John Du Cane

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Hi All!

Here is the current issue of my weekly “Sunday Share,” a list of what I have been engaging with, excited by or otherwise found intriguing.

What I’m watching —
Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator by Eva Orner

There are some things that really push my buttons: fakery, sexual predation, verbal abuse, boorishness, coarseness, racism, and charlatanism are some that spring to mind right now. Mr. Bikram Choudhury managed to push all those of those buttons for me and then some. From the very first frame I experienced him as repellent, repugnant, revolting — a sleezeball of the first magnitude. And that impression was only reinforced as the film unfolded. What a creep!

However, despite my revulsion for Bikram, the film itself is a must-see for its insights into the human propensity to turn a blind eye to abusive power-mongery and corruption when the apparent product/service benefits are perceived to outweigh the deficits. Bikram was a canny enough marketer to hijack his original yoga teacher’s 26-posture format, add high temperatures and deliver it with a bullying bootcamp smackdown approach. Parading his body around in nothing but a bulging speedo and throwing in outlandish claims was the icing on the cake. Folks flocked to his packed classes — and the teacher trainings which would garner him up to five million dollars a pop.

Charismatic serial-liars can have surprising staying power, as this doc well illustrates. And while Bikram finally had to flee the US, he’s back at it in countries like Mexico and Spain, with a whole new crop of acolytes willingly subjecting themselves to his antics in return for apparent progress on the yogic path…

There is no question that tens if not hundreds of thousands have benefited greatly from the Bikram program. Because, yes, it flat out got and gets results. It’s just sad to see the collateral damage Bikram inflicted in the process of delivering his product.

What I’m reading —
Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton

I got turned on to Brandon Stanton when listening to the excellent Creative Calling by Chase Jarvis. Stanton is a flat-out brilliant photographer with a fabulous sense of composition and an uncanny ability to pose his subjects in a striking manner. But what sets him apart is his engaged love for those he portrays and the brief commentaries he gleans from these unique characters. The result is an inspirational meditation on and celebration of humanity’s glorious diversity.

What I am putting into my body —
CoQ-10

When my dad was in his late seventies I introduced him to CoQ-10. He liked the consistent energy boost he got from it so much that he would have me ship four bottles of it at a time over to him in the UK. He continued to swear by it until pretty much the time of his death at the age of 91.

I take note of what supplements I seem to have stuck with over the long haul and CoQ-10 is clearly a favored companion. Here’s some of the claimed benefits:

• Improves cardiovascular function
• Boosts energy and stamina
• Supports cognitive function
• Fights free radical damage
• Supports healthy vision and hearing
• Improves oral health
• Promotes smooth, supple skin

Thoughts, comments, wishes, suggestions? Hit me up by email at johnrducane@gmail.com

It’s free. No spam. Unsubscribe whenever you want.

Hi All!

Here is the current issue of my weekly “Sunday Share,” a list of what I have been engaging with, excited by or otherwise found intriguing.

What I’m reading —
The Psoas Book by Liz Koch

“Do you know where your lats are and can you engage them?” is a battle cry I’ve heard ringing from the ramparts of not only the kettlebell and bodyweight castles but also from the ramparts of dance — in my case, Brazilian Zouk. But how often do we hear a battle cry to pay attention to our psoas? And in fact, how many of us can even come up with a cogent explanation for the importance of the psoas? Crickets. Crickets. Crickets…

But truth be told, it’s just possible that the psoas is the single most important muscle in our body. The correct functioning of the psoas is key to correct movement, optimal health and a sense of deep well-being. But a dry, tight psoas acts like an insidious wrecking ball, creating an energy-sapping level of dysfunction throughout our systems. Strong words, but if you don’t believe me, I invite you to check out Koch’s book.

My interest in and understanding of the psoas was greatly enhanced by my exposure to TRE (Tension Release Exercise). The Psoas Book — with its accessible explanations and wealth of research, plus its set of protocols for healing the psoas — has added vital new information and given me an expectation that I can further refine my movement skills and be that much more resilient in the future.

What I am putting into my body —
Stamets 7 Mushroom Mycelium Powder

On a flight back from Denver recently, I sat next to this gentleman whose wooly-looking, professorial demeanor turned out to be masking a decidedly eclectic if not downright radical set of past life experiences. Besides being a licensed physician with a particular interest in neurology, he had a deep background in indigenous America healing arts and a particular taste for hallucinogens of every kind and potency. The discussion turned to psilocybin and the current interest in all things mushroom…

My mysterious flight mate was a big fan of the mushroom guru Paul Stamets and regaled me with some stories in his regard. He also suggested I try the Stamets 7 product which I dutifully ordered. It’s a combo of Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Chaga, Reishi, Royal Sun Blazei, Maitake, and Mesima. So far so good — it is feeling like another worthwhile immune protector to keep in my arsenal. Perhaps it will work for you too.

There are a lot of strong reviews on Amazon for the product. Here’s a fairly typical one that caught my eye:

“These were recommended to me by my homeopathic/naturopathic doctor about 90 days ago. I am seeing him due to major stomach issues/GERD/gastroparesis that plagued me for months and years. Since he was able to completely cure me of the aforementioned issues when other “western/regular” style doctors couldn’t even diagnose the problem I thought I would give these a go since I always seem to get sick during cold/flu season due to my job having me traveling a lot. I will say this, not only have I stayed 100% healthy this year (oh, and did I mention I have 2 children under the age of 4 who are sick all the time), but these also help with my energy levels (I don’t get the 2 o’clock crash I used to) and my overall feeling of health. These are an absolute must for anyone wanting to get healthier, but more importantly stay healthy despite being around sick people. Yes, they are a bit pricy ($360/yr), but if I don’t have to pay for my medical co-pays and antibiotics or other meds the trade off is the exact same. Pay now or pay later…up to you!”

Thoughts, comments, wishes, suggestions? Hit me up by email at johnrducane@gmail.com

It’s free. No spam. Unsubscribe whenever you want.

Hi All!

Here is the current issue of my weekly “Sunday Share,” a list of what I have been engaging with, excited by or otherwise found intriguing.

What I’m reading —
I Wrote This Book Because I Love You by Tim Kreider
What do I like from a non-fiction book? Well, a combo of clever wit, insight into the human condition, some surprising revelations and a lively, visceral writing style will go a long way to satisfying me. Anything less is going to elicit a tired sigh pretty quick followed by the sound of a book clunking back onto the shelf.

Tim Kreider’s writing has been a most happy surprise in that regard. Here’s what the New York Times Book Review had to say about it (amongst a ton of other highly complimentary reviews/blurbs):

“In a style reminiscent of Orwell, E.B. White and David Sedaris, an affable hero gamely bumbles through adventures rich with moments of fleeting profundity and moral reckoning…his depictions of the arc from ignorance to wisdom are reliably deft…Kreider is a curious and compassionate observer and a fantastic wit—I laughed to tears more than once. Though he excels at romantic comedy, the essays that stray from that convention resound longer…pleasurable, well-wrought essays.”

What I am putting into my body —
Sibergin
I became fascinated with strange herbs and potions from about the age of fifteen (was I a witch in a past life?  Or a Taoist monk obsessed with longevity/immortality methods? Yes, no doubt to both scenarios…) In London you could find teenage-me burrowing around in an African store unscrewing jars of ominous barks and dried leaves and leaving with a brown bag of goodies to boil up at home. Or you’d see me in China Town checking out the phallic-looking adaptogens. Or you’d spot me in a fusty health store mulling over the ancient Western choices for a more vital and resilient body and mind.

By my early twenties I had settled on my go-to root for borrowed bliss: the mighty Ginseng in all its permutations: red, white, Chinese, Korean, American or Siberian. Oil, tincture, capsule, powder, chewable root, bring em all on. And Ginseng in all its varieties has helped me through the vicissitudes of life ever since.

Of all the varieties out there, the one I found myself most returning to was Siberian Ginseng and in particular the one from Health Aid America called Sibergin

To wet your interest, here’s some information from WebMD on the reputed benefits of Siberian Ginseng:

Siberian ginseng is often called an “adaptogen.” This is a non-medical term used to describe substances that can supposedly strengthen the body and increase general resistance to daily stress.

In addition to being used as an adaptogen, Siberian ginseng is used for conditions of the heart and blood vessels such as high and low blood pressure,  hardening of the arteries and rheumatic heart disease

It is also used for kidney disease, Alzheimer’s disease, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid artritis, flu, colds, chronic bronchitis and tuberculosis.  It is also used for treating the side effects of cancer-chemotherapy.

Some people use Siberian ginseng to improve athletic performance and the ability to do work. They also use it to treat sleep problems and the symptoms of infections caused by herpes simplex type 2.

It is also used to boost the immune system and increase appetite.

Thoughts, comments, wishes, suggestions? Hit me up by email at johnrducane@gmail.com

It’s free. No spam. Unsubscribe whenever you want.

Hi All!

Here is the current issue of my weekly “Sunday Share,” a list of what I have been engaging with, excited by or otherwise found intriguing. This issue just has two items, because, well, I don’t want to manufacture items I haven’t been caught up by this past week…

What I’m watching —
Fast Color by Julia Hart
After enjoying Motherless Brooklyn recently I did what I often do: browse Amazon for related movies of interest. Okay, I have to admit that this time it was a search for other films starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw who I developed a fast crush on as the movie unspooled… And how about that name — Gugu Mbatha-Raw?!

Turns out Gugu’s been in a ton of great movies including Belle and Beauty and the Beast. But the one I decided to watch was Fast Color. This low-budget film is no great masterpiece but is still soulful and intriguing and different. And hey, I got to indulge my Gugu crush some. Which is a good thing.

What I am putting into my body —
Epic Lamb Bar
I have sometimes joked that Tai Chi is a search for the right shoes. I am sure dancers and runners share my pain. But a far greater and less joke-worthy enterprise is the search for a truly decent protein bar. A protein bar that’s not an excuse to foist suspect, potentially body-damaging and health-sapping ingredients on as many gullible saps as possible.

Let’s face it, the road to protein bar bliss is paved with the smeary wrappers of ill-digested insults to our indignant bodies…

So far, the ONLY “protein bar” line that I’ve welcomed, particularly when I am travelling, is the Epic line. I’ve put quotes around the phrase protein bar, because for instance my favorite the Lamb Bar has only 6 grams of protein. And because of the currants ,the net carbs weigh in at 9, so you have to watch it if you are a ketoist.

Still, my go-to hit for a quick protein energy boost — when the immediate need is there and the food-landscape is otherwise pitifully barren or dysfunctional — remains the Epic Lamb Bar. Oh, and it tastes pretty good too which is more than I can say for most of the wretched imposters I’ve grudgingly swallowed in times gone by…

Thoughts, comments, wishes, suggestions? Hit me up by email at johnrducane@gmail.com

It’s free. No spam. Unsubscribe whenever you want.

Hi All!

Here is the current issue of my weekly “Sunday Share,” a list of what I have been engaging with, excited by or otherwise found intriguing.

What I’m reading —
Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey
As a seventeen-year old bookworm, my favorite author by a long shot was Samuel Becket. Not because of his famous play Waiting for Godot, but for his utterly extraordinary novels, like Molloy, Watt  and Malone Dies. In fact I was so in love with Beckett, I wrote a mini-thesis on him that same year. I was just reminded of Beckett while reading Mason Currey’s superbly curated pieces on how 161 different artists organized their daily work.

As I prepare to publish my rather daring The Illustrated Wild Boy, I have been reassured by any and all exhortations to make art of my true inner being. Here’s a description of Beckett’s epiphany in that regard:

“Amid the howling wind and churning water, he suddenly realized that the ‘dark he had struggled to keep under’ in his life—and in his writing, which had until then failed to find an audience or meet his own inspirations—should, in fact be the source of his creative inspiration. ‘I shall always be depressed,’ Beckett concluded, ‘but what comforts me is the realization that I can now accept this dark side as the commanding side of my personality. In accepting it, I will make it work for me.’”

What I’m watching —
Motherless Brooklyn by Edward Norton
I love soulful movies that, while entertaining, make me ponder on the nature of our humanity in a nuanced manner. Tim Ferriss gave this a strong plug in his recent newsletter and I have learned to trust Tim’s recommendations implicitly. And Motherless Brooklyn did not disappoint. Great acting from a great line up, beautiful photography, a wonderful score and a compelling story line.

There many political parallels in Motherless Brooklyn to the amoral, essentially sociopathic con games and power games being perpetrated on us by the current regime in this country.

Side note: this appears to be one of those movies that sharply divides the audience. Reading some of the reviews I wondered whether we both saw the same film. If you are on the fence after reading some of the naysayers’ opinions, I invite you to ignore them… 🙂

What I’m listening to—
On Love by Alain de Botton
I fortunately noticed and acted on a post by my illustrator colleague Judit Tondora about Alain De Botton’s talk On Love at the Sydney Opera House. I am linking above to his novel of the same name but if you want to listen to his talk you can find it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/v-iUHlVazKk

He is deep, he is insightful, he is challenging, he is humorous and his propositions are well worth considering, even if you don’t agree necessarily with his conclusions. He wrote On Love twenty years ago and came out with a second novel The Course of Love two years ago. After listening to his talk I have ordered both of those novels.

What I am putting into my body —
Chlorella
Okay, Chlorella — and its kissing cousin Spirulina — has been around forever and a day. However, with the increasing toxicity of our environment and the growing evidence of the dangers of heavy metal poisoning, I’ve begun to add this back into my diet.

A friend of mine was given three months to live by the Mayo Clinic. She attributes her full recovery to a complex course of chelation therapy. While I am not feeling the urge to jump in to such an ambitious program, I am ready to stack the deck in my favor by trusting that chlorella’s reputed ability to bind with heavy metals will lessen that insidious load in my own body.

Want some quick background? Dr Axe has a credible piece discussing the seven major benefits of including chlorella in your daily regimen: https://draxe.com/nutrition/7-proven-chlorella-benefits-side-effects/

Thoughts, comments, wishes, suggestions? Hit me up by email at johnrducane@gmail.com