Quote:

I really wish there was some way I could convince everyone to eat organically and exercise fanatically so they would all feel as good as I do, but it is impossible you just have to find out for yourself, or not.

Jon,

I hope you take this in the way it's intended, but with all respect, there's a difference between being fit and healthy and there not always inclusive. Eating as healthy as possible isn't a bad thing, but being obsessed with it or anything for that matter isn't healthy either.

From you previous post I know your an Ultra Marathoner. Endurance athletes, especially the ones that are into the long distance events are like the Ferrari's of the sports world. Like a high-tech sports car that's finely tuned, it doesn't take much to put them in the "garage".

My friend that is going for his PHD in Chinese Medicine/Acupuncture is in business with 2 other guys that do "body" work like he does. They do different modalities than he does. One of his partners is an ex-pro rugby player, and the other is an Canadian track athlete who competed on the International/Commonwealth game level. They work with elite jocks to help them recover better and increase their performance.

One of their clients is currently training to make the Summer Olympics as a sprinter. He was on a previous team as well.

My buddy, is the guy pictured next to the Olympic sprinter with the needles in his thigh.
I'll send you a link in a PM, as I don't think it's appropriate to do so on the open forum.

Anyway, he has told me that working with world level endurance athletes, he has found that becasue the push their bodies to the extreme and have very low body fat levels, that one of their biggest problems is that they often are getting sick with every little illness that they come into contact with.

Body fat is the right percentage plays a huge part in keeping your immune system strong. Get to low and like that Ferrari your performance suffers and over extended time, you can actually damage your health long term.

I'm not knocking exercise, I do it in moderation myself, but when you say your a "fanatic" about it, then that sends up a red flag IMHO.
Training and peaking at race time is one thing, trying to ride that level of fitness for extended periods of time isn't the best for you long term.

Being fitter than most is great, but what about after your competing days are over?
Being fanatical about anything is a game that you can't win at least not long term.