Screw Fruitcake ! Give A Gift That Matters This Holiday Season

Here we are again, the holiday season is upon us and I bet you're still rushing around trying to find those last minute gifts. During shopping, you might cry out in rage, "it's impossible to find this person a gift…they have everything." And that, my friends is the problem! In today's society, we are constantly surrounding ourselves with stuff...aka...crap we don't need. We can never get enough clothes, DVD's, Kinoki Foot Pads, jewelry, gadgets, Chia Pets, Shake Weights, Snuggies, and so on. According to The Use Less Stuff Report, "Americans throw away 25% more trash from Thanksgiving to New Years than any other time of year. As a result, this equates to 25 million more tons of garbage annually." According to my mathematical calculations, that's a shit ton!

Instead, why not give a gift that will last forever... no I'm not talking about diamonds ladies, I'm talking about giving someone an experience that will have a perpetual and life changing effect. Here are my picks for some kick ass holiday gifts that won't contribute to more waste and can make a difference. When was the last time a pair of socks changed your life?

1. Make A Donation: make a contribution in the person's name for a charity on an issue they are passionate about. If they don't care about the environment, animals, sick children or small suffering African villages, get them what you want and hope you will inspire them to stop being a shitty person.

Here are a few…

* The Humane Society

http://www.humanesociety.org/

* Heifer

https://secure1.heifer.org/gift-catalog

*Red Crosshttps://american.redcross.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=gc11_index&s_src=RSS11100ERCL&s_subsrc=RCO_DonatePage

* See Your Impact

http://seeyourimpact.org/support/kimberly-snyder/

2. Give The Gift of Nutrition: Purchase a membership for Community Supported Agriculture. Members will receive local, seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables each week delivered right to their door. That's so much better than a fruitcake. Besides, every time they eat those delicious vegetables they'll think of you.

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

3. Buy an Experience: Instead of buying more crap, buy an experience. Purchase classes like: cooking lessons, yoga, art classes, salsa dancing, vocal coaching, horse back riding, camping excursions, fencing, wine tasting etc. Everyone is interested in something. You can even opt to do the class with them cause lets face it, who wouldn't want to take knitting lessons in a darkened room with their grandmother.

Last but not least, if you do buy crap, make sure the items are from non- animal testing companies. Just because you want to buy red lipstick doesn't mean a pig should have to wear it first to make it safe!

Here's how you can find out!

http://www.peta.org/living/beauty-and-personal-care/companies/default.aspx

Also, wrap your gifts in newspaper or brown paper bags. It may look plain, but you'll be recycling and helping the environment. Another perk, is people will have low expectations for your gift and be surprised that it is so much better than the wrapping.

So get out there, use your money wisely and forget the old adage "money can't buy happiness," cause I bet the starving kid playing in dirt behind Sally Struthers might beg to differ!

Peace, Veggies & Rock’N Roll

Love,

Happy Healthy Hippie

Did things get a little crazy this Thanksgiving ? Were you double fisting turkey legs while polishing off a whole bottle of wine... by yourself ?Did you stuff your face with stuffing or snack on leftover Pumpkin Pie for breakfast? If so, it's not too late to start fresh and get your body back into shape before the holidays.

While it's always fun to throw your inhibitions to the wind and indulge your every desire, you might find yourself feeling sick and sluggish this winter. After Thanksgiving, many tend to continue the celebration by feasting on poor food choices for the next month, waiting till New Years to kick their bodies back into shape. Well, why wait when you can start now!

Firstly, I am not a big fan of intense cleanses. I don't believe in starving your body after a night of shameful indulgence. This type of lifestyle can be very harsh on the body because you are continually changing from two extremes. First, you stuff yourself with an abundance of junk food, salt, sugar and alcohol and then deprive your body of nourishment. When you undergo intense cleanses such as " The Lemonade Diet" or "The Master Cleanse," (a liquid mono diet where you live off of water, lemon, maple syrup and cayenne pepper for 10 to 40 days) your body goes into shock and believes there is a famine. Since your body's main goal is to survive, it sets up a defense mechanism called " The Starvation Response." According to Joshua Rosenthal, founder and director of Integrative Nutrition, "your body will suck up every calorie from the small amount of nutrients you give it and when you finally break the fast your body will rapidly put on weight." Also, many become so ravenous after these cleanses that they binge eat. As you can see, this entirely defeats the whole point of cleansing.

In contrast, I believe cleansing should an ongoing process by incorporating more raw living foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals. Instead of fasting, begin cleansing by going back to basics. Trade in massed produced, genetically modified foods for light, fresh, organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Now instead of starving , you'll be giving your body what it truly needs, while removing toxins and heavy metals. Bellow are a list of foods created by Jordan Rubin who is one of the most recognized and respected natural health experts.

1. Avocados : high in fiber, potassium and vitamin E

2. Flax Seeds and Chia Seeds: rich in fiber, fatty acids, promote healthy cellular structure

3. Raw Coconut Cream: medium chain fatty acid that promotes positive intestinal environment

4. Raw Vegetable Juice: provides vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants

5. Blueberries: low in sugar and high in fiber superfood, rich in antioxidants

6.Cucumbers: high in fiber and minerals and are perfect for hydrating

7. Tomatoes: a gentle form of fiber and rich in vitamin C and the antioxidant lycopene

8. Raw Cultured Veggies: sauerkraut in particular has billions of live probiotics and active sulfur compounds that help detoxify the liver (our major fat burning organ)

These foods are ideal for getting your body hydrated and nourished. A few things to eliminate during this natural cleansing process are:

1. Processed Foods

2. Refined Sugar: (white table sugar) stick to natural sugar like honey or stevia (which has 0 calories ... your welcome !)

3. Refined Grains: ( white bread, bagels ) If its white ... it aren't right ! stick to whole grains like whole wheat bread, brown rice, oats, quinoa

4. No Caffeine !

5. No Alcohol

Try eating these foods for a week. Many such as myself, feel so good eating this way that living

foods become primary in my daily diet. Your body will have more energy, you'll be hydrated and you'll be getting plenty of fiber, minerals, vitamins and nourishment.

" to eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art"

... La Rochefoucauld

Peace, Love & Rock'n Roll

Happy Healthy Hippie

Stress.. The Grym Reaper of Today !

Have you ever had one of those days when you are stressed the F out? Everything you touch falls apart, you're consumed with deadlines, financial issues and problems that seem impossible to overcome ? Well what if I told you that your stress is causing more harm than the actual thing your stressing about!

Long ago, stress was used to help us survive when our lives were being threatened by predators . Today, we are still experiencing the same physical reaction as if our lives were in danger, except now your stressing about your tivo breaking and missing the season finale of Mad Men. See the problem ?

In a study conducted by neuroendocrinologist, Robert Maurice Sapolsky, he researched issues of stress and neuronal degeneration in Kenya while studying a population of wild baboons. What he found was that when animals became stressed, everything that was not essential to survival was no longer utilized. The lungs worked overtime to pump oxygen into the bloodstream, the heart beat increased dramatically to pump the oxygen to the muscles and blood pressure rises to deliver the energy throughout the body. As a result, cellular functions such as growth, reproduction, tissue repair, and the immune system all shut down. We as humans are experiencing these same effects on a regular and permanent basis throughout our entire lives.

By constantly experiencing this "fight or flight" response, many neglect to see the link between stress and sickness, causing catastrophic harm to your body and spiritual and mental well being. In particular, stress increases the flow of hormones and damages blood vessels, creating more plaque in the arteries and leads to high blood pressure. Stress also may have something to do with haziness and slow learning. Subsequently, stress and anxiety has the ability to damage brain cells in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning. In other words, stress can make you seem a a little "special"... well in a mentally challenged kind of way :)

Stress has also been proven to damage our immune system and intensify symptoms such as headaches, colds, irritable bowel syndrome and even some link stress to cancer. Stress can lead to poor diet habits and also affect your mental state of being.

So what do you do to fight off the big bad monster known as stress ? Stop, breathe and give yourself permission to be selfish. Whatever it is that you have to do can wait. By giving yourself that extra moment to take a step back, you'll find that you'll have the clarity and calmness to deal with the problem in a more effective and powerful way. Take some precious, selfish time to just be you. Go for a hike, take a yoga class, go for a run, meditate or do whatever makes you feel alive and in your body. I find that being out in nature and feeling the dirt beneath my feat while filling my lungs with fresh air has a truly euphoric effect on my body, mind and spirit. Take delicious time to be with yourself, without fear, judgment or the need to please anyone but yourself.

Lastly, another way to help reduce stress and create a more peaceful and happier world is to have compassion for others. In Robert Maurice Sapolsky's studies, he discovered that "telomerase" is an enzyme that repairs telomeres that protect our DNA. He found that expressing care and thoughtfulness towards others lead to an increase of telomerase. So next time you feel rage and anxiety burning inside you, remember to take a moment and connect with others. In the words of the Dalai Lama " kindness is society." By living from a more compassionate viewpoint, we can create not only a better life for ourselves but for the world.

Peace

Veggies

and Rock'n Roll

Love,

Happy Healthy Hippie !

Suck On My Chocolate Salty Balls

With Halloween just around the corner, you might find yourself thinking about more treats then tricks this chilly autumn night. It seems everywhere you turn there's lollipops ,chocolate bars, Carmel apples, candy corns and other variations of sugar on a stick, manipulatively displayed at every supermarket checkout aisle. You'll walk into a grocery store to buy fresh kale and apples and somehow come out with chocolate covered pretzels and skittles. How did that happen?

Well stress no more! Now you can get your sugar fix without guilt or excessive calories, by making your own delicious chocolate salty balls, made without refined sugar, gluten or dairy. Put that in your bong and smoke it!

Chocolate Salty Balls

Ingredients

1 cup of raw ground almonds (you can get this at Trader Joe's)

5 dates (remove pits)

1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

3/4 cups of raw cacao powder

1 sprinkle of Celtic sea salt

1 cup of shredded dried coconut flakes

1/3 cup of water

Directions:

Place almond flour, dates, cinnamon, cacao powder, Celtic sea salt, and water in a blender and mix well. Now here's the fun part. Light some candles, put on some Barry White and roll up your sleeves, cause its about to get messy. Get your palms wet and start rolling the batter into small bite sized balls. If your hands keep getting sticky, you can put a little coconut oil on your palms. ( ladies you can take that one to the bank)

Note: Don't worry about making your balls perfect. I my opinion, misshapen balls tend to have more character! Lastly, dip and roll each ball into a bowl filled with shredded coconut flakes. Chill in the freezer for 2 hours. Then put them in your mouth and suck em !

Peace,

Veggies

& Rock'n Roll

Love,

Happy Healthy Hippie

Green is the New Orange this Halloween

Oh Halloween, the perfect occasion to reminisce about your youth. The air is crisp,the side walks are covered with a mosaic of rich yellow and red leaves,and the smell of warm apple cider with spiced cinnamon lingers in the air. Although you may be far from home, there is no reason not to bring a little Halloween cheer to your dorm this autumn. While strolling down the decorations aisle, you might normally reach for paper streamers, styrofoam and string lights; however, this Halloween, opt for more traditional and dare I say spooky decorations.

Get Naughty with Nature

Instead of spending all your hard earned money to buy crappy plastic decorations, go for a more natural look by decorating with pumpkins, corn husks, leaves, branches, flowers, and hay. Just swing by your local farmers market or just step outdoors and let the shopping begin. Your dorm will look awesome and you can put that extra cash towards another round at the bar.

A little Mood lighting Please
If your dorm isn't strict or has regulations about using candels, light up your crypt with flickering pumpkins filled with soy and beeswax candels. Candels made from paraffin wax release toxic chemicals into the air . If you are going to use string lights, use LED lights. They use way less energy. I suggest only keeping them lit when you are there to enjoy them. There is no reason to waste energy.

Its My Party and I'll Die If I Want To
Host your own green Halloween party. Use paper plates and cups from brands that are recycled and recyclable. Instead of using tons of small plastic goody bags, opt for large bowls for guests to enjoy refreshments and snacks. Advertise the party electronically, through sites such as Facebook, email or E-vite, instead of using fliers. Let's be honest, what's a college party without beer. Instead of buying beers that have been shipped from Belgium, requiring lots of fuel and ecological waste, buy beers that are local.

Check out this link to find a listing of local breweries in your area.

http://brewpubzone.com/

Reverse Trick or Treating
Ever wish you could still go door to door Trick or Treating without looking like a pedophile ? Here's your chance. Global Exchange is helping educate adults about Fair Trade cocoa by allowing you to hand out Fair Trade chocolates when you go Trick or Treating . The chocolates are attached to information cards that shed light on child labor and low wages present in the cocoa industry. You can help make a difference while reliving your favorite childhood pastime.

Be a Witch not a Bitch ... (http://www.globalexchange.org/fairtrade/campaigns/cocoa )

Spooky Eats

Of course chips and popcorn are easiest when throwing a small dorm party, but why not throw in some veggies, hummus, whole wheat pita bread and fresh fruits. They are relatively inexpensive, are nutritious and are easy to clean up. Believe me, cleaning carrots off your couch is a hell of a lot easier than cleaning greasy, orange powdered , Doritos or that anonamous white stain that you have no idea what it is :) You can find locally grown produce from farmers markets or your neighboorhood grocery store.

What is old is new again

Why waste money buying some plastic, polyvinyl, chemical containing costume. Instead, look to local thrift or vintage shops to put together this years ensemble or get togther with girl friends to trade old costumes. You'll save money, and won't look like every other girl... this works great with dates and old boy friends too .

Go Balls Out

No matter what age you are, enjoy yourself. Life is supposed to be fun and exciting. Let loose and relax, but be a conscious partier. Don't be wasteful. Think about having fun in a way that won't leave such a heavy carbon footprint. Have that extra beer, but drink it in reuseable mug or even better, your own personal pimp cup. There is nothing better than having guilt free fun !Be a leader in educating friends and family about easy ways to save the environment and make a difference. In the words of Gandhi " be the change you wish to see in the world."

Be safe, have fun and in the words of my mother " have someone check the goodies before they go into your mouth." :) Ladies I'm talking to you.

Happy Halloween !

Peace

Veggies

& Rock'n Roll

Love,

Happy Healthy Hippie

Skeletons and Skanks

So here we are. Fall is upon us and before we know it, we'll be facing one of the biggest pushes for weight loss besides Spring Break... you guessed it... Halloween. To lovingly quote Tina Fey's Mean Girls "it is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it." College is no exception to this rule. Finding a costume can be incredibly stressful and may leave you feeling confused and self conscious about your body and self worth.

One brisk fall October day, you finally decide it's time to pick this years slutty ensemble.When we were children we never had to worry about starving ourselves to fit into our Little Mermaid or Cinderella costume. In fact, you couldn't even see our costumes because of the big coats our mom's would make us wear when we went trick or treating. But now as adults, candy is the last thing on our minds.

We confidently walk into a Halloween store and rifle through a multitude of women's costumes, where perfectly airbrushed models are displayed on the package wearing each outfit. With high hopes, you pick a few costumes to try on in that tiny florescent lit dressing room with crappy fun house mirrors. You squeeze yourself into those tight, unforgiving polyester ensembles, look in the mirror and low and behold are extremely disappointed by what you see. "Why don't I look like the girl on the package?...How did I get to be so fat... That girl is so much prettier than me." A rush of negative feelings may surge and turn what should be something that is fun and exciting, into a stressful and painful event. Finally you choose a costume... (that is usually non -refundable) might I add, and purchase it, deciding that starting today, you are on a major diet until Halloween night.

For the rest of October you are starving yourself, exercising like crazy and are continually trying on the costume everyday to see if you look any closer to the girl on the package. You become stressed and feel an intense amount of pressure. One Halloween when I starved myself so I could wear a girl scout costume,I was so hungry that by the time I finally got to the party I was delirious, making it impossible for me to have any fun or even hold a conversation. By the end of the night I parked myself at the snack table and feasted. I didn't care what I ate . I couldn't get it in my mouth fast enough and was so happy that Halloween was over.

When we become so strict on our diets, it becomes almost impossible to achieve success. These crash diets are unsustainable and leave us feeling sick and malnourished. This Halloween don't become a victim of trying to be some walking pornographic version of the male fantasy. Instead, be something that is unique to who you are and that makes you look and FEEL beautiful. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look sexy or hot, but do it for you. Pick a costume that you look good in TODAY... not after starving yourself for two weeks. Also think about being creative. You don't want to be just another slutty nurse. Be something that is unique to who you are and that makes you feel confident and stunning. Besides,girls who show too much cooter seem a little desperate.

Lastly instead of buying those ubiquitous polyester costumes, plastic masks, synthetic-hair wigs, and other disposable items, try being more eco-friendly by creating your costume from things you already have at home or can buy at thrift or vintage stores. You'll save a ton of money, won't look like every other girl and will be saving the environment one sexy school girl at a time.


Peace
Veggies
&
Rock'N Roll

Love

Healthy Happy Hippie