Why My Dad Is the Richest Man I Know

By Kelley Herring

Hard to believe, but my father looks as young today - at 60 - as he did at 40. And though he may argue that he's lost a bit more hair than he'd like, his face, his spirit, and his health seem to have been frozen in time.

While I'd like to think that I got his "good genes," we all know genetics is only a small part of the equation. He passed on something even more valuable: an understanding of natural health.

I remember asking, when I was about eight years old, "Dad, why don't we ever have white bread in the house?" Always a man of few words, he replied, "The whiter the bread, the quicker you're dead."

When I asked "why," he explained: "White bread has been stripped of the good stuff. It's just bad for you."

As I ate my whole-wheat peanut butter sandwich and apple and drank my carton of whole milk, I watched my friends chow down on marshmallow fluff sandwiches on soft white bread accompanied by cheesy-flavored chips and sodas. And I watched them "grow" much faster than I did - horizontally, not vertically.

My father is no scientist. He can probably tell you a little bit about vitamin C and vitamin E. He loves blueberries (and knows they're full of antioxidants). And he never overeats.

When I would come home ravenously hungry after skating or biking or dancing ballet for hours and head for the refrigerator, he would say, "Slow down. Your stomach needs time to catch up. If you're still hungry in 20 minutes, you can eat more then." I doubt he had any idea that what he was telling me was an ancient Japanese principle called Hara Hachi Bu - meaning "Eat until you're 80 percent full. Then stop."

My dad is proof that you don't need to be a personal trainer or a doctor... nor do you need to have a nutritionist at your beck and call. Simply adhere to a few easy-to-follow guidelines when it comes to what you eat and how you exercise, and you can live a long, full life feeling (and looking!) younger than your years.

My father taught me that health is the ultimate wealth. I hope you will take his lessons to heart and make your own life better... starting today.

It's Fun to Know: TV Contact Lenses

With high-def flat screens, PCs, iPods, and all those other media devices, you might think the world has enough ways to watch television and movies.

Think again.

Based on recent technological advances, a British futurist foresees TVs in the form of contact lenses. This would allow viewers to "immerse" themselves in sports, action movies, and other programming. The lenses would be powered by body heat. Channels would be changed by voice command or hand motion.

Of course, you'll want to take this "prediction" with a grain of salt. Futurists are the guys who envisioned bubble cities on the ocean floor, flying cars, and moon colonies.

(Source: The Daily Mail)

Word to the Wise: Lapidary

"Lapidary" (LAP-uh-dare-ee) - from the Latin - refers to the art of cutting or engraving on stone. The word is also used to refer to a refined, terse style of writing (associated with inscriptions on monuments).

Example (as used by Michael Foley in Getting Used to Not Being Remarkable): "Here, disgusted by venality and intrigue, the retired courtier would come to compose lapidary maxims and wise but sympathetic letters to ardent youth."

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2602, 02-26-09], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.