Finding a Piece of Sunlight on Rainy Days

It has been a rather cloudy and rainy past few days here in the bay area. We had an unusually dry and sunny winter (at least, so I am told…it was my first winter here!), so the rain was a much-needed blessing. Even so, I find it can sometimes be hard to stay positive, light-hearted, and energetic on days when the sun never shows its face or only peeks through the clouds for a few brief moments during the day. My energy level has always been heavily influenced by the weather, with sunny days usually accompanied by vitality, stamina, and a get-up-and-go type of enthusiasm, while cloudy/rainy ones tend to invite lethargy and idleness. I have the hardest time simply waking up on rainy days and never seem to snap out of a heaviness that weighs on me physically and emotionally.

I am aware of Seasonal Affective Disorder and know that part of what I experience on those days may be related to that, but I think this feeling of lethargy is more common than we realize. In fact, I have talked to many people who struggle with similar feelings on dark, rainy days and have a hard time functioning when rain persists for longer than a day. Though I am continuously working on overcoming my own battles with this, I found a few things to be quite helpful on dark days when you just can’t seem to wake up/get out of the house/get things done/feel content:

1.     Listen to happy, upbeat music that makes you want to dance. I am not normally a huge techno fan, but today I decided to try out the “Vengaboys” Pandora station and I found that it really did make me want to get up and move! One song in particular really got me going:

                                                          "Lucky (Hot Stuff Short Mix)" by Lucky Twice

2.     Go on a walk. Though it was the last thing I wanted to do today (trust me), I forced myself to put on some warm clothes and head out for a nice stroll around the neighborhood. In doing so, I got some fresh air, exercise, and even discovered a lovely small park in my neighborhood that I never knew existed. (If it is pouring rain, this may be more difficult to execute, but I still encourage you to put on a raincoat, grab an umbrella, and make the most of your outing).

3.     Bake. There’s nothing better than warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven, melt-in-your-mouth cookies on a cold rainy day. Bust out the apron and bake up a storm! Plus, having the oven on will create a warm, toasty atmosphere that is irresistible.

4.     Brew yourself a cup of coffee and write in a journal. I know, I know: it’s cliché. But seriously, when else are you going to have the time? Not to mention, a rainy indoor day is a great time for thoughtful reflection and for looking inwards to discover purpose and direction.

5.     Be thankful. This one never seems to fail me. Whenever I am feeling under the weather or just down, I remind myself of all the good in my life and all the things I have to be grateful for.

"I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances."
                                                                            - Martha Washington 

  

Fresh Salsa

Homemade salsa is truly a gem; it's easy to make, delicious, and can save you a lot of money in long run. All you need are a few key ingredients.

Here's the basic recipe I use:

Fresh Salsa 

Ingredients

• 2 cans of diced tomatoes
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, whole and unpeeled
• 1-2 green onions (depending on the size), chopped
• 1-3 jalapeño peppers (depending on your desired spice level)
• 1 TSP ground cumin
• 1/4 TSP salt
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 TBS fresh lime juice

 

Directions
Cook the jalapeño peppers and garlic cloves (unpeeled) in a frying pan on high heat until the skin on the peppers and garlic are charred. Remove from pan and let cool. Meanwhile, throw all of the other ingredients in a blender, including the juice from one of the cans of tomatoes but not the juice from the other (I find that using both makes it too watery). Peel the peppers and garlic and add them to the blender. Coarsely chop ingredients in blender and....voilá!

"The cure for cancer will not be found under the microscope; it's on the dinner-plate."
- Biochemist Paul Stitt

 

Science of Mind: My Own Path to Spiritual Expansion

A few months ago, Jorge and I started seriously looking around for churches or spiritual centers we could attend on a regular basis so that we could bond spiritually and expand our own spiritual awareness. We have both always been spiritual people and have sought out, and experienced, that spirituality in different ways over the course of our lives. However, until now, we had not found a place where we could go that felt right for the both of us. We wanted a church that fit our values and that was open-minded enough to accommodate for a wide range of belief systems and a wide range of people. At the East Bay Church of Religious Science, we found just that.

Having never been one to attend church services while growing up (apart from the occasional Christmas Eve service), I have always been skeptical of churches. I always entered them feeling a sense of defensiveness, distrust, and, sometimes, even anger. What I realized over the past few years though, is that my idea of what a "church" was had been greatly influenced by all of the negativity that surrounds religion, and none of the positive stuff. When I entered churches, I thought of sexism, racism, patriarchy, hypocrisy, and close-mindedness. Surely, all of those things are still very present in some churches and among some believers and, unfortunately, give a bad name to religion as a whole. But I also believe that these negative things come about through the human tainting of religion, misreadings and misinterpretations of religious texts, and even a true lack of religiosity among even the strongest of "believers". You can't claim to be a true Christian and still be racist or believe that we shouldn't help the poor! When I started to comprehend religion in this light, I began to shed some of my initial misgivings and started on a quest to find a religious/spiritual community that was right for me.

I entered the East Bay Church of Religious Science with an open mind and, luckily for me, was greeted with just that. Religious Science (or Science of Mind) is a New Age spiritual philosophy that is "a correlation of the laws of science, opinions of philosophy, and revelations of religion applied to human needs and the aspirations of man" (as explained by Earnest Holmes, its founder). It is a non-denominational, progressive, and open-minded spiritual community that encourages living in the present, adapting your beliefs to fit your experiences, and that unconditional love is the first step in spiritual transformation.

"We believe that love is the answer to all human discord and that peace begins in our own hearts, our own homes and in our own communities. When we love and accept ourselves and every person as a Divine Being, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation, there is no room for conflict." - Rev. Dr. Elouise D. Oliver (East Bay Church of Religious Science)

The building it is housed in looks nothing like a church and, in fact, the ministers and practitioners there refer to it as a "spiritual development center" not a church. The first half hour of every service is devoted to meditation, which is truly a wonderful way to begin any exploration of spirituality. The attendees are a diverse group: young, old, hipsters, hippies, business men and women, and people of every race/ethnicity. It is a genuine reflection of the diverse community where we live. The services are not preachy and encourage you to apply the philosophy to your own life in a way that works for you. Here, "God" is an open-ended concept that can be defined however you want. I tend to define "God" as the Universal Spirit or Presence that is most profoundly felt when you are in nature, but this is a fluid definition that is always open to revision and expansion.

I have finally found a spiritual center that is exactly what I want. We look forward to attending the Sunday services every week, and I love the peace, happiness, and calmness of mind I gain from being a part of such a welcoming, diverse, and inspiring community of people. Did I mention that it's also only a 20 minute walk from our house? We get to work exercise into the outing, which is a lovely way to start off our Sunday mornings. :)

For more information on the Science of Mind philosophy, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_Science. Or, delve even deeper, and read Ernest Holme's The Science of Mind. We just ordered it from Amazon and I can't wait to read it!


"Continuous spiritual expansion is my highest good, and I am fearless in my pursuit of love and wisdom. My greatest path lies within me. I willingly and quietly follow wherever it leads me." 
- Science of Mind Magazine, March 4, 2012

Sautéed Chicken & Asparagus

One of my favorite resources for easy healthy recipes is the World's Healthiest Foods site (http://www.whfoods.com/). I signed up for their electronic newsletters and now get a recipe in my inbox every day. The website itself is a bit strange and it may feel as if they are just trying to sell you stuff, but once you get past all of the ads, you actually find some pretty useful information about different foods. I started trying out the recipes a while back and have been pleasantly surprised. The other night we made the "15-minute Healthy Sautéed Chicken and Asparagus" and it was delicious. We served it over white rice.

We tweaked just a few things and here's the way we made it:

Sautéed Chicken & Asparagus (from the World's Healthiest Foods website)

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 medium cloves, minced
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1 TBS minced fresh ginger 
• 3 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (preferably organic), cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups when cut)
• 3 TBS soy sauce
• 1 TBS rice vinegar
• pinch red chili flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
  
  Directions:
• Cut onion and mince garlic
• Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet. Sauté onion in oil for about 2 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
• Add ginger, garlic, chicken, and continue to sauté for another 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add asparagus, soy sauce, vinegar, and red chili flakes. Stir together and cover. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. This may have to cook for an extra couple minutes if the asparagus is thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  
  
  "God, in His infinite wisdom, neglected nothing, and if we would eat food without trying to improve, change or refine it, thereby destroying its life-giving elements, it would meet all requirements of the body." - Jethro Kloss
  
  

A Holistic Approach to Health

In holistic medicine, the emphasis is placed on healing a person as a whole, rather than treating a specific symptom or problem. When you become sick, it is often the result of some imbalance in your life, and rather than focusing on just one or two symptoms, it is best to view yourself as one whole that is made up of interrelated parts (emotional, social, physical, and spiritual aspects), all of which affect your overall health and depend on one another for your well-being. When one part is disrupted, it affects the other parts.

• "The physical you requires good nutrition, appropriate weight, beneficial exercise and adequate rest.
• The emotional you needs to give and receive forgiveness, love and compassion; needs to laugh and experience happiness; needs joyful relationships with yourself and others.
• The mental you needs self-supportive attitudes, positive thoughts and viewpoints and a positive self-image.
• The spiritual you requires inner calmness, openness to your creativity, and trust in your inner knowing."
                     Wellness from Within: The First Step, 2003, American Holistic Health Association

Of course, a holistic approach to health is most usefully applied when one isn't sick or, more specifically, as a way to avoid getting sick in the first place. Once you already have a sore throat, for instance, you're much more likely to resort to treating that one specific soreness rather than worrying about any other part of your self (and with good reason!). The trick, then, is to think about keeping your whole self in balance when you are healthy, rather than waiting until you are sick to address the problem(s). This, naturally, is much easier said than done, especially in a fast-paced society that values short-term solutions instead of long-term lifestyle changes.

The beauty of a holistic understanding of health is that it gives you so much power over your body and your well-being. You become an active part in your own health and healing process.

The American Holistic Health Association has a really great publication available online for free called Wellness from Within: The First Step that explores how to achieve wellness using a whole-person approach. To read it, follow this link: http://ahha.org/ahhastep.htm.

"We can be sure that the greatest hope for maintaining equilibrium in the face of any situation rests within ourselves."
  -Francis J. Braceland

 

Delicious Coleslaw

I've been getting a lot of cabbage, carrots, and beets in my CSA boxes recently since they're in season, so I wanted to find a great coleslaw recipe. Up until now, I haven't much success in finding a coleslaw recipe I truly enjoyed. Many were bland and others had either too little or too much mayonnaise. I'm a purist when it comes to coleslaw, so I think you do need to include some mayo, but there's no need to overdo it. After some research and trial and error,  I came up with the following recipe. I always like a good kick in my salads, so I usually include pickled jalapeños but, obviously, you should adjust to your own preferences.

Coleslaw

1 head of green cabbage, thinly shredded

1/2 cup onion, finely diced (I've used both green onions and yellow onions and either one seems to work well)

2 large carrots, grated

1 small or medium raw beet, grated (these can be a lot of work to grate when raw but the addition brings great flavor and a pretty color to your salad)

chopped pickled jalapeños (optional)--I usually put in about 1/4 cup

chopped kalamata olives (optional)--also about 1/4 cup

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Toss the veggies together in a large bowl. Combine the dressing ingredients in another bowl, stir together, and mix into veggies. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. I've found that the longer it marinates, the better the taste. For best results, use fresh veggies.

Starting Seedlings Indoors

By far the cheapest way to grow your own food is to start your vegetables from seed. You can buy a whole pack of seeds for less than you would spend on a single vegetable plant. Granted, it does require a little more effort, time, and patience to start from seed, but I think the the final result is well worth it. By starting from seed you can also guarantee that your vegetables will be raised organically. Growing from seed is the ultimate way to have a complete say over where your food comes from and how it was grown from seed to harvest.

Below is a picture of my tomato seedlings. I started these from seed a few weeks back and they're doing great so far. As soon as the rain stops and the weather is warm enough, I'll transfer them to containers outside. All I did with these was cut the bottoms off of a few containers (you can use old plastic water bottles, milk containers, etc.), poked a few holes on the bottom, and filled them up with a nutrient-rich potting soil. I used cherry and grape tomato seeds from Botanical Interests.

Looking forward to seeing how they do when I transfer them outside! There's really nothing better than a sweet, juicy, freshly-picked tomato on a hot summer day!

"The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition." -Thomas Edison

Finally!

Wow... I finally realized what I should've been doing all along! My passion for writing and my interests in psychology, human development, and health seem to have manifested themselves in a desire to write about all issues related to health. I can't believe it took me this long to start a blog about this topic... but here I am. I'm excited to begin sharing tips for healthy living, including recipes, spiritual insights, and strategies for positive thinking.


"It’s a cruel and random world, but the chaos is all so beautiful." ~Hiromu Arakawa