2017 Prediction; Bill Gates Endorses; Health Update; Ray Dalio

"…insights for scaleups"

HEADLINES:

In 2012 Sports Illustrated Predicted Astro's 2017 Results — from laughing stock of the baseball world in 2011 to a berth in the World Series in 2017, Sports Illustrated made the prediction five years ago that the Houston Astros would win the World Series in 2017 based on what they saw the leadership doing using analytics to make better recruiting decisions. We'll see if the Astros can complete the prediction, but the fact they are in it at all is proof that there is a method to their madness. Measuring and acting on the right KPIs is critical and this SI story highlights how the Astros did it.

One of the Biggest Constraints to Scaling? — your health! Do you have sufficient energy (important KPI!) to give it your all? I've been collecting several articles and tips over the past few months I thought might prove insightful and healthful. And with everything, it comes down to your daily routines. Quick list:

1. 4-minutes of the right exercise per day
2. 2 tablespoons of fresh olive oil per day
3. C, zinc, magnesium, and D each day
4. 10-20 minutes of meditation each day – see Ray Dalio's book Principles below
5. Avoid opioids!

Four of the five are fairly easy. Details below. Here's to your health!

Tim Ferriss' Kettlebell Swings — I don't have a lot of time to exercise, but many commented at the ScaleUp Summit that I've slimmed down and added quite a bit of muscle. Two keys – every other day I do a 4-minute Tabata exercise routine — 20 seconds intense, 10 seconds rest for 8 reps. Here is a good starter video. On the alternating days, I take a few minutes to do three reps of 25 kettlebell swings (45 lbs. right now). Many, including 4-Hour Body author Tim Ferriss, consider it the best overall exercise. Tim's four-minute YouTube video will show you how to do it properly. Then add/alternate with a 4-minute plank (if I don't have a kettlebell handy) and you're good to go. Who doesn't have 4-minutes per day to boost energy, lose weight, and tone muscle?

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Protects Against Alzheimer's — As the key component of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil has already been linked to a wealth of health goodness, including lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and weight loss, notes this Forbes article. Now a recent study shows that it stops brain cancer tumors in lab tests, and a new study shows that it protects brain tissue from the toxic substances thought to cause Alzheimer's disease. Take 1-minute to read down through the Forbes piece for more details on these studies.

2 Tablespoons per Day — the recommended dosage of olive oil is 2 tablespoons per day or roughly a liter per month — but it must be fresh. Unlike wine, olive oil does NOT get better with age. It breaks down and loses most of its nutritional value after 18 months from crushing and becomes rancid (what most olive oil is that you purchase in the US and why it's so cheap). In turn, if it's great tasting you can grab a couple tablespoons directly if you're not getting enough on/in your food each day (and it's great for your skin). Obviously, I'm biased – my wife Julie's olive oil is from one of the premier regions in the world and has won multiple taste awards – and since she sells it direct it's about half the price of other premium olive oils. Here's a link if you want one or three bottles (750ml each) or 5 liters automatically delivered to your home once, monthly, or quarterly – enjoy!

Here's the Latest on the Benefits of Vitamin C — ever since Time magazine highlighted how IV vitamin C doubles the effectiveness of chemo and radiation, what the Riordan Clinic has been researching for 41 years has finally gone mainstream. Additional research:

• Vitamin C prevents and treats leukemia
• Vitamin C and antibiotics could be up to 100 times more effective than drugs at killing cancer cells – without the side effects
• Smithsonian magazine – deadly infections cured by vitamin C

And several research studies are finding that traditional chemotherapy spreads cancer – see this study re: breast cancer and chemo. I continue to get a 50 gram IV Vitamin C each month as prevention. So far (almost 2 decades) this routine at least hasn't done any harm.

Zinc, Magnesium, and Vitamin D — all three activate thousands of chemical reactions in the body and most of us are chronically low in these three nutrients. I'll be heading to the Riordan Clinic in November to get my annual workup to check roughly 400 data points to see where I'm uniquely low in various amino acid, vitamin, mineral, etc. levels. And I learned from genetic testing that I don't chelate magnesium well, so I take a chelated magnesium supplement instead of a regular one. Good to have data. And the board person advising our lab is the former President of Mayo Labs – we're not messing around when it comes to getting the right data points to assess potential health concerns and drive prevention. I'll share my annual results when I get them again.

Ray Dalio Meditates Twice per Day — the leader of the largest and best performing hedge fund in the world, Ray Dalio, has written a brilliant book (note Bill Gates endorsement above). One of his Principles has been his twice-daily meditation practice, something he pays his employees to learn as well. Take a look at the HeadSpace app for guided meditations. I learned my meditation practice at The Art of Living – they have programs in most cities around the globe.

Pulitzer Prize for Exposing Opioid Disaster? — a week ago Sunday

The Washington Post broke a story exposing Congress, the DEA, and the big three drug distribution companies in colluding to drug up the American people on opioids. This was followed by a 60 Minutes investigative piece further exposing this opioid drug cartel. What's obvious, when you have lived outside the US for as long as we have, is that what is illegal around the globe (bribery, corruption, drug distribution) has simply been made legal in the US. It's a good racket if you can get on the right side of the corruption! The losers – always the citizens.

EXITING: Thinking about selling the business for $40 million or more? Want to get 25% to 200% more than you thought? Request the whitepaper from the Exit Strategies Summit at Harvard from Denise Richmond at (610) 299-6466 or email at [email protected]

COACHING:

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TECHNOLOGY:

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