Road Map

This is where the rubber really meets the road. If you’re ready to take action, you won’t be short on ideas after reading this.

Keep in mind — This list isn’t necessarily in a special order. With a few exceptions, there isn’t necessarily one thing that should be done before another. I will make note if they do. Otherwise, you can take action in whatever order you like.

A simple reference is included that shows difficulty and cost. For example: (simple/$) – indicates that it’s pretty easy and cheap/free.

You ready? Let’s get started…

Drink more water – especially right after you wake up.  (Simple / $)

Shocking right? I realize you probably just yawned so hard that the negative pressure closed your laptop. But here’s the thing, most people suck at hydration – and it’s absolutely critical. This was actually my first step toward Potty Perfection. And this alone gave me noticeable results.

Check it out:

First thing in the morning – before throwing any food (or coffee) down the hatch, drink 15-25oz of water. That’s like guzzling two or three large glasses of water. If you feel a little water logged immediately after drinking, it won’t last very long. Your stomach is empty and the fluid will pass into the gut quickly.

Think about it. You’ve been sleeping for 7-8 hours (if you’re lucky). During that time, your body works pretty hard – and it’s thirstier than you might realize. (It’s beyond the scope of this blog, but sleeping is another thing you should practice and improve. If you want a good book on this subject, I recommend Power Sleep – written by the same doctor who coined the term “Power Nap” – he pretty much knows his sh-tuff.)

Anyhow, your body works hard while you snooze. Your gut is no exception! Whatever you ate the day before is winding its way through 10 yards of stomach, intestines, colon, etc. Flushing your gut with fresh water in the morning really helps escort everything to the exit.

9 out of 10 times, I have a massive crap within 30 minutes. Often a lot sooner. And let me tell you – it’s the biggest, best, and most incredible crap of the day. There may be others throughout the morning, but this is usually the mother lode. It makes me feel lighter and energetic. Look at it this way, you’re literally dropping a load before tackling the day.

Note: If you are just starting out, it may not be quite as quick or smooth. But it will still help. Stick with it. The hydration alone will give your body a level-up.

If you want to take it to the next level, add any/all of the following to your morning water:

• Fresh squeezed organic lemon. I personally use about 1/2 lemon per 48oz of water.
• Trace minerals. Unless you’re drinking high-quality spring water, there’s a good chance that your drinking water is a product of reverse osmosis (RO). RO does get a lot of crud out of the water, but also strips important minerals. Adding a few drops of this helps replenish the minerals you may be lacking. One bottle lasts quite a while. And it tastes better – IMHO.
• Organic raw apple cider vinegar. I put about 1 Tbsp in 48oz of water. Combined with the lemon, it tastes like a sour lemonade. You can adjust the amount to whatever suits you. Bragg’s is my favorite, but most health food stores carry their own brand as well. Just make sure you go for one that is unpasteurized and includes the “mother” (the sediment at the bottom of the bottle) – to get all the health benefits.
• These simple ingredients can significantly improve digestion. And they’re pretty inexpensive.

I recommend purchasing a 48oz Nalgene bottle. This bad boy makes hydration so much easier. Why?

• Having a dedicated water bottle makes your fluids more accessible (vs a water fountain). So you won’t forget to drink.
• It’s really handy when doing more precise cleaning protocols because it has the ounces marked on the side of the bottle. (More on this further down.)
• It’s practically nuclear bomb proof. Seriously, I heard that one of these bottles got sucked into the engine of a 747 and came out the other end unharmed.
• It helps you control the quality of your water. Not all water is created equal – and tap water isn’t as good as you might hope. Fill ‘er up with your water of choice and it can last for hours. Plus, Nalgene bottles are BPA-free.

Then ensure you drink plenty throughout the day. I’ve read guidance anywhere from 60-100 oz per day. I’m too lazy to do the math. So I just try to drink two-three full 48oz Nalgene bottles each day. Often more than that if I work out.

Learn to listen to your body and give it what it needs. It’s difficult to overdo it – but it’s possible. So be realistic.  

And as much as you can – ditch the nasty energy drinks and coffee. They are mostly trash. You will learn to glean energy from a healthy body vs shooting up with stimulants. You and I both know they’re terrible. So I’ll leave it at that.

Fruit for breakfast. (Simple / $)

Make your first meal fruit. Only fruit. And nothing but the fruit. …. Then avoid it the rest of the day.

Why? Fruit is mostly water, has excellent fiber, and quickly digested. So after drinking your slug of water in the morning. Wait 10-15 minutes and then eat a few pieces of your favorite fruit. The fiber, water, and other nutrients in the fruit will move through your body much more quickly – generally uninhibited – cleaning your gut and (hopefully) allowing another mid-morning crap.

Grab what’s in season if you can. It’s usually cheaper and is naturally ripened. I recommend organic because you’re likely to get far fewer toxins and many more nutrients. My personal favorites for this are apples (tart/sour) and citrus.

So why avoid it the rest of the day? Because it is so quickly digested, it will rot or putrefy in your gut if it gets stuck in traffic. Meats, dairy, carbs, etc all take longer to break down. This doesn’t mean they are all bad, but they will slow things down like an old driver in rush hour.

I’m aware that some health gurus recommend avoiding fruit because of the fructose (sugar) content. And I don’t necessarily disagree on that point. However, I’m more a proponent of moderation. And I personally haven’t noticed a major problem with fruit in the morning. There are many benefits to eating quality fruit. And depending on your starting point, eating fruit first might be a major improvement to your diet. You can always adjust later if you want.

Be mindful of your food pairing. (Moderate / $)

Some foods play nicely with other – and some do not. I had no idea this was even a thing, but I tried it. And I was surprised to discover that … it actually makes a difference. Fruit pairing (mentioned above) had the most dramatic effect. But there are several other things you can do to help your gut:

• Avoid pairing meats/proteins with carbs. As an American, I find this idea rather offensive (and nearly impossible). But it actually helps. Here’s why…. Your body produces different digestive enzymes to break down carbs and proteins. It just so happens that these two enzymes have a neutralizing effect of each other – resulting in poorer digestion of both food groups.

• Don’t drink so much water during meals. Remember all that water you’re supposed to drink – do most of it between meals. Diluting your stomach acid while eating food makes your body work harder to break things down.

• Chew longer. Just like stomach acid breaks down your food – so does saliva. Digestion begins in your mouth – not your stomach. Chewing longer will also break your food down into smaller pieces, making it easier for the rest of your gut to finish the work.
  

Avoid certain foods. (Moderate / $)

Popular culprits of Potty IM-perfection — Commercial dairy, meats, empty carbs, gluten, sugars.

As I’ve stated, I’m actually not a fan of totally eliminating anything from my diet. However, moderation and common sense are the rule. It can help to eliminate these sorts of foods for short periods in order to really clean house. Achieving Potty Perfection does take some time and effort. But I found that once I did, I was able to tolerate other foods much better. Sometimes you just gotta grab a burger, y’know?  

Here’s what I’ve noticed though. I always have better elimination when I eat plant-based foods. Commercial dairy, glutinous carbs, meat/animal fats, and sugar all slow me down. Especially when consumed in larger quantities. I just make it an exception – not the norm.

Eat more carrots. (Simple / $)

Actually, there are lots of fiber-rich veggies you can choose. If you have a favorite, go for it. I recommend carrots for a couple of reasons:

• They are cheap. Yes, that’s my number-one criteria for this tip. If you’ve explored this topic for more than three seconds, you know that healthy choices are more expensive. BUT — You can get a bag of organic whole carrots at Trader Joes for like a dollar… a DOLLAR! And that’s enough for several days. Just eat one with lunch and/or dinner.
  
• They are portable and easy to eat. If you get tired of the taste, use a little hummus to change it up. Or cut one up in a salad. Easy peasy.
  
• They act somewhat as a barometer for your digestion. Yep – I’m talking about examining your poo before you flush it down. Because carrots have a distinct color and texture, you can quickly assess whether or not you need to chew more thoroughly, approximate your bowel transit time, etc.
  
• The fiber in carrots really helps your bowels move things along naturally. Even with everything else that I do, I still notice an improvement when I have a carrot or two each day.

Perform a regular gut cleanse. (Moderate / $$)

If you’re new to this, this may sound pretty varsity. That’s okay. If you’ve read this far, then you’re clearly brave enough to try. Think about a beautiful luxury car. Let’s assume you use only the best oil in the engine. Eventually you will still need to change it out. It’s impossible to avoid. And if you’ve subjected your body to a traditional western diet, fagetaboutit.

This is really the number 1 thing you can (yes, you can) and SHOULD do. All other suggestions here will only have limited effect until you really rooter those pipes.

Fortunately, there are several protocols to choose from. What I recommend for super new beginners is the Colon Cleanse Program from the Global Healing Center. They do an excellent job providing affordable, turn-key packages – complete with detailed instructions for each day. They also provide fast/free shipping and excellent customer support. This protocol has the basics to help get things moving and help right some of the wrongs in your GI.

However, if you can afford to spend a little bit more and are ready for a much deeper cleaning, then skip over the previous recommendation and head straight to their Gut Health Kit. It’s similar to the basic program, but incorporates some ass-kicking digestive enzymes and a much more powerful probiotic. I could write an entire page on the power of enzymes, but let’s just say that no activity in your body occurs without an enzyme. These particular enzymes gobble up the gunk in your gut like hot water over snow.

For those looking for something more varsity, the Detox Dudes offers a free PDF on his website called the Resurrection Protocol. This site goes really deep into other cleansing protocols as well, but this one focusses on the gut. I’ve tried about a half dozen different GI cleanses over the years and this one is my favorite. (NOTE: This one does involve juice fasting. So if you’re hesitant about doing that, the Gut Health Kit from Global Healing will be more than adequate.)

How often is ideal? 1-2 per year is probably a good start. Once you are more in tune with your body, you can adjust up/down as necessary. I personally do two per year.

Do a liver cleanse. (Moderate / $$)

WTF? You just got done telling me to do a gut cleanse. And then I gotta do this too? I don’t even know what the liver does – other than slow my roll on Friday night.  

You may be on the fence. I understand.

But you need to suck it up and do it.

Doing a gut cleanse is like changing the oil in your car. A liver cleanse is like changing the filter. It’s important to do both – especially if you’re new and looking to make a big step forward.

The first time I did a liver detox, the results were astounding. I had just completed a GI cleanse and read about the benefits. So I gave it a shot. It was this cleanse that caused my health to radically turn the corner. I’ll never forget what came out of my body – and how much better it felt.

I’m not gonna lie, there is some preparation required. But it’s not that difficult. And again, I recommend the protocol from the Global Healing Center because it’s excellent quality, not too expensive, and provides everything you need in one package – including instructions for each day.

If you’re still hesitant, don’t be afraid. You can always go back to prior habits if you want, right? Unfortunately, many people do. But I’m telling you, once you join this “club,” you won’t want to.  

For you brave souls – read the full review of my first liver cleanse here – complete with photos and gory details.

Sqatty potty. (Simple / $$)

Holy sh*t – this one will change your life.

Bottom line: Way easier poops and gets more out.

After trying this technique for one week, we were wedded in holy matrimony. It’s that amazing. I kept thinking, “where have you been all my life?”  I was amazed at how much easier it was to go and how much extra crap I was able to eliminate. We’re talking anywhere from a golf ball to baseball size craps (size – not shape). That was crud that would otherwise be backing up. No thanks.  

Try this. Go ahead and poop normally, sitting on the throne. Once you clear the bulk of your business, transition to a more squatted position. You don’t even need the official gadget. Just use your trash can. Carefully set your feet up on the sides so you don’t tip it over. Situate your butt over the bowl. Get your feet as close to the toilet bowl as possible. Go ahead and hug your shins if you want. Sit up as straight as you can, but don’t overdo it. Try it consistently for a few days and you’ll be strutting out of the bathroom like you drained a winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Tip: Just be careful where your pee goes. Toilets are not well designed for this position and propping your legs up can point things more forward. You’ll understand when you try it.

If you want to practice how it should feel, squat down while standing on your feet and hang your butt just over the floor. That, dear reader, is how God designed you to poop. The closer you can get to that position while on a traditional toilet, the better.

Another Tip: Sometimes, you just can’t prop your feet up. Like in a public restroom. Put your knees up as high as possible by propping them up on your tip toes. Then lean over at the waist to mimic as much of the squat as possible. It’s not as good as the other methods, but it does help.

Don’t over-doo it. (Simple/$)

Knowing what NOT to do can be just as helpful. For most people, Potty Perfection means visiting the toilet more often than before. While this is a good thing, it is possible to overdo it while on the throne. Straining to get every last bit or sitting for too long can result in a sore ass.

• Don’t hold your breath. When making the initial push, it’s common to hold your breath. Don’t. Make a conscious effort to exhale throughout the process and let the body expel more naturally.
• Don’t sit too long. Do your business, wait a minute to ensure everything is out. Then pack up and move on. Remaining in the sitting/squatty position can overstrain the exit port and cause things like hemorrhoids. I learned this the hard way – because I like to read in the bathroom. Not so much anymore.
• Don’t use crappy toilet paper. Rough TP can really rub things raw. Since you’ll be doing this more frequently, you may as well invest in a little nicer TP and/or flushable butt wipes. You’ll thank me later.

Don’t hold it in. (Simple / $)

If you’re one of those people who likes to procrastinate… don’t. Get that crap out. I now make it a point to sit for almost every trip to the bathroom. Even if it’s just to take a piss – why not see if there’s a little something waiting to be eliminated? It happens more often than I expect. Remember, the longer it sits in your colon, the harder it gets. And any toxins it’s carrying may be reabsorbed into the body.

Screw the delicate sensibilities of your friends and co-workers! Be proud of your potty perfection. Or you can look into Poo-Pouri® …  4.5 stars and over 26,000 reviews on Amazon. It’s pretty bad-ass.

Probiotics. (Moderate / $$)

Regularly take a high-quality probiotic.

Well, if you’ve read anything about gut health for more than two minutes, you have probably heard about probiotics. It will help boost those beneficial bacteria colonizing your gut. They break down all sorts of things, allowing your body to properly absorb nutrients. They fend off bad bugs and viruses. And they compete with things like candida (fungus) and other organisms that act as parasites in your body.

If you look up probiotics on amazon or browse your local health food store, you’ll instantly be overwhelmed by the selection. Have no fear! There are plenty of other websites/blogs that help compare brands and quality. Amazon’s review system also does a pretty good job. The main thing is finding something that works for you.

Look around at the options, read several reviews, then try a bottle. It’s important that you stick with your choice for a while. For example, use up one whole bottle before jumping around. The consistency helps build up the strains that you’re helping colonize. If you find something that agrees with you, stick with it for a while. People get hung up on the number of strains and whether or not the number of bacteria exceeds the national debt. These numbers are helpful, but everyone is unique. And if you find something works well for you, then you’re on the right track.

How do you know if a probiotic agrees with you? Pay attention to your body. Some folks feel better, more alert, calmer stomach, etc. The main thing I usually notice is a much easier bowel movement the following day.

My current probiotic of choice is made by HyperBiotics. It actually comes in a pearl form (vs capsule) that supposedly helps more bacteria survive the trip through the stomach. I try to take one every day or every other day. And I do notice a difference when I take it.

Another probiotic I recommend is LateroFlora™ (by GHC). As you may have noticed, I recommend a few products from the Global Healing Center. They strike a good balance between price/quality/service. It’s a single strain of flora that comes in capsule form and is included with most of their cleansing protocols. This stuff is amazing and really helps maintain potty perfection. Since it’s only a single strain, I don’t consider it a complete probiotic, but it’s a great addition. I take it before bed 1-2x a week for digestive support.

If you’re willing to spend a little more for GHC’s complete probiotic. It does come with a higher price tag, but it’s known to be one of the better options.

Running / Exercise / Physical Activity. (Simple/ $)

This one is SIMPLE … Get off your ass and move around!

Even if it’s just a walk around the block. First thing in the morning is best – since that’s the ideal time to eliminate. Exercise has innumerable health benefits, but one of the most overlooked bonuses is how it pushes everything to the exit. A 20-minute jog can do amazing things for your ability to take a dump. Go for a bike ride. Yoga. CrossFit (if you’re crazy). Sweat a little – or a lot.

Sitting is the new smoking. Seriously. Our bodies weren’t made to sit in front of computers or in vehicles all day. Enlightened folks are even going as far as getting stand-up computer desks for work. It improves your GI and general posture. They’re worth the investment.

Side note: If you’re not into running, you might be doing it wrong. Check out the book Chi Running. I used to cringe at the thought of running for exercise. This book taught me how to run properly and actually enjoy it.

Stretching. (Simple / $)

I’m becoming increasingly convinced that that stretching can prevent and cure an amazing amount of issues in the human body. I’ve overcome all sorts of ailments through regular stretching. If you’re into yoga, you probably have a leg up (no pun intended). With regard to potty perfection, you might be surprised at what your body will release.

If you’re new to this, try just some basic stretches:

• Hurdler stretch. This one is pretty simple, but it really does a great job stretching your entire body. Sit on your butt. Stick one leg out straight and put the sole of your other foot on the inside thigh of your straight leg. Then slowly reach for your foot. Once you reach the point of tension, hold it for a few seconds and breathe calmly and deeply. Then deepen the stretch after 15-20 seconds. And so on for 60-90 seconds. Swap out and repeat. Then go back again. Do it 2x for each leg. You should feel this one primarily in your hamstrings, back, lower legs, and even arms.
• Spend some time on your calves. Just a basic wall stretch that holds your calves in tension for 60 seconds. This and the hurdler stretch will relieve a lot of tension in your body.
• Back. Try laying on your back and rolling your knees up to your chest. Hold your shins for a bit and feel the stretch in your lower and middle back.

You’ll be amazed at your improved well-being – and ability to pass that poo along. Stretching may not exactly cause a bowel movement, but it is one of those synergy exercises that helps everything else work better.

Magnesium Oil. (Simple / $$)

Rub magnesium oil into your skin after you get out of the shower.

I personally use this stuff daily. This little mineral is something that we humans are hopelessly deficient on. It does so many good things for us – one of which is help your digestion and elimination systems do their thing. For a variety of reasons, we don’t get enough. Some of the main accusations include soil depletion (another good reason to go organic) and heavy metal toxicity in our bodies. There are different ways to get more magnesium, many of which include oral supplementation. You just gotta be careful because it’s pretty powerful and even a small amount can take your craps from “I need a little assistance” to “Hershey highway.”

I prefer taking it topically. You can get magnesium “oil” online at semi-affordable prices. It’s not really an oil because it’s technically a salt or brine. When you rub it on your skin, it feels sort of oily and itchy until it dries. You can get a spray bottle for better control. Your skin can absorb the Mg directly into your body. I had a friend try this as a way to relax before bed time (another benefit of Mg). She rubbed it all over her abdomen and the following morning had a pretty serious elimination.

Tips for using Mg oil:

• Spray it into your hand and then rub it on your skin. Otherwise the errant spray will wind up everywhere. Because it has an oily feel, it’s kind of messy. Really work it into your skin – in areas that are relatively bare.
• After rubbing it on your body, let it soak in for 10-15 minutes. If you immediately put on clothing, it may wick away from your body – wasting some of it.
• After letting it soak in and dry on your skin, you may notice a little salty residue. It’s usually very faint. That’s okay. Just use a little body lotion over top. This helps moisturize the skin, hide the residue, and sort of “lock in” the rest of the Mg.
• If you can put the cash down, just buy a larger bottle. It’s a little more up front, but you get a lot more for your money and it lasts a long time. I use about 10-20 sprays every day and my first jug lasted well over 2 years.

Take mineral supplements. (Simple / $$)

This goes along with the magnesium oil topic, but taking a mineral supplement can seriously help. You can buy this stuff in liquid form (salt removed) and just add a few drops to your water bottle. (Remember that Nalgene bottle I recommended?) This is especially helpful if you drink purified or distilled water. In theory, spring water would have more minerals because it came up from the earth. But lot of folks these days get the reverse osmosis water or whatever in the big blue jugs. Minerals provide many benefits your body. One of those benefits is more regularity.

Chiropractic care. (Moderate / $$$)

I debated putting this one in here because chiropractic care can have widelydifferent results for people. I personally see a chiropractor 1-2x per month.And while I’ve never noticed a major difference in GI activity after anadjustment, I do know people who have. I asked my chiropractor about it and he explained that it probably depends on whether or not you have a subluxation (nerve pinch) in the area that talks to the GI tract. He has a few patients that claim to have significant bowel movements after a proper adjustment.

Maintenance with Oxypowder® (Simple / $$)

This is one of the supplements included with the gut and liver protocols I recommend from Global Healing Center. It’s not super expensive – especially if you get a larger bottle or buy it as part of a cleansing kit. The ingredients are mainly elemental magnesium. So you’re getting the benefit of Mg, but also the oxygen bubbles that are released as the power oxidizes and works through your system. This “Alka-Seltzer” effect helps break apart fecal matter and push it toward the exit.

It doesn’t have the same harmful side effects as other laxatives. So it can be used more regularly. But I do feel that it’s better used for maintenance. Meaning, after you’ve done some work with gut and liver cleanses. Then just take it once in a while if you notice things slowing down. Personally, I can take just one or two capsules before bed and get the desired effect. If you are really backed up, it can take five or more.

Just make sure you drink plenty of water with it to help move things along.

Aerobic Life produces a similar product at a lower price. My personal experience is that Oxypowder provides more potency – enough to make up the difference in price. And Global Healing Center has pretty quick shipping. So I ultimately went back to using them. However, the Aerobic Life brand can be a good value if you’re looking to ease in.

Earthing – aka Grounding. (Simple/$)

If you’ve never heard of this, don’t fret. It sounds a little hokey. Basically the idea is you will electrically ground your body to the earth – like an appliance. For example, taking time to walk barefoot in the grass or beach. Or better yet, swimming in the ocean.

The theory is that, just like everything else in the world, we accumulate ions that throw our bodies out of electrical “balance.” There are books written about it – some of which claim it’s the cure for every ailment. I don’t buy that, but I can tell you that way before I knew anything about all this stuff, I noticed I took massive craps in the afternoons if I went surfing in the morning. It was consistent enough that I actually expected it to happen after spending the morning in the ocean. I later read in a blog that (among other benefits), earthing has a powerful cleansing effect.  So there you go. Super easy. Super cheap. Why not give it a shot?

Suppositories. (Challenging / $$-$$$)

Periodic use of rectal suppositories – when necessary.

If you read that and cringed, don’t worry. I get it. I grew up in a very conservative household and am 100% hetero. But even if that doesn’t describe you, I’m sure there is still something about inserting something  in the rectum that’s a little… unnatural. After all, it’s kind of an exit-only port.

But this is actually a very common medical practice for constipated folks. When my own father was bed-ridden with a terminal illness, his sedentary state resulted in severe constipation. Suppositories were one of his lifelines. Most dudes get colonoscopies when they turn 40. Then there’s other forms of colonics like coffee enemas – which used to be a pretty common remedy before the modern medicinal age.

You can purchase them or easily make your own with just a few tools/ingredients. And the REALLY cool thing is that you can add supplements to them like green coffee powder, essential oils, bitter herbs, etc that will not only clean your colon, but be absorbed directly into your body. This is a great way to get certain nutrients into your body that may otherwise be destroyed by the stomach and GI tract.

I’ve used them for several years and consider them an essential part of my GI health.

Several great blogs have been written about this and offer more guidance. The best I’ve seen is the Detox Dudes – who also offer a much deeper path to total body cleansing and healing. Definitely check out their website for this info.

Go PRO!

Yep. There are levels to this game. Potty perfection is really just the beginning.

Our bodies provide excellent hostsfor all sorts of shit that slows us down. And I’ve been on a quest to eliminateas much as I can. For instance:

• Parasites. Believe it… most people have them. I’ve been shocked at some of the worms and aliens that have come out my backside. Parasites are really tough to kill, but always take the best nutrients first. Not only that, they poop and piss too… and where do you think that’s going? They are so good at their job that they can produce cravings for stuff they need – like sugar. No joke!
• Heavy Metals. Mercury, aluminum, arsenic, lead, etc. You may be surprised to find out that these things are extremely toxic. In fact, mercury is the second most dangerous neurotoxin – after uranium. And it’s more common than you think. Heavy metals impair your cognitive function, stunt your learning ability, and deplete your immune system.
• Plastics and pesticides. These also get into our blood and brains. Impairing our ability think and needlessly stressing our immune system.

As I mentioned above, I’m a huge fan of Josh Macin and his work with the Detox Dudes. He came back from the brink of suicide due to toxic poisoning and has done a massive amount of work in this area. I subscribe to his program and have spoken with him personally. My health improvements have been incredible. He’s got a lot of free content as well.

If you’re ready to level up, you need look at what he has to offer.

What do you think?

Where are you on your journey? Maybe you’ve tried something different with success. Or maybe you think I’m crazy! Let me know what you think or share an experience. I love to hear from readers.