me
• a neighbor calling out, "run some for me!"
• about 10 cyclists out for a morning ride (who looked as funny in their cold weather gear as I'm sure I did)
• about two minutes looping through the cemetery at Jerusalem church, where a good number of the headstones are from the 1800's
• a lap around the polo field, which is close to where we live

For me, the experience is a big part of what a morning run is all about. I've always had a memorable time on a run when I've made a start and just did it. Overcoming the inertia of doing nothing is the toughest part. If you have a goal you're looking forward to in 2015, jump in and get to it...You'll be glad you did.

By the Way

While I only did 3.8 miles (I had settled on a 40 minute run), I felt like I could have gone on for another 40 minutes easy. Since I've been making power pantry choices in my eating and lifestyle, I'm amazed that my physical energy and stamina just keeps coming. My legs don't cry out for a break like they used to, and I can actually kick it up a notch at any point for a burst of speed or a hill. That's a cool rush when I had gone for decades not remotely considering the possibility of a rewarding morning run...

Merry Christmas!

The Christmas season is a rich time of connecting with family and friends, celebrating, and finding fullness in the lives we're blessed to live. And it's solidly founded in the gift of God to all of us - the gift of Christ, Emmanuel, God with us...

Blessings to you from the Mullers, and we trust you will find the peace and light of Christ as you seek Him out this Christmas.

By the Way

Wait til you hear about the really cool kitchen gadget I got for Christmas! An excellent addition to our power pantry... More on that soon!

Recovery Made Easy

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The holiday week is here, and maybe you're like us, having already shared a pre-Christmas celebration of food and cookies and gifts. It's a wonderfully rich time of year for traditions and family gatherings and, of course, more food than we'd eat in a month...

With all the feasting which is bound to happen the coming week(s), wouldn't it be great to have a simply 'recovery' plan to get back to our power pantry eating routine? I think it would... and I think I've found a good tool and guide. Dr. Joel Fuhrman recently shared an article from his website library calling out the ten best foods for health, and ten worst foods which lead us away from health. This is a simple road map of the way to recovery after holiday indulgences leave us bloated, up several pounds, and feeling guilty.

Check out the article here:
Ten Best and Worst Foods...

It's interesting to note something not on either list: most grains (especially whole grains). While refined white flour is on the Worst list, other good grains like brown rice, quinoa, millet and amaranth are missing as well. That means they're not the best, nor are these the worst - they're somewhere in the middle.

So if you find yourself indulging in too much of a bad thing this holiday season, maybe this list will provide a tool for recovery. Lean hard into the list of healthful, nutrient-dense foods that Dr. Fuhrman calls out on his 'Ten Best' list, and if you stick with it for a month or so, you'll no doubt be back in great shape.

By the Way

I've posted before that I try to be a 90/10 eater when it comes to power pantry choices in my diet. What I mean by that is I attempt to consume 90% of my calories as healthful, nutrient-dense foods, with the other 10% being more convenient, standard American fare. So out of 20 or so meals a week, two of them may be regular old American menu items (even a burger with fries, cheesy lasagna, or pot roast with all the trimmings) while all the rest lean hard into nutrient-dense, plant-based selections. When in 'recovery mode' it's even more important to be an 80/20 or 90/10 eater.

Light in the Darkness

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When we think of a wellness lifestyle we probably consider better nutrition and physical activity, and maybe making some down time in our schedule. But there are other aspects to living out power pantry choices, and I think the Christmas season highlights one of the best. The truth is, there is real darkness in the world, and there is real light. At Christmastime, we have the opportunity to experience both.

I love living in the northeast US and seeing the change of seasons, and the winter solstice, which is upon us, has always been interesting to me. It's the shortest day and longest night of the year, so it certainly brings literal darkness, and a good reset and appreciation for lengthening days. Beyond physical darkness, there's no lack of spiritual darkness in the world as well. We don't need to look far to find junk and weirdness...

What Christmas promises is the introduction, or re-introduction, to the Light. God has always known there would be spiritual darkness in the world, so he gives us the opportunity for light, and He sent Christ thousands of years ago to be that Light. While I grew up in a Catholic tradition, it wasn't until I was in my 20's that I made a choice to follow God through Jesus Christ. Literally, when I made that decision, the light of Christ became a part of my life.

My spiritual well being is a significant part of my power pantry lifestyle. Not a day goes by that I don't connect with God by reading the Bible, or in gratitude or through some dialog where I need His direction. The great thing is that when I seek Him, I find Him, and we're promised that when we draw close to God, God will draw close to us.

So this Christmas season I hope you'll seek out the Light. There is a peace and assurance available to all of us, which is beyond anything we can understand. There are a few days left before Christmas... I'll encourage us all to seek and follow the Light... that's what Christmas is all about.

By the Way

I've  heard it said that Jesus is a gentleman. He doesn't force His way into our lives, but patiently waits for us to be ready to follow Him. The Bible even says He stands at the door and knocks. I like that. As part of your wellness journey, maybe this Christmas you'll seek the Light, and even answer the door.

Whole for the Holidays

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Can you believe it is Christmas season 2014? I'm still wondering where the 4th of July went... but I welcome the change of the seasons, and we love the celebration and winter reset that Christmas and the new year bring. Maybe you're new to a wellness lifestyle and power pantry habits, and this is a good time to take a positive step for your health and the health of those around you.

Have you taken a good look at your pantry and fridge recently? Maybe you've tried to 'see with new eyes' and challenge your food shopping habits a bit, like Jen and I have done so many times over the last several years. I recently posted that our power pantry journey is really about one positive step at a time, in the direction of better choices toward whole foods. Sure, we can do a pantry purge and throw out every bit of artificial food and processed stuff from our pantries (actually that's not a bad idea) but more likely, we'll choose to say goodbye to high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils, and never go back. And next month, in a burst of inspiration, maybe we'll swear off of enriched white flour or white rice...

With all the cooking and celebrating over food, the Christmas season is a tremendous time to make some much-needed edits in our pantries, and our buying and eating habits. This year, we're trying to do better with our cookie baking. I think we've even found a good alternative recipe for 'magic cookie bars' (those gooey, nutty, sweet treats with the graham cracker crust...mmmmm.) We'll definitely be making some great oatmeal cookies (with real butter and turbinado sugar - my favorite) and the kiddos will be rolling and cutting out regular old sugar cookies (which we make with whole wheat flour). As a bonus, check out some of these healthier cookies from www.eatingbirdfood.com .

Can you think of some whole-food additions and edits you can make this holiday season? The other day I made 'homestyle' stewed apples (that is, I left the skins on the apples and just cooked them up with a bit of raw honey... they are delicious.) That's something I wouldn't have done years ago, but it's so simple, and it's a great, natural treat which we can all enjoy (and it makes the house smell wonderful while they're cooking.)

Take a look at your Christmas cooking traditions and maybe pick one or two where you can make a power pantry choice this year, and there's a good chance those whole food edits can stick with you into the future. A tweak here and a better choice there, and we're well on our way to a healthier power pantry.

By the Way

One functional shopping approach I like to live out is to do more of our food shopping around the outer edges of the grocery store. Almost all grocery emporiums are set up with the fresh foods and better choices around the edges: produce, dairy (if you're still into dairy), fresh seafood and meats (skip the deli...) and the bakery (again, skip the refined, processed stuff as much as possible). For our shopping, we fill about half of our shopping cart with fresh fruits and veggies, and there's chicken and fish and seltzer and beans, and we've found several good brands of staples like natural salsas, better, simple potato and corn chips, hummus, etc. Start shopping the outer ring of the grocery store more aggressively than the aisles and it will step up your power pantry.

On the Run

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My "running habit" hasn't exactly been habitual. While I had planned to run my first half marathon in 2014, that did't happen... mostly because life did. I'm undaunted, though... there's always next year. With that in mind, I'm making plans for my running schedule, and putting the half marathon on my 2015 goal list. Problem is, I need to start preparing now to be ready for next April!

Do you have some scheduled, disciplined habits as part of your power pantry lifestyle? I know how tough it is to keep at regularly planned exercise, and fun-time and quiet time, but all are essential to our wellness. Life gets in the way, expectations go unmet, and yet another year flies by without achieving that essential thing that we anticipated. The best thing to do? Get right back on the horse and start riding again.

I'd also say not to wait for making a New Year's resolution. To me, there's nothing special about the change of December 31st to January 1st that it deserves the distinction of rejuvenation and renewal. Better to ride a wave of innate, gut-level inspiration into a new endeavor and let it lead us into what gives us energy.

I'm using some recent inspiration to launch into training for my first half marathon. The event is held in April, and it takes a good 12 weeks to prepare, so I've got about 2 weeks before I need to get started on my running schedule. I'm going to use something like this great beginner-runners schedule to prepare: 12-week Half Marathon Training

I'm sure you have something in the back of your mind that you're really itching to accomplish. Why not put it down on paper or commit it to your goal list, and get started? When you look back in six months, I know you'll be glad you did.

By the Way

If you'e an aspiring runner, a good rule of thumb for training is about one week of running for every mile of the event you're planning to run. For a true first-timer, you may want to double that kind of time frame for your first 5k (which is about 3 miles, so that would yield about a six week training period). For the most part, though, a graduated running schedule is what will build endurance and lung capacity to get you across the finish line of your first big event. Good luck!

A Sauce Solution

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I'm not much for giving out recipes, but there are some things that are really beneficial for our power pantry, and need to be shared. Some time ago, I did a post on great seeds, and one of those is chia. It is a fairly new darling of the health-nut crowd, being overlooked for decades because of its small humble nature. Fact is, chia seeds have been a great nutritional addition to food for thousands of years (I like including it in my breakfast because it's known as the 'warrior seed' of the Aztecs - it gives me an attitude boost besides the health boost.)

What's so good about chia? (check this link for 11 proven health benefits.) Beyond the fiber, Omega-3 fatty acids, beneficial minerals and protein, they have this interesting propensity to gel. Simply add water or any liquid, and within minutes you get a gooey, gelatinous mass; thin it out and you get sauce, or add more chia and you get something more like a spread.

I've been adding chia to my breakfast muesli for a long time, and I've been wanting to try it in more things like spreads, sauces, smoothies and pie or cobbler fillings. This holiday season is a great time to experiment, so we bought a big bag of chia at Costco the other night... now we're all set.

I can't yet vouch for these recipes from our own experience, but check out some of these creative ways of using chia seeds to thicken old favorites and new treats as well. Basically, instead of using tapioca, pectin or sugar (honey, etc.) you use some combination of chia seeds and liquid as the base for your next syrupy concoction, or as a great grainy addition to a bread or crust.
This is a great list from Daily Burn - 14 Creative Chia Seed Recipes
And a good one from Chosen Foods - Chia Seed Gravy

So go out on a bit of a limb this holiday season, and replace that corn starch or wheat flour, gelatin or tapioca, with some humble chia seeds. It's far healthier and a tremendous power pantry addition.

By the Way

One of the best things about chia seeds is that they are basically tasteless. You'll get all the nutritional and functional (thickening) benefits of adding them to recipes without any odd tastes to overcome or get used to. By using ground chia, you overcome any aesthetic issues with the seed hulls floating in your favorite gravy...

A Good Pal

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A couple of months ago I got a Fit Bit Zip tracker, and I'm now just about acclimated to the feedback it provides and finding the time and energy to keep it happy. What I like about wearable trackers is that they don't lie. I have great days where I'm busy and active and log 17,000 steps, and other days where I'm lucky to crack 6,000 steps (like today - I'm totally blowing my averages...)

If you don't yet have a good quality, wearable tracker, maybe the holidays is a time to put it on your wish list (and talk it up with family) in the hopes you'll get one in your stocking. I have found that just keeping the tracker with me daily, and downloading and reviewing my stats, gives me enough motivation to go do something every day. Another cool feature with Fit Bit is the weekly progress email they send. This email shows me what I've accrued for steps and any other things I've tracked (manually).



With daily tracking in mind, I was encouraged to get an email from our wellness folks at work which highlighted some top apps to help us survive the holidays in a healthful way. Here is one of them which appears to do really well at encouraging physical activity and healthful eating:
My Fitness Pal- www.myfitnesspal.com

The holidays are a wonderful time to enjoy relationship and connection and family traditions. But having these bountiful, yearly interactions doesn't have to come at the expense of our power pantry journey. I think there is plenty of benefit and opportunity to do both. So keep that tracker on your Christmas list, and let it enhance your power pantry choices. It keeps physical activity top-of-mind, and that's the best way to survive the holidays with your hard-fought health intact.

By the Way

I like that My Fitness Pal has a ton of apps to connect to a variety of trackers. I can download the Fit Bit app for it and the Fitness Pal food tracking then integrates with my physical activity stats recorded by my Zip tracker. Very cool... check out their web site and see if it might work for you.

Be Dense

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Hopefully you had a great Thanksgiving, as I did with my wife and family. We are grateful to have shared a delicious butterball turkey with all the trimmings (although our sweet potatoes didn't have the little marshmallows on top...) And I have to say we did fairly good in the nutrient density department, respecting our power pantry choices. We made some great substitutions (like a gluten free stuffing along with regular stuffing) and subtractions (our green beans were sans cream of mushroom soup and fried onions...although they had some crumbled bacon...) The big question is whether our holiday food choices are worthwhile when it comes to nutrient density, that is, how much nutrition is packed in each calorie we choose to eat.


I've posted about nutrient density before. It's a concept popularized by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, one of my favorite nutrition-focused writers and thought leaders. Dr. Fuhrman's formula for health is H = N/C, where H stands for health, N stands for nutrients, and C stands for calories. So our health can be determined by how many nutrients are packed into the calories we consume, our nutrition per calorie. Overall, he refers to this N/C concept as nutrient density.


I had a good nutrient-density conversation with a business friend last week, concerning his health journey and his growing awareness of healthy eating. He is benefiting from nutritional adjustments to help him overcome years of back pain. The great thing is that it's working! Being conscious of the nutrients in the food we choose to eat can make all the difference in the world.

You can review that previous post on nutrient density for some other food-choice ideas, but the point for our holiday food choices is to focus on whole foods over processed foods, and to overwhelm our diet with calories from high-nutrition sources. Yes, there may be holiday cookies and pies, and those little sausages every now and then, but by making some power pantry choices of a big salad, some steamed veggies and brown rice, and desserts focused on berries, fresh fruits and pomegranates, we can lean into high-nutrient choices. The result will be a deep-breath kind of confidence come January, and while we'll have really enjoyed the holidays, we won't be sorry at all for our food choices. Here's to some wonderful Christmas preparations and enjoyment of the season!

By the Way

What we're really after, nutritionally, with our whole food choices are phytochemicals, or phytonutrients. These are the naturally occurring healthful constituents of unrefined plant foods, and it is the basis of nutrient density. For instance, a 100 calorie portion of broccoli has almost twice the protein of a 100 calorie portion of steak. And kale and romaine pack way more nutritional punch per calorie than animal-based foods, grains or even beans and seeds. So stock up on your fresh veggies this holiday season!

Fruitful Fields and Healthful Skies

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I often say there is much more to a wellness lifestyle than maintaining a power pantry and great whole food choices. Thanksgiving is one of those attitudes and practices which brings depth to our wellness, and our American tradition of thanksgiving is a perfect opportunity for focus.

Without gratitude we are apt to think we are the source of all the goodness happening around us, like our relationships, the improvement in our health, maybe even a deep, abiding spiritual walk... The reality is that over years and decades, and by overlaying wisdom with our life experience, I think we can't help but give credit for all we have to a sovereign God who chooses to give us so much, and bless us in so many ways. Not only are we blessed beyond measure, but He chooses not to take us out for the craziness we collectively generate in world around us.

So I think it's fitting to reflect on one of the best Thanksgiving day writings ever: Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation 106, of 1863. Prior to that year, Thanksgiving was celebrated state-by-state or locally, but not on a national level. We have Lincoln to thank for uniting our thought behind gratitude as a nation, specifically on the fourth Thursday of November. Here are some of my favorite parts of this proclamation:

The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added which are of so extraordinary a nature that they can not fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.
...
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore.
...
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people.

If you'd like to read Proclamation 106 in its entirety, you can find it here...

Happy Thanksgiving to you and those you love. Besides some great power pantry choices, I'll encourage you to take the few extra minutes for a gratitude break during the day. We are blessed in so many ways - well beyond our need, and definitely beyond our capacity to understand God's providence.

By the Way

Jen has been reading an incredibly inspiring daily devotional, based on a great gratitude book, One Thousand Gifts, A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, by Ann Voskamp. In it the author tells of taking on a friend's dare to count 1,000 things she loved. She took on the challenge and experienced more daily beauty and surprising wonder than she could ever have imagined. Her daily hunt for God's grace had ushered her into a fuller life...

Jen has taken this challenge as well and is now logging her first one thousand gifts. I think I might make the time in 2015 to start my own list as well...

Health for the Holidays

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There is something truly wonderful about the holiday season. Fall harvest time melds into the celebration of abundance at Thanksgiving, and that opens the door wide for Christmas gatherings and remembrances of God come to earth. With all the celebrating and blessings it can be difficult to maintain the healthy eating side of our power pantry. I don't think this is a time to put our wellness goals on the shelf with the intent of picking them up in the new year. Instead, it's a great time to keep it simple and put intentional effort into our power pantry lifestyle.

To stay focused it's good to have a guide for some reminders and boundaries. I found a great one this past week from Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of Eat to Live and several other 'must read' books on nutritious eating. Dr. Fuhrman describes himself as a 'nutritarian', not a vegetarian or omnivore or flexitarian, but someone focused on the nutrient density of the foods he chooses to eat. With that in mind, Dr. Fuhrman offers a useful list of things we can eat daily over the holidays to stay grounded in nutrient dense and healthful foods.

Sure there will be turkey and stuffing, and cakes and pies, and maybe even sweet potato casserole with mini marshmallows on top. But indulging a little in those holiday treats and traditional dishes doesn't need to totally derail us. Check out this article from Dr. Fuhrman, which includes the nutritartian list, and think of how you can incorporate some of his guidance in your holiday food choices: The nutritarian diet and checklist

A wellness lifestyle is just that, a lifestyle. If you're becoming more and more of a health-motivated person, keep at it, and incorporate some good meal planning and thinking into your holiday meals. That way you won't need to make a big reset come January, to regain healthy ground you've lost. Instead, you can just keep on track with wellness choices as part of everyday life. 

By the Way

To give an idea of how quickly we can lose ground with holiday eating, check out this post from Coach Up (I saw this referenced in the Sunday paper today...)
"Get Active on Thanksgiving"

The average American Thanksgiving meal encompasses 4,500 calories - yeow. It would take me almost 8 hours of running, or 15 hours of cycling to overcome all those calories.

Still Got Milk?

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A couple of weeks ago I posted about how limiting dairy has significantly improved our health as a family, and I got some push-back from folks. I welcome the dialog... as I said in that post, I think everything is born out in experience. I'm confident that if you experience joint pain, regular congestion, skin issues, and various forms of bloating and gut discomfort, try eliminating dairy from your diet for 4 - 6 weeks and see if you benefit. I know we do.

The same friend who was part of the original dialog on dairy, sent me an email this week admitting that maybe I wasn't as off-my-nut as he thought. It turns out The New York Times ran a piece saying that milk may not be good for us after all. Check out what the NYT says...

Milk Might Not Be Doing You Much Good

My post on the ills of dairy was on 11/6, a full 11 days earlier than the NYT piece, and yet it looks like we're singing from the same song book. I don't feel so off my nut after all.

I like to think of it this way: if this was the 1840's and we lived on the plains of Kansas, we'd be very glad for a cow and several chickens, and we'd definitely eat the eggs, and drink the cow's milk, and probably make cheese and butter. The alternative is to eat prairie grass or die, so getting some daily allowance of calories, protein and fats was obviously welcomed.


But we don't live in the 1840's and we don't even live on farms any longer. We have more and better food products and abundant nutritional choices than at any time in our history, and yet we continue to be brainwashed into a lower standard of health and vitality by an out-of-date industry (namely dairy). (I know... there I go again sounding like I'm some vegan extremist... which I'm not.) We can truly create a power pantry, filled with nutritionally dense, fiber-rich, plant-based foods. It simply takes the choice to move in that direction a step at a time.

I'll give the whole dairy debate a rest for a while after this post. Jen and I aren't militant about our wellness choices, and we'll go with the flow in almost any instance. When it comes to the opportunity to make a simple choice that yields superior health over time, though, I'm in.

By the Way

A main culprit in dairy is casein - the protein which causes inflammation and ill-health in our bodies. Casein was studied extensively in The China Study (see my Food Is Medicine post here for more information.) There are many dairy alternatives which provide better nutrition without the casein; you might try almond or soy milk, for example. Here's to better pantry choices and better health...

The Whole Story

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Living out a wellness lifestyle takes a lot of conviction; it's not easy to launch into new thinking and different ways of living life. I recognize that my journey has not taken shape over months or even years... I'm now up to decades. It's been years for my wife, Jennifer's, journey as well. Yet we've always stayed curious and tried to look beneath the surface of what seemed okay to find out what really worked for us. The truth is, we've sought out, and thankfully found, good resources to move us a little further along in our journey.

Stocking a power pantry is a lot like that. A little step at a time, a change here and trying a little something else there, and before you know it you're living a healthier, more vibrant life, and you almost forget how you got there. Five years ago we had no idea what quinoa was, and had never tasted hummus. Now quinoa (pronounced keen' - wah) is a staple in our pantry, and we're always making a new hummus or guacamole flavor for snacking. What we need most is the conviction to keep going, to try and see the whole story, and gather resources to support our progress.

The great thing is how much our health has improved, in significant ways down to relief from the most simple distractions. Now we revel in healthier skin, only a rare headache, no joint pain, plenty of energy for climbing stairs and doing chores, and the confidence that comes from pursuing and achieving a worthwhile goal. We're constantly looking for new, valuable wellness information to support our power pantry, 

So it was great news when we learned this past week that Whole Foods Market will be building a store in Lancaster, PA. What an opportunity for us to have access to a wider array of healthy and organic food choices, as well as handy resources for buying conscientiously. That's some strong power pantry support... Whole Foods has good website resources, and great selection to support healthy food choices. Have a look at these pages on their web site. I'm sure you'll find information and guidance to help you work on your story.
Whole Foods Market - "Healthy Eating"
"Simple Changes for Lifelong health"

By the Way

You can check out the news release from the local paper, concerning Whole Foods selection of Lancaster and their proposed 2016 opening:
Whole Foods Market coming to Lancaster

Powerful Beyond Measure

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I was at a training meeting the other day where a business friend was telling me about his work with Spartan Races. He's a very accomplished businessman with role of significance unlike anything he's ever done before. He's been a marathoner for years, and through an interesting turn of circumstances, now finds himself on staff, planning, directing and executing Spartan Races around the country.

Are you familiar with these "mud run" style races? They are designed to challenge all sorts of physical and mental endurance, and truly bring out the best in the participants, especially where training, perseverance and tough-mindedness are concerned.

Check out these videos on Spartan Races and see what you're in for if you choose to try one out:
Official Spartan Race video
Longer video so you get the big picture

I believe we are more than we think we are... and more than even our closest family and friends may think we are. Living a power pantry lifestyle is about fully engaging in life and choosing to be fully alive. And it is a choice. We can take on the challenge that's confronting us and live into the adventure it brings with it, or we can shrink back, play it safe, and wonder what we might be missing.

For me, I'm looking forward to 2015 as the year I run my first half marathon (it was on my list for 2014 and didn't make it to the top). Maybe you have a challenging goal ahead of you; go tackle it.

By the Way

The Spartan Races are one of numerous "obstacle course races" which are developed and promoted regularly. There's bound to be one near you, if you're game for the investment it takes to do one. Check out this top 5 list of mud runs from www.builtlean.com: 
Top Obstacle Course Races

A Touching Interaction

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I often say that there is more to a power pantry lifestyle than whole food choices and healthy eating habits. There are also human interactions which benefit our body chemistry, temperament and stress level; we need to tune into these regularly and be sure not to overlook simple solutions. One great opportunity to invite good feelings and health into our day is simply to engage in a good long hug.

Research shows that lingering, physical, non-sexual touch has great health benefits. The main value comes from the release of oxytocin, the "love hormone", as well as dopamine and seratonin, all of which bring us feelings of elation, well-being and fulfillment. And the best news? Hugs are free.

If you look into the ideal length for a valuable hug, you'll find anything from six to 20 seconds, with 10 seconds being a great guideline. A six second full-body hug is a long time. This lingering kind of embrace (and this is a real, full-body hug, not the polite cheek-to-cheek kind where nothing else touches) establishes an emotional connection between those participating, and both will benefit.

Check out some of these resources, addressing this concept of lingering physical touch and the benefits we get from it.

Dr. Joseph Mercola: Fun Facts about Hugging
From the Huffington Post: How to Be Happier...
Here is a Prezi slide show by Molly Pyle: The Six Second Hug (with a great Soulpancake video embedded in it...)

Maybe a cuddle break would add to your power pantry wellness today. Give it a try, and I bet you'll feel better in no time at all.

By the Way

Having a pet is another opportunity to gain calming and enriching physical touch. It has long been known that stroking a pet and/or having a pet around the house brings numerous health benefits. Things like lowering blood pressure, encouraging exercise, releasing more of that feel-good hormone, seratonin, even lowering the risk of heart disease all come from pet ownership. Check out more pet benefits in this slide show from WebMD...

Milk Does a Body Bad?

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I'm no longer a fan of milk. Don't get me wrong, I love a cold glass of whole milk (like once a year); to me, it tastes like drinking ice cream. A friend and I were having breakfast yesterday and it came up about limiting or eliminating dairy from our diet. I said we've gone significantly dairy-free as a family, and have reaped huge health benefits. Our kids are more healthy now, where they used to have any number of colds, bugs, stomach aches and passing illnesses, not to mention all the facial and skin irritation and breakouts. It's like we can literally turn on sickness and turn it off, just by how much dairy we eat (or don't eat).

I know what you're thinking... "Muller, that's sounds off-the-wall... milk 'does a body good', and we've been bombarded with 'Got Milk?' for decades... surely a dairy-free perspective is radical and ill- conceived..." Don't judge too quickly, though. I think everything is born out in experience; our own cause-and-effect evidence should win the day. Have you tried to go substantially dairy-free for 4-6 weeks to see what would happen?


I'm sure a next thought is, "where will I get my calcium?" We've been lulled into thinking dairy products are our best and only available option for calcium. Did you know that simple whole foods like sesame seeds, romaine, collard greens, spinach, kale, sardines and even broccoli are great sources of calcium? Big Dairy has us all mind-numbed into thinking that milk is the one and only source of calcium... I beg to differ.


A significant draw-back with dairy, which very few people in our western culture know or talk about, is that we invite inflammation and sickness into our bodies whenever we consume it. Check out some of these expert perspectives on the drawbacks of dairy in our diet:

Dr. Amy Myers - The Dangers of Dairy (on MindBodyGreen.com) 
Dr. Mark Hyman - Dairy: 6 Reasons You Should Avoid It
Dr. Joel Fuhrman - Protect Yourself Against Osteoporosis 

Need further evidence? Jen found this article on FoxNews recently:
3 daily glasses of milk linked to higher mortality rate in women

For decades, we've been overwhelmed with marketing on benefits of dairy, but the truth is, dairy is a significant source of inflammation and stress on our immune system and health. And calcium is readily available in a multitude of healthful whole foods if we simply do a little research. So give it your own test, and see if limiting dairy brings you some healthful benefits. I bet it will.

By the Way

I often say that cow's milk is a perfect food for one recipient: a baby cow. As humans, a mother's milk is the perfect food for a human baby for the first year or two; that's the way God designed it to work. Realize that there are whole cultures on our globe which consider the consumption of cow's milk to be not only strange, but gross. Why would we consume the milk of a 2,000 pound bovine? Ewww...

I've even heard it said that in California dairy is maligned in the same way as cigarettes (folks from the west coast, feel free to weigh in with a comment...) Dairy consumption is well out of the mainstream in those more progressive foodie locales. Maybe pushing against dairy is a bit ahead of the curve... check in with me in 15 years and we'll see...

A Growing Concern

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Millions of Americans have an unhealthy relationship with food. Our obesity rate has been on a dangerous increase since the 1990's, and it's affecting fundamental elements in our society. A staggering one third of our nation's adults qualify as obese; that's over 78 million Americans.

The changes this weight gain has wrought are many. For example, specific design criteria, which had been standardized for years, are now being challenged and increased. I remember some years ago hearing about high school and college desks for students. While the desks had been a standard size for decades, they needed to be increased because of the increased size (weight) of the average student. I remember thinking, "wow, that's just not right..." The eating and lifestyle habits of the average student were unhealthy enough to warrant larger accommodations...

Jennifer saw this article about crash-test dummies, with the same premise and result. Because the average American has grown larger, the 167 pound average crash-test dummy was no longer appropriate to run accurate trials - he / she needed to be enlarged. Here are the details from FoxNews:
As people get heavier, crash-test dummies gain weight



And if there's any doubt millions of us have an unhealthy relationship with food, check out the CDC stats on obesity from the 1990's until now.

• CDC's Obesity stats (from 2011 to present)
• Here is a powerpoint from the CDC from 1994 to 2010 showing the dramatic, regional increase of obesity in America: CDC PPT

This is sobering data, and strangely mimics a pandemic. No wonder our government is aggressively trying to instill healthy lifestyle choices in our nation.

So, what can we do about it? Individually, we can invest some time and thought into our own lifestyle habits. I'm content being an 80/20 or 90/10 eater. In other words, I try to get 80% to 90% of my calories from plant-based whole foods. I cheat every so often, and that's okay... hopefully it keeps me 'normal'. But my wellness lifestyle choices are radically improved over where they were just 5 years ago, and I'm so grateful for the health benefits which have come my way. Maybe it's time to set some simple, attainable goals for healthier eating and activity - I have no doubt you'll be thankful for it in no time at all.

By the Way

Our military has also recognized that, as a nation, we're "too fat to fight". It's almost becoming a national security issue. Check out the initiative at Mission Readiness; this is right from their home page:

"Currently, more than 70 percent of 17- to 24-year olds in the U.S. cannot serve in the military, primarily because they are too poorly educated, too overweight, or have a serious criminal record. Investing early in the upcoming generation is critical to securing our nation's future."

Whew... that's serious stuff...

Time for a Walk

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Fall is my favorite time of year... time for the harvest, saying goodbye to the summer heat, and looking forward to the reset of long winter nights. It is also a great time to get outside and enjoy the sights and smells of the change of seasons. Have you been out for a leisurely walk lately? Have you taken the time to detach a bit, breath deeply, and get some great, slow-paced exercise?

As we work on our wellness choices and power pantry additions and deletions, we need to consider our physical activity as well. Experts (like the American Heart Association and the CDC) suggest 150 minutes a week of aerobic / cardio exercise (like a brisk walk or bicycling), and some form of strength training (legs, chest, biceps, core, etc.) on at least two days a week. If we can do something (get out and take ourselves for a walk) several days a week, that is at least a start to meeting these simple weekly goals of physical activity.

Make the commitment to regular physical activity, as part of your wellness lifestyle choices. You can plan a short in-home workout (knee bends, push ups, running in place, stretching, crunches...) or if you have the time and money budgeted, get a membership at the gym. The vital encouragement here is to do something.You'll be glad you did.

By the Way

Always remember that responsible dog owners take Fido for a couple of walks a day, and the vet says that's how it should be for Fido's joints to stay healthy and digestion to function well. If it's good for our dogs, why isn't the same advice just as valuable for us? Give it a shot this fall and take time for a walk.

Good for the Whole

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Many health practitioners who follow a wellness-lifestyle agree that various functions in our bodies get sick together, and also, as we improve our wellness, these functions will heal and get well together. What is good for the parts of our bodies is good for our body overall.

This month is breast cancer awareness month, and it really hits home in our family - my wife's mother is a four-year breast cancer survivor. When I came across a great article from Dr. Joel Furhman last week on strategies for preventing breast cancer, I thought it would be great to share it. I would say this article strongly supports the fact that what is good for preventing breast cancer will go a long way toward improving overall wellness.

Check out the article from Dr. Fuhrman:

Ten Strategies for Preventing Breast Cancer

You may question whether this article is relevant for you (especially the guys), but I guarantee that it has valuable information and support for adjustments to our pantries and lifestyle. What is good for any of the parts is definitely good for the whole.

How do Dr. Fuhrman's ten points stack up? The first half are all diet-related (higher quality nutrients; limit animal proteins; include flax and chia). Six through ten include getting three hours of exercise a week and eliminating alcohol and smoking.

We're all affected by cancer. It impacts our families, our friends, coworkers, neighbors... and can affect us directly as well. Even if we're young and 'healthy' now, our lifestyle choices have an indelible impact on our lives, and by extension, on the lives of those around us. Try incorporating Dr. Fuhrman's guidance, and take a step toward a power pantry and a wellness lifestyle.

By the Way

Dr. Fuhrman is one of the few prominent web doctors who exhaustively footnotes all of his research and perspective. Check out the References at the end of the Preventing Breast Cancer article; he's done his homework...

Positively Charged

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Pursuing a wellness lifestyle and stocking a power pantry can bring with it a lot of change, and with a lot of change can come disappointment and a defeatist attitude. When we hit these rough patches in our journey we need a good pick-me-up, and I think the gold-standard in that department comes from Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. 


I first came across Dr. Peale's materials when I was a kid. I had seen Guideposts magazine on numerous occasions and always appreciated the perspectives of celebrities and commons folks that were shared, and the sometimes miraculous stories the magazine conveyed. Dr. Peale founded Guideposts with his wife in 1945, and it maintains a robust subscriber base to this day. Sometime after college, I got a copy of The Power of Positive Thinking, and benefited greatly from the guidance I found there.

If you've never read The Power of Positive Thinking, you need to. And even if you've read it before, there's no time like the present for a refresher. To take away any excuses you may have, here is a link to get a free PDF or ebook version of The Power of Positive Thinking from Guideposts:
Positive Thinking 2014

Take heart, you may have some struggles right now and your wellness lifestyle is falling behind, or your pantry isn't reflecting what you really want to feed your body, but you can launch right back into shape with a reset of your thinking. There are useful, simple tools at the ready in resources like Guideposts and Dr. Peale's writings. Optimism is the antidote to so many common ills, if we'll just take a deep breath and resolve to see how much of life is going our way. Here's to living a life that is positively charged.

By the Way

If you get to know Dr. Peale through his writing, you should also get to know Og Mandino and Horatio Alger. Horatio Alger was one of the first American writers to bring practical, motivational content to his writings, back during the Great Depression. He was renowned for influencing the lives of the down-and-out, to seek and strive for something better in life.

Og Mandino wrote many easy-to-read books with substantive content to give the reader simple, memorable tools for self-motivation and to spur us to help and grow others. Happy reading!

You Are More Than Your Genes

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There are significant side benefits to working on a power pantry and living a wellness lifestyle. One that I became aware of in the last year was the opportunity to block and even reverse hereditary challenges that may be programmed into our genes. Our DNA is determined by our parents and our lineage, and brings with it whatever challenges and opportunities our family and ancestors live(d) with. Even so, we can significantly influence how our health progresses by the lifestyle choices we make.

In my family there is cancer (dad's side) and good longevity (mom's side) some diabetes on both sides, and then aches and pains, thinning hair, etc. What is good to note, as quoted in a recent article in Prevention magazine, "Your lifestyle absolutely influences how your genes express themselves." Really?... hmmm... So even though cancer runs in my family, or diabetes, or even long life, I may not be destined for that result? That's the fact. Our wellness and power pantry choices can steer our physical well-being in whatever direction we want. The choice is ours.

Consider this study of the FTO ('fat') gene in the Amish. This gene is prevalent in a majority of European descendants, and with the Amish being almost solely European in their lineage, they were a good study group. The results showed that Amish lifestyle choices (significant daily, physical exertion) trump the presence of the fat gene. Here is a great overview article on the topic and study.
The Amish Obesity Studies



When the physical activity of the Amish was tracked, they were logging 14,000 to 18,000 steps a day (women and men respectively) when 10,000 steps a day is considered a very active lifestyle. So even though many Amish pantries wouldn't pass as a power pantry (they eat what they like, not what is necessarily nutrient dense or healthful), you wouldn't know it by their waistlines. While the obesity rate in the general public is 30%+, the rate in the Amish community is 4%.

Even though our genetic coding comes to us at birth, the fact is our power pantry and lifestyle choices, today, really matter. If obesity, heart disease and cancer run in your family, don't succumb to that fate for yourself. Our wellness choices will determine our health journey much more than our ancestry. We are more than our genes.

By the Way

There is a fairly new technical field of study related to this understanding of genetics and nutrition called nutrigenomics. The concept is that, since the mapping of the human genome, we can closely consider the genetic makeup of an individual and then chart a custom nutrition plan and wellness plan for them which will yield optimal health. That idea could have passed as science fiction just a few years ago, but it is gaining research support, and we may have these resources within our lifetime. Check out this article on Wikipedia about nutrigenomics for more information.

Assessing Progress

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The tried and true aphorism that 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step' is as true today as it was when Laozi wrote it around 550 BC. And living a wellness lifestyle with a well-thought-out power pantry certainly takes some steps. How is your journey going?

Maybe you're new to this idea of reading labels and being more discerning about your food choices. Do you regularly purge processed foods from your fridge and pantry and look for some great veggies, greens and fruits to include daily? Maybe you're getting out for a walk more often, or making the time to linger with family or spend time in prayer. All these things are worth the first step you take as you invest in your wellness.

It is valuable to make a few mental markers along the way. Remember where you came from, and note well where you are now. Sometimes you may marvel a the positive gap you see between the two. For me, compared to when I began my wellness journey in 2010, I'm 30+ pounds lighter, with one or two migraines a year (instead of 2+ a month), no aches and pains in my joints or knees, and energy that I haven't had for 25 years. That may not be the norm, but it's just short of miraculous to me, and I'll never go back to living a standard American lifestyle now that power pantry habits have taken hold.

Have a look at aspects of your journey, make note of where you are, and consider engaging more actively in numerous ways:

• Nutritional excellence - eating with an eye on the nutrient density of food, leaning into fresh, plant-based, whole foods as much as possible
• Physical activity - daily activity that gets our body moving, keeping you flexible, strong and vibrant
• Meaningful relationships - relating with people who care for you and who you can care for
• Engaging community - being part of something bigger than yourself where you can make a difference
• Spiritual investment - quiet time for meditation and prayer to reset and gain perspective

So take a step today. Maybe it seems like a long journey, but don't worry about that; just start where you are. You'll be making incredible progress before you know it.

By the Way

We can sometimes get hung up on our 'failures' or get distracted because we backslide. Struggle is a normal part of the journey. My encouragement is to simply write a great page today. We're all writing the chronicle of our lives, one page at a time. Today is a blank page, and yesterday's page is in ink and we can't change it now. Resolve to write a great page today...