Finding Freedom on Furlough

I know, I know..

The last thing you may feel is free during a government shut down. The term 'Freedom' can be thrown around so freely, but what does it mean to you? I mean, what if you woke up tomorrow and could do ANYTHING you wanted with your life? What would you do?
Who would you BE?

THAT TIME IS NOW!

Many Americans, for the last 15 days have been on Furlough - a temporary unpaid leave of absence, due to our current government shut down. This has left a large chunk of Americans on standby as they wait to return to "business as usual."

While it may not affect you directly, it surely affects you indirectly in some manner.
Here is a list of closings and shut down sectors:

• All 368 National Parks as well as National Museums are CLOSED.
• Don't have a passport? You won't be able to get one until this shin dig is over.
• DC's budget is approved by Congress, so no budget means no (or limited) trash collection. DC produces 500 tons of garbage each WEEK.
• No federally backed loans for you! Business, mortgage, or otherwise.
• No new clinical trials will be conducted by the National Institute of Health, and new patients will not be taken on during this time frame. Current trials will continue.
• NASA will furlough almost all of its employees. However, Mission Control employees in Houston will stay put as well as those at the International Space Station.
• e-Verify, the system that allows companies to check on the legal work status of an employee, will cease.
• No gun permits will be issued.
• WIC (Women, Infants, and Children’s Program), has stopped as no monies are available to pay the administrative costs. *side eye*
• The Patent and Trademark Office, because of the fees it collects, has enough independent funding to remain open for four weeks – but would close as well in any extended government shutdown.
• Administration for Children and Families and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will have to furlough the vast majority of their staff.
• FDA food inspections, which mainly cover seafood and dairy products, will also cease.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will continue "minimal support to protect the health and well-being of U.S. citizens," but it will have a "significantly reduced capacity" to respond to outbreaks and will be unable to support its annual flu program.  
• We still have to pay taxes (blah!) BUT IRS taxpayer assistance hotlines and walk-in centers will be closed. All audits are also suspended (good news for many). 

Employees who work for government functions “necessary to protect life” cannot shut their doors to the public, such as law enforcement, Homeland Security, Coast Guard, Secret Service, U.S. military, intelligence agencies, embassies, consulates that help Americans abroad, emergency medical care, border patrol, and emergency and disaster assistance.


I could go on but I know you get the point. The world is on partial pause.
Take a deep breath... Exhale..

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So, what to do with this new and abundant free time?

Try exercise, clean your space, take a walk, meet new people, try something new, sleep in, work on your dreams - LIVE! Do all the things that you always complained you didn't have time for.

I'd like to put you in a certain mindset for a moment - follow me...

Imagine there was no resolution to come of this government set back. Millions of people suddenly had to figure themselves out. Would you lose your sense of self? What was it that you liked to do again? What other skills or abilities do you have that could prove useful?

You feel a growing desire for community support. There are others out there going through this just like you. Maybe you can make new friends. Perhaps we can all supply a need. Who grows their own food in our local area? Who is good at building? Is anyone interested in yoga? Where are the musicians?

This is a time for everyone to dig up their long-buried passions. Now that there is no one to take instruction from. What do YOU do?

We are entering a new day and age. The energetic shift is undeniable. We are letting go of outdated systems, ways, habits, ideas, and awakening the creators within us.

We've spent our entire lives trying to fit various pre-made molds created by society, parents, friends, spouses, etc. while slowly suppressing our true selves. We are ALL unique as our fingerprints and snowflakes.

Be you, shamelessly. 

Discover you, shamelessly. 

Love you, shamelessly. 

LIVE FOR YOU, shamelessly. 

 

You deserve to create your own reality!

So, Fight the Furlough Funk and get to know your Self. 

Create possibilities. 

Think outside your box(es). 

Try something new. 

That's freedom.

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Brooke Johnson aka Brooke Jay is a Social Entrepreneur, Certified Nutrition Consultant, and Wellness Coach for RAW! on Wheels., a DMV based live vegan service. 

RAW! offers Coaching, Catering, Juice Cleanses, & more!  http://www.RAWexclamation.com

Contact her directly at BJohnson@rawexclamation.com

Veggie Tales: Letting it all out

Happy Thursday everyone, I hope it is a peaceful  one for you today and for those of you living where it's colllllllllld outside, I hope you are inside where it's warm.

I apologize for not having a lot to write this week.  I have a lot on my plate today that I need to accomplish, so this is going to be a short thursday session.

Although I have a lot to do on my plate today the one thing I didn't have on my plate this week: Solid Food...O.K. well I did have a little, as much as I'm trying not to over this five day juice cleanse.  I did find myself in need of a bite of something on the third day. I felt like I was feeling a little antsy and slightly irritable, plus, as my man sat there eating his tortilla chips while I was drinking my delicious, and yes it was delicious, third vegetable juice for the day I found myself thinking I just need something to chew on.  I tried hard not to, I did.  But my desire got the best of me.  Good news though, I did not eat the chips and never again will I. Way too much salt and no more processed food for me.

I did however get up and make some Kale chips.  My first attempt at making them and they were sooooo delicious.  It was a crunchy healthy spicy snack that left me feeling satisfied with my need for something solid.  I mixed them with crushed red pepper, a little bit of olive oil and a little bit of nutritional yeast.  I almost ate a small meal that night too, but I resisted and went for the last juice of the day.

HEALTHY EATING - HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS - HEALTHY LIFE!

I am on day five of my juice fast and I  have to say, I feel more amazing and energetic than I thought I would and on top of that when I stepped on the scale this morning I discovered that I lost 7 pounds. 7 pounds of the unhealthy gunk that has been sitting in my body for the last few years: GONE and not coming back.  I was shocked to say the least.  I knew I would be losing some weight.  I figured 1-3 pounds, the average weekly weight loss that I've come to understand and accept. At first I thought, wow that is a lot in one week, but I realize that although I lost that much I have not done anything that was an unhealthy way of losing it, such as I have done in the past.  I know that's it's from all the greens I've been absorbing and the lack of processed foods that have not been a part of my life this week.

I have learned a lot since the first day of the detox juicing.  As you can see by the recipe under the photo I shared above, I was juicing half greens and half fruits.  After talking with the lady's of RAW! Inc, I realize now that it's not right for this process.  More than half of my juice detox days need to be made with greens with the fruit being an addition for flavor and not substance.  What a difference that has made in cleaning out my system ;) I will say this though, the recipe I made on the first day was delicious and I will make it again, but not until I'm finished with my juice cleansing and it will only be used as an afternoon sweet treat.

http://rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm

I really appreciate the ladies of RAW!.  I am learning so much from them as well from the reading I've been doing on my own from information I've been finding online.  I also plan on hitting the library next week for some books on living a RAW life and on nutritional balance.

One of the sites I found online shares information about the proper ph balance for your body and which foods are in similar categories in ph for optimal absorption.  I'm using it as a guideline in understanding how to mix and match what I'm putting in my body.

Seeking further advice: Does anyone have any books, articles or videos that they recommend for nutritional education and RAW understanding?

I FEEL ENERGIZED!

This week I feel like I am getting more vegetables, with greens at the top of the list, than I have in the last six years living as a vegetarian and then vegan.  There's no way I could sit and eat as much as I've been juicing in greens during the day if it was placed in a bowl and I know from past experience that if I was to eat a bowl of salad, I would be hungry within an a hour or so.  This week, minus my moment of desiring something solid, I have been mostly satisfied as far as hunger.  Day one I had a little bit of a hungry feeling in the evening, but I managed through it and was fine the next day.  Day three as I said, I craved something solid and today, I'm thinking, O.K. even though I'm feeling good, I am looking forward to a healthy solid meal tomorrow :)

This is just the beginning and I as continue to move forward I will move forward with making juicing a part of my every day living along with eating meals that don't contain starch and that aren't processed.  I'm not getting any younger, you know and I want the remaining life I have in front of me to be the healthiest it's ever been.

I AM BEAUTIFUL AND MY WEIGHT DOES NOT DICTATE MY FEELING OF BEAUTY!

I'm no longer in my early 20's thinking I have to be a certain size to be pretty for the person that I'm with or by so called society standards, better known as magazine industry standards.  We are not magazine cover bodies and neither are the men and women who grace them.  They are photo-shoped versions dreamt up by the industry and trying to fit into some ideal is not worth it.  It's not worth the constant yo-yo diets, it not worth the lack of self esteem that we feel when we don't measure up to what is pushed in front of us.

What is worth it is knowing that what I'm doing for myself and what I'm putting in my body is what is best for living life with a healthy mind, healthy spirit, and healthy body. It is thinking and knowing that the weight loss that happens on this journey is going to benefit my overall health and the issues that I currently have internally.

I do look forward to showing that weight loss does not have to come at the expense of depriving your body of things that taste good or depriving your body of so many calories that you are down to eating 500 calories a day just to fit into some dress or some ideal of what you think society expects you to be.   I want to show first hand that you can overcome medical issues that are plaguing your body with proper nutrition and exercise.

HERE I GO: LETTING IT ALL OUT!

One of the things that has been a problem for me, and I wasn't sure if I was going to say this out loud or not, but this journey is about being honest and letting it all out there.  For a few years now, I have had urinary leakage.  Not a lot, but enough that sometimes I feel damp and I can smell it and it seems to happen wether I'm sedentary or whether I'm exerting my self in exercise or heavy cleaning.  Wow, I know once I post this, it's going to be out there.  I'm a little embarrassed, I'm not going to lie.  But I also know that I'm not the only one out there with this problem.   I know my bladder  has the potential to get weaker as I get older plus I've given birth twice, vaginally and I've been carrying excess weight over the last five years.  I have been learning in this process that weight and the types of food I've been eating could be the biggest factor in the leakage that I have.  When I started this week I was at 187 and I'm only 5'1" and that's scary.  I told myself I'd never weigh that much for health reasons, and yet there I was and here I am now, slightly disappointed in where I let myself get to but feeling uplifted and revitalized in this journey that I've begun.

So as I go through this journey, I know that what I'm doing is the best gift that I can give myself: for my mind and for my body.  HEALTHY PEACEFUL LONGEVITY.

Wow, I typed more today than I thought I would.   Until next week, peace and love.

About our Veggie Tale Blogger

Mary Anne is the owner of Ailgif Studios, Ailgif Media, and Ailgif Memories.  She lives with the love of her life, she is a mother of two grown sons, a mother in-law to two daughter in-laws, and a Nonna to a sweet little granddaughter.  She is a photographer, videographer, and visual anthropologist with a degree in Mass Communications and a minor in Anthropology.  Her primary focus is in documentary photography and ethnographic multi-media projects for an applied purpose. Mary Anne's work as a photographer and videographer has been used by advocacy groups and health organizations to bring awareness to social issues and chronic health issues. She also provides her skills as a photographer to low income individuals in her community who are in need of photography services.

To contact Mary Anne email: maryanne@ailgifstudios.com

www.ailgifstudios.com | www.ailgifmedia.com | www.maryannebenner.com

facebook.com/ailgifmedia |facebook.com/ailgifmemories

Veggie Tale: Week of Understanding

Hi everyone, It's been one week since I first began this journey and in this week I have spent a lot of time reading and developing an understanding of the process of preparing food and the reasons behind why it's done that way.

I've also spent a lot of time looking at recipes and looking at things that I can do as I transition from a high starch vegan to a raw vegan.  I'm still in that stage of figuring things out and in the process of waiting on an order I placed for a juicer so I can begin a week long detox.  In the meantime I've been using what I have left in my fridge as far as fruits and vegetables as well what I had left in tofu and tempeh.  I only had a little left and wanted to use what I had remaining before walking away from it completely.

While this isn't the first time that I've started down this path to being a RAW Vegan, this is the first time I have had others on this journey with me and because of them, I have a lot more information to help me as I learn.   I know I can succeed on this path and I know I can get through some of the struggles ahead while at the same time learning about nutritional balance and recipe variety.

Variety was one of my struggles the first time I tried going from a vegetarian to a raw vegan and one of the worries that I had when considering my journey this time.  Can I get the variety and tastes that I enjoy as a vegan who is use to cooking food and who is use to using tofu, tempeh, and vegan cheeses as a base in some of my meals. The first time that I turned to being a raw vegan, about four years ago, I found myself eating primarily raw fruit, a hand full of nuts, and salads.  I had no idea what I was doing. I only knew that I wanted to live a healthier lifestyle.  As tasty as the fruits, nuts and salads were, it left me feeling like I was giving up something and it left me feeling dissatisfied.  I felt like I had no where to turn for the education and recipes that I needed.  I didn't have a dehydrator, I didn't have the support I do know, and I didn't know that I could incorporate a lot of what I do now into a raw vegan eating plan.   It didn't take long for me to switch back to being a vegetarian.  I think part of it was also that I was still eating fish, cheese, and yogurt.  Switching back not only gave me the variety that I needed, but the spices that I craved as well.  It has taken me a long time to get back to this point again.  I was afraid I would run in to the same problem and I was uncertain that I could I live a life of a raw vegan without getting bored and without feeling lost.   But, I have since seen, in the last year, from companies like RAW Inc! that there are soooooo many things that can be made, including sweet tasty treats, YUMMY raw goodness.

A couple of things I did struggle with this week.  Thinking ahead for food preparation.  I didn't really put a lot of thought into what I would need ahead of time and I'm not able to go grocery shopping till this weekend.  So, I felt a little limited this week.  I also missed having hot food this week, I'm not going to lie.  I like hot food.  Especially now in the cold months.

Winter months are the months I prepare a lot of soups: split pea and lentil soup being my favorites.  I know that I can still prepare them by sprouting the beans and incorporating all the spices and vegetables that I would normally add, but it's the warmth of the soup that I crave in the winter.  I need to check to see if I can still warm it up just as long as I keep it below 115 degrees.   Advice greatly appreciated :)

RAW Vegan Fruit Blended Parfait
by Mary Anne Benner

I am excited to say that I am currently waiting on a nutri-bullet that I ordered.  As soon as that comes in I'll be juicing for a week in order to cleanse my body of the toxins that exist.

During this least week however, I have been going through what I have left in the refrigerator and working on recipes with what I currently have on hand.  This morning I made this delicious raw vegan blended fruit parfait using pears, bananas, raw almonds, cinnamon, and raw sunflower oil and seeds.   it was DELICIOUS.  It also gave me another idea.  I'm going to purchase raw vegan cocoa when I go grocery shopping this weekend and test out the idea.  If it's as tasty as I think it's going to be, I will share the recipe next week.  I'm planning on doing a video blog session for next week so I'll shoot video of me preparing it as well.  I will do my best to measure ingredients.  Normally I just cook with what feels right when I'm preparing it.  I never measure spices, but I will try for this.  Wish me luck!

RAW Vegan Stuffed Portobello Mushroom
by Mary Anne Benner

MMM, another recipe I put together last night was a stuffed portobello mushroom made with raw sunflower seeds, spinach, nutritional yeast, onions, green peppers, fresh garlic, basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme, and rosemary.  Great taste and aroma.  The only thing I would have preferred would be for the mushroom to be softer.  I normally prepare the mushrooms in a pan on the stove which softens them up. 

Is it wrong to warm things up?  

I still have a lot to learn, after all it's only been a week and while there are some things I'm going to miss (pasta and warm soup), I am excited to know that I have a lot of variety ahead of me and good friends for support and knowledge.  

Prepared to incorporate my italian background and my love for baking tasty treats into Raw Vegan recipes.  I am determined to tweak a lot of what I prepare normally through the process of cooking so I can enjoy it as a raw vegan.   

Peace and Love

Mary Anne 

About our Veggie Tale Blogger

Mary Anne is the owner of Ailgif Studios, Ailgif Media, and Ailgif Memories.  She lives with the love of her life, she is a mother of two grown sons, a mother in-law to two daughter in-laws, and a Nonna to a sweet little granddaughter.  She is a photographer, videographer, and visual anthropologist with a degree in Mass Communications and a minor in Anthropology.  Her primary focus is in documentary photography and ethnographic multi-media projects for an applied purpose. Mary Anne's work as a photographer and videographer has been used by advocacy groups and health organizations to bring awareness to social issues and chronic health issues. She also provides her skills as a photographer to low income individuals in her community who are in need of photography services.

To contact Mary Anne email: maryanne@ailgifstudios.com

www.ailgifstudios.com | www.ailgifmedia.com | www.maryannebenner.com

facebook.com/ailgifmedia |facebook.com/ailgifmemories

VEGGIE TALE: A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY

Hi everyone, today I begin my journey from a high starch vegan to the life of a RAW Vegan.  Over the course of this year I will self document my journey through the use of videography, photography and written words.   As I journey forward, I will be honest about the moments in which I struggle, about the moments in which cooked food enters, and about the things that I miss the most, but also on this journey forward: I will share the positive light that exists on the road ahead of me. 

Nonna Figlia and Uncle Tony

Today, I begin writing with a step into my genetic past in order to acknowledge that chronic illness is a part of my internal make-up and how it is a factor in my decision to let go of the foods that have weighed me down physically.  

I can not escape my genetic past, but I can learn to make healthy choices that will diminish 

my chances of acquiring many of the diseases that have taken my family members and that currently plague members of my family now. I pray that my journey into a raw vegan lifestyle mixed with body movement will also be a testimony to other members of my family. 

Genetic Diseases that have plagued my family:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Multiple types of cancer
• Under-active thyroid
• Alzheimers
• Glaucoma 

My birth father passed away when he was in early 40's from a heart attack and my half-brothers, from my father, have suffered health issues related to heart disease.  Both of them are in their 40's and one of them is my exact age (I know, scandalous story on that one).  Each of them have had a heart attack, one of them has had bi-pass surgery.

My sweet beautiful mom on the left and
my sweet beautiful Aunt Marie.  A few month
before my Aunt Marie died of bone cancer.

My mother suffered from mental illness in her early adult life and several chronic illnesses throughout her life.  Some of her illnesses were genetic and some of them were due to the unhealthy choices she made.  My mother, although she has since passed away, survived breast cancer, colon cancer and uterine cancer.  She also had congestive heart failure, diabetes and an under-active thyroid.  She was on multiple medications that at times affected her negatively due to their interaction with each other.  Although unhealthy for the majority of her adult life, my mom worked hard to get healthy in the last few years of her life on this earth.  Right before my mother passed away, she was just starting to lose weight, eating the healthiest she had ever eaten and she was becoming more active, but the years of unhealthy eating, disease and excessive weight had taken too much of a hold on her body and in the end was too weak to continue.  She was a beautiful spirit and I know that she is still around me, because at times I feel her presence as though she is sitting next to me.

My aunt from my mother's side passed away from bone cancer and my grandmother was stricken with alzheimer's.  I know that there are some things that can not be avoided completely and we are still learning about the many causes of cancer and alzheimer's disease, but I do know that I can do as much as I can to be the healthiest that I can be: mentally and physically and I can give myself the best chance for holistic longevity for a better quality of life in the time that I have on this earth.  

I am not old, but I am no longer young in my years.  At 48, I am realizing even more the importance of the choices that I make for the longevity of my mind and body.  I want the next half of my life to be one that is built on health and awareness and internal peace.  Not that I have lived a life of unhappiness and unhealthiness, but I have spent too many years holding on to hurtful moments of my past and have over the last few years spent less time outside doing the things I enjoy doing and making choices, even as a vegan, that have been unhealthy for my body.  What I have held onto from my past has continued to manifest itself in insecurities and self-doubt and what I have chosen to eat has manifested itself in weight gain and bloating.  So, as I move forward in this journey, I move forward with a new lease on eating healthy, and a renewal of my spirit as I let the wounded little girl free, and as I learn to eat food that is free of harmful chemicals, starches, and that which is heavily processed.

I have a lot to learn over the course of this year and I am so thankful for the loving and knowledgable support that the ladies of Humbly Peax and Love and RAW Inc! are giving me.  I could not make this journey without them.  It is through their lessons that I will begin to understand the holistic nature of the foods that I eat, and the negative side affects that the foods I chose to eat before have had on my health.  I have been a vegetarian for six years and a vegan for a little over a year but even in that process of living a healthier lifestyle, I have chosen foods, that although seemingly healthy, were not what was best for my body.

I am not a great writer and I know that some weeks there will be less written than others, but I hope that as I document my journey over the next year, that my story will show that we are never too old to change, and with the help of community support and knowledge shared, that we can stay the course of our journey and we can alter the genetic make-up that waits to take hold of our bodies.  I also hope that in my journey, I reach others who are like me.  I do not live alone and the man that I love is a carnivore. I have already learned as a vegan how to prepare similar meals side by side, but now my journey will take me to another level of thought and preparation with what I eat, while at the same time preparing a meal for him.  I am also living in a low income situation with a food budget of $250.00 a month for the both us.  So, the choices I make and where I can shop are based on finances, but I know that it will be doable and I hope to show that you can still make healthy choices even when you are in a low income situation and living with others who do not share your eating habits.

My Journey begins.....

About our Veggie Tale Blogger

Mary Anne is the owner of Ailgif Studios, Ailgif Media, and Ailgif Memories.  She lives with the love of her life, she is a mother of two grown sons, a mother in-law to two daughter in-laws, and a Nonna to a sweet little granddaughter.  She is a photographer, videographer, and visual anthropologist with a degree in Mass Communications and a minor in Anthropology.  Her primary focus is in documentary photography and ethnographic multi-media projects for an applied purpose. Mary Anne's work as a photographer and videographer has been used by advocacy groups and health organizations to bring awareness to social issues and chronic health issues. She also provides her skills as a photographer to low income individuals in her community who are in need of photography services.

To contact Mary Anne email: maryanne@ailgifstudios.com

www.ailgifstudios.com | www.ailgifmedia.com | www.maryannebenner.com

facebook.com/ailgifmedia |facebook.com/ailgifmemories

Breaking the Plastic Addiction - Self Accountability

In our effort to be as sustainable and as unharming to the earth as possible, we realized that we have some very un-economical ways of living. A lot of these "bad" habits were broken with the change of our diet, but one thing still remained: THE PLASTIC ADDICTION!

We were truly awakened about our bad habits when we ran across the book, 'Plastic Free - How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too' by Beth Terry, the author of www.myplasticfreelife.com.

Our eyes were opened immediately when we took a look around us; from the plastic container the shea butter was housed in , speakers with plastic shells, clothes baskets, and even all of the containers that I house my jewelry materials in. Everything is plastic! We were saddened to realize our favorite raw snacks from Whole Foods were also housed in a plastic casing. How sad! How could we do this? How can we really make such a BIG and conscious change without losing ourselves in the proccess?

Well, any great change starts with a bit of education. So what is the big deal with plastic?

• Plastic comes from Polymers meaning plastic is something synthetic that was derived from something natural.
• Plastic is made of Fossil Sources such as petroleum and natural gas.
• Although all plastics are not created equal, they all contain toxic chemicals.
• PLASTIC IS NOT BIODEGRADABLE and often sits in giant landfills in the middle of the Pacific where innocent and unknowing birds and sea animals feed on it.
• Plastic harms the entire ecological makeup from the land, to the water, to the animals, down to the fossil fuels.
• Plastic manufacturing plants cause much pollution and harm both employees and the surrounding community.
• Recycling factories take our plastic bottles and downcycle them into carpet or some other synthetic fabric which means that the production of NEW water bottles is still continuing.

Getting back to 'Plastic Free'...
Beth Terry decided to take control of her mindless consumer habits and began a Plastic Trash Challenge that made her self accountable for her 'trashy' impact on the world. She decided to save, list, and picture anything plastic that was used up or purchased for a week (and eventually longer) to be truly aware. With trash piling up in your face instead of a landfill, it's a sure wakeup call. By the end of the following year she was down to ONE grocery bag full of plastic for the ENTIRE year!

So with that in mind, we took to our own version of a Plastic Trash Challenge and we actually have been keeping daily tabs on our consumption. Here are the results for the past 2 days:



Day 1 - 8.14.12


This day we had a plastic container from the Whole Foods bar with 'biodegradable' plastic utensils, 2 bags of raw snacks, condiments from the bar, date container (none were available in bulk), plastic utensils, plastic packaging for plasticware, ziplock bag that was housing half a lemon, and our lighter conveniently died when we decided to take this plastic challenge.

Day 2 - 8.15.12

This time we have tons of produce bags from a trip to the international market. Seeded grape bag, cherry bag, blueberry carton, bags from spinach and romaine, and the plastic wrap that housed our endives. This would have been more but, we remembered ONE reusable bag and went to a farmers market the same day. No plastic there.

Day 3 - 8.16.12

Wholefoods bag, Date container from Johnee's secret 9-5 date addiction, Salad container from Whole Foods, 'biodegradable' utensils, 2 condiment cups with lids, plastic wrappings from utensils.

2 people, 3 days, That much plastic!

We are currently housing all of this plastic in a paper Whole Foods bag(s) for now with our Plastic Bible nearby.

We challenge you to do the same! Learn to be a responsible consumer and begin your plastic challenge today! Change starts with YOU! We are going follow up in a few days to talk about all we've learned during our first plastic-conscious week! Stay tuned! <3

The Daily Om: Tadasana Tuesday - Breathe

Tada : Mountain,  asana : Pose = Mountain Pose

Tadasana (aka Mountain Pose) is often a starting position in a yogic routine which consists of standing with arms straight down one's sides for balance and alignment. It is a grounding position where you may become one with your breath. This is your foundation.

Asana is a Sanskrit word translated into English as a physical yoga position, posture, or pose. But, there is a difference between the everyday usage of those words and asana.

Moving into an asana, the body moves consciously with fluid movement that is coordinated with the flow of breath. Asana is conscious movement into a traditional yoga pose. The movement is physically and mentally relaxed. Balanced equilibrium maintains the asana when it is held in a stable state. As the body and breath movements are synchronized in a relaxed way, a full awareness of both is developed. A steady asana is a portal to higher awareness of the body and mind.

A specific asana uses the movement to direct and infuse a particular part of the body with prana or vital energy. This can help relieve tension or tightness, heal, and create a much greater awareness of prana as blockages to its smooth flow are removed. As the awareness of the body and movement deepens, bad habits and negative conditioning can be replaced with more conscious, positive movements of the body.

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99.9% of Yoga comes from the breath. After all, 100% of life comes from the breath but how many times do you actually stop to notice how important the breath is to you as a being? Be honest, you take it for granted, we all do.

'Breathing is the most important thing in your life, everything else can wait ’ - this is a wonderful quote I repeat daily in my own life, taken from Barefoot doctors school of warriors. But that’s me, I breathe because I’m reminded daily as a Yogi that it’s something I must do. I’m a breathing teacher. I teach people to breathe! It sounds crazy but it's true. It’s what I tend to categorize myself as on those days when I’m asked for a job title :) 

Anyway back to it. Throughout my years of teaching, I’ve noticed more often than not that people DON’T breathe but they still manage to stay alive (well kind of) and standing on two feet. It baffles me how they manage it! The other day, I taught a group of people who were suffering from depression. One man came to the class for the first time after attempting to commit suicide just a few weeks ago. He spent five minutes in the class and when I began the specific Yoga breathing techniques (known as pranayama) he had to leave the room with his care-giver due to the onset of a panic attack, all because he was confronted with having to breathe and relax. This is extreme but not uncommon. When you think about it, it’s pretty hard to believe that our ‘life force’ our ‘Prana’ our ‘Chi’ - whatever you want to call it - can be so detached from our being that it becomes so alien to us. It eventually does us more harm than good.

Here's a vital task that can change your life and certainly your mood in less than 3 minutes:

Today take ten long slooow deep breaths, in through the nose and out...
Expand your abdomen like a large balloon as you inhale and allow it to gently deflate as you exhale. Take your inhale from the tips of your toes to the crown of your head. Take your out breath from the crown of your head to the tips of your toes. Allow the feelings of expansion to fill your whole being on the inhale and allow the feeling of gentle contraction and relaxation as you exhale. After ten breaths notice how you feel then go and teach someone else exactly the same breathing technique, get them to pass it on and eventually together we can have the whole world breathing :)

'Breathe for Life!'

Namaste!

A bit about our Author, Camille Brown: Hi there and welcome to my segment, The Daily Om. I'm a twenty-something lover of health, fitness, yoga, personal style, reiki, nature, travelling, and capturing those special moments in life that matter the most. My daily goal is to be the best I can, give all I know about yoga, holistic living, and just living your most authentic natural life. I will offer challenging asanas that will push your personal limits in order to achieve success on the mat and offer insight mantras to get your day started your day on a positive note. Remember, "A day without laughing is a day wasted." 
Read more from her at http://lotusflowerwellness.blogspot.com

Introducing Yogini Camille Brown

You may recognize her from our Humble Scavenger Hunt, but we would like to formally introduce our new member, friend, and yogi, Camille Brown.

HPNL: Who is Camille Brown? (what are your core values? Your passions?)

Camille: I'm totally into the arts and most forms of expression. You may find me held up in some book store, museum, gallery or some random poetry spot. I'll even take a good lounge or two. I like cool people with good positive auras. I'm wild in a good way and pretty laid back as well. As I've gotten older I have completely embraced my geek but I'm not to over the top with it. I'm a self proclaimed music junkie, yoga junkie, and sometimes Bhagavad Gita junkie. I paint and I draw and if asked I will paint on you....sounds like fun times :)


HPNL: What led you to yoga? How long have you been practicing?

Camille: I  was diagnosed with scoliosis (a curving of the spine, the spine curves away from the middle or sideways) many years ago, I decided to make conscious holistic changes. After the discovery I went to physical therapy frequently, only to have the pain come back shortly after her sessions. I was told that I may always the back pains and will have to visit a physical therapist for the rest of my life, as well as be forced to wear an uncomfortable back brace for years to come. I  experienced yoga years before and loved how I felt, relaxed and recharged but after the discovery of scoliosis I understood its power. I began practicing yoga every day and found that the back and neck spasms completely went away. Anyway, I got serious with my practice and started to teach, long before I got certified. And I realized this is what I wanted to do with my life so I saved up my money in July 2010 I received my 200hr certification.


HPNL: That is an amazing story! You're a strong woman :) What form of yoga do you practice? Tell us about it..

Camille: I teach vinyasa yoga, but I practice ashtanga. It all started when many years ago when the first style of yoga that was introduced to me was vinyasa. I fell in love with the faster paced class linking prana and asana. I kept up with that particular style until last summer, when I received a groupon deal to try an ashtanga primary series class in Baltimore. It was love at first posture, the discipline involved with ashtanga is what attracted me to it. I like that the poses never change, but you build onto of each poses the further you get along in your practice. Poses are given to you you can't just continue on, you have to earn them. In October I plan on getting my 40 hour teacher certification from David Swenson to teach Ashtanga.


HPNL: Where do you currently teach your craft?

Camille: I'm on a slight hiatus from teaching. I'm more so working on the side of studio manager, as my life goal is open my own studio in the next 3 years. I figured, let me learn all I can about running a successful studio. But Tuesdays and Wednesdays you can find me at Rolling Brook in Baltimore and also Shakti Studio Thursday mornings in DC.


HPNL: So you know we love food, what diet nourishes your spirit?

Camille: I'm currently a practicing vegan. I have a thing for pasta and veggies. I've been a vegan for about 3 years but I can't cook to save my life so when my roommates went vegan, so did I. I'm a big granola kind of chick, half of the time you see me snacking on it.


HPNL: We'll help you learn to prepare RAW Foods! :)
What else can we expect from Camille in the future? What are your other ambitions?

Camille: I really want to open my own studio. I like the concept of more studios here in the District that try and make yoga affordable and accessible for everyone. I want to share yoga with my community and make it not such a luxury that only the middle class can afford.

Another goal of mine is to make the cover of Yoga Journal magazine. They usually reserve the cover for the best of the best. I'm working on getting my name out there and just building my brand. I go on yoga casting calls from time to time. Really anything that can get me one step closer to making the dream happen, I will do.

Finally, once I buy a camera I will be making youtube tutorials all on yoga. From showcasing poses to answering any questions about the practice, so look out for that in the next few weeks.


HPNL: Anything else for our readers?

Camille: I don't believe in coincidence or chance meetings - if we have connected it was for a reason...yes even on FB or Twitter ;-) That being said, if you see me strolling around DC or Baltimore, say hello. Lately I've been meeting a few of my twitter followers just while out shopping or running errands. <3

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Well, you can soon catch Miss Camille in her upcoming segment, "The Daily Om." Monday she will be gracing us with her first posting, "Mantra Mondays."

What's a mantra you ask? We asked the yogi herself and she responded:

"According to the dictionary, a mantra is  "Any sacred word or syllable used as an object of concentration and embodying some aspect of spiritual power. "

For myself a mantra is a chant of a word or phrase, often associated with meditation, there are mantras that are repeated or chanted during ceremonies or as a form of prayer. When used in meditation, mantras are meant to focus the mind in order to help the practitioner achieve full self-awareness. Mantras can be repeated out loud, very quietly, or silently. When choosing a mantra, it is advisable to choose words or phrases that carry deep and positive meaning for you."

I look forward to many more integrations with this bright and ambitious young woman. Stay tuned!

Namaste.

Our First Wheatgrass Shot

A Visual Story

Setting: Kombuchick Bar w/ Leslie

Loving the SKIN You're In... Part 2

Foods for Healthy Skin and Beauty Products from your Kitchen

(click the picture to read Part 1)

Please understand that true, healthy, vibrant skin is achieved from the inside out. Everything else should just be considered maintenance. The majority of people (and most doctors) have become "symptom killers." We go on a lethal attack to kill discomforting symptoms with no regards towards where these things may have derived. Even if you temporarily "cure" a symptom, you still haven't fixed the root problem and those symptoms will surface again.

Again, I stress the fact that you MUST eliminate harmful foods from your diet.

Processed foods

Fast foods

Foods containing Artificial Colors and Flavors

Refined Foods, White Flour Products

Artificial sugars such as Splenda and Equal which should be better known for it's chemical name Aspartame. Aspartame is found is maaaaannnnny processed foods. Check your labels!

All about Aspartame

- Monsanto product. They first developed Saccharin but the compound did not break down in humans and was taken off the market due to much public controversy.

- Aspartame dissolves into solution so it can travel throughout the body and deposit itself into any tissue. It will often affect your weakest body system.

-There are over 90 different health symptoms at the root of modern disease, which are associated with aspartame, such as:

·     Addiction to aspartame and the craving of sweets

·        Eye disorders, sight trouble

·        Ear sensitivity

·        Headaches, dizziness, confusion, memory loss

·        Depression , irritability, aggression, anxiety, personality changes

·        Shortness of breath, excessive thirst

·        High blood pressure

·        Nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pains

·        Itching, hives, aggravated asthma

·        Hypoglycemia, loss of control over diabetes

·        Menstrual changes, severe PMS, gradual weight gain, bloating, birth defects

·       Hyperactivity in children, ADHD, ADD 

·       Thinning or loss of hair

·        DEATH

These are NOT allergies or sensitivities but diseases and disease symptoms. Are you willingly poisoning yourself?

So you know what NOT to eat. What SHOULD you eat for radiant skin?

Foods to Eat for Healthy Skin (Hair & Nails!)  

Skin loves Vitamin A, C, E, D, as well as Zinc! Vitamin A, C, and E work together to reduce free radical damage that derives from pollution, overexposure to the sun, and cooking fats. Free radicals destroy collagen and elastin which in turn, causes wrinkles and premature aging. What foods are packing those skin nutrients?  [*cough* fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds]

-Avocado – a healthy fat and protein, great for a healthy heart, contains Vitamin A, E, and D, 60% more potassium than bananas, fiber, B6, iron, copper, magnesium. Avocado is very diverse, with many benefits both internally and externally for dry, nutrient deficient, and dehydrated skin. We should all add a little guacamole to our lives! :)

-Pumpkin seeds, Pecans, Brazil nuts, and Ginger – Okay so what do these foods have in common? – The Zinc factor. Zinc is especially important for acne sufferers since zinc controls the production of oil in the skin. Could your acne be due to a zinc deficiency?

-Sunflower seeds and sunflower oil – unsalted please; and preferably RAW not roasted. Skin loves sunflower internally and externally and it’s packed with Vitamin E. Other Vitamin E sources include almonds, spinach, tomatoes, cabbage, and asparagus.

-Raw Red and Green Peppers are the best sources of Vitamin C! Add them to your salads and sandwiches! Other nutrient dense sources include cherries, kale, parsley, collards and broccoli. Vitamin C is destroyed by HEAT so eat these RAW as much as possible!

-Carrots – not only good for the eyes, but carrots are a wonderful source of Vitamin A for the skin. Vitamin A is required for developing and maintaining skin cells and a deficiency can cause DRY SKIN. Other Vitamin A sources are dandelion, apricots, collards, kale, and spinach (again) and cantaloupe when in season.

-Sunshine! – The Sun is our GREATEST source of Vitamin D. We should all aim for at least 30 minutes in direct sunlight. No sunscreen!

[..The sun can also be used as an alternative source of energy with practice. Stand barefoot in the Earth during sunrise or sunset and take a nice 10-15 second gaze at the sun. If you make this a daily practice, add 10 seconds a day but never go above [a minute, 30 seconds] and ONLY gaze during the hours surrounding the sunrise or sunset. Otherwise, you will be taking in those harmful UV rays. When done correctly you should notice a lessened appetite and increased energy! Solar Powered!..]

Got it? Now for a little external maintenance..

Homemade Do-it-Yourself Beauty Recipes

I often go by the motto: “If you can’t eat it, you don’t need it.” Many foods can be used internally as well as externally for the sake of beauty, such as:

Avocado and Avocado Oil are great friends to healthy skin. Here are a few ways to use it.

• For puffy eyes, cut a fresh Avocado into slices and place under each eye (similar to cucumber). Relax for about 20 minutes and then check your amazing results! (Eat if you like!)
• Try mashing the rest of your avocado up for a rejuvenating face mask for dry skin. Apply liberally to your face, leave for 15-20 minutes, and rinse with warm water!  Feel the difference? Mix it with honey for another yummy treat for your face. Love bees? Feel free to add a teaspoon of a healthy vegetable oil such as coconut oil, sunflower oil, grape seed oil, or even avocado oil instead of honey.

But wait, there’s more!

Avocado can also be used as a moisturizing deep conditioner for thirsty hair. I use this treatment regularly about once every 1-2 weeks (as needed). Sometimes I combine it with healthy oils such as coconut oil, castor oil, or olive oil as well as vegetable glycerin which makes it easier to rinse and helps to retain much of the moisture. Sometimes I'll mix my avocado with Coconut Milk. Everyone has different hair types so I would recommend experimenting, as I have done, to see what your hair loves and needs J

As for me, I have very thick [and lengthy] hair, so I apply in sections while detangling and then braid or 2-strand each piece to ensure it remains detangled. I leave this in for up to an hour, covered with a bag, before rinsing with cool-warm water.

-Feel free to add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for some added aromatherapy and a nice scent to your hair treatment. I use tea tree for its strong mint-like aroma and the benefits it brings to my hair and scalp - Be careful though, too much is drying. I also use lavender for its soft, feminine smell and relaxing effect.

Olive Oil – Be sure to get organic extra virgin olive oil for best results. Most people are very acquainted with this diverse "cooking" oil, although you really shouldn’t cook with it! Heating unsaturated fats can release free-radicals and carcinogens so try this with raw meals and salads instead.

Aside from partnering it with meals, this oil has many diverse uses:

1.     Shave with it. It’s much safer and less drying than shaving cream which is filled with alcohol and un-natural preservatives. This is great for men too!

2.     Hot oil treatment – amazing for DRY hair.

3.     Bathe with it. Add a couple teaspoons to your bath water to soften skin.

4.    Moisturize with it. As I stated in Loving the Skin You’re In Part 1, this is an age old lotion replacement. I know many older people who use this on their skin daily. This may also benefit those with eczema and its light enough that you don’t have to cut it with anything. Apply directly to skin!

5.    Make- up remover. Healthier for those areas around your eyes and removes mascara and eyeliner remarkably well. Give it a try. Your skin will thank you!

Banana – Find a ripe one and mash it. Add a bit of honey and apply to your face! Vwa-la! - An amazing face mask.

Banana can also be used in conjunction with Avocado as a hair treatment but PLEASE BE CAREFUL! If your banana isn’t RIPE enough you will have particles in your hair that take days to retrieve! Trust me, I’ve already made that mistake! To avoid the worry over if it’s “ripe enough,” just opt for a couple jars of organic banana baby food. It’s only pureed banana with Vitamin C (if that) as a preservative. Easy application - easy washing.

Oatmeal  (oats have gluten, for the sensitive!)– Now, as long as you don’t use the instant stuff, oatmeal is skin soothing, skin tightening, softening and refreshing. It is great for oily and acne prone skin. Combine 3/4 cup of cooked oatmeal with 2 Tb of honey, and a chopped or mashed banana (or berries!). Apply the mixture to your face, leave for 5-10 minutes while you eat your leftover oatmeal, and rinse with warm water.

It seems that this post has gotten pretty long as well, and I have much more to say! This information train will have to continue in Loving the Skin You’re In Part 3: Acceptance, Attitude, and Self love [<--click here]. In the meantime, please give a few of these recipes a try and let us know how they work for YOU! There are many, many more natural beauty recipes out there, but this should be an interesting and fun start J Comment below!

**This post is for educational purposes only. Make it a habit to always do your own research!

- <3 Brooke Jay

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Brooke Johnson aka Brooke Jay is a Social Entrepreneur, Certified Nutrition Consultant, and Wellness Coach,  for RAW! on Wheels., a DMV based live vegetarian service. 

RAW! offers Meal Plans, Juice Cleanses, Coaching, Catering, Yoga, & more! Click the link below for more info! http://www.RAWexclamation.com

Contact her directly at BJohnson@rawexclamation.com