Since losing him, I have kept asking myself a painful question:

Could I have said something about his diet that might have made a difference?

I’ve had guilty feelings because I know that food is the biggest foundation for health and does contribute (more than many realize) to the spread and growth of cancer.

Many cancer cells display what is known as the Warburg effect: they take up unusually large amounts of glucose and convert much of it into lactate, even when oxygen is available.

That does not mean eliminating carbohydrates automatically starves cancer. The body can manufacture glucose, tumors can use other fuels, and different cancers behave differently.

But it does raise serious questions about metabolic health, blood sugar, insulin resistance, ultra-processed foods, excessive alcohol intake, and the role nutrition may play alongside conventional treatment.

In this Subconscious Fat video, I talk about my friend and what I wish more people understood before a diagnosis forces them to think about their health.

Nutrition is not a guaranteed cure.

But it should not be treated as an afterthought either, and if someone has cancer, they should do all they can to make sure they are on a diet that at least won’t contribute to the cancer’s growth and spread.

Be aware.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Balance is one of those abilities most people ignore—until they begin losing it.

In this episode of The Better Wealth and Health Podcast, I speak with Master J.R. Mendivil, creator of Silver Ninjas, about why balance training becomes increasingly important as we age.

Master Mendivil uses martial-arts-inspired movements to help older adults develop dynamic balance, coordination, quicker reactions, greater confidence, and practical fall-prevention skills.

We discuss:

Why standing still on one leg is not the whole answer.

How fear of falling can cause people to move less—and potentially become even less capable.

Why reflexes and coordinated movement matter when you stumble.

And how maintaining balance can help preserve freedom, mobility, and independence later in life.

We spend years preparing financially for retirement.

But what good is financial independence if we lose our physical independence?

Watch or listen to the full conversation with Master Mendivil and discover what it means to become a Silver Ninja.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Subconscious Fat at 30,000 feet

Dr. Robert C. Atkins did not invent low-carbohydrate eating, but he helped bring it into the modern mainstream.

At a time when dietary fat was being treated like the nutritional equivalent of radioactive waste, Atkins told people to drastically reduce carbohydrates and stop being afraid of meat, eggs, butter, and other satisfying foods.

That was revolutionary.

Master Mendivil is the founder of SilverNinjas and the creator of Dynamic Balance, a specialized training approach that enhances stability, reflexes, and body control through the intentional motion of martial arts. He offers online sessions, in-person classes, and leads workshops and demonstrations to help learners of all ages develop confidence, discipline, and skill. A spiritually grounded individual, accomplished artist, and active community leader, Master Mendivil brings creativity, purpose, and heart to every aspect of his teaching.

JR Mendivil, BSM, RScP ph. (949) 438-0310

🎙️Podcast interview with Master Mendivil drops tomorrow at 11:57 AM ET

Dr. Atkins’ original program began with a very low-carbohydrate phase called Induction. During later phases, however, followers were encouraged to gradually reintroduce foods such as fruit, legumes, starchy vegetables, and eventually some whole grains.

My interpretation?

Dr. Atkins did not go far enough.

Mr. Skeptical lowers the bowl of fruit he was about to start eating.

“Are you criticizing the man who helped start the entire low-carb revolution?”

I am not criticizing the revolution, Mr. Skeptical.

I am asking whether the revolution stopped halfway across the battlefield.

Atkins helped millions of people understand that carbohydrates were not nutritionally innocent and that eating more dietary fat did not automatically make someone fat. But he still seemed to assume that people eventually needed to work fruits, vegetables, and other carbohydrates back into their diets.

Perhaps he believed an extremely low-carbohydrate diet would be too restrictive to maintain.

Perhaps the cultural pressure to include fruits and vegetables was simply too powerful.

But what if people did not necessarily need to add them back?

Subconscious Fat at 10,000 feet

The Atkins diet was not exactly the same thing as today’s ketogenic diet.

Atkins was a multiphase weight-loss program. Its strictest phase was low enough in carbohydrates to push many people toward ketosis, but later phases allowed progressively more carbohydrates.

Modern ketogenic diets usually place greater emphasis on deliberately maintaining ketosis by keeping carbohydrates very low, protein adequate, and fat relatively high.

Then came other low-carbohydrate approaches.

The South Beach Diet, for example, separated carbohydrates and fats into supposedly “good” and “bad” categories. It included lean protein, selected fats, and controlled amounts of carbohydrates, but it did not necessarily require followers to remain in ketosis.

Mr. Skeptical begins drawing a family tree on a napkin.

“So Atkins gave birth to keto, keto gave birth to carnivore, and South Beach is the confused cousin who lives near Miami?”

Not exactly.

The ketogenic diet existed long before Atkins and was originally developed medically for epilepsy. Carnivore eating also has historical roots that predate today’s social-media movement; well, it’s what actually made us human, so it predates everything.

But culturally, I believe many people followed a recognizable path:

First, they questioned fat.

Then, they reduced carbohydrates.

Then, they discovered ketosis.

Finally, some of them asked the forbidden question:

If I feel better with fewer plant foods, why am I forcing myself to eat them?

Subconscious Fat at Eye-Level

That question helped create today’s carnivore movement.

A carnivore diet generally removes fruit, vegetables, grains, beans, sugar, and nearly all other plant foods. The diet is built primarily around meat, seafood, eggs, animal fats, and—depending on the individual—some dairy.

That does not mean everyone following this philosophy eats nothing but ribeye and salt.

Some people are extremely strict.

Others are what I call carnivore-ish.

That describes me.

Most of my nutrition comes from animal products, but I am not trying to earn a certificate from the Carnivore Police. I often eat avocados, fermented dairy, dark chocolate, seasonings, ice cream, or another non-carnivore food.

Mr. Skeptical takes out a clipboard.

“I’m afraid the Carnivore Police have received an anonymous report about your cinnamon.”

They can investigate the spice cabinet later.

The important point is that dietary labels should serve the individual—not imprison him.

Atkins challenged the belief that every healthy diet needed to be based around bread, cereal, pasta, and low-fat foods. Keto pushed carbohydrate restriction further by emphasizing ketosis. Carnivore took the next logical step and questioned whether plant foods were necessary at all.

That does not prove that carnivore is ideal for every person.

But it does prove something culturally important:

People can maintain extremely low-carbohydrate diets far longer than many experts once assumed.

Practical Suggestions and Conclusions

Dr. Atkins deserves enormous credit.

He helped reopen a nutritional door that had been slammed shut by decades of low-fat messaging.

But perhaps he stood in the doorway instead of walking all the way through it.

Mr. Skeptical puts one foot through an imaginary doorway.

“So should everyone throw away every blueberry and immediately purchase half a cow?”

For many, that wouldn’t be a bad idea.

The practical lesson is not that everyone must become a strict carnivore tomorrow.

The lesson is that you should question foods based on what they actually do for your body—not based on the health halo society placed over them.

You might begin by eliminating sugar, bread, pasta, cereal, and ultra-processed foods.

You might then experiment with a ketogenic diet.

You might discover that you feel better eating mostly animal foods.

Or you might remain carnivore-ish, using a small number of plant foods that you tolerate well.

Atkins started an important conversation:

What happens when we stop blaming fat and begin questioning carbohydrates?

Keto continued it:

What happens when we intentionally remain in a fat-burning state?

Carnivore pushed it even further:

What happens when we stop assuming that fruits and vegetables are mandatory?

Dr. Atkins showed us the road.

My interpretation is simply that he stopped before reaching its most interesting destination.

Be aware.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Full disclosure: ChatGPT was used to research and enhance this post.

🎙️The Better Wealth & Health Podcast with guest Master Mendivil is coming out tomorrow at 11:57 AM Eastern.

Then he told me he had diabetes and was taking metformin.

I told him I would gladly buy him food—but I would buy him meat instead.

That may sound harsh until we ask the uncomfortable question:

Why are we still treating carbohydrate-heavy foods as automatically harmless for someone whose body is already struggling to control blood sugar?

Rice and beans are not “poison,” and one meal does not cause diabetes. But rice and beans both contain substantial carbohydrates, and those carbohydrates are eventually broken down into glucose.

Meat, by comparison, contains virtually no carbohydrate and generally has very little immediate effect on blood glucose.

This was not about judging the man or pretending that one grocery-store conversation could solve his health problems. It was about challenging the advice many people receive: take the medication, but continue eating many of the same foods that keep creating the blood-sugar problem.

Metformin can help lower blood glucose, but it does not make carbohydrate intake irrelevant.

Sometimes helping someone does not mean giving them exactly what they request.

Sometimes it means offering them a different option—and starting a conversation they may never have heard before.

Be aware.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Subconscious Fat at 30,000 feet

Most of us do not have a workout problem.

We have a sitting problem.

Mr. Skeptical leans back in his chair and crosses his arms.

“A sitting problem? I’ve been sitting my entire life, and I’m still here.”

That is usually how the problem works, Mr. Skeptical.

It does not always announce itself with flashing lights and an ambulance. It quietly becomes tight hips, weaker legs, a stiff lower back, less daily movement, and a body that gradually forgets how often it was meant to change positions.

We sit while we work. We sit while we eat. We sit while we drive. We sit while we watch television. We sit while we scroll through our phones and read articles about how sitting too much is bad for us.

Then we go to the gym for 45 minutes and expect that one small window of movement to cancel out the other ten hours spent folded into a chair.

That is not how the human body was designed to operate.

The body adapts to whatever we repeatedly ask it to do. If we spend most of the day sitting, the body becomes exceptionally skilled at sitting. The hips stay bent. The glutes become passengers. The legs do less work. The lower back absorbs more of the load.

The solution does not have to be complicated.

Sometimes, we simply need to stand up.

Subconscious Fat at 10,000 feet

I have started bringing what I call stand-up energy into my podcast interviews.

Instead of sitting in a chair and slowly sinking into the conversation, I stand. I demand my guests on the podcast to do the same.

The difference is noticeable.

When people stand, they often speak with more energy. Their posture improves. Their breathing feels less restricted. The conversation can feel more active and less like two people holding a business meeting inside a waiting room.

I have also started experimenting with this during Zoom calls with some of my fitness clients.

Not necessarily for the entire meeting. Not as punishment. Not because sitting is forbidden.

But because many people have already been sitting for hours before the call begins.

Mr. Skeptical slowly rolls his office chair backward.

“So now I have to stand during meetings too? Is nothing sacred anymore?”

You are allowed to sit, Mr. Skeptical.

The idea is not that sitting is evil. The problem is that sitting has become the default position for nearly everything we do.

Standing simply gives the body another option.

Subconscious Fat at Eye-Level

One of the easiest changes is to create a standing workspace.

That could mean purchasing a proper sit-stand desk. But it does not have to mean buying expensive equipment.

You can place your laptop on a sturdy platform, shelf, dresser, countertop, or raised surface. The screen should be high enough that you are not bending your neck downward for hours.

The goal is not to stand rigidly like a soldier.

The goal is to change positions.

Stand for a while. Shift your weight. Take a few steps. Lean lightly against the desk. Then sit when your body needs a break.

Another position I use is half-kneeling—down on one knee with the other foot planted in front.

This can be a useful alternative when I do not want to sit, but I also do not want to stand continuously.

I may place a folded towel, cushion, or even a flip-flop under the kneeling knee for comfort. After a few minutes, I switch sides.

This distributes the load differently through the hips and legs rather than keeping all the pressure concentrated in the same seated position and lower-back posture.

Mr. Skeptical examines the flip-flop under my knee.

“You built a fitness system out of office furniture and beach footwear?”

Sometimes the simplest tools are the ones people actually use.

Half-kneeling also exposes imbalances. One side may feel stable while the other side feels awkward or tight. That information can be useful. The body often tells us where we have lost mobility or control—provided we place it in positions that allow it to speak.

Practical Suggestions and Conclusions

You do not need to throw away every chair in your home.

You simply need to stop treating the chair as your permanent address.

Try alternating positions throughout the day:

Stand while taking phone calls.

Raise your computer for part of your workday.

Conduct part of your next Zoom meeting standing.

Use a half-kneeling position for a few minutes, then switch knees.

Walk around during conversations that do not require you to look at a screen.

And when you sit, sit intentionally. Do not collapse into the chair and remain there until bedtime.

Movement does not only happen during exercise.

Movement is also the small decision to change position, use your legs, support your own body weight, and avoid remaining frozen in one posture for hours.

That is what stand-up energy is really about.

It is not about trying to turn every meeting into a workout.

It is about remembering that the human body was built to move—even while the rest of the world keeps offering us another chair.

Be aware.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Full disclosure: ChatGPT was used to research and enhance this post.

This pull workout was filmed over the July 4th weekend in Minneapolis using nothing more than resistance bands and a portable home pull-up station.

No gym.
No machines.
No complicated routine.

Just controlled reps, full range of motion, and one hard set to failure.

The goal isn’t to have the perfect workout—it’s to never lose the habit.

If you’re over 40, consistency almost always beats intensity. You don’t need the fanciest equipment. You need a plan you can follow whether you’re at home, traveling, or celebrating a holiday.

That’s how fitness becomes part of your lifestyle instead of something you “start over” every Monday.

Which is harder for you: staying consistent while traveling or getting started in the first place? Let me know in the comments.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

I’d also like to thank Jorg Mardin from Strong Health for showing me the single-leg Romanian deadlift move.

This week I spoke with Jim Pehkonen, founder of Amazing Life Design and The Freedom Forge, about something a lot of men deal with but rarely say out loud: feeling stuck, angry, lost, or trapped by old wounds they thought they had already “handled.”

Jim works with men who have been through trauma and are looking for a different kind of breakthrough — not just another surface-level mindset hack, but a deeper shift in how they see themselves, their pain, and their future.

We talked about why traditional approaches don’t always work for every man, what it takes to move from survival mode into peace and strength, and how men can begin rebuilding their lives when the old identity no longer fits.

This conversation fits perfectly with the larger theme of Subconscious Fat: the hidden weight we carry is not always on the body. Sometimes it is emotional. Sometimes it is spiritual. Sometimes it is the old story running in the background, quietly shaping our choices, our health, our relationships, and our future.

Jim brings an unconventional but grounded perspective on healing, men’s work, and personal transformation — and if you’ve ever felt like you needed a breakthrough but couldn’t quite explain what was blocking you, this is a conversation worth hearing.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Why are vegetables bitter?

Because unlike a cow, a vegetable cannot run away.

It cannot kick you.
It cannot bite you.
It cannot sprint across a field and say, “Not today, salad boy.”

Subconscious Fat at 30,000 feet

So plants developed other defenses.

Taste is one of them.

Bitterness is not an accident. In nature, bitterness often signals chemical defense. Many bitter compounds in plants exist because plants are trying to survive insects, fungi, animals, and yes, sometimes humans.

Mr. Skeptical raises his hand: “Wait. Are you saying my kale salad has a security system?”

Yes.

It just happens to be biochemical instead of electric.

Plants produce compounds like tannins, alkaloids, glucosinolates, lectins, oxalates, and other secondary metabolites. These chemicals can make them bitter, irritating, hard to digest, or even toxic in the wrong dose.

That does not mean every vegetable is poison.

But it does mean vegetables are not automatically “healthy” just because they came from the ground.

The ground also produces poison ivy.

The point is simple: plants are alive. They want to reproduce. They do not exist for the purpose of becoming your side dish.

Subconscious Fat at 10,000 feet

Modern nutrition often treats vegetables as nutritional saints.

Eat more vegetables.
Fill half your plate with vegetables.
Snack on vegetables.
Hide vegetables in smoothies.
Add vegetables to everything.

But we rarely ask the basic question:

Why do so many vegetables need cooking, seasoning, fermentation, butter, dressing, salt, cheese, or some other trick to make them enjoyable?

Because raw plant matter is often tough, bitter, fibrous, or chemically defended.

Mr. Skeptical leans forward: “But vegetables are whole foods.”

So are acorns, grass, and tree bark.

“Whole food” does not automatically mean “ideal human food.”

Humans have spent thousands of years manipulating plants to make them less bitter, less toxic, sweeter, bigger, softer, and easier to digest.

Take corn.

Modern corn does not look like its wild ancestor. Corn was domesticated from teosinte, a wild grass, through thousands of years of human selection. We took a small, hard, wild plant and turned it into the large, sweet, starchy crop people now eat at barbecues.

Broccoli is another example.

Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, and collard greens all come from the same species: Brassica oleracea. They are different human-selected versions of the same wild plant lineage.

In other words, many vegetables are not “nature’s perfect food.”

They are agricultural technology.

That does not make them evil.

But it should make us more honest.

Subconscious Fat at Eye-Level

This is where people get uncomfortable.

Because vegetables have been marketed as moral food.

Meat is suspicious.
Fat is dangerous.
Eggs need defending.
Butter gets interrogated.
But vegetables walk into the room wearing a halo.

Mr. Skeptical crosses his arms: “So now broccoli is the villain?”

No.

Broccoli is not the villain.

The villain is lazy thinking.

Some people tolerate vegetables well. Some people feel better with them. Some people enjoy them. Fine.

But some people get bloating, gas, reflux, joint pain, digestive problems, cravings, or gut irritation when they eat too many plant foods. And instead of considering that the vegetables might be part of the problem, they blame themselves.

Maybe they need more fiber.
Maybe they need more willpower.
Maybe they need a bigger salad.
Maybe they need to chew slower while pretending raw kale is delicious.

Or maybe their body is giving them useful feedback.

This is also why mushrooms are interesting.

I like mushrooms. A lot of people do. But in nature, mushrooms require respect. The issue is not that every mushroom is poisonous. The issue is that some wild mushrooms are dangerous enough to kill you, and they can resemble edible ones. That tells us something important: humans do not just walk through nature eating random “whole foods” because they look natural.

We select.
We test.
We cook.
We ferment.
We avoid.
We learn.

That is survival.

Practical Suggestions and Conclusions

So should you stop eating all vegetables?

Not necessarily.

But you should stop worshipping them.

Vegetables are not automatically superior to meat just because they are plants. A steak does not need a public relations campaign. Eggs do not need to be hidden under dressing. Beef does not need to be bred for thousands of years to stop tasting like punishment.

Animal foods are straightforward nutrition.

Protein.
Fat.
B vitamins.
Iron.
Zinc.
Choline.
Creatine.
Satiety.

Vegetables can have nutrients too, but they also come with defense chemicals, fiber, oxalates, lectins, bitter compounds, and individual tolerance issues.

That is why I like the term “filler foods.”

For many people, vegetables fill the plate more than they truly nourish the body.

They can make you feel full, but full is not the same as fed.

Mr. Skeptical nods: “So the question is not whether vegetables are good or bad?”

Exactly.

The better question is:

How do they affect you?

Do they improve your digestion or wreck it?
Do they help your energy or drain it?
Do they make you feel satisfied or just temporarily stuffed?
Are you eating them because they help you, or because someone told you every healthy person needs a pile of leaves?

My view is simple:

Protein first.
Animal foods first.
Vegetables optional.

Nature is not a grocery store designed around human health.

Nature is a battlefield.

Animals defend themselves with movement, teeth, claws, horns, and speed.

Plants defend themselves with chemistry.

So the next time someone tells you vegetables are bitter because they are “good for you,” maybe ask a different question:

What if they are bitter because they do not want to be eaten?

Be aware.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Full disclosure: ChatGPT was used to research and enhance this post.

🎙️The Better Wealth & Health Podcast with guest Jim is coming out tomorrow at 11:57 AM Eastern.

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I get it. You’re out of town. Your schedule is different. You don’t have your normal setup. You don’t have your gym. You don’t have your usual routine.

But that does not mean you can’t train.

In this video, I’m in Minneapolis over July 4th weekend, and I only brought three resistance bands with me.

That’s it.

Three bands.

But with the right sequence, that is more than enough to get a serious push workout done.

Chest.
Shoulders.
Triceps.
Pressing strength.
Time under tension.
Controlled reps.

The key is not having perfect equipment.

The key is knowing how to create enough resistance, enough fatigue, and enough intensity to make the body respond.

Especially for men over 40, this is where bands shine.

They travel easily.
They are joint-friendly.
They don’t beat you up like heavy weights can.
And they let you train almost anywhere.

Hotel room.
Park.
Backyard.
Balcony.
Friend’s house.

The body does not care whether you are in a fancy gym or standing in Minneapolis with three bands.

It cares about effort.

It cares about tension.

It cares about consistency.

So if you’re traveling, don’t overcomplicate it.

Bring a few bands. Pick a simple push/pull/legs structure. Train hard enough to matter. Then get on with your day.

No gym.
No excuses.
No need to disappear from your routine every time you leave town.

Strength travels with you — if you let it.

Be aware.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

One of the big themes of this conversation is something many people experience but don’t always talk about clearly: the gap between outer success and inner success.

You can look successful from the outside and still feel disconnected, anxious, unfulfilled, or unsure of where your life is going. That is especially true for high-achieving men who have learned how to perform, produce, and push forward — but may not have learned how to slow down, feel, connect, or ask for help.

Ryan brings a grounded and compassionate perspective to that conversation. We talk about emotional safety, relationships, recovery, “failure to launch,” shame, and what it really takes to build a healthier inner life.

This episode is not just about mental health in the clinical sense.

It is about being human.

Because wealth means very little if your inner world is falling apart. And health is not only what shows up in the mirror, the bloodwork, or the gym.

Sometimes health starts with finally being honest about what is going on inside.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who wants to build both better wealth and better health.

Thanks for reading Subconscious Fat! This post is public so feel free to share it.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Mr. Skeptical raises his hand: “So let me get this straight. It’s July 4th weekend, barbecue is everywhere, and you still want people to think about what they eat?”

Yes.

Because freedom is great — but waking up on July 5th feeling like you got attacked by buns, chips, seed oils, and barbecue sauce is not exactly the Liberty Bell ringing.

Ryan Landau, LMHC, is a Miami-based licensed mental health counselor and founder of RyanLandau.live. A graduate of Nova Southeastern University, Ryan helps high-achieving men, young adults, couples, and families move beyond pressure, shame, addiction patterns, and feeling stuck. His work blends neuroscience-informed therapy, somatic awareness, EMDR, and a no-shame framework to help people create deeper connection, emotional safety, and lasting growth.

🎙️Watch out for the podcast interview coming out tomorrow at 11:57 AM.

Subconscious Fat at 30,000 feet

July 4th weekend is supposed to be about freedom.

But for a lot of people, it turns into dietary captivity.

You start with good intentions. Then suddenly you’re three hot dog buns deep, your plate has potato salad, corn, chips, barbecue sauce, cookies, and some suspicious “homemade” dip that probably came from a warehouse in New Jersey.

Mr. Skeptical rolls his eyes: “Come on. It’s a holiday. Are we really going to analyze mustard?”

Yes. We are.

Because holidays are where diets go to die quietly under a paper plate.

But here’s the good news: July 4th is actually one of the easiest holidays to handle if you eat carnivore-ish or ketogenic.

Why?

Because the main event is already meat.

Burgers. Steak. Ribs. Brisket. Chicken. Sausage. Hot dogs if the ingredients are clean enough. You are not trying to survive a vegan poetry retreat. You are at a barbecue.

The problem is not the meat.

The problem is everything circling the meat like nutritional mosquitoes.

The buns. The chips. The corn. The pasta salad. The sugary sauces. The fried foods cooked in seed oils. The desserts. The filler foods.

That’s the phrase to remember: filler foods.

These are the foods that take up space on the plate and in your stomach but don’t really nourish you. They are cheap, easy to overeat, and usually built around starch, sugar, seed oils, or all three.

The carnivore-ish strategy is simple:

Eat the meat first.

Not the bread.
Not the corn.
Not the chips.
Not “just a little” potato salad.

The meat.

Get full on protein and fat before the filler foods start whispering.

Subconscious Fat at 10,000 feet

The body behaves differently when you start with protein.

Protein is satiating. Fat slows things down. Salt helps cravings. A good carnivore-ish plate makes it much easier to avoid wandering into the snack table like a raccoon with a LinkedIn profile.

Mr. Skeptical leans forward: “So the plan is just eat a bunch of meat and call it discipline?”

Pretty much.

But we can make it smarter.

If you’re at a barbecue, start with the cleanest protein available. Burger patties without the bun. Steak. Brisket. Chicken thighs. Ribs if the sauce isn’t loaded with sugar. Sausage if the ingredients aren’t full of junk.

If you’re cooking, use better fats.

Beef tallow. Butter. Ghee.

If something is fried, ask what it’s fried in. If the answer is vegetable oil, soybean oil, canola oil, corn oil, or “whatever oil we use in the fryer,” that’s probably a no.

Seed oils are one of the easiest things to avoid once you decide they are not negotiable.

The tricky part is sauces.

Sauces are where sugar hides in a patriotic costume.

Barbecue sauce can be loaded with sugar. Ketchup is often sugar with tomato vibes. Glazes can turn ribs into dessert wearing a meat costume.

If the sauce tastes sweet and you don’t know what’s in it, be suspicious.

Mustard is often a better choice because many basic mustards have no sugar, but still read the label. Some specialty mustards can have honey, sugar, or weird additives.

Hot sauce can also work if the ingredients are clean. Salt works. Butter works. Ghee works. Simple seasonings work.

The rule is not “never use flavor.”

The rule is: don’t let sauce turn your carnivore-ish plate into candy with protein attached.

Subconscious Fat at Eye-Level

So what does this look like in real life?

You show up to the July 4th barbecue.

Before you touch anything else, you build your plate around meat.

Two burger patties, no bun.
Chicken thighs, skin on if available.
Steak if someone had the good sense to bring steak.
Ribs only if they aren’t drowned in sugar sauce.
Maybe sausage or hot dogs if the ingredients are decent.

Then you salt your food.

Himalayan salt or sea salt if you have it. Regular salt if that’s what’s available. Don’t get weird about it. We are trying to survive the holiday, not perform a mineral ceremony.

And by the way, if you think you have it hard on July 4th, I have a double reason to celebrate.

July 4th is also my birthday.

As America turns 250, I turn 57.

So yes, I have the holiday, the barbecue, the fireworks, and the birthday excuse all lined up at the same time.

Am I still going to eat properly?

Yes.

Not because I’m trying to be perfect. Not because I’m trying to win some invisible discipline trophy. But because this is now what feels easy to me.

I go protein first.

That is the habit.

And once the habit is built, it stops feeling like punishment. It becomes the path of least resistance.

Mr. Skeptical crosses his arms: “What about vegetables? Am I allowed to look at lettuce?”

You can look at lettuce.

But on a carnivore-ish or ketogenic July 4th strategy, vegetables are not the foundation. They are optional. Same with corn, beans, rice, bread, chips, and potato salad.

Those are filler foods.

They may taste good, but they are not your anchor.

Your anchor is protein.

And here is the big practical trick:

Do not arrive starving.

If you show up starving, the chips win. The chips always win. They’re sitting there in a bowl, salty, crunchy, and ready to destroy your better judgment.

Eat some protein before you go if needed. Even a few eggs, sardines, beef, chicken, or cheese before the event can stop you from making decisions like a man who has been trapped in a cave since Tuesday.

Practical Suggestions and Conclusions

Here’s the July 4th carnivore-ish survival plan:

Eat meat first.

Avoid seed oils.

Skip the buns, bread, corn, chips, rice, pasta salad, and other filler foods.

Be careful with sauces. If it tastes sweet and you don’t know what’s in it, assume it’s probably sugar.

Use mustard, hot sauce, salt, butter, ghee, or simple seasonings when possible.

If you are cooking, use beef tallow, butter, or ghee instead of vegetable oils.

If you drink alcohol, understand that alcohol lowers inhibition. One drink can turn into “I’ll just have one cookie,” and suddenly you’re negotiating with a cupcake like it owes you money.

This does not mean you have to be antisocial.

You can enjoy the holiday. You can eat well. You can be part of the barbecue without eating like every food decision is sponsored by regret.

The key is not perfection.

The key is sequence.

Protein first. Fat second. Salt as needed. Filler foods last, or not at all.

July 4th is about freedom.

And one of the most underrated freedoms is not being controlled by every bun, chip, sauce, and dessert that shows up on a picnic table.

Mr. Skeptical nods: “So freedom is a burger patty without the bun?”

Sometimes, yes.

Especially if it keeps you from waking up on July 5th feeling like the fireworks went off inside your stomach.

Be aware.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Full disclosure: ChatGPT was used to research and enhance this post.

🎙️The Better Wealth & Health Podcast with guest Ryan Randau is coming out tomorrow at 11:57 AM Eastern.

Some people treat it like a superfood. Others act like adults eating dairy is some kind of nutritional crime scene.

But here’s the truth: dairy is not one thing.

Milk, yogurt, raw milk, hard cheese, soft cheese, goat cheese, and cheese crisps can all affect the body differently. Some people can’t tolerate regular milk but do fine with aged cheese. Some can handle yogurt but not melted cheese. Some people eat cheese and feel great. Others eat too much and their digestion immediately files a complaint.

For me, cheese can be useful — especially as a low-carb, protein-and-calcium food. It can also help when eating higher-oxalate foods like dark chocolate or spinach. But hard cheese can also slow things down, which is why I sometimes pair it with pitted prunes. Not glamorous, but effective. The gut does not care about your ideology.

So the real question isn’t, “Is cheese good or bad?”

The better question is:

What kind of dairy are you eating?
How much are you eating?
And how does your body respond?

That’s where the truth usually lives.

Be aware.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

We explore how artificial intelligence is transforming business, why strong leadership still matters more than ever, and the habits that help people perform at a high level in both their professional and personal lives.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, executive, or simply curious about the future of AI and leadership, you’ll come away with practical insights you can apply immediately.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who wants to build both better wealth and better health.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Mr. Skeptical sees the title of this post and rolls his eyes.

He’s so predictable, always the Negative Nancy.

José “Pepe” Dávila is the Vice President of Operations at Dabrico, a company specializing in automated inspection systems for pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Dabrico has spent more than four decades building inspection machines used around the world, and Pepe helps lead the company as it continues evolving into AI-based inspection technology.

Pepe brings a unique mix of operations, technology, leadership, and family-business experience. In this conversation, we discuss artificial intelligence, innovation, leadership, health, and lifelong learning.

🎙️Watch out for the podcast interview coming out tomorrow at 11:57 AM.

Subconscious Fat at 30,000 feet

My recent LinkedIn poll asked a simple question:

Do you believe fiber is truly essential for good health?

So far, the answer has been almost unanimous.

Most people believe fiber is absolutely necessary.

And I get it.

That is what we have been told for decades. Fiber helps digestion. Fiber helps constipation. Fiber feeds the gut bacteria. Fiber is good for the heart. Fiber is good for blood sugar. Fiber is basically treated like the holy roughage of nutrition.

But is that completely true?

Or have we turned fiber into another nutrition religion?

Mr. Skeptical leans forward and says, “Wait a minute. Are you really going after fiber now? What’s next, water?”

No. I am not saying fiber is bad for everyone.

I am saying we need to ask a better question:

Is fiber essential, or is fiber useful in certain situations for certain people eating certain diets?

That is a very different conversation.

Subconscious Fat at 10,000 feet

From a carnivore or low-carb perspective, the fiber conversation changes.

If someone is eating a high-carb, processed-food diet, full of bread, pasta, cereal, snacks, and low-quality fats, then yes, fiber may help slow digestion, improve fullness, and make that diet less damaging.

But what if the diet changes completely?

What if someone removes processed carbohydrates, eats more animal protein, adds healthy fats, improves hydration, and increases salt?

Do they still need fiber in the same way?

Many carnivore-leaning doctors and advocates, including doctors like Dr. Anthony Chaffee, argue that people often confuse “needing fiber” with needing better digestion, more fat, more fluids, more salt, and fewer irritating foods.

Mr. Skeptical raises his hand: “But doesn’t fiber prevent constipation?”

Sometimes.

But not always.

That is where the conversation gets interesting.

There are people who add more fiber and feel better. But there are also people who add more fiber and get more bloating, more gas, more pressure, and worse constipation.

If the digestive system is already backed up, adding more bulk is not always the magic answer.

Sometimes it is like adding more cars to a traffic jam.

Subconscious Fat at Eye-Level

This is where the fat conversation matters.

Fiber and fat help digestion in very different ways.

Fiber works mostly by adding bulk. It brings more material into the digestive tract, holds water, and can increase stool volume. For some people, that helps move things along. But if someone is already bloated, backed up, or eating foods that irritate their gut, adding more bulk can sometimes make the problem worse.

Fat works differently, especially on a low-carb or carnivore-style diet. Fat stimulates bile release from the gallbladder. Bile helps break down fat, but it can also help stool stay softer and move more easily through the digestive tract. In plain English, fiber adds bulk, while fat can help with lubrication and flow.

That does not mean everyone should just eat sticks of butter and call it a digestive plan. But it does mean constipation is not always a “not enough fiber” problem. Sometimes the issue is too much lean protein without enough fat to balance it.

On a very low-fat diet, stool can become dry, hard, and difficult to pass. Fat stimulates bile. Bile helps with fat digestion and can also influence stool movement and looseness.

This is one reason some people on carnivore or low-carb diets do better when they stop eating only lean meat and start adding enough fat.

Ribeye instead of only chicken breast.

Egg yolks instead of only egg whites.

Butter, tallow, ghee, or fatty cuts of meat instead of dry, low-fat, high-protein meals.

Mr. Skeptical squints and says, “So you’re saying butter fixes constipation?”

No. Do not turn this into a butter commercial.

I am saying constipation is not always a fiber deficiency.

It can be a hydration issue.

It can be a salt issue.

It can be a low-fat issue.

It can be a stress issue.

It can be a medication issue.

It can be a gut motility issue.

It can be a sign that the diet is too low in total food volume or too low in electrolytes.

And yes, sometimes fiber helps.

But sometimes fiber makes things worse.

That is the part most people never hear.

Practical Suggestions and Conclusions

Here is the practical point:

Fiber is not evil.

But fiber is also not magic.

If you eat fruit, vegetables, beans, or some grains and you digest them well, fine. I am not here to kick the broccoli out of your house.

But if you are a man over 40 trying to lose fat, reduce inflammation, improve blood pressure, stabilize blood sugar, and simplify your diet, then you may not need to “fiber max” as if it were a competitive sport.

The goal is not to hit an arbitrary fiber number.

The goal is to have good digestion, good energy, good body composition, and good health markers.

Mr. Skeptical nods and says, “So what should someone actually do?”

Start with the basics.

Eat enough protein.

Do not fear healthy animal fat.

Stay hydrated.

Get enough salt, especially if eating low carb.

Pay attention to your digestion.

And do not assume that constipation automatically means “eat more fiber.”

If more fiber helps you, great.

If more fiber makes you bloated and miserable, maybe your body is telling you something.

The larger lesson is this:

Nutrition advice often gets turned into commandments.

Eat more fiber.

Eat less fat.

Avoid red meat.

Count calories.

Do more cardio.

But the human body is not a slogan machine.

It is a biological system.

And sometimes the simplest answer is not more roughage.

Sometimes the answer is more fat, more salt, more water, fewer processed foods, and a diet that finally matches the body you are trying to build.

Fiber may be useful.

But essential?

That question is not as settled as most people think.

Be aware.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Full disclosure: ChatGPT was used to research and enhance this post.

🎙️The Better Wealth & Health Podcast with Pepe Davila is coming out tomorrow at 11:57 AM Eastern.

White rice.
Black beans.
Fried plantains.
Palomilla steak.
Over and over again.

And don’t get me wrong — it tastes great.

But at some point, I had to ask an uncomfortable question:

Was high blood pressure really “in my genes”… or was it in the food?

My parents had high blood pressure. My grandparents had high blood pressure. So it would be easy to say, “Well, that’s just genetics.”

But maybe that answer is too convenient.

Because when a family eats the same foods, follows the same habits, lives inside the same culture, and then develops the same health problems, we have to ask:

Did we inherit the disease?

Or did we inherit the menu?

This is not about attacking Cuban food. Every culture has comfort foods that can become a problem when eaten too often, in too large a quantity, or in combination with modern sedentary life.

But the typical Cuban plate can easily become a carb bomb:

Rice.
Beans.
Plantains.
Then maybe bread, dessert, or sweet coffee on top of it.

For men over 40, especially those dealing with blood pressure, belly fat, blood sugar, or fatigue, this matters.

Sometimes the most powerful health breakthrough is not discovering a new supplement.

Sometimes it is questioning the foods we were told were “normal.”

Family history matters.

But family habits matter too.

And before we blame our DNA, we should probably take a hard look at what’s on the plate.

Be aware.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Subconscious Fat at 30,000 feet

Steve Jobs changed the world.

He gave us products that felt less like machines and more like extensions of our minds. He understood simplicity, design, human behavior, and the power of eliminating unnecessary complexity.

But when it came to his own health, he appears to have made one very costly mistake.

Jobs was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer — not the most aggressive type most people think of when they hear “pancreatic cancer.” From what has been reported, surgery early on may have given him a much better chance. Instead, he delayed conventional treatment and tried other approaches first.

Mr. Skeptical leans back and says, “Wait a minute. Are we really saying one of the smartest men of the modern era made a bad decision about his own body?”

Yes.

And that may be the most important lesson.

Intelligence does not make us immune to bad decisions. In fact, sometimes very smart people are especially good at explaining bad decisions to themselves.

Subconscious Fat at 10,000 feet

I understand the desire to do things naturally.

I am not a fan of people running to medication for every little thing. I believe food, exercise, sleep, sunlight, stress control, and lifestyle matter far more than our modern medical system often admits.

But natural health should never become a religion.

When “natural” turns into “I refuse anything medical no matter what,” common sense has left the building.

Mr. Skeptical raises his hand: “So are you saying natural health is wrong?”

No. I am saying natural health is not enough in every situation.

If someone has poor energy, weight gain, high blood pressure, poor sleep, insulin resistance, joint pain, or chronic inflammation, then yes — lifestyle should be the first battlefield. Clean up the food. Build muscle. Do resistance training with bands. Sleep better. Stop poisoning yourself with processed junk. Do the basics.

But if there is a tumor sitting in the body and the odds strongly favor removing it early, that is a different conversation.

That is not the time to chant slogans.

That is the time to be practical.

Subconscious Fat at Eye-Level

This is where Steve Jobs becomes such an uncomfortable example.

The same man who built Apple around simplicity seemed to complicate a medical decision that may have needed direct action.

If the cancer can be removed, and if the probability of success is high, surgery may be the simplest solution.

That does not mean surgery is always easy. It does not mean there are no risks. It does not mean doctors are gods. They are not. Medicine has plenty of problems.

But cutting out a dangerous tumor before it spreads is a very different decision from signing up for years of unnecessary pills.

Mr. Skeptical squints and says, “But what about chemotherapy and radiation? Those can be brutal.”

Exactly.

That is why every decision must be judged on its own.

Surgery to remove a localized tumor is one category. Chemotherapy is another. Radiation is another. Long-term medication is another. They should not all be thrown into the same bucket called “medicine.”

That is lazy thinking.

Sometimes medicine is overused.

Sometimes medicine is lifesaving.

Both things can be true.

The mature position is not “natural always wins” or “medicine always wins.”

The mature position is: What is the situation? What are the odds? What is the downside? What happens if I wait? What happens if I act now?

Practical Suggestions and Conclusions

The lesson from Steve Jobs is not that he was foolish.

The lesson is that even brilliant people can become trapped by their own philosophy.

A philosophy is useful until it blinds you.

Natural health is powerful. But it should make you more aware, not more stubborn.

For men over 40, this matters.

We cannot afford magical thinking. We cannot assume that because we eat better, train harder, avoid seed oils, lift with bands, walk outside, and avoid unnecessary drugs, we are automatically protected from everything.

That is not health.

That is arrogance wearing a wellness costume.

Mr. Skeptical nods and says, “So what should a man actually do?”

Be natural when natural makes sense.

Be medical when medical makes sense.

Use food, training, sleep, and recovery as your foundation. But do not ignore testing, imaging, blood work, early detection, surgery, or medical intervention when the evidence is strong.

The body is not impressed by ideology.

Cancer does not care about your philosophy.

Blocked arteries do not care about your podcast playlist.

A tumor does not care that you prefer natural remedies.

The goal is not to be “natural” at all costs.

The goal is to stay alive, stay strong, stay useful, and make decisions based on reality.

Steve Jobs taught the world to simplify.

Maybe his final health lesson is this:

When the problem is serious, do not make the simple answer complicated.

Be aware.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Full disclosure: ChatGPT was used to research and enhance this post.

Winston Churchill became famous for cigars, alcohol, stress, and probably never worrying about his mile time.

Yet Fixx died at 52. Churchill lived to 90.

So what does that mean?

It does not mean jogging automatically kills you. And it does not mean cigars and whiskey are a longevity plan — sorry, Churchill fans.

But it does raise an uncomfortable question:

Can a man be “fit” and still not be truly healthy?

For men over 40, cardio alone is not enough. You need muscle. You need smart nutrition. You need recovery. You need to know what is happening under the hood — not just how far you can run.

Because you may be able to outrun a bad mood.

But you may not be able to outrun bad exercises that might be better than sitting on the couch, but not ideal for longevity.

Be aware.

Other links related to this post:

From Geese to Great Whites: The Fat-Fuel Lesson Every Man Over 40 Needs to Hear

The Jogger’s Belly: What Nature Is Trying to Tell You

Why Jogging Can Make You Fatter on the Inside

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Welcome to Episode 1 of The Better Wealth and Health Podcast.

In this conversation, Brad Glassman and I explore wealth, health, personal growth, business, and the habits that help people build a better life after 40.

One thing that makes these conversations different is what I call stand-up energy. Rather than sitting through another interview, Brad and I recorded this conversation standing. The result is a more dynamic, energetic, and engaging discussion.

We talk about lessons learned, mindset shifts, common mistakes, and practical strategies for improving both financial and physical well-being.

Whether your goal is to build a stronger body, a stronger business, or a stronger future, you’ll find ideas here that can help you move forward.

About Brad Glassman:

Brad Glassman is a financial educator, former college professor, and licensed financial professional serving clients in more than a dozen states.

After a 30-year career as an engineer in the entertainment industry, Brad transitioned into financial services, where he focuses on helping individuals, families, and business owners make informed decisions about retirement, taxes, asset protection, and long-term wealth planning.

Known for his practical, education-first approach, Brad is passionate about helping people gain clarity and confidence in their financial future.

Learn more at BradGFinancial.com.

Mr. Skeptical squints at the title suspiciously.

“Okay, let me save everyone some time. You’re going to tell us that genetics are fake, doctors are wrong, and everything can be fixed with a ribeye.”

That’s not what I’m saying.

What I am saying is that inheritance may be a lot more complicated—and a lot more empowering—than most people realize.

🎙️ Tomorrow, I’m launching the very first episode of my new podcast:

The Better Wealth & Health Podcast

My first guest is Brad Glassman, a financial educator, former college professor, and licensed financial professional who helps individuals, families, and business owners make smarter decisions about retirement, taxes, asset protection, and long-term wealth planning.

In this conversation, we discuss financial education, decision-making, wealth building, and some of the biggest mistakes people make when planning for their future.

📅 Episode #1 drops tomorrow at 11:57 a.m.

I hope you’ll join me as we kick off this new journey.

Learn more about Brad at BradGFinancial.com.

Subconscious Fat at 30,000 Feet

One of the most powerful words in modern health is genetics.

It’s also one of the most dangerous.

Why?

Because genetics often sounds like destiny.

Your parents had diabetes.

Your parents had heart disease.

Your parents were overweight.

Therefore, you assume you’ll be the same.

Case closed.

But what if genetics isn’t the final verdict we once thought it was?

What if inheritance matters, but not nearly as much as we assume?

Mr. Skeptical folds his arms.

“So you’re saying genes don’t matter?”

No.

Genes absolutely matter.

But they may not matter in the way we’ve been taught.

The real question isn’t whether genes exist.

The real question is how much control they actually have.

Subconscious Fat at 10,000 Feet

For years, scientists assumed many conditions were almost entirely inherited.

Then reality became more complicated.

One example discussed in the book Beyond Inheritance by Roxanne Khamsi involves Long QT Syndrome, a heart rhythm disorder that was long viewed primarily as an inherited condition.

But researchers found cases where individuals developed the disorder despite not inheriting the mutation from either parent.

The genetic change occurred during early development.

In other words, the story wasn’t simply:

Parent passes gene to child.

Case closed.

Instead, biology turned out to be more dynamic than expected.

Mr. Skeptical scratches his head.

“Wait. So even genetic conditions aren’t always inherited?”

Exactly.

Which raises an uncomfortable question.

If inheritance isn’t always as straightforward as we thought, what else might we be oversimplifying?

Subconscious Fat at Eye Level

This matters because many people use genetics as an explanation for almost everything.

“My family has high blood pressure.”

“My family has obesity.”

“My family has diabetes.”

“My family has heart disease.”

Sometimes that’s true.

But families don’t merely share genes.

They also share habits.

They share meals.

They share beliefs.

They share traditions.

They share lifestyles.

A child raised in a family that eats a particular way often continues eating that way as an adult.

A family that normalizes processed food tends to produce more people who eat processed food.

A family that rarely exercises often produces more people who rarely exercise.

Mr. Skeptical leans forward.

“So maybe what gets inherited isn’t just DNA?”

Exactly.

Sometimes what gets inherited is behavior.

And behavior can look a lot like genetics.

Consider my own family.

My mother and grandmother both had their gallbladders removed.

I almost had mine removed too.

But instead, I changed my behavior.

I used fasting.

I adjusted my eating habits.

And eventually, I avoided surgery altogether.

Does that prove genetics played no role?

Of course not.

But it does suggest genetics wasn’t the entire story.

The same thing applies to blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and countless other conditions.

The environment matters.

The choices matter.

The habits matter.

And increasingly, research suggests that gene expression—the way genes are activated or suppressed—may be influenced by those factors.

Practical Suggestions and Conclusions

The problem with believing everything is genetic is that it removes responsibility.

And while that may feel comforting, it’s often disempowering.

Because if your future is already written into your DNA, why bother changing anything?

Why improve your diet?

Why exercise?

Why sleep better?

Why lose weight?

Why manage stress?

Mr. Skeptical shrugs.

“Because maybe it won’t matter anyway.”

Exactly.

And that’s the trap.

The opposite view isn’t that genetics don’t matter.

The opposite view is that genetics are only part of the equation.

Your genes may load the gun.

Your environment often pulls the trigger.

That idea is far more empowering.

Because it means your choices still matter.

A lot.

Maybe more than we’ve been led to believe.

The next time someone says:

“It’s genetic.”

Pause for a moment.

Maybe they’re right.

But maybe they’re only telling part of the story.

And sometimes the part of the story we control is the part that matters most.

Be aware.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.

Full disclosure: ChatGPT was used to research and enhance this post.

Watch your email tomorrow, The Better Wealth & Health Podcast will drop at 11:57 AM Eastern.

Most people talk about the antioxidants.

Very few talk about the oxalates.

And almost nobody talks about what happens when you combine dark chocolate with the right food.

In this video, I explain why I almost never eat dark chocolate by itself and the simple pairing that may change the way your body handles it.

Sometimes the healthiest foods have a hidden side.

And sometimes the solution isn’t avoiding a food.

It’s understanding what to eat it with.

Be aware.

Watch the video below.

PS Links on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and Notes.