Category Archives: Health

Put a beehive on your roof!

Posted on May 10, 2013 | Leave a comment

beeRecently, Portland-based grocer New Seasons Market introduced colonies of honeybee hives on the roof of its Happy Valley store.  Aware of the honeybee’s plight and decrease in populations, New Seasons Market wanted to be part of the solution by raising bees and educating customers. This team of 50,000 bee workers forage for nectar and pollen, and produce honey, which will eventually be available in stores.

This project is a team effort: The hives were donated by New Seasons Market’s longtime partner Continue reading →

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Book: The Paleo Solution (The Original Human Diet), by Robb Wolf

Posted on May 3, 2013 | 2 comments

The Paleo SolutionA fun little romp through human history, this diet book explains what the human body needs to function optimally, and backs it up with archeology, science, chemistry, and more.  Robb Wolf is a research biochemist and athlete who wants to help people get and stay well (his own parents were sick a lot), so opened a gym focusing on how simple nutrition, exercise, and a few lifestyle changes can radically improve ones’ appearance, health, and longevity.

This is an entertaining book, but I was impressed most with the charts about what foods have the highest nutritional and fiber value (spoiler:  it’s not grains) Continue reading →

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Goumi: a pie-cherry juice substitute with health benefits

Posted on April 19, 2013 | 1 comment

GoumiNative to China, the Russian Far East, and Japan, Goumi is a very popular fruit, which is catching on in European and American gardens too.  Goumi (Elaeagnus multiflora) forms a medium size shrub about 6 feet tall, with attractive, silvery green foliage.  It’s flowers supposedly bloom in the middle to end of May, but mine are in full bloom in Portland Oregon in early to mid April. The juicy, scarlet-red fruit is speckled with silver and ripens elsewhere in July, In Portland in June.  The flavor is similar to pie cherries, and the fruit is about the size of a huckleberry or blueberry.  We usually just eat them fresh/raw or juice them.  They have a sweet/tart taste, with an interesting dry after taste.

The Goumi has been reported to be a nutraceutical- high in vitamin A and E, Continue reading →

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Shovels designed for short women

Posted on April 9, 2013 | Leave a comment

Wouldn’t it be great if shovels were easier to use for short people?  If you’re a short gardener, you know exactly what I mean – you’re out there with this long handle trying to weld the shovel and you can’t get a good angle or grip.  Well, one very innovative company thought to design shovels by a height so they are easier to use.  Gardeners Supply HERS™ Shovels are ergonomically designed to maximize women’s strengths and minimize strain, based on research into how women use tools differently than men. The extra-deep step has a non-slip tread to prevent slipping, letting you use your body weight and lower body strength to dig. The shaft and blade angle let you dig and carry soil efficiently. The large D-shaped handle lets you use multiple hand positions and grip the shovel easily with both hands   Shovels come in size small for those under 5′ 2″, medium for those between 5′ 2″ to 5′ 7″, and large if you are over 5′ 7″ tall.  What a great way to garden and not get as sore from all the shovel work. Plus, it might make it easier for other short people (like kids?) to help a bit more in the garden.  For more information, click here.

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Encouragement to start (or end) your day

Posted on April 4, 2013 | Leave a comment

sunsetLike mom giving you encouragement before you leave for work, or like a relaxing and calming voice of affirmation before you go to bed after a long day, enjoy listening to this 3 minute verbal encouragement by Jennifer Becker of the Conscious Product Center.

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Old fashioned shoe cobbler: quality service at an affordable price

Posted on March 28, 2013 | 3 comments

Hollywood Shoe RepairA few years back we found cute black cowboy boots for my teen daughter at a thrift shop.  They were in great shape except for the heels – which were trashed. We found an unassuming little cobbler shop nestled in a basement in our neighborhood. Hollywood Shoe Repair is owned and operated by Alex.  Not only was he kind and helpful, but his repair work was quality and reasonably priced.  He replaced the worn boot heels, but he went the extra mile and shined up the entire boots so they looked brand new!

Recently I was shoe shopping for waterproof walking/hiking shoes.  Although my Continue reading →

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Bay Tree: Evergreen edible tree

Posted on March 22, 2013 | Leave a comment

Bay treeOne of the fun goals for my little urban yard is to feature as many edible plants as possible.  I try to go for trees, bushes, and groundcovers that are also somewhat ornamental as well.

We were looking for an evergreen tree to block a backyard view, and discovered the Bay Tree.  You may be familiar with using Bay Leaves in cooking, but the tree itself is rather nice in it’s own right.  And yes, it is a tree, although it can be kept small by keeping it in a pot, or with regular pruning.  In fact, you could prune off the ‘extra’, dry it, and give it away as gifts to cooks, turn it into potpourri, or create a Laurel Wreath Of Victory for the athlete, poet, or high ranking official in your life.

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Take a class at a relationship school

Posted on March 21, 2013 | Leave a comment

SherWe go to primary school to learn basic skills to prepare ourselves for thinking and problem solving.  We go to college or learn a trade to prepare ourselves with tools to have a successful career.  But we go into relationships and marriage by the seat of our pants with no formal before-the-fact training.  Why not look to gain skills BEFORE we get into a relationship?  That’s what Sher Irelands A Beautiful Marriage classes are all about. Their mission is to educate couples in the art of relationship, so they can move into relationships and/or marriage with Continue reading →

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Wear jewels to get well: Therapeutic Gemstones

Posted on March 14, 2013 | Leave a comment

therapeutic gemstonesTaking vitamin and mineral supplements internally can give a body what it needs to stay healthy.  Patches that deliver small and slow amounts of medication via the skin can help heal as well (i.e. nicotine patches, hormone patches, sea-sick prevention patches). So it should be no surprise that science is (re)discovering a hybrid of the two – minerals you wear, in the form of Therapeutic Gemstones.

When my doctor prescribed Therapeutic Gemstones, the image of a woman draped in jewels lamenting “I have a headache – bring me the emeralds!” came to mind.   I looked into Continue reading →

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GMO labeling starting soon at Whole Foods

Posted on March 8, 2013 | 1 comment

People want to be in control of what they put on and into their bodies.  Now, Whole Foods Market supports consumer’s right to know by setting a five-year deadline for labeling GMOs.  We can each do our tiny part to keep our food stream safe and healthy and that makes a huge difference in and of itself.  But it also brings me joy when one of the biggest natural foods chains does its part. Read the whole story here.

And speaking of Whole Foods, my husband Chris Taylor is performing in his band HDuo at Whole Foods in our neighborhood as I write!  Whole Foods strives to be involved in their local neighborhoods, yet another better idea in creating community and fun.

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Water-producing billboard

Posted on March 7, 2013 | Leave a comment

The city of Lima Peru doesn’t get much rainfall, but they can get humidity as high as 98%.  The University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC) has partnered with advertising agency Mayo-Draft FCB to create a novel way for residents to not only get unpolluted drinking water (their local wells are often polluted), but also to show prospective students that they could make the world a better place by becoming an engineer. The billboard catches humidity in the air and turns it into filtered drinking water, and is capable of producing 96 liters (over 25 gallons) of water every day for the locals or travelers needing a drink.  This video outlines the project:

Thanks to Gizmag for this story.

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Posted in Health, Stewardship, Tech

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Free personality test and other tools for dream building

Posted on March 2, 2013 | Leave a comment

Went to a meet-up for intuitive-based-personalities this past Thursday, and it was GREAT! The talk was on practical tools for dream building using intellectual and spiritual platforms.  We also listened to a pre-recorded talk by Dr. Joe Dispenza discussing the science behind ones thoughts creating ones life.

The meet-up organizers Michael and Jennifer suggested a free personality test at Human Metrics that is similar to the Meyers-Briggs test. I’m an INFJ. If you’ve never taken this little quiz, it might help answer some questions for you, pinpoint your strengths, as well as help you not beat yourself up about what you perceive as your weaknesses.

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Yoga shoes exercise your feet while you relax

Posted on February 28, 2013 | 2 comments

toe sandlesHere’s my yoga shoes.  I wear them when I get out of the shower for half an hour or so to strengthen my feet.  You know in yoga class where the instructor always tells you to spread your toes so your weight is distributed better for balance?  These shoes help you do that.  And after you get used to the strange feeling, they feel great.

These are for around the house wear – you don’t want to wear them all day because your feet would probably get fatigued.  But used as part of a healthy body and strengthening/balance regime, they are a nice addition.

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Book: Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting

Posted on February 26, 2013 | Leave a comment


excuse meIn the book by Lynn Grabhorn Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting, Lynn talks of the astonishing power of feelings, and that the scientific rule “like attracts like” also takes place with our feelings. When our energy is happy and flowing, we attract happy things into our lives.  By getting excited and feeling joy, the happy vibration attracts other joy/opportunities – not only in your original inspiration, but in other areas of your life as well.

Problem is, “like attracts like” also works in the negative – where we tend to
live much of our adult lives – but we can change that.  Lynn Grabhorn spends the majority of the book explaining step by step how, and Continue reading →

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Cooking and medicinal herb: Sage

Posted on February 25, 2013 | Leave a comment

sage plant

This is our garden sage plant in February.  Granted, we’ve had a fairly mild winter in the Pacific Northwest, but this just goes to show that garden sage can provide edible herbs into the winter months during mild years even without protection from the elements.  If we do have a big freeze it will die back temporarily if it’s not covered, but always comes back when the temperature warms up.

To harvest, I cut off the ends and put them in the food dryer.  When they’re dry Continue reading →

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Craving contrast, not drama

Posted on February 23, 2013 | Leave a comment

We crave contrast in our earthly life…interpreted as drama, change, or ‘something new’.  We create drama in our lives so we’ll be able to have something exciting happening.  We choose reading material and fill our minds with news featuring obstacles to be overcome, unreturned love, raping of innocents, etc. when what we really are craving is simply contrast.

Nature provides contrast:  changing seasons, rain, snow, wind, hail, sun, a variety of clouds and their formations, sunsets, plants in various stages of growth.  People provide contrast in their looks, actions, and tastes.  It’s fun to people watch and enjoy the variety of hair colors, skin colors, clothing styles, Continue reading →

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New (ancient?) growing method drastically increasing crops

Posted on February 21, 2013 | Leave a comment

Low tech farming in India is far outpacing GMO and pesticide intensive farming. The super yields are from a growing method called System of Rice (or root) Intensification (SRI). This method has also dramatically increased yields of wheat, potatoes, sugar cane, yams, tomatoes, garlic, and many other crops, and is considered one of the most significant developments of the past 50 years for the world’s millions of small-scale farmers and the two billion people who depend on them.

Nobel prize-winning economist Jospeh Stilglitz visited the area in India using this system and was amazed, saying “If any scientist or a company came up with a technology that almost guaranteed a 50% increase in yields at no extra cost Continue reading →

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What stories are you paying attention to?

Posted on February 17, 2013 | Leave a comment

The stories we pay attention to are what form our ideas of what’s possible.  The stories we pay attention to help show us what choices we have.  Sarah van Gelder discusses in this short Tedx talk  “Solutions Journalism”, or “Appreciative Journalism”:  news that focuses on what matters most, what’s possible now, and what’s working.

Check it out here:

 

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Book: You Can Buy Happiness (and It’s Cheap)

Posted on February 13, 2013 | Leave a comment

you can buy happinessA fun little romp by Tammy Strobel, You Can Buy Happiness (and It’s Cheap) is a story of how one woman radically simplified her life and how you can too.  Tammy began (like many of us) by working and commuting long hours, living on credit, shopping for clothes during lunch break, and coveting a big diamond wedding ring.  She and her husband had the car, the nice apartment, an over abundance of things…but she was also in debt, didn’t have time, and felt empty.

Part memoir, part economic research, part spiritual mentor, part humor, Continue reading →

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If you’re feeling deprived, give something away

Posted on February 4, 2013 | 4 comments

Occasionally I feel deprived.  Maybe I don’t have the money to buy that new dress or I can’t have a piece of cake.  One of my best cures for feeling deprived is to take inventory of what I’ve got, and to give away what I no longer need, i.e. share some of my ‘unused’ abundance.

For example, if you’ve got 4 coats (your trench, down parka, and running jacket that you actually wear…plus the fur coat your mother-in-law gave you that you’ve never worn and doesn’t even fit) then GIVE away the fur coat to someone who will appreciate it.  You can freecycle it, sell it at a consignment shop, or bring it to a Free Swap.  Selling it might make you a little money, but giving it away is uplifting and empowering spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.

When you find and give something away that you no longer need, you realize how much ABUNDANCE you have.  Something as simple as Continue reading →

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