On February 27, 2010, the devastating earthquake in Chile promoted tsunami warnings issued for the Hawaiian Islands.  My brother called me at 5:00 am on the morning of the 27th to inform me of the tsunami that was to arrive at 11:07 am.  At the time of the phone call I was in the kitchen making breakfast in preparation to go to a workout that I lead for my patients every Saturday morning.  As I turned the radio on, advice was given to fill up water for drinking, buy food and fill up gas tanks in cars, for a 3-5 day time period.  Not having personally experienced a tsunami before my mind began to race and speculate what it would be like in a matter of 6 hours with the arrival of the tsunami. 

The first thing I did was to wake my wife up and tell her about the earthquake and tsunami news.  The second thing my wife and I did was to pray together.  We prayed for the people of Chile, anyone who was affected by this tragedy and of course protection for what was to come.  As we listened to the news updates, we started to call friends who lived on the coast or low lying areas to invite them up to our house.  We live on a hill overlooking the ocean so we were not only safe but had a good view of the coming tsunami to boot. 

I left the house to get water, food, and gas.  I only had 45 minutes before the civil defense warning sirens were to sound off a disaster warning at 6:00 am to give the people of Oahu ample warning to prepare for the impending disaster.  Gas lines were already crazy but, thank God, I found a station I didn't have to wait too long at.  Getting food was an entirely different story, however, so I left the over-crowded market parking lot and headed to my office which was nearby.  Going to a non-health food market at 6:00 am to get canned foods was not on my A-list.  In fact it is not on any of my lists, ever. 

After leaving the market parking lot, my brother gave me another phone call and a piece of his mind because his brother (me) had not waited in line like he had done for a cart full of canned foods.  What I failed to explain to him was that I was headed to my office where there were eight 5 gallons jugs of purified drinking water and a large refrigerator of food.  One of the beautiful benefits of a healthy lifestyle is having a large refrigerator at work where you can sustain proper nutritional habits.  As God always provides for me, I received a large quantity of grass fed organic beef just the day before. 

After raiding my office of food and water, I headed home knowing we would have house guests for the day or perhaps next several days.  When I arrived, my house was alive with friends.  Breakfast for everyone including the children was the first priority. Organic fresh papaya, frozen blueberries, apples with coconut oil gave us a quick nutritional boost.

Following breakfast, a workout with the parents was next on the agenda.  Since my friends were all patients of our wellness clinic, they had already bought into the concept of exercising every day.   Both women and men together shared a great functional training workout.  We did a timed workout with stations that represented different exercises.  20 minutes later we were sweating and panting, a good sign after any workout. 

We fired up the free range, grass fed, organic, no drugs-whatsoever heavenly beef I received form the day before.  I always seem to notice that there is a special hunger and desire for MEAT after a great workout.   The meal did not disappoint any cell of our bodies as we all made insatiable groans while we feasted. 

I wish the end of my story was more exciting than an uneventful tsunami, but it was just another healthy day in the life of being a wellness fanatic.  I would like to close with a word of encouragement.  If Dr. Bruce and friends can preserve their wellness beliefs, in the midst of a predicted impending disaster,  you too can surely maintain your beliefs without one!

God Bless,

Dr. Bruce

I grew up in central Oahu on the top of a mountain called Saint Louis Heights.  We were surrounded by a public park on one side and a 'wild' forest on the other.  We lived on an acre of property where my grandparents, mom and dad, and two uncles and aunts had adjacent homes - four in total.  As for the children, there were nine cousins including my siblings and myself all within a 10 year age span. 

Back when we grew up in the 60's to early 70's, we children did not have a single worry with regards to our personal safety.  Back in the good old days, no one worried about strangers abducting children so we played from dawn to dusk without parental supervision or a care in the world.  Our accountability to checking-in with our parents was simply to show up at meal-times.  I always knew that my mother would have a great warm meal for me.  In addition to warm food in my stomach I was showered with lots of love, from both parents.

As I look back upon my upbringing, I am filled with fond memories of a fairy-tale childhood.  My parents did their very best to raise me morally and physically as healthfully as any parents lovingly could have.  I use healthfully, however, in very loose terms because of the following revelations I now have as a mature health care professional...

1. My parents + the school system (teachers and peers) influenced me morally and socially

2. School lunches / snacks + my mother (the cook of the house) was responsible for my nutrition or 'lack' of nutrition.

3. My fitness was influenced by both aforementioned parties and any outside sports, leagues or activities.  (Thank God I was extremely active)

Let's first look at how the influences of my childhood molded me and discuss the ramifications of what it produced back in my childhood days and then fast forward to today's upbringing and the fruit it is bearing in the children of today.

I grew up in a very strict private high school where discipline for wrong or inappropriate moral behavior was enforced.  We got picked up by our ears, did pushups, detention (pulling weeds) or sitting doing homework instead of play-time for misbehaving.  Swearing, profanity, or disrespect was not allowed in my home or at school.  My moral character was sharply and definitively molded from these two powerful influential factors from my upbringing. 

The major lesson I learned; a humble respect for others especially those in authority over me, and not to mention...good manners as a bonus.

In comparison to the children of the modern technological world, there is an extremely distinct difference in the way children are being raised compared to yesteryear.  As a result of our modern culture being paralyzed by perilous legal consequences, teachers are cautious at best as to what they say and do to discipline children in schools today.  Modern culture, for the majority of parents have predicated the lack of parental influence.  In order to form strong loving bonds with children, TIME spent with them is the first order of priority.  Children need to learn difficult lessons that only a parent can teach through loving discipline to mold their moral character.  Lessons like restraint, values, honesty, generosity, respect, honor, the value of money, etc.  However, an observation that I see is in fact, parents shying away from loving discipline in order to avoid being tagged the "Bad Guy" with what little time is spent with their children.

So where are our children learning lessons like respecting others especially those in authority and all the above mentioned ones and more?  TV and all available media, the web, ipods, facebook, etc...

Proverbs 13:24 says, "He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

The reason for the above scripture or blog is not a cry for today's culture to bring back spanking by any means, however, it is a very loud cry and deep concern for those privileged to be called parents to lovingly teach our kids all of life's important lessons  As a parent of two incredible kids, I count it an honor to discipline my children.  I have the sold out belief that discipline through love is what will make my children grow up to have an others first attitude and at the very least they'll respect others. 

A wonderful suggestion that was given to me regarding the upbringing of my children is one that I would like to pass on to those who have KIDS...  Imagine your child as a 30 year old adult with all the traits and qualities you wish them to have (mannerisms, values, demeanor, attitude, etc.)  In addition to the traits and qualities, how do you see them living and who you see them living with?  In as much detail as possible, visioneer your ideal son or daughter and write it down.  After you write it down, create an action plan as to how you will create the ideal son or daughter you see from the child you currently have.  Oh and by the way, it always helps when you pray and ask GOD to help mold your kids for you too!

God Bless You,

Dr. Bruce Wong