This summer I attended several bicycle events. Besides having my bicycle finely tuned (I love to hear a clean “click” when shifting gears instead of a grinding noise) my main concerns are my stamina and preventing muscle spasms from lactic acid build up. During these bicycle events the organizers offer a variety of snacks and energy drinks at the rest stops. Except for the fruits, all of them contain either table sugar or corn syrup, which I …
Wellness
MRSA – How bad is it really?
Last week a mother called me during my call-in hours. Her 14 year old daughter had a rash that looked like a spider bite. She went to a walk-in clinic where they cultured it. The result came back MRSA positive. She was very upset and in tears about this diagnosis. What is happening? Because of excessive use of antibiotics the number of drug-resistant bacteria is growing rapidly. How often do we hear from the doctor: “It’s viral …
Codex what?
According to Wikipedia “The Codex Alimentarius (Latin for "food code" or "food book") is a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines and other recommendations relating to foods, food production and food safety under the aegis of consumer protection. These texts are developed and maintained by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a body that was established in 1963 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of …
Stop and Listen: Allowing Silence in Conversation
In my early 20’s I ventured off to Japan. As a recent graduate from art school in Philadelphia, I knew I needed to travel to complete my education. This was, of course, something only I understood, so naturally it came as a big surprise to my family and friends when I told them I was going to Kyoto, Japan. It turned into an even bigger surprise when my three-month study evolved into four years of inner and outer exploration. One of the many …
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Choosing Joy and Fearlessness
When I was 35 I gave birth to my first child. Her father was only 26 years old. We were both active in martial arts practices and the healing practices of shiatsu and qi gong. Her father, Marcus, was devoted to the Taoist concept and practice of conditioning your body to become immortal. He was strong, healthy, and was confident he was here on this earth walk for a long time. Marcus explained to me he was too aware to become a victim, believing …