Awaken Matcha Cafe

Local or Organic??

I was contemplating this idea, and I found this article. It's British, but I like the way it is written, and it brings in some valid points.

Local food 'greener than organic'

And, from TIME, also very good.

Eating Better than Organic

Read that one. Love it, love it.

First of all, let me say that I find it disconcerting that most articles about organics focus on whether or not it is better for the consumer's health in terms of putting pesticides into the body. That pisses me off. It is so short-sighted-- a selfish point of view. Obviously we care about putting poison into our bodies, but there is a distinct lack of caring whether we put it into our environment. YES, organics matter to the PLANET. If our surroundings are polluted or changed so they can't support healthful life, you can put all the purest food into your body that you want and still be sick as a dog. The TIME article points this out-- better for "US" as individuals is not the only thing to consider here. 

Ok, so back to the first article. It brings up a valid point that the importation/transportation of goods is harmful to the environment as well, so getting local goods (produce, etc.) is more beneficial to the earth. It will actually add up to a more significant "environmental savings" than organics-- and the two combined would be huge. It cries fowl on labeling procedures-- which, by the way, are pretty bad in the US, too-- so consumers are not armed with the knowledge of where all of their food comes from. Since grocers know, they should inform consumers so we can buy local. TIME says big organic farmers are starting to wreak their own havoc.

I agree with this. My local Heinen's is good about putting out "local" signs, and we have quite a few farms in our surrounding areas. I buy organics as often as possible, but it can be hard-- on the wallet and in terms of selection. Local is usually fresher and cheaper-- a nice little bonus when we consider the environmental savings.

Here's what I take away from all of this. And why more folks don't get it, I'm not sure. We all get it, right? But we, Awaken girls and guys, are not your average consumer.

IT IS A COMBINATION OF FACTORS THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. NO MAN IS AN ISLAND AND NO SINGLE THING BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT. GO ORGANIC. BUY LOCAL. DON'T PUT CRAP INTO YOUR BODY OR YOUR ENVIRONMENT, AND WE'LL ALL BE BETTER OFF. KEEP IN MIND THAT WE NEED A HEALTHY PLANET TO HAVE HEALTHY PEOPLE AND ANIMALS AND INSECTS AND STUFF.

Period. Sigh.

wedding skin

My best friend is getting married in 10 days. Wow. TEN days. It's funny to see it in print. I am happy and sad in a way...she lives with my family, has been here three years, and I will miss her. My daughter doesn't know a time when she wasn't here...

well, anyway. My skin thinks this is the perfect time for me to break out like I'm 15 again. I mean, WHAT??! So, I am currently on Awaken therapy and no make up after work, and looots of water. We'll see. I want to be radiant and lovely for her big day...because she is radiant and lovely, too.

Listening joy:

The Cure reminds me of Cynthia, and unabashed youth. Her wedding is making me nostalgic and wistful. We've been best friends for 15 years...

The Jason Effect

It has been really, really warm here, on and off, over the past few weeks. It's only March, and I have my flip-flops out because I was 80 two days last week. This is not normal. At least, in my limited experience. It scares me in a way, but my body is so happy there is sun and warmth-- it's like radiant love on the flesh.

However. 80 degrees in Ohio, in March, is an oddity that support all the talk of global warming. Is it real? Is it crap? I believe that there *is* a problem we need to deal with. My friend Jason, who doesn't necessarily dispute the fact that the warming is happening, insists it is nothing to be dealt with, because the planet will eventually recover once we take care of killing off our species (I swear, he's a nice guy).

I think about this stuff a lot. I believe in what we do here as far as the difference it will make in helping prevent Jason's scenario. I am interested in other's points of view. Are you an ardent recycler and lover of the planet? Do you believe there is an issue at hand?

It has made all the difference

April is national poetry month. On light of spring, and poetry, and my nerdiness, and the fact that it has been 70+ degrees at least twice in the past week when 50 is the norm, I am going to wax all poetic.

I love the vivdness of a good poem. It is good for the soul. This one is so metaphorically beautiful, and it reminds me of my beloved fellow Earth Healers.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost, 1915

Words to mull over when it's too late and you're still up because you are pumped at the thought of things you have done right. I love those nights.

Two months later...

Look, here are some Christmas pictures!!

Ok, first Nick and his gorgeous wife Czarina, who sings like a princess and makes me laugh until I feel sort of sick. That's the best kind of friend. Nick doesn't usually smile for pictures, so he's going to hate that I posted this. Sorry, Nick. But he's fabulous as well.

And they have gorgeous children. Don't hate them.

(That's my hot husband behind them.)

 

Next we have two pictures of Marvin. First, doing what he does best-- getting us all hopped up on Matcha smoothies. Sorry my blender is so crappy, Marv.

His show smoothies are yummy too. I think we need to just put Marvin in a stocked kitchen with an industrial blender, some ice, and some Matcha and just watch. He'll create world peace.

 

Here is Marv with my Dad's guitar. Every year we sing carols while my Dad accompanies us. I swear there were more people at this party. I just didn't think you all would want to see photos of the rest of my friends.

And, my favorite-- me and my daughter. I have two kids, the best son in the world and this little sweetie pie (I also have the most beautiful niece...and am expecting a niece and a little suprise in March and April, courtesy of my two sisters-in-law, Leah and Heather. Yay! Baby fix! That will keep me happy for a while).

Well, that's all. I meant to show those to you a while ago. Better late than never!!

Home and Garden Show

I was very excited to meet so many friends and get so many jars of Awaken and other goodies out there this weekend at the IX Center. This was my first experience out there meeting people face to face, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun it is.

Hanging out with Marvin and Nick, of course, was really great too. Because they're cute and because they're fantastic guys. I mean really, you can't lose there.

So, anyway, I was so happy to see so many of us out there who share the same health concerns and share the same Earth concerns, and who are looking for an answer to both. You stopped at the right table!! I hope some of you stop by here and let us know how it is going for you. I think about some of you with major concerns, both yours and those of your loved ones, and always think about how we can help. You are one of our driving forces!

Also, I drank so much Awaken, I was flying by the time I left. It was fabulous. I did forget my cell phone, but Nick saved the day and drove well out of his way to return it to me, because he's like that (and I probably didn't surprise him by forgetting something...which is why I need my Maca).

No Mo' 'Tude!

I love to ski.  Really love it.  It is such a gift to go out and play all day in the snow.  Cold weather typically makes me want to curl up in front of my fire with a good book and a loaded CD player of my finest jazz.  But, snow and big hills make me want to get out there and go fast! 

Unfortunately, I suffer from altitude sickness.  I have been living at sea level for the past 18 years.  (Actually, on the ocean... I know, poor me).  I think living at this baseline has made me more susceptible to 'Tude Sickness than ever before.  About 2 hours after I ascend past 6,500' I start getting head achy.  By the second night I have total loss of appetite, fatigue, insomnia and overall grumpiness.  And, forget being able to take the edge off with a nice Cab or Zin--- NO WAY!  Alcohol makes it even worse. 

Radiance Saves The Day... and night, too!

Up until about one year ago I have been treating my altitude sickness with advil and HUGE quantities of water.  It wasn't until I was swappin' fun snow stories with our fellow Earth Healer, Marc Wise, that I learned of how Radiance Maca can help.  "Oh yeah, it's great for altitude sickness.  Maca is grown at high elevations--- and as a miracle adaptogen, it naturally acclimates your body to the altitude.  And, because Radiance is grown with such attention to organic and sustainable methods, it works even better than most."

So, last year I gave it a whirl at 8,500 ',  on our annual family ski trip.  OMG!!!  It worked better than I ever could have imagined.  I could sleep.  I had way more energy than ever.  (Which came in handy as my 14 y.o. son kept trying to beat me down the mountain on his snowboard).  And, I had an appetite.  But, mostly what I love is the great sense of wellbeing I now experience up in the mountains.  It helped me to take fuller advantage of truly being present with my family and playing, playing, playing!

I am planning a High Sierra backpacking trip this summer.  Definitely will make room for Radiance!

Bad Ass Owl! Hail Caesar!

WARNING:  Do NOT Look In His Eyes...                     

   

       

            

                       
                                   

                    

   

... or, this Bad-Ass-Owl will OWN YOU!

Our cars are covered with bird poop.  Why? Because they have never seen the inside of our two-car-garage-- which, instead shelters:  kayaks, junk, surfboards, junk, motor scooter, junk, tools and electronic gadgetry that The Hubster has never used but insists is essential, junk, skis, junk, snowboards, junk... (you get the picture).

Consequently, our cars sit under the most gorgeous, giant magnolia tree you have ever seen.  So gorgeous, in fact, that every bird in the county wants to live in it.  And, eat berries.  And, POOP ALL OVER OUR CARS.

                          

   

       

            

                       
                       

            

               

            

       

   

 

Not our car... but, not UNLIKE our car.

I got tired of washing the cars 3X / week.  (I know this is normal for some car enthusiast's... but, I haven't been enthused about a car since I owned a 67 Mustang Convertible in college). 

So, I decided to find a BAD ASS OWL to scare the birdshit out of the birds.

IT WORKS!  He does the job.  The Hubster refuses to admit that this Mean-Mo-Fo does the job.  (I've noticed that my own resident neanderthal man does not easily accept it when I independently solve what would typically be categorized as a 'man type problem'.  Whatever.)  Hubster came in the door yesterday, from working in the rock mine, proclaiming:  "The birds out there have been working all day making a little Caesar-Head-Wreath for your Bad Ass Owl.  They think he's their new leader". 

But, this morning, there was no poop on the cars. 

It's the little things that make life worth living.

Speaking of which...

This morning's listening pleasure:

                                                   

   

       

            

                                                            

            

                   

            

       

   

Capitalizing on My Hotflashes

Now that we Boomer-Woman are ensconced in Menopause-Hell, biotech companies are seizing the moment-- capitalizing on what is a HUGE market. 

In a recent article in the San Jose Mercury News, Business-- the headline reads:  Hotflashes:  Can Silicon Valley Biotech Help Solve Them?  With 50 barking at my heels like the Hounds of Baskerville, you can imagine how this caught my attention.  I grabbed the paper out of The Hubster's hands like it was the last chocolate chip cookie on earth.   After reading the article, I was just as dissatisfied with biotech's proposals as I am with conventional medicine. 

About the best they can come up with is a treatment dubbed MF101-- made of 22 Chinese herbal extracts.  DUH!  I have been going to my beloved Chinese practitioner for years.  She is the only one who has successfully treated my girlie stuff, over the years.  (I have been plagued with severe endometriosis throughout adulthood).  It's crazy to think there is a 'biotech' company out there capitalizing on an ancient practice.  Dressing it up and packaging it as commercial innovation.  WTF!

The other proposed 'Biotech innovation' is called, EvaMist.  Yes, that's right.  Have you ever been on an airplane and seen women spritzing themselves with Evian water mist?  Well now you'll see women desperately scrambling through their purses looking for the Estrogen spritz.  (And, I pity the security guard who tries to take this away from a menopausal woman!)  This ought to really further enhance the air quality in a plane.   Here's how it works, you press this large, foghorn-like, disk to your skin and it power sprays estrogen into the pores.  What the heck?!  How is this different than the estrogen topical patch?! 

Noelle Robbins, quoted in the article, has started a menopause support group and has a master's degree in public health, is apparently assisting the Chinese herbal company.  Even Robbins claims, "It really is experimentation.  I eat a healthy diet, I take vitamins, exercise-- and yoga has been a big help."

It nearly brought me to my knees to read this!  THANK YOU!  I have 'been there and back' in dealing with female health issues.  I started practicing yoga back in college.  At the time, I had no idea it helped with my endometriosis.  I just knew it helped me, in some mysterious way.  Today it is one of 5 most important things I do to help with my mid-life health issues. 

I am by no means a granola-health-freak.  I'm borderline.  In other words, I mix my diet up with Tofu and 88% dark chocolate, and yes... I love chips, of almost any kind.  I wear make up, am a shoe freak and actually shave my legs.  But, I can tell you this, if it weren't for my Chinese practitioner, exercise (surfing, aerobics, yoga, power-walking), dear friendships, green tea, and yes... my beloved Radiance Maca... I would not survive menopause, and my two teenage son's. 

I am very glad to be part of a large population of woman, speaking loudly about the vagaries of menopause, in demand of healthful solutions.  This was unheard of in my mother's meno-era.  But, I believe, it is important we recognize menopause as a natural aging process.  What we need is natural, balanced solutions.  Solutions that work with our body chemistry.  Low and behold, it already exists in the earth. It may not be packaged in plastic foghorn-like containers, but nonetheless, it's  effective and reliable. 

Running, running

Normally, I am an elliptical trainer gal, but my sister joined the gym with me, and suggested we hit the treadmill so we could train side-by-side. I have treadmilled in the past, yes, but for some reason, it makes me itch. Weird, I know. My legs especially.

So anyway, it's been a while. But, I tried it. Something she said inspired me.

"I like to get on the treadmill and run when I have a lot on my mind...it feels like I can run from it. When I'm done, I feel so much better, it's like I actually did."

I tried it. I did it. I ran. I didn't itch. I ran and I felt better.

Maybe I'm a convert.

My running soundtrack...