The Hot Dog Vendor - A Life Lesson

The talk of the recession is everywhere. It's getting harder and harder to read the newspaper, listen to talk radio, or turn on the evening news as the doom and gloom stories get bigger everyday. It is truly difficult to maintain a positive outlook on ones professional and personal life during these troubled times. Here's a story that was passed to me by my Accountant (Barry Goldman). I would like to share it with you regarding how our own attitude can shape your future. I need to apply it as much as anyone! I hope you enjoy it and keep thinking positively.

THE HOT DOG VENDOR

There was this elderly man who had a profitable little business selling hot dogs on a busy street corner in a major city. He wasn't particularly well educated, but he sold great hot dogs and his customers loved him.

During the early morning rush hour, he'd wheel his mobile hot dog stand to position it near the exit of the central railway station in town. A year ago he'd added a bacon and egg roll to his range and sold scores of them to this breakfast crowd every day. At lunchtime, he'd move his stand to a popular park where he had lines of regulars.

In the afternoon he'd be back at the station entrance and then later most nights he knew a great spot near a nightclub where patrons rushed him off his feet. He had even installed special lighting and a flashing neon sign. Even people driving by would stop.

He'd worked hard for years and done well enough to put his only son through university who later became a management consultant with a large firm. One day his son warned him that a recession was on the way. The old man asked his son what this meant. Being an educated man his son gave a very detailed explanation of how the recession would severely impact every person in the community, particularly small business people like his father. There would be enormous unemployment; people would not be able to afford to spend money as they did now. He painted a gloomy picture of the future and warned his father that it would be wise to cut back on his expenses and "tighten his belt" financially and prepare for the worst. The old man didn't know much about the economy or interest rates, but he trusted his son. After all, he was an educated man. Recession mentality kicked in.

The old man began to cut back on the quantity of sausages and bread rolls he bought. He didn't want to get caught with stale rolls as business began to drop off. But it was hard to judge and some days he actually ran out of sausages and rolls earlier than he normally would. So he went home early and spent more time worrying about this recession that was coming.

Soon he knew that what his son had said was right. He noticed that his takings were indeed falling. This depressed him more and so he tended to get out of bed later each day. After all, why get to the station so early when obviously more people would be eating at home rather than spending money on breakfast in the city. He decided that his bacon and egg rolls were too expensive for most people now. After all, they were twice the price of a hot dog, so he cut them from his menu and his sales continued to plummet.

Wow, his son was right, this recession was hitting hard!

He decided to save more money and not replace the batteries that powered his neon sign and lights at night. Now because he was in the dark, fewer people bought from him and soon he decided that it wasn't even worth his time setting up at night. Eventually he decided to sell off his equipment and his trolley. He was in luck though because the woman who bought his trolley didn't seem to know how bad business was, or how severe the recession was going to be. He managed to unload the trolley for more than he thought he would get. Now day after day he stayed at home, depressed, and occasionally his son would visit him and they would discuss how bad the recession was, and how lucky the old man had been to have an educated son who had warned him in advance about this terrible recession. So what's the moral of this story?

Recession mentality starts in one's own head. If you believe that a recession is coming and that times will soon be tough, then they will be for you. Like the old man in the story, you'll start to change your successful behavior patterns and replace them with less resourceful habits. You'll sleep in later. You'll take longer lunch breaks, make fewer phone calls, generate less e-mail, and go home earlier.

But it needn't be that way.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. He is an expert in the field of Nutrition and Erectile Dysfunction. His office is in Thiensville, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

Start Your Day with a Healthy Breakfast

I’m sure you’ve heard it before. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” “Don’t skip your breakfast.” Or the old adage, “Eat breakfast like a King and supper like a pauper.” But are you doing it? And if not, why not?

It is true – breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It sets the pace. A healthy breakfast gets the body’s metabolism up and running. Eating an unhealthy breakfast or skipping it and you are more likely to suddenly get hungry and grab quick things that are unhealthy (donuts and candy) or eat extra food at lunch to make up for missing breakfast. It has been documented that breakfast skippers notoriously struggle to lose weight.

Many people think eating less or skipping meals helps them lose weight. Not always. The body adapts. If it believes it is starving it will cut back metabolism to conserve energy. This is the main reason 95% of diets ultimately fail. Once people are off the diet they go back to how they used to eat, but their metabolism has slowed down. The result is adding the pounds right back on.

It is important to eat regular meals and if necessary snacks evenly throughout the day. This keeps blood sugar levels more constant providing you balanced energy through the day. With fewer blood sugar spikes you will experience fewer food cravings.

Another pitfall to proper eating is having a large dinner or snacking late at night. What happens? The food is not digested well. When you are sleeping, your body is not thinking about digestion and a lot of food complicates the process even more. Poor digestion is at the root of many ailments – such as acid reflux, gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. Plus, you are more likely to wake up feeling full and not be hungry for breakfast starting the whole cycle over again. As a general rule it is best not to eat within three hours of going to sleep.

Here’s some examples of my favorite healthy breakfasts. Notice that all the choices have protein and healthy fat in the meal. Vary your breakfast so it does not become routine and boring.

1. Breakfast shake – Use a high quality protein powder made from whey and/or brown rice. Do not use soy protein powders. My favorite is SP Complete from Standard Process. To make the shake even healthier add any or all of the following: plain whole fat yogurt or kefir, banana, fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries), flax seed oil or ground flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and almonds. If you’d like an antioxidant boost and struggle to get in all your vegetables during the day I’d recommend adding in a green or red powder such as Designs for Health Paleo products.

2. Some combination of: Yogurt or kefir with fresh or frozen fruit, ground flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds. Optional: sprinkle Designs for Health Paleo products, one teaspoon of organic maple syrup, or Stevia to sweeten.

3. Eggs – hard boiled is best followed by soft boiled or poached. Fried and scrambled are also options but do so at a low temperature and use organic coconut oil, butter, or ghee. You can include vegetables as a side dish or as part of an omelet. I like to sauté leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale, or chard with onions in coconut oil. Feel free to do eggs 2-3 times per week.

4. Whole grain (please use 100% whole grain products) or sprouted bread toast with butter, ghee, organic natural peanut butter, almond butter, or humus. Limit to 1-2 times per week.

5. If you are really hungry and don’t plan on a mid morning snack you can do a combination of 3 and 4.

6. Steel cut oatmeal, also called Irish Style. These are the real whole oats. You can also add raisins, nuts, seeds, and after cooking the Paleo products, organic maple syrup, or Stevia to sweeten. A cooking tip: On the box it will say to cook for 30 minutes, however if you soak the oats over night in water and even a little yogurt they will cook in about 10 minutes. I’d limit this to 1-2 times per week also.

Now that you’ve read through my suggestions for a healthy breakfast, what do you notice is missing? If you are curious I invite you to give me a call or send an e-mail to find out why I have not included them!

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. He is an expert in the field of Nutrition and Erectile Dysfunction. His office is in Thiensville, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

I have risen from the dead

Well, sometimes it feels like it. Life has taken some pretty serious whacks at me lately, and like the Energizer bunny, I just keep going and going and going. But, honestly, I haven't been myself. Hell, I even opted out of Matt's party...because I didn't want to go and sit there while people were having fun and laughing and joking while I felt like I was dying inside. I've been functioning because I *have* to but for no other reason. Mostly, I wanted to lay down and go to sleep for days, weeks, years, until all this chaos and upheaval was over.

Sadly enough, life doesn't work that way. I can't go to sleep indefinitely and if it's not one thing that tumultuous, it's another. If it's not one child, its one of the others.

I've spent the last 2 months wondering when the hammer would drop and something would happen with/to Elizabeth.

But no more.

The dr. has given me what my wonderful husband has coined "happy pills" and I'm feeling more like myself. More than I have felt in years, maybe. It's probably a good thing too because this year has been one of the shittiest years of my entire life. Even more so then the year that Chuck and I had problems.

I am thinking I'll start updating my blog again. However, you won't see many more of these late-night updates. I have, involuntarily, been moved to days as of December 1st. I found out 2 weeks ago and have been trying desperately to find suitable, reliable daycare for Luke and Elizabeth that I trust and feel comfortable with. It couldn't have happened at a worst time for us...but in a way I'm looking forward to having my evenings with my family. I'm looking forward to hanging out with my husband after the kids go to bed for the night. I'm looking forward to having sex whenever I want (well, any night I want). So, even though it was a huge shock and something I hadn't planned on and completely FREAKED out when I was told....I'm okay with it now. Especially now that I have a nanny coming to my house whom I know will be awesome with the kids. That helps me immensely.

I read a quote today and it hit me profoundly: Life is more than just breathing. Real living is made up of moments that take your breath away.

I'm thinking I might start really living again.

Fats to Eat and Fats to Avoid for Better Health

I’m often asked my opinion on fat, so here it is! The bottom line – we need fat but we need the right kind. Fat is used to build our cell membranes and is the starting point for many hormones. It is required for our body to absorb the fat soluble vitamins – A, D, E, and K. It provides us with energy. It regulates body temperature and cushions the organs. It is essential for infant brain development and for the female reproductive system (a woman will not ovulate unless she has sufficient body fat).

There are two types of fats – saturated and unsaturated (further defined as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated). Saturated fats are solid while unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats are much more sensitive to light and heat. When heated they oxidize forming “free radicals” that damage cells and are linked to a variety of diseases including cancer and heart disease.

Another fat we hear of are trans fatty acids. These are formed during the process of hydrogenation. Polyunsaturated oils, usually corn, soybean, safflower, or canola, are heated to high temperatures and injected with hydrogen atoms. During the heating process the nutrients in the oils are destroyed, the oils become solid and have oxidized. Trans fats have been linked to many ailments, including cancer, heart disease, and reproductive problems. Trans fats are commonly found in commercial baked goods, cookies, crackers, margarines, vegetable shortenings, and processed dairy products.

Therefore, I recommend that you avoid foods containing polyunsaturated oils and trans fats. So what are the healthy fats to eat? Butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and cod liver oil.

Butter is high in fat-soluble vitamins, particularly vitamins A & D. These are essential for growth, healthy bones, proper development of the brain and nervous systems, and for normal sexual development. Butter can be used for baking or heating.

Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid. This is an antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiparasatical, and antiviral substance. It supports thyroid function, skin, heart health, and weight loss. The medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil are converted in the body into quick energy, and are not stored as fat. Coconut oil is the best oil for heating. It can be used in baking and is the best choice for light stir frying or frying.

Olive oil is rich in antioxidants. It helps the digestive system by reducing gastric acidity, stimulating bile secretion, regulating the emptying of the gall bladder (reduces the risk of gallstones). It is easily absorbed by the intestines and regulates passage of food through the intestines. Olive oil is best used as a condiment as in salad dressings.

Cod liver oil is an excellent source of Vitamin D. This assists the body in absorbing calcium. It is also rich in Omega 3 essential fatty acids EPA and DHA. EPA is essential for the production of prostaglandins, hormones that direct many cellular processes. DHA is vital for the healthy development and functioning of the brain and nervous system.

In writing these monthly columns it is my intention to provide you beneficial information to improve your health. Some topics I write about are more controversial than others. This is one of them. If you’d like more information or to discuss this article please let me know. As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated.


Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. He is an expert in the field of Nutrition and Erectile Dysfunction. His office is in Thiensville, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

Ten More Foods to Have in Your Healthy Diet

Last month I talked about my ten favorite healthy foods and received lots of positive feedback. The truth is there are many healthy foods to eat. So, I decided to discuss another ten foods to include in your healthy diet. Again, they are in no special order. They are all healthy foods that I recommend you eat on a regular basis, unless you are allergic.

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable. Other crucifers include cabbage, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, and Swiss chard. They are all good for you. Broccoli is a great source of protein, fiber, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, beta-carotene, and vitamin A. It contains isothiocynanates that fight cancer and carotenoids that reduce macular degeneration. Also, it is one of the vegetables least contaminated by pesticides, so you don’t have to buy it organic.

Garlic is a wonderful herb to add to foods. Not only does it keep away vampires, but it has been shown to lower cholesterol, prevent blood clots, protect against cancer, and can be useful in weight control. According to Jonny Bowden in his book The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, over 1,200 studies have shown garlic to be fat-lowering, anti-clotting, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, antiviral, antiparasitic, and an antioxidant.

If you are going to eat a starchy vegetable sweet potatoes are the ones to have. They are a great source of fiber, antioxidants, vitamin A, potassium, and calcium. One sweet potato contains one-half of the daily requirements of vitamin C. They also contain quercetin, a strong anti-inflammatory. As a starchy vegetable they will raise blood sugar levels, so diabetics or pre-diabetics, are advised to limit their consumption.

Eggs, yes eggs, and yes the whole egg. They are a great source of protein containing all nine essential amino acids. “Essential” in nutrition talk means your body does not make it so you must eat it. They have vitamins and minerals that help the eyes, brain, and heart. They have also been found to be protective against breast cancer. Don’t worry about the cholesterol – but that is for another article!

Whey protein comes from milk. It is a dairy product, so some people may be sensitive to it. I have it almost every morning as part of my nutritious breakfast. However, you must be very careful with your selection of this product. You want a good quality whey protein. Look for whey protein isolate as opposed to whey protein concentrate. Also, you’d like the whey to come from cows that were not given growth or other hormones and fed on natural grass pastures. Many “health” powders contain artificial flavors and artificial sweeteners – so beware.

Looking for healthy drinks? Of course water is number one, but I also like unsweetened cranberry juice and tea. One of the country’s leading nutritionists, Ann Louise Gittleman utilizes unsweetened cranberry juice at the core of her Fat Flush diet. The key here is unsweetened. It contains many antioxidants and is helpful in relieving urinary tract infections. How does it do this? It prevents bacteria from adhering to bladder cells. Tea is another healthy drink that is high in antioxidants. Both green tea and black tea are known for fighting cancer, while black tea improves blood vessel function and can lower cholesterol.

Olive oil is a healthy fat. It is best used in salad dressings along with vinegar. Please buy extra virgin olive oil, it is the healthiest form. “Extra virgin” means it is from the first pressing and has limited processing. Olive oil is high in antioxidants and in oleic acid, which is a heart healthy fat.

Brown rice is a whole grain and a healthy alternative to white rice. I also like the pasta made from it – a healthy alternative to refined and processed white pasta. As a whole grain it is a great source of fiber, the B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, and selenium.

For a red meat alternative try free-range buffalo. It is an excellent source of protein and has less fat than beef. And, being free-range there are no hormones, antibiotics, or chemicals added. Being grass fed, it is source of omega-3 fatty acids, ideal for those of you who aren’t fond of fish.

So, there you have it, ten more foods that are part of a healthy diet. If you’d like more ideas about healthy foods I strongly recommend Jonny Bowden’s book that I referred to above. He also has a great newsletter. You can subscribe at www.jonnybowden.com.


Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. He is an expert in the field of Nutrition and Erectile Dysfunction. His office is in Thiensville, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

The Gods are out to get me....

Last night, couldn't log into AFEL free agency board.

Tonight, the Mt. Dew was depleted from the vending machine. Not only that, but the vending machine then spit money out at me AND ate 15 cents of mine. So I tried another machine, but didn't have enough money on me. So, when I called and ordered my dinner (yes, I ate out Chuck...wait. I didn't eat OUT Chuck, my punctuation was wrong in that) I told them to bring me a Mt. Dew too. Kill two birds with one stone. BUT they forgot my freaking Mt. Dew.

I'm NOT a woman to be reckoned with today.

I'm horny. Irritated with the school and my OHR. And WITHOUT Mt. Dew.

Other random thoughts:

Chuck and I might be starting a conglomerate blog of “Our experiences with the P-ville School District”. Seriously, we’re so beyond frustrated that sometimes we’ve had to laugh at how incredibly ignorant these people are.

We watched part of “Kite Runner” Sunday night, it was a good movie. Unfortunately, we were both whipped after a whole day of cleaning out/rearranging the garage from hell.

I’m making the kids Halloween costumes this year. They are turning out cute…problem is I’m not sure when I’m going to get the time to sew up Luke’s jedi robe. It’s the biggest part of his costume so I’ve gotta make sure its done by Friday (we go trick-or-treating at a campground). I still need to find a dashiki for Zachary's Zomo costume too.

Chuck and I are listening to Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels. Holy hell, Ranger makes me quiver when he says “Baaabe” Mmmm. He might be on my celebrity list. You know the list of men that you’d have sex with, with your husband’s blessing, if they threw themselves at you. Too bad he’s fictional because *whoo* seriously. Who’s on your top celebrity list?

It's the little things....

Sometimes amidst life it’s hard to step back and see the impact that you are making on your children. Hard to see the positive influence when dealing with temper tantrums, mouthing back, and attitude.

In the last 3 days though, each of my children have given me reason to reflect on the good things we are imparting on our children and shows me that we are doing right by them.

Two days ago, Zachary had a new classmate join his class. He sat with him at lunch and made him feel welcome because “he doesn’t know anyone else and that would be mean for him to sit alone.” When talking about his day, he told me that tomorrow he wanted to buy two ice creams. I told him that he didn’t need to eat two ice creams for lunch and he informed me that he in fact wanted to buy two not for himself, but one for him and one for his new friend. I teared up and told him how incredibly proud I was of him for thinking of others and being so welcoming.

This morning, I watched my friends little girl while she took the boys to school and stayed to help in the classroom. Gracee at one point got a little teary-eyed over missing her momma. She was standing there, crying big crocodile tears, when Elizabeth went over to her with a washcloth from the laundry and started wiping her face and patting her shoulder. Every time Gracee would whimper, Elizabeth would wipe her eyes for her again. It was so amazingly sweet and showed the enormous amount of empathy that a 16 month old can hold.

Then Lucas got home from school and informed me that tomorrow he’d like to take some food to school. I looked at him quizzically and asked why? He informed me that he wanted to take some boxed food into church to put into the basket because there are people in our world who cannot afford food and need something to eat. So, he’d like to help them and take macaroni and cheese and a bag of peas for them. And more if he can. My heart honestly swelled with emotion for what an amazing child to want to give so generously for people he’s never met and for the right reasons.

So, I’m thankful that we are teaching them such valuable morals and ethics and more so that they are already living it.