John Perry Barlow, modern Renaissance man--Grateful Dead lyricist, cattle rancher, co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, consultant etc. etc. The one thing he hasn't is take good care of the body:
Over the surprisingly lengthy span of my life, I've drunk enough to float a tanker, smoked like Rumanian industrial zone, eaten like an average American, and eschewed most forms of regular exercise beyond dancing in bars. I've treated my body like one of the pickups I used to drive when I was ranching. High speeds, rough roads, no mercy.
Now he's turned himself over to
I have agreed to allow my restoration process to be televised on the Discovery Channel. On this show, my body will be the equivalent of the house in "This Old House" or the motorcycle in "Monster Chopper." If I fail, I will do so very publicly. Not cool.
[snip]
My restorers are the personnel of The Canyon Ranch, an absurdly upscale spa, with manifestations in Tucson, the Berkshires, and aboard the Queen Mary II. They are operating under the specific guidance of Dr. Mark Liponis, co-author of the recently published Ultra-Prevention, written with his co-director of Canyon Ranch medical services, Dr. Mark Kleman.
This is making me shake my head, and I am not sure why. Is this any different than the endless makeover/shapeup articles in all the personal health type magazines? But maybe because it is televised?....I have become more and more suspicious of the tv/video media. Barlow says, "what if I fail?". I wonder, how would the show depict failure? How will the show cover the inevitable temptation to indulge (in whatever). I know from my own recent cessation of smoking, the moment of temptation and the effort to turn away doesn't make good theater. It is quiet, internal, small.
On the other hand, I do wish JPB the very best, and will be intrigued to see what works and what doesn't.
P.S.: I know one thing that is making me a little skeptical: a radical change in diet usually isn't sustainable, a small reduction usually works.
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