Posts Tagged health
Sunday Column (208)
Posted by Volker in Sunday Column on March 3, 2013
What an eventful week. We still trying to get our little “terrors” to give us enough sleep. We utterly failed Sunday night but Monday night was one of the best sleeps in ages. Could be due to me having a successful fast day again. I am still trying to not eat on Mondays but the past two weeks I was busy with things. Never mind.
Sleep. Eating. Exercise. I managed a few running sessions by taping my shins so that the pain is relieved. It worked quite well. Eating wise I am still, for many years, trying to find the right mix and balance. The summer is easier as fresh salad is nicer and more widely available. With varying home times and evening events, I don’t seem to get a routine. Lunches are usually healthy yet media lunches are still on every now and then. Guess that and my love for wine doesn’t help. Overall I drink a lot less than I used to but due to my size I easily overindulge without noticing. Change4life, the government awareness scheme, points out nicely that it is not about being drunk but the sheer volume of booze you put through your systems or attack your organs with. At least my fruit salad regime in the morning seems to work well 
The house. You know when buying a house that you have to do some work. You don’t expect the heating to stop 5 months after having it “redone”, at the same time to replace the fridge and hoover? Luckily we don’t need a new boiler but a leaking pipe and low pressure in the system called for another plumber’s job. Despite the kitchen tap and some other small things that need done, we cannot complain. Just always happens at the same time. Never mind. I guess that is what savings are for but they only last a while 
I made another trip to Africa…at least on TV. This time for a documentary on the legendary race from Paris to Dakar. As a young boy I dreamt of crossing the Sahara or Russia with a motor bike. It never came to fruition and now my wife opposes me getting a motor bike. Might get a mountain bike though. Anyway, the competitors said that once you go to Africa it gets under your skin. You cannot forget it or ignore it. I wonder if that is about the birth place mankind will always feel connected to? I don’t know, but the rally sparked my intend again to get the Land Rover, mountain bike and get out there to adventure the world. Soon followed by my two boys. Camping, hiking, biking, outdoors. I want to feel alive because I am.
Regarding feeling alive, I watched a BBC Four documentary about a person that survived the Holocaust and his children researched his last step after his death. I will probably write more about that, but if you haven’t seen it, check it out. Six Million and One on BBC iPlayer. It had me in tears several times, maybe not so much because of the Holocaust but because of the way they interacted with it and the love they shared amongst the siblings. Definitely one to watch.
I am planning to write another extensive Germany post. I haven’t written one for a while. I think I found closure in my love-hate relationship with Germany at my last trip. This is very nice. I also got a reply from a friend who I sent a card a while back to find closure. It is nice to see that things are working.
Work was quite busy this week. I enjoy it being like that, and find that working from home is more productive as you get less interruption. So maybe Ms. Mayer Yahoo! needs to rethink her statements. My new commitment for a club looks promising also. I will join another one in 2 weeks to make a final decision, but I am convinced I found what I was looking for. It is an extra time commitment but also a very rewarding work. Final decision in 2 weeks, so watch this space.
My wife had her birthday this week, so we managed a few take aways and she went out with the girls. I spend Saturday morning running errands with Colin and going swimming. Proper me-Colin time. I enjoyed it a lot. At the weekend we had some good friends over for the famous Ballueder cheese fondue. What a great time.
Time overall seems to fly. February went with the blink of an eye and before we know it, it will be Easter. Then my birthday, half term, summer. Time. One of the few things we never get back, one of the few things we really need to use. Carpe Diem.
I seem to write about that each week how I keep getting this urge to get things done. At work. At home. At extra curricular activities. When I am old and grey I want to look back to a life and say “I made something out of it”, I managed to help people achieve things and along the way I had a good life. And two boys that by then will have their own kids.
Wouldn’t that be the ultimate fulfillment?
Have a great week,
Volker
Buddhist Thought: Health
Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. Buddha
I cannot add much to this quote.
Without health, nothing would happen. Potentially no work, no job, no kids, no house, no life. Full stop. We would need help and couldn’t make any of our own decisions if it was worst.
Contentment, being happy with what you have, is the wealth you are after. Not money. It is being happy with what you have and not seeking more and more. Not being greedy and just looking at the money.
Last but not least, only when being faithful can you live in a great relationship.
Remember that. Be content, faithful and stay healthy!
All the best,
Volker
Sunday Column (155)
Posted by Volker in Sunday Column on February 19, 2012
Weeks seem to pass quicker and quicker. I finally made up my mind regarding phones and got myself the ultimate iPhone4s. The difference between an Android and an iPhone is significant. Whilst the battery life is not much better, the usability is a lot better. I remember moving from a Blackberry to Android. That was a great step, things were good. Now it seems like another step up. As I keep the HTC as a work phone I get the best of both worlds….
I don’t want to speak too much about work. The reasons are simple, there is too much happening with the integration of our new owner. Exciting times, exciting position and visions. I keep learning and developing which is very important for me. March will see a lot of travelling again, and I am looking forward to it. I think this year is going to be very exciting and fantastic. I am glad to be part of it!
Also this week I had another unhealthy lifestyle. Too much wine, too many lunches and dinners…I cannot wait to move and get my very own treadmill in the garage to counter balance that. I should eat a lot healthier too. But just getting some exercise on a regular basis will make a huge difference. Fingers crossed.
With the work load and the kiddies going to bed around 7ish, I haven’t managed to see them at night time at all this week. So weekends are getting more and more important for me. Time to catch up with the boys! Being able to turn work off completely gives me a new feeling. I still check the emails and prepare things on a Sunday night, but not having your emails on your personal phone makes a huge difference. I should have done that a lot earlier.
Anyway, the weekend was great. I managed to clear out the loft a bit and got my wife a birthday present. Pandora: a clever idea. You buy your wife a bracelet and in order to fill it up with charms completely you keep buying those little charms. For mothers day, Christmas, or any occasion really. A very clever business idea I have to say. I am impressed.
Next weekend is the big birthday…..so I have a few days off too. Catching up with my 2011 holidays. I hope we can go away and have a nice lunch with the boys somewhere. The car does come in handy even if you are inclined to drive like a taxi driver when hearing the engine. It’s just not a fancy SUV It just fulfils the purpose of a family car.
One last thing I noticed today. Cafe Giardino, a chain for “fresh healthy food”, naturally good, heats the lasagne and pasta in the microwave rather than serving fresh food as they claim. Their sandwiches look box standard, no chips are available probably because they would need a kitchen.
Maybe not the best thing to mention after an unhealthy week, but if restaurants rely on microwaves in order to serve natural good food, then I am not surprised that we have a lot of diseases and illnesses traced back to our lifestyle.
You can see, I am in the process of changing my food once again. Every few months (the experienced reader has noticed the pattern by now) I look at the amount of take aways, coffee and alcohol I consume. Latter is actually not too bad but the take aways and coffees are particular bad recently. Hence last night I ordered some new herbal teas. Change is good!
Have a great week. Based on the discussions I had this week there are more people reading my blog than anticipated. You guys never really comment Anyway, I am glad to have a readership and to answer the burning question: no we don’t know yet when we move. But, we got rid of the wasp nest in the loft
Cheerio,
Volker
Sunday Column (100)
Posted by Volker in personal, Sunday Column on January 30, 2011
100 Sunday Columns. My wife was hoping the wee man number 2, or as the FT columnist would say, “cost centre number 2″, had arrived by now. But no sign yet.
However, this week I spend the day at work, the evenings in the hospital, and the nights working more….where to start? My wife has a high blood pressure resulting in her having to be under observation, so she was in hospital. My MIL is down and looks after the boy, so things overall were well planned and worked out very well. Thank Buddha for MILs and family
Now work was busy with meetings. Most of them with my boss who was over from Germany. We achieved a milestone this week for some meetings, and also in regards to recruitment. Things are going well. We also open more international offices, so things are overall on the up.
All week, particularly on Friday, I had some problems with my waterworks. That resulted in me calling in sick. After a handful of pain killers, a GP visit, I decided to drop my wife off for another check up. I ended up spending my afternoon in the car park, working via mobile internet and got quite a lot of work and calls done. What times we are living in? Working anywhere any time?
That was the week really. I guess my breakfast meetings with loads of black coffee didn’t help me. Anyway, I was in real pain on Friday night again, and slept most of Saturday afternoon, doped with ibuprofen. Now I abstaining from coffee and alcohol. No red wine at the weekend is weird
Due to all of that, I didn’t spend enough time with Colin all week or at the weekend really. I enjoy going shopping to Waitrose, gas my car at independent gas stations, buy books from Play.com and wondering if Amazon or Tesco notice my change of habits? I am more content these days whilst being more stressed about things. I am living but just to get through the day.
What is happening? It is the “living in between your lives“. Still waiting for the baby. Being ready anytime to jump on the train to get home. Giving 100% at work, knowing there is so much to do. Waking up at night not sure whether we need to go to hospital. Managing the office and staff. It is all good, but I want to be the best at everything, not taking time off for me. But I know I should. I should just stop being online for a day. Someone just said he will be on holidays for 3 weeks this summer without internet access. My friend went to Africa a few years ago where there was no Blackberry reception – on purpose. I sometimes think it is sad to think we need to escape in such a way. But we are all very passionate about what we do. So it is difficult to just stop it.
We seem to be chasing daylight. We are passionate about what we do but smart enough to take a full break. But we need to do it. I just think about at the moment it but I will. I will extend on that in more details when I publish my ppt about the way we are working.
Yes, I will change my life. Once I get into a routine with the boys I plan to be back at the gym, eat a little different, and slim down a bit. I am not unhealthy but I could be so much fitter. That needs to be done. And, a proper week’s holiday this year maybe. With 100% time dedicated to the family. That is what I want to do.
And whilst I think about all my little problems, my theories about life, and what I want to do….there are so many other people to be considered.
I worked in Egypt for a while and see the pictures on TV. I feel for my Egyptian friends. They need my compassion more than anyone else at the moment. They are on the eve of a revolution – or already in the middle of it.
Let us be compassionate with all the people that have so many more problems than ourselves. And, let us hope that the baby finally comes. This way I can start planning my life again and get my life back….it is not all that bad but I keep telling clients I might have to cancel due to the baby being born. I said that 2 weeks ago…..
Love and Kindness from my corner of the world.
Volker
Cancer
This TED Talk is very interesting to watch.
Vegetarian or not?
Posted by Volker in food & drink, health, personal on March 23, 2010
As you might be aware, I stopped eating meat in December for a trial and haven’t had much since. Whilst I didn’t stop for ethical reasons or Buddhist reasons, I stopped because I didn’t want to eat all that bad and processed meat.
Coming to a review after three months, I have eaten a steak two weeks ago. And I enjoyed the steak but could have happily lived without it. Then I had a chicken kebab recently, and I enjoyed that a lot!
What is the right way forward though? Should I stop eating meat, or enjoy to eat whatever I like?
The problem is the fatty content of the meat. I lost about a stone (6 kilograms) since Christmas, but feeling ill for the last 5 weeks, I discovered that I love to eat and enjoy good food. Hence I think that I might go back and eat meat on a reduced basis, e.g. only good quality meat. I want to cut down on saturated fat, and processed meat. Sausages and burgers are just wrong!
I have to find a way on qualifying that. A ham and cheese sandwich wouldn’t qualify, but a chicken breast wrapped in parma ham would. A tin of corned beef or some pork chops wouldn’t qualify either in my opinion, nor would cubed chicken on a pizza. But a corn-fed chicken, or lean pork from the butcher would.
My aim is to continue to eat vegetarian for the majority of my meals during the week. Green, healthy and full of energy. And, to compliment that, when I go out and maybe once at the weekend, I would eat meat where I know it is quality meat and not the burger from McD.
I keep you posted how it works.
Cheers
Volker
Should I move to New Zealand?
Ok, the title might be misleading a bit. But, on my favourite channel, I saw Bill Davenhall’s talk about “Your health depends on where you live“.
Now, after watching that, I think that living in London might not be the best choice by far, and that countries like New Zealand, or even Scotland, or Scandinavian countries might have an impact on my well being. What do you think?
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