I am always working on making some kind of t-shirts. Very small run, very slow, and very half arsed. But Rome wasn’t built in a day!
This is the next one I want to make… Click for a bigger picture.
The theme is the Kyushu Family of Jiu Jitsu, that we are all a part of as BJJ practitioners in this region. I hope to make a batch and then just bring them along to tournaments and see if anyone wants one.
This is the logo I have come up with… Originally my idea was “Sub Rythm” but I kept spelling Rhythm wrong, and it didn’t roll off the tongue, so now it’s just RIZM, as in the way the Japanese say “rhythm.” I chose the word rhythm because I believe there is a rhythm in life, as there is a rhythm in jiu jitsu, and the sooner you find it and attune yourself to it, the happier you will be.
The main image is my friend and pro fighter Okumiya slapping on a triangle at a Shooto grappling tournament. The circle is there because… I like circles. And that. And the circular nature of… stuff. The three stars aligned into a triangle symbolises… a triangle type thing. Also I like triangles. As you can see, I put a lot of thought into this design stuff.
Just wanna give a shoutout to my buddy Patrick and his blog. He’s been on a roll lately churning out some quality posts.
If all goes well, hopefully we will meet in some kind of foreigner-in-Japan blogging and doing BJJ mega awesome coincidence explosion in May, at the Copa South BJJ tournament. I’ve competed twice, and got bronzes both times there, so it’s time to move it up a level!
So I’m still being plagued by a kind of cold, which is totally doing my head in because it means I have missed some good training time. I went to the docs and he thinks I’m allergic to something, so I’ve got some allergy pills. Let’s hope that clears it up and I can get back on track.
I decided to chomp on some Japanese superfood, natto.
Natto is the quintessential Japanese “They eat WHAT?!” food… it’s basically mouldy, slimy little beans. They are so sticky that huge strands of goo stretch from your mouth to your chopsticks and can only be dispersed by swinging your chopsticks round until the strands thin to nothing. I absolutely despised it when I first got here, but have grown to like it. Now, I eat it whenever I feel my immune system needs a boost. Check out the pictures… truly disgusting stuff.
I’ve got it here mixed in with some tiny fish and sesame seeds. BARF.
Check out this trippy video for more slimy bean action. This is also a rather amusing review of the natto experience.
It is often said in Japan that nattō is good for one’s health, and these claims can be backed by medical research. One example is Pyrazine contained within nattō. Pyrazine is a compound which in addition to giving nattō its distinct smell, also reduces the likelihood of blood clotting. It also contains a serine protease type enzyme called nattokinase[1] which may also reduce blood clotting both by direct fibrinolysis of clots, and inhibition of the plasma proteinplasminogen activator inhibitor 1. This may help to avoid thrombosis, as for example in heart attacks, pulmonary embolism, or strokes. An extract from nattō containing nattokinase is available as a dietary supplement. Studies have shown that oral administration of nattokinase in enteric capsules leads to a mild enhancement of fibrinolytic activity in rats[2] and dogs. It is therefore plausible to hypothesize that nattokinase might reduce blood clots in humans, although clinical trials have not been conducted. Another study suggests the FAS in natto is the very substance bringing fibrinolysis of clots, which accelerates the activity of not only nattokinase but urokinase.[3]
Nattō also contains large amounts of Vitamin K, which is involved in the formation of calcium-binding groups in proteins, assisting the formation of bone, and preventing osteoporosis. Vitamin K1 is found naturally in seaweed, liver and some vegetables, while vitamin K2 is found in fermented food products like cheese and miso. Nattō has very large amounts of vitamin K2, approximately 870 micrograms per 100 grams of nattō.
According to a study fermented soybeans like Natto contains Vitamin PQQ, which is very important for the skin.[4] PQQ existing in human tissues is derived mainly from diet especially from fermented soybeans.
According to the recent studies, polyamine suppresses excessive immune reactions, and natto contains a much larger amount of it than any other food.[5] Dietary supplements containing the substances extracted from natto such as polyamine, nattokinase, FAS and vitamin K2 are available.
Nattō also contains many chemicals alleged to prevent cancer, as for example daidzein, genistein, isoflavone, phytoestrogen, and the chemical elementselenium. However, most of these chemicals can also be found in other soy bean products, and their effect on cancer prevention is uncertain at best. Recent studies show nattō may have a cholesterol-lowering effect.[6]
Nattō is also said to have an antibiotic effect, and its use as medicine against dysentery was researched by the Imperial Japanese Navy before World War II.[7]
Nattō is claimed to prevent obesity, possibly due to a low calorie content of approximately 90 calories per 7-8 grams of protein in an average serving. Unverified claims include improved digestion, reduced effects of aging, and the reversal of hair loss in men due to its phytoestrogen content, which can lower testosterone that can cause baldness. These conjectured physiological effects of eating natto are based on biochemically active contents of nattō, and have not been confirmed by human study.
Martial Farts 