Best High Protein Food

Got Protein?

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Best High Protein Foods:

This list shows which foods are high in proteins.  The protein from our food provides essential amino acids. Amino Acids are used by the body to build new proteins and repair the muscles, repair the bone, skin, organs and blood. Without protein, cuts and abrasions will not heal quickly, muscles will not grow and the blood doesn’t clot correctly. Your body needs proteins for growth and to build hormones, antibodies and the enzymes that regulate the chemical reactions within the body.Though protein food is not a high source of energy, it is necessary, in right amounts, for proper functioning of our bodies.

The best proteins are those that are vegan or plant-based sources (except soy and other GMO crops)

The List of the Best High Protein Foods

Highest protein vegetables

prioritized in order of nutritional value are:

WHEY Protein shakes

WHEY

Whey (supplement found…

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Potential Dangers of Nootropics: What to Consider Before Using Smart Drugs

“In the past, I used to take drugs to get high; now I take drugs that make me smarter”, says the 40-year-old me.

Of course, smart drugs are not “magic pills”; diet, proper supplementation of vitamins and nutrients and exercise are the primary choice for any health improvements along with a massive dose of positive mental attitude.

There is no way to know what will work for you or not until you experiment it yourself. Nobody can tell you; everyone’s experience is different. It may have similarities in experiences from others who have tried this and that but you’re will be, of course, unique to you.

It is a very entertaining read for the bio-hacker aficionado 🙂

Potential Dangers Of Nootropics: What To Consider Before Using Smart Drugs

Simple ways to dramatically improve your brain function

Have you tried neurobics? Would you like to improve your brain’s cognitive functions?

Do you know your frontal lobe skills?

Read on and make a plan to add neurobics to your daily schedule.

http://www.naturalhealth365.com/exercise_news/the-brain.html

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I came to this world in 1974, leading my life on the edge, on impulse, seeking happiness outside in every way I could. I was living a life in the fast lane with no real sense of direction and purpose. That was my life, until I died. At 40, I was reborn. Like the Phoenix, I died in flames from pain and deceit. Then rose off the ashes, to a better, wiser and stronger version of me. Reaching new horizons that I have never thought possible in my old ways with a renewed purpose of life and what matters most. I learned the most important wisdom of life, to love myself. Realizing that when self love is present, everything in life turns brighter, meaningful. I am a better person today than I was yesterday,  much wiser thanks to my past experiences and growing stronger every day, loving the new version of me.

In Search for a Healthier Beer

It’s Friday night “healthier beer” showdown: the Irish stout vs. the American lager.  On the left corner elegantly dress in noir, with an impressive score card of 125 cal. and 9.9 carbs. the Guinness Draught. On the right corner with an even lower score card of 95 cals. and 2.6 carbs, the underdog,  Michelob Ultra. 

Tasting: both light beers washes down well. I don’t feel bloated like a toad and they’re very low on the guilt factor on my waistline for a beer or two. The Ultra goes with anything; refreshing to suit my taste buds. Now, the Guinness flavor is unique. It is a beer for that special occasion with class and body but not overpowering to have me belching my full name in mid sentence.

The verdict:  both are winners on my narrow list of alcoholic beverage selection. They’re  worthy of fridge space in my house for that special occasion or whenever I feel like it 😉

Lessons From The Samurai: The Secret To Always Being At Your Best

“the most important battle is to overcome yourself”- Myamoto Musashi

The key is to stay calm in the face of fear and to do that you must have a sense of control…self control.

Actions are determined by emotions/feelings and these by what we. encounter everyday in our lives.

Preparation: physical training as well as psychological. Creating situational awareness to our surroundings , visualizing scenarios of what could go wrong, ways to anticipate a situation and formulating an action plan.

This rehearsal will prompt the mind to act instead of reacting in a real experience , staying calm and with a sense of control in the situation.

http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/02/samurai/

http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/02/samurai/

7 ways to practice emotional first aid | ideas.ted.com

http://ideas.ted.com/7-ways-to-practice-emotional-first-aid/

“If a rejection, failure or bad mood is not getting better, it  means that you’ve sustained a psychological wound and you need to treat it.”

7 WAYS TO PRACTICE EMOTIONAL FIRST AID
Psychologist Guy Winch lays out seven useful ways to reboot your emotional health … starting right now.

You put a bandage on a cut or take antibiotics to treat an infection, right? No questions asked. In fact, questions would be asked if you didn’t apply first aid when necessary. So why isn’t the same true of our mental health? We are expected to just “get over” psychological wounds — when as anyone who’s ever ruminated over rejection or agonized over a failure knows only too well, emotional injuries can be just as crippling as physical ones. We need to learn how to practice emotional first aid. Here are 7 ways to do so:

1. Pay attention to emotional pain — recognize it when it happens and work to treat it before it feels all-encompassing.
The body evolved the sensation of physical pain to alert us that something is wrong and we need to address it. The same is true for emotional pain. If a rejection, failure or bad mood is not getting better, it means you’ve sustained a psychological wound and you need to treat it. For example, loneliness can be devastatingly damaging to your psychological and physical health, so when you or your friend or loved one is feeling socially or emotionally isolated, you need to take action.

2. Redirect your gut reaction when you fail.
The nature of psychological wounds makes it easy for one to lead to another. Failure can often drive you to focus on what you can’t do instead of focusing on what you can. That can then make you less likely to perform at your best, which will make you even more focused on your shortcomings, and on the cycle goes. To stop this sort of emotional spiral, learn to ignore the post-failure “gut” reaction of feeling helpless and demoralized, and make a list of factors that you can control were you to try again. For instance, think about preparation and planning, and how you might improve each of them. This kind of exercise will reduce feelings of helplessness and improve your chances of future success.
3. Monitor and protect your self-esteem.
When you feel like putting yourself down, take a moment to be compassionate to yourself.
Self-esteem is like an emotional immune system that buffers you from emotional pain and strengthens your emotional resilience. As such, it is very important to monitor it and avoid putting yourself down, particularly when you are already hurting. One way to “heal” damaged self-esteem is to practice self-compassion. When you’re feeling critical of yourself, do the following exercise: imagine a dear friend is feeling bad about him or herself for similar reasons and write an email expressing compassion and support. Then read the email. Those are the messages you should be giving yourself.
4. When negative thoughts are taking over, disrupt them with positive distraction.
When you replay distressing events in your mind without seeking new insight or trying to solve a problem, you’re just brooding, and that, especially when it becomes habitual, can lead to deeper psychological pain. The best way to disrupt unhealthy rumination is to distract yourself by engaging in a task that requires concentration (for example, do a Sudoku, complete a crossword, try to recall the names of the kids in your fifth grade class). Studies show that even two minutes of distraction will reduce the urge to focus on the negative unhealthily.
5. Find meaning in loss.
Loss is a part of life, but it can scar us and keep us from moving forward if we don’t treat the emotional wounds it creates. If sufficient time has passed and you’re still struggling to move forward after a loss, you need to introduce a new way of thinking about it. Specifically, the most important thing you can do to ease your pain and recover is to find meaning in the loss and derive purpose from it. It might be hard, but think of what you might have gained from the loss (for instance, “I lost my spouse but I’ve become much closer to my kids”). Consider how you might gain or help others gain a new appreciation for life, or imagine the changes you could make that will help you live a life more aligned with your values and purpose.
6. Don’t let excessive guilt linger.
Guilt can be useful. In small doses, it alerts you to take action to mend a problem in your relationship with another person. But excessive guilt is toxic, in that it wastes your emotional and intellectual energies, distracts you from other tasks, and prevents you from enjoying life. One of the best ways to resolve lingering guilt is to offer an effective apology. Yes, you might have tried apologizing previously, but apologies are more complex than we tend to realize. The crucial ingredient that every effective apology requires — and most standard apologies lack — is an “empathy statement.” In other words, your apology should focus less on explaining why you did what you did and more on how your actions (or inactions) impacted the other person. It is much easier to forgive someone when you feel they truly understand. By apologizing (even if for a second time), the other person is much more likely to convey authentic forgiveness and help your guilt dissolve.
7. Learn what treatments for emotional wounds work for you.
Pay attention to yourself and learn how you, personally, deal with common emotional wounds. For instance, do you shrug them off, get really upset but recover quickly, get upset and recover slowly, squelch your feelings, or …? Use this analysis to help yourself understand which emotional first aid treatments work best for you in various situations (just as you would identify which of the many pain relievers on the shelves works best for you). The same goes for building emotional resilience. Try out various techniques and figure out which are easiest for you to implement and which tend to be most effective for you. But mostly, get into the habit of taking note of your psychological health on a regular basis — and especially after a stressful, difficult, or emotionally painful situation.
Yes, practicing emotional hygiene takes a little time and effort, but it will seriously elevate your entire quality of life.

Training and Managing the Mind

Agree? I do! it is a never-ending effort because, unlike managing  physical tasks and activities, whatever goes inside your mind it’s the force that drives your life. It walks with you, goes to work with you and even goes to bed with you. Train the mind to see the positives in every outcome, the solutions rather than the problems. Train it using whatever necessary means to achieve whatever it is you want to be, do and have.
The mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy.  It thrives when is constantly challenged with positive growth or withers without use or idleness. The results of its use mirrors out in every aspect of your life.

Managing your thoughts: choosing what to take in and what to discard, prioritizing short and long- term goals, dreams, and activities. Choosing to let go of the past, when to do it and how. What to take with you as lessons and experiences to the present and into the future. All this requires dedication, determination, and mental discipline.

Whatever it is, it  first formulates inside the mind. Then engages the spirit through emotions and character. The body has no other choice but to follow the mind and
the results are happiness and contentment with the life you lead.

Grit

Grit. Do you know what that means, grit?  I’m not talking about grits, the breakfast side dish found in the south.  I’m talking about that labored, dirty hands, sweaty, getting after it kind of feeling (insert your own picture idea here).

Grit. Personality trait
Grit in psychology is a positive, non‑cognitive trait based on an individual’s passion for a particular long‑term goal or endstate, coupled with a powerful motivation to achieve their respective objective – Wikipedia

There are three aspects of grit to look at.

1. Sustaining passion and endurance over time (years) is essentially the definition of grit.
2. People who are gritty have a cognitive mindset to focus on things that they can change. They are positive and optimistic.
3. Always remember that no great human achievement exists that doesn’t have thousands of hours of work behind it.

Do you have grit?

*From a LIFE Group article

GMAN’s MANIFESTO 2014

As 2014 comes to an end, it’s time for me to reflect on the events and accomplishments of this glorious year.  It has been a great year both in my business and personal life. My inspection business soared when I decided to jump boldly outside of my comfort zone and go nationwide.  Fear to the unknown kept me rooted to my known surroundings and with new competitors in my area, the business was not performing as I wanted to. Following a leap of faith, I took the initiative to go outside my local area and test the waters in other places. I basically became a “YES MAN” taking offers by contractors to do work in places no one else wanted to go.  With the help of MapQuest, my calendar and little creativity I took the job offers without hesitation. Then with much help of my wife Marie, who is a superb coordinator of resources and supreme supporter, worked out the logistics and made it happen. I could not have done this without her.

The open road and I became one; I have traveled to far regions of the Nation, spent weeks out in Maine and Seattle, visited Alaska twice and other States like Missouri, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.  My car was/is my rolling classroom and where I meditate and reflect on myself and my goals. Great things have happened inside my car; ideas, plans and decisions made. The open road has been witness of it; all 40,000 plus miles of it. What made it truly a success is that I was able to mingle my work with my Systema training.  I included the locations of Systema schools in my geographical logistics. The magic worked and my trips became an exciting adventure that later turned into my “work-cation”.  I was going to more places and had a Systema school within my traveling radius. I made money while meeting new friends and getting a lot of Systema training with it.

I am very grateful for having “jumped the ship” into the unknown.I learned from this experience that much of the fear and anxiety of the unknown and “what ifs” lives inside our mind and at the end they never happen or it develops in a way that it was different from what I thought originally.

My road of personal recovery is going forward; I continue to do what needs to be done, making amends with the people I have wronged in the past and continuing to strengthen my relationships.  This involves in continuing doing what works, exploring new ways of doing things and discarding what doesn’t work.  Simple and effective plan no doubt. Yet, it takes a lot of effort from me. Keeping my mind busy at all times also does the trick. I bring everything along when I travel; my musical instruments, my audio-books and exercise equipment. Everything I can pack in my car to make me feel at home away from home, productive and moving forward. Balance is fundamental.

I also make sure that the time that I’m away from my family on my trips, I compensate the time lost on my return. That includes spending quality time with the wife and kids, doing things together and even going on our own little getaways whenever possible.  That is of absolute importance to me. Strenghten the relationship with my wife which whom after 18 years of marriage, now is when we can really see each other eye to eye and discover many things that went missing before. My job, caring of the children and our relationship problems made us feel more like strangers, pulling away from each other.

“Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes things must fall apart so better things can come together”  Marilyn Monroe

I turned 40 this year and though I was preparing for this new chapter in my life, it came like a switch from good to better.  Many factors influenced this change. The chances I have taken in my life plus the choices I’ve made prompted to this change.  I was open and willing to take on new opportunities in my life and the chances that led me to where I am today. Everything happens for a reason; there IS a reason whether I understand it, agree on it or have any say on the outcome.  The following are my many “take aways” learned and implemented this year. Yes, they are many but each one was practical and even essential to me.

• Find love within not outside. There is nothing to look outside myself that will make me happy.  I have all I need to be happy. I AM LOVE.
• Lessons will be repeated, possibly the hard way, until they’re fully learned.  I learned this the hard way but it was essential to be where I am today.
• You win some and you lose some. Make peace with that. There is someone better, stronger and wiser than me. I am who I am and I’m OK with that.
• Ask for forgiveness than ask for permission. Do it and see what happens. Most of the things I worried about never materialized and if they did, it was in the most unexpected way for the better.
• Whatever happened to me, I always come to reason that It could have been  a lot worse.
• Opportunities become available when intention is there. That’s the power of intention.
• Have a plan B and C and D….all the way to Z. If something doesn’t work, keep trying different things until it does.
• If traveling find a group to share the things you’re passionate about.
• Expect nothing from people, even the ones you love. Even in life; that will eliminate any disappointments that can bring you down.
• If worry about finances, don’t check your bank account. Well, do check it but not all the time. If you know that money is coming in, give it a rest. Mind your spending though.
• Know yourself, experiment. New experiences, different things.
• I am responsible for myself, what I do and say. I am not responsible for other’s people opinions or what they think about me. That’s God’s business.
• People may disagree with you but they should never misunderstand you.
• If there is a will, there is a way. Otherwise you’ll find an excuse or justification for not doing it.
• Self-love. It starts with me first. I cannot give to others what I don’t have nor can I find love in others if I don’t love myself.
• Breathe in peace, breathe out tension. Personal mantra
• When I don’t know what to do…  I start moving. Something will happen when on the move.
• Be like water flowing around your problems.
• If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you. A must for me to understand changes in my life.
• Don’t ask God to make things better, try to be better yourself
• Don’t ask God to fix things for you; instead find out what you need to do to fix them. Be wiser.
• DO ask God to help you to become  stronger
• Say what you mean and do what you say you’re going to do. Other people DO have expectations from you.
• Don’t take it personal. Let it go…it’s not always about ME.
• Ask questions, make no assumptions. This will clear many misunderstandings down the road and save relationships.
• Do your best, always. One day at a time.  God knows what you’re doing and people that care for you will notice…eventually.
• Memories are two- fold; I remember the good things that made me happy and also the lessons learned to be remembered forever. Both memories are necessary to get the full picture.
• Want change? Go all in! Change your environment, car, the way you dress, places you go, the things you do. Do a full 360 with your life. Why? Why the heck not?
• Live and let Live. Not everyone understands your journey. They are living theirs; their dreams, their lives.  Respect that and don’t shove your  ways down their throats. Resist the urge to be the problem solver to others. Life unfolds without your help.
• Never hold a grudge. Like the saying goes “is like drinking poison and expect the other person to die”. Solve it, make amends.
• Mind the animal that lives within you. Be careful what you feed to it. It can be your best friend or your worst enemy.
• Keep ego in check. Be proud but not arrogant. Stay humble.
• Made a mistake? Be the first to apologize and make amends immediately.
• Love with passion. Find the love language of your partner and give them what they want.
• No regrets. Period. What is done is done. No reason to go back and cry over it. Get a move on.
• Worries take away my happiness. They are useless  and serves no purpose. Let it go. Be part of the solution.
• Life is a choice. It’s either this or that. Choose wisely.

I saved the best for last. These are my golden nuggets of wisdom; what made the change complete. I recommend that you reflect on it and see whether it can help you too.First, I recommend the following books. These books did change my life. It will take me much more writing in trying to explain, so take my word for it and find out for yourself:

• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
• The Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz
• The Five Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman

Second, I like to share a story that I had one night in Georgia with my dear friend Baxter Martinez. It is one of those spontaneous conversations that come out of nothing but leaves you with the fire inside wanting for more.

A normal conversation about life turned about God and faith. I expressed  my feelings on the subject regarding getting answers from God,  asking for guidance and things written in the bible.

He goes on and tells me something that changed my life.  “When I ask God for help, He gives me the answers in the most usual ways whether I understand it or not.  That the only answers I will get from God is YES, NO and WAIT. “I think about it all the time and will never forget!

He goes on and tells me the story of a bird that got caught in a terrible winter. The bird was in deep trouble as it was freezing cold outside. He asks God for help but got no answer. Later a cow came by and shits on the bird. The bird was angry and disappointed because the cow shit a big steamy turd on him.  He was yelling out loud “why me… why you do this to me?” Then a cat came over and had pity for the bird. He listened to the bird’s cry of outrage while cleaning up the bird without saying a word. Then he ATE the bird. 

The morale of the story is to be grateful even if life shits on you. Help or God’s answers come in the most usual way. Be grateful. The bird didn’t realize that the cow’s shit was keeping him warm. He instead was angry. The cat shows that not all people that come to your help mean any good.

Very wise my friend, very deep. I will always remember this. Everything happens for a reason. Do what you need to do and trust the process. Have fun while at it!

I’ll just rollover into 2015 with these in mind, welcoming the unknown one day at a time.

Stronger, wiser, better…GMAN