Mindful Eats

Green Feminine Hygiene Products: Organic Cotton/Menstrual Cups

It is health that is real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver. ~Mohandas Gandhi

This post is for the women. Men, I recommend you stop reading here. Stop. Because we're going to be talking about MENSTRUAL PERIOD stuff.

{Yup, that got rid of the guys.}

So when it comes to that time of the month, how do you handle it? Pads, tampons, organic tampons? I recently found a new feminine hygiene product (hate that term) that isn't a tampon or a pad. Actually, it's not new - it's been around since the 1930's. It's more effective, more comfortable and much more environmental. What is it you ask? It's a menstrual cup, which is basically a bell-shaped cup made from medical grade silicone, polyethylene or other nonlatex materials that is worn inside the vagina to collect menstrual fluid.

I think most women find the product journey to be something like this:

1. Conventional Sanitary Pads. They are easy to use and figure out. However, there can be leaking and messiness involved, and it feels like you're sitting on a pillow so some women turn to
2. Conventional Tampons. These are so much harder to learn to use than pads, but provide so much more freedom once you get used to them. However, they still require regular purchasing and can be leaky. Wondering about the health effects of them, you might turn to
3. Unbleached Organic Tampons. If you have something in you for days, you want to make sure its as toxin- free as possible. Your vagina absorbs well, which is why medicines can be delivered through vaginal suppositories. Using nonchlorinated tampons means less chemicals for you and the environment.

I was at stage 3, and wondering if there was anything better because tampons really aren't all that great. I hate having to remember to buy them, they're drying and they can leak. They also didn't feel green - all the material and energy that went into making them and then they were disposed of. Then one day I read an article about menstrual cups. Soon after that I was at Whole Foods buying some nonchlorinated cotton tampons, and I saw some menstrual cups. 

They seemed weird, but in the name of science, I bought one. What happens to the fluid? Isn't it messy?

After three months, I love it. I can't feel it, it doesn't leak, it's not drying, there's no string hanging around, I don't need to remember to bring a tampon to the bathroom (because it's always with you), and I've saved a lot of money.  I wish I'd learned about them 10 years ago!

What's the downside? The icky factor (which isn't so icky). So here's the unvarnished scoop:

Produce: Dirty Dozen and Clean 15

You cannot build a better world without improving individuals. ~Marie Curie

You know how sometimes you have seemingly opposing goals like 1) you want to lose weight AND 2) eat delicious food?  (Okay, I gave that to you as a confidence booster because you already know how to do that. Eat whole unprocessed foods, yum.)  Well, maybe one of your New Year's resolutions is to eat more produce.  So what if you want to 1) eat organic to reduce your chemical intake in the form of pesticides AND 2) you want to be light on your wallet?

Fortunately, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has compiled a list of the "Dirty Dozen" fruits and vegetables with the most pesticide residue, and a list of the "Clean 15" with the least pesticide revenue. You can significantly limit your pesticide intake by avoiding the "Dirty Dozen" and eating the "Clean 15". Likewise you can stretch your dollar by buying the Dirty Dozen organic and the Clean 15 conventional. Now that it's winter, there are several items on the Clean 15 that are seasonal: onions, cabbage, sweet potatoes, grapefruit and mushrooms.

What if you can't buy the Dirty Dozen organic? Just go ahead and eat them. You deserve a gold star for eating unprocessed foods. What if you don't have a budget constraint? Buy everything organic since it's better for our environment not to be depositing chemicals on our soils.

Here's the current list of Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 Foods, but check the EWG database since it is updated.

Dirty Dozen

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines - Imported
7. Grapes - Imported
8. Sweet bell peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries - Domestic
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/Collard Greens

Clean 15

1. Onions
2. Sweet Corn - there is no required labeling for Genetically Modified Foods, so you may want to purchase this oganically to avoid genetically engineered corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet Peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe - Domestic
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet Potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms

Want to learn more?

• The Low Down on Organic Food
• What is conventionally grown, industrial food?
• EWG Database

What I ate today: 4T blackstrap molasses, 4T apple cider vinegar, cheese popcorn, caramel popcorn, olive oil popcorn, brown rice, sauteed kale, boiled shrimp, cheese, 1.5 cups coffee + cream, whole wheat spaghetti + bolagnaise sauce + spinach, 1 apple, 30 oz. water

Exercise: jogged 4 miles, 60 situps, 6 pushups

 

All About Eggs and their Benefits

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him. ~Abraham Lincoln

Photo Credit: Delish.com

You know what you should have for breakfast? Eggs. You know what you should have as a snack? A hard boiled egg. You should be eating eggs regularly. Yup, you. Unless you have 1) allergies, 2) diet restrictions (e.g. you're vegan), or 3) disease restrictions (e.g. diabetes). Eggs are little powerhouses of goodness - they are a nearly perfect protein and packed with other nutrients. They are also cheap compared to other protein sources. 

Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse. The protein in eggs are such high quality that all other proteins are measured against them. They contain 18 out of the 20 amino acids, and all the essential amino acids (essential means that your body can't synthesize them - they can only come from your diet) which makes them a complete protein. 43% of the protein is in the yolk, while 57% is in the whites. Eggs are also one of the best sources of choline, which is tough to find elsewhere but important for brain health and reduces inflammation. Eggs also contain all vitamins except for Vitamin C (though not necessarily in significant amounts). And what about the common knock of eggs being bad for your cholesterol? Research has not shown a connection between moderate egg consumption (1 per day) and high cholesterol levels. One extra-large egg contains 7g of protein (14% RDA), choline (30% RDA), and only 80 calories.

What are the best eggs? Egg quality is affected by freshness and chicken health. Most eggs consumed in the U.S. are chicken eggs. You want to eat eggs from the healthiest, happiest hens. Makes sense, yes? Factory chickens that are sick, dosed up on antibiotics, can't move (let alone exercise) because they are smushed in a cage with nine others getting pooped on from chickens above them, pooping on chickens below them, and eating only grain are not going to make the best quality eggs. Go to the farmer's market where you can ask the farmer how her chickens live. The best eggs come from hens that can spend their days outdoors, poking around for bugs in grass. These girls produce healthy eggs with more Omega-3's. Chickens weren't meant to be vegetarians! Find a producer you can trust, and buy eggs that were recently laid. They're the tastiest and most nutritious. Eggs are a cheap protein. Pay up for the best ones. You're worth it.

So what do all those labels mean - cage free, pastured, organic? Pretty much nothing. There are no standards, except for certified organic.  The only thing I trust that to mean is that the chickens eat organic grain. The best thing to do is talk to the farmers at the market about the way their hens are raised. Ask if you can visit their farms or see some pictures.

How can one distinguish egg quality? When you have a healthy, fresh egg, you'll notice right away when you try to crack it. Thwack! That egg is hard to crack because the shell is strong. The chicken had adequate calcium to make that egg. She ran around in open air and ate bugs for protein. Then when you open it, the egg stays tight and contained instead of spreading out all over the place. You notice a bright yolk that sits up high above the white. It's trying to say hello. The whites are tight and thick instead of runny, and you can notice the two layers of whites - a tighter white that's surrounded by a paler white. The highest quality are Grade AA, then Grade A and finally B. B and below usually goes to restaurants and food service.

How should eggs be stored? Eggs are porous and can dry out, so they should be stored in your refrigerator. Preferably in the cardboard carton if they are going to be kept for a while.

Are some egg colors better than others? An egg derives its color solely from pigmentation. If they come from a brown hen, the eggs are brown. If they come from a white hen, the eggs are white. Besides color, there are no nutritional differences. Certain breeds of chickens produce different colors - for example, Platine Bleues produce blue eggs, which I personally think are richer. Try different types as you come across them and let me know what you think!

How is an egg made? Eggs begin their journeys inside a hen, and take about 26 hours to be made. Eggs don't need to be fertilized. The hen creates a yolk as part of ovulation, and it is released into her oviduct. If it is going to be fertilized, that is where it happens. In either case, as the yolk travels down the oviduct, a membrane than the whites are created around it. Then at the bottom of the oviduct, the hard calcium shell is created.

Fun fact - most hens lay their eggs in the morning before noon. None are laid after 3pm.

Tip: Want to eat more eggs? Hard boil a dozen and leave them in the refrigerator for a fast breakfast or snack.

Hens confronted by snow - they stayed in

Acknowlegement to Aliza Holtz for a great deal of egg knowledge

What I ate: 2 slices toast + hazelnut butter, 4 clementines, 1 apple, 32 oz. chicken rice soup, 3 green tea mochi ice creams, bacon ranch popcorn, 1 dark Chocalive truffle, sauteed shrimp + brussell sprouts, 1 cup quinoa, 2 squares dark chocolate, 16 oz water + blackstrap molasses + apple cider vinegar,  50 oz. water + Vitamin C

Exercise: jogged 4 miles

 

 

 

How to Have a Great Holiday

Love one another and you will be happy. It's as simple and difficult as that. ~Michael Leunig

It's hard to believe the year has flown by and it's almost December. Weren't we just making New Year's Resolutions? I confess, it's the day before Thanksgiving and I feel overwhelmed by the holidays. What a brat, I'm not even cooking - all I have to do is show up at a friend's house with cheese and crackers. It's the entire shebang - Thanksgiving through New Year's that has me exhausted. I have eight parties on the calendar so far, and I'm tired just looking at them.  

Time for a serious gratitude readjustment. There are many things wrong with my attitude. Ingratitude attitude has inflicted me during years when I didn't have any holiday parties to go to, and years when I was exhausted planning my own parties. The holidays are supposed to be fun, skinny, and contemplative. The two keys are 1) be grateful for what you have and 2) plan.

What to do: Have a wonderful holiday season

1. Make a list of ten things for which you're grateful. OK, five. Now, in your head. You won't be tested. I do this when I run, and the list has been as basic as being able to run. Now the New York Times reports it can make you healthier.
2. Plan. Take a look at your calendar to see what the next few weeks look like, and figure out what you need for each event. This post from last year explains how to plan.
3. Be nice to someone. The holidays can be lonely for people - invite someone that doesn't have plans to Thanksgiving, to a party, to a religous service or to tea. It may be painful at the time, but you will be glad later.
4. Let it go. Things may not be perfect - you may have wanted a particular someone back for the holidays, you may wish you had someone to celebrate with, you may wish you were somewhere else, you may be mad at someone. Just let it go and enjoy what you're blessed with this year.
5. Enjoy the lights. Be nice to yourself. Take a break, go for a walk or a drive and enjoy the bracing weather.

Have a cozy holiday everyone!

Links:

• A Serving of Gratitude May Save the Day, New York Times
• Mindful Eats post on surviving holiday eating
• Giving a gift? Here's the Mindful List
• Mindul Eats post on holiday planning

What I ate: 1 hard boiled egg, 1 apple, 1 pear, 3 slices of toast and goat cheese, 1 cup quinoa, kale + tofu, 1/2 coffee + hemp milk, whole wheat spaghetti, Rao's Siciliana sauce, ground flaxseeds, caramel + cheddar popcorn, 45 oz. water

Exercise: jogged 5 miles

 

Satur Farms Profile: What Makes Vegetables Better Quality and/or More Expensive?

Baby spinach at Satur Farms

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. ~Henry David Thoreau

Do you ever wonder why some baby spinach is tastier and more expensive than others? The answer, Mindful Readers, is care and freshness, as I learned at Satur Farms. I'd first noticed Satur Farms produce proudly listed on many restaurant menus in NYC. When I mentioned them to private chef Stephane Lemagenen of Zen Can Cook, he enthused "Satur Farms grows the best produce I've seen anywhere on the East Coast. From various types of lettuce to baby vegetables and zuchinni blossoms in the summer, the quality and variety of their produce is just outstanding."

So when Emma, one of my favorite foodies at FreshDirect, suggested that I meet the owners of Satur Farms, I jumped at the chance because 1) I wanted to see what went behind the vegetables that are so well established among NYC chefs and 2) Emma has good ideas.

After a couple conversations, I hopped in a Mint Car and drove out to the North Fork of Long Island to meet Paulette Satur. Having never been to a produce farm before, I didn't know what to expect. (Well, I knew one thing - they have a strict food safety program since I wasn't allowed to bring my dog.) After rolling through miles of flat land, I turned down a charming street and ended up at a large, gorgeous farm. Low slung wooden buildings blend into the surroundings, there are trucks and portapotties, and the entire farm and facility hums with an organized energy.

I found Paulette responding to customers via email in the office. After a few minutes, her husband, Eberhard Muller, burst through the door. While Paulette seems cool and collected, Eberhard is voluble and warm. They give off the intellectually curious vibe of explorers - a couple that stumbled onto something they were good at, then worked really hard to become great at it with a lot of learning and interesting discoveries on the way.

Have they always been farmers? Fascinatingly, no. Paulette was a wine distributor. Eberhard was a celebrated chef whose last post was as Executive Chef at Lutece before he became a full time farmer. Having grown up on a farm, Paulette always wanted to own one. So naturally, when they bought a weekend house on Long Island, they started a garden. Enamoured of the freshness and quality of the produce Eberhard brought it back to use at Lutece. Soon, chef friends were clamoring for their produce, and the couple started farming four acres to satisfy that need. At some point, they had to hire someone to manage their "farm", and as demand grew, they farmed 11 acres, then 35. Now they farm 180 acres with 4 crop rotations per year, or 510 acres.

Chefs (and now retail customers) appreciate Satur Farms for the high quality of their produce. It is obvious that their crops are meticulously and painstakingly cared for. When Paulette and Eberhard decided that growing specialty vegetables on the North Fork was going to be their full-time vocation, they were told by 2-3 people it was impossible. They dug their heels in and persisted, tending their land and buying the equipment that would allow them to become efficient.

As we toured the farm, it was clear that everything was planned with great care. In my unexperienced eyes, everything looked cleaner, more orderly and better cared for than I would hope for. The crops are rotated to make sure the land stays fertile, and the minimum amount of chemicals are used. Paulette explained that extreme weather conditions like humidity made it necessary to use chemicals to keep out fungus and other pests. In addition to the production acres they farm, they keep experimental beds for new crops that chefs request or they are interested in growing.

Wild arugula in a resting crop bed

Equally important as the care that goes into growing their produce is the freshness of it. It is of utmost importance to Paulette and Eberhard that they get produce picked and to customers within 24 hours since fresh food has the best taste. Satur Farms harvests, washes and packages its produce in the morning, then trucks it to customers in the afternoon. This freshness is just not comparable to produce that is grown far away (for example, in California, as it can take 10 days to get to us on the East Coast). Due to the time differential, produce that is shipped long distances is not picked ripe. You can imagine the taste difference. To satisfy their customers' needs for produce in the winter, Eberhard moves to Florida from October through the spring, where they lease 170 acres. He ships to Paulette and it arrives within 24 hours for her to package out to customers. 

Paulette explained that plants continue to produce energy after being picked, so if you harvest some greens and put them in a box overnight, then plunge your hands in the box the next morning, it will be a warm 90+ degrees. She explained this right before she showed me the quick chiller, where all harvested produce was brought down to a chilly temp within a couple minutes. Immediately after being chilled, it is washed and packed and sent on its way. Paulette commented several times about the aroma of fresh lettuce in the morning. You don't think of lettuce as fragrant, do you? However it's easy to imagine the heady fresh scent - probably not unlike freshly mown grass. I think I'd like a lettuce candle.

In addition to producing great food, Paulette and Eberhard believe in doing things as environmentally as possible, from growing to packaging. They also dream of reviving the agricultural community in Long Island to create more jobs. In recognition of their community efforts, Paulette was recenty appointed to the Governor's Regional Economic Council. Is there anything else these two can do? Oh, they recently acquired a new larger packaging facility so they can continue to grow and be more accessible to all of us. In addition to supplying top restaurants in the region, Satur Farms can now be purchased by retail consumers at FreshDirect and Whole Foods. If you are in the New York region, try their vegetables for a quality and flavor boost. If you're not, get out and meet your local growers!

Experimental beds and crops from gazebo

 

What I ate: OIympus Greek strawberry yogurt, 1 banana + Justin's chocolate hazel nut butter, 2 lattes, 4 Whole Foods Two Bite Chocolate Chip cookies, Rising Moon Organics mushroom ravioli + pesto, 4 cups of popcorn, brie cheese, grapes, 1 slize veggie pizza, pasta, mushroom stuffing, 3 mussels, salad, mashed potatoes, rhubarb pie + vanilla ice cream, 45 oz. water

Exercise: jogged 5 miles

 

 

Benefits of Hemp Seeds vs. Flax Seeds

  Nutiva hemp chocolate bar and shelled hemp seeds

To keep a lamp burning we have to keep putting oil in it. ~Mother Teresa

I'd been happily eating flax seeds for quite some time when I met hemp advocate John Roulac, Founder and CEO of Nutiva. I'd seen hemp oil in lip balm and clothes, and I'd tried hemp milk before, but I never thought of it as a food. John introduced me to hemp seeds and some other hemp products, and I just wish I'd learned about them earlier - they are delicious and oh so nutritious. I am going to switch most of my flax seed eating over to hemp seeds. I also learned about superfood chia seeds, which is the subject of an upcoming blog post.

Hemp is one of the earliest cultivated crops - the Chinese grew it 4000 years ago, and it was popular across Asia and the Middle East. Hemp seeds, also known as hemp hearts, are the basis of hemp foods. You can eat them shelled, or they are also processed into hemp oil and hemp milk. I find shelled raw hemp seeds to have a fresh, nutty, kind of sprouty flavor. What makes them so special?

• They are a nutritional powerhouse, full of omega-3 and 6, and a complete protein. Hemp seeds have about 3300mg of Omega-3 and 8100mg of omega-6 in 3 tbs (compared to 4050mg of Omega-3 and 800mg Omega-6 in 3 tbs of flax seeds). Omega-3 is harder to get than 6, and though there is more in flax seed, it is all ALA. Some of the omega-3 in hemp seed is the easier to absorb and harder to find SDA. The ratio of omega 3 to 6 is almost ideal in hemp seeds (ideal is considered 1:2 or 1:4. It's actually on the lower range of ideal, which is a bonus because most of us get enough omega-6 already. As for protein, hemp seeds are 33% protein and contain all the essential amino acids and nearly all the amino acids. 3 tbsp contain 11g protein. Hemp also does not appear to contain phytic acid that may reduce nutrient absorption.
• Hemp is environmental. It is illegal to grow hemp in the U.S., so most of it is imported from Canada. Hemp grows quickly and has a deep root structure so it is good for the soil. This miracle plant also naturally resists pests so it doesn't need pesticides. Hemp likes nitrogen rich soil, so like all other crops, organic farmers will rotate. Unorganic farmers tend to use fertilizer.
• Hemp seeds are easy to use. They are more shelf stable than flax seeds, but not as stable as chia seeds. Nutiva recommends using within 8-12 weeks of opening. They also don't need to be ground.
• Hemp seeds won't get you high. There are many varities of hemp, and the kind that gets you high is marijuana, which is high in THC (the stuff that gets you high). Hemp seeds are grown from industrial hemp plants which contain too little THC to get you high, no matter how much of it you eat or drink.

Bottom line: I'm replacing much of my flax seed consumption with hemp seeds. They are more expensive but I find hemp to be tasty enough to eat straight out of the bag as a snack, and they last longer. I think flax is more neutral in flavor and has more omega-3, so I'll still be using it. Just not as much.

What to do: Eat Hemp Seeds

1. Buy hemp seed products. You can buy the seeds, hemp milk or hemp oil in natural foods stores and Whole Foods. You can also buy directly from Nutiva. If you like supplements like protein powders, you can also find hemp protein. Nutiva makes hemp shake mix and hemp seed bars as well. I'm not a big fan of supplements or bars, but the bars are impressively clean: sunflower seeds, honey, hemp seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds.
2. Eat/drink the seeds and milk straight or add the seeds and oil to your meals. Sprinkle seeds in grains, yogurt and salad or drizzle oils over salads and anywhere you would use olive oil. Don't cook with the oil though.  
3. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator. They will turn rancid after opening, so use them in the time suggested.

 Want to learn more?

• Omega-3, 6 and 9
• Benefits of flax seed
• Hemp milk
• Nutiva
• Hemp seed profile

What I ate: 1 apple, 1 cup grapes, Oogie's black pepper and asiago popcorn, quinoa, tofu, steamed broccoli, 1 slice whole wheat bread + Justin's chocolate hazel nut butter, 1 banana, 1 green tea + rice cakes and seafood, crispy noodles, soup dumplings, vegetable dumplings, bubble tea, tea, 3 tbsp hemp seeds, 45 oz. water

Exercise: jogged 4.5 miles

 

Juice Fast/Cleanse Testimonial

Cleanses have been trendy for quite a while now. They can be anything from a juice fast (no food, only juices) to clean eating (no processed food). You can do it yourself, or you can follow a company's instructions. They usually last 3 days or longer. While I've been fascinated by cleanses, I've never actually done one. Fortunately for you, my friend Walter Frye did his second cleanse this summer and blogs about his experience below.

People go on cleanses since they believe they are giving their body "a break" from digesting and allowing it to focus energy on ridding itself of toxins and healing itself. The medical establishment believes that cleanses are unnecessary since your body is built to cleanse and detoxify itself (through your liver, intestines, etc). If the idea of a cleanse interests you, and you want to re-set your attitude toward food, you may want to try a cleanse. MindfulEats does not endorse cleansing, but since different things work for different people, you may want to try it. Just research it first.

So, without further ado, here is Walter's experience:

When I was asked to journal my experience on the 3-day Organic Avenue juice cleanse, I was starving. It was day 3, which was by far the hardest.

I decided to do a cleanse because I wanted to rid my body of all the toxins I've poured in, in the form of gallons of diet coke, fried food, and my other vices. Who am I kidding? I did it to kickstart my summer body and get rid of the last layer of fat stopping me from ab definition. I must say, to that end, this was a success and even though it was very challenging at times, I'd do it again.

For me, the first two days weren't so bad, except for the 2-hour meeting that someone decided to bring freshly baked chocolate chips cookies to -- pure torture. I'll admit, many of the juices were downright gross, but I'd hold my nose, gulp, and feel relatively sated for while.

It's the morning after, and I think the worst part may not be over. I've heard the body takes a while to readjust to food, and the rumblings currently in my stomach give me reason to believe this is true. I'm not so worried about that because I think there will be continued benefit as my appetite is reduced and the idea of eating a french fry or having a soda (usually my idea of a good time) is completely unappealing. We'll see how long that lasts...

What to do - Research Cleanses if Interested

1. Identify your goals. Some commonly stated goals for cleansing are to increase energy, eat more cleanly, jumpstart a change in your diet, etc.
2. Research. There are many different types of cleanses out there - figure out which ones make the most sense. Talk to people that have done it, look at different companies, read some books. As your doctor. Some cleanses are the Master Cleanse, Clean, Blueprint. 
3. If you are still interested, cleanse. Follow the program that you've identified as being the best for you. You can do it yourself and create your own juices/food, which is cheaper (and you know exactly what went into it) or order from a program, which is more convenient. Here's a post on juicing yourself. Let us know how you're experience went!

What I ate: 1 large latte, 1 plum, 1 cantalope, Japanese rice crackers, vegetable stir-fry + Violet Mountain sicky rice, 10 almonds, 5 cheese and crackers, Hawthorne Valley yogurt + strawberries + ground flaxseeds, whole wheat spaghetti + bolognese sauce, 2 tablespoons chocolate ice cream, 45 oz water

Exercise: jogged 4 miles

I Tried It: Mat and Equipment Pilates Classes

   Pilates equipment at Pilates on Fifth

Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. ~Joseph Pilates

Good posture has been one of my New Year's Resolutions for years. (I still haven't accomplished it so it's on my list again this year). Bad posture can cause many ills from poor digestion to back and joint pain. When I first put posture on the list, I thought immediately of the Pilates Method. This exercise focuses on strengthening your core (muscles in your abdomen and back), which is necessary for good posture. Developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s, it is supposed to make you stronger, leaner and longer. It was initially taken up by ballet dancers, who are the graceful epitome of long, lean good posture.

The Pilates Method is taught through equipment or mat classes. It focuses on muscle control, which is harder than it sounds. Equipment classes are generally more effective since they increase resistance. They are usually taught privately or in small groups so they are more expensive.  Mat classes follow a sequence of Pilates exercises, and require a mat. When I started taking Pilates, I didn't have the cash for the equipment classes so I took mat. Then a friend of mine who wanted to be in the best shape of her life when she turned 40 started taking equipment classes. After seeing the taut lines that ran down the sides of her stomach, I decided to try a few classes. So this is one layperson's experience.

Just for a little background, I consider myself fairly active. I'm no Olympian, but I run, strength train and practice yoga regularly. Pilates kicked my butt. When I first started mat classes, I had no idea I was such a weakling. The exercises were so hard, it was addictive. Over time, the exercises got easier but I didn't notice myself being any longer or leaner. I eventually got bored with the series, and I didn't have the time to do both yoga and Pilates so I focused on yoga.

However, I recently took a series of three equipment classes at Pilates on Fifth in NYC. The classes were supposed to be a small group (four people), but I lucked out and the first one happened to be private. That was extremely helpful because the exercises were different from anything I'd done before. Equipment classes were even harder than mat. The machines are odd looking, and they add enough resistance to be excruciating. The classes are a full body workout. Mat classes seem to focus on core and some leg, but the equipment hits all the muscles in your arms and legs too. I kept looking at my watch hoping the class would be over. I got sweaty by the end. Since I took the classes sporadically (weeks in between classes) so I didn't get all the benefits. If I'd taken them regularly, I have no doubt that I would be walking tall. My friend with the taut tummy has been taking private sessions for a little less than two years, and her instructor varies the Pilates with gyrotonics. She also does some mat exercises at the gym.

There are some similarities between yoga and Pilates. As much as I like Pilates, I'm going to stick with yoga. There's an inceasing amount of cross-over. A yoga instructor will occasionally add some Pilates exercises, which is great, and there are hybrid yogilates classes too.

Bottom Line: If you are looking for a disciplined strengthening exercise, Pilates is great. Mat classes will strengthen your core, and if you can afford it, equipment classes are a full-body workout. Combine equipment classes with cardio exercise and you'll have a full exercise program.

 

What I ate: 1 hard boiled egg,1 bowl cherries, 2 lattes, 1 cup cantaloupe, maracona almonds, 2 cups quinoa + ground roasted flaxseed, vegetable stirfry, seaweed, honey yogurt + ground roasted flaxseed, 2 salted caramels, pork jerky, salted caramel goatmilk ice cream, 36 oz water

Exercise: None

 

 

 

 

Eat Whole Foods: Organic OR Conventional

Blueberries, strawberries and cherries

Live each season as it passes; breath the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit and resign yourself to the influences of each. -Henry David Thoreau

Summer harvest is on! There's a bounty of fruit and vegetables in the farmer's markets and grocery stores that isn't available the rest of the year. My stove has gone OFF, except for the occasional wild-caught salmon and hard-boiled eggs.

I find myself getting caught up in looking for local and organic offerings. Earlier in the season I was obsessed with delicious organic blueberries at their peak. Then they disappeared. Blueberries are one of my favorite foods, yet I almost stopped eating them because the most delicious organic ones seemed to disappear earlier in the season. Then I remembered that eating seasonal, fresh food is the best food to be eating. Even if it's not organic. Organically farmed produce is better for the environment, and I'd prefer to eat chemical free food, but sometimes it's just not available. Or sometimes you've lost your job, and you can't quite afford to buy organic food. It's OKAY. Here's your free pass to not feeling guilty (if you do). You're doing the right thing for the health of you and your loved ones by supplying them with fresh whole foods. Conventional fresh food is in a completely superior league to processed foods, even if they are organic processed foods. So keep filling your cart with conventional zucchini, apples and cherries.

And I'll keep eating New Jersey conventional blueberries. I'd rather buy them organic, but well-washed conventional blueberries at the peak of deliciousness are a happy alternative.

Want to learn more?

• What is processed food?
• What is conventionally grown, industrial food?

What I ate: 2 lattes, 1 banana, Hawthorne Valley yogurt + blueberries + strawberries + ground flaxseed, blueberries, donut peach, 4 slices When Pigs Fly multigrain bread with pumpkin seeds, 2 with Jason's Hazelnut spread, 1 avocado, 1 heirloom tomato, 1 handful Herbert's spelt sticks, Cambodian sauteed tofu + broccoli, brown rice, cherries, 16 oz milk, water

Exercise: exercised the puppy - jogged 1.5 miles, walked 4 miles

 

Non-toxic red lipstick and the Environmental Working Group Cosmetics Database

  Juice Beauty Reflecting Lip Gloss in Guava, Lipstick in Fig, and Smashbox in Legendary

Mindful Eaters, you already know that you are what you eat. The food that goes inside you directly impacts the way you feel and look. That's why you're so gorgeous, bright-eyed, and bushy-tailed. Almost as/just as important as what you eat is what you put on you. Your skin is your largest organ, and it's meant to simultaneously protect you and be superabsorbent. Eliminate those toxins and you'll be even more gorgeous and energetic. We've covered body and beauty products before, now we're going to talk make-up (sorry boys).

I've never been a consistent lipstick wearer since I didn't like the staining, but I suddenly wanted that red 1940's look and became obsessed with red lipstick a few weeks ago. I thought it would be easy to find one since every makeup company makes at least one fire engine color. Then I decided to run my favorite brands through the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) Cosmetics Database and made two discoveries, one good and one bad. 1) the EWG Database had vastly improved. It was always in the MindfulEats Resource List, but we'd never featured it since it was clunky and hard to use. Now it's radically more user-friendly, and it's not perfect, but it's really an amazing resource. 2) All the most popular lipstick brands rate at least a 5 in toxicity (out of 10). Not good. No wonder they stain! The highest concerns are Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Biochemical or cellular level changes. Nasty. I think my favorite is bioaccumulation - who wants to accumulate toxins in your body?

After a great deal of searching, I didn't find anything perfect. But I did find two brands of lipstick that ranked lower on the toxicity scale: Juice Beauty (2/10), and Smashbox (3/10). 0 is obviously the best, but these brands were the easiest for me to find. I only bought Smashbox (Legendary) to get the bright red - it wasn't my favorite red, but it was close enough and I'd rather have something slightly less toxic. Juice Beauty has really limited colors (two) but I love the product - it feels great and the gloss is nice too. I might have to start making my own lipstick, but until there's a MindfulMakeup line, I'm going to go with these.

What to do - Check Your Products

1. Run your current body and beauty products through the EWG Database. Or if you're looking for something new, run your old product and other alternatives throught the database.
2. Pick a threshold that you don't want anything over. For example, 4/10. Read up on the higher toxicity products. Some natural brands like Weleda might rank higher than that - find out why. some natural brands rate highly for potential allergans, and if you're not allergic, the product is ok for you.
3. Throw away all the products that exceed your threshold. Yup, throw them away. You have permission.
4. Replace your items with lower toxicity, natural products.
5. Notice how much better you feel!

Resources:

• Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
• Body and beauty product and facial product recommendations (Mindul Eats)
• Mindful Eats Resource List for all kinds of useful links and info

 

What I ate: blueberries + ground flaxseed + Hawthorne Valley Plain yogurt, 8 strawberries, Happy Herbert's spelt sticks, grape tomatoes, whole wheat spaghetti + sundried tomato pesto + ground flaxseed, 1 latte, chocolate farm cake, tofu pad see ew, 50 oz water

Exercise: 5 mile walk/jog with my new dog