If you haven't heard about Swine Flu by now, you are probably living off the grid on an island near Fiji, and not reading my blogs anyway...but for the rest of us, it is pretty hard to ignore the buzz and bedlam this "new" virus is causing. 

 

Although the media is a convenient resource to stay informed, we know all too well that they are manipulative and influenced by big business, big Pharma, and guided by either greed or stupidity.

I am not going to add much to this post.. being that I am too busy to pay attention to the hype...  so i will simply repost Dr Mercola's long, but well written article discussing the current state of affairs with regard to this impending pandemic.

 I know, you probably want me to chime in a bit more... ok..  I spoke with my friend's at  Natural Immunogenics, the makers of Soverign Silver.  They are both concerned and excited by these recent developments.  Firstly, they are totally supportive of the dissemination of factual, science based information on pathology, disease, natural remedies, and of course, the real deal around Swine Flu...  however, they are quite excited, justifiably so, to produce an amazing, natural and effective solution to the current health crisis. 

Their products, both orally and topically may help in the prevention and treatment of viruses in general, and should definitely be considered if you are concerned at all about the SWINE FLU and the health of you and your family... 

 Here is a link to their latest response to this concern:

 http://www.natural-immunogenics.com/news_detail.php?NewsID=21

 

Of course, getting rest, exercising, eating healthy, natural foods, fresh air, and supporting your immune system are all advised....swine flu or not  :)

I get a lot of emails, introducing products, companies, services, etc related to health & wellness... but one recently caught my attention.  I am not sure why exactly, but I am so glad I replied.
Scenar Health is a company that offers a very cool medical device helping to alleviate pain and realign a person's energetic "flow".  Having a chance to sit down with Helen, who had traveled all the way from Australia, to learn about this company was quite an experience.  I learned about her personal challenges with the health of one of her children, and how this Russian developed device pretty much saved her daughter's life.  
More important really than the device, I was truly impressed with this woman and ended up turning a quick 20 minute meeting into a 4 hour conversation covering a wide range of topic and interests.
Scenar Health is hosting a conference here in Chicago in June, and I plan on attending.  10 CME credits, and hopefully the chance to chat with Helen a bit more is something I truly look forward to.  Wanna attend the conference as well... let me know.  I can offer a small discount thanks to Helen and Scenar Health. :)

 

http://www.ScenarHealth.com 

I always get excited to check out new restaurants, especially when enjoying the meal with both old and new friends.  Branch27 is a new enterprise, located on W Chicago Avenue here in Chicago..  the ambiance was chill, service was very good, beer and wine options quite extensive, and the menu definitely had some interesting items.  
The soup of the day, a creamy carrot soup with lavender rose oil drizzle was very tasty..not overly complicated but balanced.
Appetizers were fairly basic, from french fries to calamari (which I did not really eat)..although the chicken wings were quite good.. I recommend them.
For a main course I had their rolled eggplant over risotto entree.  It was a nice dish but nothing super exciting.  And that was the general consensus of the meal.  Overall decent and enjoyable, but nothing really special to rave about.  Maybe I am just picky, but hey, that's what my blog is for right?  :)

PS - my company for the evening: Jim Lee, Luke, michelle, Holly, and Debbie.. you guys are fabulous and made the evening so much fun..  Enjoyed the after party at Funky Buddha Lounge where Karma really had an awesome performance!!

Yes, EARTH DAY is upon us.  Although we should appreciate Mother Earth daily, Steve Green and GO Green Management made sure everyone in Chicago knew about this special day.  This year's Earth Day party was a lot of fun.. made some good contacts, and enjoyed the night out at La Passage.

We often take for granted the many wonders Nature provides... although you may be reading this short post after the 22nd, take a moment now to be grateful and say thanks to such a great planet.  :)

The H.I.P. know how to live!  H.I.P. = Health Informed Person
I truly believe that the more information you have, the better choices you can make, and live a better, healthier life.  So, I was pleased to introduce my first interactive health discussion called "For the H.I.P.".

Held at Galleria UNICO in Chicago, we taped most of this event as the foundation to an on-going series.. .hopefully an eventual talk show...but I know you got to start somewhere, right?  

LIIF TEA set up a most beautiful table, sampling premium loose leaf teas..  check them out online at  www.liiftea.com

Brandon from "I and I Will Survive" kept the party going with some cool beats...

Thanks to Phil, Luke, Dominic, Julia, Maureen, Laura, and all the great guests who came out to support.  
Stay tuned for upcoming "For the H.I.P." events.!
Check out the Doc Rob FAN Page on Facebook or the EVENTS link at www.DocRob.com

    A visit to UIC campus to check out their Health & Wellness Fair, reaffirmed my position that the college audience is looking for information and insight on living healthier lifestyles... looking for easy to use tools for today, while in school, as well as ways to live healthier once out in the "real world".   
Definitely want to work on a series of events on college campuses to interactively open up the conversation and connect with this somewhat neglected audience.  Anyone want to help?? :)

This evening I finally got to see my old friend Gavin Degraw jam in concert.  Luke and I, along with Katie and Christina bounced up to PARK WEST in CHICAGO to listen to an amazing concert.  Due to a mix up and poor promotion, I unfortunately missed Joey Degraw's set, which I had been looking forward to as well, but I am sure he will keep on playing and I will get to hear him soon.  
Gavin.. definitely an awesome concert and I recommend everyone checking out his new album!

A quick trip to Florida to work with a client, afforded me the opportunity to share a holiday with my family.  This is important to me.. spending time with my family, much more than the holiday itself.  It was good to see my parents/grandparents, spend time with my brother, and share a meal with friends and family.

Although the visit was brief, the party continued.... heading back to Chicago to host another great CELEBRATE LIFE PARTY @ the Butterfly Social Club.
  New sponsors included:  VEEV - Acai Spirit; Aroma Work Shop - Aromatherapy store; Enzymedica, and others.  Music was great with MATHIEN (www.myspace.com/Mathien) rockin the house once again...

Toast to good health and keep CELEBRATING LIFE!!

Yes.  I was in the kitchen all day getting ready for the first "EVERYBODY EATS" event in my loft in Chicago.  DRINKS OVER DEARBORN helped out a TON by supplying a selection of Organic wines for my guests, and I put out a big spread offering a variety of foods for everyone to try.  
Regardless of dietary concern or preference, I made an obvious effort to offer something for everyone.. RAW, VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE, etc..
I think the balsamic marinated portobello mushroom quesadillas where the biggest hit, with goat cheese, roasted red peppers, and grilled onions.  YUM

Cooking demo was one of my favorites:  Fish in Parchment paper

The next event will be May 2nd, a Spectacular Salad for Spring & Summer Event on Saturday!!
Join the DOC ROB Fan Page on Facebook to stay posted on upcoming events and news.  

Most people know what a DIVA is.  
My quick definition is something like: A confident woman, exhibiting class and style, beauty and grace, and having success in any and all endeavors she pursues.

Maven PR, and founder Sarah Vargo have been hosting successful DIVA SERIES events at Crimson Lounge here in Chicago, and have invited me to be a DIVO for their male version of the event.   Guess that means I am going out on the town.

Also, being April Fool's Day and all... and now that Facebook has connected so many friends.. I decided to test the power a bit, by changing my relationship status from "Single" to "Engaged".... for the day.   I received some great responses...ranging from "Congratulations" to many expressing total shock.  Ah, if you can't use social media to have some fun on occasion, why bother, right?  :)

Ok.. Not gonna get in to too many details.. but
Thursday AM: Packed a U-Haul and drove with a friend 13 hrs to NY.  Arrived 2AM
FRIDAY: Unloaded U-Haul, visited Grandmother and mother (visiting) for lunch, and rolled out to Brooklyn to see some friends.  Good times with friends went way too late
SATURDAY: Ran around to meet some of my friends new babies for the first time.  Love seeing my friends so happy :)    9PM - Start driving back to Chicago
SUNDAY - BIRTHDAY!!  Can you believe I drive into a BLIZZARD in Chicago.
  Birthday was quiet, peaceful, restful, and packed with positive & loving birthday wishes.  Thanks everyone!!

Having here her name and connecting on good ole Facebook, I just had a great meeting with Amy Leffel from TeamiFit.  This kind-hearted school teacher, and founder of TeamiFit, is definitely making things happen here in Chi-town.  In addition to there being lots of potential business opportunities with Amy, I also feel as I have made a new friend.  Awesome when that happens!!

Today I rode my bike down to the NBC studios here in Chicago, and after being entertained by a Jerry Springer guest, had the opportunity to sit down with Marcus Riley from NBC.  First time I was in a studio like that, and am pretty sure it won't be the last.  In fact, it looks like I may become an NBC CHICAGO.COM Street team member.. reporting about living well and feeling good in Chicago.

My super cool friend Carrie invited me to an event at "Connect Chicago" in Bucktown.  A trendy clothing store featuring only sustainable and eco-conscious clothes was hosting an event which among other things, included an appearance by Sara Snow.  Ms Snow, an advocate of Green living, was there to support local farmers and to give us a sneak peak at her new book.  I had a chance to talk with Sara for a bit, and i can comfortably say that she is definitely the REAL DEAL. :)

The guys at CONNECT are great, and I look forward to working with them in the near future.

Portion size has become a problem here in the U.S., with the "more is better" philosophy making our bellies way bigger than they should be.  I love variety too, so what better way to enjoy a meal, then to celebrate my friend Lyndee's birthday with friends and tapas at Cafe Iberico here in Chicago.  The food was good, the Sangria tasty, and I enjoyed meeting some new people.  I selected mainly vegetarian selections, with a goat cheese plate one of my favorites.
A spoon or two of rice pudding, and a quite reasonable bill, helped to end the meal on a  pretty sweet note.

The momentum keeps building and this month's"Bring the Spring"  Celebrate LIfe Party was no exception. Great sponsors, awesome guests, and Mathien (www.myspace.com/Mathien) rocked the house.to our largest turnout so far.

 The room was buzzing, especially where Pure Vibes Fitness had set up their Powerplate vibrational fitness machine.  I have been a big fan of this approach to exercise, and glad i was able to introduce it to so many people.

For more on Celebrate Life Parties email  celebratelifeparties@gmail.com
and join the "Celebrate Life Parties" group on Facebook

It is kinda weird sometimes, looking back at all the traveling I did over the past 5+ years.  I love lecturing and meeting new people, but since relocating to Chicago about a year ago,  this "Nomadic Naturopath" has been somewhat grounded in Chi-town.

 

Being a man of balance, I always seem to mix in a little business with pleasure in my life.  This month's travels were no exception.

Florida: 

Spent time with my family; my parents, brother, and grandparents.  Caught up with some friends and played with my brother's dogs, Samson and Lennox.

Also had very good meetings with Life Extension Foundation (www.Lef.Org) and the crew at AIRMD.com

Joined my friend Steve Green for the first Go Green College Networking event on U of Miami campus. 

All in all, packed a lot into a short visit..  look forward to my next trip where I hope to spend a little time on the beach and soak in the ocean... 

California:

 Attended Natural Products Expo West at the Anaheim Convention Center.  This is one of my favorite events all year, with nearly every health and wellness company with organic products and foods to offer are in one place.  I was like a kid in a candy store.. a very healthy candy store.

Caught up with so many of my friends from the industry.. and made some new ones too.

Saw some really neat new products (seperate blog coming soon) and sampled some tasty food each day.

Of course, the parties during the weekend are great, capped by an awesome live (and free) concert by G Love and the Special Sauce!!

Followed it up with a day+ in L.A. with good friends and some sushi... made me yearn for the road again :)

It is March.. Wow..  Aside from obviously looking forward to summer, time is flying fast for me lately.

If today has any relationship to how the rest of the month will be like, I recommend you stay tuned to this blog as it will be quite interesting for sure.

 I started the day by joining a bunch of other crazies at the North Ave Beach on Lake Michigan, to participate in the Chicago Polar Bear Plunge.  Yes, I jumped into 30 degree Lake Michigan, with snow and wind all about.... but it was for a good cause.  It was a fundraiser for Special Olympics and Children's Charities, so well worth it.   People came out in costumes, and in good spirits.. charging down the beach with spectators cheering....  I can say it was much more fun than I had anticipated.  I think the cold water was very stimulating to my circulation and may have helped my immune system activate better....  a great effect of hydrotherapy treatments known in Europe for many many years.

You can still donate:   http://tinyurl.com/c4fyry

 

Then, after I defrosted a bit, I went over to the Harris Theater to catch a special appearance by Jaime and Adam, the stars of the Discovery Channel's Mythbusters show.   I really enjoy watching these guys in action, and they did not disappoint live on stage either.  It is inspiring how they set out to create a show mainly due to their own curiousities, and have drawn a large following, especially of young children, into a more appreciation and love of science.   I truly hope I can have even slightly that type of effect when it comes to health & lifestyle and the younger generations.

 

Well, now I am packing as I am off to Florida for a few meetings and a Green College Networking Event on U of Miami campus... then to the west coast for Natural Products Expo West... the largest conference of organic, natural, health products of the year.   Don't worry, I will be sure to keep you posted on some of the hot new products and cool companies that I find out there.

 

Ready or not... MARCH ... here I come.  :)   DR

 

 

Yup.  I was back this AM to teach another class at National University of Health Sciences.

The topic of this 1 hour talk was how to communicate the importance of nutrition to your patients.

As I am only able to respond based on my own experience, my main point was that medicine used to be more one-sided.  Meaning, the doctor told the patient what to do, and they complied. 

Today, however, whether it be from slight distrust of doctors and the medical system, or a generally more informed patient as result of the Internet, the relationship has now transformed to more of a conversation.  I personally like to educate the client/patient of what is going on with their health, my opinions, perspectives, thoughts, as well as concerns.  

The doctor-patient relationship has to have mutual respect.  I can only make suggestions and recommendations, and hope the client/patient will see the value and oblige. Thru education and self empowerment, success in improving health is much more likely.

 

 I truly love being a professor, teaching the minds of both patients as well as future physicians.

The root of "Doctor" is Docer, to teach.  

In the next few months I hope to have some webinars, live streaming lectures, events in Chicago and other cities..  I am very exciting and look forward to your feedback and participation, as the key to us all living a healthier life and lifestyle is communication.

 

I wish you all the best in health & happiness

 

DR

 

Recently I made a new friend here in Chicago.  Her name is Guyanne, and among several other things, she introduced me to a new non-profit organization called FARMFED.  This cool new group is helping connect people with local food sources, and promoting the idea that being conscious and aware of where you food comes from, is cool, sexy, and the way to be.

 

So, I joined Guyanne on a little field trip today to check out the Green City Market, currently indoors at the Nature Museum in Chicago.   It was lots of fun.  We sampled fresh baked bread, checked out some raw cheeses and some straight from the farm veggies.  I grabbed a container of fresh apple cider and a little mushroom bruschetta... yumm.

 

We also had a chance to meet the organizer for the market, which is very popular in Lincoln Park in the Spring and Summer.  Hopefully this leads to some speaking and education opportunities in the near future...  :)

 I am looking forward to connecting more with the local farms and farmers, helping people participate in local coops, and other great sustainable and healthy practices..

 

What about you?  Leave a comment and let me know what you think about sustainable farming, buying local, etc.

 

Valentine's day has never been one of my favorite "holidays".  Not because I am hating on all the romanticism, flowers, candy, and special dinners...  I just prefer spreading that love regularly throughout the year, not just on one day in February.

 

Henry David Thoreau - "There is no remedy for love but to love more."

 

  Love is healthy for us, laughing and smiling... affection and adoration. 

As a quick note and message, I hope everyone is feeling loved today, and everyday.

 

DR