Plastics

The Bottom Line: Reduce Your Use of Plastic

Have you heard about the huge field of plastic that is floating in the ocean? There are certain areas where because of currents, garbage accumulates. There are five such high-pressure zones in the oceans: North Pacific, South Pacific, North and South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. Together these areas cover over 40% of the sea; that corresponds to 25% of the earth's surface.

The North Pacific Gyre is only one of five such high-pressure zones in the oceans. Off the coast of Hawaii, plastic garbage is damaging to sea life and litters the beach.The North Pacific Gyre is about the size of Texas. We all need to cut back, only using recyclable plastic, find and use alternatives in cooking and storage.


For more information about the effects of plastics on humans check out this article from the Earth Resource Foundation.

We could all do with a little less plastic in our lives, no matter the type of resin. All plastics are made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource, and produced under extremely energy-intensive conditions, so here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping:

-Always opt for plastic containers that are accepted for recycling in your area.

-Avoid single-use, non-recyclable disposable packaging, such as Styrofoam meat trays, and clam-shell containers.

-Buy food in glass or metal containers

-Bring your own containers to restaurants, if you suspect you might have leftovers.

-If you do get takeout you'll be eating at home, don't take plastic cutlery or condiment packets.

-Avoid plastic cooking tools; use stainless steel or wooden utensils instead.

-Replace your plastic cutting boards with wood. You can spray wooden boards with a mist of vinegar, then with a mix of hydrogen peroxide, to kill bacteria.

-Take your plastic grocery bags to a local grocery store to be recycled.

Check out alternatives to using plastic an excellent article by Paul Goettlich, August 3, 2005.

According to Mindfully.org:

The plastics industry should be made to be responsible for their products, byproducts, and waste throughout the lifecycle of the material. The creator should bear all liability. A great percentage of the plastic that private researcher, Captain Charles Moore has found is made up of preproduction pellets, called nurdles. Moore believes that if the industry were completely responsible for their products, that none would be made.

For more on the safer plastics see The National Geographic Green Guide

Spring is here!

Check out this beautiful slideshow of spring flowers on the mountain in California.

Get out there - breathe the fresh air of spring and walk among the bursting forth of nature.

Walking 5 Days a Week Helps Prevent Stroke

How can we reduce our chance of having a stroke?

In a long term study of over 60,000 people (46,405 men and 15,282 women), researchers found that 30 minutes of exercise, walking 5 days a week or jogging just 3 days/week, resulting in a moderate level of fitness, reduces the chance of having a stroke by 40% for men and 43% for women. That is a lot of benefit for not much exercise!

The benefit of moderate exercise was independent of other health conditions, such as, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure in decreasing the risk of stroke. Stroke is often fatal or a devastating disease with a long road to full recovery.

So get on those walking shoes and get out there.......

A Must Watch Story of Enlightenment and Presence

Are you tired and unable to sleep?

One out of three Americans is living with 'extreme' stress, according to a poll by the American Psychological Association. One third of us have symptoms such as: fatigue, tiredness, irritability, nervousness, headache, upset stomach, muscle tension, eating too little or too much, teeth grinding, diminished sex drive and dizziness. Phew! - That is a broad category of aches and pains and misery.
And 75% of the people who said they were living with extreme stress reported one or more of these symptoms daily.

What is a person to do?

Just be quiet and live with it?
No definitely not.

There are many simple quick daily Wellness Practices that a person can do to live a healthier, happier, more rewarding life.

One is to get out of bed every day, greeting the new day, with a fresh plate of lovely options. Each day is a new day. Yes we all carry some baggage over to the next day-- The idea is to lighten the load, have less to carry forward. Breathe Stretch Set a Vision/Intention for your new day. Try it - it only takes a few minutes. The results are long lasting. Some feel that they have to carry the weight of the world with them-- is that you? Look into that. Why do you feel that way? What could you do to lessen the burden you feel? Maybe nothing. Maybe one tiny thing will get the ball rolling. You are not meant to be miserable!!

One easy way of sleeping better and waking up refreshed is to end each day with a goodnight letting go! Bedtime routines have been proven to help you get a rest at night, instead of tossing and turning. It certainly works for putting the kids to bed, why not us too?

• Avoid sugar and caffeine in the evening - as they are stimulants.
• Establish a regular bedtime.
• Rather than watch TV in the bedroom, get up and go to the bedroom for sleep. Change the scene and the routine.
• Block out all sources of light- even that blaring alarm clock- can you turn the light down or cover it. Try an eye pillow filled scented with lavender.
• Sit beside or lay in bed and with your eyes closed, breathe out with a big sigh, all the way out until your lungs are empty. Now take in and release air slowly five more times, each time letting go of some stress, hurt feeling or unsettled business. Each time you breathe, let go, letting the stress float away from you-- things you cannot change- let them go.
• Now lying down in the darkened room, stretch out; wriggle around until you get comfortable. If you are still tense, try progressive relaxation. Start at your toes, then feet, then calves - you get the picture - go all the way up your body, tensing and relaxing the muscles. Don't forget to include the face muscles, grimace and smile - now let yourself know that you are held and loved in every single moment of every day and...
• Sleep like a baby

Remember it takes a while to change a routine - up to 3 weeks.

Try these wake up and go to sleep routines and let us know how it works for you.

Check this out - Video Visionaries

We're back. Sorry for the interruptions due to computer and system changes.

Hope the new year brings you health and wellbeing.

Check out this site and write your Vision Statement for the year. It is another way to state your intentions and make it come true. It is easy to do and fulfilling.
You can check out what others have done on YouTube.

The Mayonnnaise Jar

Think about what is really important to you during this holiday season, when you are rushing around trying to get that 'must have' gift. What really matters with your intended target for that gift? Think small on material things and broaden your ideas to ways to really be with that person now and in the coming year. Maybe... it's more important to spend some quality time together (with or without the coffee).


The Mayonnaise Jar & Coffee

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle;
when 24 hours in a day are not enough;
remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee...

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.
He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full.
The students responded with an unan imous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions - and if everything else was lost and only they remained; your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter; like your job, your house and your car.
The sand is everything else - the small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Play with your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your spouse out to dinner.
Play another 18.

There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal -

Take care of the golf balls first - the things that really matter.
Set your priorities.
The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked."

"It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem; there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."