You can’t have your cake and eat it too. If you want to eat it, you must accept that it will be gone. I think this lesson is becoming lost in our culture.

During the Patriots game, I saw another disturbing pharmaceutical ad. The poor fellow has type 2 diabetes and is making a bunch of healthy changes. The ad says it’s not enough, so he takes a pill that has potential side effects that are even worse than diabetes. Now he can keep doing what he’s doing without a care in the world.

According to Dr. Jason Fung (author, The Diabetes Code) and others, type 2 diabetes is reversible. Your lifestyle is what leads to the disease, so your best bet is to change your lifestyle to reverse it. Sure, you might need some medication in the short-term, but why not aim for a drug-free future?

If someone is exhausted every day, you probably ask them about their sleep habits. They explain that they stay up until midnight, then get up for work at 6am. Would you recommend they increase their use of caffeine and other stimulants? That way they can keep doing what they’re doing.

I hope not. Caffeine isn’t a good substitute for sleep. If you “need” coffee to function, you’re likely building up a sleep deficit that’s going to cost you sooner or later. To feel rested and improve your performance, you need to develop good sleep habits.

Are you looking for the magic pill that allows you to stick with the choices that aren’t working for you?