Nanci

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Today I have a Pumpkin Smoothie Bowl recipe that offers you a wonderful option for anytime of year. It’s rich, sweet, creamy, and satisfying. Enjoy this Pumpkin Bowl for breakfast, lunch, a snack, or dessert. You could even have it for a satisfying but light dinner.

A fun way to prepare these bowls for multiple people is to make as many servings of the main smoothie mixture as you need, then offer a selection of toppings for friends and family to create their own personalized flavor explosion. This recipe used pecans, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, blueberries and dried cranberries. Other wonderful options are raspberries, strawberries, banana, apple, pear, coconut, brazil nuts, raisins, dates, and dried figs. The possibilities are endless and they’re fun to put together!

 

Pumpkin Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients:

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 large banana

1/2 – 1 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon raw honey

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping ideas: blueberries, dried cranberries, raw pumpkin seeds, pecans, chia seeds, etc

 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Start with 1/2 cup of coconut milk and add more if you prefer a thinner consistency.

 

Pour into a bowl and add your toppings of choice. Fresh or dried fruits, seeds, nuts and coconut are great choices.

 

Enjoy!

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What could be better for your heart than living the sweet life? Not much. Studies show that a happy person with a positive attitude and a rich, rewarding life will have better heart health than someone with the opposite personality traits—even if the happy, positive person eats a poor diet or has some unhealthy lifestyle habits. Why? Because the happy person is continuously producing high levels of a gas called nitric oxide from her blood vessel walls—the uber neurotransmitter produced by everything from pleasurable thoughts to eating green vegetables. High nitric oxide levels, in turn, result not only in much better circulation, but also in high levels of serotonin and beta-endorphins—the feel good hormones that are so satisfying you won’t turn to sugar.

Sugar—whether in white foods, candy, or alcohol—acts like an opiate in the body. Eating foods that quickly turn to sugar quite literally medicates pain—both emotional and physical. But beware. Sugar is eight times more addictive than heroin in susceptible individuals. If you use sugar to boost your mood, to hold at bay feelings of longing or loneliness, or to improve your tolerance for physical pain, you’ll find yourself in a vicious cycle that makes it very difficult to stop eating sugar. This is not about willpower or your being “bad.” It’s about understanding the chemistry that fuels cravings and then doing something about it.

To recover from sugar addiction, you need alternative activities that raise your nitric oxide levels and thus “happy” neurotransmitter levels in your brain and body. Think about the last time you were madly and deeply in love. Were you craving sugar or other illicit means to boost your self-esteem? No. You felt high on life—emotionally full—and probably thought very little about food, unless it was to plan a romantic dinner.

Bad habits are hard to break. You have to replace the habits with something you enjoy even more. This keeps you from craving sugar or whatever other addiction is undermining your health. There are four activities that will help you break your sugar addiction, and if you ask me, these are much more enjoyable then even the gooiest chocolate brownie. They are sex, exercise, meditation, and engaging in regular, pleasurable activities.

• Sex. ‘Nough said! If you don’t have a partner, be your own partner! Set the stage for self-pleasuring starting with a luxuriating activity like stretching followed by a bubble bath, reading a steamy novel, or creating a sexy playlist.
• Exercise. Exercising 30-45 minutes a day, 4-5 days per week is not only great for your heart, studies show it can decrease depression by 50%. This can be as simple as taking a walk!
• Meditation. A stressful lifestyle in which you are working too hard, worrying too much, and sleeping too little results in high levels of the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine. And these stress hormones cause us to crave sugar and put on weight. Like exercise, meditation is an excellent way to lower stress hormones.
• Engaging in regular, pleasurable activities. Have lots of contact with humans or pets. Dancing, potluck suppers, celebrations, or going to the theater are some ideas. Or do something you’ve always wanted to do—and find a new social group to do it with. This is one of the best ways to increase nitric oxide levels.

One of the most pleasurable things I do is either go out to eat in a nice restaurant with good friends and family or cook with others here at home. Who you eat with and how you eat matters! Those who regularly sit down to eat dinner with others are far healthier than those who eat standing up or in the car. I know that I just don’t feel as satisfied when I eat alone—even if I eat the exact same food! And if the food isn’t particularly healthy, pray over it before eating it. It will help elevate the entire experience.

You have the power to create a sweet life—while also keeping your blood sugar stable. GET FULL OF THE JOY OF LIFE. Deliberately pursue healthy and sustainable pleasure, so you can savor the real sweet life!

p.s. If you’re not ready to give up sweets entirely—or if you’re someone who is satisfied with just one bite—here is a happy compromise: Eat sweets only with others—in celebration. Look at your calendar in advance. And choose the one day of the week or month when you can eat whatever you want. Savor sweets slowly, like you were dancing in the moonlight with a lover. Eat sensually and joyously. You will notice that you feel satisfied with far less food.

Blog by Dr. Christiane Northrup

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I get a lot of emails and facebook questions about the healthiest options for drinking water and best water filters. To be honest, this is something I’ve been researching in depth for years, and am only now writing about it since I’ve finally been able to try all of the options.

Finding the healthiest and most nutrient dense food options is extremely important, but to some degree, finding the best water options can be even more important! Some sources of water can contain hundreds of chemicals and many of these chemicals can be more easily absorbed from water than from food.

What’s In Your Water?

If you are drinking tap water, the answer to that question is 300+ chemicals and pollutants, according to research from the Environmental Working Group. Among these contaminants are:

• Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) such as pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals. These chemicals are found in most municipal water sources and even in well and other sources due to agricultural run-off and contamination. Research links certain VOCs to damage in the reproductive system, liver, kidneys and more.
• Heavy Metals like lead and mercury are found in some water sources and have been linked to any health problems.
• Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals are chemicals that may mimic or interfere with the normal hormones in the body and these chemicals are being found in increasing amounts in the water supply. From this testimony before a congressional committee on the issue: “Over the past fifty years, researchers observed increases in endocrine-sensitive health outcomes. Breast and prostatic cancer incidence increased between 1969 and 1986 ; there was a four-fold increase in ectopic pregnancies (development of the fertilized egg outside of the uterus) in the U.S. between 1970 and 1987 ; the incidence of cryptorchidism (undescended testicles) doubled in the U.K. between 1960 and the mid 1980s ; and there was an approximately 42% decrease in sperm count worldwide between 1940 and 1990 .” These chemicals are known to affect animals when they enter the water supply as well.
• Fluoride:  This is perhaps the most controversial of the contaminants in water (if something like water contaminants can be controversial!) because it is purposefully added to the water and there is much heated debate about the benefits/harm of this. Anyone who listened to the Heal Thy Mouth Summit is well aware of the potential dangers of Fluoride thanks to Dr. Kennedy, but the short is: If fluoride has any benefit, it would be directly to the teeth, as drinking the fluoride has not been statistically shown to increase oral health at all. Additionally, fluoride has been linked to thyroid problems and other disorders when consumed internally.

So what are the options for those of us not interested in drinking a chemical cocktail every time we are thirsty?

Bottled Water:

Bottled water has started falling out of favor lately and with good reason. Mark’s Daily Apple did an in-depth analysis of why, but bottled water is not a good option for several reasons:

• Chemicals from the plastic bottle itself can leech into the water
• In most cases, the water itself is no different than tap water
• Bottled water costs more in many cases that drinking tap water
• Water bottles are a major source of consumer waste each year!

Verdict: Not the best option on price, taste, or health so I skip it. That being said, having a bottle of water is very convenient, and there are some great sustainable options. Glass and steel water bottles are my personal favorites!

Pitcher Water Filters

Pitcher water filters like Brita use Granulated Activated Charcoal to remove some contaminants. They are less expensive than other filter options upfront, but require frequent filling (especially for large families) and cartridge replacement (making them more expensive in the long run). Since the carbon is not solid, it does not remove all toxins though these filters will improve taste.

Pitcher filters will reduce chlorine, but are not effective at removing VOCs, heavy metals, endocrine disruptors or fluoride. This category also includes faucet mount external filters, which use the same technology.

Verdict: Better than nothing, but doesn’t remove the worst offenders and is somewhat costly to use compared to other options.

Reverse Osmosis (RO)

Reverse Osmosis filtration uses a membrane which removes many contaminants from water. It is usually paired with a Granulated Activated Charcoal filter to remove chlorine and many mount under the sink and have a holding tank. The semipermeable membrane separates many contaminates (which usually have a larger particle size that water) from the water and rejects a large amount of water in the process.

The result is a waste of several gallons of water for every gallon filtered and many naturally occurring minerals (including calcium and magnesium) are also removed from the water. We used this type of filter for a long time but added trace minerals back in to the water to replace the ones that are filtered out. It does remove a large amount of contaminants but is not the best option, in my opinion.

Pros: Removes a large amount of contaminants. Many unites are stored under the sink and have a simple spigot over the counter for getting the water. Does reduce arsenic, asbestos and heavy metals. Does remove fluoride.

Cons: Wastes more water than it produces. Does not reduce VOCs or endocrine disruptors. Requires adequate water pressure to work so it is not usable if home water supply is cut off. Takes up to an hour to filter one gallon of water and filters need to be replaced regularly. Removes necessary minerals from the water.

Verdict: Certainly better than a lot of options out there and does remove fluoride, but not the best due to its waste of water and costly filters.

Distilled Water

The distillation process uses heat to cause the water to become steam. The steam rises and moves to a cooling chamber where it turns back into liquid, leaving behind many contaminants. This type of filtration reduces large particles like minerals and heavy metals but does not remove endocrine disruptors or VOCs since they vaporize at equal or lower temps that water and rise with the steam. It does effectively kill bacteria.

Pros: Removes a large amount of contaminants. Does reduce arsenic, asbestos and heavy metals. Does remove fluoride.

Cons: Does not reduce VOCs or endocrine disruptors. Home distillation systems are often large and expensive. Use a large amount of electricity and will not work in power outages. Removes necessary minerals from the water. Long term use can cause mineral deficiencies.

Verdict: Better than bottled water, but definitely not the best option out there, especially for home situations.

Solid Block Carbon Filters

Recognized by the EPA as the best option for removing chemicals like herbicides, pesticides and VOCs. Quality carbon block filters will remove chemicals, pesticides, bacteria, fluoride (with filter attachment), heavy metals, nitrate, nitrites and parasites. Most are gravity based and can safely transform any type of water into safe drinking water including rain water, pond water and even sea water (though these types of water will clog the filters much more quickly and are not ideal!) It will even filter water with food coloring to create clear water (yes, I tested it…)

This is the option that we use now and my only complaint is that it does take up counter space. The advantages are that it is gravity based and will work even without electricity or running water. While these types of units can be more pricey that pitcher filters or other filters up front, they seem to be the least expensive in the long run and require the fewest filter replacements (a big plus for me!). These types of filters also don’t remove naturally occurring minerals from the water, making it the best tasting filtered water option, in my opinion.

Using a filter calculator, I’ve determined that the specific system we use won’t need to be replaced for over 20 years with our current usage (though I’m guessing our usage will increase as the kids get older).

The most common type of this filter is the Berkey and it comes in many sizes for different uses. It can even be used camping to filter river water for drinking! (Tested this too and it saved one of my brother in-laws from Giardia when other members of his group got it while camping)

Pros: Filters VOCs, heavy metals, chlorine, fluoride, nitrates/ites, bacteria, parasites and other chemicals. Very inexpensive per gallon cost and infrequent filter replacement. Great tasting water. Doesn’t require electricity or water pressure to work. Portable options can even be used while traveling.

Cons: Does require counter space and does have to be manually filled (not a big deal for us, we just fill at night and we have plenty of water the next day). More expensive up front. Does not remove endocrine disruptors and there are some concerns with third party testing with some brands.

Verdict: A good option, especially in places where under-counter or permanent systems are not an option. We uses this one for years before our current system.

Under Counter Multi-Stage Filters:

After years of research and trying most of the options above at some point, we finally found and switched to an under-counter multi-stage water filter system that meets all of the criteria and exceeds them. I review the one we personally use in depth in this post, but in short, it filters water through a 14-stage process that utilizes most of the methods listed above, along with others like UV and adds minerals back in. During the filtration process, water goes through these stages:

Stage 1 – Five Micron Pre-Filter
Stage 2 – Internal Coconut Shell Carbon Filter (like Berkey)
Stage 3 – Reverse Osmosis Membrane (Purifier #1) (like regular RO but more efficient)
Stage 4 – Mixed Bed De-Ionization Purifier (Purifier #2)
Stage 5 – Mixed Bed De-Ionization Purifier (Purifier #3)
Stages 6 & 7 – Homeopathic Restructuring – Erasing Memory, Molecule Coherence
Stage 8 – Holding Tank – standard tank holds about 3 gallons of pure water. Other tanks are available.
Stage 9 – Ultraviolet Light – 14 Watt
Stage 10 – Reprogramming – Adding Natural Mineral Properties
Stages 11-12 – Far-Infrared Reprogramming
Stage 13 – Coconut Shell Carbon Post-Filtration
Stage 14 – Alka-Min (Alkalizing, Ionic Remineralization)

It removes fluoride, lead, chlorine, MTBE, chromium-6, nitrates, pesticides, pharmaceutical residues, water-borne illness and more.

We absolutely love this water filter and I’ve recommended it to my own family members.

Pros: Removes the widest range of contaminants. Very easy to use with no manual filling required. Spigot attaches near sink for easy use. Water tastes great.

Cons: Must be installed under the sink. We had to hire a plumber for this, though we probably could have figured it out ourselves, I was just reluctant to try.

Verdict: The best option I’ve found and the one we currently use.

Blog by Wellness Ma Ma

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The EVE Project Earthship in Taos (photo by Sarah Richter / Flickr)

It’s perhaps not surprising that a structure called “Earthship” has been around since the ’70s—and that, like similarly vintaged trends of Birkenstocks and juicing, they never quite died. They only faded away.

Earthships are designed to be entirely off-the-grid and self-sustaining, constructed from reclaimed and recycled materials and making use of natural resources. The term originates with architect Mike Reynolds, a pioneer of “radically sustainable living,” who coined it in 1971.  He designed his “Earthship Biotecture” house out of recycled materials in 1972, and he has been refining the concept ever since.

They tend to be horeshoe-shaped to maximize natural light, using windows and skylights with integrated shades to improve cross-ventilation and help regulate heat, and are often built underground where the temperature has less fluctuation. Many include a principal glass wall facing the equator to optimize solar exposure, thick external walls made of rammed-earth tires to regulate temperature, and internal walls constructed from a honeycomb of recycled cans. They also include intricate systems to collect, harvest, and purify water, with greywater for flushing and blackwater for compost, as well as wind turbines, deep-cycle batteries, and a new invention called a Power Organizing Module to convert stored wind and solar energy for AC use.

Although Reynolds has faced some significant legal and professional challenges, his designs continue to be embraced, and there are now Earthships all over the world, from Europe to Africa. Here are several fascinating examples.

 

Greater World Earthship Community, New Mexico

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One of the Earthship in the Greater World Community (photo by Biodiesel33 / Wikimedia)

A few miles west of Taos sits the 600-plus-acre Earthship Community, started by Mike Reynolds and Earthship Biotecture. There’s room in the community for 130 homes and 200 people, and each home sits on an acre or more of land.

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Phoenix: Another Greater World Earthship (photo by SMTB1963 / Flickr)

The community includes more than 300 acres of shared land, and is fully off the grid, using exclusively solar and wind power. Some of the homes, such as the Phoenix, can be rented out by the night. Greater World is very much a work in progress, with a projected 20-year plan to reach completion.

Brighton Earthship, U.K.

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Brighton Earthship (photo by Dominic Alves / Flickr)

Built in 2007 by Earthship Biotecture and the Low Carbon Trust, the Brighton Earthship, one of only two in the U.K., serves as a community center for agricultural and horticultural nonprofit consortium Stanmer Organics. The building is constructed from used tires, sustainably sourced wood, and adobe. It was designed to maximize passive solar gain, and features composting toilets, solar-heated water, a wind turbine, photo-voltaics, and many other green features. Brighton Permaculture Trust uses the Earthship as a venue for many of its classes.

Kinney Earthship, Alberta, Canada

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 Kinney Earthship (photo by Green Energy Futures / Flickr)

The 1,800-square-foot Kinney Earthship is the home of Dawn and Glen Kinney. More than 12,000 cans and 800 tires were used in its construction, which took place over one summer. Mike Reynolds was an advisor and helper on the project, bringing a dozen workers and thirty volunteers from New Mexico to help complete it, along with several of the couple’s six adult children. The Kinney Earthship generates all its own electricity, grows much of the family’s food, and recycles all greywater.

Earthship Fife, Scotland

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Earthship Fife Visitor Center (photo by Tom Parnell / Flickr)

Scotland’s first Earthship, built in 2004, is home to the nonprofit Sustainable Communities Initiative, which works with communities on social and environmental sustainability. SCI’s founder Paula Cowie wrote her dissertation on Earthships, then fundraised to hire Mike Reynolds and his crew to help her build it. Earthship Fife generates all its own electricity, has a rooftop rainwater-catching system, and treats all its sewage in contained planter beds. SCI also tried to spearhead the creation of a twelve-house Earthship community in Fife, but the proposal was rejected.

Casa Llanta, San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua

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Earthship in El Carizal (photo by Devin Poolman / Flickr)

Casa Llanta, or “tire house,” is the first Earthship in Nicaragua, built in 2009 by a group of ex-pat Californians. Earthships make sense in a rural area like San Juan Del Sur, where there is limited access to water, energy is extremely expensive, and long blackouts are a regular occurrence. Casa Llanta is built into the earth, making it adaptable to the country’s varying temperatures, and an extensive rainwater-catchment system stores excess water from the rainy season for use when things are dry. The Earthship builders worked with Nicaraguans in the community, sharing energy- and water-saving techniques that can be implemented to help local residents become more self-sustaining.

Project Aardskip, Orania, South Africa

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Project Aardskip (photo by Ludwig.everson / Wikimedia)

The small town of Orania is one of the most eco-focused in South Africa, making it a natural home for an Earthship. Project Aardskip was designed by Christiaan van Zyl, one of South Africa’s foremost sustainable architecture experts. Since the climate there is very hot, Aardskip is constructed from earthbags, insulated with wool, recycled polystyrene, and plastic soda bottles, and designed with overhung roofing, so as not to let in any sunlight between November and March. The building is still in development; when completed it will be the largest earthbag Earthship in the world. It will consist of a residence, a bed-and-breakfast, and an information and training center to teach other South Africans the principles of sustainable building design.

 

Written by Oriana Leckert of www.atlasobscura.com

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The traditional 9–5 workday is poorly structured for high productivity. Perhaps when most work was physical labor, but not in the knowledge working world we now live in.

Although this may be obvious based on people’s mediocre performance, addiction to stimulants, lack of engagement, and the fact that most people hate their jobs — now there’s loads of scientific evidence you can’t ignore.

The Myth of the 8 Hour Workday

The most productive countries in the world do not work 8 hours per day. Actually, the most productive countries have the shortest workdays.

People in countries like Luxembourg are working approximately 30 hours per week (approximately 6 hours per day, 5 days per week) and makingmore money on average than people working longer workweeks.

This is the average person in those countries. But what about the super-productive?

Although Gary Vaynerchuck claims to work 20 hours per day, many “highly successful” people I know work between 3–6 hours per day.

It also depends on what you’re really trying to accomplish in your life. Gary Vaynerchuck wants to own the New York Jets. He’s also fine, apparently, not spending much time with his family.

And that’s completely fine. He’s clear on his priorities.

However, you must also be clear on yours. If you’re like most people, you probably want to make a great income, doing work you love, that also provides lots of flexibility in your schedule.

If that’s your goal, this post is for you.

On average, I myself probably work between 3 and 5 hours per day. On days I have class, my workday is closer to 5 hours. On days I don’t have class, my workday is between 3–4 hours.

Quality Vs. Quantity

“Wherever you are, make sure you’re there.” — Dan Sullivan

If you’re like most people, your workday is a blend of low-velocity work mixed with continual distraction (e.g., social media and email).

Most people’s “working time” is not done at peak performance levels. When most people are working, they do so in a relaxed fashion. Makes sense, they have plenty of time to get it done.

However, when you are results-oriented, rather than “being busy,” you’re 100 percent on when you’re working and 100 percent off when you’re not. Why do anything half-way? If you’re going to work, you’re going to work.

To get the best results in your fitness, research has found that shorter but more intensive exercise is more effective than longer drawn-out exercise.

The concept is simple: Intensive activity followed by high quality rest and recovery.

Most of the growth actually comes during the recovery process. However, the only way to truly recover is by actually pushing yourself to exhaustion during the workout.

The same concept applies to work. The best work happens in short intensive spurts. By short, I’m talking 1–3 hours. But this must be “Deep Work,” with no distractions, just like an intensive workout is non-stop. Interestingly, your best work — which for most people is thinking — will actually happen while you’re away from your work, “recovering.”

In one study, only 16 percent of respondents reported getting creative insightwhile at work. Ideas generally came while the person was at home, in transportation, or during recreational activity. “The most creative ideas aren’t going to come while sitting in front of your monitor,” says Scott Birnbaum, a vice president of Samsung Semiconductor.

The reason for this is simple. When you’re working directly on a task, your mind is tightly focused on the problem at hand (i.e., direct reflection). Conversely, when you’re not working, your mind loosely wanders (i.e., indirect reflection).

While driving or doing some other form of recreation, the external stimuli in your environment (like the buildings or other landscapes around you) subconsciously prompt memories and other thoughts. Because your mind is wandering both contextually (on different subjects) and temporally between past, present, and future, your brain will make distant and distinct connections related to the problem you’re trying to solve (eureka!)

Creativity, after all, is making connections between different parts of the brain.

Case in point: when you’re working, be at work. When you’re not working, stop working. By taking your mind off work and actually recovering, you’ll get creative breakthroughs related to your work.

Your First Three Hours Will Make or Break You

According to psychologist Ron Friedman, the first three hours of your day are your most precious for maximized productivity.

“Typically, we have a window of about three hours where we’re really, really focused. We’re able to have some strong contributions in terms of planning, in terms of thinking, in terms of speaking well,” Friedman told Harvard Business Review.

This makes sense on several levels. Let’s start with sleep. Research confirms the brain, specifically the prefrontal cortex, is most active and readilycreative immediately following sleep. Your subconscious mind has been loosely mind-wandering while you slept, making contextual and temporal connections.

So, immediately following sleep, your mind is most readily active to do thoughtful work.

On a different level, the science of willpower and self-control confirm that your willpower — or energy levels — are strongest immediately following sleep. The longer you go throughout your day, the less willpower you have. In other words, you experience decision fatigue throughout your day.

So, your brain is most attuned first thing in the morning, and so are your energy levels. Consequently, the best time to do your best work is during the first three hours of your day.

I used to exercise first thing in the morning. Not anymore. I’ve found that exercising first thing in the morning actually sucks my energy, leaving me with less than I started.

Lately, I’ve been waking up at 5AM, driving to my school and walking to the library I work in. While walking from my car to the library, I drink a 250 calorie plant-based protein shake (approximately 30 grams of protein).

Donald Layman, professor emeritus of nutrition at the University of Illinois, recommends consuming at least 30 grams of protein for breakfast. Similarly, Tim Ferriss, in his book, The 4-Hour Body, also recommends 30 grams of protein 30 minutes after awaking.

Protein-rich foods keep you full longer than other foods because they take longer to leave the stomach. Also, protein keeps blood-sugar levels steady, which prevent spikes in hunger.

I get to the library and all set-up by around 5:30AM. I spend a few minutes in prayer and meditation, followed by a 5–10 minute session in my journal.

The purpose of this journal session is get clarity and focus for my day. I write down my big picture goals and my objectives for that particular day. I then write down anything that comes to my mind. Often, it relates to people I need to contact, or ideas related to a project I’m working on. I purposefully keep this journal session short and focused.

By 5:45, I’m set to work on whatever project I’m working on, whether that’s writing a book or an article, working on a research paper for my doctoral research, creating an online course, etc.

Starting work this early may seem crazy to you, but I’ve been shocked by how easy it is to work for 2–5 hours straight without distractions. My mind is laser at this time of day. And I don’t rely on any stimulants at all.

Between 9–11AM, my mind is ready for a break, so that’s when I do my workout. Research confirms that you workout better with food in your system. Consequently, my workouts are now a lot more productive and powerful than they were when I was exercising immediately following sleep.

After the workout, which is a great mental break, you should be fine to work a few more hours, if needed.

If your 3–5 hours before your workout were focused, you could probably be done for the day.

Protect Your Mornings

I understand that this schedule will not work for everyone. There are single-parents with kids who simply can’t do something like this.

We all need to work within the constraints of our unique contexts. However, if you work best in the morning, you gotta find a way to make it happen. This may require waking up a few extra hours earlier than you’re used to and taking a nap during the afternoon.

Or, it may require you to simply focus hardcore the moment you get to work. A common strategy for this is known as the “90–90–1” rule, where you spend the first 90 minutes of your workday on your #1 priority. I’m certain this isn’t checking your email or social media.

Whatever your situation, protect your mornings!

I’m blown away by how many people schedule things like meetings in the mornings. Nothing could be worse for peak performance and creativity.

Schedule all of your meetings for the afternoon, after lunch.

Don’t check your social media or email until after your 3 hours of deep work.Your morning time should be spent on output, not input.

If you don’t protect your mornings, a million different things will take up your time. Other people will only respect you as much as you respect yourself.

Protecting your mornings means you are literally unreachable during certain hours. Only in case of serious emergency can you be summoned from your focus-cave.

Mind-Body Connection

What you do outside work is just as significant for your work-productivity as what you do while you’re working.

Loads of research has found that people who regularly exercise are more productive at work. Your brain is, after all, part of your body. If your body is healthier, it makes sense that your brain would operate better.

If you want to operate at your highest level, you need to take a holistic approach to life. You are a system. When you change a part, you simultaneously change the whole. Improve one area of your life, all other areas improve in a virtuous cycle.

Consequently, the types of foods you eat, and when you eat them, determine your ability to focus at work. Your ability to sleep well (by the way, it’s easy to sleep well when you get up early and work hard) is also essential to peak-performance.

Not only that, but lots of science has found play to be extremely important for productivity and creativity.

Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play, has studied the “Play Histories” of over six thousand people and concludes playing can radically improve everything — from personal well-being to relationships to learning to an organization’s potential to innovate. As Greg McKeown explains, “Very successful people see play as essential for creativity.”

In his TED talk, Brown said, “Play leads to brain plasticity, adaptability, and creativity… Nothing fires up the brain like play.” There is a burgeoning body of literature highlighting the extensive cognitive and social benefits of play, including:

Cognitive

• Enhanced memory and focus
• Improved language learning skills
• Creative problem solving
• Improved mathematics skills
• Increased ability to self-regulate, an essential component of motivation and goal achievement

Social

• Cooperation
• Team work
• Conflict resolution
• Leadership skill development
• Control of impulses and aggressive behavior

Having a balanced-life is key to peak performance. In the Tao Te Ching, it explains that being too much yin or too much yang leads to extremes and being wasteful with your resources (like time). The goal is to be in the center, balanced.

Listen to Brain Music or Songs on Repeat

In her book, On Repeat: How Music Plays the Mind, psychologist Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis explains why listening to music on repeat improves focus. When you’re listening to a song on repeat, you tend to dissolve into the song, which blocks out mind wandering (let your mind wander while you’re away from work!).

WordPress founder, Matt Mullenweg, listens to one single song on repeat to get into flow. So do authors Ryan Holiday and Tim Ferriss, and many others.

Give it a try.

You can use this website to listen to YouTube video’s on repeat.

I generally listen to classical music or electronic music (like video game type music). Here’s a few that have worked for me:

• One Moment by Michael Nyman
• Make Love by Daft Punk
• Tearin’ it up by Gramatik
• Terra’s theme from Final Fantasy 3
• Club Soda by Ghostland Observatory
• Stop crying your heart out by Oasis
• Give up by Eligah Bossenbroek (so beautiful)
• Heart by Stars
• This cover of Ellie Goulding
• Fragile by Daft Punk
• My Girls by Animal Collective
• Rain by Blackmill
• The Morning Room by Helios
• Dive by Tycho (whole album) — (anything Tycho is good)
• Lick It by Kaskade & Skrillex (ICE Mix)
• Discipleship by Teen Daze (most of Teen Daze is good) — Also really loveMorning House
• Modern Driveway by Luke Abbott
• Zoinks by Session Victim

When in doubt, listen to Rocky Balboa theme!

Call To Action

If you liked this article, check out my free eBook, Slipstream Time Hacking.This book teaches you how to decide what you WANT and get it 10x FASTER than the average person.

Get the book at this link right now.

Have an amazing day!

–Benjamin P. Hardy

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Photo by canadaexplorers.com

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!

Three cheers for canadian-made maple syrup! It has reached superfood status, is rich in minerals and is the lower calorie option for natural sweetness. Here’s the lowdown:

Polyphenols
Scientists from the University of Rhode Island have discovered Canadian maple syrup may have similar health benefits of superfoods, like berries, tea, red wine and flax seeds.The researchers found 54 compounds in the sweet stuff, five unique to maple syrup and many of these compounds have antioxidant properties, which act as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents.

Quebecol: A polyphenol specific to maple
Among the five new compounds, one polyphenol is of particular interest, Quebecol, in honor of the province of Quebec, this compound is created during the process of boiling down maple sap into maple syrup. We do know that the sheer quantity and variety of identified compounds with documented health benefits qualifies maple syrup as a superfood Journal of Functional Foods.

Whole Food
Food that undergoes little to no processing provides greater health benefits. 100% pure maple syrup is a natural, non-refined product, which gives it an edge over other sweetening agents.

Lower calorie sweetener
Maple is considered the best sweetener compared to white sugar and honey as it contains the least calories. Maple syrup has 202 Calories per ¼ cup serving, where as corn syrup has 246, and honey 260.
Maple syrup, compared to refined sugars, is the easiest for our metabolism to digest. The natural sugar is produced during the growing season by photosynthesis and stored as starch in the inner bark. With the spring thaw, enzymes change this starch into sugar which mixes with water absorbed through the roots, imparting a slightly sweet taste.
Rich in Minerals

Maple syrup is rich in essential minerals: 1/4 cup maple syrup covers 100% of our daily needs of Manganese, an important mineral for bone formation that also acts as antioxidant. This same amount also contributes to 37% of our daily needs in Riboflavin, 18% in Zinc, 7% in Magnesium and 5% in Calcium and Potassium. Interestingly, No.3 Dark, or D Grade has the highest mineral content.

Article sourced from belandorganicfoods.com

Albert Einstein famously said: “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”

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In today’s fast-paced world of screens and schedules, we often miss the importance of reconnecting with nature and its many benefits. A few minutes in nature on a hike or even just sitting outside can be beneficial. Yet, the most pronounced benefits come from longer exposure to nature’s beauty, and camping is one of the best ways to get them.

Camping … for Health?

Camping may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of ways to improve your health, but perhaps it should!

The Benefits of Camping

Besides being a great budget-friendly family activity, going camping offers a unique way to reconnect with nature. Surprisingly, research has now found several proven benefits to this simple and fun activity:

1. Light Therapy for Circadian Rhythm

A 2013 study from the University of Colorado Boulder examined how camping affects circadian rhythm. They found that participants who camped for a week noticed major improvements in sleep patterns in circadian biology.

In fact, sleep researcher Dr. Michael Breus explains that camping for one week (away from artificial light) resets circadian clocks. More specifically, the study found that:

• The melatonin levels (of subjects of the study) rose two hours earlier when camping than on regular nights around artificial light.
• Study participants sleep schedules all normalized during the camping week. In fact, early birds and night owls all adjusted to the same schedule.

Major health problems (from heart disease to cancer) are often linked to poor sleep quality or lack of sleep. A simple activity like camping may help the body normalize sleep patterns and improve health.

2. Forest Bathing Stress Relief

The Japanese have a national practice called “Forest Bathing” or shinrin-yoku which has been a national public health practice for them since the 1980s. The Japanese have spent millions of dollars studying the effects of this time in nature with surprising findings:

• A weekend in the woods naturally increased the presence of natural killer (NK) cells in the body. This increase lasted for up to a month after a single weekend exposure to nature.
• Forest air contains phytoncide, a natural compound from plants and trees. Some research shows that inhaling phytoncide can improve immune system function.
• Another study found reduced cortisol, blood pressure, pulse, and other measures improved with just 30 minutes a day in nature. In fact, comparing metrics from a person spending a day in the city and a day in nature, it found: “Forest environments promote lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure, greater parasympathetic nerve activity, and lower sympathetic nerve activity than do city environments.”

3. Improved Sleep

As mentioned above, camping away from artificial light improves the circadian clock. Logically, it also improves sleep.

Sure, sleeping on the ground in a thin sleeping bag doesn’t sound like the perfect way to relax, but studies show that people achieve deeper and more restorative sleep in nature. One factor may be just that people are not staying up as late watching TV while camping. This alone improves sleep and increases melatonin production.

You may not be the most comfortable while camping, but you are likely getting biologically better sleep.

4. Time to Disconnect & Family Time

One of my personal favorite parts of camping is just the time to disconnect from technology and spend time with family. Sure, we all know we should put down the phone and spend more time with the real people we live with, but this can be hard to do when wrapped up in the business of daily life.

We got each of our children a good quality hiking backpack with their own gear (here’s a good list if you are interested) and they love going camping and getting a chance to use it all.

5. A Breath of Fresh Air

Another tangible benefit of camping is the abundance of fresh air. Experts warn that indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air. They encourage opening windows and ventilating our homes often. Spending time outdoors, especially overnight, is a great way to get the benefits of fresh air. Areas with a lot of trees have a higher oxygen concentration in the environment, and therefore it’s easier to breathe and relax.

6. Exercise in Natural Beauty

One of the best things about camping? The natural boredom. Without TVs, video games, and the many distractions of home, we naturally tend to want to walk around and explore. This naturally leads to exercise in a high oxygen, natural light environment that makes movement even more beneficial!

Tips for Camping

Ready to spend some time in the great outdoors? Here are a few tips to get the maximum benefits:

1. Ditch the artificial light: The studies all noted the biggest benefit from camping away from all artificial light, including flashlights. Stick to natural light sources like a campfire, candles, and natural lanterns to avoid the bright LED flashlights.
2. Cook natural foods: Don’t use camping as an excuse to eat marshmallows (unless they’re made like this, of course ? ) and other junk food. Campfires are wonderful for roasting natural foods like meat, vegetables, and even fruit. (My kids love roasted apples on the campfire.)
3. Stay for the long haul: The studies all showed the most benefits from three or more days of camping. Plan a week long family trip once a year and enjoy all of the benefits!
4. Get good gear: Few things are worse than being caught in a tent that leaks during a rainstorm. Invest in some good camping gear and it will last for years.

Ways to Get (Some) of the Benefits of  Camping While at Home

Despite all of the benefits, I know a few people who adamantly refuse to camp and even hate the idea of braving the great outdoors! If a team of wild horses couldn’t tear you away from the comforts of home, there are a few things you can do to get some of the benefits while at home.

• Reduce the artificial light: One of the biggest benefits to being outdoors is the break from artificial lighting. Even if you aren’t ready to sleep in the woods, you can still manipulate the blue light in your home for better health. We now have lamps with only natural orange spectrum light for at night and I also wear blue blocking orange glasses after dark to reduce blue light exposure.
• Clean the air: Another benefit to being outside is the abundance of fresh air. Keep your indoor air clean with these tips.
• Get enough sleep: Many of the benefits attributed to camping come from sleeping more! This is one health tip every expert seems to agree on, and a free one for the most part. Make sleep a priority and make time to get enough of it. Here are some tips to improve sleep.

  Blog by Wellness MaMa

• Blue water with bubbles

Many of us have heard about ozone in the news. Most of the stories are about ozone existing in the stratosphere and protecting the planet from excessive solar radiation, or ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.

We’ve also heard that air pollution (mainly chlorofluorocarbons or CFC’s) has caused deterioration of the ozone layer, which has contributed to climate change and a higher risk of ultraviolet radiation damage to living things on earth.

There has even been an increase in ozone warnings in the summer months, when ozone interacts with trapped pollution closer to the surface and breathing the mixture can cause negative health effects.

But unless you are a strong advocate of natural medicine, I bet you haven’t heard of ozone as an amazing medical cure.

The biochemistry of it gets a little complicated, but the bottom line is that our world is full of oxidizing chemicals, and even our own natural bodily processes can split molecular oxygen (O2) into single oxygen molecules that are very volatile.  The by-products of these chemical reactions are called free radicals, and when left unattended they can do a lot of damage to your cells.

This is why antioxidants in healthy fruits and vegetables are so important for good health. They donate electrons to free radicals to calm them down, and minimize the damage they can do.

Ozone (O3) works in a similar way because the extra oxygen molecule it contains is attracted to cell walls that are weakened by disease (viral, fungal, bacterial) and their collision actually destroys sick cells while leaving healthy cells alone.

While we have known for hundreds of years that oxygen kills both bacteria and viruses, recently some very brilliant MD’s developed a specific protocol using ozone in the body as an amazing medical cure without any damage to the healthy cells whatsoever.

Of course, ozone is not a patentable product since it exists in nature, so no drug company or major medical facility is interested in producing it. In fact, many of them have a vested interest in making sure that nobody knows about ozone’s use as a powerful medicine.

We know it works though, because it has been used to treat viruses ranging from Herpes Simplex to West Nile virus in the US, and European doctors have used it for decades. It also has many industrial uses as a chemical-free cleanser, deodorizer, antiviral, and anti-bacterial agent in areas ranging from water purification to automobile and hotel room sanitation.

Because ozone (O3) is a volatile compound, it must be manufactured and delivered very specifically to be effective. Luckily, there is an organization called the American Academy of Ozonotherapy that trains interested physicians in the protocol and how to deliver it.

Two of these trained M.D.’s, Dr. Robert Rowen and Dr. Howard Robins, were recently invited to Sierra Leone to use ozone therapy on Ebola patients.

Initially, they were welcomed with open arms by all authorities, and they trained over 100 medical personnel in the protocol. They were about to begin administering ozone therapy to the first 10 recently diagnosed Ebola patients, when suddenly the health ministry intervened and stopped all medical personnel in their tracks with threats of job loss if they continued with the treatment.

The protocol has no downside risks when administered properly, it is very inexpensive, and it is unpatentable. It may have been the answer to a terrifying viral contagion, but now there is no evidence either way.

Both doctors are being very careful not to say anything negative about the Sierra Leone government officials or their motivation for stopping the treatments, but it is suspiciously apparent that someone doesn’t want such an inexpensive natural cure competing with potential marketable “cures” right now.

Since there is at least one antiviral vaccine for Ebola in the works, and one antiviral drug in the pipeline, an inexpensive ozone cure could cost large drug companies a substantial loss of revenue. Plus, who knows how much money might be made if everyone in the world wanted the Ebola vaccine based on the currently advertised “deadliness” of an epidemic outbreak.

It is scary to think that our world is so motivated by monetary gain that innocent Ebola victims will die needlessly without effective treatment because someone wants to sell a vaccine or drug.

The sad reality is that many natural and effective cures have died the exact same death because monetary interests prevented them from gaining acceptance in the medical community.

I have personally used several different forms of oxygen therapy, and found each one to be exceptionally effective at curing disease naturally. It is such a shame that so many safe and natural cures are ignored, or worse labeled as quackery, when in reality they can be cost-effective lifesavers.

Let’s all hope that Dr.’s Rowen and Robins are invited back to Sierra Leone quickly to help the sick and dying there. And if you or someone you love experience any type of infection, consider consulting the American Academy of Ozone therapy for trained ozone therapy practitioners in your area for a safe and side effect free natural cure.

By Lisa Best

 

By Kate Good / onegreenplanet.org

Plastic is so ubiquitous that it can be found in or associated with nearly every tangible item in existence. Just think about how many different things you used today that either were plastic or came packaged in plastic, you’re guaranteed to come up with at least five. It’s no secret that we all have a rather sordid relationship with plastic: it’s incredibly convenient, but it’s equally wasteful.

In the U.S., we go through around 1,500 plastic water bottles every second, and it takes around 100 years for these bottles to break down.  While some people look to recycling as the solution for plastic waste, the reality is only nine percent of plastic in the U.S. ever reaches a recycling facility, and the rest ends up in landfills or more likely waterways and the ocean.

There are around 270,000 tons of plastic waste floating on the surface of the oceans; plastic bags and plastic microfibers and beads make up a vast majority of this waste. All of these products are petroleum-based, and it is estimated that 12 million barrels of oil are used annually just to produce plastic bags in the U.S. When plastic finally does break down, it releases a whole slew of toxic chemicals including BPA, styrene, phthalates, vinyl chloride and dioxin, all of which end up in our air and water, and can injure or poison wildlife.

A recent study found that fish exposed to water contaminated with the endocrine disrupting compounds found in most common plastics (notably BPA) are more likely to suffer from low reproductive rates and disorders. Fish are usually exposed to these compounds by ingesting microplastics which find their way into marine environmental via our household drains. These miniscule plastics are released from synthetic clothing in the form of fibers or come from exfoliating face washes and toothpastes. Microplastics are so small that they can pass through water treatment plants unchanged and make their way into the greater watershed. When fish ingest these plastics they absorb all of the toxic compounds which cause reproductive issues. Most troubling about this finding is that adverse reproduction effects can be passed on to future generations. The long-term impact on humans are yet unknown, but the prognosis doesn’t look good.

Considering the environmental and potential health impacts that our plastic addiction may have, it’s probably a good idea to start cutting plastic out of your life. Lucky for you, you’ve come to the right place! Cutting plastic doesn’t mean cutting convenience; just check out these easy life hacks:

1. Store Produce in Towels Instead of Plastic

Plastic containers are a major culprit for both environmental and health concerns. The good news is you can swap out plastic containers and bags with a clean dish towel or cloth and keep produce fresh and crispy. Zucchini, cucumber, parsnips, leeks, green beans, carrots all last longer when you wrap them in a damp towel and store in your crisper. For lettuce greens, use a dry cloth or towel, fold it like an envelope and then tie the ends together to make a nice cloth salad knot.

The Kitchn

 2. Make Your Own Toothpaste

When you swap to DIY toothpaste, you’re likely removing plastic from your life in two ways: the plastic tube and plastic microbeads used for “extra whitening.”All you need is a small mason jar, water, baking soda, coconut oil (optional) and peppermint essential oil. For recipe details, click here.

How to Make Natural Tooth Powder at Home

3. Use Coffee Grounds to Exfoliate

Most conventional exfoliating face and body washes are made with plastic microbeads. A single tube of face wash can contain up to 300,000 microbeads, all of which enter the watershed when they are washed down the drain, sadly, not great for marine life. You can ditch the tube of exfoliating wash and easily make your own DIY scrub using coffee grounds mixed with coconut oil or avocado.

Judit Klein/Flickr

4. Replace All Your Cleaning Supplies With One Natural Alternative

You can replace nearly every single cleaning spray, scrub or fluid in your home with white vinegar. Vinegar can be used to disinfect bathroom and kitchen surfaces, shine up mirrors and silverware, and even unclog drains. Add lemon and orange peels to the bottle to get a natural citrus scent.  If you buy white vinegar in bulk (go for a glass bottle), you can upcycle an old glass bottle and one of the spray tops from one of your old cleaners (rinse thoroughly), and make your own hand-held natural spray cleaner.

Livesimply.me

5. Use a Mason Jar With a Pour Top to Replace Plastic Condiment Bottles

How many different plastic bottles of condiments do you have in your fridge right now? Probably a ton. Instead, try making your own condiments and storing them in mason jars with special top attachments. For salad dressings, try tap-tops. You can also try metal pump tops for ketchup or mustard.

6. Swap Plastic Deodorizers for Essential Oils

Conventional perfumed room deodorizers not only come in plastic packaging, but they’re also filled with hidden toxins – yuck. Essential oils work just as well (if not better) than artificial perfumes, without any of the unwanted plastic or toxins. Just add a few drops of your favorite scent on the inside of the cardboard toilet paper roll for long lasting freshness in the bathroom. Or you can put a few drops mixed with water in a glass jar and add some natural wooden dowels to make a quick diffuser.

FreePeople

7. Use a Pressure Cooker to Avoid BPA-Lined Cans

Canned beans are a staple in any kitchen, plant-based or not. While you might think that tin cans are preferable over plastic packages or containers, most are actually lined with some form of plastic to keep the can from rusting; Bisphenol-A (BPA), a known endocrine disruptor, is commonly used. Instead, you can soak dried beans overnight and pop them in a pressure cooker for around 10 minutes and you’ve got plastic-free legumes! These can also be stored in glass jars and frozen so you always have some on hand.

How to Make Slow Cooker Spicy Pinto Beans

8. Skip the Plastic Produce and Bulk Item Bags

Chances are, you’ve already replaced plastic grocery bags with reusable ones, but most people don’t stop to think about the plastic bags they use for produce or bulk items. Before you hit the grocery store, think about what produce and bulk goods you’ll purchase and take along cloth bags or jars for these items. If you’re using jars, carry them in a wine holder to keep them from clanking all over the place. You can also find convenient reusable produce bags, here.

TheKitchn

9. Replace Detergents With Soap Nuts

Soap nuts a wonderful non-toxic, environmentally-friendly alternative to conventional laundry and dish detergent. These little nuts contain saponin, a natural detergent, that is released when they absorb water. One single soap nut can be used for 10 loads of laundry. You can even put three or four in a muslin bag and drop them in the utensil rack of your dishwasher to get sparkling clean dishes! Not only do soap nuts replace plastic detergent jugs, but they can also be composted when you’re done with them. Check out Eco Nuts to learn more.

Lisa Brewster/Flickr

10. Use Coconut Oil and Castille Soap to Replace Shampoo and Conditioner

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to put an end to the complicated, plastic-filled shampoo conditioner routines. Not only do these bottles create a ton of plastic waste, but conventional shampoos and conditioners also contain plastic resins, waxes and silicones. Instead, try preconditioning your hair with coconut oil and washing it out with Castille soap. Get ready for shiny, moisturized hair, without all the added plastics!