Running Zaidy

Big Pharma First, let me state one caveat. This article is not intended for people who through no fault of their own must take some sort of medication. It is targeted at a group of people who don’t take care of themselves, overeat, eat the wrong foods, and lead a sedentary lifestyle. Unfortunately, these people represent most of the population in North America.   Let’s face it. We are a society of blamers. Nothing is our fault, it’s always someone else’s. Did you know that 95% of the lawsuits in the world, that’s right “the world” take place in the United States? So, when I hear the trope “Big Pharma” and the implicit conspiracy theory I cringe. Is it Big Pharma that, in cahoots with the medical profession, is responsible for our pill taking?  Is there some vast conspiracy that forces us to take the pills that Big Pharma produce and our doctors prescribe?  A while back a savvy entrepreneur opened a Kosher hamburger restaurant in Manhattan. With huge fanfare and an ad ca...

My Back Story No, it's not a story about the details of another story. It's about my lower back problem. About 25 years ago I experienced a bout of terrible lower back pain. I went to my doctor and took medications. It didn’t help. A friend recommended a chiropractor. I tried a few sessions, but it didn't help. Another friend suggested a massage therapist. I went a few times. After each session I would feel better for a day or two but after that the pain returned. At my last session with the therapist, he asked me to take him through my day to see if he could pinpoint something I was doing that would explain the problem. We did that.  At the time I was running a software company. Unlike today not all my work involved using a computer. I had a desk and a computer table. The computer table was near my desk and to get to it I would push my chair (which was on wheels) over to the computer desk. When finished I would roll back to my desk. The distance was about 7 feet, and the f...

Here is an article in The Suburban in Montreal about my journey. Here is a link to the article with some pictures At 69, Shmarya Richler is a marathon runner on a mission By Dan Laxer The Suburban Mar 4, 2026 Shmarya Richler was 59 when his doctor raised the alarm about his blood pressure. And he had other issues. He has since turned running into a mission to raise awareness about healthy living. In March 2016 he took out a new lease on life with a pair of running shoes. Eight marathons later, he is still running, using the empty bottle from the blood pressure medication he no longer needs as a shot glass for a finish-line l’chaim. Richler, a Chabad Hasid, was 59 when his doctor raised the alarm about his blood pressure. He had other issues: weight, elevated sugars, acid reflux, recurring gout. Theprescription was simple: watch what you eat and get some exercise — or take pills. Thethought of having to deal with a daily pill organizer didn’t sit well with Richler’s aversionto taking pi...