It’s All the Rage

So apparently there is a rooster shortage starting due to our need to make fashion statements. Rooster feather extensions, worn by Kesha, Steven Tyler, and Miley Cyrus, are getting quite popular among those who want to stay “in fashion”.

These roosters are being bred for their saddle feathers, and the rooster is allowed to live till these feathers reach desired lengths (and then they are sadly euthanized).

At Whiting Farms Inc., in western Colorado, one of the world’s largest producers of fly tying feathers, the roosters live about a year while their saddle feathers — the ones on the bird’s backside and the most popular for hair extensions — grow as long as possible. Then the animal is euthanized.

As hair extensions, the feathers can be brushed, blow dried, straightened and curled once they are snapped into place. Most salons sell the feather strands for $5 to $10 a piece. The trend has become so popular a company online even sells feather extensions for dogs.

The craze has also left hairstylists scrambling to find rooster saddle feathers, as fly shops hold onto a select few for their regular customers. The businesses will now ask if the feathers are for hairdressing, said Shelley Ambroz, who owns MiraBella Salon and Spa in Boise.

“If you go in and you’re a woman, they won’t sell to you,” said Ambroz, who started to eye her husband’s fly-fishing gear after stores ran out.

Spread the word to stop the craze! I love my feather earrings as much as the next person, and you need to be careful where you source those as well. Check out etsy stores such as BelleEpoch who use molt collected feathers as to not harm any birds.

I’m going on vacation for awhile and working on a certain upcoming project so I won’t be blogging very much this summer. Take care and much love xo

Stace

You Can’t Please Everybody

Ever realize that when you make a change for yourself the people that are most resistant are those you are close too?

I recently went out to dinner with family friends to a place where I was allergic to most things on the menu. Given, I choose not to eat meat or seafood but the choice isn’t mine when it comes to gluten, dairy, or soy. So yes, in part I do bring much difficulty on myself.

However I don’t understand why people need to snicker and roll their eyes when you are actively trying to make it work at a place with limited options, especially when you are not complaining about the situation in any way.

Which brings me to the title of my post: You can’t please everybody. Whether it be your intention to become a better person, lose weight, or just eat healthier, many people are going to see these as “threats” to them and their comfort zone. However we just need to realize that it is their fear and their discomfort. When our intentions are things that will lead us to being happier and feeling more whole than we shouldn’t let it get us down. But, I will be first to admit, it is an easy thing to do.

My health journey has been a long one (still going); where I was a year ago can’t hold a candle to where I am now. It is very easy for others to judge and not understand the repercussions of cheating with foods, or get why I rule my body with “an iron fist” when it comes to not eating scrumptious rolls and cookies. But if only they knew that I never thought I could feel as good as I do now back when I was knee-deep in pizza and being the “fun” eater. I’ve made many changes that have brought me personal joy and I know I need to remember to let it all roll off my back.

Much love,

S

Healthy Foods to Fuel an Awesome Yoga Practice: MindBodyGreen

Below is my new article for MindBodyGreen (Part Two). I hope you enjoy!

Besides your state of mind, the number one thing that can affect your yoga practice is inner inflammation. Our bodies send out many signals when it is in an inflamed state, which could be anything from joint aches, nasal congestion and asthma, to rheumatoid arthritis, bunions, and digestive issues. Unfortunately many of us have certain degrees of inflammation in our body, and we are also the ones responsible for pulling ourselves out of it.

2 Ways Inflammation Can Occur In Your Body:

1. You are eating foods your body is having a hard time digesting.
Food allergies and sensitivities can show up in a variety of ways, from a runny nose and sinusitis, depression/mood swings, joint aches and pains, to the most obvious: digestive issues. If there are foods you think you may have a bad reaction to, don’t think having Pepto-Bismol and calling it a night will be okay (after all, a runny nose never hurt anyone right?) Ignoring those warning signs will result in a lot of damage to your gut in the long run, resulting in poor absorption of nutrients, as well as causing many other health problems.

2. You are in an acidic state. 
Your body will be in an acidic state if you consume too many of the acid forming foods (animal products, soda, alcohol, grains) and not enough of the alkalizing sort (green leafy veggies, most fruits).

WHAT TO EAT

Dark Leafy Greens
Yoga Type: Essential for all, and for proper breathing
*best as smoothies or juices
Dark leafy greens are incredibly cleansing and will help with flushing out acidity in your body, promoting flexibility. They are also extremely good aids for those who are suffering from cravings (maybe you are trying to eat less meat, or forgo your beloved French rolls). More cravings? More greens!

Chlorophyll, aka “plant blood”, helps to increase red blood cell production, resulting in our cells receiving more oxygen – great for deeper breathing.

Tip: If you don’t have a juicer/blender and are on a budget, try using liquid chlorophyll drops (from a health food store) in your water. These don’t replace (nor are as good as) fresh juices, but they can help in alkalinizing your body.

Flax, Chia, Hemp – The Omega 3s
Yoga Type: All, particularly Yin Yoga
For promoting a flexible body and mind, it is essential to feed your cells with high quality sources of Omega 3s. The fat you consume becomes part of your cell membranes, and to increase flexibility, fluidity, and decrease inflammation, you want them unadulterated (and non-trans). Good sources are raw soaked nuts and seeds. Soaking them makes them much easier to digest, especially for an already struggling digestive system. If you use an oil source, take it with foods rich in antioxidants (or an antioxidant supplement), as Omega 3 oils oxidize rapidly upon exposure to air. The antioxidants will help to prevent this from occurring.

Tip: Don’t buy store bought roasted nuts, as the oils they coat them in (and the fragile fats in the nuts themselves) go rancid through the roasting process.

Water and Electrolyte Rich
Yoga Type: Bikram, Hot, Moksha
Not only are you sweating out toxins during Hot yoga, but you’re also expelling the major electrolytes (mainly sodium and potassium) that your body uses to send electrical impulses throughout the body. The right balance of these is important in maintaining muscle action, so this is something you don’t want to lose mid pose! Don’t resort to Gatorade, use natural foods such as coconut water, bananas, avocados, celery, cucumber, sea weeds, and kale. If you know you will be sweating heavily bring coconut water to class to sip on, and make a green juice after a workout to replenish your electrolyte stores.

Vitamin A Foods
Yoga Type: All, proper breathing and Pranayama breathing
Sweet potatoes, carrots, red cabbage, kale – all of these veggies are very high in the antioxidant Vitamin A. Vitamin A nourishes and soothes our mucosal membranes that line the gut and lungs.

The Other Antioxidants (Vitamins C and E, Selenium, and Zinc)
Yoga type: All
Antioxidants protect your body from free radical damage, and are excellent fighters of inflammation. Foods loaded with Vitamin C and Zinc are particularly good for healing the gut lining when having digestion and nutrient absorption issues.

Tip: Avoid oranges, as they can be pro-inflammatory.
Vitamin C: Kiwis, berries, lemons and grapefruit (if you aren’t sensitive to citrus).
Vitamin E: Soaked nuts (almonds)
Zinc: Hemp seeds, cucumbers, pumpkin seeds
Selenium: One or two brazil nuts a day is all you need.

FOODS TO REDUCE OR AVOID

Dairy
If you notice nasal/lung congestion, runny nose, and/or a need to chronically clear your throat, it is wise to reduce your dairy consumption. It is highly mucous forming and is usually the cause of those symptoms. It can take several weeks after removing dairy from your diet for these symptoms to go away, so stick with it!

Meat
Very acid forming and pro-inflammatory.

Sodas and Coffee
These are burdening to the body, are highly acidic, and interrupt with healing and detox.

Practicing yoga will help you get more in tune with yourself and will help you notice any signs or symptoms when something is not right. It is your job to follow those gut instincts for optimal health!

Is Food Affecting Your Yoga? MindBodyGreen

Hello! I wanted to share my next two articles that I wrote for the healthy living website, MindBodyGreen on my blog today. Since the second part hasn’t been launched yet (should be up within the next two days) I can’t post that just yet. So here is a personal story of mine, detailing how my struggles with food affected my life and my experiences with yoga in the past.

My 13-year-old self came to yoga to be transported to another world, where the worries of this one faded away. Yeah, right.

Yoga, for me, was always unattainable but something I longed to be a part of. Images of kindhearted people with a serene calm filled my head and I wanted to be one. I was sick with digestive pain all of my life, and I consistently felt defeated every time I hit the mat. I couldn’t bend in the most beginner poses and my mind wouldn’t quiet. When practicing you should be in the state of mind where everyone disappears and it’s just you, your breath, your limbs; but that was a grasp too far out of reach for me. I was impatient, I was jittery, I was stiff. I couldn’t breathe with my poses, my nose was always stuffy, and my lungs were asthmatic. Eventually the mat I bought with my allowance ended up collecting dust in the back of my closet, along with all the promise it held for me.

Now weights were something I could do. Fast, hard movements, quick and strained breaths, these were fitting for my competitive spirit and borderline hyperactivity. Yoga still remained the epitome of graceful and quiet strength, but I simply wrote it off as “not for me”. After all, I was clumsy, awkward, and had bunion feet!

My yoga mat remained in the corner for the next few years, till I felt the itch to try it again. I had recently requested a test for Celiac disease from my doctor, but was declined, as I “would be a lot sicker if I did have it” (which I later found out isn’t actually true). Well it seems the universe heard that statement loud and clear because within two years I wasn’t digesting my food, I was living off of Tums, and there were times I would simply not eat just to avoid the pain. I tried self-practice once again, with a dream in my head of healing myself if I could just heal my mind. I wanted so badly to be someone that my body and my “food burdens” just wouldn’t let me achieve. Intestinal pains grab you back to earth with a resounding thud, no matter how much you try to transcend.

I finally realized I had enough, and took gluten and dairy out of my diet. A month later I again tried this “yoga” that seemed to come so easily to others. But this time I realized something had changed. The moodiness, depression, and anger I always had started to recede and a clearer, quieter mind came through. Since I stopped eating foods my body couldn’t digest, the inflammation I had all throughout my body calmed and I was more flexible, healed a lot faster, and could be still. I was able to finally breathe with my poses, not struggle for air.

While I still completely believe that the state of your mind and what you are ready for have an influence on what poses your body can achieve, I also know from my experience that inner inflammation has a large effect as well. It just so happens that many of the foods that are our favorites tend to be the ones that make us sick. Why? When you eat a food that makes your body ill, it releases endorphins (feel good hormones) to neutralize and offset the uncomfortable symptoms. Thus you equate this “high and happy” feeling with the food, producing an addiction.

If you find yourself hitting a wall in your practice, don’t always think the answer just lies in the confines of your mind. Try changing up your diet, or a cleanse, because food really does have almost everything to do with it.

And as for bunions, thanks to yoga and anti-inflammatory eating I no longer have that issue!

Part 2 will be discussing the foods to eat and the ones to avoid for getting the most out of your yoga practice. 

FDA New Sunscreen Rules: Is it a step in the right direction?

The FDA has released their new rules for sunscreens. Check these out below (courtesy of Web MD):

• The claim “broad spectrum” will appear only on sunscreens tested for a minimum standard of UVA protection.
• All sunscreens will carry their SPF rating. On products without the broad-spectrum claim, SPF will rate only UVB protection. On broad-spectrum sunscreens, higher SPF numbers mean more protection against UVB as well as more protection against UVA.
• Sunscreens that claim to be water resistant must show how long they last after a person has been swimming or sweating: 40 minutes or 80 minutes.  Sunscreens that are not water resistant will have to say so in the “fact box” on the side or back of the package.
• As do other over-the-counter drugs, sunscreens will now have a fact box listing warnings and other important information in an easy-to-find location.

I guess I was reaching for a falling star when I had a glimmer of hope that it would include a regulation on the scary ingredients they use. It does seem the last point, that they must include a list of warnings, is a possible step in a more natural direction. Here’s hoping!

I used to be obsessed with sunscreen. Going out for ten minutes? Slather it on! Even longer? Bring it with my for reapplications!! I thought that was the key to being wrinkle free, after all.

Sunscreens are quite the chemical slop. Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octinoxate – wait a second is this high school chem? They also contain parabens, which in lab tests have been shown to produce free radicals (big skin agers) when exposed to light. In fact, all this chemical gar-baaage will do the same.

3 Tips for Healthy Sun Protection

• When you shop for your sunscreen, come armed with a list from the Environmental Working Group on the least toxic. Check the active ingredients for zinc oxide and hopefully nothing else.
• Respect the sun. Don’t worship it and don’t hide away in fear, as we need it. Rickets, osteoporosis, depression, disease – all these have been linked to a lack of the big D (Vitamin D, that is).
• Don’t wear sunscreen too often or every time you are outside. Something I wish I knew when I was a teen girl and my bones were developing, as Vitamin D (which we source from the sun) is incredibly important to bone growth.

Happy (and careful) sun worshipping!

S

Two Easy Ways to Support Digestion

Digestive issues (gas, bloating, discomfort) arise because we haven’t broken down our food enough. Here are two quick tips that are affordable and we can all implement right now!

1. Chew! And chew, and chew, and chew…
They say if we all chewed our food properly, 90% of all food intolerances/allergies would be eradicated. However we never take the time to practice mindful eating and like to get everything “over with”, or we like the food so much we can’t stop! Chewing your food properly will help to pulverize it into more easy to digest pieces, lightening the load placed on your body and it’s organs. This frees up energy for it to focus on repairing muscles, cells, etc as it doesn’t need to focus as much on digestion.

2. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
First make sure it is raw (unpasteurized), and that it is from a good source. Raw ACV is alkaline forming in our bodies, but will help to stoke the digestive fires in our stomach. Many of us have low levels of stomach acid today due to medications, Tums, or improper chewing and digestion. Use ACV in your salads dressings during the day, take a spoonful before the meal (in raw honey or apple juice if you find it unpalatable like most).

Much love!

S

Utiliza la misma taza, por favor

All-inclusives are great ways to completely unwind. You pay upfront, and everything is taken care of (drinks, food – what more could you want). However the carbon footprint on these little pieces of paradise is high. From the continuous banquets of food, drinks used in throw-away plastic cups – these all add up.

I know, I know, it’s so beautiful! Who would stop going??

Well there is one thing we can all change. Stop using so many of those plastic cups! But before you think I’m crazy and telling you to stop drinking, I’m not :). Bring your own large containers and hand them to the bartenders to make your drinks in. I tried this with the plastic cup they gave me, but they barely ever understood me when I asked (or they just thought I was crazy and ignored me). That’s why you should remember this phrase, “Utiliza la misma taza por favor” aka Please use the same cup!

Drink to your hearts content, just don’t let the respect for Mama Earth go out the window. I know it is summer so many people won’t be going away on all-inclusive vacays (except those taking advantage of the cheap deals), but this is something we can all practice even at home. Summer is ripe with barbecues and beach parties, so try to be conscious of your litter. Take care!

S

3 Reasons to Buy Your Honey Local

My friend Diane brought me along to a farmers market last week to meet her “honey guy” and I was introduced to an awesome beekeeper who keeps a series of hives throughout the GTA. I was so excited when I saw he had honey produced from hives on surrounding University of Toronto campuses near where I live. He holds the utmost respect for the bees, even paints their hives in beautiful colours for them, and declines (unlike most beekeepers) to give them sugar water in winter for sustenance, letting them feast off their own honey like nature intended (even if it puts a dent in his pocketbook). Check out his hives below:

Why is it important to buy your honey local?

Allergies
There really isn’t any scientific evidence yet to promote the theory that eating local honey can act as an immune “booster” with seasonal allergies, but there are several theories that make sense (and plenty of testimonies). Since small amounts of these plants that you are reacting to are present in the honey, ingesting it is thought to increase your tolerance.

The idea behind eating honey is kind of like gradually vaccinating the body against allergens, a process called immunotherapy. Honey contains a variety of the same pollen spores that give allergy sufferers so much trouble when flowers and grasses are in bloom. Introducing these spores into the body in small amounts by eating honey should make the body accustomed to their presence and decrease the chance an immune system response like the release of histamine will occur. Since the concentration of pollen spores found in honey is low — compared to, say, sniffing a flower directly — then the production of antibodies shouldn’t trigger symptoms similar to an allergic reaction. Ideally, the honey-eater won’t have any reaction at all.

How Stuff Works

Less Carbon Foot Print
You reduce shipping costs, and support other local businesses with more humane practices. Your dollar is your vote, and you should use it for something meaningful!

You Know Where it Came From
There is a fascinating little article on About.com addressing the “honey laundering business” in which these launderers ship contaminated honey from China to the U.S using intermediaries to falsify documents.

Barrels of honey travel from China to one of several other countries, where they are relabeled and reshipped to the U.S., to be distributed by packing companies unaware of the scheme. In some cases, the Chinese honey is diluted with corn syrup or sugar water, and the consumer may not even realize she’s being ripped off. Of greater concern is the likelihood of contamination by antibiotics or pesticides.

About.com, Debbie Hadley

For better health for yourself and the planet, and out of respect for the bees (which you may have sadly heard seem to be decreasing in population in recent years), try sourcing out your honey locally. One great way to remember we are all connected is sharing a smile with the person who is producing your food!

Have a great day 🙂

S

A Walk in the Woods

It was a really nice afternoon so I decided to go out and explore the ravine near where I live. The mosquitoes were out in full force (and left a few battle scars), but I was determined to go out and get some rays. I found an off the track path (been seeing lots of those lately) and was greeted by a less than happy sight:

I was dumbfounded by the fact that many of us cannot seem to respect this world! I know it shouldn’t be a surprise, but it is always a disappointment. I find that teens are usually the biggest culprits in producing litter (which should really be equated with “laziness”). They get together for parties in ravines and hidden forest areas (less likely for cops to be on the lookout), and then leave their empty bottles and cans behind. It’s sad that the archaeologists of the future will be finding cigarette butts and corona bottle caps as remnants of our generations.

So what can we do?

1. If you are a parent, try to instill a respect for the environment in your children.
Have them see you taking care of our earth, recycling, picking trash up every once in awhile. Encourage them to do the same.

2. If you smoke, don’t leave your cigarettes on the ground.
Use the garbages for them please! Or better yet, try one of these: Stick Your Butts Out! Personal Ashtray
Cigarettes take a very long time to decompose, and leave behind hazardous chemicals in our soil and our air. For your health and the health of our planet, consider cutting back :).

3. Reduce!
More important than recycling is reducing your waste. Buy foods, dish soap and other household products in bulk.

4. Enjoy your summer drinks outdoors – just clean up!
There is no reason that empty bottles can’t be brought back. After all, they were carried all the way there right?

5. And if you are feeling EXTRA environmental… bring a glove and a garbage bag with you on a walk and help to clean up some waste!

Enjoy this great summer night outdoors!

My new article for MindBodyGreen is also out. Conscientious Carnivores: 5 Reasons to Fight the Factory!

Product Love

When I first got into healthy living, it started through realizing what I put onto my skin is absorbed into it (although I still ate lousy food without abandon). One thing I could never find a replacement for was my antiperspirant.

Antiperspirants and less natural deodorants usually contain such suspect ingredients as aluminum and propylene glycol (aka antifreeze). Aluminum build up in the body has been linked to the possible development of Alzheimer’s, so trust me you don’t want to be applying this to your body! Not to mention sweating is an incredibly important method of detox. I realized I HAD to get comfortable with the idea of sweating, and now I have. In fact, I can now say I actually enjoy a good sweat, knowing the positive impact it is having on my body.

Now I’ve finally found a natural deodorant that I completely rely on and I think is fabulous. I’ve tried everything, from making my own baking soda style (can you say crazy rash?!), to other well known companies like Jason and Terra Naturals.

The ingredients are, get this: Sodium Chloride, Calcium, Magnesium, Essential oil
Only 4 ingredients! It gets rid of any offending smells quickly and lasts a really long time.

Through opting for less toxic forms of smell/sweat control, I can now say I actually sweat a lot less. Not only that, but I always smell much better naturally than I did when I was plugging myself up.

Check out the website for more: Dr Mist. Enjoy!

And remember, sweating really isn’t as icky as we think it is! Letting all those toxins recirculate in our bodies is.