Monday, July 30, 2012

A Credo for Making it Happen.


I love watching this video! This is Danielle Laporte, the author of The Fire Starter Sessions: A Soulful + Practical Guide to Creating Success on Your Own Terms. This is an AWESOME book! I have the audio version, because she is great to listen too, but I plan on buying the hardcover as well so I can sticky-note it up. The book aspires (and succeeds) to inspire us to follow our passions, to live and give generously and to become successful based on what that means to each of us. It's good stuff. If you can appreciate the video, get the book.

Oh, and be sure to watch this video regularly!

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Do you CSA?

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. CSA embodies a special relationship that links farmers directly with the people, and provides fresh food, usually at low prices, to the community. With CSA, at the beginning of the season, people buy shares of a local farm's anticipated harvest and then receive weekly shares of the produce harvested that week. CSA seasons usually run from May or June to October or November. Some farms have extended growing seasons, which can include spring and winter; it's a great treat to find a Farm that offers CSA shares all year long. Often times you can get a large share or a small share (which may be very other week) to accommodate smaller households and larger families. A CSA subscription can be an amazing deal if you want to eat fresh, local and organic produce (and sometimes milk, eggs and meat) at a reasonable cost. It may very well be the difference between whether or not you can afford this quality and abundance of food.

I have found a farm offering CSA shares in my area all year long. The farm is Tangherini's Spring Street Farm located in Millis, MA ( http://www.tangerinisfarm.com/tangerini_farm_csa.htm ). Although, the  main season is already up and running, I plan on getting the Winter and Deep Winter CSA shares. It costs $400 for 4 months, so $100 per month for organic, local veggies for 4 people isn't bad at all. I truly love the idea of CSA; I am a big fan of buying things from local vendors and small businesses as opposed to buying them from big corporations. This way of shopping and spending money seems like a much more sustainable way of living. The food you get from CSA is also better for you. It is FRESH and local; it was harvested that week. It was picked at it's prime ripeness, which means it has the most vitamins and minerals; grocery store produce is picked early and hasn't had enough time to produce the maximum amount of nutrients. It is organic (sometimes... a farm offering CSA shares may or may not be organic, Tangerini's food is organically grown.), which means you don't have to be worried about consuming harmful chemicals.

In my opinion a CSA is truly a healthy, sustainable and affordable lifestyle choice. Check and see if there are any CSAs near you!


Thursday, July 26, 2012

My name is Lotachi, and I'm a Healer.

My name is Lotachi, and I'm a Healer. I've found my calling in life, and that is to heal using natural and holistic methods that optimize the body's innate ability to heal itself.

Although I am a Healer, currently I am a "Professional" Healer-in-Training. I am in massage school, I'm taking an online Certified Herbalist course taught by Demetria Clark, and I am doing extensive self-study on the Whole Foods lifestyle and Nutritional Therapy. I am actually pre-reading the required books for a Nutritional Therapy course I plan to start in February. I am taking a break from pursuing my BS to do what I want to do, what I NEED to do.

This is a time in my life of much knowledge seeking and TRUTH seeking. I am looking for my truth, my healthful self, my state of balance, my intuition and my peace; and I figure I can help other people find those things for themselves as well and develop my career. I'm really excited to be on this journey seeking health and starting my life's work.

New Mantra: Be disciplined. To get things you've never had, you must do things you've never done.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

One habit at a time.

Today while looking through the Institute of Intergrative Nutrition's Facebook page I saw they had posted the question "What was the best piece of health advice you've ever given or received?" I thought this post would certainly have some really great nuggets of healthful information, so I started reading the replies. I came to one that resonated with me so much that I had to stop reading. It said:

One habit at a time

This small sentence, or rather sentence fragment, made me feel like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. 

One habit at a time

It's such a simple and obvious concept, but sometimes it can be ignored or hard to accept. On this journey to health that I have begun, I sometimes feel overwhelmed at the amount of change I need to make to be the physically, mentally and spiritually healthy person I want to be. There is so much wrong with our society's ways of producing food, eating, healing, working and views of health in general that it truly astounds me. when I think about how I want to start eating only pastured meat and eggs, eating only organically produced foods, subscribing to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), taking herbs daily, getting massage at least twice a month, doing Yoga everyday, meditating everyday and eating raw cultured veggies, among other things. I feel SWAMPED when I think about this list! And everyday I learn a new piece of information that I place on top of my pile of things I want to incorporate into my healthy living practices. But now I can remember: 

One habit at a time

This piece of advice can help me take a deep breath and FOCUS on the habit at hand. They say it takes 3 weeks to make or break a habit. I'm going to start working on one or two habits for 3-4 weeks. I'm hoping this new approach will help me to feel unintimidated and in control and will  help me make lasting lifestyle changes.

New Mantra: One habit at a time.