Sustainable Spotlight: Live. Breathe. Grow.

Little Black Sustainable Dress by LBG

I can be quiet picky about the companies I choose to support.  

They must follow a few criteria.  

1. Only Eco-friendly products & practices 

2. Kindness towards all living beings, including fantastic customer service 

3. Support of local services and business

The women of Live. Breathe. Grow. most certainly follow these guidelines.  They are committed in every way to not only loving the earth, but also by loving each other and empowering the human spirit through clothing, yoga & education.

  

They share messages of truth, hope and inspiration right on their shirts.  

These inspirational tees say things like, 

"I am life. I am breath. I am growth. I am me."

Who couldn't use this daily reminder that we are wonderful, simply by being ourselves.

  Live. Breathe. Grow. works with yoga studios and events to custom create unique and beautiful eco-friendly tees.

 They also do special runs of unique shirts like the 

Pink Warrior Women Tee for breast cancer awareness.

  

Every shirt that was purchased had a portion of the funds go to YogaBear, a national not-for-profit organization connecting cancer patients and survivors with free yoga & support groups.  Not only that, but for every shirt they also donated a free Pink Warrior Tee to a women battling breast cancer right now.

The fabulous ladies of Live. Breathe. Grow. don't just talk about holistic health and healing, they live it everyday!


Located at 99 Wood Ave South on the 8th Floor in Iselin, NJ Yoga by Live. Breathe. Grow. at Metro Park is the corporate and commuters yoga studio! Yoga by Live. Breathe. Grow. at Metro park provides a collective of holistic health services including Yoga, Massage, Health Coaching and Workshops for the Metro Park Corporate Complex.
*This center is open to the public!

Some of the wonderful 

Upcoming workshops include:

April 5th 

The Mantra, Yoga & Dharma of Ganesh 

April 22 

LBG Method Anatomy Workshop

So whether you are able to attend a yoga class, get a massage, purchase a tee, or attend a workshop, you wont be sorry.  The love and passion are there in all that they do, and you will feel it. 

Support conscience companies like

Live. Breathe. Grow.

and make a difference in yourself and for our planet. 

Closing with a wonderful LBG affirmation.
I will live each day from the INside Out by honoring my authentic self. I will LIVE life filled with compassion, peace and gratitude. I will BREATHE compassion, peace and gratitude into everything I do. I will GROW in my community. 

I will INspire a movement to Live. Breathe. Grow.  

Live. Breathe. Grow.

Ahimsa: Practicing Kindness & Non-Violence

I am officially on my way to becoming a Certified Yoga Teacher!  This has been a long time coming to add to my healing bag of tricks. Already being a massage therapist & nutrition counselor, teaching yoga seems to fit in oh so nicely to help and heal others.

One of our (many) first assignments in teacher training was to define ahimsa and show how we use it in our daily lives and in our yoga practice.  As I was writing about this, I thought is was a great topic to discuss here with you.  Since I have spoken about the practice of mindfulness, ahimsa most certainly falls under a mindfulness practice, being mindful of your actions and thoughts and how they affect you and those around you. 

A perfect example of someone who lived their life though the practice of ahimsa was 

Mahatma Gandhi.

Ahimsa
(a - him - sa)

Meaning to do no harm or the avoidance of violence.
The practice of kindness and non-violence towards all living beings.

From a very young age my goal was always to do no harm in all aspects of life.  I was one of those kids who got upset at the ones who kicked the ant hills down, worried that the ants worked so hard for the other kids to just destroy all their efforts.  My love for animals and nature certainly helped fuel this desire to instill kindness and love in all that I do.  As an adult I continue to love our earth and all living things on her as much as possible.  

“In Gandhi’s thought, ahimsa precludes not only the act of inflicting a physical injury, but also mental states like evil thoughts and hatred, unkind behavior such as harsh words, dishonesty and lying, all of which he saw as manifestations of violence incompatible with ahimsa.”

Many daily acts are a practice of ahimsa, from caring for your children, animals and gardens, to smiling at a rude stranger instead of getting bothered by their behavior, to carefully saving spiders from the indoors and placing them back in nature.  In a way, if you have love for our planet and all earth friendly things, that can be considered to be full of ahimsa.  Striving to be non-violent towards our mother earth in all that we do.

In yoga one would hope to only find compassion and kindness towards your fellow yogis in class. But sometimes on the inside even a yogi can let their emotions and judgment get the better of them.  Even if one of your fellow yogis arrives late, or one has ‘too much stuff’ by their yoga mat, or someone that stays in child’s pose for half of the class.  Instead of possibly getting annoyed at the seemingly ‘taboo’ yogi behavior, sending them love, compassion and a smile that radiates from your heart is the right choice.

If this is something you find you need to work on yourself, practicing this same kindness towards others off the yoga mat, with family, friends, strangers and all living creatures is the path for you.  Physically the asanas (postures or poses) that open the heart (backbends) would be appropriate to focus on, or incorporate with this practice of ahimsa.

Another way to practice ahimsa through yoga, is to dedicate your practice to someone who you don’t necessarily see eye to eye with. Sending them kindness and love as we open our hearts through the  asanas (poses).  In our daily lives we can choose a path practicing ahimsa through our interactions with all living beings.  If someone steals your parking spot, be kind to them still, if you encounter a mother with a screaming child in the store, without getting irritated send love to them both, strive to speak to others in a kind and honest way in all situations in life.

Seems simple and straight forward right?  Instilling this practice in your daily life can be challenging if we are not feeling well, or just got some bad news, or when it comes to someone who we don't get along with.  But, the more we practice the easier it will get.  Identifying where you need the most practice will help you on your path.  Many sages say that the best place to start is within your family & immediate community.   Many will agree, this can be the most difficult place to really work on this practice of non-harming thoughts and actions.  But in the end, even if it is tough, practicing ahimsa with those closest to us will only help those relationships to be better and more fulfilling.

Where are you going to begin your practice of ahimsa?  What do you find most challenging?  

What do you find most gratifying?  How can you do even better?

These are questions to ask yourself, and check in every once and a while with, just to see how you are doing with this practice. 

With love, gratitude and compassion in my heart.

Namaste

Multiple illnesses broke me down, Yoga built me back UP!

Many of you are obviously aware that I have Celiac Disease which lead me to write my GF Cookbook, "Organic, Gluten-Free & Delicious".  During the time when we discovered I had Celiac, I was also suffering from Chronic Lyme Disease and Chronic Pancreatitis, and was extremely debilitated by this trifecta of diseases.  So much so that I was 25 years old and had to use a cane to walk and be pushed in a wheelchair for longer distances.

Now on the other side of the years of daily pain and isolation, I find it amazing that I even got through it all.  Meditation and yoga were a huge part of how I did not let the diseases get the best of me.  I have always had a naturally positive attitude in life, but when I was so sick some days it was supremely difficult to see the bright side of being hooked up to IVs and hiding from the sun.  

Before I got sick I loved to do yoga & tai chi and take classes whenever I could.  But when I was in the depths of illness, my yoga practice looked much different than it did before and even still looks much different today.  That is one of the many beauties of yoga, it doesn't matter where you were, but only where you are today.  And even with a more gentle practice you can still achieve the many great benefits of yoga.  You don't have to practice for hours a day to achieve great results.

I spent many of my mornings warming up with mild spinal movements on all fours (cat & cow poses) and relaxing down into child's pose.  Most mornings that was all I could handle, then it was onto my supported seated meditation, where multiple plush pillows where my best tools. 

I will never forget the day I was strong enough to get to a class on the beach near my house with the lovely and talented, Kristen, of Kristen Trieger Yoga here in Long Beach, NY. 

Sure, I still was not yet able to participate in 100% of the class that day, but holy moly did it feel amazing just to be out among other yogis who were around me with love and compassion in their hearts.  Since the Lyme Disease was still attacking my joints pretty badly at that time, my hips barely moved, and forget about pigeon pose! Now every time I do pigeon I can get deeper into it, and always remember that first class back when I could not even do it at all.

Even still, after all I went through, and all that my yoga practice has changed, I still use those same beginning gentle yoga postures (asanas) in my daily practice today.

Not only has yoga has built up my physical strength through asanas, but it helps to calm my mind on the more difficult days when things are not going quite right, or my arthritis from the Lyme Disease acts up.   It has helped me in so many ways that I decided to add it to my repertoire of healing modalities.  Already being a massage therapist and nutrition counselor, I know what the body needs to preform at optimal levels.  Adding in yoga and all that that entails is just the natural next step for me.  I live to not only better myself, but to help others live natural, balanced and happy lives.

I hope you enjoy hearing about my yogic journey, and that it can inspire you to make choices in your life that will better yourself and the world around you.

Namaste

the divine within me, honors the the divine within you

The K-9 Diet: A Guide to healthful Home-Cooking for our furry friends

Sasha hiking Acadia National Park, ME

There always seems to be so much conflicting advice behind what we as humans should be eating these days. Raw food, cooked food, gluten free, organic, local, dairy free, raw dairy, grain free, whole grains. A lot of important things to think about. Believe it or not, we should be thinking about these same things when it comes to our furry companions, because if you're anything like me, your pets are part of your family.  My 9 year old aussie-lab mix, Sasha sure does know she is more than just a pet from all the love and attention she gets from everyone she meets.

When it comes to feeding our dogs there are some key things to keep in mind. The size of the dog, the activity level, their general health or preexisting medical conditions, overall personality of your dog, and finally their food preferences (you may find they enjoy or dislike certain foods more than others, and there may be good reason for this). Also keep in mind, when changing your dogs diet, be sure to consult with your Veterinarian (or find a holistic vet at www.holisticvetlist.com ) to assist you for a smooth transition.

I have noticed that more health aware folks tend to feed their dogs a certain way, one thing in common, no kibble or chemical ridden bits in these homes. The first step away from the traditional dry dog food would be an easy switch to an Organic dry (or canned) dog food (ask your local family run pet shop what their favorites are and why). These come in many varieties including grain-free formulas. Some experts believe that dogs should be raised on a diet consistent of that what they ate in the wild, like their wolf cousins, which excludes any grains. Some dogs also have a sensitivity to grains, just like people are sensitive to wheat, so these varieties are excellent for them. Always when purchasing commercially produced foods, be sure to look at the ingredients and make sure that in the top 5, are animal proteins and whole foods (NO animal by-products).

The next step away from commercial dog foods would be home prepared meals (easier than it sounds). Then there comes the question, Raw or Cooked? I personally use a combination of both, since both have great nutritional values that improve the health of our dogs. That brings us to the importance of the quality of our ingredients at home. I prefer to use only organic ingredients for Sasha's food (as well as my own), this eliminates the chance of her getting unnecessary hormones or antibiotics from the meats and harmful chemicals from her fruits and veggies. If you choose to home prepare your dog food and do not want to use organic ingredients, at the very least be sure to get meat that is raised free from hormones and antibiotics.

The partly cooked meals that we prepare include organic meats that get rotated for adequate nutrient fulfillment (beef, buffalo, duck, turkey, lamb, salmon, eggs), and organic vegetables (broccoli, carrots, kale, green beans, celery, mushrooms, squash, pumpkin).  When cooking the meats and vegetables be sure to not over cook, or even cook all the way through.  Typically cooking Sasha's meals the rule of thumb for meats & veggies is cook only 1/2 way.  Dogs digestive systems will be able to get much more nutrition out of the foods when they are not cooked all the way. 
In addition to the whole foods, essential supplements & minerals get added to this. The supplements we add include a high quality liquid multi-vitamin, essential fatty acids (coconut & fish oil), kelp (dried sea vegetable, in a shaker), garlic (tablets), alfalfa (tablets), and pro-biotic capsule (when needed). 

There are some foods to keep in mind that can be extremely harmful to dogs (sometimes resulting in death), and should NEVER be given to them, under any circumstance.

Onions, chocolate, tomato leaves & stems, coffee/tea, macadamia nuts, grapes & raisins, hops, rhubarb leaves, avocados, pits from fruits, and almonds. 

The raw aspects of a dogs diet can be extremely helpful in health for gums, teeth, bones, and overall health. To achieve these health benefits I use organic carrot sticks as treats, and my Sasha goes crazy for them, sweet, crunchy and delicious.  Dried organic meat treats are also great treats (great for training), just be sure to get from a reputable US company and that the only ingredient is dried meat.  The other raw component of her diet is (organic & grass fed) raw beef marrow bones. Not only are the bones good for cleaning their teeth, but bones are important for the health of the dog's bones, makes sense right? If you are weary of feeding them raw bones, you can also supplement with ground bone meal in order to get the adequate calcium they need. Either way they will be sure to thank you for it.

When changing your dogs diet a good way to monitor their health is by monitoring their bowel movements. I know, I know. But, it really is the best way to keep an eye on your dogs health. Make sure it is not too watery, and not too hard and the color should not be too light or too dark. They say the better the diet the less pungent the odor, you can be the judge. In addition to the stool, the health of your dogs skin, coat, teeth and eyes are good indicators as well. If the coat is shining, the skin has no problems, the eyes are bright and alert, and the teeth appear clean and gums nice and pink, its a good sign you've got a happy, healthy dog. Keep up the good work.

So there it is...a very basic guide to how to start your dog off on a healthy paw, 

for a long happy life with YOU!

The Eco-Friendly flowers & chocolate option for Valentines or any day!

My husband and I are not really Valentine's Day celebrators.  When we were kids we got caught up in the hype that we had to do something, or buy gifts for each other, but those days are long behind us.  We do not exchange gifts, flowers or chocolates on Valentine's Day, but that certainly does not mean there are no flowers or chocolate in our house right now.  Or that we don't show each other how much we are grateful that we have one another, every single day.

Sadly, the industry of both the standard flowers and chocolates are severely polluting our planet.  The gifts that are supposed to be about love, are in fact just the opposite.  Between the factory pollution from chocolates, and the chemical additives they put in the chocolate, the pesticides they spray all over the flowers to make them pretty for longer, traditional Valentine's Day gifts are not doing their job loving the earth (or us). 

If the chocolates and flowers route is the one you just have to take,

don't worry...there is a way to choose delicious chocolates & beautiful flowers that are both good for you and for our earth!!

Instead of visiting a florist, why not go to a nursery like Atlantic Nursery in Freeport, NY.  There are plenty of beautiful options to choose from.  From a potted plant, to a herb terrarium, to romantic orchids, you can't go wrong.  If your sweetheart isn't exactly the potted plant, or terrarium type, why not stop by your nearest Whole Foods for a nice selection of cut flowers that are chemical free!

Onto one of my all time favorite foods

Dark Chocolate!

If you have not heard yet, pure organic, fair trade dark chocolate is actually good for you!!!  That is not saying eat a whole bar of chocolate everyday, but a few squares everyday will actually be nurturing your body as well as your mind.  

When looking for good dark chocolates be sure to look for organic & fair trade.  Organic means the ingredients were grown without harmful chemicals.  Since the cacao plants typically grow outside the US, purchasing fair trade means that the farmers and workers who grew the ingredients are treated fairly and not taken advantage of (you'd be surprised how many companies use essentially slave labor to get the cheep price on goods for you). 

Every year I can't help but purchase my favorite chocolates from a wonderfully conscience company called Sjaaks Organics.  

They have a wide selection of organic, fair trade & gluten-free chocolates, that are simply delicious!!!  

Keep your eyes out for organic, fair trade & gluten-free chocolates and you simply can't loose!

Keep sharing the eco-friendly love out there everyone!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Recipe Test: Italian Lace Cookies

I just love taking old recipes, especially Italian ones being Italian myself, and making them into gluten free, healthful recipes.  Now I am not saying to eat these cookies or any sweet treats to excess or on a daily basis, since we know moderation is key in all things for optimal health.  But using sugars that actually contain some healthful properties rather than over processed table or corn sugars is a wise choice.  Using organic ingredients ensures that you are getting the vital nutrients from all your ingredients, so when possible purchase organic.

This weekend was about old fashioned Italian Lace Cookies, like the ones we used to get at our favorite Italian bakeries.  The flavor of these are addicting!  The only downfall to this first batch was that the edges are a bit on the crumbly side.  Since the flavor was fantastic, I am not going to change too much, just see if I can adjust some minor things to make them just right.

Almond Italian Lace Cookies

*Use Organic Ingredients*

1/2 Cup Almonds, ground (food processor is easiest)

5 TB Coconut Oil Ghee

1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar

2 TB Turbinado Sugar

2 TB Pure Maple Syrup

1/3 Cup Brown Rice Flour & Almond Flour, sifted together

1/8 tsp Real Salt

3/4 tsp Vanilla Powder

1/2 Cup Dark Chocolate, melted (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, vanilla powder & salt and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, heat the ghee, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and maple syrup until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, stirring often. Increase the heat to medium high and, stirring constantly, bring the mixture JUST to a boil. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour into the flour mix.  Stir in the ground almonds.

Mixture may become dry, but don't worry.  Roll dough into small 1/2" balls and place on parchment lined baking sheets, and flatten with the palm of your hand.  Set up all cookie sheets with dough & bake in oven for 8 - 10 minutes, or until flattened out and golden brown in color. 

Be careful to let the cookies cool completely before trying to remove them from the parchment paper.  

If you would like to dip or drizzle chocolate on the cookies, double boil the chocolate & dip one side of each cooled cookie into the chocolate.  Place on sheet and refrigerate cookies with chocolate for 10 - 20 minutes.

Chocolate dipped/drizzled or plain, store in glassware layered between parchment sheets.

Happy baking everyone!!!

Glass Storage: Healthy, Economical & Sustainable

Thankfully it seems like there are many people now moving away from the decades of tupperware obsession, into the age of healthful more sustainable living.  

Have you traded in your plastic containers for glass ones yet?  If you have yet to make the switch, why not start today, this post can help you on your way there.

Glass is by far the safest way to store, heat and freeze foods.  There have been many studies done on the hazards of plastics and the chemicals they leach into the foods that get stored in them.  

For more on the dangers of plastics read these comments by Dr. Mercola, 

leading natural health expert.

Where to start?

Often people don't bat an eye when they toss that nice glass sauce jar in the garbage or recycle bin, but I challenge you to think twice about that!  Of course if you were to save every single jar, it could potentially turn into a closet full of horded jars, and who has room for that?  What we do is, we choose our favorite shapes, highest quality glass, or most convenient sizes and save those and recycle the rest in our bin.  We also prefer our containers with metal tops verses plastic ones, and we will make our choices at the grocery store with that in mind. 

So reuse those glass the jars you've already paid for from jams, sauces, vitamin jars, honey, spice jars, to any glass jar you might find along the way.

Are you someone who would like a more uniform way to store foods like
flours, nuts or grains?  

I do like the organization that comes with using the same style jar for certain things.  You simply can not go wrong with the age old companion of food canning...

MASON JARS

The other great thing about mason jars is you can purchase them at most
hardware or home stores.  We go with the wide mouth jars so I can do things like make smoothies right in them, plant herbs, and it makes cleaning them a bit easier.

For food storage bowls, baking dishes, and other varieties of glass, we have used 

PYREX

and we have never had to purchase any other glass bowls in the
10 years we have owned them.  They come in many shapes and sizes, and some even come with a glass top so you can bake items in covered dishes, then store with a BPA-free plastic top.

My last recommendation is the glass jugs that we love to use for
crepe batter, lemonade and sun teas.

BORMIOLI ROCCO GLASS

They also have great latching jars that is perfect to store our bulk herbs and spices in.  I like having some jars with the metal latch and gasket, they feel very secure and store like a dream.

Now that you are saving and looking out for all sorts of jars,

have you found too many amazing jars that you want to hang onto?

Don't stop at food storage for your best jars, up-cycle your glass in oh so many ways!

  

Store your small items...

Extra Buttons

Paper Clips
Hair Pins

Coins

Extra Thread

Lucky Stones & Gems

Storage for Daily Vitamins on the go
Pet Treats (homemade or store bought)

Or use a jar as a...

Vase for cut flowers from your garden

Make it into a planter for kitchen herbs

Winter flower bulb grower (only needs water)

Start seedlings for planting

Container for Homemade Candles (or for store bought eco-friendly votive candles)
Make your own Plant Terrarium (in a larger jar)
Crafts: Decorate jars with yarn, paper, twigs or any other pretty & fun items
Make homemade gifts in jars: From cookie mix to a sewing kit and much more!

And anything else you can dream up!

Do you use your glass jars for any other unique or creative purpose?

Please share, we would love to hear about your other uses!

This post is also featured on another great blog called
Frugally Sustainable