Guy@Gaiam

Guys tend to gravitate towards simplicity, but we are far from simple creatures. We may not always express it but we love our families and take pride in our work and hope that at the end of the day we are contributing to something greater in life. The most successful guys understand the need for balance between work and personal life. We gain wisdom as we age - striving for better health as well as personal understanding and spiritual growth. We persevere because we are strong and powerful creatures. With a healthy sense for adventure and a thirst for knowledge, we like to contribute to the stream of consciousness. Guy@Gaiam is a voice for guys who believe deeply in a society flourishing in healthy choices, education and sustainability. We’ll include observations on men’s health and fitness as well as talk about cool, useful products guys will like.

In my youth, I had terrible and traumatic experiences with my shoulders separating and dislocating at various times during sports. I had my first reconstructive surgery at 18 years old on my right shoulder. This was the result of a year’s worth of extreme snowboarding accidents. Three years later, I was back on the operating table — this time for my left shoulder. After the second surgery, my upper body was extremely tight and rigid. Over the years, I had developed major issues with larger muscle groups in my upper body trying to overcompensate for the smaller, weaker muscles surrounding both of my shoulder joints. Even after months of physical therapy, I was worried I may have complications with my shoulders for the rest of my life.

If you don’t think making blackberry jam from wild blackberries is a “manly” thing to do, just think about the the days of hunter-gatherers. What could be more manly than tromping through the woods like a grizzly bear collecting food from the wild? In this case, however, I was actually walking on a paved road and collecting blackberries from the ditch-line because foraging in our woods right now presents too much of a poison-ivy risk. I also ended up with a Band-Aid® around my finger and spent more time canning in the kitchen than foraging in the great outdoors. Male egos and gender-stereotyping aside, foraging for wild food is good for your body, good for the planet, good for your wallet and, most importantly, good for your taste buds.