Dr. Frank Lipman, The voice of sustainable wellness

Ron Gutman reviews a raft of studies about smiling, and reveals some surprising results. Did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you’ll live — and that a simple smile has a measurable effect on your overall well-being? Prepare to flex a few facial muscles as you learn more about this evolutionarily contagious behavior.

Until we better master the art of cultivating renewable, sustainable health and vitality for ourselves, we’ll have a hard time respecting the principles on which all sustainable energy production depends.

When I heard the news about the post-earthquake crisis at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant, I was dismayed — but, alas, not terribly surprised. For decades now, we’ve all heard experts warning that such a nuclear accident could and would happen (again), and that the radioactive mess would be very difficult or impossible to clean up, even at great expense.

No one really knows how much will be spent trying to deal with the Fukushima disaster, or what the ultimate environmental, human-health and social costs will be. In economic terms, probably hundreds of billions of dollars. But, of course, that doesn’t take into account the fact that much of the damage can’t ever truly be “fixed” or put right.

Read the Whole Article

What does it mean to be thick or thin-skinned? Is it possible to exist in a way where both of these traits can simultaneously be in play?

We exist in a landscape of extremes, where we are quick to separate the thick from the thin. The modern age, with all its astonishing revelations, also carries with it the burden of this divide. You know the types. Those with super thick skin shrug everything off, have uber immunity, act utterly unbothered, and are lacking in vulnerability when it comes to themselves and to others. Those with ultra thin skin lack resilience, have limitless fragility and very little immunity, are delicate to a fault, and take everything too personally.

What we are really talking about here is the distortion of our personal levels of sensitivity, the blunting of our keen and innate abilities to quietly discern when it is time to be more receptive and unguarded, and when it is best not to be. It starts young, this penchant towards under or over susceptibility. In our kids we see more and more the embodiment of these hypo and hyper extremes. Both are destabilizing. In a time of heightened violence and sensationalism, we are not meant to be so impervious or numb. Nor are we meant to be so penetrable that it makes it hard to come through difficulties intact.

Read the Whole Article

Kristi Anderson, Corrective Exercise Specialist par excellence, demonstrates some anti-desk foam roller exercises. This is a great way to open your chest up if you’re hunched at a desk all day.

Reprinted with permission from Experience Life Magazine.

There’s real beauty in choosing a free-range heritage turkey. You’ll get richer flavor, better nutrition — and the satisfaction of supporting a rare breed of poultry farmer, too.

By Karen Olson

On a thousand acres near Ellensburg, Wash., Greg and Laurie Newhall raise cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and — as of this year — turkeys. This place, Windy N Ranch, is a free-range pasture paradise. And the turkeys here aren’t your average supermarket-variety birds, but a heritage breed called Black Spanish, one of 11 breeds (including Bourbon Red, Narragansett and White Holland) that the American Livestock Breeds Association is working to protect from extinction.

Read the Whole Article

When November rolls around, many people start to feel that rising sense of panic about the impending holiday season – and by the time Thanksgiving dinner hits the table, holiday hysteria is in full swing. How to nip the stress of the season in the bud? To stop stress from turning you into the Grinch, start by changing your approach. Instead of thinking the holidays are a chaotic blur of obligations, think of the season as a month-long project with a beginning, middle and end and try to manage it like you would a work project: develop a plan, figure out the steps in advance, prepare to make decisions, take charge and move forward. Here are a few ways to prepare for the days ahead:

Don’t let tradition rule you.
Some traditions are pleasant, while others can fill you with dread. If you’re doing something every year that brings you little or no joy, then it’s time to table that tradition and come up with a new plan. Hate traveling to far-flung relatives every year for holiday dinners? Then create a new tradition that better suits your needs – and agree to travel every other year. Always scrambling to get those holiday cards out to everyone on your list? Give yourself and the earth a break by sending electronic cards instead. No paper, no envelopes, no stamps, no gas – no problem.

Read the Whole Article

If you have never heard of quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), you may soon discover a new favorite staple.  Although quinoa looks like a grain and has similar cooking characteristics, it’s actually the seed of a plant that is related to spinach, chard and beets.

Regarded by the ancient Aztecs as the “mother grain”, the seeds are rich in protein, calcium , iron and are a relatively good source of Vitamin E and some of the B vitamins. Since the protein in quinoa includes all 8 essential amino acids, it is considered a complete protein, making it a great choice for vegans who may not have enough protein in their diets.

So how what does this versatile seed taste like and what can you do with it?  Cooked quinoa is fluffy, a little creamy and a tiny bit crunchy. It has a subtle, slightly nutty taste and can be used in so many different ways.  You can enjoy quinoa sweet or savory. As a breakfast cereal, try mixing in fresh or dried fruit, shredded unsweetened coconut and nuts.  Cold quinoa , combined with lentils (or other beans) and nuts can be added to salads and is a great substitute for rice and other grains. Its delicious served with stir-fried vegetables or used to stuff squash.

Read the Whole Article

David Lynch gives some background on how he got involved in transcendental meditation and how it informs his consciousness and creativity.

Nutritious, whole, organic food can cost a pretty penny, especially if you’re not committed to investing time and energy into becoming a savvy shopper and proactive consumer. I’ve encountered every excuse and complaint in the book and believe me – I hear ya! Family, work and exhaustion are tough demons to tame when you’re staring at an empty dinner table, but let’s face it … Would you rather cut corners and save some money in the short term or spend more time planning, eating consciously, and shopping smart to ward off future hospital bills, prescription costs and long-term health issues? We all slip sometimes and that’s okay! But if you put forth the effort 80 to 90 percent of the time, you’re setting yourself up for increased energy, self-esteem, and happiness for you and your family on a daily basis.

I’m not saying you should run to the nearest health food store and spend your whole paycheck. But before I dive into a bevy of cash saving tips, I’ve got a news flash. This diet and lifestyle wasn’t created for sissies. We’re warriors! That means that you’re not going to see savings unless you stick with the program. It’s time to roll up your sleeves and join this burning hot revolution. Easy-peasy food that you can scarf down in two seconds flat usually equals cheap and unhealthy. Like most things in life, the good stuff takes a little more TLC. I’m not saying that you have to give up your social life, you just might have to cut back on half an hour of Facebook stalking or the latest episode of The Bachelor. A little planning and effort goes a long way.

Read the Whole Article

Reprinted with permission from Experience Life Magazine.

Low-calorie food replacements have promised to make our weight-loss dreams come true, but research indicates that these pseudo-foods rarely deliver. In fact, they may set our weight-loss efforts back.

Whenever Terry Choszczyk drank a diet soda, it seemed to require a chaser of something else that was sweet — the piece of chocolate cake she’d been craving, a handful of cookies. Anything sweet.

“I was always hungry,” recalls the 46-year-old medical insurance biller from Ansonia, Conn. “The diet sodas didn’t curb my appetite, but I thought that since they had no calories, it was OK for me to have something else.”

Read the Whole Article