Recommended Reading 08/16/20

 

What a mug...

Mochi says it's reading time!

There is no better way to occupy your down time then by reading.  Instead of mindless scrolling through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram etc. read a book.  Exercise your mind, gain knowledge, learn something new and travel the world without leaving your couch.  Just remember to get up and move!  There has to be a balance.

Let's get started with the environment:

From Patagonia: Remember the Original Tree Huggers  

Stop making sense: Why it's time to get emotional about climate change.

What's up Facebook? when will it end? Abandoning drilling equipment?

Costa Rica Set to Eliminate all Single Use Plastic

In my field of work we utilize Lidar, travel to Honduras with Chris Fischer on the importance of why we should Lidar the whole Earth.

This is an image of Lidar scan of 500kv transmission line showing trees and brush which might impede power distribution.

Food and Recipes

How to make 2 ingredients oil-free Tortillas, from The Minimalist Baker.

Epic vegan BBQ tofu wings  from One Green Planet.

Ethiopian Spiced "Meat" Hummus Bowls from MBG

Raspberry Oat Crumble Bars from Center for Nutrition Studies.

Ikarian-style Sourdough Bread from Blue Zones.

Wellness and Exercise

10 Signs Your Liver Needs Some Love from Food Matters.

How Hydration Can Support Immunity from MBG.

Cancer Prevention and Treatment from Center for Nutrition Studies.

Training in Hot Weather may enhance fitness and performance from Trailrunner Magazine

Just Crazy

Do we really need this? Coffee infused Coca-cola.

Coca-cola secrets you never knew.

Is this how they are spending their time addressing climate change? U.S. .Energy Department

Stay Strong.

Have a great week.

Keep washing your hands.

Judd

THANK YOU

Gratitude is a practice, which turns into an action,

 which is the foundation of a happy life.

On February 6, 2011, we posted our first post: Skinny Bitch.  A couple of years before, we began our journey on living a healthier life by stopping to consume any animal products. We had read a book by Jonathan Safran Foer titled: Eating Animals.  It totally changed our mindset on animal agriculture and its untold cruelty that it imposed on animals and the environment.  It set us on this journey to living a cleaner and more compassionate life.  We immediately stopped consuming meat of any kind knowing the what went on behind "closed doors" of the agriculture industry.  Our friends began asking us "What do you eat?" and of course "Where do you get your protein?".  

So, we started our blog to share recipes and information on consuming a plant-based diet.

THANK YOU!

Over the past 9 years, for wanting to share information, I have opened my mind to so much knowledge.  By researching a wide variety of information, I have gained so much insight on how what we put in our mouths to feed ourselves creates life or sickness.  We truly are "You are what you eat"

I want to say, Thank you! I have learned a wealth of knowledge by sharing this information.  The time I have spent researching the topics we post has enriched my life.  I look forward to every week anticipating what I can share with you.  The other week I noticed that we had reached over 60,000 views of this blog. WOW!  My hope is it will continue to enrich your life as it has ours.

Our world is at a tipping point.  Both socially and environmentally, we have to make a change.  We have to be the change.  Environmentally, the most profound act that we can do individually, is to change to a plant-based diet.  Animal agriculture is not a sustainable industry   Socially, "BE KIND",  For you Christians, 13 times Jesus commanded "To love one another as I have loved you"

The prophet Muhammad said "You will never enter paradise until you have faith and you will not complete your faith until you have loved one another".

In this time of social unrest and July 4th celebration of Independence, you should read or re-read the Declaration of Independence.  "We  hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness".

THANK YOU, for letting us be a part of your journey towards a healthy life.

Namaste

Judd

Recommended Reading 05/16/20

Recommended Reading

Some of this month's reading suggestions obviously will relate to the Covid-19 crisis.  Many of you have experienced the virus either yourself, relatives or friends.  A few work-related colleagues have been infected with the virus and one's elderly father succumbed to complications arising from it.  Being considered an "essential worker", I was and will continue to be very safety oriented.  Consuming a plant-based diet and keeping my immune system as strong as possible is #1.  Here in Florida, the State has lifted "stay at home" restrictions, while trying to inform residents to be safe.  Encouraging CDC recommendations on wearing face masks, keeping 6' social distancing, etc.  Unfortunately, most are not doing that.  Retail/Grocery workers are definitely abiding by these rules, but only a small amount of residents are.  It's all or nothing!  I will be wearing a face covering and continuing safe clean practices indefinitely! Please be safe and do what we can to stop the spread, if not for yourself, for those who have compromised health issues. 

So let's get started:

ENVIRONMENTAL

We don't want to go "back to normal", we need to go forward and build a healthier and cleaner world.

From 350.org, "How We Build Back Better"

It's a start in the right direction: U.S. Renewables are Set to Generate More Electricity Than Coal For The First Time

Meet the new "Citizens of Costa Rica".  The country is a leader in environmental measures, planning to be carbon neutral by 2050, and currently gets 98% of its energy from renewable sources!

Positive consequences are happening because the Covid-19.  Air quality has improved dramatically worldwide, even in the U.S. Air Pollution Decreases Over Southwest U.S. 

Check out the "Tesla" of  electric boats at X Shore from Sweden.

WELLNESS

The world is realizing that factory farming is not sustainable.  The way people eat all around the world, is a major risk factor for pandemics: The Meat We Get From Factory Farms

With the "shortage"of meat in grocery stores, the demand for plant-based meat alternatives are skyrocketing, like The Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat Beast Burger.

Need to lower or maintain your Triglycerides? Try Red Quinoa.

Green tea consumption is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.  But what about Cancer?

Establishing Healthy Habits during Social Distancing by Dr. Garth Davis

Go outside, breathe in nature.  Why You Should Walk More.

More powerful than antibiotics?  This has been used since ancient Grecian times.  Oregano Oil to the rescue!

VIDEOS

Five Kitchen Hacks from The Happy Pear

The Nantucket Project with Dr Zach Bush and Rich Roll

Have a great week.

Be kind.

Judd

Recommended Reading 01/25/20

It's the first 2020 Recommended Reading time!

Introducing the newest addition to our family:

Miso and Mochi

The sweetest sister and brother rescues who joined our family at the end of the year.   They were just 8 weeks old and have 7 other siblings who all have been adopted.  It is quite an enjoyment to watch them play and grow.  They will never take the place of the Queen Lizzie, but they definitely are creating their own Kingdom,

The Queen

Let's get started with:

CRAZY SHIT

U.S. households throws out $240 billion dollars a year worth of food, that's crazy!  Don't go to the grocery store hungry.

This is both crazy and scary: One Nation, Tracked,  12 million phones, one dataset, zero privacy.

GM is bringing back the Hummer, thank God it's electric.

For a blast from the past, check out a new hotel at JFK airport that recently opened: TWA Hotel,  our daughter Bree spent some time there this past week while on a short business trip in Manhattan,  She was very impressed, saying it would be great to spend the night there while on a layover/early flight to Europe.

ENVIRONMENTAL

8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced since introduced in the 1950's.  Most all of it is still here and 91% of it is not recycled.

New technology from RESYNERGI know just what to do with it.  They have compact mobile equipment that turns chipped plastic waste into clean fuel sources.

4 Environmental laws that athletes(and everyone) should know and fight for.

Possible BLUE/GREEN  -Green New deal proposed by Elizabeth Warren.

A short important video from Ocean Unite: #Love30x30. 

The ocean gives us life: it provides half the oxygen we breathe, has absorbed a quarter of our CO2 emissions and over 90% of the excess heat trapped by those emissions, it puts food on our plates and is home to 80% of all life on Earth.

I know there are endless issues we all face everyday.  But the most important issue the world faces right now is the climate crisis.  If we all don't work together and solve this, all else really doesn't matter.  WHAT IF WE SURVIVE?

EXERCISE, FOOD and WELLNESS

Build strength, stamina, stability and power with these 4 Essential Bodyweight Exercises.

Another reason why we should just give up sweeteners all together, Not Sweet Nothings.

Joking aside, for health reasons we need to "cut the cheese"  Nut cheeses  have come a long way and are way more healthy and earth friendly.

Here's another take on "Crazy Shit", Wasting Food: Steps You Can Take to Stop Food Waste.

How to order a healthy plant-based meal from any restaurant menu.

For a rainy afternoon video, watch Rich Roll and Dr. Zach Bush at the Nantucket Project.

For a quick and delicious meal whip up Chef Chloe's vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta and steam some fresh broccoli topped with nutritional yeast.

Have a great week.

Be kind.

Judd 

Be Kind

This week's post is a little different than most.  I hope it speaks to you and lifts you up.  If you're having a rough day, I hope you know that you are loved and you matter. 

 Our world is changing.  Oftentimes it seems as though friends, family and strangers are treating each other with less and less compassion and understanding.  If others don't share the same beliefs, they are wrong.  I heard a podcast recently with Guru Singh talking with Rich Roll.  He made a very enlightening statement:  The way of educating children needs some changes.  Instead of (or in addition to) the 3 R's, what should be taught is the 3 C's: Compassion, Collaboration and Communication.  This way children will learn how to deal with the real problems of our time.  By learning how to be compassionate towards others and  collaborate and work in unity with one another, there will be less conflict.  When these children become adults, they in turn will teach their children and the world will be a better place in which to live.  Eventually the cycle will stop and adults will live a more harmonious life with others, and our differences will be cause for celebration and not contention.

This week, let's all try to be more compassionate towards our loved ones.  Be kind to strangers!  Your kind words might be the healing words they need to hear.

This week, let's communicate with each other.  Be honest.  Be uplifting; encouraging words have life. Let your loved ones know what's in your heart.  Life is too short; it could end tomorrow.  Let your love flow out of you.

This week, work as a team; collaborate with one another.
A three strand rope is stronger than a thread!

I strive to live my life according to the Spartan code:

 Have a great week.

BE KIND.

Judd