Passionfruit Sangria

For the better part of the last decade I have been a bartender to pay the bills. As anyone who has bartended for this long knows, this also means I am also a certified therapist, relationship counselor and official late night "booty call", because who else is just getting off work at 4am? What it also means is over the course of that time, I've learned a thing or two about the art of cocktail making. When I wasn't busy explaining the difference between a Vodka and Gin Martini (or my preference for stirring no matter what James Bond may think) or trying to get one of my regulars laid, I was messing around with all those fancy bottles behind the bar. With this knowledge gained and now in collaboration with Taylor Magazine we will be presenting a weekly cocktail, to get help power you through your week. Many of these will be my own personal concoctions, and some will simply be slight twists on old classics. Regardless, start taking screen shots and bringing these with you to your swankiest cocktails bars in town, and bask in the glow of the bartender finally asking you, "Wait, what's in that?"

COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK: 1ST EDITION

Unfortunately, summer is almost over, but that shouldn't stop you from drinking delicious summer cocktails like you don't have to worry about work on Monday. With that in mind I'm pleased to kick off the new "Cocktail of the Week" section for Taylor Magazine with a delicious spin on a summer classic.

TAYLOR-MADE: PASSIONFRUIT SANGRIA

Sangria is a staple in any summer drinking diet, but this classic needed a new kick. By changing up some basic parts but still keeping the heart of the drink the same, I've created a drink that's sure to keep you keep you saying "Does this even have any alcohol in it?" while you slowly start slurring your words and getting handsy with your best friend's boyfriend. It's definitey possible to find all these ingredients in stores but you might have to look a little harder for the passionfruit syrup (you can always make your own as well!). So let's get started, here's what you'll need:

- Brandy, any mid-shelf brand will do, you don't need XO for this as it'll simply be part of the larger mix.

- Lemon juice, I would recommend having a juicer if your making this for a party otherwise you will be squeezing a lot of lemons.

- Orange Juice: something nice and fresh not from concentrate, I prefer heavy on the pulp but that's up to you.

- Passionfruit Syrup: you can either find this in a large alcohol store (like Total Wine) or order some online (you can use if for a bunch of recipes) or simply make your own.

- Passionfruit Pulp: should be easier to find in the canned fruit section at higher end organic grocery stores, or you can pulp your own passionfruit (but this is a pain).

- Moscato: I prefer a nice pink, bubbly version (Jacob's Creek), but it's perfectly acceptable to use a non carbonated (rule of thumb, men would prefer no bubbles, but once they try it they'll love it either way). 

- A variety of fruit: In a classic Sangria you'd be using apples, oranges, strawberries, and maybe lemons or limes, but you can really add whatever you want here to spice up. 

- Mason Jars: The best and classiest way to serve real sangria in my opinion, you can usually find these at Costco or the like for just a couple bucks a glass and they can be repurposed often.

PREPARATION: For a group of 5

- Firstly, get everything set out, so the mixing will go as smoothly as possible. 

- How many people are you making drinks for?: If it's a large group I would recommend doing something in a jug that people can just pour for themselves, the drink is not hard to make, but it takes some time if you have to do it for 30 separate people.

- Gather and cut your fruit, for the purposes of this we will stick with the classics and say Oranges, Apples, and Strawberries. Typically you'll want about half a larger fruit for each person (so 1/2 apple and orange) and two whole smaller fruits (so two strawberries per person). 

- Juice your lemons: you will need 1oz of lemon juice per person. Depending on the lemon size and juiciness, it should be anywhere from 1-2 lemons per person. 

- Once all your fruit is cut and your lemon juice squeezed, and your jug for mixing is ready, we can move on to the actual mixing. 

MIXING: Per Person (5 people) in your Jug

- Firstly add all your fruit: we will be mixing later so its ok for this to sit there for the moment

- Ingredients per person:

1. 1 oz brandy (5 oz)

2. 1 oz lemon juice (5 oz)

3. 2 oz orange juice (10 oz)

4. 1/2 oz Passionfruit syrup (2 1/2 oz)

5. 1 oz passion fruit pulp (5 oz)

6. 1/5 bottle of Moscato (1 Full Bottle)

Mix all the ingredients together (except Moscato) in your jug (You want something that holds about 3 liters), and add ice so that the jug is about 2/3's full. Stir everything for about 30 seconds before adding your Moscato on top. Stir agin for another 20-30 seconds making sure to mix up from the bottom as you stir. Add ice to fill up the jug the rest of the way and you are (almost) ready to serve.

SERVING:

Fill each of the Mason Jars about 2/3's of the way with ice. It can be nice here to have some extra fruit pre-cut that people can add a little scoop to their drink before pouring on the Sangria (as it sometimes tends to stick to the bottom of the jug). Pass around and enjoy!

NOTES:

If you are planning on serving a larger quantity (5 people and up) I would recommend not adding ice to the mixture before serving (as it will water down as it sits there). Rather mix everything together as before, without adding the ice, and simply fill people's Mason Jars with ice to the top, to insure a delicious ice cold Sangria.

Now get out there and say "Winter be Damned!" as you sip this delicious concoction and dream about bikinis and tan lines. We'd love to hear your feedback, or if you have any owns twists on this classic recipe you'd like to offer, chuck it in the comments section below. But for now, sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Tantra for Dummies: Use These 3 Tips to Tap Into a Tantric Orgasm, and Start Your Journey Towards Being a Sex God

What do you think of when you hear Tantra? For some they jump to the texts of the ancient religion dealing with the process of using our worldly beings as a way to access the outer limits of reality and bring ourselves closer to Samadhi or enlightenment. But you weren't thinking about that were you? No, I know you, you were thinking about sex, crazy, never ending, ultimate, blissful sex, and maybe Sting, for some reason a lot of people think of Sting. 

Well fine if that's what you wanna talk about, that's what we'll talk about, sex. Just keep in mind sex only plays a small part in the actual ancient texts of Tantra, but because we're all have a collective, naughty mind, let's just focus on the naughty. But what exactly is Tantric sex? And how can you use elements of this style of getting down to make yourself a better lover? All in good time.

First, let's talk a little bit about the premise of this whole thing. Tantra has roots in ancient Indian (like from India) times, like 5th Century AD kinda ancient. This is not going to be a lecture on ancient philosophy and religion though, so excuse me if I skip over some details. Basically the ancient yogic texts were all about the search for Samadhi (enlightenment). Most of the traditional philosophies believed that in order to reach this state of pure consciousness, one had to go above and beyond the temptations and pleasures of a normal human existence. This meant going beyond good and bad, right and wrong, pain and pleasure etc. Only by commiting oneself to this lifestyle could one go beyond this state of normal human existence into this higher level of consciousness. 

Tantra arose as an alternative viewpoint from this more traditional sect. Though it was not originally focused on sex (as it's now usually associated), what tantrics believed was you could use certain elements of the human experience to also elevate yourself to this higher plain. 

Enter Sex...

If you've ever had an orgasm (and let's hope for your sake you have) you know that in those brief few moments of ectasy, the entire world goes blank. Your mind completely clears, and for a brief second, you enter into another state of consciousness. You are completely and utterly in the present moment, totally conscious, and then... it's gone. So Tantric Sex attempts to train oneself to extend these moments. Women have a natural advantage, which is why they were revered in the tantric community. Multiple orgasms really are a thing of beauty when you're trying to get closer to enlightenment... or whatever. Men unfortunately aren't so naturally gifted. We get a small glimpse at the light, then it's over from anywhere from five minutes to an hour (depending). However, there is hope! With proper training a willing partner, and lot's and lot's of practice (poor you I know), you can tap into your inner tantric God, and be well on your way to finding Samadhi (or just having really awesome sex). With that in mind I present:

"Tantra For Dummies: 3 Quick Tips To Tap Into Your Tantric Orgasm, And Start Your Journey Towards Being A Sex God!"

3. The 80% Rule

This is the most straight forward and most simple intro tip. When practising to channel your inner tantra, treat sex like it's a scale. Imagine 0-100%, 0 obviously being nothing, and 100% being that brief moment you have your final "Vinegar Stoke" (The League Anyone?). For men the key is staying in a certain range, you feel good enough that you can stay um, at "attention" but not so good that you cross the point of no return. This is why having a excited, willing partner is key. When you first start out on your road to tantric glory, you will need to take some breaks along the way. Breaks are cool if your partner is on board, not so cool if it's some chick you picked up at the bar, who is wondering why you keep pulling out and breathing hard every five minutes. 

For Tantric Sex you have to refine what it means to have an orgasm. For men we associate the orgasm with ejaculation, but these are actually two seperate processes which through a life of training we've become accustomed to having mere nanoseconds apart. In reality, the chemicals released in our brain upon orgasm and the release of sperm from the ejaculatory ducts are two seperate occurrences. So by training ourselves in this 80% zone we can learn to control this impulse, and eventually seperate it. With practice (lots and lots of practice) you can slowly increase your pleasure threshold past the 80% mark into 90 even 95%. Resulting in the chemical release associated with the orgasm, without the physical release typically associated with the orgasm. With lots of practice and commitment (life is hard I know) you can actually train yourself to experience the male equivalent of the female multiple orgasm. Just be careful, even with a bunch of training the threshold still exists, and once you pass it, anatomically there's no going back. So if you're planning on practicing the Tantric "Pull-Out Method" just be wary, let's just say, "accidents" can happen.

2. Sublimation

This one is a little more tricky. If you want to look a little farther into it, simply google "Tantric Sublimation" and you can spend a few hours looking up different techniques and guides to keeping cool under pressure. In lamens terms what this basically means is "tighten that shit up". Sublimation is a Yogic and Tantric process of moving energy up through our bodily system. Without getting too sophisticated this essentially means practicing tighetening techniques of the prostate gland and the urethra (the hole in your ding-dong). 

As you continue to practice and engage with your partner, you use these breathing and tightening techniques to move the flow of energy away from your downstairs, upwards. There's a variety of ways to do this, but a few are more effective then others. Like I said hop on google and check some out for yourself. Just to give you an idea, imagine your partner is on top. It's starting to feel, really, really good, pushing past your 80% threshold. By focusing on tighetening the muscles downstairs and taking deep breaths, you can attempt to overcome these sensations and move the energy away before it's too late. The key again is making sure you have someone who is on board (literally and figuratively) so they won't question all those strange faces you're making. Which brings us to our last tip.

1. Communication

If you're really committed to giving Tantra a shot, the biggest thing you need is  partner who's on board. Doesn't matter if it's a long time girl friend, former babysitter, or maybe just some chick who was doing yoga poses on Tinder, having a willing, enthusiastic partner is key. Make sure you have discussed this and they know what they're getting into, but honestly if you say "I wanna get better at sex so we can have marathon sessions together", they probably won't argue. Also realize, this is something that takes time, and it goes against everything we see in our "normal" exposure to all things sexual. There are no "money shots" in Tantric Sex, well, at least there's not "supposed" to be.

Once you've found a partner and they've agreed, just realize at first things can be a little frustrating. Many women struggle to have an orgasm period, so the idea of prolonging yours might sound all well and good, until she's super close and you decide it's time to pull out and sublimate. But focus on the long game, make sure your partner knows what they're getting in for, and the rest is all about practice.

So go out there, get someone willing, and get to it! 

Damaged Goods: What To Do When You Find Out a Women In Your Life Has a History of Sexual Abuse

Before we go any further, let's take a moment to address that headline... "Damaged Goods". Is that really how we think of women in this country who have been victims of some form of sexual assault? Unfortunately, a lot of the times the answer is yes, and I for one think that needs to change. The reality is more staggering than you can imagine. Each year there are close to 300,000 sexual assaults in the U.S. with most of these going unreported. What that means is that number could be even higher, and in my experience it definitely is.

The truth is, that the majority of women have experienced sexual assault in one form or another at some point in there lives. This doesn't mean every women walking the streets has been a victim of rape (though the numbers on that are shocking as well), but most have been victims in some sense. Whether it's rape, unwanted sexual advances, sexual harrassment or anything else of the like, the point is most women have an experience involving their sexuality they'd rather not share. For me this topic hits home. Many of my best friends on this planet happen to be women, and for one reason or another they all seem to confide in me at some point. I'd like to say the idea of hearing these stories gets easier with time, but the truth is I always find myself infuriated at whoever the perpetrator may have been. I find myself asking questions like,

"Who would do this?"

"Why wouldn't you come forward?"

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

But as I've met more and more people with age, and encountered more and more stories like these I've learned quite a few things. The most important being how similar many of these stories are, and what it says about the person who's finally able to share it with you. 

This is an article for men who may be in the dark on this topic. It seems many of my own guy friends are oblivious to this disturbing trend. If this sounds like you, or you've recently found yourself in a situation wondering, "How do I deal with this information," then take a few minutes and learn from my own experience. Whether it's your best friend, your girl friend, fiance or wife, doesn't matter, what matters is how you deal with receiving this new information, and what you can take away from it. 

DON'T JUST HEAR... LISTEN

When a women you care about and cares about you decides to open up to you about this topic, it's usually not something done casually and in passing. If you find yourself in this situation and you don't know what to do as you process this new information the best advice I can give you is simply don't DO anything. Realize that for her, this isn't easy, but she cares enough about you, that she wants you to know. This can be a huge step in a relationship when someone opens up to you with this type of story. The best thing you can do is simply hear her out, don't interject, don't get upset, simply let her tell you in her own time this story and how it's played a role in her development.

DON'T PITY HER... SHE DOESN'T NEED YOUR PITY

The first time a women opened up to me about a sexual assault in her past I was in college. It was my best friend at the time, I was 18, and I simply didn't know how to handle it. As I grew up and I continued to be confronted with this trend, I found that many (in my experience, the majority) of women had situations when they were younger. It disgusts me to think about, but the statistics show that the majority of assaults are committed by someone the victim knows, and many times someone older. This means by the time this person is opening up to you this is something that happened a long time ago. That doesn't by any means make it easier, it simply means they've spent the years in between dealing with it, what they need from you is for you to understand how it has shaped them. Especially if it was in the past one of the worst things you can do is talk about reporting it, or doing something about it, sexual assault is one of the trickiest crimes to prosecute, especially if it's been years. They don't want a solution from you, they just want you to know, to understand this difficult part of their life, and that they trust you with this information. 

SHE'S STRONGER BECAUSE OF IT

I can't speak for every women who's ever been assaulted, but I do know they come in all shapes and sizes and backgrounds, but the one's I've known have all shared one similar quality, strength. This is not to say that women can't be strong and independent without trauma, but those who have faced these travesties and dealt with them, and become better women because of them are a sight to behold. Unfortunately, many women never get over the issues associated with such an event, and even the one's who get "over" it, are never really over it. What they share however is a belief that they are stronger than their circumstance, they will not let one situation change the person they want to be. For some women it takes years, for others not as long, but just know if she's telling you these things it means to some extent she's dealing with it, she's not letting it define her, and she wants your support. 

SHE DOESN'T WANT THIS TO CHANGE THINGS... SHE JUST WANTS YOU TO KNOW

"I don't want you to think any differently of me." This is something I've heard uttered far too many times for my liking in past relationships, and again when I was younger, I didn't quite know how to process it. My first thought used to be, "But you were raped, how could this NOT change things," but the truth is it's not about you, it's about her. If someone feels close enough to share this information with you and your view on them changes, then you probably didn't deserve to be with her in the first place. The truth is however, you view SHOULD change, but for the better. She doesn't want to be viewed as a victim, she doesn't need your pity, and if those are your first thoughts, then you have some growing up to do before you're ready for the real world. However, if you see her through a new filter, admire her courage, stand by her side in silent support, then you just affirm the reason she trusted you in the first place. 

Whether you know it or not, in relationships past or future, you've probably been or will be with someone who has been a victim of sexual assault. Remember that her situation doesn't change the person she has become. Remember that she doesn't want your pity. Remember that she's telling you this because she trusts you, because she wants you to know. Finally, if you've been affected by this situation make a change of your own. Remember how it felt when someone you cared for opened up to you about this for the first time, and realize if we want to stop this trend, it starts with all of us. We can't change the past, but if we really care for the beatiful women in our lives, we can hold each other accountable for a better future. 

And remember ladies, you're beautiful, because you're you, and no one can take that away from you.  

10 Reasons You Need to Stop Letting People Tell You There's Only 10 Reasons to Do Shit

1.) Just Kidding

That would be pretty stupid right? If I was writing an article about why you should stop reading articles about lists telling you how to live your life... with a list. The truth is something has snapped in our singular consciousness, and I am not immune. In fact, I've made the majority of my strides in the blogging world by creating just that, lists. "6 reason to do this", "21 Reasons why you shouldn't do that". What is it about bullet points that makes it the only way we can seem to process culturally relevant information anymore?

In this age of social media, why does it seem that we can't focus on anything that doesn't tell us exactly what we need to do? I mean, none of us are the same right? All of our situations are slightly if not significantly different right? So why are the vast majority of the articles I see spread throughout social media founded in this principle that you have to have some kind of checklist guideline to live your life by?

Why are your "6 Reasons Not Quitting Your Job to Travel is a Waste of Your Life" relevant to me? Maybe I don't want to fucking travel! The truth is I actually wrote that article that gained a huge amount of internet traffic, but as it was doing that I couldn't help but think, why? Why, couldn't I simply write an article about my passion for traveling, not wanting to be tied down, and wanting to see the world, without singling out groups of people that would feel left out. The truth? Because nobody would publish it. So what is it about these articles that we find so appealing? Is our generation so riddled with ADD, that we simply can't focus on anything that will challenge our mental capacity outside of a clear and concise list? I certainly don't think so, and I certainly hope not. 

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

This is a hard question to answer. Maybe it's simply due to the fact of relatability. If people see a list that relates to them, they are instantly interested, they are the ideal target market. The same way people who swing conservative watch FoxNews, and liberals watch Bill Maher. It seems that we all have a need to fill our own set of customs and beliefs, and the easiest way to do that is to see something that instantly pops out and says, "Oh... That's Me!". 

This all plays back to social media and this age of interconnectivity. You can literally find a group for EVERYTHING now. Star Wars geek... check. Anime Fiend... Check. Lesbians Who Love Ruby Rose... Check. Crazy Cat Videos... TRIPLE CHECK! We are so accustomed to getting exactly what we want whenever we want it, that the idea of reaching outside of our comfort zone and our preconceived world values seems silly. If I'm a staunch liberal, why would I bother reading anything Bill O'Reily has to say? Through our need for singularity we've taken creativity, debate, and social commentary out of the equation.

It's the same reason that every week it seems like some long time sports personality or TV host is in hot water over a comment deemed too politically incorrect in this day and age. People don't like hearing things that make them uncomfortable, and media pays attention to that. It doesn't matter if the rest of your viewership agrees, if one person feels attacked, it can sink the whole ship. This is why media has become so one-sided. Left is left, right is right, there can be no more inbetween, because unless there's 50 Shades of it, gray makes us feel uncomfortable. 

WHAT'S THE SOLUTION?

The simple answer would be, challenge yourself, challenge your opinions, think outside the box, but c'est la vie, life is not always so simple. So here's what I propose. Stop being so goddamn sensitive. This includes myself as well. I'm just as guilty of ignoring things that challenge my worldview as the next person, but I'm trying to make an effort. I try to avoid articles that I know won't make me think, but will just confirm the beliefs I already hold dear. "8 Reasons Tom Brady is a Cheating Douche"? I can probably figure that one out for myself I don't need to read 2,000 words from someone that will most likely end with, "but no matter what you think... he's still banging Giselle". 

As far as sensitivity is concerned, that ones a little harder to address, but let's give it the old college try. I've spent the last month at a yoga retreat to get my teaching certification, and in that time of study and practice I've come to a few conclusions. People are all very, very different, but also very much the same. There's not many of us who let everything roll off our shoulders with ease, but that should be the goal. This doesn't mean not standing up for what you believe in or taking arms against an action or statement you believe to be truly reprehensible. But it does mean taking a deep breath before taking action, and realizing that we are all fundamentally entitled to our own opinions, no matter how dumb they may seem to others. The 1st Ammendment was chosen first because it's a foundation of what this country was founded on. If we let all the little things affect us and cause us grief, how can we expect to be taken seriously when something really egregious comes up. We all have the right to our own opinions, even if some are more stupid than others, but just because you don't agree with it, doesn't mean they don't have a right to say it. As George Carlin once said: 

"Rights aren't 'rights' if someone can take them away - They're privileges. That's all we've ever had in this country: a bill of temporary privileges. And if you read the news, even badly, you know that the list gets shorter and shorter."

The truth is the only way we are able to grow is exposing ourselves to the beliefs of others. And this works both ways, whether to affirm what you already believed, or sometimes to make you question things you once considered to be the foundation of your belief structure. If we never changed, never questioned anything, we would all be still stuck in our 10 year old minds. Every boy would be a super hero, and every girl would be a princess, but this is not reality. Things change, we adjust, we learn, and we grow, but all of a sudden it seems we've come to a hault. All this progress, all this new era of thinking has slammed on its brakes. Now all we seem to want to do is stay complacent, comfortable in our bubble, and we use social media and blogs, and other websites to simply perpetuate our own world views. You wanna know the solution, stop. It's as simple as that. Stop being complacent, stop spinning your wheels, and dare to be uncomfortable. Next time you have the choice between more cat memes, or an article or youtube video questioning something you hold sacred, pick the latter. Who knows it might even reaffirm what you already believe. But we all know cat memes only lead to one thing... more cat memes.

This isn't to say that you need to question EVERYTHING constantly, and live in this perpetual world of non-knowing and non-commital. But every once in a while, it's nice to take a walk on the wild side. Who knows you might even like it. And besides if you're a Gen-Y kid like me, and you don't yet know "The 10 Real Reasons Guys Love Blowjobs", well I'm sorry to tell you sweetheart... but you probably never will.  

Sex and Suds... What your partners beer choice says about their sexual performance

There are numerous theories out there about how to tell before taking the next step if your new potential partner is a good lover. While science has proven most women decide within the first eight seconds whether or not they'd sleep with a man, take a deep breath ladies, and follow these rules. Now it's true things like looks, sense of humor, wallet size, all come into account for most women, but if you really wanna know if your new potential beau is worth a tango in the sack, look no further. I present to you "SEX & SUDS... What your partners beer choice tells you about their performance in the sack."

For the sake of shortening this list for time, let's just group this whole first category together. Culture evolves based on trends and those who can keep up with them and stay ahead of the curve. All others will be left in the dust, and definitely are not worthy of seeing the family jewels. With this in mind we can pretty much assume that anyone who still consumes Big Brand Beers as their main source of beer consumption is pretty lame in bed. Don't get me wrong, most of us who are in tune with the industry have our "Shame Beers" as we call them. This is a beer you don't drink regularly, but when the time is right and the beer is ice cold, it's perfectly acceptable to crack a Budlight Lime, or a Corona. However, if your new love interest seems enamored with Big Brand Names (i.e. Bud, Coors, Miller, and all their affiliates) then you most likely have a sexual dud on your hands. 

BIG BRAND BEER = DEAD FISH

Now if you enjoy completely vanilla sex, with no foreplay, no inventive bedroom ideas, and a lot of "I don't know what's wrong, that never happens" then feel free to scope out the frat guys at the bar. If you're ready for a real man, a real Don Juan de Cerveza, then skip the big brands and find your dream guy in the rest of this list.

SEX AND SUDS: THE BEER LIST

THE LAGER GUY:

Now you may be thinking to yourself, "But Lager? Isn't that what Budweiser and most light beer is?" The answer is yes, but mostly NO! Big brand lagers are nothing but watered down garbage malt, a true lager is a thing of beauty and should not be shunned simply because of the bad name bestowed to it by larger brands. The Lager Guy is not simply drinking Bud Heavy, he is an astute observer of all lagers and the varieties that they encompass. Though it's more complicated than what is a Lager and what is not, for the purpose of this we will classify "Lagers" as anything crisp, clean, and refreshing. Just like his beer of choice, the Lager Guy is not a complicated creature, he works hard, he plays harder, and he understands that though other varieties may offer more complexity, he can drink 12 of his brews while other craft beer drinkers may only drink 5 or 6. That's why the Lager Guy is the marathon man in the bedroom, he may not always hit it out of the park, but you can be sure within five minutes he's back and ready for round two, and three, and four and... 

**Beers to keep an eye out for... Weltenberger Barock Helles, New Belgium Shift, Avery Joe's Pilsner, Great Divide Hoss.**

THE HOP HEAD:

It's true in recent years just like any other trends, Craft Beer has garnered it's fair share of beer snobs, no category of this is truer than what Craft Beer enthusiasts affectionately refer to as "Hop Heads". IPA's are arguably the most complex and largest ranging style of beer right now in America. It seems every new brewery that pops up is required to have an IPA as part of their flagship lineup, and while many due a good job, some simply fall short. An experienced hop head knows EXACTLY what they want in their IPA, whether it's subtle hop notes and a light balanced body, or a dark, hoppy, malt monster, that prevents them from tasting anything else for a week. This is why hop heads are great lovers, they know exactly what they want, and they are willing to give you exactly what you need. A choke and a hair pull get your blood pumping? Just ask and you shall receive. Maybe your more into whips and handcuffs, don't be shy, just ask for it. Just be careful with these guys, they are expecting exactly the same in return, so before you let your freak flag fly, make sure your sexual values are lined up. You don't want to be trading a slight ass slap for a ball gag and nipple clamps... or maybe you do?

**Beers to keep an eye out for... Bell's Two Hearted, Dogfish Head 60/90/120 minute, The Alchemist's Heady Topper, Terrapin Recreation Ale, Ballast Point Sculpin, Oskar Blues Deviant Dales, Lagunitas Hop Stoopid, Cigar City White Oak Jai Alai... Oh My God There's Too Many!!!!**

THE STOUT MAN:

Great stouts, just like a great lover are a truly rare find. If you find yourself on your next Tinder date and Prince Charming orders something akin to motor oil for his glass, don't fret. You will soon come to realize that this gentleman enjoys his beer the same way he enjoys his women. If he knows what he's doing you will see him warm the glass with his hands, this is essentially "Beer Foreplay". He knows in order to get the most from his beer just like to get the most out of sex, he needs to warm it up before he just starts going to town. With a stout drinker, you can expect a man who will take his time with you, because sex just like beer gets better with time. Even though this may seem to go on almost too long sometimes, he knows that it's all about enjoying the moment, and the flavors, rather than just getting it over quickly. If you're not a fan of "two-pump chumps" and gentlemen who don't (ahem) return the favor, then find yourself a man who enjoys himself something dark and luxorious. 

**Beers to keep an eye out for... North Coast Old Rasputin, Oskar Blues TenFidy, Lagunitas Cappucino Stout... and if you want a man who will take you on a sexual journey of tantric proportions, Dogfish Head World Wide Stout**

THE SOUR SNOB:

There is a sect of Craft Beer drinkers that are compulsively obsessed with any and all styles of sour beers. Traditionally a Belgian and Flemish style this once rare commodity in the states has made a huge surge in recent years with huge festivals taking place exclusively focused on this style of beer. If you've never had a sour, you will most assuredly not like it upon your first taste. This is not to say sours are bad, in fact some of the best beers I've ever had (and I've had a lot) have been sours. However, our pallets are simply not used to this style when we first try them. Many times these styles use wild yeast strains and the resulting odor produced can be somewhat off putting at first (many people associate vinegar). But once you've let your pallete adjust and found something in your wheel house, you will find that you crave this style more than you ever thought you would. That's why the Sour Snobs are basically the "Christian Grey's" of the Craft Beer world. Most of us will admit that we like the idea of something a little kinky now and again, but Sour Snobs make this a part of their every day life, searching for the weirdest, craziest, most insane shit they can get their hands on, and their sex life is much the same. If you find yourself with someone ordering drinks that come in fancy glasses, with names you need a bachelor's degree to pronounce, tread lightly, because you have found someone who doesn't know the definition of the missionary position. 

**Beers to keep an eye out for... Duchesse de Bourgogne, Petrus Red, Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge, Basically anything from Jolly Pumpkin** 

THE BROWN BOMBER:

These lords of the brown town love nothing more than the sweet nutty goodness, of a toasty brown. Look for these guys in the bar, most likely wearing something with twead patches on it and sporting an epic lip sweater. This is the kind of guy who will talk to you all night about the real philisophical construct behind the great works of Shakespeare, is Iambic pentameter really that important? Um, I don't know is a hazelnut better than a peanut, of course it is! You can assume this gentlemen is studying something like Philosophy, or Creative Writing of Early Mesopotamia, and you won't have to wait long for him to tell you all about it. While not for everyone, this lover of all thing browns, will be the perfect fit for the occasional few. Expect him to treat you like a lady, take you home to his flat, with his two cats, Socrates and Aristotle, lay you down sweetly, and then whisper every so softly in your ear, "How do you feel about anal?"

**Beers to keep an eye out for... Lost Coast Brown Ale, Samuel Smith Nut Brown, Rogue Hazelnut Brown Ale, Bell's Brown Ale**

Well now you know, it's more important sometimes what's in the glass then what may appear in front of you. Next time your out trying to find "Mr. Right" make sure you discover the type of beer man you've come across, you can save yourself a lot of time if your looking for a "Hop Head" and you come across a "Sour Snob". This is not to say everyone falls perfectly within these categories, but more often then not I think you will find this list rings true. Just be sure as with anything, too much of a good thing (in this case beer) can turn even the most perfect man, into a bumbling fool. So drink up ladies, and gents, and leave your comments below to let me know what you think of my list and if there's anything I missed.

Not all who wander are lost, but some are.

As I sit in a bangkok cafe stealing wifi and attempting to order as little as possible I have a brief moment to reflect on the last year abroad. When I left for Australia in August of 2014 I was expecting to enter into a journey that would have life changing repercussions. 12 months later I've found I am essentially the same person, with slightly broadened horizons, and a bunch of free couches to crash on across Europe when I finally make it over there. Back in February I wrote an article for Elite Daily that somehow garnered over 3 million views and over 300,000 likes and shares. Since then I have yet to come close to anything even nearly as successful, but I have realized a few things about myself and my writing. First and foremost, it's something I need to start doing on a more regular basis. Even the articles I've written that haven't gotten 300 shares, let alone 300,000 have been important. I've received offers from two different blogs to be a contributing author, but "contributing" doesn't pay the bills, it's simply a way to get your work out there. If I want to start getting paid like an author, I need to start treating it like what it could potentially be, a job. I need to start cultivating my brand and my mission statement, and most importantly I need to pull my head out of my ass, and realize that I'm not 18 anymore. Many people I've talked to who have been inspired by my writing all seem to share a similar belief, that simply by escaping the daily monotony of a normal 9-5, they can change themselves. What I've come to realize is that though taking a leap of faith and creating a change is definitely the first step, it's also simply just that, a step. There's a famous quote that goes something like, "The journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step" while this is true, what they failed to mention is that first step must be followed by countless more steps in order to actually reach your desired destination. I feel like many of us, "Millenials" feel simply by challenging normality we can create a change in ourselves, unfortunately this is not the case. 

Of the many people I've met on my year long journey so far, I would say the vast majority to varying degrees, simply have no idea what we want from life, but just accepting this fact is not enough. Tonight I will be taking a bus down the coast of Thailand then a ferry to get to the island of Koh Phangan to start a month long yoga retreat. My hope is that a month of seclusion and a focus on something like yoga, can help center me and solidify my journey towards creating a new identity. However, much like with my journey to Australia, I know now that I simply believed doing something different would create the change I was so looking for. I realize now however, that simply taking a journey is not enough. My year sabatical was meant to broaden my world view, and in many ways it has, but it many ways it has simply been a year long digression back to my 18-year old self. This time however, instead of being a crazy "Frat Lord" I was tossed into a sea of indecisive 18-30 years old hippies. The scenery had changed drastically, but it was still basically one long keg party, that lead to a social broadening of horizons but no real introspection. So what have I learned, what's the point of this diatribe? I guess really it's partly about being honest with myself and partly to be used as a warning and a message to anyone who sees friends traveling and thinks it would be so liberating and cool to do the same. The truth is traveling alone is not simply enough to cause a paradigm shift in consciousness, you have to be proactive in your change, and the truth is up to the point I have not been doing that. I expected more out of myself and my experience, and I didn't put in the work to make it happen, I simply coasted by. But now I will try and start holding myself accountable. I stil don't know what I want out of life, but I now have an idea of at least what I'm good at, and what kind of success I could potentially have if I put in the work. I want to come to a time where EVERY article and story I write has 3 million views or more. Where people are inspired by my journey and I can offer advice to those seeking to make a real change in themselves. So it's time to start holding myself accountable, to start taking chances and not being afraid to fail. I have no set plan yet but I have an idea of getting myself grounded and creating a life for myself that allows me to work to live, not live to work. If you're thinking that traveling might be for you, to break the monotony of daily life, then I implore you to try it, but don't take for granted the personal work you will have to do as well. I've had the opportunity to meet some great people and cultivate some amazing friendships, but if I could do it all again there's a lot I would do differently. For those of you that feel lost know that there is a way to make a change, but it's not as simpe as moving somewhere new. A systemic change to your life can be a good kickstart in the right direction, but it's going to take a lot of personal work to create a real life change. It's true that not all who wander are lost, but many of us who wander, have no idea where the fuck we're going. My advice would be try to be the former not the later. 

 

Obesity In America... What Can We Do?

According to a 2011-2012 JAMA survey (Journal of the American Medical Association) approximately 69% or just over two-thirds of Americans are now considered to be Overweight or Obese. We've all heard the term "Obesity Epidemic" thrown around for quite a few years now, but what does it really mean, and why does it effect you and me? The truth is the Obesity Epidemic is widely considered by those in the medical field to be one of the most pressing issues facing our country. The ramifications of this epidemic are far reaching and have implications that can impact much more than just our healthcare system. In order to understand just how big of a problem obesity is, we must first understand a little bit more about this problem. How did we get here? Why does somebody else's weight effect your life? And most importantly what can we do about it?

In order to understand this pressing issue we must first look a little further into what exactly defines someone as being "overweight" or "obese". The system for calculating someone's ideal body weight range is based on the BMI (Body Mass Index) chart. BMI calculates your relative body weight compared to your height and spits out a number based on a charting system to tell you where you lie. According to the BMI scale a score of 18.5-24.9 qualifies as normal or "ideal" on the chart, while a score over 25 qualifies as "overweight" and 30 and above qualifies as "obese". But this system can be somewhat flawed. For instance I'm six feet tall and at the moment I weight 187 pounds, technically, according to the BMI scale, I'm overweight. However, I do intense weight training 4-5 days a week and I eat a high protein diet, my body fat is just around 10%, and most phyisicians would tell you I am very much not overweight. So where the scale may be flawed for athletes and people who train or are larger from excercise, for the most part it's a pretty good starting place to determine if you're within your ideal body weight range. So jumping back to the JAMA survey that means approximately two-thirds of Americans are above this recommended range, and that number has never been so high in our countries history. 

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Though you could argue that there are more issues than these, for the purposes of this article I've broken down the obesity epidemic into four main problem areas, they are as follows:

1. The Systemic Problem

2. The Healthcare Problem

3. The Fitness problem

4. The Food Industry Problem

In this editorial I would like to examine each of these problem areas and what can potentially be done to help turn things around in our country. All of these problems are interelated and through this explanation you will see how they all intertwine with one another. The biggest thing to remember when dealing with the issue of obesity is that this is something that affects EVERYONE, and those who think because they live healthy lives that they are unaffected are dead wrong. Obesity has massive ramifications on the health care industry in this country which we are all a part of, it also poses a major threat to our economy. So like it or not we are all in this together. This article is not meant to put blame on anyone who may be facing issues with weight control, but rather to offer a glimpse into the reality of the situation, and how we all need to come together to make a real change. So while some of the language may be harsh, it is not meant to be detrimental towards individuals but rather to make us realize as a whole, we have failed eachother. The good news if we want it bad enough we can create a new environment of positive empowerment and work to overcome these issues, because if we don't the results will be dire. 

THE SYSTEMIC PROBLEM

The truth is, it's easier, it's socially acceptable, and in the short term it's much cheaper to be unhealthy. You need to look no further than McDonald's "Dollar-Menu" to see it's much more affordable to go the fast food route, than it is to shop for locally sourced, organic, fair trade approved quinoa at WholeFoods. But what has happened in America is we've become one extreme or the other, it seems we have no middle ground anymore. Everyone is either a vegan or real life Burger King. Personally I try to opperate on a plan of 80/20, I eat well, or as well as I can 80% of the time, and the other 20% I pretty much allow myself to eat whatever I want. Mix that with regular exercise and you can enjoy the occasional cookie, ice cream, or a few beers, without feeling guilty about it. But with Americans in general it seems we are always about the extremes, and with the increase in technology, a decrease in overall regular exercise, and the availabilty and affordabilty of fast foods and unhealthy portion sizes, it's  simply easy to be fat in this country. 

This is why obesity is such a systemic problem in our country, quite frankly because now it's built in to our system. From an early age we are barraged with billions of dollars a year spent in advertising to keep us consuming high calorie, low value food and beverages. According to FastFoodAdvertising.org, fast food companies spent over $4.6 Billion in advertising in 2012, so it's no wonder when Americans want something cheap and easy, fast food always seems like a viable option. But as sizes get bigger and cheaper it's no wonder a typical large combo can exceed well over 1,000 calories and in many cases can break the 2,000 recommended calories per day mark, in just one meal (The Cheesecake Factory has quite a few items that break this threshold). 

If we want to break this trend we have to start holding these companies accountable for reality of what they're doing, slowly poisoning the American population. Alcohol and tobacco are regulated and taxed in this country at astounding levels yet fast food, which has been linked as a main contributor to obesity goes unpunished. It's true many companies have come under scrutiny in the last few years for substandard labor practices (McDonald's), and are now being held accountable for food quality in their establishments (Tacobell), but this is just the beginning. If we really want to change our attitude in this country towards obesity, I propose taxing these companies as what they really are, on the same levels as alcohol and tobacco.  According to the American Heart Association, Obesity results in $190 BILLION DOLLARS a year in weight related medical bills. It's time we passed some of this cost back onto the supplier. 

At the same time the government should be helping to fund and provide grants to companies willing to think outside the box. Companies who want to create affordable, healthy meal options that can perhaps help change the stigma associated with fast food. The other idea I would suggest would be programs to help underpriviledged and impoverished families with cheaper access to organic and healthy food options, think Food Stamps meets Trader Joe's. By making healthy options available and educating underprivileged familes on the importance of a proper diet, we can reach a population that is statistically even more affected by the Obesity Epidemic. This is not a change that can happen over night, but by creating a new set of ideas and societal morals, we can start the wheels of change in the right direction. 

THE HEALTHCARE PROBLEM

Healthcare is always a touchy subject no matter how you approach it. There are some that believe "Obamacare" has been incredibly detrimental to our healthcare system, specifically privatized healthcare. While others claim the overall good created by these programs in making healthcare affordable for all ages and income brackets has outweighed any criticism. Personally I fall somewhere in the middle. This past year I did not opt into the new healthcare program and my insurance covered under my parents up to that point expired on my 26th birthday. For me healthcare has never really been an issue, I've always taken care of myself, I rarely get sick, and it seemed to me that paying for something I probably wasn't going to need was pointless. This is an extremely stupid belief system to have, trust me I know, but it's one also shared by many in my age bracket. Milllenials, specifically millenials who stay physically active seem to think that we are all invincible. The truth is, it's called insurance for a reason, it's meant to be there "just in case". But my issue is more with the setup of the healthcare system rather than the idea of offering it to everyone. 

As I stated earlier, the American Heart Association estimates obesity related healthcare issues account for an astounding $190 Billion a year in medical costs. That means the premiums that healthy individuals like myself and many other Americans are forced to pay for are a direct result of the medical costs associated with being overweight. To me this seems like a way to punish those who are literally costing the healthcare system almost nothing, compared to those who are crippling it with unnecessary medical bills. So here is my hypothetical solution to this problem. And though I know the reality of such a situation is very unlikely, unless I one day decide to run for President, I do think even minor shifts towards the drastic solutions I'm proposing would create a huge change in American culture and how we view health in this country. 

REWARDING THOSE WHO DON'T HURT THE SYSTEM

Let's look at a hypothetical scenario with two 26-year olds who are now required to cover their own healthcare expenses. Our first patient has no pre-existing conditions, his BMI falls right in the recommended range, he is extremely healthy and lives an active lifestyle. He is a non-smoker, who occiasionally has a drink or two, but by no means abuses any substances. His premium is $250/month. 

Our second patient has hypertension and is at huge risk of developing type-2 diabetes. He has a BMI well over 30, as well as smoking a pack a day, he drinks heavily and lives a mostly seditary lifestyle. His premium is $250/month. Now how is this fair? Instead of simply blanket charging people based on age and demographic, we need to create a system that rewards those who through proper diet and excercise alleviate the demands placed on the healthcare system. Now it's hard to work out all the logistics and create a fair a balanced plan that wouldn't simply ostracize those who are overweight without a chance to redeem themselves, so here is what I propose. 

Create base level costs in each age group and weight bracket, not simply using BMI as the across the board standard but also calculating in bf% and activity levels. No use of family history as this could pre-bias in both directions. If someone comes from a healthy family but is obese they should be punished more than someone with family medical history but extremely healthy lifestyle.

Create mandatory non-charged testing for first consultations when people are getting checked out for new plans. After that patients are allowed to apply for new testing twice a year with the option to be immediately downgraded to a lower payment bracket if they have shown significant improvements. 

After initial testing and bracket placement you will not be forced to go in for a new bracketing system except every 5 years, but you are always eligible twice a year to apply to go down in the bracketing system. This means if you choose to do nothing and continue to be sedentary, you have five years to do so, but in five years you could be forced to pay even more. However, when initially placed you have two opportunities each year to turn yourself around and go in to show improvement and pay significantly less. Same goes for older individuals but after say age 65 you only have to show up every ten years, but you can have the same two opportunities every year to show improvement. This will encourage people to drop down as the gap between the higher and lower brackets will be significant, for example healthy, non-smoking individuals ranging from 18-30 may pay as little as $50 a month for coverage, while obese, smokers could pay upwards of $1000 a month.

Now this may seem drastic, because it is, but really that's the point. By rewarding those who take care of themselves and put less burden on the healthcare system, you encourage all people to take an active role in turning their lives around. The other thing this would do is create a potentially enormous boost in healthcare related programs to stimulate growth in the economy. Think about all the new opportunities that would arise for businesses related to nutrition and exercise. You could even create tax breaks for those who are investing in these industries in order to better themselves. So for instance if you paid $5,000 over the course of a year for nutritionists and fitness services, but this resulted in drastic improvements to your health and wellbeing, those costs could be used as a tax write off. And by giving people multiple opportunites each year to enter a lower costing bracket, you are giving everyone a fair chance to take an active role in their personal well being. Whether or not they choose to do anything about it is up to them. 

The short term costs associated with this kind of total overhaul would be pretty drastic at first, but over the course of 10-20 years we could potentially see a huge change in the health culture of American Society, which brings us to our next issue.

THE FITNESS PROBLEM

When I was growing up in schools in the midwest in the 90's P.E. class or PhysEd, was just starting a major decline. Now you would be hardpressed to find a regular P.E. program at most schools in the country. With the GFC and school funding cut drastically over the course of the last two decades, programs like P.E. simply became a novelty, not a necessity. But I would argue that good real Physical Education classes from a young age are just as important if not more than many of the things taught to our young people in school. For instance I spent much of my 5th grade year learning of the importance of cursive writing, and I can't remember one time in the last decade when I used it for anything other than my signature. 

WHAT HAPPENED TO P.E.?

Physical education classes have seen a continued and drastic decline in our country. With school budget cuts across the board and the creation of NCLB testing standards, any available resources in schools have been put towards test prep and pulled away from programs deemed frivolous. According to a 2006 CDC report less than 10% of schools in all age levels teach the recommended amount of physical fitness or the equivalent to all students on a regular basis. So it's no wonder that childhood obesity has had such a dramatic rise. Schools are where we go to learn the fundamentals and building blocks of the things that will help us in the rest of our adult life. Since physical fitness is no longer a priority it's no wonder the foundation for a healthy lifestyle is so rare these days. 

In 1960 President JFK announced a program aimed at elevating the level of physical fitness in students across the country. The flagship school for this programs role out was La Sierra High School in California. As you can see from this short clip (http://youtu.be/fISgKl8dB3M), these programs were not only impactful, the results were incredible. There is now a growing movement in this country to revisit the importance of regular physical fitness in children in schools throughout the country. In 2008, La Sierra became one of the first schools in the country to role out a "Crossfit" program for it's students and once again the results have been extremely positive. Regular excersise has dramatic affects in improving not just the overall health of young people but also their academic capacity. With the increase of video games, and technology it's harder and less frequent to see children getting their recommended alotment of physical exercise, and for many students incorportating these programs into schools is the only way they will see any activity at all. 

It's widely known and accepted that physical activity increases brain function by opening capilaries in the cardiovascular system and increasing blood flow and oxidation, two things that are extremely important when people are tryinig to learn. In one study in May 2013 by the American College of Sports Medicine, reseachers found that fourth and fifth graders who ran around or otherwise exercised vigorously for 10 minutes or more prior to a math test, tested higher than thosee who sat quietly before the test. Another study pulbish in August of the samee year by the Journal of Pediatrics, found that out of 12,000 Nebraska school children, those with higher levels  of physical fitness were also linked with better scores in both English and Math testing. So by cutting out mandatory physical fitness in an effort to increase time for in classroom learning may actually be having a counter intuitive effect on improving students learning capabilites. 

All academics aside, it's also incredibly important to get our youth active from a young age. The pre-adolescent and pre-pubescent time frame is when most children learn the activities, social beliefs, and societal standards they will carry with them throughout the rest of their lives. If we can instill from this young age the importance of regular physical activity and proper nutrition then we are reaching children in their most moldable years. By simply teaching children to be active we are teaching them valuable life skills that can have huge ramifications on the socio-economic and financial impacts for future generations. 

THE FOOD INDUSTRY PROBLEM

As was stated earlier, fast food companies spend BILLIONS of dollars each year on marketing and advertising campaigns directed at children and the impoverished. While it is true that in recent years many of these companies have come under increased scrutiny there is still a daunting issue facing our country. Yes, companies like McDonald's specifically have come under fire recently, but even with all this increased scrutiny it seems they are simply trying to put a band-aid over a mortal wound. And as T-Swift so eloquently puts it, "Band-aids don't fix bullet holes"... preach T-Swift... preach. 

I don't have nearly the time, the space, the energy, or the statistical data to delve into the many problems with the food industry in this country, but I can outline some of the basics. Really what it boils down to is three interelated aspects that have put us on this downward spiral. The are cost, convenience, and lack of education. 

The past few years have seen rapid and expansive growth in the U.S. economy. Regardless of what your beliefs are about the current administration, the fact remains that the U.S. is once again at the forefront of the World's economies. As Europe continues to deal with it's own financial crisis and bailouts, the U.S. Dollar is the strongest it's been in quite some time. While it's good to be back on top, this in no way implies that we are out of the darkness just yet. Many people in our country are still struggling to make ends meat and the cost and availability of healthy nutritious food is part of the problem. It's time we started demanding higher quality products, not just from fast food companies, but from all food manufacturers. It seems every week there is a new recall in the states, whether it be contaminated chicken, beef, or even vegetables, and the reasoning for this is clear. In an effort to cut costs while maximizing profits, food suppliers are doing everything in their power to give us the most amount of food, for the least amount of money, but at what cost to our health? There are countless documentaries focused on the horrible living situations surrounding mass produced livestock in this country, but what really has been done to rectify these situations. When push comes to shove people without the funds to pay for "organic" "fair-trade" items are many times forced to simply buy what's affordable. 

It's because of this low costing structure that we need to make a fundamental shift in what we expect from our food suppliers. Instead of letting large food conglomerates control the will of the senate through lobbyists we need to create programs that start holding these companies accountable. The same way people get up in arms when they find out their favorite clothing brands are being made by 6-year olds working 14-hours a day, is the same way we should feel about food companies with substandard labor practices. This is not to say that children and chickens are on the same level, but simply realizing that when we sacrifice our consumeristic ingegrity we are sacrificing more by paying slightly less than we may think. We need to start holding our food suppliers accountable, demanding fair labor practices, not just for the livestock, but also for those producing it. By creating restrictions on corporations, we provide incentives to farmers, who then supply supremely better products. 

The next thing we need to do is something I touched on earlier. Providing higher taxation and restrictions on those companies providing shoddy products to the consumers. At the same time offering tax breaks and incentives to innovative companies and entrepreneurs that are willing to create healthy, convenient, alternatives to their corporate counterparts. For instance we could create a program that incentivizes opening healthy meal outlets. If you were to say open a salad and fallafel chain, where your most "unhealthy" item fell under the 1,000 calorie threshold, you could apply for government grants and loans to expand your business. Whereas if you wanted to open a chain of Chicken & Waffel restaurants, you wouldn't be afforded the same government incentives. You could even go one step further and offer larger grants and tax breaks to companies willing to opening healthy alternative businesses in areas of lower socio-economic status. This would not only provide business opportunities within these communites for residents of the communities but could also slowly start to shift the sterotypes related to different economic levels. Which unfortunately are there for a reason. But by offering incentives and breaking stereotypes we can slowly start to creating a change that branches outwards from the places most in need. 

This previous idea ties in with the last one, which is, lack of education. This is a broad and someone confusing category as it involves many aspects, including home life, public education, and advertising. There is not a lot of emphasis in this country on proper diet and excercise while you can find ads regularly depicting 99 cent Frosties, and the importance of milk. While I won't argue that milk is not an arguably important nutritional supplement, I find the lack of education regarding well-rounded diets appauling. 

I remember learning about the food pyramid as a youngster and not really caring that much, as long as I got to have some gushers every once in a while I was good. I was fortunate enough to come from a good home where putting food on the table was never an issue. Unfortunately for millions of Americans this is a daily struggle, and the amount of children in this country going hungry is alarming. There are government programs in place to help underprivileged students receive meals at school but what our country's schools are serving, while better than nothing, is not necessarily good. I grew up in a pretty affluent area but even the food at my school was mostly high preservative, deep fried mush. But when I was in school we also had recess everyday, and after school sports. So eating a couple of pieces of pizza for lunch was quickly burned off by the time the 3 o'clock bell rang. It's time our schools started making nutrition and education a priority, and just like the other proposed programs here, I think government incentive is a good place to start.

Let's start making fitness testing just as important as starndardized testing. Offering schools grants to create new and inventive programs that teach our students about proper exercise and nutrition. Maybe instead of "Home-economics" we can start offering classes from an early age about "Excercise Physiology" and "Nutritional Fundamentals". By replacing some age old "elective" classes we can at least begin to offer our kids a chance to learn about health and wellness. The key is starting young, and making education a priority when it comes to health and wellbeing. Yes, it's important to make sure our kids are learning educational fundamentals to help them in their quest for higher education, but shouldn't we also be worried about their long term wellbeing?

WHAT CAN WE DO... NOW?

The truth is this problem can't be fixed over night, but it's something we need to start talking about. What will really make a change in this country is open candid discussions about changing our situation, people stepping forward with long term solutions, rather than short term fixes. This isn't something that can simply be implemented and enforced, people have to want it, and they should. By continuing to spread awareness, we can start to take this issue out of the realm of taboo, and into the main stream. Remember it's not just a small group of American's affected here, it's two thirds of the American population. The long term ramifications of this problem are startling and dire, and unless we start a change now, the end result will not be pretty. But what can you do to make a difference? For one, take an active role in noticing all these things. Demand more from your food suppliers and start supporting local, healthy food alternatives. If you or someone you know is affected with obesity, talk about it. For many people, obesity is not a disease, it's an addiction, and like many addictions it came as a result of lack of education about the long term consequences. There is an solution, we just have to be willing to work for it, to hold eachother accountable, and to understand that only together can we make a difference in this fight.