Yesterday I sat on my couch after running 7 miles in the 23degree weather. I ran because the sun and the birds were out and I wanted to be with them. I thought nothing of the run, only of tapping into that place inside of me that knows peace very well.
I sat on the couch because when I opened the blinds there was one section of sunlight, and that's where it rested. I lit some incense, brewed a pot of coffee, collected the four books I'm currently reading/wanting to read, and sat down in my most comfortable mens sweatpants.
It was the healthiest thing I did all week. For two hours I sat in silence, soaking up the intermingling and lingering smells of coffee and incense, the sun, the moment of being very still, very quiet, very alone, and very very warm. It was beautiful and it was right. Had I not had those hours my coming week would not have been the same. I really feel that way.
I need to do that more.
*the road in texas that showed me freedom is more than an ideal*
Monday, February 21, 2011
These are a few of my favorite things
I have a really messed up stomach. After being told I had extreme acid reflux by a doctor and put on some pills a few years back I decided not to go to get anymore consultations about my stomach issues. I don't like the idea of taking a pill for something that could be solved by small changes in my diet. Okay so maybe the changes have been kinda big, but I feel so much better it's absolutely worth it.
I also happen to be living off $10/week for groceries. Not nearly as rough as it sounds.
I've found some things I truly love. If dairy makes you all sorts of sick, acidic foods make your stomach tighten, high doses of sugar give you heartburn, and meat stops you up for days, and/or if you don't have tons of money but like to enjoy good, clean, healthy food, you might like some of thissss:
*Hot soy or almond milk with cocoa powder and local honey
The splurge here is the local honey. Soy and almond milk are more expensive than regular milk (about $2.75/1/2 gallon) but they're rich and I've found that adding a little water to thin them out doesn't hurt one bit. Store-bought honey doesn't come close to natural local honey. Honey local to where you live has been proven to prevent plant allergies, as the bees will be pollinating on the plants that would typically be causing the allergies. All in all, totally worth the money. And the market experience (where you'll probably have to go to find it) makes it that much better.
*Oat Groats
Use 1 1/2 cups groats to 6 1/2 cups water. Cook overnight in a slowcooker on LOW with blueberries, bananas, apples, cinnamon... a little brown sugar if you feel it's necessary (yeah, I ate 6 servings in two days)
Check a healthfood or bulk store. I get mine for $1.50 for a big bag in a bulk food store. They expand almost 4X when cooked so you're really getting a ton of food!
*RICE!
I laughed when my mom got me a rice cooker for Christmas. The truth? It's rocking my world. A ten pound bag of rice sure can last a long time. A little butter and garlic salt, maybe some PEANUT SAUCE (peanut butter, water, lemon juice, brown sugar, soy sauce and garlic simmered on low heat for about 10 minutes..ooo boyyy), perhaps a can of beans and you have yourself a nice little meal- easy on the stomach and MAD cheap!
*Hummus
I actually prefer to combine a can of canellini or kidney beans with a can of garbonzos. The can/kidneys give it a much smoother texture. In a food processor: process two large cloves of garlic, then add two cans of beans (rinsed and drained), a little olive oil, a little lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and process away!
*BEER BREAD
3 cups whole wheat flour, 4 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 3 Tbsp sugar (not necessary, but good), 1 12 oz can of beer. Mix it all together, pop in the oven at 350degrees for an hour. AMAZING.
And I have a granola recipe.. kinda.. it's kind of a secret. And deserving of its own post.
I'll think about it.
I also happen to be living off $10/week for groceries. Not nearly as rough as it sounds.
I've found some things I truly love. If dairy makes you all sorts of sick, acidic foods make your stomach tighten, high doses of sugar give you heartburn, and meat stops you up for days, and/or if you don't have tons of money but like to enjoy good, clean, healthy food, you might like some of thissss:
*Hot soy or almond milk with cocoa powder and local honey
The splurge here is the local honey. Soy and almond milk are more expensive than regular milk (about $2.75/1/2 gallon) but they're rich and I've found that adding a little water to thin them out doesn't hurt one bit. Store-bought honey doesn't come close to natural local honey. Honey local to where you live has been proven to prevent plant allergies, as the bees will be pollinating on the plants that would typically be causing the allergies. All in all, totally worth the money. And the market experience (where you'll probably have to go to find it) makes it that much better.
*Oat Groats
Use 1 1/2 cups groats to 6 1/2 cups water. Cook overnight in a slowcooker on LOW with blueberries, bananas, apples, cinnamon... a little brown sugar if you feel it's necessary (yeah, I ate 6 servings in two days)
Check a healthfood or bulk store. I get mine for $1.50 for a big bag in a bulk food store. They expand almost 4X when cooked so you're really getting a ton of food!
*RICE!
I laughed when my mom got me a rice cooker for Christmas. The truth? It's rocking my world. A ten pound bag of rice sure can last a long time. A little butter and garlic salt, maybe some PEANUT SAUCE (peanut butter, water, lemon juice, brown sugar, soy sauce and garlic simmered on low heat for about 10 minutes..ooo boyyy), perhaps a can of beans and you have yourself a nice little meal- easy on the stomach and MAD cheap!
*Hummus
I actually prefer to combine a can of canellini or kidney beans with a can of garbonzos. The can/kidneys give it a much smoother texture. In a food processor: process two large cloves of garlic, then add two cans of beans (rinsed and drained), a little olive oil, a little lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and process away!
*BEER BREAD
3 cups whole wheat flour, 4 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 3 Tbsp sugar (not necessary, but good), 1 12 oz can of beer. Mix it all together, pop in the oven at 350degrees for an hour. AMAZING.
And I have a granola recipe.. kinda.. it's kind of a secret. And deserving of its own post.
I'll think about it.
Friday, February 18, 2011
The Big Five
I've broken "Health" into five major categories, none of which is more or less important or significant than any of the others (despite what the magazines say):
1. Mental Health
2. Emotional Health
3. Physical Health
4. Spiritual Health
5. Relational Health
They mix and mingle and play with and off one another. Every so often I sit down with my notebook and assess my life, breaking it down into these 5 categories. It's the best indicator I've found for how I'm really doing. Every time I realize that I've elevated one area above the rest, neglecting parts of my self that deserve to be taken care of.
1. Mental Health
2. Emotional Health
3. Physical Health
4. Spiritual Health
5. Relational Health
They mix and mingle and play with and off one another. Every so often I sit down with my notebook and assess my life, breaking it down into these 5 categories. It's the best indicator I've found for how I'm really doing. Every time I realize that I've elevated one area above the rest, neglecting parts of my self that deserve to be taken care of.
To the stars that fade but don't die:
It seems the majority of my life I've spent ultimately pursuing one thing. Every time I lace up my running shoes, fill my backpack, mix a batch of granola, open a notebook, move my fingers across a piano, meet a friend at a coffee shop, read a new author, what I'm really doing is trying to hone in on the center of who I am by letting my self be released into the things that I've found to bring me life. I've spent years trying to figure out what these "things" are, continually adding to my personal COMING ALIVE vault as I have more experiences, meet more people, see more places.
Three years ago I hit a low point in my life, a point which made me realize how unhealthy I had become. It made me wonder, what does it even mean to be healthy? Magazines and messages scream about gym memberships, power foods, and taking time for yourself, but I couldn't think of a single person in my life who seemed to have mastered the art of overall health. Weeks went by and I couldn't get the idea of what it might look like to be truly healthy out of my mind. It became a bit of an obsession and to be honest, made me a bit frantic at times. If it was possible, I wanted to find out what it meant and what it both felt and looked like.
I've decided to start this blog as a record of what I've found for myself to be true health. The term "health" actually makes me cringe a bit, so maybe I'll try to come up with a better word to use, but basically what I'm going to do is chronicle my journey (hopefully daily) toward this thing called health.
I feel no need to explain any further. I'd rather you just come along!
Three years ago I hit a low point in my life, a point which made me realize how unhealthy I had become. It made me wonder, what does it even mean to be healthy? Magazines and messages scream about gym memberships, power foods, and taking time for yourself, but I couldn't think of a single person in my life who seemed to have mastered the art of overall health. Weeks went by and I couldn't get the idea of what it might look like to be truly healthy out of my mind. It became a bit of an obsession and to be honest, made me a bit frantic at times. If it was possible, I wanted to find out what it meant and what it both felt and looked like.
I've decided to start this blog as a record of what I've found for myself to be true health. The term "health" actually makes me cringe a bit, so maybe I'll try to come up with a better word to use, but basically what I'm going to do is chronicle my journey (hopefully daily) toward this thing called health.
I feel no need to explain any further. I'd rather you just come along!
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