Category: Health

How To Cure Cravings By Using Radical Indulgence

The Art of Mindful Radical Indulgence …

Radical indulgence: the act of overdoing your whims and desires.

I’m often asked a variation the following question: “Do you ever crave meat or any other foods that you don’t eat?”

My answer is no. I have not craved meat even once since I stopped eating it. I believe it’s because of a complete mindset shift when I made the decision. It was a slow process, but when it happened I was all-in.

That said, I do crave other unhealthy foods. Sometimes I crave pizza. Sometimes I crave potato chips. Sometimes I crave Dr Pepper.

Like most cravings, these usually go away fairly quickly and I’ll just eat a banana or whatever else is handy.

But sometimes I’ll have a persistent craving.

And when that happens, although it’s not often, I practice what I call radical indulgence.

Warning! Radical indulgence is … well … radical.

I stopped drinking soda when I was 20 years old. That’s not to say that I never drink soda, but it’s very rare.

And yet, sometimes I get an irresistible craving for Dr Pepper (or its cheap Wal-Mart counterpart with the much more fun name of Dr Thunder). My friend Kenny can attest to this. Once or twice over the 5 years I have known him I have gone on a Dr Pepper/Dr Thunder binge.

One Week of Dr Thunder!

When I have an irresistible craving, instead of feeling stressed and letting the craving fester, I go all out. (Photo is proof.) I indulge the craving to the far extreme. Breakfast/lunch/dinner.

So why do I do this?

Have you ever heard a story about a teenager going out to drink, coming home drunk, and their Parents either forcing them to drink until puking or forcing them to stay awake until absolute exhaustion? It’s similar to that, although it’s more effective since you have complete control. (Nothing will work long term if you’re forced into it.)

When I go through a soda binge I get so sick of the drink that it’s a very long time before I care to drink it again. Although I’ve drank soda since that last binge in the photo, it’s very rare.

Usually the indulgence is not so radical and I’ve done this on a smaller scale as well. A few weeks ago a friend of mine was talking about eating potato chips with everything. Potato chips with bananas, potato chips with breakfast, potato chips with tea, and so on. I thought it was hilarious. And then I found myself craving potato chips. The craving didn’t go away, so I went out, bought a back of potato chips, and ate the whole damn thing.

If you’re the type of person who can’t indulge in cravings because they will turn into full-blown addictions then this technique obviously isn’t for you. What I mean is, indulging your heroin habit by overdosing isn’t a good idea. :)

But it’s perfectly OK to indulge in most persistent cravings for short periods of time. Some people who do diets (I don’t believe in dieting) advocate cheat days where you can eat whatever you want. Radical indulgence is similar except it might last just an hour (a bag of potato chips) or a whole week (17 bottles of soda) and it is practiced with much less regularity. There is no “radical indulgence” day every week. That would be far too often.

Once you begin eating healthier foods and leading a generally healthier lifestyle most of your bad cravings will go away.

When your cravings just won’t go away, practice radical indulgence and let me know how it goes.

Avoid The Unhappy and Unlucky (and How To Find Awesome Friends)

Sometimes friendships must end. Here is how to make that happen …

“When you suspect you are in the presence of an infector, don’t argue, don’t try to help, don’t pass the person on to your friends, or you will become enmeshed. Flee the infector’s presence or suffer the consequences.” Robert Green (Author of The 48 Laws of Power)

I kinda stole the title to this blog post from the book The 48 Laws of Power. Law 10 is “Infection: Avoid The Unhappy and Unlucky.” I’m now about half way through the book, and I’m a little scared by it. I’m being truthful. I honestly am not sure how I feel about The 48 Laws, but I can’t stop reading.

It’s a little bit serendipitous that I started reading this particular book at this particular time, considering how I ended The Absolute Idiot’s Guide To Inspiration: “If there is someone in your life who brings you down or stifles your creativity, break ties with them immediately. It doesn’t matter who they are. They’re toxic and they don’t deserve you.”

If you’re like me or any other normal person (Did I just call myself normal? Yes, I did!), you probably want to help people who very clearly need help. Whether that’s helping them up off the ground when they fall or giving someone in front of you at the grocery store a dollar because they’re short on change, we all like to do good. But that direct do goodery is not what I’m talking about.

The Bad Kind of Good

At one time or another, we’ve all had a friend who brings us down. We try to help, giving our time and soul, but it’s to no avail. We think we’re “doing good,” but we’re not. Not only does this friend not listen, they complain that whatever you’re offering isn’t going to help.

They do anything they can to keep digging themselves in a hole because then they can be “right.” You know: “Well, I knew that wasn’t going to work out.”

It almost turns into a contest. How many shitty things can they be right about?

You already know I don’t believe in luck: Life Lesson #94: There is no such thing as luck. You either make good things happen or bad things happen. If someone consistently tells themself something bad is going to happen, then something bad is going to happen. And then they can be right! And more bad stuff will happen, because they so, so, so want to be right they’ll do everything they can to keep being right!

It’s almost fun for them (almost) to be right in the wrong way. “I’m right about how much my life sucks and nothing ever goes the way I want it to. Yay!”

Unfortunately, You Get Dragged Down As Well

Yeah, you know what happens.

They bring you along for the ride.

You start feeling like garbage. You begin to feel the same way your friend feels. And when you start feeling worse, your friend goes even further into the pits of despair. It’s a sick sick cycle.

How To Break Ties With Toxic Friends

First, know this: it’s OK to not want to be friends with someone you’re currently friends with.

Second, know this: there is no easy way to break the ties.

It’s going to be difficult. Extraordinarily difficult.

If you’ve already broken the ties with someone like this, you know exactly how difficult.

There are two approaches you can take to getting rid of friends who are bringing you down. First, the direct approach. Second, the indirect approach. Everything falls into one of these two camps.

Let’s break it down.

The Direct Approach To Getting Rid of Unwanted Friends

The direct approach is tough. You basically state that you just don’t want to be friends anymore. It’s just as awkward as breaking up any other relationship. :)

Depending on how you do it, this approach may be too harsh. And if your friend is mentally unstable it may result in dire consequences.

If you’re going to take the direct approach don’t attack or accuse. Bring the fault upon your shoulders.

The Indirect Approach To Getting Rid of Unwanted Friends

This approach isn’t much easier, especially if it’s a friend you talk to/hang out with very regularly. That said, this is the way more friendships end: naturally. They fade away instead of burning out. Only, in this case, you’re actively fading away.

How?

When your toxic friend wants to hang out, have other plans. Ignoring someone is weak so don’t outright ignore them if they contact you. Just don’t go out of your way to hang out with them, knowing they’ll make you feel like shit in the end.

If you do hang out with said friend (considering you’re fading away instead of burning out, this may happen), don’t take the bait. Meaning, when they complain or gossip or do anything to bring themselves and you down, don’t react. Change the subject or state something positive in response. And if it gets really bad, just leave.

What To Do Once You’ve Rid Yourself Of The Toxicity

Now that you got rid of a friend, you might need a new friend. Especially if the toxic friend was someone you were close with and saw on a regular basis.

I’m not an expert at making friends. I would even go so far as to say I’m not really very good at it. But here is what I’ve learned in the past 8 months of traveling and forcing myself to make new friends:

a) Ditch your iPod when you’re out and about. If you’re closed off to the world, the world will close itself off from you. Nobody is going to randomly talk to you if you have headphones on.

b) Say “Hi” and smile a lot, with no expectations. Simple, but not easy. You can make this into a game: see how many people you can say “Hi” to in one hour, one evening, or one day. ~10% of the time it will actually turn into a conversation. And that’s how any relationship begins.

c) Hang out in places where the people you’d like to hang out with already hang out. How many more times could I have used “hang out” in that sentence? At least one more time, but I spared you! You’re welcome. ;) This one is obvious, you wouldn’t try to sell food to someone who just ate, right? I mean, you could try, but you probably wouldn’t be successful. So don’t hang out in places where people you don’t want to attract hang out. Do things you enjoy doing and you will naturally meet other fun people who enjoy the same stuff as you.

d) Start a blog. I’ll write about this more some day, but connecting with people online is a great way to then connect with people offline. If you’ve written a blog for any length of time, I’m willing to bet you’ve met with at least one of your readers or another blogger in the same niche as you.

For additional reading, check out Gala Darling on Negative People. More serendipity? Gala’s issue #8 of Love & Sequins is all about Friendship: http://galadarling.com/article/love-sequins-8

Oh look, it’s your turn!

I’m going to take a page from Havi Brooks, and ask for specifically what I want and don’t want in the comments.

Don’t wants:

– Negativity. That’s obvious, right? :) Truthfully, I don’t even have to state this because you’re awesome and I’ve never had a problem with negative comments. Yay! Thank you for being sweet!

Wants:

– Positive ways to end a negative friendship. Since it’s a touchy subject, and I’m by no means an authority, let’s brainstorm how to make this necessary part of life happen more peacefully.

– Awesome ways to meet fun new people. Again, I’m not an expert, so I’m down for trying any new social experiment. What has worked for you?

How To Love What You Hate (A Simple 3 Step Process)

Have you ever hated something you wish you could love? Exercise, diet, anything? If so, here is how to love…

If you’ve read my Get Fit In 1 Minute article you know I hate running.

But what I love is experimenting with things I hate. That’s the key. Experimentation.

While here in Goa, India I’ve learned to love running. “Barefoot” (in Vibram Five Fingers) on the beach.

By this time next year I will have run a marathon. Somewhere warm, of course. ;)

That may be a lofty goal considering I’ve only run more than a few miles once in my life. It was a 5 mile run six years ago in the middle of a Michigan Winter (below freezing!) to get White Castle at 4am. :)

The Experimentation Process

Step 1) Realize that you probably don’t hate what you think you hate. You simply hate the way you’ve been going about that thing.

Step 2) Seek out alternatives. There should be at least a few viable alternatives to whatever it is you hate. Write them down in the order you’d like to test them out.

Step 3) Test the alternatives one by one until you’ve found an iteration you love.

Examples from e-mails and comments I’ve received:

“I want to start a blog, but I hate writing.”

How about a video blog? Or a podcast? Both are viable alternatives.

Even just a Twitter account can make you “famous.” If a book deal isn’t coming or already there for ShitMyDadSays, it’s coming. (If you follow me on Twitter you’ll be famous (or something) too: @KarolGajda)

“I hate fruits/vegetables, but I want to eat healthier.”

It’s impossible to hate every fruit/vegetable, so find fruits/vegetables you’ve never tasted before and taste them. When you find one you like (and you will) eat it regularly, while continuously trying other fruits/veggies.

“I hate exercise, but I want to get fit.”

More than likely you don’t hate exercise, you just hate the exercises you’ve been doing. I used to hate exercise too, so I can relate.

It’s a pain in the ass to find one, but there is some form of exercise that you will love. My favorites are riding my bike and jumping rope. And now I’m learning to love barefoot running along the beach. How is THAT for specific? I could very easily have never even tried running barefoot on the beach because every other time I’ve ever “tried running” I hated it.

It’s OK To Quit An Experiment

It’s important to remember that as you’re going through the Hate -> Love Experimentation Process you might hate some of the things you experiment with. There is nothing wrong with quitting and experimenting with the next thing on the list.

It’s Not OK To Quit Experimenting

Until you’ve flipped that hate into love, of course. ;)

I could list examples from my own life for pages, but I’d like to know situations where you’ve turned something you once hated into something you now love.

Last Name “Of” First Name “Best” – 2009 Edition

Not a normal “best of” post. But not an abnormal one either…

Before I begin: thank you. Thank you for reading what I write. Thank you for sharing articles with your friends. Thank you for commenting. Thanking you for e-mailing me.

There are a lot of blogs out there and the fact that you take the time to make mine one of your worthwhile reads means a lot to me. I hold myself to a high standard and I don’t take it lightly that you and I have connected.

Here’s the deal with blogs: the archives are where you can find some of the greatest hits. More than likely, you’ve just arrived at this blog within the past 2 months.

Due to the nature of blogging, with a constant stream of new content coming in, those older articles don’t always get the attention they deserve.

If you’re anything like me, when you discover a new blog that you connect with, you go back and read through every article on the site.

Quite a few of you have e-mailed me about doing just that on this blog and that thrills me to no end! :)

But, being that we’re all busy people, it’s not always possible to wade through the archives. So I’ve done it for you in a slightly atypical fashion.

What I mean by that is there is a lot of commentary and a bit of info about the future (such as a possible product launch) below. Specific traffic stats, most popular and least popular articles, and other fun stuff like that is also included.

This is, by far, the longest article I have posted. Over 2,600 words. I obviously decided not to edit for brevity as I usually do.

Oh, if you have your own blog and have done a Best Of post please comment with a link to it.

(Note: all links open in a new window/tab.)

Top Post Of The Year

That award goes to…you ready?

How To Wash Your Clothes While Traveling aka 15 Minutes – Clean Clothes – Anywhere In The World

That’s in terms of visitors: 9,371. And there’s a very good reason that particular article had more visitors than any other.

It’s linked to on my ZenHabits article: The Beginner’s Guide To Minimalist Travel

In terms of activity though, the top post goes to:

Travel Light, Travel Anywhere: The Ultimate Light Packing List

It has almost 100 comments (granted, about half are mine) and, with 6,972, just a couple thousand visitors shy of the How To Wash Your Clothes article.

I fully expected my light packing list to be my most popular article. I’m a big fan of reading packing lists and I know other travelers love reading packing lists too. Light packers are a passionate bunch. :)

This Article Can Change Your Life

The first article on Ridiculously Extraordinary that got any traction (i.e. links, comments, and e-mails) was:

How To Stop Having Problems or “The Eighty-Fourth Problem”

It’s one of my favorite articles and also in the top 5 (in terms of visitors) on this site.

Most Likely To Help With Your New Year’s Resolution

If that Resolution has anything to do with weight loss or exercise that is. :)

Get Fit In 1 Minute or “Am I Gonna Die From Heat Exhaustion?”

After I wrote this article I felt like “Wow, this is gonna be huge.”

I was dead wrong. It’s one of the least popular articles I’ve written. 503 visitors, 7 comments, and 0 links. wonk wonk

That’s OK though. Maybe this mention will give it new life. ;)

While we’re on the subject of unpopular articles. How is just 194 visitors (the least of any article on this site) and 0 comments?

I had an idea about doing Field Reports while traveling, but after Australia Field Report: Sandboarding The Stockton Sand Dunes bombed I decided against it.

Eventually I did something similar with my Friday Updates, which have been a little bit more successful, although I’ve only written a few thus far. :)

Most Search Engine Traffic

Based on comments and e-mails I’ve received on this article, it seems like I could also call this one Most Helpful.

How I Cured My Dandruff and Itchy Scalp

I think the reason it has helped so many people is because, as far as action steps, it’s the easiest to accomplish. There are no costs or barriers to entry.

My Favorite Article

Similar to the Get Fit In 1 Minute article, after I wrote this one, I thought it was going to be huge. It’s still my favorite article, if only because it helped me personally clear things up in my own head.

“Go into my head and come back out and tell me I’m wrong.” – Mitch Hedberg

Whoa, tangent!

Part of the reason it’s not popular may be because I posted it, oh, 3 days ago. :)

That article is, of course, How To Achieve Perfection.

I Almost Didn’t Post This One

Being that my goal here is radical honesty, and as much as possible, transparency, I’m glad I posted this:

How A 19 Year Old Made $5,000 In 30 days While Simultaneously Breaking Every Copyright Law In The Books, Getting Kicked Off Of eBay, and Going To College Full Time

Being young and dumb is no excuse, but it’s my excuse.

I left that article off with a cliffhanger:

I did procure another eBay account so I could continue selling strictly legal items, but I was out of the copyright violations business for good. That is, until 4 years later when I became a search engine spammer…

Nobody has asked about that and I haven’t posted it, but the story starts off with a death threat.

Sometimes my life has been like what you’d read about in a novel or watch in a movie. Usually it’s not, but sometimes …

I’ll Post This One Soon

In keeping with the novel/movie theme: I caught on fire once.

If you’ve never felt the pain of melting flesh you’re in good company. Just not my company. :)

The reason I haven’t posted it is because there aren’t really any lessons to be learned and it’s a fairly long story.

But sometimes a blog can be pure entertainment. So I’m posting it on January 20, 2010 which will be the 2 year anniversary of my first real brush with death.

But I digress, this is about the archives, not the soon-to-be archives. :)

How To Get Started With The Freedom Mindset

Get rid of stuff. Plain and simple.

Give it away. Sell it.

7 Tips: How To Declutter Your Life Using Craiglist

While we’re too attached to material possessions we can never be free.

But I’m no monk. I do own “things.”

Ridiculously Extraordinary Freedom means I can lose everything and still come out on top. I mean that. I can lose every. Single. Material. Possession. Including money.

None of it matters.

The only possession that matters is what is in our heads.

I’ve invested countless hours and tens of thousands of dollars (not University, that was free) into acquiring knowledge and that’s more important than anything else.

You will never regret getting rid of stuff and investing that extra time and money into knowledge acquisition. I promise.

This Article Needs A New Headline

How I Cured Years Of Excruciating Stomach Pains Without Doctors Or Medicines

This article should be more successful. But I think since the title talks only about stomach pain it keeps people from reading it. The article will actually teach you how to figure out how to deal with almost anything that ails you.

If I had to change the title today I might call it “How To Use The Elimination Diet To Cure Virtually Any Health Problem” or something along those lines.

The Rest of the Bunch

If you haven’t read through my archives, following are links to every article on this site with commentary, and in order of popularity (in terms of visitors).

About Karol Gajda and RidiculouslyExtraordinary.com – This is actually the 3rd most popular page on this site. At first that surprised me, but after analyzing my own blog surfing habits, it makes complete sense.

On Achieving Goals (or “Just Fucking Write”) – I’m a little bit surprised that an article with the word “Fucking” in the headline is the 4th most popular on this site, but you can’t fight with facts.

The Iron Mind – If somebody were to ask me “What is your life’s philosophy?” I’d point them to this article. I see The Iron Mind shine through in a lot of my writing. It has enveloped every fiber of my being.

How I Cured My Seasonal Allergies Forever – After the How To Stop Dandruff article I linked to earlier I think this one, based on e-mails/comments, has been most helpful. Much like the dandruff article, I believe it’s because the action steps are easy. And the barrier to entry is ~$15.

The Persistent Shower Companion (or Early Mornings At The Munich Airport) – Your guess is as good as mine as to why this is one of the most popular articles on this site.

Refine Your Signal (or Fuck The Fluff) – 2 of my top 10 articles have the word “Fuck” in the title. I’m not stupid though, it’s not a formula that will consistently work. The reason it does work is for the very fact that it’s inconsistent.

How To Travel Anywhere In The World, Live With Locals, and Enjoy Outstanding Experiences By CouchSurfing! – My first Black Book. I spent more time on this than anything else on this site. In terms of traffic, links, and other quantitative measures it wasn’t worth it. In terms of exposing CouchSurfing to just one more passionate person (which I know I accomplished!) it was a tremendous success. I owe a lot to CouchSurfing and will never stop extolling the benefits of being a CSer.

Accountability Statement #1 – The effects of this article is probably why you’re reading this site right now. Thank you for reading. :)

How To Be Socially Unacceptable (or Why I Quit Drinking) – Still going strong. I hope this article will help people for years to come.

Mind Control For Fun and Profit! (or How To Brainwash Yourself) – The day I posted this article I purchased MindControlMethod.org. I’m considering making it my first “big” product. I don’t know that I will, because I haven’t asked you yet to find out what you really want. But you can see where my head is at. I believe a fully fleshed out Mind Control Method course will help a lot of people get into a Ridiculously Extraordinary Freedom state of mind.

Needs vs. Wants or My Mom Thinks I’m Crazy or How To Be Congruent – I don’t have much commentary about this, but I think, if you haven’t read it yet, you should. :) I’m proud of this article. Biggest takeaway: Wants are dictated by outside influences. Needs are dictated by biology.

F!&k “Doing It While You Can” (or How To Make Things Happen) – It’s OK to be a follower (sometimes).

Steal This Blog! – Not an actual article, but an important part of this site. Feel free to steal whatever you want from it. :)

Permission To Do Nothing – Sometimes the best course of action is no action.

Enjoy The Process – Is it all worth it? Are you on the right path in your life? Here’s how to know if you are.

Why I Quit Traveling – I had a feeling this one would get a bunch of comments after I posted it. And it did. Sometimes my gut is correct. :)

How To Procrastinate Like A Bad Ass (or How To Overcome Writer’s Block) – I’ve used this writer’s block cure at least once since I posted this. It works so well.

Announcing Ridiculously Extraordinary Black Book #001! – OK, I shouldn’t even post this here because it’s really just a post linking to Black Book #001. But it’s here and it’s more popular than a lot of other articles! WTF! :)

Why We Do What We Do (or How To Be Present) – A recent article that had good comments, even if the visitor count may not be high. I’m proud of this one. The original version of this article was written in June ’09 prior to the launch of this site. By the time I posted this version it was a completely new article and about 1,000 words shorter. Tangent: I spent the 30 days before launching RidiculouslyExtraordinary.com writing over 30,000 words of content. About half of that content has seen the light of day. I don’t know how much of the rest will ever make it.

Powder Is For Babies (or How I Keep My Only Pair Of Shoes From Smelling Like Boiled Rat Piss On Extended Trips) – I use Gold Bond instead of Baby Powder now. Maybe I should update this article?

Zero The Hero or How To Pay 0% Credit Card Transaction Fees When Traveling Outside The US – Must read if you live in the US and are planning on spending time anywhere else. It includes info on banks in addition to credit cards.

An Unlikely First Post: Notes From How To Build A High-TrafficBlog Without Killing Yourself – Useful notes from Tim Ferriss’s presentation.

I Love My Mom So There Is No Cursing In This Article (or Why Cursing Is Good) – Lively comments, even if the visitor count isn’t exceptionally high. Censorship gets people talking. :)

I Spent A Night In Jail + L.A. meetup soon! – A Friday Update with video from the Jailhouse hostel in Christchurch, NZ.

90 Second Smoothie To Kickstart Your Day – Mmmmm…the tastiest article I’ve written. :)

What It’s Like To Tour With A Rock Band – The Swellers Record Release Edition – If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to spend 24 hours/day for 3 weeks in a van with 4 other guys this one’s for you.

How To Pay $82/month For Health Insurance (For The Self-Employed or Uninsured) – I thought this one would get a lot more traffic. I guess people don’t want to pay a penny for health insurance. That’s cool and maybe it’ll happen some day soon. Moving on…

How To Quickly and Easily Clean A Blender – I had one of those “aha” moments when I figured this out.

Friday Update: Thank You Edition #1 + RE Black Book #001 – Yes, thank you!

9 Essential Books For Bloggers and Freedom Seekers (or How To Save $50,000 On An MBA) – Considering this was posted on Christmas Eve I think it has been fairly successful in terms of traffic.

Jumping Into Canyons + Go Go Goa, India – A Friday Update with some awesome videos. :)

How To Drive 1,802 Kilometers With A Cat In Tow (or How To Pull Kitty From A Thorn Bush) – I still have daymares (nightmare while awake) about this. I can deal with Jessie dying in the natural course of life (which I hope won’t be for a while!). But losing her like this would have devastated me. None of these comments make sense unless you read the story.

The Do Shit You Love Show Bonus Footage – Good times with Baker from ManVsDebt.com.

I Make You Wanna Jump, Jump + Being Vulgar – Oh wow, do not watch this karaoke video. :)

How To Get Lost In Notoriously Dangerous South Central LA (or How To Get A Free Ride From The Police) – Good times in Watts almost 10 years ago.

End of the Road + Extreme Ziplining – A Friday Update with video from the free public zip line in Auckland, NZ!

The End

There we go. Every article from 2009.

Tonight I’m going to party it up (sans alcohol) at my friend’s 3rd annual NYE party. Lots of my favorite people will be there along with a few guitars. That means there may very well be video of me singing Creedence Clearwater Revival songs in the near future. ha!

In that regard…

When it’s time to party we will party hard. – Andrew W.K.

But more importantly…

We do what we like, and we like what we do. – Andrew W.K.

How To Be Socially Unacceptable (or Why I Quit Drinking)

Want to confuse people? Go party at bars/clubs and don’t drink. Join me in Ridiculously Extraordinary Challenge #1…

“Ocsober? No drinking in October? WTF are you talking about?”

While in Brisbane, Australia I tried to explain my sobriety pledge for October to a stranger.

Back track just a bit: While in Sydney, Australia in September I read about an upcoming charity event called Ocsober.

I was immediately intrigued.

No drinking for the month of October? Count me in!

Backpackers are expected to drink. I don’t do what’s expected of me. :)

I’ve cut out drinking multiple times before.

It was usually for other reasons, like the 30 days I quit drinking while I was on a gluten free (+vegan) diet.

Years ago I quit drinking for 6 months simply because all I ever seemed to do with my friends was drink.

It was easy.

Ocsober started early for me. I quit drinking 26 September, 2009 and fully planned on drinking at midnight on 31 October, 2009 (Halloween Party!).

Then I meditated for a while on why I enjoy drinking and why I don’t enjoy drinking.

Why I enjoy drinking:

  • I like the taste of beer, wine, Jagermeister, tequila, and vodka. (Trying to cover all the bases!)
  • As much as I’d like to lie to myself about it, getting a buzz makes being social in new environments easier.
  • Getting buzzed feels good.
  • It temporarily relieves feelings of sadness/depression, which, for the past ~2 years has been a non-issue. (More on this topic in the future.)

Why I don’t enjoy drinking:

  • Lots of beer/wine is made using isinglass, a fish by-product, as a fining agent. That means lots of beer/wine isn’t vegan. I was unaware of this until a wonderful CouchSurfer in Sydney enlightened me.
  • I hate using it as a crutch in social environments.
  • When I think about the times I’ve had the most fun in my life it has never involved drinking.
  • I started drinking when I was 13. My liver has probably gone through enough abuse in the past 15 years.
  • My veganism is, first and foremost, about respect for animals. But health is a strong second. I love my life and want to live forever.
  • It’s a ridiculous waste of money. While in Germany for 8 days in March ’09 I spent almost $1,000 USD on alcohol. Did I have a great time with my friends? Yes. Would I have had a great time with my friends sans alcohol? Yes.

I haven’t had an urge to touch a drop of alcohol since I quit.

I feel god damn electric!

It’s difficult to put into words, but I’ll do my best.

After that first month of sobriety I felt on top of the world. Eating a vegan diet already felt pretty amazing on a daily basis, but when I added sobriety to the mix I reached another level.

I sleep better. I wake up better. I feel better about myself. I feel better about being an advocate for Ridiculously Extraordinary Health.

Living a Ridiculously Extraordinarily Healthy Lifestyle

There is evidence to support small amounts of alcohol as beneficial. There is also evidence to support small amounts of alcohol as detrimental. At this point, I haven’t read enough compelling evidence to support either choice completely.

All I know is the choice I’ve made.

How To Quit

Interested in giving it a shot?

I’ve always been a do it or don’t, black/white, type of person.

That’s where this comes in…

Ridiculously Extraordinary Challenge #001

Quit drinking for the next 30 days.

That starts TODAY. Right now.

Have plans to go out and party with your friends? Great. Perfect time to actively practice living on purpose.

A regular at the local bar? Cool, save all that money. I just gave you a raise.

The Big Prize

Your prize is proving to yourself you can do something not a single person around you thinks you can do. Believe me, you will get shit for not drinking.

At any time during the Challenge if you feel like you’re not going to make it give me a call (352) 577-0173 or send me an e-mail: KarolGajda AT Gmail.com (Considering I’m traveling around New Zealand, e-mail will have a 100% success rate, whereas phone will be far less, sorry.)

3,000 Days of Sobriety

My small, but attainable goal, is for 100 people to do this Challenge. A collective 3,000 days of sobriety. That’s 8.2 YEARS!

Yes, I like the number 100. Yes, this Challenge falls during the Holidays. Good. Join it or don’t.

Sobriety is not socially acceptable.

Being socially acceptable is overrated.

If somebody asks you why you don’t drink you can use one of the following succinct phrases:

  • I respect my body and my health.
  • I’m being socially unacceptable.
  • It makes me feel great.
  • Or a short and powerful phrase of your own.

If you’re in on this Challenge post in the comments. You can drink again on December 24 so let it flow let it flow let it flow. :)

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If you need to get real help with alcoholism or anything of that sort please seek it out.  Friends, family, SMART Recovery (secular, science based), SOS International (also secular), or any other organization.

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Last week, Karen from DreamInTheLife.com wrote a really brave post called “I Don’t Want To Be The Alcoholic That I Am” and you should check it out. Maybe, if you don’t want to do it for yourself, you can dedicate your next 30 days of sobriety to her.

Needs vs. Wants or My Mom Thinks I’m Crazy or How To Be Congruent

If you’ve struggled with determining how to figure out what you truly need to live a Ridiculously Extraordinary Life read on…

I’ll be the first to admit I’ve bought a lot of stupid things I thought I needed over the years.

I thought I needed a BMW. So I bought one. I thought I needed a 2,500 square foot house. So I bought one. (I’m single with no children*, what did I think I needed 4 bedrooms for?!)

I didn’t see a problem writing a check for a luxury car (I may have been stupid, but at least I bought used and didn’t finance it), but I’d eat horrible, cheap, unhealthy boxed mac & cheese or WalMart pasta every day.

Gross.

Spending $3 per pound for apples or oranges seemed outrageous to me.

Do you see the disconnect?

I didn’t at the time.

Cars, big houses, things, they’re all wants.

Quality, nutritious, food is a need.

A couple years ago (the beginning of my Drastic Life Change, which I’m still trying to put down into coherent words) it finally hit me:

Wants are dictated by outside influences.

TV, friends, family, books, magazines, Web sites, and countless other inputs.

Needs are dictated by biology.

Food, water, shelter. I’ll also throw in creative pursuits and exercise because eating, drinking, and sitting in a house all day isn’t healthy. Yes, I know from experience.

Be Congruent

In other words, do what you want based on what you need.

I understand needing a car to get around. But an extravagant car won’t make you happier than a car that runs well.

BMWs are great cars, but mine provided no more happiness than my old 1989 Grand Prix I got as a hand me down from my Brother (thanks man!).

I let myself be conditioned to believe that since I was making a decent amount of money I should drive a really nice car. My personality is more low key than that.

I wasn’t being congruent.

It’s not about cheap vs expensive.

I bought a really nice Gibson SG Standard guitar a few years ago for about $1,200. I’d wanted this guitar since I started playing 15 years ago. Playing guitar isn’t just a sometimes hobby for me. If I don’t play regularly I don’t feel right. (Which means I never pass up a guitar shop while on the road!)

A quality guitar plays better and sounds better than a cheaply made guitar (usually). My happiness was legitimately improved by playing a higher quality instrument.

Buying a quality guitar was congruent to my personality and, as a result, brought me happiness day in and day out. But I’m mindful of dependency (that dirty word dependency) and sold my SG before embarking on my travels. It’s of no use to me sitting in storage.

Do you notice any of these patterns in your own life? You buy something you think you need, but after the initial elation is over you don’t feel any different?

So let’s try something different.

Instead of keeping up with the Joneses why not keep up with ourselves?

“Don’t compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to yourself.” – Henry Rollins

How To Break The Cycle

Getting out of this constant cycle of doing what we think we’re supposed to do and buying what we think we’re supposed to buy is simple.

1) Figure out what is congruent for you.

and

2) Stick to your convictions in the face of society’s pressures.

You will get unsolicited opinions and advice, but nobody can tell you what is right for you but you.

You can even disregard everything I’ve written because it’s my opinion and advice.

Challenge everything and everyone.

If you think living your life the way others choose for you is fine then who am I to tell you otherwise?

But based on the fact that you’re a Ridiculously Extraordinary Reader you probably don’t want to be like everybody else, do you? Thank you for that. :)

How To Be Congruent

Enough talk. Let’s get down to it.

If people around you know you’re serious about your convictions it helps keep them off your back.

For example, when I stopped eating animals my Mom said I was crazy. Every time I’d speak with her she’d ask if I was still being crazy. After a few months she realized it wasn’t a diet, but a lifestyle.

Diets don’t last. Lifestyle changes do. Now she doesn’t ask, she knows.

1) Be Clear About Your Convictions

When someone questions why you’re doing something, be succint and direct. This is not a time to be wishy-washy. Stake your claim and hold to it.

When people used to ask me why I ate a vegan diet I’d babble a long and unconvincingly boring string of sentences.

So I changed it to: “Out of respect for animals.”

Which I more recently updated to: “Out of respect for animals and my health.”

No room for interpretation there. 8 words. 2 seconds. They understand it’s not up for debate.

2) There Is No Step 2.

Being congruent is about being your true self, figuring out what you need, no matter what.

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* No known children anyway. BOOYA! I kid, I kid. ;) I just ruined this whole article with that, didn’t I? Ssssssshhhhhhhiiiiiiiitttttttttt…

How I Cured My Dandruff and Itchy Scalp

I used to be a dandruff sufferer. If you currently have dandruff you’ll be quite surprised to learned how I cured it naturally for the princely sum of $0…

When I was 13 years old my dandruff was so bad my Mom told me to put baby oil on my scalp at night, thinking it might help. I took my showers at night at the time so the next morning I didn’t have enough time to wash the baby oil out.

I was a metalhead with long hair and all day in school my hair was not only incredibly oily (even my English teacher made a comment!), but the dandruff and itchiness was still rampant. It wasn’t a fun day.

15 years later, I finally figured out how to get rid of dandruff. You might cringe at first, but hear me out.

I haven’t washed my hair in 6 months.

You might not believe me, but it’s true.

Before I get into the process (it’s not simply “don’t wash your hair”), let’s talk about what causes dandruff.

According to this BBC News Health article, dandruff and itchy scalp are caused by overactive Malassezia fungus. This fungus is naturally found on human skin, but if it’s overactive it causes a fast turnover of skin cells. In other words, Malassezia produces flakes faster in dandruff sufferers than in people without dandruff.

If you have oily hair (like me) then you’re more susceptible to dandruff, since Malassezia feeds on sebum, the oily matter produced by the sebaceous glands in our skin.

You’d think not washing your hair would just make your hair even more oily, right?

In the past if I didn’t wash my hair for one day I’d have gross oily hair until I washed it again.

Then in February of this year my friend Rachel randomly mentioned that washing your hair every day isn’t necessary and actually makes it look worse.

I immediately stopped washing my hair.

I decided to test it out for 30 days. That means the last time I can remember washing my hair is sometime in March!

The interesting thing is after a few days my scalp seemingly stopped producing so much oil. I don’t know the science behind it, and I haven’t been able to find conclusive studies about it, I just know it works.

Some people use baking soda and vinegar. Or lemon juice. These products don’t strip your hair of its oils.

But I don’t use any product of any kind in my hair.

How To Stop Shampooing Your Hair

Even if you don’t have dandruff, not washing your hair will be beneficial for you. That’s because when your hair is full of natural healthy oils you don’t have to douse it in hair styling products.

Step 1: Commit to 30 days

If you don’t give your body time to adjust to this new way of living you won’t get any benefit out of it.

Step 2: “Wash” without washing

This is the real secret. When I tell most people they just think it’s gross and don’t hear me out. :)

When I hop in the shower in the morning I give my scalp a vigorous 15 second rinse under the water. This gets the visible oiliness out of my hair, but doesn’t actually strip my scalp of any oil.

It’s washing without washing.

When you first do this you’ll notice that your hair might feel a little “sticky.” Don’t worry, you have to give it time to adjust.

Step 3: Conditioning

The natural oils in your scalp are now your conditioner. Don’t use any conditioning products.

Step 4: Towel dry and comb

Towel dry your hair and comb it out. Don’t use a hair dryer if you can help it.

Step 5: Style without product

Style your hair as you normally would, but don’t use any additional styling products. See how it works.

If anything, you will probably use a lot less styling product than normal.

It will take a while for your hair to adjust so if you have dandruff and itchy scalp don’t expect it to go away immediately. Give it 30 days.

Comments Have Been Turned Off

After 164 comments and the same questions repeated a bunch of times I’ve decided to turn off the comments. If you have a question, the answer is either in this article (don’t skim, read) or in the comments. Cheers!

Get Fit In Just 1 Minute or “Am I Gonna Die From Heat Exhaustion?”

How to get in the habit of daily exercise (without the heat exhaustion, of course)…

It was an evening in early May of 2008 and I decided to go for a short bike ride around the block.

I’m not sure why as I didn’t do this often at the time, but during this particular ride I felt free.  You know how when you’re a child and you ride your bike fast, recklessly, and without a care in the world?

That’s exactly how I felt and this short bike ride turned into a 1 hour long bike ride.

With fresh air breezing by, and the sun setting, I had an epiphany.  In the thrill of the ride I realized that the reason I could never stick to an exercise regimen was I would do exercises that weren’t enjoyable to me.

I tried running, lifting weights, pushups and other body-weight exercises but it all went nowhere.

I hated running just for the sake of running, yet I would try to run daily and usually pull a muscle or two.  After a few days I’d quit.  Does that sound familiar?

I hated lifting weights because it was boring and the amount of weight I could lift was miniscule.  I hired a personal trainer twice/week anyway because I thought lifting weights is what you’re “supposed” to do.  I quit after a few months.  I didn’t realize any significant progress in strength and the weight room smelled like sweaty feet and massive ego.

And I absolutely hated pushups because from a very young age I always had the weakest upper body in my peer group and could never do more than a few pushups or pullups.

But that evening bike ride shifted my thinking.  If I could find exercises I enjoyed then I’d not only want to do them, I’d crave doing them.

Have you realized that when you find something you truly enjoy doing you can’t get enough of it?

You lose track of time when you’re engrossed in the activity.

So I immediately got to work organizing a 44 mile bike ride along the West Orange Trail in Central Florida for Saturday June 7, 2008.  It’s 22 miles each way, so we’d do the whole trail front to back.

I began training every day.  First just a few miles.  Then 5.  Then I was doing 10 miles per ride without a problem.  I stepped it up to 15 miles and then finally I did a single 22 mile bike ride a few days before June 7.

I still hadn’t built up the endurance for a full 44 miles, but I knew I could do the West Orange Trail one way.  Since I’d be stranded if I didn’t continue I’d have no choice but to go 22 miles back to the starting point.  My friends would be there for support if I needed them.

Saturday rolled around, 10 friends showed up, and we started our ride from Mile Marker 0 of the West Orange Trail at 11:30 am.

That was a mistake.  It was already hot, 85 degrees or so, and the peak temperature of the day hit 95 and very humid.  We should’ve started the ride at 8 or 9 am.

The first 10 miles were simple.  I’d already been training at least 10 miles/day for a few weeks so I had no fatigue.

I didn’t hit the first figurative wall until about the 18 mile mark. It was getting really tiring.  It was hot.  I was soaked in sweat.  I’d already been riding in this incredible Florida heat for 2 hours because I made sure to stay back with the slowest rider.

That rider, through no physical fault of his own, was my friend Andrei.  He borrowed a too-small mountain bike that was very difficult for a grown man to ride.

Finally we got to the end point, mile 22, and stopped at a gas station for rations.  After a few minutes of rest we were off back the way we came.

It was getting a lot more difficult and my friend Andrei was looking sick and pale.  Usually he could power past anything, but this bike was exhausting him so greatly that he was ready to quit.

At the 31 mile mark I gave Andrei my bike, an easy to ride Gary Fisher Zebrano hybrid, so he could rest a bit.

I was exhausted too, but I thought 11 more miles on a children’s bike would be no problem.

I was wrong.

This bike didn’t want to move.  Besides being far too small for my six foot five inch frame, the wheels were really fat and slow.

After 2 miles I thought I was going to pass out.  I stopped constantly, drinking water, resting in shade, doing whatever I could to press on.

At Mile 41 I was ready to quit.

3 miles from the finish line but I just couldn’t continue. My body was so exhausted I was actually cold.

It was 95 degrees outside and I had chills.  I didn’t feel right.

I ran out of water a few miles back and saw a building I thought had a water fountain.  I immediately stopped, threw the bike on the ground and ran to the building.  No water fountain.  No people.  Nothing.

Dizzy, and unable to focus my eyes or thoughts, I dropped my almost lifeless body in the shade of a tree.

My friends continued, not knowing what I was up to, and found the actual water fountain about 200 yards further down the trail.

After a few minutes of laying on the ground I got up and got on my bike, hoping I could make it.  Thankfully, I only had that 200 yards to go.

The water was very warm, being that it was in direct sunlight, but it was glorious.  I drank, poured it all over my body and laid down on a bench.  Andrei had already been passed out on the adjacent bench for 10 minutes.

I told everybody else to go, we’d make it eventually.

After what seemed like hours, but was really just minutes, I told Andrei we needed to get up and go.  The sooner we got back, the sooner we could eat and refuel our depleted systems.

I still had chills, and knew something wasn’t quite right, but I also knew I needed to press on.

So we got on our bikes and rode the last 3 miles with a triumphant feeling of pure agony.

After 5 grueling hours and 44 miles in the scorching Florida sun, we made it.

Almost immediately we hopped in our cars and headed to a local burrito joint to load up on protein, carbs, and cold water.

Our exhaustion had turned into bliss.

I’ve since done the full 44 mile West Orange Trail again and I’ve ridden it in shorter lengths countless times.

How This Will Help You Get Fit In 1 Minute

You need to take just a few simple actions.

1) Find an exercise you enjoy (as I finally did).

This will take some trial and error, but it doesn’t matter what it is.  It can be running, swimming, lifting weights, playing basketball, literally anything that gets you sweating.  Notice I didn’t say walking.  Walking, while it may be beneficial, doesn’t get your heart pumping and isn’t much of a workout.  You won’t get a euphoric workout high by just walking.

2) Starting immediately go do that exercise for just 1 minute.

Yes, that’s it.  Put on your shorts, t-shirt, sweats, tennis/running/cross-training/basketball shoes, or whatever you need to wear for your workout.  And go do it for just 1 minute.

Nobody is so busy they don’t have a single, solitary, free minute in the day.

Psychologically, it is important that you actually “suit up” for your workout so don’t skip that.  It gets you in the “yes, I’m about to workout!” mood.

3) When you wake up the next day go do that exercise for another minute.

Do it immediately upon waking.  Don’t shower.  Don’t eat.  Go do your 1 minute workout.  Again, it’s just 1 minute.  Yes, you have that much time before work, school, or whatever morning commitments you may have.

4) Keep this up for 30 days.

To be fair: 1 minute won’t be enough to get you fit on its own, but it will be enough to get you in the exercise habit.

By the time the 30 days is up, assuming you chose an exercise you truly enjoy, you will not only be in the habit of daily workouts, but you’ll workout for much longer than 1 minute.

It’s a funny thing this brain of ours.  When we do something enjoyable it forces us to do it regularly and for a considerable amount of time.

In my case, I went a little extreme with that initial 44 mile bike ride, but I’ve been biking regularly ever since.

How I Cured Years Of Excruciating Stomach Pains Without Doctors Or Medicines

I dealt with horrible stomach pains for about 10 years, but I used elimination testing to cure them forever…

Walking home from school one day I wanted to burst into tears.

It was the spring of my 6th grade year and no, I wasn’t being bullied.

My stomach pain began just before school let out and was so severe I almost couldn’t, or just didn’t want to, walk.

The pain was an intense burning that made me sweat uncontrollably and beg for relief.

I finally made it home, which was about 2 blocks from school, drank some Pepto Bismal, and tried to go to sleep.

At the time I didn’t know laying down would only prolong the burning in my stomach.

After 20-30 minutes of agony the pain subsided completely and it felt like nothing ever happened.

And it didn’t happen again for about a year.

Finally, one day in 7th grade, the pain returned.  While my class was supposed to be reading quietly I was bowled over in my desk trying to sleep.

My friend Jason looked at me, noticed the marathon runner’s sweat on my face, and asked if I was OK.

“No, I think I’m dying.”  Typical adolescent exaggeration. :)

The truth is, during these bouts of stomach pain death sounded like a great alternative.

The pain began occurring more frequently.  Once every month or two.

I wasn’t a fan of doctors back then and I didn’t bother telling my Parents about this recurring pain knowing my Mom would force me to see one.

By High School the pain occurred on a more regular basis.   Sometimes every day, but usually once or twice per week.

I decided it was something I’d just have to deal with for the rest of my life.

Intense stomach pain for 30 minutes every week isn’t really that much in the grand scheme of things.  That was my rationalization anyway.

Finally after High School I started keeping track of what I ate and drank immediately before a bout of pain.  I’m still not exactly sure why I did this, but I think I assumed my diet had something to do with stomach (i.e. digestive) problems.  Pretty obvious if you think about it, right?

Here is what I noticed:

1) Drinking a 7-11 Slurpee would almost surely end in me laying down in the fetal position.
2) Eating a big fast food meal (2 Whoppers, large fries, and a pop (soda) was typical for me at the time) would put me in agony about 50% of the time.

As you can tell I was on the SAD (Standard American Diet) and it was killing me.

But because of my notes I was getting somewhere.  I could see when my pains occurred.

I immediately stopped drinking Slurpees and similar frozen soda treats.

And I started experimenting with my fast food meals.  (I wasn’t yet smart enough to stop eating fast food altogether.)

What if I didn’t eat the fries?

How about if replaced the soda with the lemonade or iced tea?

What would happen if I only ate sides and no burgers?

I tried any variation I could think of.

What I found was that sugary, carbonated beverages were my enemy.

Drinking any carbonated or sugar-filled beverage during a meal would usually result in stomach pain.  Fried, fatty, fast foods would bring the pain more often than home cooked meals, but the common denominator was what I was drinking.

I was a soda pop junkie and it never occurred to me that might be the cause of my problems until then.

I’d grown up drinking Pepsi, Mt Dew, Faygo (the local favorite in Metro Detroit), et al.  From a very young age 80-90% of my fluid intake was carbonated beverages.

By the time I was in college, four 20 ounce bottles of Pepsi per day was nothing.  Instead of drinking 8 glasses of water per day like is generally recommended I would drink 8+ glasses of carbonated poison per day.

So I decided I needed to stop drinking anything but juice and water.

I didn’t know what I was about to go up against.

Sweats, headaches, inability to focus or concentrate.  The withdrawal symptoms were horrible.

I feel your pain if you’ve ever quit smoking because I went through a similar situation.  It’s not easy.  But it is necessary.

The first week of withdrawal was the worst, and it lasted about a month in total.  I’m pretty good at delaying gratification and I knew if I was dealing with these symptoms then I must’ve really been poisoning my body.

And then one day: relief.

No more withdrawal.

And most importantly, my burning, agonizing, stomach pains went away forever.

Are there any health issues you’re experiencing that might be the result of what you’re putting in your body?

The easiest way to figure it out what food is causing your problems is with elimination testing:

Remove one, just one, food or drink from your diet for 2 weeks.  If you experience withdrawal symptoms then extend the period of time until after the withdrawal symptoms are gone.

Did your health issue go away?

If yes, congratulations!

If not, remove something else from your diet.

What food or drink should you start with?

First, eliminate soda.  If you do your own research you will find that carbonated beverages are poison.

Second, eliminate fried and junk food.  I eat a healthy vegan diet, but I won’t preach.  If you eat fried meats (or if you’re a junk food vegan/vegetarian), I’m not going to tell you to stop, even if it is in your best interests.  Do your research and do what you want.  Just don’t complain about your health problems. ;)

If eliminating soda and fried/junk food doesn’t work, it’s time to tackle the 8 foods that account for 90% of all food allergies: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat.

Wheat is by far the most difficult since it is in virtually everything.  That said, it is doable.  I recently went on a gluten free vegan diet for 30 days.  It took a little extra planning, but I exposed myself to lots of awesome new meal options.

Elimination testing takes time, but your health and happiness is worth it.

How To Quickly and Easily Clean A Blender

If you’re like me you hate doing dishes. If you’re also like me, you use a blender every day. Here’s how to get it clean quickly and not hate doing it…

I almost feel silly posting a video about how to clean a blender.  I mean, everybody knows how to do dishes, right?

Toss them in the dishwasher (fast) or sponge them down (very time consuming).

When you’re using a blender every day (to make my awesome 90 second smoothie recipe) you’ve got to clean it every day.  That’s no fun.

I hated cleaning my blender.  But I loved drinking my smoothie.  One day it just hit me.

Use the blender’s own power to make it clean itself.

First, after you’ve drank all the contents of the blender there’s still a lot of good stuff left that won’t come out with some help.  Fill your glass up halfway with water, put it in the blender, pulse a few times, and drink it.  This way you’re not letting all the nutrients stuck to the sides of your blender go to waste.

Second, fill the blender about halfway with water.  Blend for 10-15 seconds and dump it out.  That was your rinse cycle.

Third, fill the blender up about halfway again.  But this time add a little bit of dishwashing soap and a cup of ice.  The soap obviously cleans the blender and the ice helps get any gunk off the blades.

Not only is this an easier way to clean your blender it’s also safer than hand washing.  You never have to touch the blades and risk cutting yourself.

Need a reason to clean your blender?  Get it dirty by checking out my 90 Second Kickstart Your Day Smoothie Recipe right here.