I had this idea that on this BeAwesome 365 blog site I wanted an arena to test ideas and write AND keep it totally separate from my work life.   Something in a different avenue than health because that’s all I do for a career.   I talk about shoulders, necks, ankles all day every day as a part of my job.  But topics seem to always gravitate toward sports performance, life goals, things I’ve been reading about and experimenting with and how to get more by doing less.   The entire idea behind BeAwesome 365 was a larger audience to talk about my non-health-related stuff.

Then I had someone I trust, a friend whom I feel is smart and well versed in all things important in life mention to me, “Why would you ever sell out your strongest attribute?”

Boom, my head almost exploded.  Yes, I feel that I am well-rounded in life and I do have a lot to share, in fact, I can’t type fast enough to get it all on paper and feel like I lose more ideas than I produce.  I have to occasionally tackle health issues.    This idea quickly was followed up but my next real brain buster (and just so you know my internal dialogue voice has a strong sarcastic and often time descending voice)  – “how are you going to have any podcast/blog followers if you don’t talk health – it’s what you’re known for.”

Yeah OK – Health and fitness is def. one of the spokes in my wheelhouse so without further ado – a revamped classic from my past –

Simple Answers for Life’s Complex Questions

Hey doc, what shoes should I wear?

Hey Chad, what’s this clicking in my shoulder?

Is running good for me? or bad?  it’s bad right?

There you go…something like this nearly every time.   It’s my biggest pet peeves but I find even myself doing it.

Ask a simple question, you get a simple answer.

Is that what you really want?

Me either.  I HATE answers like that, but it seems that the public and especially my clients wants me to answer them.

Have you ever asked your doctor a question like that?   I’ll bet you have.

Even worse tho – you may have taken simple advice.   Look again at the first question at the top of the page. I am asked that, in some form or another 10x a day.

Along the same lines I am asked, “Is (_________) good for you – (and before I can even clear my throat) It’s bad right?”  all true!  And this is asked as if one question!

Seriously, fill in the (blank) with anything…gluten, Advil, flip flops, football, sleeping on your stomach, back or shoulder, you name it, I’ve heard it.    Because I am a sports doc, a health nut, and write about things, I tend to be fairly smart in a lot of health-related topics so friends/clients/family and strangers want some advice. I don’t blame them. In fact, I’m happy to offer my humble and possibly educated opinion  – But it’s deeper than a quick quip – do you have a minute?

I’ve said it before and I’ll preach it again, I don’t give simple answers to complex questions. I do however have a reason for most of the advice and decisions I make in a day, that’s probably why I am able to write this stuff down.   That in fact is what makes up the bulk of this podcast  – each and every episode.

The answer to all of these, as most things in life is, “it depends…and here’s why…”

So why do we do it? I’m not sure. I know I’m guilty of it too. “Man, this tastes great.  How did you make this guacamole?”

Not sure if I either :

1)      Really want the whole process

2)      Am just asking to just sound smart

3)      Or just want to seem interested –

but it happens. This episode is my plead to have us stop asking for simple answers. It’s counterproductive to us getting real information and makes us all an easy target for jokes and eye-rolling.

Nine times out of ten when I get asked something along these lines and start to answer with my typical, “Ok, here’s what happens, and here’s what you need to know” lecture mode, my client looks at his watch and is distracted, they don’t really even want an answer.

They don’t even care, they just want a tool to confirm some crazy misinformation they have heard.

This is misinformation rumors and it is killing the health field and wasting your time with crazy fad diets, rounded balance shoes, people being scared to move wrong and workout and a million other things. And don’t even get me started with misleading stats…Oh man, show me a pie chart on anything medical and I can find the opposite study.

This is where I get the fuel for topics of many of my previous articles.. ”Carbs are bad, no wait they’re good”   –   “all calories are the same, no wait!  you have to eat paleo”,”  – “Crossfit is bad right?”

what?! Why? How? Agh! Etc, etc forever and ever wasting our time.

This is a true story:  I remember my wife and I laughing for hours in chiropractic school.  We still joke about this..

We had a weird girl that had a crush on the nutrition teacher.  She would always ask these goofy questions just to get a chance to chat.  Her best question ever;  “Professor X (not his real name but it sounded cool)” anyway…and remember this is word for word…  “ Professor X, have you ever heard this thing about this vitamin that does something really beneficial for you?”

WORD FOR WORD.

You can’t get more lame than that.  He politely answered, “Probably, but you’ll have to give me a little more than that to work with” anyway good for a laugh, but some version of this happens to all of us.

Guys, I’ve said it before, I’m preaching to the choir here…You guys are smart, You deserve better, especially for your health. Its Time for us as a community and the world to be smarter about the questions we’re asking.

2^nd thought and then I’ll leave you alone.

Simple answers are nearly always a problem too.   When you get answers from a doctor, trainer, chiropractor such as, “These are the best shoes, best exercise, best exercise program or “try this” at least ask YOURSELF,   if not the so-called expert, “why?”

Simple answers are nearly as annoying as simple questions.   Especially when dealing with your health.  Take stock only in that which you understand   – And you know your own body better than anyone else, pay attention.  Your body is talking to you all the time it’s just a unique language.

Find out what works for you and make a positive impact in your life.   Better questions, better answers – you deserve it!