I have the internets!

Photo

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:36:33 -0500

< = > Graham Hill talks about editing what we have, how...

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:40:00 -0400

< = >

Graham Hill talks about editing what we have, how we live, and really getting down to what we need. As someone who’s been living out of my car for the last 8 months, I’ve cut down out of necessity, but what if I just made it a way of life? I really like the idea of fewer and finer, a smaller footprint, and a space full of my favorite things. I think the same could be said for editing obligations and interests, too. What if we only did what we love?

Just asking.

Better than chicken...

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 21:39:00 -0400

Better than chicken soup! http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2652

One of my favorite TED moments begs the question - at what point...

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:40:00 -0400

One of my favorite TED moments begs the question - at what point to you stop wondering and start doing. Making things, doing stuff, seeing it through. If you were in charge, what would it look like? Dream it, sure. Create it? That’s a risk that most people don’t take. What would it look like if your vision were real, if your ideas took shape, if you actually had the courage to DO it.

Just asking.

My favorite shot from the snow storm.

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 09:30:31 -0500

My favorite shot from the snow storm.

Can’t. Stop. Listening. @TheHundredInThe (Hands)

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 09:09:22 -0500

Can’t. Stop. Listening. @TheHundredInThe (Hands)

Take a picture of your food, take a picture of your life.

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 19:23:00 -0400

I’m sure that my friends / family / coworkers get annoyed when I whip out my iPhone and make them wait to begin their meal so that I can snap a few photos of everyone’s dishes, but there’s something about taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of what you’re about to eat. Maybe it doesn’t even look that pretty, but it smells amazing, or you’ve had it before and you know it’s your favorite meal in the world. Taking that photo is an homage of sorts to the food, the folks who grew it, to those (maybe you) who prepared it - a chance to take it all in and a chance to remember it later.

It’s a small thing, that photo on your phone camera, but when we take the time to appreciate what goes into our bodies, we tend to take better care of ourselves on the whole. When we realize how much better we feel, we encourage others to take care of themselves too, to take better care of each other, to take better care of their surroundings, to make choices that better affect our planet… If you let it, the effect moves further and further out from that simple photo than you can imagine.

"When you come to the edge of all the light you know and are about to step into the darkness of the..."

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 10:00:00 -0400

““When you come to the edge of all the light you know and are about to step into the darkness of the unknown. Faith is knowing that one of two things will happen. There will be solid ground to stand on or you will be taught to fly.””

- anon

CHALLENGE: yoga & coffee

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:20:38 -0400

Monday. Always a good chance to start something new. As Liz and I put the finishing touches on our Signature Acupuncture Facelift treatment series, I am realizing that my own face will be a big part of our advertising. I stood in the mirror and did a thorough inspection this morning and discovered something quite interesting.

My skin is dry. DRY, DRY, DRY. Though I hate to admit it, it is drier when I’m drinking coffee regularly, which is unfortunate since I love coffee and I am absolutely in love with the coconut milk creamer I just discovered at Whole Foods. Given that I run around extolling the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of green tea all day, yet drink very little of the stuff myself, I figure it’s time I put my money where my mouth is and try it out for a week. I still get my caffeine boost in the morning, and hopefully a softer complexion!

In addition, and in the name of a thorough detox, I’m aiming to hit four hot yoga classes this week. I’ve long poo-pooed hot yoga as unnecessary and unhealthy for some, but I will say that it makes me feel kind of hard core and I sleep like a baby. Also, I’m hoping that a regular sweat sesh might help clear up some breakouts. We shall see.

So let’s see if I can make it through the week running on the caffeine-addict’s equivalent of biodiesel and get my yoga practice back on track at the same time!

Dr. Perricone's 10 Superfoods - Oprah.com

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:55:00 -0400

Dr. Perricone's 10 Superfoods - Oprah.com:

Check out this list of foods with AMAZING health and beauty benefits! And remember: the foods that lower or regulate blood sugar levels will help slow the aging process, prevent diabetes, obesity, wrinkles and a host of degenerative diseases. Eat well!

First Listen: John Legend And The Roots, 'Wake Up!' : NPR

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:03:27 -0400

First Listen: John Legend And The Roots, 'Wake Up!' : NPR:

listening today.

Margot & the Nuclear So and So's

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 17:42:03 -0400

Margot & the Nuclear So and So's:

listening today.

Check out this article on Acupuncture and Shin Splints

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:06:52 -0400

Check out this article on Acupuncture and Shin Splints

"Corn Sugar" a big, fat scam.

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:12:57 -0400

"Corn Sugar" a big, fat scam.

Studying Acupuncture, One Needle Prick at a Time.

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:32:35 -0400

Studying Acupuncture, One Needle Prick at a Time.:

Great article on why the acupuncture studies have been inconclusive. Finally!

The Sneaker Ball

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:33:03 -0400

The Sneaker Ball:

I’m lucky enough to have a chance to promote the Acupuncture for Sports Performance Enhancement and Recovery protocol tonight at the VIP reception for the Sneaker Ball (the actual ball is next Tuesday, the 14th). Tell your runner friends and any hard working athletes you may know that acupuncture could be the key to breaking through that plateau! Get more info on my Sports Medicine page!

Adam's Morgan Day Festival

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:43:00 -0400

Adam's Morgan Day Festival:

I will be in the Still Point booth at Adams Morgan Day Festival next sunday, September 12th from 12-7pm. Come to the Green Pavilion and see us!

The Cavewoman's Guide to Good Health

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:06:00 -0400

Confession: I love Glamour magazine. It’s one of the few (actually, the only) women’s mag that I read cover to cover. There’s the usual assortment of hair and denim tips, but the health articles are always on point and the August 2010 issue really hit one over the fence with “The Cavewoman’s Guide to Good Health.”

With our collective addictions to technology, caffeine and sugar, it’s no wonder that the number of females who suffer from depression is on the rise. We are always go go go and looking for a quick fix - compensating for lack of sleep with coffee and Diet Coke, compensating for lack of time with microwavable meals and skipping workouts and compensating for lack of personal interaction with text messages and facebook. What we need to do is simplify.

Julie Holland, MD says that the cavewomen had it right! It’s worked for hundreds of years, and it will work for you. Here’s the rundown.

Move your body. Exercise. Duh. Studies show that regular exercise helps improve brain chemistry to ward off depression. Of course, at the end of a long workday, the sofa sounds far more appealing than the gym so schedule your workouts ahead of time. Three days is all you need - twice during the week, once on the weekends. Doable, right? Get to it!
Get some natural light! The window across the cubicle-yard from your desk ain’t going to cut it. Go. Out. Side. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to PMS, chronic pain and autoimmune diseases. Even just 10-15 minutes of sun exposure sans SPF three times per week is enough to produce the vitamin D your body needs. Can’t get outside during the workday? Bring the outside in - putting a plant at your desk may help you feel happier =D
Eat. Real. Food. I preach this all the time, but if you were a cavewoman, what would you eat after a long day outside? Fruits? Nuts? Vegetables? Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal? Wait, what? That’s an actual ingredient!!! Your body needs nutrient rich foods to do its job, not processed fast food. A plant based diet plus lean meats and fish will make you feel your best. If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it! If it doesn’t expire before the end of the Mayan calendar, don’t eat it! What use could a living body have for foods that aren’t or weren’t ever alive? None! Now get that butt to the farmer’s market!
Beware of Predators (sex-drive predators that is). Just a quick FYI - the Pill and certain antidepressants have been linked to low sex drive. Know what you’re taking and ask your doctor about side effects of new prescriptions. I’m not saying quit your meds - NEVER abruptly stop taking a prescribed medication without talking to your doctor first - but do be informed and keep ‘scripts to the necessary minimum. As for antidepressants, if you’ve been diagnosed with major depression or are being treated for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, you need your meds. But many women who are sad or stressed out aren’t necessarily clinically depressed. See # 5….
Accept Some Natural Moodiness. Cavewomen have crappy days too. It’s completely normal to have ups and downs. Many times it’s hormonal, but as women, we are naturally empathetic and sensitive to things going on in our environments - physically and emotionally - it’s what has made us good caregivers =D Obviously take your meds if they’ve been prescribed to you, but you don’t necessarily need to demand zoloft just because you’re a little blue. There are lots of effective ways to up your mood besides drugs - eat right, play outside, get some lovin’.
Connect with others - IN. PERSON. We are social beings, not social media beings! This explains why we keep up with everything that goes down on Facebook, but not why we use FB to replace having an actual life. We need touch, eye contact and the processing of pheromones to properly bond with each other in a meaningful way. Excessive internet use is even linked with depression! So, put down the iPhone and have some face time with your mom, your friends or the cute guy you DM on Twitter all day.
Get your zzzzzzz’s. We may not have to outrun hyena’s or catch our dinner by the tail, but we still need to rest and recharge. When we don’t get enough sleep we use drugs, sugary foods and caffeine to compensate. Sleep deprivation will make you irritable and distracted, and is even linked to obesity and diabetes (yowza!). A few simple rules: no caffeine after noon, put that computer / TV / Blackberry away an hour before bedtime (the glowing lights confuse your body’s internal sleep - wake cycle) and pick up a book, listen to music or gently stretch instead. Relax!
Create some healthy downtime. Newsflash: you need more than sleep to feel rested and alive. While getting your 8 hours and 8 glasses is a good start - you need to nourish yourself on other levels too. Unplug, unwind, go play (preferably outside!). Take a walk, a yoga class, an hour to yourself. Mark it on your schedule and don’t let it slide!
Party the way the cavewomen did. While there’s some evidence that a few glasses of wine here and there may have health benefits, there is no evidence that supports you going out and getting smashed all weekend. Binge drinking can damage brain and liver cells and contribute to sleep problems and poor eating habits. Go dancing, take in some live music, work that body you’ve been taking such good care of! You can imbibe in moderation, just know that you don’t need to get trashed to have fun. Your body will thank you in the morning and for many healthy years to come.

Many thanks to Julie Holland, MD and Glamour Magazine.

Commuting to the ends of the Earth…. or just Union Station...

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:54:00 -0400

Commuting to the ends of the Earth…. or just Union Station ;-)

Free Will Astrology

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:35:00 -0400

I’m a little obsessed with Rob Brezney’s Free Will Astrology - he always manages to give me more inspiration than instruction (this week I am compared to Gwyneth Paltrow, yes, thank you) and some solid thinking points. Currently we (Rob and I) are exploring the concept of perfection and I think he pretty much nails it.

While Gwyneth is beautiful, rich, famous, in great shape and has a killer wardrobe, I agree that we should strive for a bit more and ask ourselves the following questions:

- Are you doing the work you love?

- Are you engaged in ongoing efforts to transform your darkness?

- Do you practice compassion with wit and style?

- Are you saving the world in some way?

- Are you skilled at taking care of yourself?

If you’re hitting all five, you’re probably pretty perfect yourself!

Check your own free-will horoscope!