When I hear parents complain about their teenagers thinking they're smarter than they are, I wonder if they might be right.

After all, this transition almost inevitably occurs. And I meet a whole lot of stupid adults on a regular basis.

The foundational knowledge kids are learning is far more advanced than when we went to school. 2nd graders are learning the math I learned in 5th grade. They are perpetually connected to information. From their peers. From wikipedia.

When I didn't know something as a kid, and my mom didn't know, she'd either have to make up an answer, or I'd have to stop caring. Today, an instant answer can be found for nearly every passing curiosity. Blind faith no longer needs to exist, so doesn't.

Kids today also have an inherent belief in transparency, liberty and freedom made possible by the Internet and the digital revolution. Their frame of reference is cleaner than ours. Less junk we always assumed was right. Less prejudice. More humility.

Your kids might already be smarter than you. And this is a good thing.

Today, as we often do here, I will over-simplify an intricate issue in order to provide marginal understanding.

Person #1: "The Bears need to run the ball more."
Person #2: "But, Jacksonville's D-line was putting 8 in the box."
Person #1: "Umm...."

Person #1: "We need to get our troops out of Afghanistan."
Person #2: "What do you see happening to the Pashtun South after our exit?"
Person #1" "Umm...."

Person #1: "Jesus died to set you free."
Person #2: "Do you believe the resurrection offers universal reconciliation through unlimited atonement?"
Person #3: "Umm...."

Ever catch yourself in a conversation with someone who actually knows what they're talking about? It's not until then you realize how little you actually know.

We are all smart. We are all well intentioned. And we don't have any idea what we're really talking about.

We have pieces. We may have more than the guy next to us. But, we can't see the whole puzzle. And yet, we're so utterly confident.

But, our certainty comes not from too much knowledge, but too little.

This week, we are questioning the rationale behind more and more Americans moving to an organic, vegetarian and vegan diet.

How do I start moving in the right direction toward organic?

You're convinced. But, there's hold-ups. Financial reasons. Picky eaters in your household. So, what you need are some gateways toward organic eating.

My recommendation is to start with your fruits and vegetables. It's the most obvious taste difference. You get rid of more pesticides than with any other switch. And this is typically the least cost dramatic of a change. Then milk. Then meat.

How do you get your family on board? Simply start making organic versions of their favorite dishes. Losing the pesticides, hormones and preservatives actually makes a significant health difference. Even in "unhealthy" dishes. Then, once they're on board, they might willingly want to venture further.

Or you can be a sneak like my wife. Hide a little spinach in my fruit smoothie. (I couldn't taste it at all, and now fill half my cup with spinach every morning). Serve them carrot cake, and call it cinnamon cake. (Carrot cake is now one of my favorites, but I wouldn't have tried it on my own). Mix some fresh organic kale in with the pesto sauce. You can't even tell it's there.

Thanks for a great week guys!

Sincerely,
Your future body.

This week, we are questioning the rationale behind more and more Americans moving to an organic, vegetarian and vegan diet.

Should I buy local when buying organic?

There are a whole lot of people behind the "buy local" movement for a whole lot of reasons. "Support your local farmers." "Support your community." "Drastically lower the environmental costs of food transportation."

But, they're missing the most important motivation of all. My wholly narcissistic self interest. The fact that buying local organic simply makes more sense. The freshness is incomparable. Fruits and vegetables picked that day, just 15 miles from your home. Versus fruits and vegetables picked a month earlier in Oregon, and losing 50-80% of their nutrients while being transported to your grocer.

If you want an orange in Chicago in January, organic is the best you can do. If you can even partially adjust your diet to the season, you'll be getting the freshest most nutrient-filled options buying near you.

This week, we are questioning the rationale behind more and more Americans moving to an organic, vegetarian and vegan diet.

Are all proteins created equal?

Cow milk is the world's most perfect food....for a baby cow.

And you can get definitely get protein from a beef patty.

But, eating a McDonalds hamburger for the protein is like eating Skittles for the fruit juice. There are much healthier ways to get these vital nutrients.

While blaming animal protein for our host of health problems is still controversial, it does effectively explain the "French paradox". How a culture which indulges heavily in saturated animal fats like butter and cream has such low rates of heart disease. Because these particular animal products are actually quite low in animal protein.

Professional athletes are going vegan. Bodybuilders are going vegan. To their health benefit. No downside.

So, at the very least, we should start pointing that way, right? Quinoa and soba noodles as rice/pasta alternatives. Peanut butter. Avocados. Peas. Coconut. It's easier than you think.

This week, we are questioning the rationale behind more and more Americans moving to an organic, vegetarian and vegan diet.

Is organic eating worth the premium cost?

People often ask me if I "feel" better after eating organic foods. And I'm honest with them.

I say, "No, but they taste a LOT better." Because how I "feel" is dependent on a whole lot of different things. But, I can no longer eat a mealy Walmart apple. It's a struggle to drink watery plasticy skim milk. And simple grilled and salted grass-fed organic chicken is miraculous.

Of course, there's a cost premium attached to this taste enhancement.

Organic milk costs roughly double its standard alternative. Organic meats cost roughly double their standard alternative. Organic fruits cost roughly 50% more than their pesticide-laden alternatives. Is the taste difference alone worth the cost?

No. I am also betting on the novel idea that pesticides are bad for me. That grass-fed animal proteins are safer than genetically-modified corn-fed animal proteins. That organic foods have statistically higher levels of antioxidants and minerals. Less (zero) preservatives, hormones and foreign chemicals our bodies are not engineered to digest.

And I'm betting on saving a whole heap of money preventing future healthcare costs. I have personally lost weight with no other lifestyle change but a switch to organic food (no caloric intake change). And science tells me I have also lowered my future risks for cancer and heart disease.

In our single-payer healthcare system future, I may not personally be held responsible for these costs. The only benefits I may get from this organic diet are enjoying what I eat and living longer. But if we end up having to opt-in to healthcare insurance plan tiers based on our personal health, a switch to organic foods might be the best financial decision I ever make.

With documentaries like Food Inc. and Forks Over Knives reaching mainstream success, organic food is passing the tipping point in America.

This week, we explore the reasons why more and more people are moving to an organic, vegetarian and vegan diet.

For personal health. For the environment. To prevent animal suffering. To prevent human suffering.

But are these people just kidding themselves? Is it just marketing? Are we just jumping on another Kaballah bracelet train? (oh...did you guys not do that one?)

Or is it completely rational? Is organic eating in our best interests, personally, physically and financially?

Tomorrow, we begin by discussing whether organic eating is worth the premium cost.
Share any opinions you wish to be included in the discussion tomorrow.

If I was naturally skinny, I'd be dead by 40.

I definitely lean toward lean, that's for sure. But, I am no longer physically invincible like when I was 18. When I would eat 6,000 calories a day without thinking. The truth is, I wasn't physically invincible back then either. I just couldn't see the negative results.

Then, I started getting a gut. And I hated it. I still hate it. And I work out to not have one.

Aesthetic maintenance is my primary driver for a healthy lifestyle.

If I looked great without working out, I never would. And my heart would attack me by the time I'm 40.

Thank you Lord for the jelly in my belly.

I will never again have time for a 20-minute personal phone conversation. It's not going to happen. And that's why I can't call most people.

Because when I have 5 minutes before getting to work, I see a window of conversational opportunity.

But after the greeting and the customary back-and-forth "how are you?", I'm out of time. And most people think it's weird when I call without being able to dedicate my near future to the conversation, and ask to exit within 5 minutes of calling.

That's why my friend Justin and I have developed the modern-day phone conversation. It's continual. It never ends. It's 3 minutes one day. 6 the next.

It ends when one person says "Gotta jump." The other replies, "Later." We jump back into our lives. And we pick up the conversation the next day, right where we left off.

We have killed the formality, and because of that, communicate regularly.