The Health Contrarian Play

Good morning everyone. I’ve got a bunch of things to hit on today that are all important, so I’m going to get right to it.

COVID and Personal Health

The number of COVID cases is increasing rapidly across the US. 

Here are numbers updated this morning:

The probability that you are going to get it is also increasing.

The best thing you can do to prepare is to improve your body’s ability to fight illness. The best way to do that is by getting healthy. 

It’s the same stuff we preach weekly here and here.

Eat real food.

Move your body daily.

Rest.

I would only add - make sure you are getting enough vitamin D - through sunlight, diet, and supplement.

The Contrarian Play

Many of you reading this are involved in markets. As you are aware, the term contrarian is something market participants love to call themselves but usually they are not. 

Be honest, trend following is a lot easier 😉 and the P&L graveyards are strewn with tombstones that read: 

Remained Contrarian Longer Than He Could Remain Solvent

Luckily being a contrarian about health and nutrition is a lot more clear-cut and the benefits are more quantitatively positive.

Our nation is getting fatter and holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas serve as gaps higher as the majority feels that comfort we feel when we know we are one among the herd pigging out and vegging out on the couch.

Here’s the contrarian play, heading into Thanksgiving. Get up Thursday morning and get outside and move. Run, hike, bike, whatever…

Then, when dinner comes around, eat lots of protein and then eat more protein. Get yourself a good steak. Skip the cranberry gelatin, stuffing, and pie. Why not?

There’s your contrarian play with guaranteed upside.

Agency

Last week, I chatted with two friends who have both lost more than 10% of their body weight so far. They are eating better and walking or hiking almost daily.

We were talking about the holidays and both of them expressed a sense that they now know what to do and how to do it even if they go astray for a couple days.

This sense that you have done it and that you know yourself and your body better than before is so critical.

This earned-self-confidence that we have some control over ourselves and the environment is huge - what the shrinks call Sense of Agency.

It fosters resilience and that ability to bounce back from set backs.

Chips for Charity

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to help organize and host the First Annual Stocktwits Chips for Charity Poker Tournament. We raised money for Wall Street Bound, a non-profit organization focused on increasing access to jobs in finance for young black people who do not have the network often required to get that foot in the door.

You can still contribute here.

Here’s one big takeaway that fits in this space:

When we help others we gain the world. Our hearts grow and we increase our capacity to love. This affects the people closest to us and the closeness we experience. 

A profound win-win.