Valerie Reiss: March 2009 Archives

Again? It was spinach, then peanuts, and now pistachios. After a batch of trail mix tested postive for salmonella, about a million pounds of the apparent pistachio culprit were recalled from stores. And consumers are now on "pistachio watch." According to a CBS news article, "Right now, the FDA is advising Americans not to eat pistachios but not to throw away their pistachios either. Basically, people should hold on to their pistachios until the FDA knows more about which products are affected." Sigh. This is a serious issue. But pistachios? Extra sad--they are so yummy.

What is up with our food supply? It's a question lots of people are discussing these days--how factory farming and other issues are contributing to these kinds of problems. Sort of makes you want to grow a veggie garden just like the White House is doing--though maybe with some nut trees too.

Here's an interesting article on food contamination by Michael Pollan.

What do you make of these recent food recall events? Do you think there's a bigger problem or just better and more testing?  

May we present... the Fresh Living survey. Inspired by our eco friends at the Tiny Choices blog, we created a survey for our readers to take. The idea is that we can all share how we manage (or try) to live a healthy life despite being pulled by the demands of everyday life.

So here's how it works: Please take a look at the survey below--fill it out and send it to freshlivingblog AT gmail DOT com (the usual email configuration, just trying to throw off the spammers). Then we will try and post it to the blog, as space allows. Thanks so much--we're excited to hear from you!

Fresh Living Survey Questions:

Vital statistics (name, age, location, link to website/blog if you have one)?

Do you have a general life philosophy that helps you balance your life and spirit? What is it?

What kinds of activities do you do to stay in that balance?

What are some of your favorite "power foods" for health and vitality?

What's the one vice or habit you'd like to change to Live Fresher?

What's the best piece of advice or wisdom you've ever gotten regarding living a balanced, juicy life? Who gave it to you?

What's your favorite kind of tea?

Tell us about a thing you do/eat/buy to stay healthier and feeling more alive that people question you the most about.

Do you get massages and/or other bodywork? How often?

What's the kookiest thing you've ever done for your health?

Do you try to buy products that have fewer potential toxins in them like parabens, sulfates, etc.? Faves to share?

What's a piece of advice you find yourself giving people again and again?

Which books, poems, or quotes most inspire you?

You may have already seen this, but I just caught up with the rest of the wired world over the weekend. Neuroscientist Jill Bolte Taylor talks about how her stroke allowed her to glimpse a way of seeing that is much kinder and more expansive than our left-brain thinking usually allows. Truly powerful and deeply inspiring

"The season of failure is the best time for sowing the seeds of success."

- Paramahansa Yogananda

For more prosperity affirmations, check out Victoria Moran's inspiring blog.

All I can say is oy. This is really sad. Yesterday the U.S. Catholic Bishops came out against Reiki as a healing modality. They call the ancient Japanese Buddhist practice "superstitious" and without scientific merit. Unfortunately this means a lot of people will not benefit from the hands-on, calming, energy-clearing method.

I've had so many wonderful sessions of gentle Reiki, which often feels like a very relaxing, aligning near-nap. And the method was starting to filter into hospitals and healing centers. Here's hoping this pronouncement doesn't change that.

Here's the full text of the Bishops' decision against Reiki.

What's Reiki, you say? Here's our Reiki 101 information sheet.

And here's more on many different kinds of energy healing.