Yesterday was Wednesday, April 20, better known in certain circles as 420.  A day when college students, burn outs, bored house wives, and anyone else with a little too much time and not enough drug testing indulges in a little herbal stimulus.  The consumption of cannibis on this day, or time of any day for extremist and those with a medical reference, originated in 1971  when a group of teens who called themselves the Waldos met at a statue at 4:20 in search of a lost crop of non medical marijuana (Wikipedia is just full of useful information).  The teens kept meeting and over time the term 420 has become synonymous with pot-smoking in general.  Did I indulge on 420?  Of course not!  I am about to become a father not to mention an elite athlete (52^nd ranked crossfitter in Nor. Cal. and trying to hang on for two more WODs).  Until Greg Glassman gives me the go ahead I’m keeping it clean.  I do find it kind of neat that my current Fran time is 4:20; coincidence of course.  I digress.  Back to the point.  Yesterday when I came home there was an undeniable aroma coming from the kitchen.   Shitty Britches, hopefully not full term and pregnant Eliza, must have been rolling a beanie in the kitchen?  Not exactly.  Shitty was in the kitchen but not handling the chronic.  He was dabbling in szechuan pepper.  An amazing and bold spice that I had no idea even existed.  Aside from its pungent aroma, szechuan pepper has some fantastic health benefits.  It is believed to stimulate blood circulation, improve metabolism, promote digestion, and increase appetite.  Szechuan pepper is also full of antioxidants beneficial in preventing cardiovascular disease and cancer.  I’m not finished.  The pepper also reduces blood viscosity, blood vessel hardening and serves as an anti inflammatory and pain killer.  Plus, if you eat enough of the stuff it makes your mouth numb as all get out.  Which could take you back to higher times, if you’re ever looking to remember such times?  Have I and am I?  Not telling, my mom reads this blog.  What’s the point?  Try new things people.  Especially if you trust the source, know where the product came from, and can smell the freshness.  There are all kinds of super food right around the corner that can really improve your quality of life.  Plus, if you are trying new things regularly you won’t be so focused on the oldies, like gluten, that you used to poison yourself with regularly.  Ditch the old standards and experiment with new products the benefits will do nothing less than surprise you.