This weekend, my eighty-year-old mother came with us to a dinner at a friend’s house. Earlier in the day, she asked me what time she needed to be ready, and then she asked her real question: “Can I bring my phone with me?” Not that she needs my permission, and also, just for the record, … Read more
Middle age is when your age starts to show around your middle. Bob Hope I knew I wasn’t alone in feeling inexplicably tired after doing things that used to feel easy — that vague sense that my body had become a slightly less cooperative version of itself. No sharp pains, no dramatic symptoms, but noticeable … Read more
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep. Rumi. There are two sorts of people in the world—the reactive and the proactive. They epitomize very different approaches to life. The reactive ones are typically those who snooze their alarm six times before waking up, are always “too busy” playing … Read more
“I pulled a hamstring during the New York City Marathon,” David Letterman once said about marathon running. “An hour into the race, I jumped off the couch…” It is not a surprise that couch enthusiasts and others who believe sweat should only be induced by spicy meals are intrigued and often perplexed by their fellow … Read more
In 2014 Frederic Gros, a professor of Philosophy at the University of Paris, published his book, A Philosophy of walking, which became a surprise bestseller and was later translated into English. In the book, Gros describes how some of the most original thinkers of our times relied on the power of movement to come up … Read more
If the title of this article makes you feel like you’ve landed in the biology section of the science fair, I empathize with you. There’s a good reason I pivot this week to discuss the gut microbiome instead of my usual pondering about abstract philosophical subjects such as how to cultivate eulogy values. Strange as … Read more
After religion and politics, food is probably the most contentious subject out there. The truth, though is, you are what you eat. Not just literally, but metaphorically too. We are influenced and molded by what we ingest and imbibe. What we watch, who we spend time hanging out with, the content we read —all add … Read more
Living well should matter as much as living longer. Here are 11 scientifically-backed reasons, on the importance of exercise to our survival.
The first quarter of 2020 is almost done. One of my New Year’s resolutions was to complete a month-long streak of closing all 3 rings every day on my Apple Watch Activity tracker. For those not familiar with the concept, this involves a “Stand” goal (at least some movement every hour) for 12 hours a … Read more
I have trouble referring to myself as a runner or worse, an athlete. A severe case of imposter syndrome? Perhaps. I’m comfortable in identifying myself as an ‘Also ran’. I like that description. It’s non-threatening, keeps me in my comfort zone and doesn’t hurt my feelings. I took up running well into my thirties and … Read more