More than 50 years ago, I learned a lesson that continues to shape the way I approach nutrition, wellness, and even life:

The fundamentals matter.

I was only 18 years old when I experienced a serious health crisis shortly after graduating from high school. I developed a blood disorder and spent approximately a week in the hospital. When I came home, I was thin, low in energy, and determined to understand what I could do to take better care of myself.

At that point, my diet was far from ideal. I often lived on crackers, Coke, and iced tea. There was very little nourishment or variety in what I was eating.

I knew something needed to change.

Searching for a Better Way

I began reading everything I could find about nutrition, fasting, prayer, meditation, natural foods, and healthy living. I started paying attention to ingredient labels and made a simple commitment to myself:

If I was going to spend money on food, it needed to provide some nutritional value.

That was especially important because I was earning only $3.80 an hour while working at a self-service gas station in Boulder, Colorado. My budget was limited, so I had to make thoughtful choices.

Fortunately, Boulder was a wonderful place to begin exploring a more natural lifestyle. I remember a small food truck called the Organic Tomato that visited local workplaces. It sold things like sprout and avocado sandwiches on hearty whole-wheat bread.

Those choices may sound ordinary today, but they were completely different from the way I had been eating.

I also began hiking and climbing mountains whenever I had enough energy. It was affordable, it got me outside, and it gave me a way to stay active while I continued learning about health and nutrition.

I felt as though I was moving in a better direction, but my progress was slow.

Then an unexpected conversation at the gas station changed everything.

The Conversation That Started It All

One day, a man named Dean Wells came into the station. Dean was a cowboy from Texas who happened to be working temporarily in Boulder. He was also a Shaklee distributor.

After talking for a while, he asked me a simple question:

“Do you take vitamins?”

I told him I had recently purchased what I believed was a high-quality multivitamin from a local health-food department. I had been taking it for about a month, but I had not noticed much of a difference.

Dean recommended that I try a protein supplement along with a multivitamin. He was so confident that he guaranteed I would feel better within a month or he would return my money.

At the time, approximately $30 felt like a fortune. It was probably close to the last $30 I had.

But I also felt that I had very little to lose.

I decided to give it a try.

“There’s a Sparkle in Your Eye”

Around the same time, a regular customer named Linda left Boulder for about a month to visit family.

While she was away, I began consistently using the protein and multivitamin Dean had recommended.

When Linda returned, she pulled into the gas station as usual. The moment she saw me, she stopped and asked:

“What are you doing?”

At first, I thought she meant what I was doing at work. But she continued:

“No. You’re doing something. I see a glow and a sparkle in your eyes that I’ve never seen before.”

That moment stayed with me.

I had already begun noticing that I felt more energized, but Linda could see something different from the outside too.

Her observation encouraged me to purchase another month’s supply.

As they say, the rest is history.

Still Following the Same Foundation

More than five decades later, the products have evolved, but my foundation remains remarkably similar.

Today, I use Shaklee Vitalizer and Life Shake. I sometimes joke that I started with the Chevrolet or Ford version of foundational nutrition and have now graduated to the Cadillac or Mercedes-Benz version.

The formulations may be more advanced and comprehensive, but the basic principle has not changed:

I begin with protein and foundational nutritional support every day.

There are many other products that can be added depending on someone’s individual needs. I use hydration products, electrolyte drinks, and energy support when appropriate.

But those are additions to my foundation—not replacements for it.

How the Fundamentals Support My Active Life

I am now in my seventies, and I still live a very active life.

In October 2025, when I was 70, I played eight hockey games in less than 40 hours.

I first competed in the 60-and-over division. Our team went undefeated, allowed only one goal, and won the championship.

A younger team competing in the 21-and-over division then asked me to join them because they needed another skater. I played with them, scored the winning goal in the championship game, and celebrated another undefeated tournament.

Eight games. Eight wins. Two championships.

I was on the ice every other shift, doing everything I could to contribute.

I do not share that story because I believe one product magically makes something like that possible. An active life is built through consistent habits, training, nourishment, hydration, recovery, and many other daily choices.

But I firmly believe that I could not continue doing what I do without paying attention to the fundamentals.

I have also coached hockey for 35 of the last 40 years. As a coach, I constantly taught the fundamentals. Players may want to focus on advanced strategies and exciting plays, but success still depends on skating, passing, positioning, and teamwork.

Nutrition works in much the same way.

Before we focus on all the extras, we need to build a dependable foundation.

A Simple Routine That Fits My Life

One of the things I appreciate most about Vitalizer and Life Shake is their convenience.

Vitalizer is organized into individual strips, so I do not have to open several bottles or count out multiple tablets each morning. I simply pull out the day’s strip and take it with me.

Life Shake is equally easy to work into my routine.

When I know I have an early or physically demanding day ahead, I prepare as much as possible the night before. I can mix my shake, set out my Vitalizer, and have everything ready before I leave the house.

Once a routine becomes established, it feels like second nature.

That matters on days when I may be carrying golf bags for 36 holes in hot weather, walking many miles, coaching, playing hockey, or simply managing a busy schedule.

A supportive routine does not need to be complicated. In fact, the easier it is to follow consistently, the more likely it is to become part of your everyday life.

Who Should Begin With the Fundamentals?

People often ask me who I think protein and foundational nutritional support are best suited for.

My answer is broad because I believe the fundamentals can be a helpful starting point for many different people.

You may be an athlete or someone who rarely exercises. You may be a teenager, a busy parent, a working professional, or an older adult who wants to remain active.

Your complete nutritional needs will not necessarily be the same as someone else’s. Factors such as age, activity level, current diet, stress, lifestyle, and individual wellness goals all matter.

That is why I do not believe in treating every person exactly the same.

I prefer to begin with a conversation. We look at where someone is now, what they are already doing, and where they would like to go. From there, we can build a personalized approach that meets them where they are in their wellness journey.

But regardless of the individual details, I keep returning to the same lesson I learned more than 50 years ago:

Start with the fundamentals.

Building Your Own Foundation

My wellness journey did not begin with a perfect diet, a large budget, or a detailed plan.

It began with a serious wake-up call, a desire to feel better, a commitment to learn, and one unexpected conversation in a gas-station booth.

I started by reading labels and making better food choices. Then I added protein and a multivitamin to my daily routine.

Those simple steps became the beginning of a lifelong commitment.

Today, I am still active, still learning, still coaching, and still beginning my day with the same foundational philosophy that helped me all those years ago.

Your journey may look very different from mine.

But wherever you are starting, you do not need to change everything at once. Begin by creating a strong nutritional foundation, establish a routine you can follow consistently, and build from there.

Sometimes the most powerful changes begin with the basics.

Ready to strengthen your nutritional foundation?

I would be happy to learn more about your current routine, your activity level, and your wellness goals. Together, we can explore a simple approach designed around where you are today and where you would like to go next.

This article shares David’s personal experience. Individual experiences vary, and nutritional products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.