Today was a unique day for me.  Some time ago I “tweaked” my shoulder practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  I wanted to get a diagnosis and see how severe the condition was, so I made an appointment to see a specialist at Duke University Sports Clinic.  They took x-rays and he examined me with manual resistance tests and passive range of motion tests.  The conclusion was an inflamed bursa sac.  He also said there is a possibility of a very slight labrum tear, although there is no noticeable indication.  The interesting thing is that we got into a discussion about athletics and fitness.  He made the comment that I obviously lift weights on a regular basis.  Of course, I informed him that I haven’t lifted weights in around 9 years.  I then explained to him the kind of exercises that I do.  I explained that the reason I do the exercises that I do is to keep me flexible and strong enough to endure my athletic pursuits.  I told him that the exercises that I do help to keep me from getting injured when participating in sports, and they help to heal me when I do get injured.

Then I made a statement that he really disagreed with…at first.  I boldly stated that ALL sports get you out of condition.  He retorted, “That isn’t true.  I play tennis as a way to keep my body in shape.”  I said that practicing tennis can indeed improve physical fitness, but competing in tennis tears you down.  It is the competition, the drive and push to win, that makes a sport a sport.  It is pushing yourself to beat the other person, or to climb that mountain, or to lower your time in that race.  That does not get you into shape.  That tears you down.  When you enter a half marathon, or play in a tennis tournament, or play in a soccer game, or compete in a triathlon, you are competing in a sport, and you are thus putting your joints at risk of sprains, your muscles at risk of strain, and your fascia will likely begin to bind all parts of your body.  In fact, I would argue that if you don’t leave everything on the court, on the field, on the mat, or on the road, then you are doing yourself a disservice and you aren’t getting the most out of your chosen sport!

A secret is defined as information that is private and concealed from others.  It is also defined as something that is deliberately hidden.

With this in mind, imagine what an alien would think if it were to observe the citizens of the US, understanding what it means for a human machine to be running optimally. 

• The alien would see that two thirds of us are severely overweight or obese;
• The alien would see that, although water is the foundation of life on all the planets that it has visited in the universe and the US citizens have access to drinking water in abundant supply nearly everywhere they go, most US citizens get far less than the daily physical needs of water.  This, in the face of the fact that the human body is mostly water (65-70%), and all major bodily functions require an abundance of water to function properly;
• The alien would see that eventhough the alien data on humans indicates that the human body thrives on physical exercise, most US citizens fail to even come close to the human body's daily requirement of exercise, opting instead to engage in activities which are counter-productive to physical health.  In fact, according to the data collected by the aliens for the last 600 centuries, if humans would make it a point to exercise vigorously for just 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week, the humans would dramatically improve ALL health issues;
• The alien would see that humans in the US fail to consume the minimal requirements of fresh fruits and vegetables that the human body needs, even though plant food is readily available in grocery stores and farmers markets all over the country.  The alien would compare this fact to the fact that the US citizens' own scientists have been saying for decades that each citizen would reduce all forms of disease and extend the healthy life just by consuming more fresh fruits and vegetables every day;
• The alien would see that most US citizens fail to engage in activities which help to manage stress.  This, eventhough the alien data reports that the human body needs to re-set itself daily in the form of meditation (mind-body exercise);
• The alien would see that many US citizens sleep very little, eventhough the alien data also suggests that humans need sleep in order to perform optimally.