Health Guru on… Bad Bosses, Beer, and Being the Best
Resident Health Guru Devon Hornby responds to our questions about bad bosses, beer, and Austin’s status as the #7 best city in the United States for men.
1. WebMD writes a bad boss can cause heart disease. The staff here at The Texas Testosterone Festival has a terrible boss but it’s going to be such a great event and the job market is so bad right now they have no choice but to stay and put up with the bull. Since they are being worked to the bone every day and they are unable to escape the oppressive cubicles in which they are forced to work for long enough to have any significant amount of exercise - what’s the best way for them to prevent heart attacks so they don’t die before their usefulness has been fully realized?
Devon: There is no doubt, stress kills, but stress is in the eye of the beholder. We can do very little to reduce the external causes of stress (i.e. shoot your boss) but we can change the way we feel about it and react. So your boss is an a**hole (no offense to the bright and inspiring leadership at the TTF) blow off his tirades and relax, just do your job and enjoy it. Learning how to breathe deep and consequently lessening the effects of stress on the body is a strategy every man should know, if you plan on surviving marriage or a long term relationship.
2. Men’s Fitness recently wrote of 5 beers as the most potent, spiciest, most un-beerlike, beer with a kick, and just plain unique. Our question to you is - what’s the beer we should feel most unguilty about drinking this new year?
Devon: Guilt is more likely to cause you health problems then a good beer. Seriously, relax and enjoy your favorite. I prefer Guiness which does rate as a healthier beer. It is low carb and actually has alcohol unlike most low carb beers which do not really have the desired effect. Guiness is also filling, a meal actually.
3. Men’s Health Magazine recently wrote Austin is the #7 best city for men in the US to live. Other Texas cities making the list are Lubbock 24th, Arlington 30th, Fort Worth 33rd, Houston 41st, San Antonio 52nd, El Paso 55th, Dallas 59th, and Corpus Christi a buoyant 85th. What is it about the environment in Austin that makes it such a healthy city to live in?
Devon: Well, I looked over the article. They weren’t exactly forthcoming about their criteria, but…Hell yeah, Austin is a great place to live if you have a heart beat, and enjoy it. What makes Austin healthy? I would say the fact that people here actually get off their butts and do stuff is probably one of the main reasons. Beyond that look at the relatively high income we enjoy, those of us who do not work for the festival that is. Great weather, low pollution, low crime, and fun stuff to do are also big factors. Let’s face it though Austin is healthy because we work and play to stay that way. Austin is great because we are, dang it.
Devon Hornby has been studying and practicing the healing and martial arts for most of his life. His is particularly interested in traditional methods of maintaining and improving men’s health. He is director of Tao Health Center in Austin, Texas. Go to TaoHealthCenter.com for more information. Email us your questions for Devon at info@texastestosteronefestival.com or directly to Devon at devon@taohealthcenter.com.
