Happy Earth Day! Though we should be thinking of the earth all the time, it’s great that we have one designated day. What’s really awesome is that whatever is good for us, health-wise (like foods that help burn fat), is also good for the planet! It just shows how very deeply connected we are to not only each other, but also to our natural environment- the oceans and trees and wind…
Here are four Earth Day ideas that are close to my heart:
1. Get a great water filter for your house, refill a reuseable water bottle, and buy as little bottled water as possible! The problem with bottled water is not just about the packaging. A huge issue is the source of the water itself! In the US, there are 3 major companies that also make soft drinks (I think you can guess who they are), that also own many of the popular and common bottled water brands. The huge companies don’t have to pay any money to pump hundreds and thousands of gallons of water a DAY, and even get multi-million dollar tax breaks! Then they sell the water that should be free for all, at a profit! This pumping of the water is destroying ecosystems all over our country, sucking water from underground aquifers and drying up streams, wells, and making clean water for farms and individual communities more and more scarce. Uggg…infuriating, isn’t it!
The other thing is that a lot of bottled water is NOT necessarily any better than tap water. The FDA does very little regulating for bottled water, and has no regulations to prevent bottling companies from drawing water next to industrial sites, underground storage tanks, or dumps. Some of these major brands’ bottled water is really tap water coming from places like Queens, NY and Jacksonville, FL, with additional treatment. That is what “purified” drinking water means. Um….are you kidding me???????
2. Only eat chocolate if it is organic. Of course I would prefer it if you guys only ate delicious, raw, organic cacao and and kept it dairy-free. But I know how it can be!!! Sometimes you want a piece of chocolate here and there, and if you stick to dark chocolate bars (preferably 70% dark chocolate or higher), and buy organic, it is certainly okay in moderation.
70% of the world’s chocolate is sourced from counties in Africa. These countries do not have the same perfect growing conditions, natural rainfall, canopy cover and protection as countries near the equator in South America. As a result, this African-sourced cacao is grown with the harshest and heaviest load of horrible chemical pesticides and herbicides that are destroying the environment over there and leading to deforestation, contamination of water sources, and major pollution. What’s even worse is that there is a ton of child labor abuse associated with these crops to produce the harvest super cheap. Because of the $$$$$$, millions and millions of dollars of this cheap cacao is imported into the US and used in tons of commercial chocolate and cocoa products.
Sorry to be a downer, but shouldn’t we be informed?? Now that innocent little packet of M & M’s doesn’t seem so innocent anymore, does it. Many delis and stores carry organic dark chocolate! So please just try to plan ahead, if you know you like chocolate sometimes, and stock up on the good stuff. That way, if a chocolate craving strikes, you won’t be suck with el vending machine chocolates as the only choice. And just remember that that commercial milk chocolate crap will make you fat, make your skin look duller than an old sponge, and tax your organs! In case you need another reason! :)
3. Boycott commercial corn and corn-based products. Corn is now the #1 crop grown in America, with almost 80 million acres planted annually. Commercial corn requires more nitrate fertilizer and pesticide than any other crop. This tremendous amount of chemicals pollutes our water systems and is destroying the natural balance of our ecosystems.
Plus, four billion barrels a year of corn are processed and refined into high fructose corn syrup which is in tons of food products now.
It’s all wrapped up in scary politics. Have you seen the commercials that are like, “What’s so bad about high fructose corn syrup?” and they have a few pretty people that can’t figure it out and then they all laugh and say, “Oh, I guess nothing!” Well I’ll say what’s wrong with it! It’s super high-glycemic, its virtual poison to the body, totally elevating triglyceride levels and throwing your body off balance…it will make you puffy and fat and cause wrinkles. Stay away evil commercial corn products!!!
4. Just use and buy less stuff. When I took myself out of Western society for three years and lived in my tent for a while, as well as tiny bungalows and guest houses and only had my backpack, I really learned how freeing and wonderful it is to get by with not that much…stuff. We live in a major consumerist society, that makes us feel like we need so much! Its funny how the more we have sometimes the more we keep wanting and more we think we need…do you ever get that feeling when you go into a Sephora?
Same thing with all those shoes you keep buying! I mean who needs all those shoes??? Ha!! Just kidding. I’m not going to go there. :)
Have a gorgeous week. Isn’t it awesome that Spring is here?? We DO live in an amazing world.
Lots of love,
Kimberly
Thanks for keeping us informed Kimberly!
Yay for Earth Day! I love your posts and look forward to reading them.
Do you think you could give me an example of what you eat in a day. I just started about 90% raw a month ago and could use some guidance. Thanks! :-)
Hi Leah!
Well it changes with the season, how much yoga I’ve done that day and walking, the temperature, etc. I always have 1-2 glasses of green smoothie and possibly a green juice on the run. It’s usually the first thing that goes in my mouth except for lemon water. I try to hold off until 11 to eat. During the day I’ll have some fruit, a couple of organges, nuts, (not together), figs, random stuff like that. I’m not hungry b/c if I do I’ll put hemp protein in my green smoothies, which is very filling. Then dinner is usually a huge salad (see the Kale salad) with avocados, hemp seeds, sprouts, tons of other stuff, and for desert a young coconut-acai smoothie. Of course I make tons of other stuff- raw tacos, raw sushi, nut pates, etc. etc. but that is sort of a general picture.
I’m looking to publish a diet and health book— as this is a MAJOR topic that needs to be explained over a book, not in a blog comment…
Come back with more questions and to visit!
All my best,
Kimberly
Thanks for your response. I think I’m doing ok then. My biggest down fall is that I think I’m eating too many cashews. They are so darn good!!
I was thinking that you should be writing a book. I can’t wait. :-)
Thanks Leah!! I can’t wait either!! :) The book is already in my head!
Hello Kimberly,
I am planning purchase a Vita mix this week(yippy)
and I had a question for you. Do you have/use the dry mix container? I know you make flax crackers and wanted to know if I really needed the dry or could I grind the flax mix in the wet container? That is probally all I would use it for…I think. Holly
Hi Holly!
Oops, maybe you have already gotten your vitamix! sorry I couldn’t get back to you earlier, I’ve been very, very swamped. I actually don’t have a dry container!
I do grind the flax seeds in the wet container, a little bit at a time, so it doesn’t have to work so hard. :) Maybe that’s not the exact proper way, but I never got around to buying the other one! :)
Come back and visit soon!
xx
Kimberly
Dear Kimberly,
I absolutely LOVE your blog! I tried the Green Smoothie today and I’m hooked. I have been dealing with chronic fatigue and insomnia and I’m pretty sure my diet is to blame. I ordered The Solution and my skin has never looked better! Thank you for all that you do! Your suggestions are helping me to get on track. I have a quick question, what are some ways to cleanse my colon at home? I’m hoping I can make it to Jodi’s for my birthday at the end of next month. But in the meantime, I’d like to start cleansing my colon as I feel it may be to blame for my fatigue as well. Thanks again!
Hi Larnies!!
OMG that is amazing!!! I am so happy you are on the Green Smoothie train AND love the Solution! Yay!! Awesome.
Be sure you are taking a probiotic regularly. As for cleaning your colon, stay away from senna and irritating other laxatives. You can get a really high quality Oxygen-Magnesium supplement, from a health store (where in NY do you live?), and take some at night- look at the instructions. The oxygen will help lift some debris from the colon, without being an irritant, like a laxative.
Let me know how you continue to feel!! We will get rid of your chronic fatigue forever!! :)
xx
Kimberly
Hey Kimberly! Thanks so much for the response! Your positive energy is so encouraging! At the moment I actually live in DC, but I go to NY fairly often to visit college friends. What kind of probiotic should I get, and what health food stores do you recommend I check out? I plan on coming to the city later this month or in June.
Wishing you continued success,
Larnies
Hey Larnies!
My favorite health store is called LifeThyme, and it is on 6th Avenue, between 8th and 9th I think (or right around there, you can’t miss it). They have many different kinds of probiotics in there, and they can talk you through with kind is best for you, based on your specific conditions and needs.
If you are on the East side, Natural Frontier is good too. It is on 3rd Avenue, between 25th an 26th. If you want a place to chill and hang out, the upstairs of the Wholefoods on the Lower East Side is great for that!
Thank you so much for your encouragement and kind words. :)
I look forward to keeping in touch with you.
All my very best,
Kimberly
I am an avid user of the Solution… I actually use two at a time (one at home and one in my beauty pack on trips). Do you have any suggested way of handling the empty containers? Maybe it sounds like a silly question…
Mary
Hi Mary! Definitely not a silly question. I think about it myself. Let’s be happy we are not disposing of more than one container at a time first off. Hopefully you have cleaned out some of your other products as a result of using The Solution (and Yay for that by the way!!). The issue with the packaging is this: We use that airless pump to have to use less preservatives and chemicals in the actual formula. But creating an airless pump that is 100% biodegradable is not available right now…though they are working on it I’ve been told, and I have been following up with it! So unfortunately you will have to dispose of it regularly.
BUT…on the DL :) we are releasing new packaging in about 2 months that is even more green-friendly.
Please keep in touch!
xx
Kimberly
This is a good example of what sharing and contributing is all about. It’s great to come across a good read. Thanks and well done!
You seem to know your subject matter. It makes a nice change to visit a blog that isn’t just filled with nonsense. I like quite a few of the things you have mentioned here and I will be back to read more now that I have bookmarked you.