Mindfulness &

how to be aware in an unaware world

Tag: food

  • Earth

    Earth

    It may not be “Earth Day” but to me, every day is a day to celebrate the Earth.

    I found these powerful words etched on a plank of wood at the entrance to a hike in Roxborough State Park right outside Denver proper.

    Take care of the land. Someday you’ll be a part of it.

    I needn’t write it down as the message resonated enough to remember till this day. It is a simple message: treat mother nature as you would your own mother.

    And just like the billions of mothers around the globe, mother nature gives and gives and gives without asking for anything in return.

    And yes, we should give a damn about this world simply because we are a part of it. When we mistreat or more accurately turn a blind eye to the Earth and we mistreat ourselves.

    This is a posture of waste vs frugality. Developed countries have taken so much waste and undeveloped countries are subjected to a life of frugality.

    Use what you have, finish the food on your plate, fix the thing that is broken, and shop at the local thrift store; this is how I grew up.

    As we began to tread the trail, we noticed signs of all kinds of plants along the way, a subtle nod to the diversity of the area.

    This diversity reminded me of the difference in all life; from humans to bacteria to types of cells in our bodies to parts of our brains.

    All life is connected, made of the same matter, and all working in sync, except for us. Well, most of the time at least.

    If we are the only creatures on this planet to question our own existence, then we will question our purpose, but on a very basic level, we all have a fundamental purpose: to serve each other, the environment, and take care of ourselves.

    On a very basic level, our animated flesh and bones are made of mostly carbon, the building block of all life. As with all things on Earth, from dust we came and to dust we shall return.

    This stresses the importance of synchronicity with Mother Earth, its rise and fall to the sun, its reaction to the changing of seasons, its slow, steady hum that connects every living thing.

    And the only way to observe, learn, and absorb this synchronicity is to immerse ourselves in nature: camping under a canopy of trees, bathing in the sounds of nature, swimming in the ocean, diving deep under the waves, stargazing in the desert, barefoot on the sand.

    Take a moment today and tonight to appreciate nature and all the life it provides, jot down a few words about this powerful force.

    Three More Things:

    1. A guide to fresh bathing
    2. Roxborough State Park
    3. A guided meditation in nature
  • Nutrition

    Nutrition

    I’ve heard it said before that good nutrition can be summed up in seven simple words: Eat real food, mostly vegetables, in moderation.

    Mindfulness reminds us to pause and pay more attention to what we put in our bodies.

    Try spending your meal away from any screens, books, or even calls to  fully experience the simple act of eating. Focus on how the food tastes, how it looks, the texture, and quality as you eat.

    Being more mindful about what, how much, and even when you eat and drink goes a long way. This is purposeful, passive consumption rather than an inexpressive, impassive one.

    Mindful eating has the power to change the things you eat too, thus replacing common unhealthy items with more nutritional ones.

    When we are distracted while we eat, there is a much greater chance that we notice less of the nutritional content of the food and therefore eat less nutritional items.

    Below are a few nutrition tips and tricks that could further help out:

    Moderation is Key

    Alvise “Luigi” Cornaro, an Italian nobleman living in the early 15th Century, lived to be 102 at a time when the average life expectancy was 35.

    Cornaro was told by physicians early in his life to abandon overindulgence for strict moderation in the amount and type of food he ate.

    Having listened to his doctors, Cornaro writes what changed in a journal entry:

    I accustomed myself to the habit of never fully satisfying my appetite, either with eating or drinking — always leaving the table well able to take more. In this, I acted according to the proverb: “Not to satiate one’s self with food is the science of health.”

    Moderation extends life expectancy by up-regulating autophagy, which is another way of saying it accelerates the body’s natural process of removing the cellular debris that causes disease.

    A variant of this is intermittent fasting, which consists of periodically fasting for 16-24 hours.

    Cornaro wrote that each person should experiment for themself which foods and drinks and in what quantities agreed with him or her.

    Maybe moderation can work for your lifestyle, maybe not, but it never hurts to try, as Coronado puts it, “leaving the table well able to take more”.

    Collagen

    Collagen is a unique, sticky, fibrous protein that prevents the skin, joints, and organs from sagging, collagen is mostly found in skin, bones, cartilage, and fascia (a tissue that surrounds muscles).

    Consuming a large amount of collagen has numerous benefits:

    – Increases our skin’s elasticity levels, contributing to that famous “younger looking skin” especially in women.

    – Improves joint function

    – Enhances muscle size, strength, and control, especially in men.

    – Protects the liver from the effects of alcohol.

    Collagen can be consumed in two ways: by slow-simmering an animal’s carcass, eating any meat cartilage, or the more popular way of drinking hydrolyzed collagen powder.

    Either way is effective and supplies the body with a good amount of collagen. I personally take 2 tablespoons of collagen powder with 4 tablespoons of protein powder each morning.

    Anti-inflammatory Foods

    This consists of a diet rich in vegetables — especially dark-colored greens like broccoli and cabbage — as well as Omega 3 rich foods like fish, egg yolks, and grass-fed meats.

    It also consists of specific spices and herbs that on am ounce-per-ounce basis are very potent compared with other foods, for example:

    – Just half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon has as many antioxidants as half a cup of blueberries!

    – And just half a teaspoon of dried oregano has the antioxidant power of 3 cups of raw spinach!

    The three famous inflammation crushers include:

    – Turmeric: Turmeric is an essential spice, add it to salad dressings, meat or fish marinades, or a cup of warm tea. Take it with black pepper to increase its bioavailability.

    – Cayenne Pepper: Cayenne Pepper, which contains capsaicin, a compound responsible for the spice’s spicy taste. Make sure to add spices only after the food is fully cooked and ready to eat as the spice will lose its potency when added during cooking.

    – Ginger: Ginger is a spice that’s been used for hundreds of years to pacify sore muscles, throats, aches and fatigue. Add it to a warm cup of tea, chew on ginger candy, or just eat it raw if that’s your thing.

    Many foods incite inflammation and many chronic diseases result from inflammation. Keeping inflammation in check allows us to achieve optimal functioning, immunity, energy, and mental clarity.

    Vitamin K2

    Vitamin K2 is a very important vitamin that activates a protein called MGP or Matrix Gla Protein. MGP essentially helps our body absorb calcium from the foods we eat and then move that calcium from our bloodstream into our bones. MGP is found in a number of body tissues and is present in our bones, cartilage, heart, and kidney.

    Vitamin K2 also helps keep our arteries flexible for proper blood flow and supports that blood flow to the brain. Vitamin K2 is found in high amounts in foods like egg yolks and full-fat cheese as well as D3+K2 Supplements.

    Vitamin Q

    Vitamin Q, otherwise known as Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10 is a component found in every cell in the human body. Our body naturally produces it and uses it to provide the energy our cells need for growth.

    CoQ10 also seems to lower cholesterol levels by acting as an antioxidant, removing harmful molecules from the body.

    After taking a CoQ10 supplement found at any local drug store, the body feels lighter and will be able to handle more damage.

    Macadamia Nuts

    Macadamia nuts and the oil it produces have a high concentration of monounsaturated fats and oleic acid that also help promote HDL Cholesterol.

    Coconut Oil

    Lastly, coconut oil is another incredible way to maintain weight. It’s antimicrobial, antihistamine, and antidiabetic. It’s also a way healthier way to fry food.

    Research was taken from naturalhealthresponse.com and the book Secrets of Underground Medicine by Health Sense Publishing

    Five more things on Nutrition:

    1. What is good nutrition anyway?
    2. The best time to drink coffee, or caffeine in general.
    3. Net positive contribution to total fluid consumption haha.
    4. The art of living long according to Luigi Cornaro.
    5. Michael Pollan’s seven rules for eating.

    Thank you so much for reading this post. Your time and attention are a rare gift. If you enjoyed this post or more reading, you can consider Buying Me A Coffee.