I used to be such a skeptic of this “energy healing” stuff. I initially dismissed it as quack medicine and crazy new age “science”. But, I was curious, so I began researching these modalities about 5 years ago. The first thing I learned was that this wan’t new age at all– these practices have been around forever.
I became certified in healing touch and studied under a Reiki master to really get the inside dirt. Over and over again, my mechanistic philosophies were challenged by “unexplainable” experiences and healings that I witnessed. I still don’t know if it’s just the placebo effect at work or the actual manipulation of the energy field. Maybe both. Maybe something totally different. Whatever the case, research has found many benefits from these practices and no real side effects.
After a lot of skepticism and reluctancy, I’m now a believer. If you’ve had any experiences with energy healing practices, please share them below– the good and bad.
I attended Swami Veda Bharati’s lecture last night at the U of MN (pic above is of Swami Veda… and me getting dragged up on stage). The lecture was fantastic. I wish I could have filmed it to share with you all.
Visit the Not Just a Pretty Face blog to see how the cosmetics industry is reacting to the video above… Hint: looks like they’re getting PR tactics from the BP and naughty politician models (blame, blame, deny, deny, play dumb, play dumber, quit, REPEAT).
There are simple actions we can take to reduce our exposure to these chemicals and change the nail industry at the same time. I’ll give you two ideas today and two tomorrow….
1. Gather up all your nail polish and look for these three ingredients:
dibutyl phthalate (DBP)
formaldehyde
toluene
Your nails (and lungs) are too precious to waste on these chemicals. Why add more carcinogens and toxins to your gorgeous body? If you must, use the rest of the nail polish in a different way (cover a scratch on the car, “fix” some nylons, etc.).
To dump the stuff, you’ll need to use your city hazardous waste service. That’s right, nail polish and removers are considered “hazardous waste” by the EPA– even more evidence of why these toxic products should be banned (I took my empty bottles here as well). Don’t worry, this step is easy, just check your city website for drop off times and other details (you might need to search “hazardous waste” on your city website to find the info).
2. Visit the Cosmetic Safety Database nail section and find some healthier polishes. Just look for products with a green circle… yellow at the most.
So, I just returned from a VK in Michigan. And it was surprisingly fabulous! I guess I never thought of Michigan as a must-see destination. I was wrong.
Tourist highlights: All the lakes (including the obvious– Lake Michigan), amazing sunsets, sand dunes (undoubtedly made to throw yourself down in a series of cartwheels and somersaults), little islands to kayak to and picnic on, all sorts of wildlife to watch (that includes people watching), cherry orchards (to pick and eat your way through) and tacky touristy things (my personal fave= extreme mini golf courses).
We mainly ran around Traverse City and Elk Rapids. But we also stopped in Charlevoix, Mackinaw, and some random little towns along our roadtrip route.
Here are a few of my favorite things I discovered:
OMG. Seriously, this stuff is amazing. The flavor I got is a mix of organic pumpkin, flax, sunflower and hemp seeds all spiced with vanilla, allspice, cinnamon and a bit of salt. Hello healthy pumpkin pie! So good on a nice piece of sprouted toast or with a banana or apple slices. I paid $10.49 for my 15 oz jar– not too bad for an organic, delicious nut butter. And with such pronounced flavor, I used about 1/2 the amount of spread on my toast.
Visit the nutty store to order online (prices are a bit cheaper than I paid). If you spend over $80, you get free shipping… that would be a heckuva lot of nut butter…
Let me know if you try any other flavors… I’m trying to get my $80 order planned out
This was the yoga studio I stumbled into while shopping in Traverse City. It’s a posh looking joint, so I felt a bit out of place in my recycled yoga clothes (literally practiced twice in them without washing– I was roughing it, so whatever). New students receive their first class free, so I was able to snag the 90 minute Vinyasa Flow class and save my money for some divine sorbetto after class (at American Spoon).
The instructor, Jenny Lintvedt was fantastic. She had a great intuitive style to her teaching and was able to handle a huge diversity of skill levels that night.
Yen Yoga also has a bunch of other classes to choose from: Yoga with weights; Kids, Hot, Gentle and Power Yoga classes, Pilates, Spinning (they had a sweet stadium-style spin room); and Kettlebell. If you’re ever in Traverse City, I would definitely recommend stopping in for a solid workout.
That’s just the short and sweet of all the wonderful things I enjoyed on my VK to Michigan. If you have some must-see/do things to share in MI, please share!
Thank God for Pop-Tarts. If it wasn’t for these little sugar-laden “breakfast” cookies, researchers might still be scratching their heads to understand why practically every child is being diagnosed with ADHD.
Pop-Tarts has proven the hypothesis that feeding a child synthetic food products consisting of only sugar and food dyes can contribute to behavioral and emotional issues by introducing their new recipe, “Chocolate Cherry Whippit Sammies,” I mean “Whipped Sammies” (not that the health consequences are much different).
So let’s clarify– this is a sandwich that consists of Pop-Tarts, ice cream, maraschino cherries and hot fudge. God help our children. I believe in many things in moderation- but not this. There are so many synthetic ingredients, sugars… essentially just a mash-up of cheap pseudo-foods that are literally setting a child up for poor nutrition and eating practices in the future and bombarding them with a heavy dose of disgusting chemicals. We are now seeing tons of studies drawing strong correlations between poor nutrition practices and emotional, behavioral and learning problems. A Pop-Tart is the perfect example of what not to feed a child– especially one who has been diagnosed with these issues.
Here are the ingredients for the “Hot Fudge Sundae” flavor with the sugars and food dyes highlighted in red:
Enriched flour, Corn syrup, Sugar, Soybean and palm oil (with TBHQ), Corn Syrup solids, Dextrose, High fructose corn syrup, Fructose, Glycerin. Contains 2% or less of cocoa, polydextrose, modified corn starch, salt, dried cream, calcium carbonate, cornstarch, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate, calcium sulfate), distilled monoglycerides, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, sodium stearoyl lactylate, gelatin, color added, soy lecithin, datem, natural and artificial flavor, vanilla extract, carnauba wax, xanthan gum, bitamin A palmitate, yellow #5 lake, red #40 lake, caramel color, niacinamide, blue #2 lake, reduced iron, yellow #6 lake, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, thiamin hydrochloride, citric acid, folic acid, red #40, yellow #5, yellow #6, blue #2, blue #1.
What makes Pop-Tarts even more ridiculous in this scenario is that they are bragging about their reduced sugar Tarts being used for these recipes. Really? That’s like selling low-sodium soy sauce with directions to add salt after purchase.
What are your thoughts about products like Pop-Tarts? Do they have a place in the diets of our children?
The walk was held in Boston this year and the path didn’t disappoint– check out some fabulous destinations along our 20 mile trek:
Where everybody knows your name...
Cheering section at Fenway!
Name this hockey player (the statue behind us)...
The finish line!
Suicide prevention is a cause that is very close to my heart. I’ll always work for this cause and the more common experiences of suicidal thoughts and/or depression that many of us have faced. On that note, be sure to check out my previous post for my current project addressing these issues.
Some other highlights on my Boston trip…
Back Bay Yoga Studio. This place was awesome! Seriously, if you’re ever in Boston, take advantage of some yoga classes at this studio. They offer all sorts of styles and levels and the teachers are fantastic.
Old Town Trolley Tour: I know, this sounds odd. But seriously, this was the best way to get around and learn about the city! And the conductors were so knowledgeable and entertaining. Totally worth it.
We also stayed at a hostel in Boston… or shall I say hostile– not sure I’d really recommend the place. No air-conditioning, one [nasty] bathroom per floor and, strangely, it was also a residence for women who were dealing with some serious mental health issues. I honestly felt like we time warped to the 60′s and landed at the state mental hospital…yikes. Anyway, it was was a perfect transition to head off to Salem for a witch hunt!
I’m a total ghost-hunter wannabe, but too freaked out to actually “hunt” for the ghosts, I just like to hear the stories (and then sleep with the lights on for the next few nights).
Cemetery next to the witches memorial.
The unlucky ones...
You bet we took pictures at the Pirate museum... but didn't pay to go in.
So, that’s my Boston trip in a nutshell! Please share your own Boston faves if you have them (must-see destinations, healthy places to visit, crazy stories, etc. ).
I hope everyone has been having a wonderful summer! And have a fabulous weekend
Ten years ago, I was in a sort of catatonic shock from my dad’s death. I thought my life had been destroyed– most of our possessions were repossessed or sold, we were kicked out of our home and I no longer had a dad. I was just turning 18 and I had no idea how to handle any of it. Cue downward spiral…
Now I sit here– ironically on father’s day– with the trailer for my documentary about this journey. The film follows some of my struggles and successes, but most importantly, it brings attention to the small everyday practices that we can implement in our lives to find true healing.
On this father’s day, I can honestly say, “Thank you dad.” You’ve still been with me these last 10 years, teaching me some really challenging lessons. This documentary stems from everything you were, everything we shared and everything you’ve taught me these last 28 years. What a blessing. And by the way, thanks for all the signs lately… I needed them.
Here’s the synopsis for the film:
We have all experienced suffering in our lives. And we have all longed for healing and relief from these times of struggle. Desperate to find a cure for my own self-destruction and depression, I embarked on a journey to find true healing. I began by facing my greatest fear; investigating my dad’s death. Also, as many spiritual seekers do, I packed up my bags and jumped a plane to India. I traveled to Dharamsala to interview the most renowned spiritual leaders, scholars and Tibetan doctors about healing the mind. This is my story through that journey; a journey through a dark maze of suffering with just one goal at the end– happiness.
So, without further ado, here is the trailer for my doco that will be premiering in Fall 2010:
Oh yeah, and if you have a rich aunt or brother who wants to help fund a film, send them my way
First, if you enjoyed the flick, please click here to support my work by voting 10+ times every day until July 3rd. Each vote brings me closer to my dream of communicating wellness in an empowering, entertaining and informative way. Our world needs this! Please help to make it happen. To learn more about my wellness show pitch and how you can get involved, visit the post below this one.
And be sure to try the Green Body Green Planet products. Honestly, these are the only shampoos and conditioners I will ever use. I use the “Revitalizing” (scented) and It’s amazing. I also use them as a body wash (shampoo) and shaving cream (conditioner).
And visit the bookstore or Amazon ASAP to get the book, Not Just a Pretty Face by Stacy Malkan. It’s an eye-opening read. Learn more about the book here.
You can also check out my earlier posts for more info on my favorite products, what NOT to buy and other cosmetics gossip.
Creating a wellness show has always been my dream and the motivation behind my education and work experiences (you can read more about me here). But to make this dream happen, I need the participation of those who are also passionate about health. Together, we can create a show and communication platform that influences and empowers our world to discover more complete health and true healing.
More details:
My pitch is for a holistic health show with a lot of personality. The show hits all facets of health and will integrate interviews, demonstrations (therapies, medicinal recipes, etc.), location shoots (healing practices and initiatives around the U.S.) and lots of other interactive, applicable and entertaining content. More importantly, the show integrates a new production technique that will enable a diversity of voices to generate show topics AND actual content for both the TV show and the show’s website. This means that health practitioners, university and high school students, and others who are passionate about health can create content that reflects their own community, beliefs and experiences regarding wellness. That’s right, this will be OUR show, with OUR voices that creates change in OUR world. This is not the typical health show with a top down communication approach, this is a bottom up health revolution!
Here’s what to do:
The audition videos are voted on by the public and the top 5 move to the semi finals. Voting is almost over (July 3) and the competition is getting more serious.
I’m in 5th place now, but there are 3 individuals averaging 50,000+ votes per day… they’ll pass me by in about 5 days if I don’t pick it up. Which means I need to find a team of voters willing to tally up 50,000 votes each day. So, I’m looking for 500 people to vote 100 times per day. Would you be willing to join the team? It only takes about 3 minutes to vote 100 times. If you have a desk job or are at your computer a lot, just vote 10 times every hour or so. Another great time to vote is during shows or commercials when watching TV. And feel free to vote more than 100 times if you like and spread the word to others who are passionate about health (just copy this message into an email and send to your contacts with your own personal message at the top).
Voting Tips
Thankfully, there are ways to speed the voting up
Try moving your side scrollbar so that the “vote” and “back” button are lined up perfectly between screens. If your computer doesn’t return to the top of each screen after it refreshes, then this works perfectly (you don’t have to move your mouse at all)! If that doesn’t work, try number 2.
Minimize your screen to 75% (or zoom out to 75%) so that you don’t have to move the mouse so much.
Don’t worry that your votes aren’t reflected right away. It takes about an hour for the vote totals to refresh. Just know, if you click it, it counts it!
This is our opportunity to show support for- and ultimately create- a show dedicated to a deeper understanding of health. Our world desperately needs this. I would be extremely grateful for absolutely any help you could offer- even just one vote. And please let me know if you have any questions.
Many, many thanks & much love,
Aimee
If you would like to offer some additional help to make this show happen, here are some areas I need help with:
* Email to 5 of your closest friends with the encouragement to vote 100 times per day. Just paste this post into your email so they have all the details.
* Spread the message (with the link to the audition page) to your FB contacts with an encouraging message (why people should care to spend 1 minute per day to vote) and a reminder to vote as many times per day as possible until July 3rd. If possible, post this info a few times before July 3. My audition page link: http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&response_id=265&promo_id=1
(and find me on Facebook too! Just search “Aimee Prasek”)
* Get the message out to relevant FB groups and fan sites.
* Same as above with Twitter (find me @WellnessGossip).
* Viral marketing (hit the same above points on the comment sections of relevant blogs, websites, etc.)
* Get the word out to schools (stressing the production opportunities that a show like this would offer interested high school students and those in health degree or journalism/communications programs)
* Media connections? If you have any, let me know! (there was an article in the 6/6 Pioneer Press, but I haven’t seen many votes from it- perhaps we need a more targeted audience with a real push for why people should vote)
Want to get a fabulous summer hair cut and help save the planet? Lorri Weisen, owner of Hair’s to You Salon (Roseville, MN), is providing great coverage regarding the push to use hair booms to help clean up the oil spill.
After finishing my academic *stuff* on Wednesday, I was left with a strange void and question in my mind… “What now?!” The feeling was too much for me
So, I went back to my second home (my MAC) and stumbled across a contest for the OWN Network. I was stoked to see what the contest was for– the chance to win your own show! Having a show focused on complementary health and preventative health has always been my dream. It has been the goal that has guided me through my last 10 years of education and experiences. So, amidst my finals hangover, I applied for the show and threw together an audition video.
To my surprise, I’ve actually received some votes! But, I’ll need a lot more to move onto the second round. The five people with the most votes on July 3 will go on. So, I’ll need a group of people who are willing to vote 100+ times per day until July 3. I’m hoping our WG community can help do that
It only takes about 2 minutes to vote 100 times. People have told me that they just click on the vote button and hold down the enter key! It’s like rapid fire from then on!
If you believe in spreading the message of integrative health, then I would LOVE it if you’d vote for me and help to make this happen. Let’s create something awesome together!
Thanks for all the emails of concern guys! Not to worry, I’m still here- just had to take a month off to finish my thesis. It was a rough couple months…
But, now I’m back and more refreshed than ever! Let’s get this gossip started
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