This story is in progress as of August 2, 2008.  I will be finishing th story this week.

Do you ever yearn for that crisp taste of a cold refreshing summer drink but don’t want it filled with preservatives, corn syrup and other not very nice ingredients?  I had pretty much given up on any foods with corn syrup.  Rather, I’m using more natural sweetners such as Agave nectar, Stevia, cane juice, brown sugars or honey.  This I found out meant that most sodas were off limits except for the very expensive ones found in niche markets or the ‘health food’ section of the local mega-mart.

So when I found this recipe for Ginger Beer naturally carbondated with wild fermentation, I thought I’d give it a try. The way I make this, there is very little, if any, noticeable alcohol content.

There are 3 main processes to creating this deliciously crisp Ginger Beer.

1. Set up your sugar jar to capture wild yeast.
2. Make your soda base and fill your soda bottles
3. Let your bottles ferment (4 days to 2 weeks depending on air temperature)

So let’s take a close look at each step.

Set Up Your Sugar Jar to Capture Wild Yeast

Get a mason jar and fill it with a cup of water and sugar will is the food for the wild yeast you’re trying to attract.  Then cut a piece of cheesecloth, and put that on top of the jar to keep the flies out.  Using the Mason jar ring, screw it onto the jar so it holds the cheesecloth in place. 

Now wait a few days to a week or two for sold wild yeast to find your jar and make their home there. You will know the fermentation has started when you see bubbles coming from the bottom of the jar.

Maintaining your yeast: Now every couple of days, add a tablespoon of yeast food (sugar) to your water. This will keep them happy until you’re ready to use them.

Variations: For sugar, I have successfully used evaporated cane juice, brown sugar and Moscavato sugar.  Traditionally processed white sugar is used.

Make your soda base and fill your soda bottles

Bottles
The first thing you need to have is a bottle designed to take the pressure that’s going to build up in your bottle during the fermentation process.  In these bottles over the next few days or weeks, the fermentation process will create natural carbonation and pressure in the bottle as the yeast eat the sugar and belch out gas into the soda.

Ginger Beer Base

I am going to create a very sweet Ginger Beer base with enough sweetness to power the fermentation process for 4 liters of final product.  After fermenting for a few days or 2 weeks (depending on the ambiant temperature) the resulting Ginger Beer have been converted from a sweet flat syrup to a dry and refreshing carbonated drink.  The yeast will turn most of the sugar into gas and this transformation from sweetness to gas is why the Ginger Beer will not be as sweet as your starting solution.

http://www.boomercoffeehouse.com/i/cookingorganic/gingerbottles.jpg

If you’re Active! : Local Activities, Site Seeing, Tours
Not only is West Sonoma Inn & Spa located in the heart of Russian River Valley, on over 6 acres of redwood grown grounds, they are also positioned perfectly for exploring spectacular wineries and beautiful drives up and down the Pacific coast.  Incredibly, Russian River Valley is located only 69 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge! 

This was my very first experience to the West coast and drove inland from San Francisco. 
I decided to drive up the coast following the path of route 1 from route 101 and the Golden Gate Bridge.  Wow! What a windy road that was!  A perfect drive for a virgin, Californian. 

As I pulled into Guerneville and entered West Sonoma Inn & Spa I collected handfuls of activity information available to me in the lobby, fully decorated with artisan tables and comfy chairs surrounding a glowing fireplace.  I learned that Guerneville has lots to offer including beach horseback riding on Chancellor Ranch, near Bodega Bay, educational, environmental programs provided by the Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, bike riding with bike rentals nearby and a unique golf challenge all its own, provided by Northwood Golf Course and is open year round.

Unfortunately I only had the option of spending two days at the Inn, so I opted for a beautiful 3 mile hike into Armstrong Woods State Park, a unique grove of coastal redwoods only two miles away.  There I saw a 2,000 year old redwood amongst the other 250-feet tall trees.  Definitely an experience of a lifetime!  Armstrong Woods State Park is wheelchair accessible and has many trails that are either challenging or beginner-like for energetic personalities.

Gone Green! Eco-Friendly Adopted Practices

West Sonoma Inn & Spa is one of the thirty certified energy-conserving businesses who were presented with a green business certificate recognizing them for “environmental performance through conserving energy and water, preventing pollution and minimizing waste,” said Eco Ring’s President, Toni Tacoma.

The EcoRing is the first of its kind. A project that took shape two years ago with the help of a grant from the Russian River Redevelopment Project and the unanimous vote for eco-friendly tourism and community initiative. “It is the mission of the EcoRing to ignite a vibrant eco-tourism community with the participation of residents, businesses, and visitors in the Russian River area. EcoRing facilitates the development of eco-friendly tours, events, lodging, dining, farm products, and appropriate transportation while educating and aiding businesses, residents and visitors to act responsibly towards the environment.”

It's Not Easy Being Green!

During my tour of Guerneville and West Sonoma Inn & Spa, and after leaning about this wonderful and wildly extensive program called the EcoRing, I began to realize how difficult it actually is to become a Green Business and what exactly is involved. I praise them for their unique efforts in the community and for creating a crucially needed train affect that will grow on forever. Every little bit counts and in this case its every more! EcoRing is a worthwhile organization whose conscientious efforts for cleaning up the environment will leave a larger footprint on the earth.

Please take notice of this Pollution Prevention Checklist provided by EcoRing and all that West Sonoma Inn & Spa has done to improve the health & well being of our mother earth!

• Solid Waste Reduction & Recycling: Providing recycling containers, paper waste reduction & recycled content or used products.
• Energy Conservation: Lighting, Heating, Ventilation, & Cooling.
• Water Conservation: Kitchens & Landscapes.
• Pollution Prevention: Practicing good housekeeping in all areas indoors & outdoors, Chemical reduction & vehicle emissions reduction.

You too can be an eco-hero! Look for the Eco-Ring union logo when you plan your next trip.

Green Travel Accommodation:

West Sonoma Inn & Spa

Location:

14100 Brookside Lane, Guerneville, CA 95446
Travel down winding roads through ancient groves of redwood forestry and golden rays of sunlight as you enter the heart of Russian River Valley into the quaint town of Guerneville, California. 

Here you will find West Sonoma Inn & Spa where you can enjoy warm sunny days cooled by breezes from the Pacific Ocean as you indulge in an array of spectacular views, top notch amenities, and relaxing rooms for every occasion.  Green Certified by EcoRing; a community outreach program designed to educate and aid businesses, residents and visitors to act responsibly toward the environment, West Sonoma Inn & Spa helps pave the path for positive change. 

*Reservations: 707.869.2874 or Toll Free: 1.800.551.1881

Rooms & Rates:

West Sonoma Inn & Spa has fantastic views of surrounding vineyards paired with Heavenly spots to lay your head!

36 rooms and suites varying in size and character spread evenly throughout the property.  All rooms include a choice of 1 king size bed or 2 queen size beds covered with pure white linen, colorful pillows and have modern decoratives splashed with contemporary furniture and fixtures. 

During my stay, I had the pleasure of bunking up in a newly remodeled room with a plush queen size bed, a private bath with a shower/tub and a kitchenette equipped with cups, plates and forks.  I enjoyed cable TV and organic coffee service along with some spectacular views from a small balcony overlooking a neighboring Vineyard and Valley.

Weekly, corporate and group rates are available.  Prices range according to season.  Please inquire at www.westsonomainn.com for additional information.

Majestic View & Great Scenery:

Quietly placed in Guerneville, a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and off the beaten path wine tasters, West Sonoma Inn & Spa sits back on richly landscaped grounds maintained by a small family of staff who tends to your every need as a guest.  Whether sitting on the porch or at the pool, you can soak up the atmosphere, reflect, and meditate as you bathe in shafts of sunlight and look up to some of the oldest, most majestic trees ever grown. Just check it out for yourself!!

Amenities & Activities for Everyone:

My stay at the West Sonoma Inn & Spa happened to be the end of June until the first week of July and the weather was a bit cool, even for a girl from New England.  However, the view from the outside pool is spectacular and I’m sure the nicely filtered water could have been a beautiful swim.  Also available are picnic facilities for family and friends to get together and throw a frisbee or two.  But, not to be missed is their incredible SPA where they have certified male & female therapists who practice the art of massage, facials & special treatments.
*Soon to come is a sun deck with an eight person jacuzzi and a wine bar.

Peaceful Places for Rejuvenation:

For those of you who love the charm of colorful little towns and/or who seek out destinations that are popular for outdoors, as well as a calm, rejuvenating place to stay, West Sonoma Inn & Spa in Guerneville, CA has got what your looking for!  It offers a quiet Main Street that gets busier as the weekend arrives as well as peaceful places to get lost and find yourself a new self. 

Overall Rating:

Highly Recommended Five Frog Rating!!

Contact Info:

For more information on either topic of this article please contact the sources below.
Please email us and tell us your experience!  We love feedback and appreciate your input.

Tiffany Ferrecchia, Writer & Critic eternalbalanceliving@yahoo.com
West Sonoma Inn & Spa, Owners: Naveed or Karen stay@westsonomainn.com
EcoRing, www.ecoring.com

*Information provided by West Sonoma Inn & Spa and EcoRing, Casa Panama- Hotels/Motels
http://www.russianrivertravel.com/media/ecoring082106.htm

2008 marks the second year for City Birds, Kennebunkport, Maine

I guess it was thirty years ago when I made the decision to become a nurse and chose the field of operating room nursing, knowing it would be both physically and emotionally challenges. But most important, I also felt it would be rewarding personally and give me the solid income I would need as a single parent.

Recently, I turned sixty, and saw retirement approaching. This meant that the time constraints and financial responsibilities of raising a family were behind me, my children now grown and busy
with their own lives. I realized that this was now a time to give back to myself some of the things I had put on hold all these years...The big question was, what would I change now that I was approaching this new phase in life?

A Time for Self Expression

In searching for answers, I knew that it was now time for me to look to the future as a time to do something personally satisfying, a time for self expression you might say. This was not the situation with my nursing job.  Although it offered much to be desired, the field of nursing did not place self expression high on the list of professional requirements.  In fact, an operating room nurse is valued much more for following policies and procedures, the ability to juggle a hectic day’s work, and the willingness put in the long hours when needed.

To help me decide what I might like to do, I spent a considerable amount of time thinking about those things I liked most about my present work as an operating room nurse--friendships, challenges, being part of a community, and, of course, a comfortable income. These elements I knew would have to remain a piece of my future plan. Then I thought about what brings me happiness--helping people, time outdoors, beauty, nature...and a touch of freedom. This soul searching took a little time, but was easier than you might imagine. Once I started, the pieces just came together, and it wasn’t too long before I remembered a dream I had put on hold some ten years earlier, at a time in my life when it was not realistic to make such a move.  With the soul searching, however, the possibilities opened up and I started asking, “Why not open a small and unique back yard bird shop that caters to backyard bird enthusiasts like myself?” The more I entertained this possibility, the more real it became. 

This back yard venture I knew would fit my criteria on several levels — I could enjoy a camaraderie with nearby shop owners, promoting and selling a product not only that I love, but one that would also bring joy to many peoples’ lives. It could be stimulating and challenging and, hopefully, generate some income over time.

Bank for International Settlements warns of Great Depression dangers from credit spree

The Bank for International Settlements, the world’s most prestigious financial body, has warned that years of loose monetary policy has fuelled a dangerous credit bubble, leaving the global economy more vulnerable to another 1930s-style slump than generally understood.

“Virtually nobody foresaw the Great Depression of the 1930s, or the crises which affected Japan and Southeast Asia in the early and late 1990s. In fact, each downturn was preceded by a period of non-inflationary growth exuberant enough to lead many commentators to suggest that a ‘new era’ had arrived”, said the bank.

The Bank for International Settlements, the ultimate bank of central bankers, pointed to a confluence a worrying signs, citing mass issuance of new-fangled credit instruments, soaring levels of household debt, extreme appetite for risk shown by investors, and entrenched imbalances in the world currency system.

I’m a ginger lover. I cook with it, infuse honey with it, drink it as tea, get it in ice-cream, eat it as candy. Ginger has digestive health benefits as well as being delicious and zingy. I also enjoy ginger ale and ginger beer from time to time, but like candied ginger, i tend to limit my use of them these days because of the high sugar content.

Another treat Ginger Ale, is too sugary and often not available with organic ingredients. So I was delighted recently to learn how to make my own low sugar ginger ale.

This is a naturally fermented beverage. It has a gentle fizz rather than big bubbles that explode out of the bottle were you to shake it. And it’s simpler to make than a regular carbonated beverage.

Empty today. Sad, worried, lonely, achy, anxious, immobile.  Let just a little light in through the pain.

Change always happens. In the center is the paradox of carrying hope and crying. Grieving is real. We just aren’t use to paradoxes. Words like, both are true, and this is also how I feel, aren’t communicated very often.

We weren’t taught to have a range of feelings and to honor all of them as value.  All of the feelings build our heart muscles and add wonderment to life.

Each experience, if you look back in your life, has added something for you to toss, re-evaluate, honor, and forgive.

Oh how human we are! But we long for the peace and good times as a constant. But when have the world, weather, and people, ever been constant?

I am enjoying the empty nest, but I know the journey isn’t over. My daughter graduated college last year. I have a nephew who is entering his sophomore year in college, a niece just off to college in August, and three nephews who are traveling the working world after being in school for decades.

Our children come home and fill our lives and space, again.  We shift gears because we love them. It is no effort, most of the time.

We remind ourselves to lower our expectations. Be present with ourselves and them. Stay in the moment.

I know, too, that it isn’t easy to not hear from them or feel the same closeness. Trust.  They do love and care for you.  They just aren’t the same age as you! Their behavior is different.

It isn’t easy not knowing what to choose for yourself in the free time.  Trial and error. 

Make one plan for the week and weekend that will lift your spirits.

Drop into a quiet place inside yourself and listen there.  You can do this sitting or taking a walk.

Breathing has saved me. Push those stomach muscles out.  Do ten slowly.

FOR NOW, is the phrase of summer.  For now you don’t have what you want. You feel lost, sad, and anxious. You are grieving the disappointments.  This is all normal in adulthood. 

Children leave, parents are ill, we become care takers, again, deaths pull us under, relationships are challenging, jobs aren’t fulfilling, friends don’t call you, finances are stretched and you are aging.

I hear these stories across the country. I, too, relate to cycles of life.  But I do believe, change will come in a positive way.  We just weren’t educated that sorrow, loss, difficulties are part of the buffet. We can’t click our heels twice and be in happiness.  But we do lean into that wind that will carry us there.

Some days are just lousy.  Seems like everything is leaving. On the same block is all that is staying and good.  We just forget to look at both in a day. Paradoxes.

For now, may you receive tenderness and let a little light in on those sorrowful days. 

Try saying to yourself, “THIS IS HOW IT IS FOR NOW.”

Take good care,
Natalie
Natalie Caine, M.A.

I have been racking my brain trying to come up with some sensational piece for the month of June. So much has happened in the last month that I have been more than distracted from my own business. For some of you that may not know our son, Corey, was in an avalanche in Haines, Alaska almost four weeks ago. For me, staying focused with the business was not an option. Corey came first; he was my first priority. The business could wait. My husband and I met him in Wyoming and then Colorado.

He is an expert out of bounds alpine skier who was being filmed by Rage Films for their movie this fall. Wearing all the safety devices, carrying all the items necessary, never protects you from what Mother Nature will throw at you. When I received the call from Corey, “NOW MOM, DON’T FREEK OUT.” My heart skipped, I took a deep breathe and knew one thing was for certain, whatever happened he was alive. I did not know of his physical being…was he paralyzed or not…but I did know he was talking directly and clearly to me. Long story short Corey “swam” to the surface and is alive, safe and escaped with only an ACL tear.

I guess there are two parts of this June article: the first being WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES? The second, GRATITUDE.

“Priorities: importance, first, essential, irreplaceable”… those are some of the descriptions in the dictionary. Babyboomers what are yours?

So what are your priorities? Is it business or family first? So many times I hear the two being jostled around like a football in the backyard from clients.

Think for a moment, what are the items that can be replaced. Look around your office, in your home, in your file cabinets, on the walls… do they hold you? Are you cemented to them and would be heartbroken if they were to disappear? Think again.

Now look at your family, grandchildren or friends. Maybe you are not getting along with one or another, but think what it might be like if they were no longer in your life. Think hard. Harder. People are not replaceable, items are!

If there is someone that you have not connected with for a while, why not write him or her an email, letter of pick up the phone and tell him or her what they mean to you. You might be surprised at the response. Open up your heart. So as the summer months bring on the warmer weather, embrace your family with YOUR TIME. Have more cookouts, picnics, camping trips, bike rides, canoe trips, swims at the lake or ocean, walks… the list is endless…. being together is PRICELESS.

This is a packed month with celebrations for those graduates, fathers, new borns, weddings etc... There are all sorts of things to be thankful for. This is a time for gratitude. What are you thankful for?

Here is an idea I would like you all to consider. This is a gift I have given many times. Get a box; 4x4 inches and 2 inches tall is a good size (can be made of fabric, Lucite, metal, china, leather whatever you gravitate towards). Now cut up pieces of 3x3 inch colored paper. Write the answers to these BELOW (telling what you most love/like about them). The point is to share your thoughts in a way that shows how much they mean to you.

I guarantee you will bring smiles and laughter to their faces. So you give them a gift that they will always have. A “treasure” box where each day they could dip in and pick out a card; only to read the thanks from a friend or relative for their being alive.

It is never too late to say how much someone has influenced or made your life better just for being in it.

Step out of the box.

An absolutely amazing book given to me at the Green Earth Expo in Orlando, FL 2008 www.greenearthalliance.com , Living Green, a Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability, by Greg Horn and Jordan Rubin, is worth every cent as it is your basic, everyday guide to living smart and implementing simple ideas toward a healthy lifestyle on our planet.

Greg Horn, Author and a “leader in the health and wellness industry for more than two decades has a commitment to a lifestyle of health and sustainability that has powered him to succeed as an executive for some of the top companies in the history of the natural product business.” Grab a copy and highlight his chapters on Health, Home & Future!

Start Here with these Helpful Healthy Hints:

1. Eat organic to avoid consuming pesticides & herbicides.
2. Recycle to cut the waste stream.
3. Avoid disposables to keep plastics from entering your food and also our waste stream.
4. Use natural or organic personal care to keep toxic chemicals off your body and out of the environment.
5. Use eco-friendly cleaning products to keep them out of our bodies and out of the water supply.
6. Use natural lawn care; keep away from synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.
7. Filter your tap water to remove unwanted chemicals, pesticides, medicine...
8. Increase energy efficiency and dramitically reduce the use of fossil fuels.

Unless you’ve been hiding in a cave or have pitched a tent out in the woods somewhere in the last year, I’m sure you’ve seen, heard and read more on “Green” than ever before.  “Green Living, Living Green, The Green Movement and so on is hitting every publication, advertisement and book out there, but here’s the question…do you know what it means to Live Green? And, if so what are you doing about it??

We at boomercoffeehouse.com are committed to providing you with the tools and information of what it takes to have a healthy well being and a whole planet.
Our Living Green Section is part of that circle, so tune in to read the latest on Healthy Homes, Organic Products, Green Travel, Eco-Tourism and recommended Books, Guides or Informational Tools to help you take the next steps towards this New Way of Life.

Over and over I am reminded that what gets us through painful times is a friend.

We know that, but when we are hurting we isolate. We don’t pick up the phone and ask a friend for help.  We want to be the strong one. 

So I suggest you make a list of who you feel uplifted around? Who are you yourself with? Who is cheering for your happiness?

Most of us play the role of supporter. We feel vulnerable when we reveal ourselves.  Surprise is, we become closer to the friend who we speak our pain to. Being vulnerable and even sharing a “secret,” bonds us.

Here’s my take.  We are already feeling horrible so what is there to lose if we say everything that is crowding our head and heart?  A friend is just like you…a person who listens and honestly wants the best for you, neither jealous nor self centered, a person who is able to be present and not putting their agenda on you.  They know you are not them. You have shown them you can be trusted.

If you don’t have a friend near by, use email or the phone.  Don’t wait all day for the pain to pass, reach out early.  Don’t let the part of you win, that says, it will pass, get over it, or whatever sabotage enters your room.  Being vulnerable, awkward, is actually normal.

We have forgotten how to put our needs first and receive the compassion and nurturing we deserve.  Sounds trite, but over and over, I hear this to be true.

 What we know in out heads, we forget to bring to our hearts. Believe it or not, we think to much rather than reaching for a hand.  Just reach and call out to someone.
Kleenex wouldn’t exist without us and Kleenex is a good thing.

• Focus on you.
• Value your life.
• Give yourself time to be in the new role.
• Give your children time to be in their new role.
• Get outside.
• Take 10 breaths to shift into a better feeling.
• Baby steps, in the initial stage of this major change.
• Give back when you have given nurturing to yourself first.

Take care,

Natalie

pop corn and 4 phones, power hour, microwave radation. thepowermall.com

Farmer's Market

That is a question that is being bantered about a lot these days. In the wake of high gas prices, rising food costs and salaries that don't keep up with inflation, many health-seeking shoppers take one look at the organic items in their supermarket and decide they can't afford to eat 'healthy' food.

While it's true that many food costs double when they are sold as their organic versions in grocery stores, you really just need to know where to look and then develop a systematic approach to buying the best food for the best price.

Fortunately, we're entering the summer season. That means fresh peaches, tomatoes, corn, peppers, watermelon and many other fresh whole foods can be found in your local farmer's markets. Whether you are a city dweller or live out in the countryside, farmer's markets are everywhere — just look online under localharvest.com. Many of the farmers are growing their produce organically, but haven't been able to cover the expense of being certified organic, so you can simply ask them whether or not they use pesticides on their crops. Next, keep in mind the following information on pesticides in produce from the Environmental Working Group:

If you do purchase 'conventional' produce, you can make a non-toxic spray to make sure your fruits and vegetables are clean, although you will never get rid of the pesticides completely. Below is Sophie Uliano's Veggie Cleaner Spray from Oprah's Earth Day Event:

As the Summer Season climbs and we approach the month of June, look out for ways to boost your energy when either vacationing or spending more time outdoors. Your diet plays an important role in your body’s energy efficiency!  Avoid zapping your energy reserves and consider eating small, but regular meals to sustain energy levels and keep you blood sugar levels steady. 

A fabulous recipe that I tried for dinner this month is what I like to call “Garlicky-Gingered Wild Grouper, topped with Fresh Corn, Mango, Capsicum & Cilantro”.  It is the perfect recipe for a hot day’s work and is incredibly easy.  It is a clean cut filet of Wild Grouper touched off with a bit of Honey, Olive Oil, Fresh Ginger, Garlic, Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper.  Broil it on high to crisp the top and serve it over a bed of sautéed Kale or Baby Spinach.  Sounds yummy?!  Just wait until you read the next recipe for the Fresh Corn, Mango & Capsicum topper!  Try it out and enjoy this succulent summer recipe.  And as always I appreciate careful criticism and fun-filled feedback!

Foodie Facts:

Wild Grouper, which happens to be in-season, is firm in texture with white large flakes and a mild flavor.  It is extremely delicious and can almost be called a perfect food; nutritiously in it’s uncooked state it contains only 110 Calories, 2 grams of fat (none of which is Saturated) and only 55 grams of Cholesterol, 23 grams of Protein and an added benefit of Calcium and Iron. 

This extra lean fish is one of the best seafood choices for it can be used for almost any seafood recipe.  Its unique flavor comes out beautifully with a touch of mild seasoning and fresh herbs.  In this case Cilantro highlights the rest of the special ingredients. 

When purchasing Fish, always remember, Wild fish tends to be much leaner and less fatty. Farm raised fish is much fattier and is injected with pesticides, colored dyes, and antibiotics.  Be sure to ask your local seafood market or grocer because if does not say wild, it is farm raised.

Click Here to Download your free recipe for “Garlicky-Gingered Wild Grouper, topped with Fresh Corn, Mango, Capsicum & Cilantro”

Making My Hen House

Are you like me and read all the lables on your food? I find myself reading between the lines of many of these phrases. Is grass fed the same as never fed grain? Does 'fed an all organic diet' mean the grain used was not genetically modified? Does free range chickens mean these are happy chicken fed an organic diet. When I look at what options there are for real, organic and non genetically modified food, I feel like I am loosing ground here. So, I've taken a baby step and embarked on a journey to raise my own chickens.

The journey was not a quick one. Four years ago, I moved to an old farming town just 30 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts. I thought to my self, great...now I can get my chickens. I went to the town hall, and when I asked to have a couple of laying hens, I was met by the town's Building Inspector responsible for overseeing chicken approvals. He was very nice about the whole thing, but strongly suggested that I'd be better off just getting someone elses organic eggs. Aparently having chickens has had a history of causing some differences among neighbors and it was suggested to me that it would just be better not to go down this chicken trail.

Two weeks ago, you read an article ASKING FOR HELP, well here is the second half of that article.

Have you heard this phrase? “I don’t want to ask for help.”

What do you do when you first read it…I would say it’s a knee-jerk reaction for most. What is the assumption here?

The assumption is if I help, I am then indebted to that person. Or even better….she/he will resent me for asking for their help. Or even worse…this puts me in a very vulnerable position to get hurt. Especially if they say “NO.”

Generally, I doubt that any particular group can lay claim to living a more stressful life than another. Babyboomers are reeling from a sort of time compression, feeling like they have no control over their time—no free time, demands from parents and children, expanding job pressures and an ever-expanding connection to their jobs through email, cell phones and internet. Our children face their own stresses of increasing scholastic competition, overscheduled days, junk food, and safety issues like gang violence and bullying. And Generations X and Y are facing a slumping economy as they graduate and begin looking for work.

Before we go any further down the pathways to stress, let’s discuss the physiological reactions of this “fight or flight” syndrome. The adrenal glands, walnut-sized glands on top of the kidney, control many of the body’s hormones. When you are in “fight or flight” mode, they increase the production of adrenaline, corticosterone and epinephrine, which increases your heart rate, releases urgently needed energy, slows your digestion and sharpens your senses. Meanwhile, you feel sweaty palms, a pounding heart, and tense muscles. Even your blood clots more easily, which is helpful when faced with an attacking bear, but not so great when you are in an office and the computers go down.

The main problem with stress is that today it is often prolonged, leading to adrenal burnout and an impaired thyroid gland. This causes a further decline in energy level and mood, and an increasing likelihood of heart disease, cancer, lung disease, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Warning signs of too much stress might be fatigue, insomnia, irritability, weight gain or depression. The cortisol released to convert proteins into energy under stress is essential in the short-term, but destructive long-term. It gradually wears down your body by destroying healthy bones and muscles, weakening your immune system, slowing down cell regeneration and healing, and interfering with metabolism and mental functioning.

When stress becomes an every day event, the brain loses its ability to evaluate whether a stress response is warranted and it becomes less able to regulate the response, according to Bruce McEwen, PhD, of the Rockefeller Institute. You may experience anxiety, stomachaches, headaches, diarrhea, unexplained crying spells or angry outbursts, and nightmares or insomnia.

I just returned from a wonderful walk by the beach. Early spring is here: buds are popping out; tiny, tender shoots are emerging from the soil; last years’ leaves shelter new growth; birds are building nests; life continues. The light is bright, warm, welcoming, shimmering, luminous.

I’ve been spending a great deal of time tending to my mother these last couple of months. After 3 hospitalizations and her third rehab, she’s working on gaining her strength so she can return to life in her own home. Seeing her so vulnerable has been difficult, and the pain of my own helplessness in her aging process has given surrender new meaning.

As I’ve been with this experience I’ve come to a realization that has helped me find new meaning in the cycle of life. It has to do with luminosity. As infants our being is pure, innocent, clear. Our luminous souls are present and visible. As we grow, that light becomes dimmed, our maturing process distorting it as a means of self protection. Our essential nature gets dampened down and suppressed by cultural and self imposed beliefs, values and behaviors. We live behind this cloud of distortions.

Most of us live our lives unaware of the radiant luminosity that is our True Nature and that exists as the essence of all creation. Yet, when someone smiles the light is visible; we can see it in their eyes and faces.

While my Mom’s 84 year old body is not cooperating with her intentions and wishes (I’m sure those of us over 50 can relate) I’ve been struck by the light in her eyes. Her luminosity is increasing even while her body’s capacities diminish. I see this in some of the other residents’ eyes as well, even one or two of the Alzheimer patients who live in a world all their own. Still, many of these beautiful elders eyes are dulled by life’s hardships, barely reflecting the light of their spirits. I wonder about their families and how often they receive visitors.

I count my blessings that I am fortunate to be able to be in service to my mom in a process that reflects the perfect cycle of life. I can tend to her body, mind and, hopefully, spirit as she tended to me as an infant and child. She welcomed me into this world as I witness and, hopefully, help tender her way to the next. Both are journeys we must make alone in the grace of our luminous soul’s path.

What a strange life this is, yet beautiful, poignant.

As we approach Mothers’ Day, savor what it means to live, love and to be part of this cycle of luminous life that fills and connects us. Take a moment to remember the blessing it is to be alive and cherish the woman who bore you into this world. Where would we be without our Moms?

Blessings to you,
Monique

Why is it we are tongue tied when it comes to asking for help? When we were younger it was common for us to ask for help when we needed an extra hand, but as we grew older society said we needed to become independent. For women, it became risky.

So how do we change?

When working with my clients, so many have a harder time than others in this particular arena. One is a single baby boomer and finds herself wearing the proverbial armor complete with the crest “I CAN DO IT ALL” emblazoned on the front. “ALL”, I wonder.

What is she missing? She spoke to me of wanting to ask but fearing that her independence would be tarnished. I asked her, what would she gain by asking. She sat back and pondered this question. With a brighter look in her eye she replied, she would gain a companion to help her with something she wanted to complete. She would be able to finish that which she could not do herself alone.

Every exit is…an entrance someplace else.

—Tom Stoppard, playwright

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

— Arthur Ashe, athlete

Isn’t it great that we, as empty nesters, don’t have to ask permission anymore?

And isn’t it great that we learned to be thoughtful and think before we act?

I wonder if our children feel that newness of deciding and thinking away from home.

Paul S. Mamakos, Founder of Everything Raw™, is such a believer of the healthy benefits of a raw diet that he has exclusively eaten raw foods since 2005. Paul actually began his “raw” journey when he opened up a raw food kitchen in January 2007 in Charlottesville, Virginia, home to the University of Virginia.

He offered his ever-increasing line of patrons a variety of raw energy bars, raw pizzas and even raw gourmet meals. Paul’s customers were stating to him what he had discovered himself after switching exclusively to a raw diet — eating food in its natural raw state helps to promote balanced energy throughout the day. So, with the success of the energy bars in his community, Paul decided to launch a variety of energy bars so that people all around the country could begin to enjoy the benefits of raw superfood bars.

Everything Raw is available in the following flavors - Raw Decadence®, which contains dark cacao chocolate, dates, pistachios, pecans, cashews, cinnamon, coconut oil, and vanilla bean and Yoga BarTM, a royal white chocolate that contains cacao butter, dates, pistachios, cashews and honey. Both bars are 100% gluten free, Fair Trade, source verified and CCOF Certified Organic.

It’s April and what does that ponder up for people? TAX TIME!

Well, baby boomers, got some tips for you on what to save and what to toss.
Here is the second of two articles this month:

What to Toss:

1. Junk mail, recycle it


2. Expired coupons


3. Outdated schedules


4. Old greeting cards, unless you want to recycle the parts not written on for gift tags


5. Old grocery receipts


6. Invitations to past events


7. Expired warranties and service contracts


8. Instructions for items you no longer own


9. Expired insurance policies


10. Unread magazines


11. Old catalogs, keep only current ONE


12. Investment and banking brochures you never used


13. Canceled checks, unless needed for tax purposes


14. Checkbooks, if they’re more than 6 years old, or the account has been canceled


15. Receipts for non-tax-deductible items


16. Business cards from people whose names you don’t recognize


17. Old tourist brochures, these make great wrapping paper


18. Old road maps, again make great wrapping paper and a conversation piece


19. Solicitations from charities you don’t intend to give to.


20. Recipes you haven’t tried in 5 years


21. Bad-quality photos or ones you simply don’t like


22. Articles or clippings you haven’t reread in more than 5 years”

If you enjoyed this article, check out ”How to Win the Battle of the Paper Mountain.”

So now that you decluttered….won’t you feel freer?
Let me know.
Sallie

Finally a book has been published on the subject of diabetes and the accompanying syndromes of metabolic disorder and pre-diabetes, that covers the subjects of diet, exercise, and the resources of the medical establishment.  Dr. Steven Joyal’s book: What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Diabetes — An Innovative Program to Prevent, Treat, and Beat This Controllable Disease is a complete package product filled with the latest research and knowledge about the causes, symptoms, and treatment options of this increasingly common disease.

Dr. Joyal relays all of this information in language that is easily understood by the lay person, but lacks nothing in technical depth. He covers treatment and prevention options ranging from the holistic approach, the dietary approach, supplements and vitamins, to cutting edge prescription medicine options.

As a fitness professional, I have encountered clients who are pre-diabetic, diabetic, or suffering from what could be diagnosed as metabolic disorder. I have found Dr. Joyal to be a great professional resource through both my years as a power-lifter, and a personal trainer. He has helped me to fashion diet, lifestyle, and exercise programs for clients who suffer with these afflictions, and the results have been incredible. I have witnessed great changes in body composition, blood sugar, and over-all health in many of my clients using the cumulative treatment strategies contained in this book. I recommend Dr. Joyal’s book to everyone, regardless of their health.

Coming of age in the 60s I sometimes wonder how some of the cultural icons of the time—especially my favorite musicians, actors, and entertainers—would relate to events taking place today. One such icon (and role model) for me as a teenager was John Lennon—the “thinking Beatle” —who broke rank with his mates to protest a war, and eventually left the band to pursue his own commitments, political and otherwise. With the US again involved in a far-flung war and another divisive presidential campaign I’ve been asking myself lately, “How would John vote?” After all, Lennon had finally become a US citizenship a few years before his death in 1980. (The fact that Lennon was able to gain citizenship was an amazing story in its own right, given the comical attempts years earlier by the Nixon administration, FBI, CIa, and INS to get him deported because of the apparently grave threat he posed to the US government!)

I admit the following is a highly speculative exercise, reflecting my own biases as I try to predict the actions of such a quixotic and paradoxical figure as John Lennon.  But just for the fun of it, let’s “imagine” how Lennon would assess these presidential candidates, starting with the three “electable” ones still running national campaigns.

John McCain?

Lennon would probably appreciate John McCain’s contrariness and outspokenness—qualities JWL would certainly identify with. My guess is he would also have cheered on McCain’s attempts in 2000 to challenge George Bush and the “agents of intolerance” (as he described them) of the Religious Right—given Lennon’s disdain of religiosity, especially the self-righteous variety. Yet he would have an issue with McCain’s recent pirouettes on many socially moderate views he held in the past, from gay marriage to immigration, which Lennon would likely support. But McCain’s continued support for the Iraq War would be the deal-breaker for the “Give Peace a Chance” musician. From his Bealtemania days when Lennon surprised the world at a Fab Four press conference in 1966 with his opposition to Vietnam (“War is wrong” ) to the time he was gunned down 14 years later, Lennon remained an opponent of war as foreign policy, if not a full-fledged pacifist.

Hillary?

Lennon would likely applaud a variety of Hillary Clinton’s positions, from her universal health care stance to her sometimes-ridiculed “it-takes-a-village” approach to education, which were entirely consistent with Lennon’s liberal worldview. One wild card: how would the 8-year Bill Clinton presidency have played in John’s thinking? How he viewed that presidency (and I suspect he would have had mixed feelings about it) might have carried over to Senator Clinton’s cause, one way or the other. But Clinton’s vote to authorize the use of force against Iraq would certainly have diminished Lennon’s enthusiasm for her candidacy, not to mention her other tilt-to-the-right maneuvers (including her introduction of a bill to make flag-burning a crime).

Obama?

Lennon would presumably find much to admire about Barack Obama’s views as well—many of which overlap Senator Clinton’s, from health care accessibility to green energy investment—along with an appreciation of Senator Obama’s global perspective and eloquent optimism. But Obama’s stance against the Iraq war from the beginning would be the clincher for Lennon. For that reason alone I believe Lennon would support Barack Obama for US President.

A Republican Maybe?

That being said, Lennon would undoubtedly lament Dennis Kucinich’s withdrawal, the most outspoken peace advocate of the original Democratic candidates and who lined up closest to Lennon’s 1970’s values.  Of the two other major party candidates who are technically still in the race, Republicans alan Keyes and Ron Paul, I believe Lennon would have resonated with some aspects of the latter’s libertarian philosophy and aversion to an interventionist foreign policy. I could imagine John Lennon’s amusement at Ron Paul’s co