LifeStyle Revolution

May The Force Be With You

Do or do not. There is no try... Jedi Master Yoda

Repeat after me: Do or do not. There is no try.

Now say it in your best Yoda voice: Do or do not. There is no try.

Aaahhhhh, very good.

A few months ago I messed up my foot while trail running with my dog, Jake. We run on a pretty tricky trail system in the woods, full of loose rocks, boulders covered with leaves, slippery stumps, etc. so it is not hard to twist an ankle or even go flying into a full-frontal skid while out there. It's even easier to take a spill when running with a few girlfriends and engaging in deep conversation on uneven terrain.

It should have come as no great surprise that after injuring my foot, and not allowing it to fully heal (OK, not giving it any time at all to heal...) I would fall into a pattern of repeat injuries and leave myself with a doozy of a problem that would keep me off the trail for nearly two months.

While on involuntary hiatus, I met an adventure racer who owns an outdoors outfitter in Manchester, Vermont. After hooking me up with new trail shoes and wicked orthotics, he stopped me in my tracks. He said something like this: "You're going to have to start slow because now you are afraid and the fear is what will get you injured again."

Woah. So simple. So true. So Yoda.

Fear, or "The F Word" is a legitimate response to danger or external threats. In a fear state, the body reacts with physiological symptoms such as the engagement of the fight or flight response, increased heart rate, perspiration and dilated pupils.

But fear taken out of context can manifest as anxiety, worry, panic, obsession and rumination... essentially taking us out of our reality and firmly planting us in a parallel universe--one where our delusions can occlude our perception of reality.

And we all know how that scene plays out. 

Depending on your individual temperament or constitution, you may find yourself suffering from insomnia, digestive complaints, panic attacks, skin rashes or hormonal disturbances. Now what?

You could just grab a few Xanax and get on with your day. Or go smoke a joint. Down a few shots. Eat 100 Oreos and a few pints of Ben and Jerry's. Maybe lock yourself in your room and never come out. The possibilities are endless.

Or you could breathe.

I think that breathing is grossly underrated. We forget to do it all the time and if not for the autonomic nervous system, we'd all be panting--or dead.

Getting into states of heightened anxiety and worry can lead us to hold our breath or to breathe shallowly... it can leave you feeling lightheaded, or even as if you are "out of your body." Not breathing can exacerbate the feelings of anxiety and heighten the state even further.

Fortunately, there are some really beautiful, yet simple meditation techniques that can help to center the mind on the breath when inappropriate use of the "The F Word" comes into play.

A favorite technique is what I call "circular breathing" and it is used in yoga and many other disciplines to bring the mind and the breath into unison and to quiet the chatter while getting you into the present moment.

Here's how it goes...

Find a quiet place to sit or stand. Remove your shoes. If you choose to sit, be sure to have both of your "sit bones" (the bones in your butt) evenly weighted on the chair.

Firmly plant each foot on the ground and feel the earth under your feet. Feel each toe and then imagine that your big toe, pinky toe and heel form a well-balanced triangle. Check your physical alignment and make sure that your knees, hips and shoulders are on top of one another and your spine is not twisted or hunched.

When you are settled, comfortable and quiet, begin to "watch your breath." Listen to the cadences and rhythms. Breathe first through a wide open mouth and then close your mouth and breathe only through your nose. Notice how different each is.

Settle into your breath and feel it go in and out of the nose slowly, deeply and rhythmically. If you are under stress, the natural tendency is to either breathe too rapidly or too shallowly... so take it easy.

Visualize the in-breath going from your nose, up over your head, and down your spine; then the out-breath continues the circle heading down the base of your spine, under your pelvis and back up the front of the body.

Watch your breath make this circle for three to five minutes and begin to feel the quiet and calm return.

In yoga, breathing is said to build and regulate the "Prana" or life energy of the human body. In Homeopathy, we call that energy the "Vital Force." In Chinese Medicine it is known as Chi or Qi. To Yoda, it is simply, "The Force."

Breath-work--either as part of a meditation practice, a yoga practice or as its own discipline--is an effective tool for increasing relaxation, purification and the flow of Prana.

Homeopathy is another avenue to consider when symptoms related to "The F Word" get out of hand. If you try breathing and meditation techniques but they don't take care of the whole problem--or when it is obvious that something is more than a little stuck--a qualified Homeopathic Practitioner may help you to find balance and relief.

Check out the website for the National Center for Homeopathy to find a practitioner near you.

And may the force be with you.

High Maintenance LifeStyle

Sally: I'd like the chef salad please with oil and vinegar on the side, and the apple pie a la mode. 
Waitress: Chef and apple a la mode. 
Sally: But I'd like the pie heated, and I don't want the ice cream on top. I want it on the side, and I'd like strawberry instead of vanilla if you have it. If not, then no ice cream, just whipped cream, but only if it's real. If it's out of the can, then nothing. 
Waitress: Not even the pie? 
Sally: No, just the pie, but then not heated.

It’s been a high maintenance week over here at LifeStyle Revolution, and I apologize to the many feed subscribers who were barraged with emails as I re-published the site today.

Here’s the deal: I am currently working from a template on TypePad (who hosts the blog) until I get my custom site up and running. Although it is easy enough to post in this way, formatting options are quite limited and what I see is not always what goes on-line.

I have heard from quite a few people that they are struggling to read the type (too small and too light) and obviously, that’s not good.

The easiest solution was to choose a new (hopefully) easier-to-read template and then to go back in and enlarge the font on each individual post—and then re-publish them all. That’s why you received so many dings in the mailbox.

It’s been a real challenge for me as I’m a girl who likes things well-designed and functional. And I don’t like spending so much time on a computer trying to figure things out that are anything but techno-logical. But I hope that this interim step makes it easier for you to read the posts…and that a swanky new design will be up in the near future!

In the meantime, I have also been very busy moving into my New Office! Although this doesn’t affect my clients in other parts of the country, you Philly Folk are in for a treat. I have found a beautiful, quiet and private spot in Chestnut Hill. And best of all: There is a parking lot right in front of my door! See the button at right for directions. It is also easily accessible via the train lines and the bus.

We have spent the past few weeks painting and building (many thanks to The Husband and the Boyz) and today will start the oh-so-fun part of moving in furniture and decorating.

I’ve tried to be as green as possible in renovating the space, and as such, all paint and supplies have come from The Environmental Home Store in Mt. Airy. It was a joy to paint with the zero VOC paints—no smell, no toxicity but great colors and coverage.

Thanks for the patience as I re-format, re-arrange furniture and maybe slow down on posting for a few days.

And if you missed any past posts, now’s the time to go back and do a little large-type summer reading!

 

 

Food is fuel is food is fuel is food...

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived... Henry David Thoreau 

I am sort of tickled about the rising price of gas.

No, I don’t have a stake in the oil business—in fact, I unfortunately drive a big car (to accommodate a 90 lb. dog and a son who plays the double bass).

The reason I am excited about the price of gas is that it is getting Americans to stop driving and start thinking. It’s forcing us into a Lifestyle Revolution…and I like that!

All of the sudden people are walking—Actually Walking! And riding bicycles. And carpooling. Cities are scrambling to add more busses and trains to accommodate increased ridership. It’s a Green Bonanza!

But personal transportation is just the beginning. You see, Cheap Oil and Cheap Food have been secret bedfellows for the last few decades. We’ve gotten comfy shipping lettuce from California to New York and importing apples from Chile and New Zealand. We’ve even gotten used to buying milk from an industrialized dairy twelve states away when there is a local farm in the next county.  

Industrialized food is not just a carbon footprint issue: It’s about e-coli, mad cow, pesticides, hormones and antibiotics. Did you know that more than 70% of all antibiotics produced are used in American industrialized meat production? Can you say, “antibiotic resistant bacteria?”  (I’ve got a seriously cool post coming out in the next few days about this, so stay tuned…)

Buying direct from farmers supports the local economy, the environment and, most importantly: Your Body.

If you are interested in reading more about eating locally, here are two books I really enjoyed... Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is a real gem. Kingsolver’s writing is, as usual, alive and delicious, and this book chronicles her family’s year of eating only food that was grown by them or on neighboring farms. Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally, was written by a couple in the Pacific Northwest who ate only foods grown within a 100 mile radius of their home. 

While subsisting forever on foods that only grow in your metaphorical backyard (which likely excludes olive oil, coffee and dark chocolate) could be a bit of a buzz-kill, buying locally when it comes to dairy, meat and eggs—and especially in-season produce—is a no-brainer.

So in the summer, when produce is growing rampant, and delicious tomatoes, sweet corn and herbs are plentiful, it’s easy to be a Locavore. Here’s a recipe  from the NY Times food section a few years back. I’ve adapted it by changing the cheeses and using all organic ingredients.  It’s one of those dishes that I find myself fantasizing about in the middle of winter…

The Locavore’s Best Summer Pasta. Ever. Served with a salad from my garden.

Roasted Tomatoes:

• 2 1/2 pounds tomatoes (imperfect or overripe is fine)
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Assembly:

• Salt
• 1 pound pasta (I used rigatoni)
• 4-6 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons really good olive oil
• 2 ears corn, raw if very fresh, or lightly steamed
• 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
• 12 ounces smoked mozzarella (the original recipe calls for plain, fresh mozzarella)
• 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• 1 cup mixed herbs torn into small pieces  (I used basil, purple/cinnamon basil, thyme, a tiny bit of rosemary and parsley)

 

Roast Tomatoes:  Heat oven to 275 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut tomatoes into slices about 3/4 inch thick. Lay slices on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and sugar. Bake 15 minutes and reduce heat to 200 degrees. Continue baking, turning half-way through, until tomatoes are shrunken and chewy but not crisp, 4-6 hours.

 

To assemble the pasta: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, chop roasted tomatoes very finely until almost a paste. Place in a large serving bowl and add garlic, butter and olive oil. When pasta is cooked, drain well and add to the bowl while still hot. Toss well.

Slice the corn from the cobs. Add corn, fresh tomatoes, and cheese to the pasta. Toss well. Add herbs and toss again.

Serve along with a salad of whatever is the freshest and most delicious stuff you can find. Here I’ve got some leaf lettuce from my garden along with the first full-sized cuke of the summer and a handful of lightly steamed purple beans. I also had a small bunch of broccoli in the fridge so I steamed that up and added some shredded purple cabbage.

For salad dressing, I made my usual vinaigrette with chopped shallots, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar and olive oil. Shake it all up in a little jar and it keeps in the fridge for about a week.

 

 

 

 

Ocean Revolution

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck... Dalai Lama

Eat fish, it is full of Omega 3s. Don’t eat fish it is full of mercury. Eat fish, it is good for your heart. Don’t eat fish, we are ruining the marine eco-system. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! By the time I figure this out I could starve to death.

Until recently, most people considered the ocean to be a salt-water womb providing a never-ending source of food. But now we are learning otherwise. Industrialized-fishing, non-sustainable fish-farming practices and polluted waterways have rendered many species extinct (or nearly so) and left many others chock full of mercury and PCBs. Bad for the environment. Bad for you.

What’s a Conscious Foodie to do?

Organizations such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which was created by the World Wildlife Fund, are working to certify fisheries that are sustainable and to have a labeling system (much like the “Organic” labeling for produce) that will identify these practices. They've got a way to go, but they are on the right track. Check out their site for more in-depth information.

And in the meantime, here is a link to a list that categorizes fish that as Safe, Sometimes Safe, and Best To Avoid. This list provides some good guidelines for choosing fish that is good for the body--and for the environment.

Salmon is one of those fish that appears in all three columns of the list. The safest salmon is Alaskan, wild caught, and as you can imagine, the variety with the highest price tag…often upwards of $25 lb. Salmon to eat “occasionally” would be from CA, OR, WA or other wild caught varieties. Don't even think about eating farmed salmon, or salmon from the Great Lakes.

Salmon happens to be a favorite in my house. Given what I've learned, however, it mostly shows up as a companion rather than in a starring role these days. But if I’m going to splurge on the best possible salmon, here’s how I’ll prepare it:

First, an hour or so in a marinade of:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari 
• a few cloves of chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• juice of one organic orange
• 2 tablespoons of real, organic maple syrup (grade B or C if available)
• chopped herbs such as lemon thyme, basil, oregano and rosemary

Then, I preheat the grill on high and lower it to medium just before putting the fish on. I like to grill salmon skin-side down first and let the skin “stick” to the grill… after the first side is cooked through I use a spatula to separate the “meat” from the skin and then flip it back onto the skin thus protecting the delicate flesh from direct heat and keeping it from flaking apart.

Served with some steamed green beans from the garden...mmmmmm.

Remember Who You Are

I’m a seeker too. But my dreams aren't like yours. I can't help thinking that somewhere in the universe there has to be something better than man. Has to be... Charlton Heston as George Taylor in Planet of the Apes

When I was in California a few weeks back, I passed this mural every day on my way to have breakfast, and I got totally fixated on it.

Maybe it is because it totally looks like me circa 1974—minus my young Italian girl version of The Tom Selleck mustache. Or maybe because it serves a necessary purpose in Southern California where there are people who actually need a reminder of who they are—either because they are too stoned or because they have had enough plastic surgery to not recognize themselves with a photo ID and a mirror. Whatever.

But then this mural got me thinking about something that The Husband asked at a school meeting a few years back… 

We were at a gathering where a panel of Waldorf School Graduates was entertaining a firing squad of anxious parents who had questions about academics, grades, SAT scores, college entry, etc. The Husband was not too concerned about the numbers. 

Instead, what he wanted to know was whether or not the graduates had gained the wherewithal to choose a career (read: life path) that made them happy.

I was like, “Wow!” That’s one of those beautiful things that only a guy who was raised as a Buddhist would think to ask. And it’s one of those things that can make the difference between a life that is fulfilling and one that reeks of dreams passed by.

In a society full of plastic good looks “Reality TV” and pharmaceutically-induced stupor, it can be difficult—if not impossible—to remember the truth about who You actually are. And without access to that truth, a whole lot of ruckus can ensue. 

Homeopathy is a modality that can see that ruckus for what it really is: the place where the convergence of the physical, mental and emotional states of being got a little stuck.

Physical symptoms are often a reflection, or indeed an extension, of places on the emotional plane that are not in line with a person’s truth.

Figuring out “your truth” is not always an obvious thing, nor is it always synonymous with perceived dreams and goals. Truth is a much more subtle energy. 

Reaching that magical point where we have harmony between who we are at the soul level, and who we are in our daily life, is the holy grail of the journey toward self-awareness and an integrated state of being. And it is the expressway of the road to health.

Finding your truth doesn’t happen overnight. And sometimes, catching a glimpse of it is the most we can hope for in this lifetime. But it is certainly worth looking for.

Perhaps today you could take a few moments to think about the You that may actually be stuck underneath the façade and expectations of your job, your family, your friends and society. And perhaps in that moment you will catch a glimpse of the elusive energy of your own divine truth. 

And if you finally get a good sense of what's been hiding under there all these years--for goodness sake, call your homeopath and let her know what you found!

 

 

 

Homeopathy Is Green Medicine

People say I’m extravagant because I want to be surrounded by beauty. But tell me, who wants to be surrounded by garbage?  ...Imelda Marcos

(This is the third of four in the series on Homeopathy as: Complementary, Alternative, Green and Sustainable Medicine. Check out: Alternative Universe and A Nice Complement, Indeed to read the earlier posts)

As we as a nation embark on the Ultimate Quest For Greeness, medicine shines as a beacon of golden opportunity for change—but the potential lies buried under mountains of medical waste, oceans of pharmaceutical byproducts and an attitude of inertia.

Single-use gloves, syringes, soiled dressings, tissue samples, medical devices and radioactive materials illustrate how (for obvious reasons) safety must often supersede ecology in this attempt to diagnose and treat the ills of our Western society.

But we’ve got a huge problem in that we are creating more waste than we can effectively deal with. The WHO (World Health Organization) estimates that affluent countries like America produce upwards of 6 kg per person, per year of medical waste. With a current population of 304,537,292, that gives us at least 1,827,223,752 kg of medical waste each year.

And it’s not just about volume. Much of this stuff is super dangerous. About 20% of the waste is considered hazardous (meaning: infectious, toxic or radioactive) and, again according to the WHO, we are a long way away from being able to safely deal with it all.

The same goes for the pharmaceutical industry. Alarming information about drug residue in our water supply is no joke. The latest statistics show something like 80% of our water harboring traces of pharmaceutical medications. (Check out this site for a really good look at the problem) Although we are told (ahem) that the traces are not enough to do actual harm, do you really want to be taking a bath in a cocktail of Viagra, Advil, Vioxx and Prozac?

I am by no means an expert on how hospitals and drug companies can minimize waste, but there are some obvious things that we, the Regular People, can do to facilitate change.

The biggest step that we can make is to take charge of our personal wellbeing. This includes how we eat, how we move our bodies, how we engage in relationships and how we choose to utilize healthcare.

I hate to get preachy here, but I think that many of us use the medical system as a crutch—and we are encouraged to do so. If you really want to get fired up, read this article from Tuesday’s NY Times regarding the recommendation that overweight eight year olds be given Statin drugs to lower cholesterol; give me a break!

I believe that first steps absolutely, positively need to be built around lifestyle modification and personal responsibility—with medicinal treatments being used only after all other avenues have been exhausted (obviously, critical and emergent needs are in a completely different category).

Safe and effective alternative therapies such as Homeopathy, when properly utilized, can provide a positive support mechanism to bring the body to a better level of health and vitality—without bringing harm to the environment. 

As a modality, Homeopathy is about as Green as Green gets.

First off, it doesn’t require a lot of diagnostic testing, equipment or expensive machinery. In fact, if need be, remedies can be prepared in a completely low-tech, manual process.

Homeopathic remedies are made from simple substances that, for the most part, come from the plant, animal and mineral kingdoms. For example, in the plant kingdom, there are remedies made from chamomile, nutmeg, onion and wild rice; in the animal kingdom, there are remedies from crushed bees, snake venom and dolphin milk; from the mineral kingdom, potassium, phosphorus, calcium carbonate and plain ol’ salt.

And because of the unique method of preparation used in (FDA regulated and approved) homeopathic pharmacies, only tiny amounts of any substance are ever necessary to produce high-quality remedies. This means that we are never stripping the earth of resources or harming animals in the process.

Being Green, when it comes to medicine, is about a lot more than waste reduction…

Green is the color you get when you blend a conscious attitude about your own personal health with an open eye on the bigger picture.  And that is something that each and every one of us can—and should do. 

Don't think about it as having to go cold turkey on the ways you currently live your life. Don't even think about it as being difficult or expensive or scary. Instead, think of it as being an Eco-Logical way to take charge of your own health and wellness. Right Now. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Tao of Scheduling

This ain’t no party. This ain’t no disco. This ain’t no foolin’ around. This ain’t no Mudd Club. Or C.B.G.B. I ain’t got time for that now… Talking Heads

I’ve been thinking a lot about time and scheduling now that summer is in full swing and the rhythm of my home is more Bob Marley than piano concerto.

As a working mother, I have spent much of the last 12 years trying to conjure up ways to maximize the time I spend with my family, while maintaining a career that I love and a lifestyle that does not include a microwave. Factor in a husband who, as a professional photographer, has a completely unpredictable schedule and does much of his work on the road, and, well…

It has been a continual evolution that is both fantastic—and fodder for a sit-com.

As this summer approached I was trying to work out how to give my children the beauty of downtime while keeping up with my ever-increasing load of professional responsibilities. And not lose my mind in the process.

Welcome to My Parental Paradox. 

Over the years I have grappled with each stage of their development—and my own—to find the balance point and keep the whole thing rolling. This continual evolution has been enlightening and utterly exhausting as each new stage requires a completely different management strategy. What works when they are young—and portable—is barely relevant when they shave.  Add to that the fact that family members often have differing temperaments—resulting occasionally in incompatible needs and wants—and you might as well have Rube Goldberg draw up a plan for the summer.

So what do you do when the schedule hits the fan? Take the yoga off the mat.

I love that expression because it takes the common parlance of yoga as flexibility, balance and strength, and allows it to flow into the larger sphere of life. Which is exactly what is needed in situations like this.

Yoga is about being in the moment and breathing rather than struggling against force. It is a concept that helps us to find our center in the cacophony of modern life. It is active and passive, abstract and concrete. And it is about trusting in a larger truth.

Sure, spending more time actually on my yoga mat would be an excellent idea right now, but a walking meditation with the dog may be all I get today. And while yoga doesn’t exactly answer the question of how to get Number Two home from tennis on Tuesday, it does have a way of adding rhythm to the schedule and a little rhythm may be just what I need to dance my way through a busy summer... 

Figgy Piggy

Yo the sun don't shine forever, but as long as it's here then we might as well shine together, better now than never... P. Diddy

It’s amazing how much can happen over the course of a week. While we were gone our garden went through a growth spurt…the radishes matured, the tomatoes and cucumbers started to appear, and the lettuces were ready for salad. And there were figs at the food co-op.

It may be because I met The Big Fig many years ago in NYC (“Here comes the tricky part”) or because I grew up eating fresh figs from my Aunt’s backyard tree, or because the colors are so gorgeously muted…whatever. When I see fresh figs, I absolutely cannot resist. My neighbor Laura has a newly-planted fig tree that I am anxiously waiting to pilfer (ummm, I mean pick) from, and we are thinking of adding a fig tree to our ever-evolving landscape.

But in the meantime, I bought a pint of figs.

And from my garden, I gathered arugula and oak leaf lettuces, radishes, yellow chard, parsley, green and purple basil and some oregano.

For the salad, I used the arugula and oak leaf lettuces and radishes, to which I added quartered figs drizzled with walnut oil and white wine vinegar and topped with some candied walnuts.

When arugula leaves get a little more mature, they become more peppery. At that point I love to add a sweet component to complement the spicy zing.

In this case I used candied nuts but I also like to caramelize figs by sprinkling a little raw (or maple) sugar on them and placing them sugar-side-down in a hot skillet. Another way to enhance figs is by putting a little balsamic vinegar on top and then putting them under the broiler for a minute or two. I’ve been known to take a caramelized fig, add a schmear of blue cheese and wrap it in an arugula leaf. And then I make the mmmmmm sound.

The pasta dish was built around a grilled, spicy chicken Chorizo sausage. In my on-going quest to use meat as an accent rather than a centerpiece, this highly-seasoned sausage went a long way to round out the dish.

First I heated a few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and added a lot of chopped garlic (at least six cloves). Just before the garlic started to color I threw in the stems of the yellow chard and then the chopped leaves of the chard and radish tops. (I have heard that radish greens are good in salads but I find the texture way too prickly to eat raw…cooked, however, they are really yummy). 

When the leaves were just wilted, but not cooked, I turned off the heat and let them sit.

When the pasta was cooked, I mixed in the wilted greens with cubed smoked mozzarella, a clove of finely-chopped garlic and the sliced Chorizo sausage. Then I added a handful of chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley and oregano).

Although the pasta was delish just as it was, when I had the leftovers for lunch today, I added a few oil-cured olives and some chopped sun-dried tomatoes and, I gotta say, it was even better.