Hello !

Happy Friday and thanks again for subscribing to this newsletter.

First off, its Patriot Day so take a minute to be grateful and thank those who are serving this amazing country. One of the biggest things I take away from 9/11 is to be grateful/happy with where you currently are. There are so many stories of those who were supposed to go into work that day but couldn't because of "nuisances." So when you're stuck in traffic, or missed the bus, or weren't able to travel...just remember you're right where you are supposed to be!

OK! NOW TIME FOR THE THINGS I AM CURRENTLY DOING IN MY LIFE!

DIET:

So because i've been busier this month in the hospital, it is tougher for me to cook.

I've been resorting to making fruit/green smoothies - and man, are they amazing!

I've been sipping on a smoothie almost 1x/day and iIve been seeing huge improvements with my eczema on my back and forearms. I'm pretty sure its due to the smoothies because i haven't changed anything else.

Here's how I make them:

• Almond milk
• Kale, spinach, any leafy greens
• Frozen banana
• Frozen strawberries
• Frozen blueberries,
• Almond butter
• Protein powder
• Creatine
• Chia seeds

You can literally add/subtract any ingredients you want. Just make sure the fruits are frozen!

I find that this blend works best in a Vitamix.

FITNESS:

So I've never been one to do much suspension training - I always stuck to the big guns...weightlifting, a little cross fit.

But since I am busy at the hospital, I decided to try TRX training with programming from Mind Pump Media.

It's easy on the body, it really works your core, and you're hitting angles you never tried before.

To my surprise, my aesthetic is shaping up really nicely and I actually lost a couple pounds of fat.

I'm doing it 3x/week and on the other days, I will typically run or do some yoga.

Seriously guys, if you're new to working out or a seasoned veteran, suspension training is PERFECT - it helps with stabilization muscles and gives you a nice break from all those heavy weights.

BOOKS I'M READING:

• Grit by Angela Duckworth - absolute must read for everyone out there. Especially, if you are pre-med. One takeaway - choose an activity you're not that great at and commit to it for a year. I'm choosing Yoga/Breath work.

Grit

• Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss - this is going in my top 5. I LOVE LOVE LOVE books that share the wisdom of people who have gone through shit and share their journey and how they did it.

Tools of Titans

PONDERINGS:

I came across Derek Sivers. Look him up. He's got a podcast too. He keeps sharing sooooo much wisdom and perspective, I am in love.

One thing he talks about it is how we all have so many goals - like 5 or 6. For example, we have a goal within our careers but we also have goals like losing 20 pounds, learning French, etc.

But how consistent are we with actually taking action on those goals?

Maybe a couple of them, But those other 4-5 goals put us in conflicting directions.

So here's the solution - lose the goals you aren't actively working on. If you haven't used your Duolingo for French, then don't make it a goal right now. It's ok to make it on in the future but not right now. Focus on the goals you are actively working on!

COOL THINGS:

• Bed of Nails sent me an acupressure mat and I am not kidding you - the lower back pain I had for the past 5 years is literally gone. This could really be the best investment you can ever make. It's like getting a massage for free (well one time payment) every day for the rest of your life.
• Use CODE BONDARSHAN

Bed of Nails

• I've been using an O2 Lung Trainer invented by MMA Hall of Famer Bas Ruten to help my deep breathing. Look for an instagram post on it tonight (@doctor.darsh)

• Revolution Balance sent me a balance board and I've been using it to work on my ankle strength and mobility. For any of you out there with sprained ankles, like me, a balance board is a perfect and fun way to get your ankles back to feeling new.

• I hopped on the WHOOP bandwagon. It's a fitness tracker that looks at your sleep, day strain (activity) and recovery, and tells you how much you need to work out that day. I've been using it for 2 months now and have gotten more fit! It is pricey though - $30/month. But if you want a free month, let me know and you can have my referral code :)

That's it peeps! If you made it this far, thanks for reading and hope you got some value!

As always, check out my podcast 'Optimize Your Life' on Apple or Spotify and leave a review!

Feel free to message me on Instagram @doctor.darsh

And please share these emails out to whoever you think needs to see it!

Enjoy the weekend!

Love,

Darsh