Keith Watanabe * NET 2.0

i think i managed to avoid a nasty situation in the upcoming weeks by staying at home today and being a convalescent for a day. last night the Chinese Cafe 8 place nearly did me in along with an chocolate cake that i partly consumed prior to heading off to bed. take that with the cold blast and a snoring little Yuri, i thought i would relapse into my prior state which i just recovered. fortunately, some toast and old fashioned orange juice provided the succor to regain my health. that along with a day of sleep. it was great. i feel a lot better probably up until i have to move again to Akasaka. still my upcoming plan is to stay healthy. here's some theories on avoiding sickness in Tokyo: 1) avoid staying out all night. if you're below the age of 25, your body most likely can tolerate the constant change. being 30 and nearing 31, i have to watch my youthful propensities and settle for the all nighter only the day prior to an upcoming weekend. especially right now as the temperatures dip. one's body is especially vulnerable to this stress so anything else, will guarantee sickness 2) stress the body out but in a controlled environment. translation: exercise! putting stress on the body is a good thing, but it must be constant and consistent. you can't do this all at once. you must attune the body slowly so that it naturally becomes strong. your body is rhythmic and is scheduled so everything is tuned to this aspect. i don't think many people realize this and end up doing funky things to themselves that causes a breakdown of their bodies. however, stressing the body out through exercise is a positive thing as you allow your body to get used to harsher conditions. later, you'll thank me for this tip as will your body. 3) better eating. greasy, oily food is just going out the window. i will only eat this stuff prior to 8 pm and at most twice a week. this stuff is just deadly and after coming home last night from the Chinese spot, it made me realize how horrible it is. my stomach was twitching from the grease and i felt convulsions run through my body since i've slowly weened myself away from greasy food. i think if i were to eat something like this, i'd prefer it in a warmer climate. colder climates just abet the queasy sensation of being sick which leads one to move to the path of illness. 4) eat more organic foods. more salads, fruits when possible, fish and tofu. my system needs a cleansing. i can feel how my fat around my stomach negatively influences a lot of my mood, mobility and ability to do things. it's not that i'm super sized, but even simple things like putting on my shoes can be a bit of a hassle because i had been dieting improperly for so long. now, i'm going to try eating better. that doesn't guarantee fresh food all the time, but at least being more aware of the contents and moving towards having salads, etc. in my diet rather than merely what tastes good (something that i believe is killing America) 5) stay on target. avoid any mishaps with my schedule. try to go to sleep at a regular time. if i can force myself into the habit of getting to work at a good time, then my stress level will be reduced overall. but a lot of that is all about having good sleeping habits. mental stress probably is the worst thing someone can encounter that'll allow one to get sick easily. part of the reason why i got sick a few weeks ago was due to me being depressed about my teeth. if i can reduce my stress through arriving on time, that's a huge bonus. heck, at least now i don't feel ulcers from the constant traffic in LA. overall, i think if i keep to this plan, i should do pretty well.