Making A Healthier Earth One Person At A Time

We just celebrated the 40 year anniversary of Earth Day and it made me sad that so little has been done to really help the planet in 40 years. It's appalling actually. My greatest hope is that my daughter and her generation will be more aware and make vital changes in their lifestyle and become the "sustainable" generation. I do my best to set a good example and have changed my "evil ways" over the years. I can honestly say these changes were simple and are no big deal once you get into the mind-set of wanting to do what is right for the earth, your family and yourself. What is interesting, is the changes that make a healthier planet also make a healthier you. Many changes were made because of chemicals that can leach from materials into the food that's eaten.

Some of the changes I have made over the years...

Eating completely Organic and eliminated meat (on my way to poultry but not yet).
Replaced buying bottled water (or any liquid in plastic ) with filling stainless containers.
Using stainless or cast iron cookware NO longer any Teflon.
Replaced plastic storage containers with all glass.
Conscious driving (biking instead of driving, combining errands for efficiency).
Cut back on Flying.
Recycling, composting everything I can to reduce garbage.
Creating a sustainable front lawn that uses barely any water and no chemicals.
Lots of bamboo & palm trees in the back yard (helps filter bad air CO2>O2).
Using Cloth Napkins more replacing paper.
Showers (short ones) every other day (except when workout sweat calls me to shower!).
Replaced all appliances to energy savers and light bulbs too.
Computers on stand by when not in use.
Lights and water faucets off when not in use.
Bringing own bags for groceries.
Shopping for food locally at Farmer's market.
Supporting local merchants more (although I do shop at Costco still)
NEVER SHOP AT AT EVIL WALMART!!!!
#1 no flush #2 FLUSH!!!!
Buying less (conscious shopping ...rational vs emotional purchasing).
NO CABLE TV (we have an antenna on top of our house that works great).
Avoid buying anything from China.
Volunteer more.
Borrowing library books instead of buying them unless it's a book to reference.

And the list will continue....

It's about being conscious in a world where it's easy to go through unconsciously.

Last week I wrote about the book Organic Manifesto by Maria Rodale and how important I felt this book was for everyone to read. I am almost finished with it and I wish it was on the must read list for every school in America. Our world will change if we can start now to be the role models for the next generations upcoming. They will not have a chance if we do not make the changes in our lifestyles NOW. This is BEYOND important, it is NECESSARY.

As Maria states in her book:

"If we plan to stay on this planet, we must take a stand. And the very ground we stand on holds the magic key to our future here. We have a once-in-a-lifetime, no once-in-a-species'-history-opportunity to do either the right thing or continue down the path to our demise."

It's NOW time to take a stand.

Ciao~ See you next Sunday! L

We Are Part of the Great Chemical Experiment

Being in the Health/Fitness industry for the last 100 yrs has put me in information overload with all the "stuff" out there that wants to infuse into my brain. I have decided it can only process and store so much, and frankly these days I just never know what to really believe, especially when it comes to nutrition and food. I have certain "guru's" I follow (Michael Pollan being one) that I trust and feel are worth my time to read what they have to say based on research they have done. So when my friend Barbara recommended I read "Organic Manifesto" by Maria Rodale I thought "hmm it's Barb recommending this", who is a trusted source of honest material, but do I want to bother to read yet another food/nutrition book? I waited a few days to see if I still had any interest and then ordered it. When it arrived, I saw it was only 200 pages and felt relieved. I decided to open it up and read the foreword by Eric Schlosser (which i usually skip) and the first three lines read like this:

Pesticides are poisons. They are manufactured to kill insects, rodents, fungi, and weeds. But they can also kill people.

Now I know this. That is the main reason why I have been eating organic for a while - to avoid the poisons. Pesticides and toxic sprays used by agri-business was something that was not new to me, but I kept on reading and it was the next few sentences that hooked me and made me angry and scared.

Organophosphates-one of the most common types of pesticide-were developed in Nazi Germany to be used as chemical weapons. It was later recognized that the same sort of nerve gases formulated to attack enemy soldiers and civilians could be used against agricultural pests

.....he then goes on to say that over the past 60 years a multitude of these same chemicals

have been applied to the American landscape on a massive scale.

Turns out the federal government has not done a pesticide use survey since 2001 because President George W Bush in his last year of office halted the program because spending 8 million dollars to conduct such a survey was too expensive. I am sure Dow Chemical and Monsanto had something to do with this decision no doubt. Schlosser goes on to give a conservative estimate of the current pesticide use in the US agri business as being

1.2 BILLION Pounds a year

which equates to being about 4 pounds of this toxic crap for every American man, woman and child.

I started reading last night and will probably finish this book in a day or so. I can tell you that this book is an extremely important book for everyone to read. Maria Rodale is no stranger to this area she is an expert and has the lineage to prove it. She has been "walking the walk" along with "talking the talk" for years because it's in her DNA. In case you recognize the name, her grandfather J.I. Rodale, launched Organic Farming and Gardening magazine in 1942 in addition to the organic movement. Then Maria and her father launched Prevention magazine in 1950. This woman does her research and it shows in this book. A word of warning...it is disturbing and it should be. It should disturb every single person who eats, breathes, drinks water and walks on soil enough to do something. And what can "we" do? is the question... Well first get the book and read it. Be angry. Be disturbed. Be scared....but don't be paralyzed and do nothing. This is your life, your food, your air along with everyone else on the planet and this includes your kids. The generations after us are who is in the greatest peril and it is with them in mind that we must DEMAND ORGANIC and demand it NOW.

Go to this link and read this interview with Maria Rodale

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/features_julieshealthclub/2010/03/maria-rodales-organic-manifesto.html

See You Next Sunday... Now go get this book and read it.

http://www.rodale.com/maria-rodale-organic-manifesto

Ciao ~ L

Do Miracles Really Exist?

By definition a Miracle "is any amazing or wonderful occurrence" or "a marvelous event manifesting a supernatural act of a divine agent" according to wikipedia. I would agree with this definition and add that I like to think the "divine agent" are angels. Yes I believe in angels and I think my sister is one. I believe she has intervened several times when it has come to my dad's life.

I was thinking earlier while watching a particular segment on CBS Sunday Morning about children dealing with the grief of a death of a parent, that at age 50 (almost), I still have both my parents and what a miracle that is. Well at least in my father's case, (my mother I believe will stand the test of time) and live to the age of 200. About 10+ years ago my father (whose health is not the greatest) suffered to what we were told was a stroke and fell and hit his head on the marble threshold in the doorway of the bathroom while exiting. My mother only discovered him later when she came home, he was on the bed semi conscious with patches of blood along the floor and bed. She immediately called the EMT's who came rather quickly only to find they were dealing with a very combative man (which I hear is normal when someone strokes out) to take him to the hospital. My dad ended up falling into a coma and was in intensive care for a while and we thought we were going to lose him. I received a call and quickly arranged to fly to Florida (I was living in CT then) which was not easy to do since it was spring break and Easter holiday season. As a miracle would have it my friend Deb's husband Rob who sells airplanes somehow arranged for me to be a guest on a private jet that was flying to Florida the next day. I will be indebted to that man forever for that act of kindness. As our small family sat vigil and waited to see if my dad was going to wake up, I could not fathom losing him although I was prepared. I think the loss of my sister years prior, has prepared me for death. I just kept thinking though, this was not his time and a divine intervention would happen.

It did happen. He eventually woke up and could not remember a thing. To this day, the events of that day are erased from his memory and we only have these "CSI" puzzle pieces to put together to form a scenario of what happened. It's now over 10 years since this happened and many hours of all kinds of therapy later, but if you saw my 84 year old dad you would never know that event happened to him. He does get his words scrambled a bit because of his lingering aphasia but other than that, I believe this man is a walking miracle. Before this "stroke" incident happen my dad already had heart by-pass surgeries years before and has lived with diabetes for as long as I can remember. He did manage to quit smoking after 30 years when he was told he had borderline emphysema. Let's put it this way, the man has taken crappy care of himself and manages to keep in ticking. Now that's a freakin' miracle! Now mind you he does have the help of about 12 different meds he must ingest everyday and has to take naps along with watching his "diet" (yea right..). It's not best way to live, but he is around to enjoy watching his family grow and hopefully will stick around to see the birth of his twin granddaughters (from my sis-in-law certainly not moi) and my daughter's college graduation and who knows what else? Maybe he will stand the test of time.... In that case it's my mother we all need to pray for....


Me and My Miracle Dad

This is just another one of a few miracles I have witnessed.


In a previous blog I wrote about my mother-in-law, who as well, literally came back from being so close to dead, it is just inexplicable. Other than she had so many people praying for her (and I am so not a religious person) I cannot believe she is walking around and living her life, still laughing, smiling and just being. If you could imagine the worst possible medical disaster (stemming from a botched colonoscopy) and multiply that by 100 that is what happened to my husband's mom. She's even baffled the doctor's. So Angels? Power of Prayer? Miracles? Who really knows? All I can say, is I am a believer.... especially when I witness (I have it on video) my husband vacuuming of his own volition....Now that's a true Miracle!!


The Jimenez Family (Uncle Beto, Miracle Mom, Dennis, Me & Gary Jimenez)



Till next Sunday

Ciao ~ L

Acceptance

First of all I would like to say Thank You to my friend Joey for my "Special Exception" Beautiful Blogger Award that she gave to me on her blogpost

http://catchjoyasitfliesby.blogspot.com/

Along with this acceptance I am to fulfill the following criteria:

1. Thanking the person who gave it to me (which I did).
2. Share 7 things about myself...hmmm
3. Pass the award onto 5 bloggers who you have recently discovered and think you are fantastic (I really don't follow too many bloggers)
4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award about the award..(ok..)

Hmmm... 7 things about myself.

1. I want a different set of legs but have accepted that I have this set for life.

2. Surprisingly, I still find myself being ridiculously competitive (as in the case of an 83 year old hiker that totally kicked my ass going up steep hills and I wanted him to eat my dust-errrrr).

3. Some days I skip a shower and use the excuse I am saving precious water for Southern California.

4. I would give up wine and chocolate before my morning cup of strong caffeine laden Java.

5. I have been dreaming about going to Italy for about a million years but I confess I am nervous to leave and go out of the country and so far away.

6. I am so glad I only had one child and sometimes wonder why I did not want any more.

7. I can be (and look like) a pretty tough cookie on the outside but really I am a total marshmallow on the inside...(pssst...don't tell anyone).

The next criteria is tough because I only read a few blogpost (one of which is Joey's).

I do read these others though:

1. http://consciouslyfrugal.blogspot.com

2.http://suethsayings.blogspot.com

Both are excellent and I would recommend you checking them out. Oh I am suppose to let them know about the award....hmmm OK will do.....

Anyway now that I have fulfilled my duties onto my weekly blogpost which is about Acceptance....

The term acceptance is defined as a verb, in which it shows to have several meanings.

The first is known as the act of taking or receiving something offered. For example, if someone is giving you a gift and you receive it, than that person has accepted the gift; therefore, having acceptance.

Another definition of acceptance has to deal with positive welcome; favor and endorsement. Such as, a person could like someone and have acceptance for them due to their approval of that person.

The third description of acceptance is that it can be an act of believing or assenting.

Acceptance comes in many different types:

1. Self acceptance - being loving and happy with who you are NOW! Like the set of legs above I mentioned...

2. Social acceptance -affects children, teenagers and adults. It also can affect people of all ages with mental disabilities because social acceptance determines many decisions people make in life. I would also say that would include acceptance of those different from us.

3.Grief acceptance - there is a difference between acceptance and resignation,you have to accept loss, not try to bear it alone. Realization has a lot to do with acceptance when it comes to grief. I find this comes in various stages and is often very difficult to deal with.

4. Conditional or Qualified -a type of acceptance that requires modification(s) of the conditions before the final acceptance is made (as in a business contract for example).

5.Expressed - acceptance of the set conditions, as in a person clearly and explicitly agrees to an offer. They accept the terms without any changes.

6.Implied - acceptance is implied by demonstrating any act indicates a person's assent to the proposed bargain.

I am writing about this today because I think acceptance (specifically social) has become a serious problem within our society in the United States as well as globally. We seem to be more intolerant of accepting and being open to ideas that go outside of our personal beliefs. This to me seems extremely selfish and its roots are so embedded that I don't know how we can dig out of this mess. Lately, I see it most in the polarization of this country being so divided with regard to issues on Health Care, Immigration, Gays in the Military/"Don't ask Don't tell". I agree that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, however when it leads to being so closed minded that bigotry takes over something has gone awry.

Listen, I was so angry when "W" stole the election in 2000 from Gore but I accepted it. I thought it was the most divisive election ever but I accepted (disgruntled mind you) and endured that idiot being in office for 8 long years. Did I threaten him??? NO...did I throw a brick through a window at the White House??? NO...(of course that would have lead to my arrest) but you get the point. Did I agree with the war?? ...absolutely NOT, but I accepted what was happening and lived my life. Did I agree or like what was happening??? NOT...however, what I did do was live my life and in my own way I disagreed and did what I could to create change in a peaceful non combative manner. I believe this line has now been crossed. People seem to no longer be "peacefully combative", and politicians (both sides) along with the media (Fox news mostly in my opinion) does egg this behavior on. Shame on those politicians and the media for stirring the soup and shame on the public for buying into it. Listen here, don't get me wrong - I get riled up, but I know when my rage can get the best of my rational mind and allow my emotions get the best of me. That is when I look to acceptance and realize that line is fine and can get easily crossed. I take deep breaths and read words (like below) to put my mind back on track.....

I consider myself more a spiritual person and not a religious person, however I think the Serenity Prayer has a perfect place here because it is truly about acceptance:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
*Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

*this particular line I left in but am reluctant with the line "surrender to his will" - I am more a believer in "karma" and what you put out in the universe will come back...so watch what you put out there....

I believe we need more of this within ourselves and in the world.

Yours in Peace ~ L

See you next Sunday......

Deciding YOUR own Health Destiny

It's after 3PM and normally I do my blog entry following my morning coffee and CBS Sunday Morning program. However, today I just needed a little more time and inspiration to develop what I wanted to say in my writing.

I decided to write about my favorite subject which is Health, apropos for the historic vote in congress on Health Care reform, in addition to the running of the Los Angeles Marathon. What is interesting about both of these events are the people involved in them are extremely passionate about health but in two completely different ways. One is curative and the other preventative. The curative being, government trying to resuscitate or rather "fix" somehow a completely broken Health Care system by trying in essence to put a band aid on a massive coronary, however I suppose a band aid is better than nothing. And... for many individuals here in the US, congress is also deciding their health destiny. The other being (for many running today) trying to prevent ever having a massive coronary (although some are destine to have one anyway). While I do think to some extent marathon running is extreme, it is exercise and that is a means toward prevention of certain diseases. So I guess in a way these are to extremes that have the common thread of health. Although, I think I would rather be running in the LA Marathon today than to be in that fire pit of of HELL called congress.

Whatever comes out of that hell hole today (which I do hope reform does happen because to lay dormant is certainly NOT progress) my hope is that individuals realize we have the power to a very large extent to dictate our personal health outcome. Can the unforeseen happen? Of course it can, however 70% of the cost the US spends on Health Care (crisis care) is in large part for diseases that are completely preventable. I strongly believe that if we all took an interest in our own wellness we would be headed collectively in a much better direction. No you don't have to run a Marathon but getting outside for a walk, a hike or just playing and being active puts you on a path toward a better and more productive outcome. It is truly that simple. Making better choices about food or addictive substances that wreak havoc with your body is a power we take for granted. It's all about choice and making the best choices to live a health life with unlimited vitality.

So on this historic day no matter what the outcome is with regard to Health Reform, choose to reform your own health and I guarantee you will come out a winner....just like all those people who pump their arms over their head when they cross that finish line at the end of 26.2 miles - they are champions of their own health destiny.

Yours In Health ~ L

Celebrating Life and Honoring Death

I have been on a great roll of writing in my blog on a weekly basis and wanted to keep the momentum going, but topics sometimes can be hard to figure out. So the other day I was staring at my calendar where I write friends birthdays and noticed that from March 17-27 I had four birthdays written down. Among those birthdays however, I have one other date in remembrance and that is the date of my sister Joyce's passing. That date I don't have to write down because it is burned into my memory. On that date she would be gone 22 years and that date is March 26th. So it got me to thinking about the celebration of birth and life and the honoring of death and that persons life as well.

I adore my friends and like to make their birthdays special, because I believe that everyone wants to feel special on that particular day. I try to be as creative as I can, some years more than others but no matter what, that day does not go by without an acknowledgment of the birth of their life from me. And depending on the person, I totally remind them (as if they did not know) how long they have lived on this earth. This is especially fun if they have been around longer than me (funny how that feels "fun" as we get older). So among the congratulatory celebrations over those days I have one very life that I celebrate in my own way on the day of her death. I light a candle, I look at pictures and I remember moments we shared as tears fall along my face. And I also smile and laugh as I honor those beautiful moments. I miss her. I miss her A LOT. I am sad she never met my daughter (who is named after her) and I am sad that my daughter never met her aunt Joyce. I am sad for my parents whose first born they outlived as the "natural order of things" says that is not suppose to happen. She would be turning 58 years old in May if she had lived beyond only 35 years. Not long enough especially when 6 of those years she was sick. Death is hard to wrap your head round, at least in cases like this for me it is. I like to think that there is a reason for everything but I have a hard time with this one as it sits so very close to home...it is home. I resolve myself by imagining she is doing something really great somewhere, where she was needed more than here on earth. The day she was buried my mother insisted she be dressed in the most beautiful blue dress that Joyce loved. I remember my mom saying "She's going to be the best dressed one up there", I laughed and thought "yes she will".



So here is celebrating your lives...Deb 3/17, Bobbie 3/23, Danae 3/24, Heidi 3/27 and yes my sister Joyce I celebrate your beautiful life too even in death. I love you all...

Yeah But can they TEACH?

There are a lot of mediocre teachers, some good teachers and very few great teachers. The ability to impart knowledge to another and have the individual take in that information and really learn from it is a gift. It's a gift for the recipient in reaping the benefit of a gifted teachers wisdom. Knowledge is empowerment. Knowledge is growth. Knowledge is priceless. It should not be taken lightly and neither should being a teacher. Teachers come in all forms, some more recognizable than others. Sometimes they stand in front of a room filled with students and sometimes they stand right beside only you. They can come in the form of a highly "degreed" educator, a coach, a parent, a mentor or even a friend. Never underestimate the power of information whether it be verbal or non-verbal and it's influence and never be fooled by bravado and it's lack of substance.

Being "wowed" by someone's ability to perform a skill to perfection, or just perform or even how they look is admirable, however it does not necessarily translate into the ability to be able to properly teach it to someone else. And that's what I mean by "never be fooled by bravado"...yeah but can they teach? It's the trap I see the unsuspecting person fall into time and time again. Think of this...You read a best seller written by a fabulous writer and perhaps what comes to mind is, I want to learn how to write from that person. Just because he/she can perform the art/skill of writing into a best selling book does not necessarily mean they can teach you how to write a best seller. That is not suffice to say that there are exceptions to that, but I believe more often than not it's the other way around. Those who can not necessarily do (to perfection), teach, and actually teach sometimes to perfection. So don't necessarily rule them out, as they may just be the jewel among the sparkly glass.

There are "performers" and then there are "teachers", and one world I know very well is the fitness world. I know I am biased but I can tell you without question my husband Dennis is a top rung swim teacher. He may not be able to "perform" and swim like Michael Phelps but he can sure teach a student to achieve that level if desired. I have witnessed personally him show a scared 2 year old who was so frightened of the water in the beginning of a 30 minute lesson embrace and feel the love of the water by the end of the 30 minutes. Amazing. It is truly a gift. His secret is trust, and building an honest relationship with his students. He's been teaching swimming for almost 30 years to kids from as young as 13 mos to 80+ yrs and he does it with love. He is passionate and compassionate and believes in the benefits of what he teaches. It goes beyond just arms and legs moving in the water arriving at a destination. It is about the journey, his students and the self esteem and confidence he sees grow and develop within and live within long after they get out of the water. He has seen this self belief emerge beginning with the simplest goal of just floating to scuba diving hundreds of feet underneath the ocean water. He makes his students feel safe, curious for more and empowered. He wisely figures out how they learn and then teaches to their ability to "get it".

I've had the pleasure and fortune over the years to have a select few teachers who were great. Unfortunately, I have also had very mediocre teachers and some really bad ones. I remember one teacher I had in college who was so awful, I stopped writing and forgot how much joy it brought me until I asked myself why this idiot had so much power over me to stop me from something I loved to do. "Screw him", I said to myself and I started writing again, albeit many years later but I did and that's all that matters.

I learned a lesson in that and have used it in my own instruction as an educator.

When I began my fitness career 29 years ago I started out as an "aerobics" instructor (circa 1981 that is what it was called) because I loved to dance and choreograph and needed to make money. This was before the days of "certification" and everything being so technical, it was just about having fun, sweating and losing weight and of course, wearing leg warmers. We learned quickly about shin splits and the importance of beats in music, it was easy and again just FUN. I performed on a platform to my "fans" and made sure I could outlast everyone who was in my class regardless if my heart was pounding out of my chest and my feet killing me. I had to be better and I had to show it because it was of course all about me. My students were WOWED, kept coming to class as long as I pushed them, made them sweat regardless of how much they hurt or were sore for an entire week. The more pain they were in, the better I thought I was doing my job of kicking their asses (kinda like what Jillian Michaels does now on the biggest loser show except my students were not as large back then).

Fast Forward it's now 2010.

I still see "instructors/trainers" (group or private) still do this except now the audience sees it on TV or You-Tube. I watch an individual perform Yoga moves twisting themselves into knots while reciting something "zen", or a testosterone laden guy (or female) pumping 100lb dumbbells (or a body) over their head or a Pilates instructor doing a succession of very impressive moves on 4 different pieces of equipment upside down. And they are all in enviable amazing shape (OK - I will admit a slight bit of envy of what their body can do and mine cannot...ugh).... But that is not why I am writing about this and it is not about jealousy or envy it's about....CAN THEY TEACH???? Are they even qualified to teach? Can they make it about their client or student and not about them? Yet the public will see this and be enamored and mesmerized and completely taken in and fooled into believing they can be transformed to be just like their "guru" oops instructor.

I love what I do and can honestly say have come a long way since the days of headbands, thong leotards and leg warmers. I've spent time over the past 29 years educating myself (formally and practically) to go well beyond just fitness "training" my students and clients but really educating them about their bodies from the inside out. I have worked very hard to gain their trust and belief in me when I take their body into my hands (so to speak). This is a responsibility I do not take lightly, ever. Even though I have been in this fitness field for 29 yrs their is always something to learn because it is dynamic and ever-changing. I feel I have done my job well when my students have learned something beyond "the classroom" or "studio" and take that knowledge with them integrating it into their everyday lives. I feel honored when I see a client who was hunched over stand up aligned and they tell me their back or hip no longer hurts. I adore hearing how they have become physically stronger carrying that into them becoming mentally, spiritually and emotionally stronger. Regardless if it is in fitness, writing, swimming, math, reading etc... We need to seek out and honor great education in any form. We need to demand it (not just in the formal classroom but everywhere) so this way the performers can just go on and do what they do best, which is "perform" and teachers can do what they do best, impart knowledge and wisdom and "educate".

Until next Sunday...Ciao and I hope you learn something new today from someone...you never know who may teach you something wonderful.