Creatures of Habit: Changing the Game

What if we were able to change the characteristic of being 'creatures of habit'? What if we could alter our patterns and completely change the way we live just by making slightly different choices. The human race is known to be habitual. Bad or good, habits dictate our future. Most of us are lead by the habits that we have accumulated along the way. The norm would be to let our habits guide us and control us leading us through life with blinders on.

What habits have you picked up along the way? Which of those are not beneficial to enriching your life or others? You can call them bad habits if you'd like. Bad habits keep us from reaching our full potential. How many times have you tried to rid yourself of your habits and found yourself returning after a small amount of time?

Bad habits are sometimes like an addictive drug. They become a part of you that you can not get rid of. You know what is best for you, but the habit you created is just so powerful, or so we think. It really comes down to a mental challenge. Try starting super small. Pick a habit that seems easy to get rid of, maybe swearing at work.  For one week, try to turn your bad habit into a positive. For instance, if your bad habit is swearing, pay someone a compliment instead. You can do anything for one week and if you succeed, try something a little harder the next week.

There is really no rush. Most of these habits have been around for a LONG time, so be patient with yourself and begin changing your patterns. By bringing more positive in your life greater things will come to you and you will be closer to reaching your full potential in life. By reaching your full potential you can help others reach theirs.

Unearthing the Gift

Through my life experiences, I am a true believer that everyone was blessed with a God given gift to be used in this life time. These gifts give our lives purpose. These gifts also are something that, when unearthed and shared, encourage others to seek, find and share thus spreading Gods gifts. 

Here is the problem, it is the norm to walk blindly through life without even understanding our purpose. We just go with the flow of society allowing our gift to be burried alive by 'life's dirt'. Life's Dirt-anything that keeps us from reaching our true potential. i.e.: money problems, poor body image, abuse of drugs or alcohol, unhealthy relationships, dead end job, fear, anger etc. Basically, anything that encourages the negative is getting in the way of you unearthing your gift. 

These gifts are a powerful thing. The question is how do you reach them? You need to dig and get rid of the dirt that keeps it hidden. This means confronting each of your layers of 'life's dirt' one at a time. This takes commitment and discipline. I think that is part of the test. If you are committed and disciplined enough to dig and continue to dig even when it gets hard, you will have earned the trust to properly handle the gift that you worked so hard to find and your path/purpose will be clear. 

Can you imagine if we all unearthed our gifts? World peace. 

You Better Recognize (the foods you eat)

Have you ever slowed down enough to actually recognize what you are using to fuel your body? In our earth life our body is our temple. We need to respect it. By feeding your body inrecognizable fuel like processed foods and chemically altered drinks we are not able to fulfill our potential that we have in this lifetime. We are selling ourselves short, literally. Lives are ending because of what we use as 'fuel'. Now the question arises. Is this really fuel or some sort of comfort? Well, if we were using food properly than it could be considered fuel, but by the looks of Americans food is no longer being used for this purpose. The fuel that most Americans seek to live comes from a cup full of energy, magic medicine bottle and a fast food burger disguised as real meat. 

Just slow down. Look at what you are putting in your body. Can you recognize it and understand where it came from? If you can't, put it down. Just by taking this small little step every time you eat you give yourself a fighting chance at life. It's simple, eat only things produced in nature that you can recognize where they came from. Put down things that were produced in a plant (with the long list of ingredients that you don't recognize and you can't pronounce) and you will save yourself a lifetime of medical problems! 

Happiness Overrated?

My last post was a little dip into my thoughts on the meaning of life, since then I listened to a sermon on Happiness. Ironic. Anyway, it made me take this idea one step further. Happiness is shallow, so the meaning of life is not just to spread happiness, because happiness is short lived. If you want to spread goodness through the world you need to spread joy and answers to living a full life. Those of you who's life is full will understand this idea, but those of you who do not yet may have a hard time. I know because I have been on both sides. A full life brings you joy. Once you experience the joy-full life you crave it and do everything in your power to reach that state. Most of those who have not experienced the joy-full continue seeking happiness and wondering why they never feel complete.

It wasn't until I started a relationship with God at the end of 2011 that I experienced Joy-Full. (Yes, I know joyful is a word, but I have created my own altercation of he word/term/etc. to give it the more pronounced meaning that I want.) Those of you who read this and are turned off by my mention of God, I get it. I was there too, so I don't take offense. However, if you can not relate my term, Joy-Full, to your own life then you might want to stay tuned.

My life has changed drastically since I began seeking the Joy-Full life instead of chasing happiness.  We are talking two years, people. It was only two years ago that I changed my beliefs and thought process on things. Previously, I sought out short lived, fulfilling, happiness. Sure, I had a great time doing it, but I continued to search for some feeling that would stick around.  I felt empty. I even got married, finished college, had a good job and a great family, but it wasn't enough. Finally, I was unwillingly pulled into the doors of a church, that I now call home. It was different than what I was used to, there was loud rock music, coffee and people my age. The people also had a different glow about them, unlike any other church that I have been to. They were actually Joy-Full. Huh? I was a little perplexed as if I had stepped into another dimension.

Anyway, I continued to go and get more involved and really do some soul searching.  I also opened myself to God and the idea of a greater power, other than myself.  It was then that I began to see the Joy-Full for the first time. Things began to transform in my life, without much effort.  Two years later I look back at the changes I have seen in my relationships, home life, relationship with myself, finances and work. I didn't realize life could really be this good. I feel that I don't deserve all the wonderful things that have happened and it honestly keeps getting better in every aspect. Luck? I think not. Happiness? Would have never gotten me this far. A Joy-Full like only provided by God? Dead on.

Enjoy the journey! It is exceedingly more than the norm of seeking happiness could provide.

Ants

I took a break from blogging because life got a little crazy, to say the least. My 15 month old is now not just walking, but running, climbing and reeking havoc anyway possible, and beyond possible. It is crazy to watch how fast she grows. Every week she is learning something new. Watching her life flash before my eyes has got me doing some deep thinking about life in general and reevaluating some things.

Have you ever stopped in time and really thought things through? I mean, not what you are going to wear and how it would effect your day, or what job will you choose and how much money you will make, but instead what is the purpose of life and what really matters in the grand scheme of things.  I guess you can say that I have been in the land of re-discovery for the past three months and my (open ended) conclusion has left me with the theory that we are all ants.  Yes, three months and all that I came up with was we = ants. It is kind of amusing looking back, but I really think it is that simple.

Let me explain myself. First, I tried searching for explanations, 'meaning of life' sort of things, (not religion or science related, there is a place for that too).  What I came up with was 8 million different 'opinions', none of which worked for me. What I have decided is that we are all just busy little ants.  The meaning of life is only a term that us ants came up with to try to make sense of 'it all'. However, we never will. No matter how many theories there are 'it all' is so much greater than us and so far beyond our understanding that trying to comprehend it is impossible, just as an ants trying to comprehend humans. Make sense?

Okay, so we have no control or understanding of the greater picture, what is our purpose here on earth, if we have one.  I boiled it down to two things, positive and negative.  Positive feels right (but what is right) and negative feels wrong (again, ideas created by the human psyche). It is a simple idea, but I feel that the only thing that we really know and can really do to fulfill any purpose is to spread positive and suppress negative while we are here on earth.


This is just a summary of my idea, but it seems to be just as basic as I described. I am still developing it, but I really think that underdeveloped it will be more accurate than something more complex. So what it comes down to is, toss the 'norm' of everyday life and fill your everyday life with positives and share them with others so that positives like happiness, love and peace can be experienced by a greater number. Suppress the negative in all forms so we can overpower the negative energies with positives making our time here on earth at positively peaceful for all. If you can just look through the fluff of life and discover truth and what really matters maybe it will actually matter in the greater scheme of things, but then again, who knows if we are all just busy little ants just trying to make a difference in our small, little, minute, microscopic world.

 

Back to NORMal

My daughter just turned one over the weekend.  Needless to say, past year has been a learning experience for me.  Somehow my Super Woman switch got turned on as soon as I had Luna and I felt it was my job to save the world. Maybe this happens to all moms, but man, it is exhausting! I challenged a lot of norms over the past year including trash, cable and other technologies, vaccinations, food, disposable diapers and other modern conveniences. I led my family on a wild goose chase as we gave up trash, cable, disposable diapers, certain foods, and so much more.  The journey was a learning experience for all of us. We have all learned to be less wasteful, more responsible and much more aware. 

Life quickly became frustrating and far from enjoyable. We found without some of the modern conveniences life became very stressful. For example, without trash pick up you have to learn how to shop to avoid waste. Mainstream does not make this easy. To avoid problems in our family and relieve the stress we all compromised in our changes. We kept the cloth diapers, but got back trash service, however, we increased our recycling load and decreased out typical trash load significantly. We still don't have cable. We replaced it with Hulu and Netflicks and saved a bunch of money. Since then, my husband also purchased a $15.00 antenna and now we get ten clear channels! As for our foods, we are still learning, but we try to keep our foods local or organic whenever possible. We grew some of our vegetables as well.  Some of my opinions and decisions also brought about controversy, I guess that is all about standing up for what you think is right.

It really has been a great year and I feel confident about the changes that we have made as a family. I am also grateful for the people that have taken the time to listen to our experiences and support us. My perspective on life has definitely changed drastically and the challenges have made me a better person. Time to relax and enjoy life a bit.  

3 Day Juice Cleanse - Day 3 and after

So, I finished up the cleanse and have never felt better. I was ready to get some real food back in my system, but my body felt alive. I also was very energetic and mentally clear. It was a very good experience and I plan on doing the cleanse again soon. I lost a total of 4lbs over the 3 days as well. Of course some of the pounds came back, but that is expected. It was also a very liberating experience. I felt in control and disciplined.  I also find that I make better choices now on the foods I eat. Now, food also has an awakened flavor profile that really makes you enjoy every bite. Highly recommended.

3 Day Juice Cleanse - Day 2

Since this is a short cleanse, this is going to be a short entry. I feel better already. I woke up feeling lighter, energetic and not anxious at all.

Day 2:
32oz Juice: Kale, Carrots, Apples, Oranges, Ginger, Celery, Cucumber 

I made a big batch for the day again. I know that the juice loses nutrients if it sits, but making it as needed it is not an option in my day of juggling work and a baby. Anyway, I had energy all day, I was a bit hungry mid day again, but it was curbed by 2 glasses of juice. I am down 2 lbs and feeling fantastic. My skin even looks brighter. It's amazing what a little juice can do. I am also sleeping, which is more than I can say for a week ago! Oh what a relief! It really isn't that hard either. The hardest part is my husbands desire to eat the most desirable foods these past couple of days. WILL POWER!

On the final day I plan to treat myself to a sashimi dinner, a nice light way to introduce food back into my diet.

3 Day Juice Cleanse - Day 1

Lately, I have been challenging the norm of the typical American diet. I eat healthy. Let me rephrase that, I eat healthy in terms of what I was taught to believe is healthy. The general belief in America (which we are taught as early as kindergarten) is to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner all based around the food pyramid. Okay, it's logical to a certain extent, but why if I am following those guidelines do I feel anxious, sluggish, irritable etc. I started to pay closer attention to the symptoms and found that they came after meals.  I wanted to start fresh and flush my body of what is perceived to be healthy with a juice cleanse of fresh fruits and vegetables that I know make me feel great. After the cleanse, I plan on selectively adding foods back into my diet in order to more easily detect foods that may be working against my body instead of with my body.

Day 1
Food: I made a 32oz batch to last me the whole day:
4 bushels of Kale, A little Ginger, 3 stalks of Celery, Four Apples, One Cucumber, One Pineapple

Reflection: It was easier than I thought it would be. I even passed up a hearty Italian meal from one of my favorite restaurants for dinner. I did find myself hungry around lunch time, but it only lasted a few minutes. I guzzled a glass of my juice and felt fine again. My mind has also settled, I don't feel very anxious and my energy level is average.  I am also not tired.  Only two days left!  

Baby Toys, Overrated?

The baby toy industry is cleaning up. There are noise makers, plastic keys, stuffed animals, teething toys, rubber duckies, etc. I have baskets filled, I know. Luna is only 10 months and has more toys than FAO Schwarz! Okay, so not that many, but a lot. I can only imagine how many more she will collect with her first birthday coming up! My low patients for clutter is already designating places for her new toys!

Anyway, I am sure most parent can relate, no matter how many cool new toys your little one has it is always the unexpected that catches and holds a babies attention. Luna's favorite toys are the hamper, an empty water bottle, straws, my camera case, any iPhone, and our vacuum.  I think we need to rethink this whole toy industry :)

Numb-Founded

I overheard a conversation between a guy and a girl the other day. The one was about ready to drink a bottled beverage when the other took it out of her hands and started reading the label. He said, "Do you know what is in this? Some of these ingredients have been closely linked to cancer. This could kill you!" She shrugged her shoulders, took it out of his hands and started to drink it.

Have we really become that numb as a society? We can blame the large companies who put these things on the market, but what ever happened to our instinct for survival? We know things are bad for us, yet we indulge anyway. Cigarettes are a great example , the package even says "may cause cancer". They have killed so many people, yet so many millions still smoke. 

We only care when it is too late. We regret the bad decisions in a hospital bed, up until that point we glaze over and only hear what we want to. We aren't invincible.  The decisions we make today will effect us and others for a lifetime. What will it take to wake up our numb society and regain that instinct for survival? 

Personal responsibility. 

I Deserve It

We have become an "I deserve it" generation. Whether we know it or not, in the last 70 years we have lost the concept of living within our means and instead have become slaves of debt. The norm for my generation includes a mortgage, student loans, car payment and a minimum of one or two credit cards. Buying something when you have the money for it is a thing of the past. The average household owes well over $15k and that doesn't include home mortgages. Before there were loans and credit cards people actually saved up for their homes, bought their cars with cash and didn't have EVERYTHING they wanted (new iPhone, latest Nike's etc.), but they still survived.  Ask yourself this; is it that the cost of everything is so high that we need a loan to afford the things that we need/want or is it that we feel that we are entitled to have the things we can't afford? 

Debt has become a norm in America, ask the US government.  It is a very hard culture to crack and I only see it getting worse unless everyone starts taking personal responsibility and living out of the norm.  I passed a billboard the other day that said "Get Engaged...for only $129 a month".  Really? It was an advertisement for engagement rings.  What a way to start a marriage.  The "I deserve it" equals "over-extended", its no wonder that America has such high cases of anxiety, depression, divorce etc, etc.  Stop and think about it, where would you be if you never took out a loan (yes a mortgage, car and student loans count) or never signed up for a credit card.  What wouldn't you have and would you be able to survive? For most of us that is a hard question because we can't remember back that far. Try this one, how much money have you paid in interest on these loans in the past five years and what better things could you have done with that money? 

Dave Ramsey of Financial Peace has some great advise on how to obtain a debt free lifestyle. As Craig Groeschel from LifeChurch puts it "say no for a little, so you can say yes forever".  It is truly a freeing experience when you are not a "slave to the lender".   

Beautiful Fields of Corn

Have you ever driven through the country during the summer months and taken notice to the beautiful fields of corn rhythmically waving in the breeze?  They stand as a symbol to me of a simple and hard working lifestyle.  They always take me a step back from the hustle and bustle of every day life separating me from the technology that powers our fast paced society.  I enjoy the calming effects as I drive by and spend a few seconds in pure inner peace.  I never really thought any further about the fields until recently.

Why are there so many corn fields? Most of the corn fields alternated with soy bean fields, who needs that many soy beans?  This is where the peace and tranquility takes a screeching stop and is run over by big business, yet again. Corn and soy are both inexpensive crops and are now staple ingredients in almost all processed foods.  If you don't believe it, just look at the label.  There is usually some sort of corn or soy derivative listed.  Ahh yes, that is why we need all of these beautiful fields of corn and soy.

Okay, why is this so bad? First of all, the hard working farmers that are producing these crops are basically owned by big business, it is a catch 22. If they don't sell out to big business than they have a hard time surviving in the market monopolized by corporations, but if they do sell out they are practically indentured servants.  It is really disheartening what is happening to our farming society.  Big corporations usually dictate the who, what, when, where and how to grow their crop.  If they don't follow their strict guidelines, including using their GE seeds (See my article about GMO's), they risk losing their only customer and in turn their livelihood.  The documentary Food, Inc. can give you more incite to this if you are interested. 

Corn also has a very high Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio. A healthy diet should have a ration as close to 5:1 Omega 6 to 3 as possible, or lower.  Corn has a ratio of above 40:1. A ratio this lopsided is linked to many diseases including heart disease and diabetes.  Now, eating one ear of corn for dinner is one thing, but now imagine all of the other places that you are ingesting this high ratio of Omega 6 to 3's.  No wonder America has so many health problems. 

Bottom line, support your local farmers by buying local, it might cost a little more, but it is worth it.  Also, start reading labels.  Play it safe and avoid products that contain corn or soy additives so that your health does not suffer.  It takes time and adjustment at first, but eventually it becomes human nature. 

The Relearning Process

We are our parents children. We are raised by them, led by them and most of us inevitably become them.  It only makes sense.  This is how we are conditioned. Growing up, what comes in is usually filtered and tweaked through their perception of reality and what they think is in our best interest.  Their perception of reality soon becomes our perception of reality in one way or another.  For example, I was raised on no fat/low fat labels and college after high school. Junk food could only be found hidden under my bed and Nintendo was not necessary when you have nature.  Seatbelts were an accessory and breakfast was a necessity.  Being 'on time' meant 30 minutes late and bike/riding helmets were exempt.     

Our thoughts and lifestyles are also shaped by society.  "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage." Do you remember that rhyme? I am not saying it is bad by any means, but just to provoke some thought ask yourself these questions; "Why is blue associated with boys and pink with girls?" "Why are the majority of American's indebted to someone?" Yes, a mortgage or car loan count.  "Why must we wear shoes, or clothes for that matter?" 40hr work week. Need I say more? "How about health insurance, car insurance, life insurance, home insurance etc." And the list goes on.

Only out of mere curiosity and the desire to explore, I have come to a point where I would like to learn things on my own terms and make my own perception of reality, this is what I call "The Relearning Process". 

The Importance of Magnesium and Vitamin D

Due to poor diet and an unsustainable society the normal American is deficient in magnesium. Through all of my recent research, doctors visits and conversations I am learning how important it is for our bodies to have an adequate amount of magnesium present to function properly.  Unlike calcium and potassium, magnesium is one of the essential minerals in our bodies that gets little to no attention. 

Magnesium deficiencies can lead to a long list of problems that have become common and are now viewed as the norm.  Some symptoms of magnesium deficiencies are:

• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Depression
• Migraine Headaches 

These symptoms are usually treated with a prescription drug without addressing the underlying issue. You can get magnesium from a diet rich in foods like green vegetables, almonds, black beans, spinach and sunflower seeds.  Magnesium is also absorbed through the skin.  One of my favorite sites, Food Renegade, has a recipe for a magnesium spray that you apply to your skin daily to help with your levels. 

With one important mineral missing from our synergistic systems an array of other deficiencies can result. In this case, without the presence of magnesium our body also has a difficult time absorbing Vitamin D, which in turn leads to other problems.  One of the main ways we get Vitamin D is through sunlight. A doctor from Steiner Medical Practice told me that if you don't get at least 15 minutes of sunlight a day you are not allowing your body to produce enough Vitamin D.  At a glance, 15 minutes seemed like no time at all, but most of us work indoors and are only exposed to the sun when we walk from our car to our house going to and leaving work, that is if the sun is even out. Other sources of Vitamin D are through supplementation. My doctors recommends Vitamin D drops or Cod Liver Oil.  I recommend mixing the Cod Liver Oil in a drink so it is bearable.

Deficiencies in Vitamin D can lead to symptoms such as:      

• Chronic Fatigue
• Osteoporosis
• Muscle Cramps and Weakness
• Bone Weakness and Fractures 

Deficiencies in Vitamin D can lead to other deficiencies, but you get the idea.  Our bodies are synergistic units that can only be operating at optimal levels if they are given the proper ingredients.  This is a starting point, but a balanced diet high in vegetables, fruits, nuts and certain proteins will help balance the levels that the body needs. 

Know Your Food - GMO's

Today is a big day. Millions will rally worldwide to protest the company Monsanto, the leading producer of Genetically Engineered (GE) seed and the weed killing chemical Round Up.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's) are the crops of GE seeds which are resistant to weed and insect killers, like Round Up, so farmers can produce a larger yield of produce. GMO's can be found in most industrialized foods, but are not currently required to be printed on the label. 

Not only are the practices to produce these crops deemed bad for the environment, it is still questionable if GMO's are actually safe to consume. There have been many links to a variety of growing health problems including cancer, infertility, allergies and so much more. 

Monsanto grossed close to $12 billion dollars last year in GM foods. Commercial sale of genetically modified foods began in 1994. Monsanto feels that they are solving a problem of population growth and keeping up with the demand of food is only possible with genetic engineering.  

GMO's have been banned in many countries such as China, Japan, Brazil, Italy, Greece, England, Ireland, Germany, Spain etc, etc, etc. As you may have noticed, the United States is not on the list. It is actually the American norm to consume GMO's on a daily basis without knowing it. 

Monsanto doesn't feel that they are responsible for consumer safety and thinks "labeling GMO products accordingly would be just like putting a skull and crossbones on the label", said the President of a Monsanto subsidiary, Asgrow Seeds. The director of communications at Monsanto, Phil Angell also added, "Monsanto should not have to vouchsafe the safety of biotech foods. Our interest is in selling as much food as possible. Assuring the safety is the FDA's job." Why isn't the FDA protecting us, you might ask. Rumor has it that many of the major players in the FDA have invested interest in the large industrial food companies or Monsanto itself. 

Bottom line, America is sick because of corporate greed. Awesome. Although it is not the convenience that we are used to, for you and your families sake, do your part to 'know your food'. Author Michael Pollen recommends eating foods that you can recognize and identify where they came from. Try to buy local and know your farmers practices. Buying organic will also save you from ingesting GMO's. Also, try to educate yourself on what you eat and understand the facts to protect you and your family from the many health risks associated with GMO's. 

 

Baby's First Natural Foods

Luna is just about 8 months old. For the past few months I have been struggling with how to start her on solid foods.  There is an overwhelming variety of direction out there coming from doctors, family, friends, books and the Internet. Her first doctor recommended spoon feeding baby food; as in jars, as in the norm for most American babies.  He also recommended rice cereal in addition to her pureed fruits and veggies. The only reason that I began to question this norm was because in our history jarred baby food and a box of rice cereal were not options and somehow babies survived.  I don't feel that there is anything wrong with the mainstream style of feeding, it is easy and convenient. I just wanted to explore a more traditional way of introducing my baby to food. 

Then I switched to a more holistic doctor. She preached instilling healthy eating habits from the start to avoid problems in the future.  Ironically, I found her style to be more logical and convenient than the American norm. First, vegetables should lead the way. If you start your baby on vegetables then they grow to prefer vegetables over sweets. Well, that makes sense!  Next, I was advised to get rid of the spoon. What???  Let her eat her meals you eat yours and simply mash up and share any vegetables that you are having letting her feed herself. That was an interesting concept, but again, it made sense. If you let her feed herself she will eat if she is hungry and until she is full, if she is not hungry she will not eat.  While babies are still mainly getting a bottle or being breast fed they are getting all the nutrients that their little bodies need.  The beginning stages of adding solids (around 6-9 months) are more for exploration than nutrition. As I began to feed Luna in the more traditional manner life got a bit easier.

I also began to read more books on a babies first foods that were in line with what I had learned. I came across a great book that all expecting and new mothers should read if they are they are questioning the mainstream feeding style.  The book is called Beautiful Babies by Kristen Michaelis and Joe Salatin.  It takes you from nutrition before getting pregnant all the way to your babies first foods.  I highly recommend it.  Another is Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. This book also challenges politically correct nutrition and teaches you to feed your baby the most nutrient dense foods that help grow a healthy baby.  What I learned from these books and Luna's new doctor all coincided. Egg yolks, vegetables, avocados, cod liver oil and roe are all great starter foods to get your baby on the right track.  Not once was rice cereal recommended.  I actually discovered that rice cereal is not easily digested by babies and is more of a nutrient lacking filler.  In a world of anorexia and obesity, I have learned that it is best to fill your baby with the most nutrient dense foods and steer clear from any fillers such as rice cereal.

Now, I am not judging one way or another, every situation is different, but I am finding the more natural approach seems to be a good fit for me and my baby.  So far she is accepting it and enjoying it better than she did the spoon! It is a step away from mainstream, but it is not nearly as difficult or inconvenient as I would have imagined.  This style actualy seems to lead to a happier baby and more free time for mom.    

Technology Freed

In this case, the norm is 'face buried in cell phone' or computer, iPad, etc. for that matter. Do you remember the last time you had a conversation with someone where there wasn't at least a brief pause to check a text? Or worse, where there wasn't a brief pause to actually make eye contact with you since whatever is on their phone is obviously much more interesting then what you have to say. Talk about annoying! We have turned into such a tech happy country that it has taken the place of social interaction. It has even taken the place of brain power in many cases, why use your own brain when you can just "Google it"? Albert Einstein called it when he said, “I fear the day when the technology overlaps with our humanity. The world will only have a generation of idiots.” Oh snap. He may have just been talking about the chick that fell into the fountain at the Berkshire Mall because her face was burried in her phone, but I have a feeling more people fall into that category. 

I wish I could say I was the exception, but I am not. I am guilty on all accounts. I have been rude to my family, friends, and coworkers by interrupting conversations to converse over text with someone that is not even there, only half listening while I check my emails, and browsing Facebook to check up on the lives of people I haven't talked to in years. I also have noticed a decline in my spelling (no need to know how to spell when you have spellcheck) and an increase in my desire to 'like' things that are not even Facebook related! Wow. Thinking about it wasn't as bad as seeing it written out. I am annoying myself just thinking about it. 

Well in case you wondered, this is why I am challenging the norm of my dependence on technology. Now, most of the technology that we have today wasn't even invented when I was a child so I know it is possible to survive! I am ditching my cell phone, computer and television for a week. I will use my phone to respond to anything important, but it will have to be done the 'old fashion way', over the phone. I will also continue to use my computer for work, otherwise I would get fired and I am not quite ready to challenge the norm of needing money to survive! Besides the few exceptions, there will be no Facebook, apps, random texting, web surfing, TV etc. You get the picture. I will report back at the end of the week and let you know how I made out. 

Farmers Markets Make Sense

The norm is to food shop at a grocery store once a week, but I can't think of any good reason to choose a grocery store over a farmers market. Despite our incredible need to fill our cabinets with snazzy marketing and impressive packaging, you can find everything you need and want at a farmers market.

Grocery stores are convenient at a glance, but what is so convenient about supporting big business and unhealthy industrialized food, while our local systems of quality foods suffer? You also run a greater risk of food borne illnesses with mass produced foods, which already lack nutrient density forcing you to eat more to be satisfied. Food, Inc. is a great documentary to learn about the mass production of food and what it is doing to America.

Farmers Markets are the next best thing to growing the food yourself. By shopping at a farmers market you are supporting local business and helping your community. You also will spend less for more quality foods. You can talk to the farmers and learn their practices to ensure that you know what you are putting in your body. Everything that you need and want can also be found at the farmers market from veggies to meats, homemade snacks and drinks to dairy, grains and spices. So you save money and are eating high quality, more nutrient dense foods.

If you don't know where to find a local farmers market just Google it, you may be surprised. You might have to drive an extra 30 minutes, but it's worth the trip. If a farmers market is still not an option, there are local organic food co-ops popping up everywhere. They deliver local and/or organic foods to your door weekly. They work closely with the farmers so that you are only getting quality products that are in season.

My husband and I buy 80% of our food from the farmers market, the rest comes from Kimberton Whole Foods and a few other local farms. Contrary to popular belief, we actually save money by shopping this way.

Allergy Tea Remedy

Like many, this time of year always brings out my outdoor allergies. I have had allergies for the past five years and have hated every minute, from itchy eyes, heavy head, stuffy nose, scratchy throat, and sneezing. Ugh! The norm for most Americans is to treat their allergies with over the counter medications, like Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin, etc. My drug of choice was Zyrtec. I think I liked it more for the miniature bottle then the effectiveness.  It was not cheap either, running me $18 for a 24ct. and lasting me less than one month into allergy season.

In order to challenge the norm of allergy medication I (skeptically) tried a homeopathic remedy inspired by the site The Farmacy .  To kill two birds with one stone, I combined a cold remedy with an allergy remedy making the perfect concoction. This time of year it is always hard to figure out which of the two you are fighting anyway.  To my surprise, it actually worked! To think, all of these years I refused to try anything that I couldn't find at a pharmacy. Don't get me wrong, you can find a lot of wonderful things at a pharmacy, but for me this is no longer one of them. I am two weeks (and counting) symptom free during the worst weeks for outdoor allergies.

I found the ingredients at +Kimberton Whole Foods and my local farmers market.  For under $20 I got enough ingredients to make ten pitchers of tea, which will last me way past allergy season. Give it a shot and let me know what you think:

Ingredients:

2 cups - Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar 

2 tbsp. - Lime Juice

5 tbsp. - Bee Pollen

1 tbsp. - Ground Ginger

1/4 cup - Local Honey

5 bags - Traditional Medicinals Echinacea Tea medicinal

1 gallon - Water           

 

Directions:

1. Boil Water
2. Steep 5 bags of Echinacea Tea in 4 cups of water for 15 minutes
3. Pour tea into gallon pitcher
4. Add Apple Cider Vinegar and Lime Juice
5. Add Local Honey and stir until dissolved
6. Add Bee Pollen and Ginger
7. Stir vigorously until Bee Pollen and Ginger have dissolved.
8. Store in fridge
9. Stir first and drink daily

Enjoy!