Health on ngmarley.com

Success Habits

Tue, 12 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Some Random Sunset that has Nothing to do with this Post

I started reading Robert Ringer’s Million Dollar Habits this afternoon and just got inspired to make a list of success habits myself, before even reading any of his own. Only one came to mind at the time I started writing, which was to rise early. Then the rest of this list just sorta… rolled out onto the page. But I think they’re good habits that compound, especially if one is consistent over several days or weeks. I tried to be practical, with pragmatic advice that anyone can implement immediately (and I myself need to start implementing my own advice, for most of these).

Tonight I ordered a plate of fries...

Mon, 04 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000

French Fries… a.k.a. “NastySticks”

… and I didn’t eat any of them. I couldn’t do it.

Initially I just thought, “Oh, it’s just a little unhealthy, not a big deal. And I miss Western food, so I can afford to eat this junk, just for now, while I’m here in Asia.” (That’s a convenient rationalization.) Anyway, I ordered them. $60 NTD, around $2 USD for a plate of comfort.

How to Start Every Day Awesomely

Mon, 25 May 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Another 5-year-old post, but I believe the principle still applies. Routines like this also build discipline, one of my most important virtues.

The last 3 days have started awesomely for me because I follow the steps outlined below.

This is a modified version of “How You Should Start Every Day For The Rest Of Your Life!” by Gary Halbert.

I don’t recommend his steps for a couple of reasons. First, he recommends consuming dairy products, which are poisonous to humans. It’s just that most of us don’t know it yet. Second, he tells us to “scarf” down food a couple of times, and I don’t think “scarfing” is an appropriate way to eat anything unless you’re a dog.

How to Do Anything at All in Life

Tue, 28 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Note: I originally wrote this in July 2010, 5 years ago, but never posted it. Five years! That’s crazy. Obviously a lot has changed since then, and I wish that I’d posted this waaay back then. But the point I was trying to make still holds true, even more now, since it’s like I was writing for myself. My future self. It’s like a time machine, but in reverse. Crazy, man.

The Living Light Culinary Arts Institute

Sun, 19 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0000

I never thought I’d actually fulfill the dream of going to culinary school, especially after adopting a vegan diet and lifestyle. But fast-forward to now and… here I am! I’m currently attending the Associate Chef and Instructor Training program at the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute in Fort Bragg, California.

It’s only been two weeks, but it’s been an amazing ride thus far. I’ve learned far more than I even thought possible, and still have two weeks left to go (one of which is dedicated to desserts!).

Hardly Raw - Day 20

Wed, 02 Oct 2013 00:00:00 +0000

I’m tired of writing/editing in HTML, so I’ll probably move to a markdown-based blogging software in the near future. Here is some of the food that I remembered to log. It’s hardly raw anymore, but at least I’m still eating some salads every day.

Vegetarians in general get a reputation for eating only salads, and I’m not sure why. But raw, leafy greens are a great source of tons of nutrients, like iron. I didn’t eat many during my first year of veganism. I’m convinced of the benefits of leafy greens, so I doubt I’ll quit eating them anytime soon. I really should start eating more raw beets.

Mostly Raw - Day 19

Tue, 01 Oct 2013 00:00:00 +0000

nutrition

1 Brazil nut
Irish breakfast tea w/splash of vanilla soy milk
rolled oats, flame raisins, coconut palm sugar, slivered blanched almonds, raw cacao nibs
coffee with a splash of vanilla soy milk
1 large apple
mixed greens salad with vegan Parmesan cheeze and walnuts/pecans and some kind of vinaigrette
hot pot
Lady Grey tea with splash of vanilla soy milk and 4 ginger biscuits

physical activity

Mostly Raw - Day 18

Mon, 30 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

nutrition

1 Brazil nut
English breakfast tea w/splash of almond milk
rolled oats, flame raisins, coconut palm sugar, raw sprouted almonds, raw cacao nibs, raw hulled buckwheat
coffee with a splash of vanilla soy milk
1 large banana
red and green seedless grapes (it was the only kind available)
some apple slices
mixed-greens salad with pecans and walnuts, milled flax seed, vegan Parmesan cheeze and some vinaigrette
1 cup hot chocolate
too much nasty fried vegan food from a vegan restaurant
1 Blue Moon Pumpkin Harvest beer
Lady Grey tea w/splash of soy milk

physical activity

None.

Mostly Raw - Day 17

Sun, 29 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

nutrition

Irish breakfast tea w/splash of almond milk
kale, banana, blueberry & raspberry smoothie
1 Brazil nut
vegan breakfast burrito w/Field Roast vegan sausage, tofu and Daiya pepperjack cheeze (and other cooked vegetables)
coffee with a splash of almond milk
cashew carrot ginger soup
mixed greens salad with* 1 cup of Yerba Mate
- some Raw-Tella (this is a raw vegan version of Nutella that my wife made)
- 1 cup hot chocolate
- mixed-greens salad with pecans and walnuts, milled flax seed, vegan Parmesan cheeze and some vinaigrette
- pear
- mango
- raw tomatoes
- strawberry soy yogurtkale, banana, blueberry & raspberry smoothie

physical activity

Push-ups and stretches.

Mostly Raw - Day 16

Sat, 28 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

My wife said I should go anorexic today, because I have to write too much for this.

nutrition

English breakfast tea w/splash of hazelnut & almond milk
kale, banana, blueberry, raspberry smoothie
1 Brazil nut
vegan Rösti potatoes at Mint Tea restaurant
mint tea
coffee with mulling spices and a splash of soymilk
cashew carrot ginger soup
1 large banana
some Raw-Tella (this is a raw vegan version of Nutella that my wife made)
1 cup hot chocolate
1 Blue Moon pumpkin harvest beer
mixed-greens salad with pecans, milled flax seed, vegan Parmesan cheeze and some vinaigrette
Lady Grey tea w/splash of almond milk
kale, banana smoothie
one medjool date
mango coconut yogurt

physical activity

None.

Mostly Raw - Day 15

Fri, 27 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

nutrition

Irish breakfast tea w/splash of almond milk
rolled oats, flame raisins, coconut palm sugar, raw sprouted almonds, raw cacao nibs, raw hulled buckwheat
1 large banana
1 large apple
coffee with splash of soy milk
Thai green curry w/brown rice
vegan bird’s nest w/fake chicken and veggies at Vegetarian Restaurant in Portland
spring rolls
superfruit kombucha

physical activity

None again. :(

Mostly Raw - Day 14

Thu, 26 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

nutrition

Irish breakfast tea w/splash of hazelnut milk
1 Brazil nut
rolled oats, flame raisins, coconut palm sugar, raw cacao nibs, raw hulled buckwheat, milled flax seed
1 large banana
1 large apple
blackberry Nancy’s soy yogurt
Thai green curry with brown rice
coffee with splash of soy milk
some kale chips
some sprouted almonds
2 medjool dates
Lady Grey tea w/splash of hazelnut milk
mixed greens salad w/pecans and vegan Parmesan cheeze
small piece of stone-ground chocolate

physical activity

None.

Mostly Raw - Day 13

Wed, 25 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

nutrition

Irish breakfast tea w/splash of hazelnut milk
1 Brazil nut
rolled oats, raw sprouted almonds, flame raisins, coconut palm sugar, raw cacao nibs, raw hulled buckwheat, milled flax seed
1 large banana
tomato soup
carrot soup
mixed greens salad with walnuts and vegan Parmesan cheeze
coffee with soy milk
Lady Grey tea with splash of almond milk
Thai green curry w/brown rice

physical activity

None

Mostly Raw - Day 12

Tue, 24 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

nutrition

Irish breakfast tea w/splash of almond milk
1 Brazil nut
rolled oats, raw sprouted almonds, raw dried mulberries, coconut palm sugar, raw cacao nibs, raw hulled buckwheat, milled flax seed
decaffinated Earl Grey tea
2 large bananas
2 apples
mixed greens salad with walnuts and vegan Parmesan cheeze
green Thai curry
carrot soup

physical activity

Mostly Raw - Day 11

Mon, 23 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Happy Monday.

nutrition

1 Brazil nut
Irish breakfast tea w/splash of hazelnut milk
rolled oats, raw sprouted almonds, raw dried mulberries, coconut palm sugar, raw cacao nibs, raw hulled buckwheat
1 large banana
kidney bean and tortilla soup
Thai green curry w/brown rice
drinking chocolate from Taza
Lady Grey tea w/splash of almond milk
cup of mint tea
mixed greens salad with walnuts, vegan Parmesan cheeze and raw sauerkraut
pumpkin and veggie soup

physical activity

None. Welcome back to the work-week!

Mostly Raw - Day 10

Sun, 22 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Today is the last day of Portland VegFest 2013, and Brittany is pretty excited to go to that. So we’ll go, and we’re going to try and eat raw as much as possible at home before and after, because there will be a LOT of delicious cooked food at the Fest. Feast? Feast Fest.

nutrition

1 Brazil nut
kale-banana-blueberry-raspberry smoothie
Irish breakfast tea w/splash of hazelnut milk
2 apples, locally grown in Washington state
kidney bean and tortilla soup
small piece of chocolate bar
some dried raw mulberries
tasteless Pad Thai with 2 similarly tasteless potstickers at VegFest
VegFest samples
Lady Grey tea w/splash of almond milk and 4 ginger biscuits
cup of mint tea
piece of stone-ground chocolate
mixed greens salad with walnuts, vegan Parmesan cheeze and raw sauerkraut

physical activity

Push-ups to failure (1st set max today = 30), dips.

Mostly Raw - Day 9

Sat, 21 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

I’ll probably stop this experiment soon. The “30 days of (mostly) raw” eating thing is turning into a “one week of raw and it was driving me crazy so I have to eat some cooked food every day now” thing.

Brittany and I had a breakfast date this morning at Mint Tea in Vancouver, Washington (where I am typing this right now). The food is delicious and they have a lot of vegan options (but see update #2, below). They also have a cozy nook on the second floor, with a raised floor and pillows. You have to take off your shoes to sit there. It’s like a little slice of Morocco.

Mostly Raw - Day 8

Fri, 20 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

nutrition

1 Brazil nut
Irish breakfast tea w/splash of almond milk
banana, kale, blueberry, raspberry, collard green smoothie
coffee with 1/2 cup Vanilla soy milk
rolled oats, slivered almonds, flame raisins, milled flax seed, coconut palm sugar, raw hulled buckwheat
1 large banana
green Thai curry w/brown rice
mixed greens salad w/walnuts and vegan Parmesan cheeze
one pink pearl apple
Lady Grey tea w/4 ginger biscuits
hot pot
kale, banana, blueberry, strawberry smoothie w/blue-green algae
mint tea
rolled oats, flame raisins, milled flax seed, coconut palm sugar, raw hulled buckwheat

physical activity

none

Mostly Raw - Day 7

Thu, 19 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

nutrition

1 Brazil nut
Irish breakfast tea w/splash of hazelnut milk
coffee with 1/2 cup Vanilla soy milk
banana & kale smoothie
1 large banana
1/2 Asian pear
rolled oats, raw sprouted almonds, flame raisins, milled flax seed, coconut palm sugar, roasted cacao nibs, raw hulled buckwheat
mixed greens salad with pecans and avocado dressing, topped with vegan parmesan “cheeze” (made from almonds and nutritional yeast)
Lady Grey tea with splash of almond milk and 4 ginger biscuits
hot pot (mixed veggie soup w/rice noodles) *clearly not raw
Thai green curry (bok choy, red cabbage, green beans, pumpkin, coconut milk, vegan green curry paste) *clearly not raw
Harvest time herbal tea with splash of almond milk and 6 ginger biscuits

Mostly Raw - Day 6

Wed, 18 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

I’m not sure if I can keep this up the full 30 days. Writing about this every day is getting to be a chore.

We found out last night that the cacao nibs that we thought were raw, weren’t. Thanks, Chuck’s.

nutrition

1 Brazil nut
Lady Grey tea w/splash of hazelnut milk
coffee with 1/2 cup Vanilla soy milk
1 large banana
rolled oats, raw sprouted almonds, flame raisins, milled flax seed, coconut palm sugar, roasted cacao nibs, raw hulled buckwheat
baby spinach, walnut and raspberry salad w/nutritional yeast
mango soy yogurt
some leftover Penang curry (about 1/4 cup)
Vanilla coconut yogurt
1/2 large peach
classic Mediterranean salad (cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil)
some sprouted quinoa
some sprouted spelt
Greek-style Vanilla almond yogurt

physical activity

none

Mostly Raw - Day 5

Tue, 17 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

nutrition

Irish breakfast tea w/splash of Vanilla soy milk
1 Brazil nut
kale, banana, blueberry, raspberry, mango smoothie
3 large bananas
rolled oats, raw sprouted almonds, flame raisins, milled flax seed, coconut palm sugar, ~~raw~~ roasted cacao nibs
hot pot
Lady Grey tea
splash of almond milk
digestive biscuits (Not an American “biscuit”, like the Brits eat with tea)
1 apple
Concord grapes with seeds (I don’t like to eat seedless grapes).
some cooked Buttercup squash
harvest blend herbal tea

physical activity

random pushups to failure throughout the day

Mostly Raw - Day 4

Mon, 16 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

My wife and I went to Portland today to get new tyres put on the 4Runner. Actually, we went to Clackamas. Anyway, we were looking for a specific restaurant with some raw menu choices on Hawthorne Boulevard in Portland on our way back home.

And we saw this vegan Thai place which looked good. And we were hungry. So we decided to eat there, and that wasn’t raw.

Oh yeah, and as I was parallel parking the wrong way (forwards, instead of backing into the space), I freakin’ hit this girl’s parked truck. The impact was pretty loud, but there were only some small scrapes and her truck was pretty crappy looking any way (her words). She said it only cost her $600 for the entire pickup, and told me not to worry about it. I love Portland in moments like this. I gave her my insurance and contact info just in case something came up, and we continued to the vegan Thai restaurant across the road.

Mostly Raw - Day 3

Sun, 15 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve been forgetting to log my daily Brazil nut, so I went back and edited the posts from the first 2 days to reflect it. I eat one Brazil nut every day to ensure that I get my daily intake of selenium. More than one or two Brazil nuts per day can lead to selenium toxicity (selenosis).

nutrition

morning:

Irish breakfast tea w/hazelnut milk
blueberry, banana, mango, flaxseeds, kale and collard green smoothie
raspberries
1 Brazil nut
1/4 cup oats w/cacao nibs, shredded coconut, 1/4 cup raisins, 1/8 cup raw sprouted almonds, 1 TBSP flax seeds, water

afternoon/evening:

Mostly Raw - Day 2

Sat, 14 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Today my wife and I went to Portland to shop. We decided to visit a vegan café to see if they had any raw options, which they did. They had a raw sunflower butter sandwich with raw zucchini pesto, and a salad bar with mostly raw stuff. Energy levels were about normal.

nutrition

mint tea (contains no caffeine or actual tea)
raw sprouted almonds
coffee
about 1/2 cup Vanilla soy milk
1 Brazil nut
1 apple
rolled oats
flame raisins
raw cacao nibs
milled flax seed
water
shredded coconut
watermelon radish
shredded carrots
shredded cabbage
raw sunflower butter
raw zucchini pesto
raw chai cacao fudge
nutritional yeast
kelp
sauerkraut

physical activity

A light jog this morning, somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 mile.

Mostly Raw - Day 0

Fri, 13 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

I decided today that I was tired of feeling unhealthy after almost every time I eat. I don’t eat bad, today it was only some cooked jasmine rice (with soy sauce) that made me feel sick.

My wife and I are both vegan, and are actually probably pretty healthy compared to most of America. But we don’t eat like we should, or the way we used to. Specifically, we don’t get enough leafy greens, and we would like to eat more raw fruits and vegetables. And fermented foods (cabbage, beets, vegan yogurts, and kombucha, for example).

Mostly Raw - Day 1

Fri, 13 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

This is day 1, of my mostly raw 30-day diet. Most of these ingredients will be organic, unless there wasn’t an organic option at the store.

nutrition

This is pretty much the sum total of what I’ve consumed this morning:

mint tea (contains no caffeine or actual tea)
1 Brazil nut
raw sprouted almonds
coffee
about 1/2 cup Vanilla soy milk
1 medium banana
1 pear
rolled oats
flame raisins
raw cacao nibs
coconut palm sugar
milled flax seed
water
shredded coconut

For lunch, Brittany made a kale-cabbage-walnut salad with avocados, and a blueberry-raspberry-banana smoothie to wash it down. Energy level at lunch seems higher than normal. I realize it just could be in my head.

Change is Good

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Ok, I’m lazy as hell. That’s a good quality for a programmer, but not so good for other things. This was originally supposed to be published on 25 Oct 2010, exactly. So that’s when I’m going to set the publish date, even though it’s now 6 Nov 2010. Screw it.

Change is inevitable. Nothing ever stays the same. Change can either be for good or for bad, but it will always be.
– paraphrased from Coach Gothard (i think)

How to be Physically Healthy

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t usually like list posts. I know, everyone adds that nowadays just before writing one. I just wrote it here because I’m really trying to like to be like everyone else. Anyway, here is the list:

Stop eating animals. No meat, no dairy, no honey.

Don’t eat out. This is probably quite difficult for most Americans, because we’ve styled our lives around being dependent on restaurants. Also, this means you’ll have to learn to cook.
Eat healthy foods. Purchase & cook quinoa. Look up quinoa. (No, seriously, click the wikipedia link & check it out.) Eat raw brazil nuts (one daily is fine) and learn to cook steel cut oats. Look up steel cut oats so you know what they are. Also, buy & eat Ezekiel 4:9 cereal. It’s like Grape Nuts but better. (I know it’s like $6 a box, but your health is worth it. And you’re saving a ton of money by not eating out anyway.) These things can be purchased from Whole Foods or any good health food store.
Daily physical activity. Also, you need to be doing stuff that makes you sweat at least 3-4 days a week, for at least 30 minutes each session.
Get enough sleep.

American Rendezvous 2k10

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000

I just returned home yesterday afternoon from 3 days of intense Parkour training event in Columbus, Ohio. The event was American Rendezvous 2010, presented by the Parkour Horizons group.

The instructors came from both Parkour Generations and three of the Yamakasi, also current members of Majestic Force.

Just a side note, as a result, my DCI tracker will be missing entries for a few days, due to the fact that it was a bit difficult to get them in during the event.

my personal daily caloric intake tracker

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Update {2010 Ago 10}: I am no longer updating the DCI Tracker. At the time, it was a good thing for me to do, it fit in with my life/lifestyle and it was also a great start with CakePHP. I still eat healthy, but don’t have time to update it. I also don’t feel the need to update it anymore. My life is taking on a new direction with me getting involved in Internet Marketing and also traveling to New Zealand. Those pursuits are now taking up most of my time. I will keep the tracker up for posterity’s sake.