Yippeee! Wellness Gossip is getting a makeover today and will be under some “construction”. You can still read and comment on posts… there just might be some funky stuff happening today.
Be sure to make some extra time and pamper yourself too 🙂
Peace in, Breathe out…
Aimee
I’m not much of a beer drinker. So, the usual summer BBQ doesn’t have the drink selection that I particularly like. If I plan ahead, I’ll make some tea or ginger ale (find my recipe here), but planning ahead is not something I do particularly well. Thankfully, I have a backup- here’s a handsome picture of my alternate for homemade ginger ale:
Yummy. That’s a pic of Reed’s Cherry Ginger Brew. It’s got an intense ginger taste- no doubt the result of stuffing 22 grams of fresh ginger in each bottle. The brew is 100% natural and 22% fruit juice- not too bad nutritionally and definitely better than the usual soda. I’m actually sipping on one right now and mesmerized by the little bits of ginger floating around at the bottom. I got my 4-pack at Trader Joe’s for about $3.50.
Ahhhhhh… back to the sun and ginger ale- two of my favorite things.
Breathe in, Peace out…
Aimee
No, you really aren’t going to wear that bridesmaid dress again. It’s time to recycle it- here are some options:
First off, if your dress really was “that bad”, you’ll want to take a picture of it and post it on Ugly Dress.com. This way, you can have others send reassuring and empathetic regards to you for having to wear such a costume.
Breathe in, Peace out…
Aimee
Yep, this woman is pretty awesome. At 41, she’s the oldest Olympic swimming medalist. She’s the prime example of staying active throughout life. Of course, lucky her, she gets rewarded with Olympic medals for her exercise regimen… Nonetheless, this video is pretty inspiring (filmed before Beijing):
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/25566873#25566873
I find it funny that Matt Lauer asks her about performance enhancing drugs… as if a 41 year old couldn’t accomplish what she’s done. Her response is classic, “You know, maybe I’m a little more athletically gifted than you are.” Ha! Take that Matt!
Breathe in, Peace out…
Aimee
I’m sitting here right now with a roof over my head, a glass of insanely priced organic orange juice, a Sigg full of filtered water, a computer with internet, light to shine on my keyboard, etc., etc., etc. There’s no reason to be ashamed of these things, but earlier this week, I was complaining to my husband that we had never been on a “real” vacation together. There was a lot more complaining, but I don’t think I need to bore you with the details. Let’s just say I threw a few Olympic-size pity parties for myself over the last few weeks. I’m all about feeling emotions and experiencing what bubbles up from inside, but I think lately, I’ve just been acting like a spoiled brat. Yuck.
Thankfully, I usually meet up with something/someone who slaps some sense back into me after a string of lengthy poor-me seminars. This week it was the Miniature Earth video (click here to watch the video)– I’ve seen it before, but it slapped me hard this time around. This video really reminds me that we have an innerconnectedness that yearns to be recognized and honored.
Here’s my mantra for the rest of the week:
Chin up, Head outta the butt…
The children have spoke. Here’s my favorite quote from the “study”:
“When we asked them if they see universal healthcare as an unfair burden to certain taxpayers and would they like a lollipop, almost all children said yes.”
http://www.theonion.com/content/themes/common/assets/videoplayer/flvplayer.swf
Study: Most Children Strongly Opposed To Childrenâ??s Healthcare
Amidst the humor, the Onion does bring up a good point. Doctor visits can be pretty traumatic- for kids and adults alike. Western medicine has continued its technological progression to the point where many doctors no longer touch or hardly speak with their patients. Additionally, many doctors are burdened by paperwork and crazy quotas. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very thankful for much of medical technology, but I think we need to bring back real human interaction into the Western medical model. What are your thoughts?
Breathe in, Peace out…
Aimee
Jay Leno owns two electric cars and one alternative fuel vehicle. So what- right? Here’s the crazy part- the newest of these cars was built in 1925. Check out the article Jay wrote for Popular Mechanics about his classic and earth friendly vehicles.
I have to think this through… If my history book is right, we sent a man to the moon in 1969- that was pretty quick after the Wright brothers took their first powered, piloted flight in 1903… 66 years to be exact. Let’s compare this with Robert Anderson’s invention of the first electric carriage sometime between 1832 and 1839 (in Scotland). So, it’s 2008 now… 176 years later… it seems to me that we’re taking a long time to resurrect an old technology that only needs a few updates. I mean seriously, is creating a zero-emissions vehicle as complicated as sending a man to the moon? I hope not- and even if it is, shouldn’t we be there by now? I guess now would be a good time to plug one of my favorite docos (of which I’ve already plugged- I know): Who Killed the Electric Car? Check it out if you haven’t already.
Also, you can visit Plug In America to learn more about electric vehicles and get some ideas on how to take action.
Breathe in, Peace out…
Aimee
I was so sad to hear of Bernie Mac’s passing. I am a big fan of anyone who can bring laughter into this life and he definitely did that. I’m sure there will be a rockin Def Comedy Jam happening in heaven later this week.
Bernie Mac’s publicist has shared that the comedian died of complications from pneumonia. However, Mac also lived with the mysterious condition of sarcoidosis.
Here’s some info on sarcoidosis:
WHAT IS IT?
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) write:
Sarcoidosis involves inflammation that produces tiny lumps of cells in various organs in your body. The lumps are called granulomas because they look like grains of sugar or sand. They are very small and can be seen only with a microscope. These tiny granulomas can grow and clump together, making many large and small groups of lumps. If many granulomas form in an organ, they can affect how the organ works. This can cause symptoms of sarcoidosis.
SYMPTOMS:
The signs and symptoms of sarcoidosis are diverse depending on the organs that are affected. Most often, individuals will experience a chronic cough, shortness of breath, fevers, fatigue, enlarged lymph nodes and chest pain. You can find a more complete list of symptoms from the NHLBI.
HOW DO YOU GET SARCOIDOSIS?
The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research reports:
No one knows exactly what causes sarcoidosis, but it is probably due to a combination of factors. Some research suggests that bacteria, viruses or chemicals might trigger the disease. Although such triggers might not bother most people, it is possible that in someone with the right genetic predisposition they provoke the immune system to develop the inflammation associated with sarcoidosis. The fact that a person is more likely to develop the disease if someone in his or her close family has the disease strongly suggests that genetics plays a role. Researchers have not discovered the genes for sarcoidosis yet, but it seems likely that more than one gene is involved.
Many reports have said that sarcoidosis is rare- this may not be true. The statistics for sarcoidosis cases are pretty unreliable. Often, individuals do not have symptoms from sarcoidosis and might live with the condition unknowingly. These individuals may only come to know they have sarcoidosis because of an unrelated chest x-ray that spots the granulomas.
TREATMENT:
There is no traditional “cure” for sarcoidosis. Most often, no treatment is used or steroids are prescribed. However, there are many pharmaceutical options being explored and used- you can see the list here.
If you would like more info about sarcoidosis, check out the Patient Education Institute’s summary of sarcoidosis.
Breathe in, Peace out…
Aimee
My favorite product for the week:
Umm, need I say more? This is chocolate. Delicious chocolates with caramelized bananas and other yummies hiding sweetly inside. The most fabulous part about these chocolates is that the proceeds go to Relief International for the development of a women’s center and to help feed malnourished children in Darfur. You also receive a Relief Beads bracelet (handmade from sand in Ghana, Africa) with the yummy chocolates. Very cool. Visit the Compartes Chocolatier website to get your box(es).
Chocolate in, Peace out…
Aimee
The hundredth monkey story has served as a motivational tool for many who are working for social change. The moral of the story can really apply to all life experiences and touches on the theory of the collective unconscious. I encourage you to read Ken Keyes version and then read the response article from Elaine Meyers (so when you click the link read the bottom article first then read Meyer’s response). Hope you find it interesting 🙂
Breathe in, Peace out…
Aimee
Wholly Health 