july newsletter - a breath of fresh air!

Hey Y’all!

It’s very officially summertime and my ‘theme’ for the past couple of months has been “Fresh Air”. This is inspired by the organization of the same name (The Fresh Air Fund) that I have been doing fundraising for as a member of their team for next week’s NYC Half Marathon. Yesterday, I visited their summer camps where thousands of low-income NYC kids go on free vacations ever year, and had a blast walking around the woods, checking out the camps’ farm, singing with the campers, and watching them play carefree in the fields and lake. …And there’s no reason we can’t take that same spirit and apply it to our own summer fun!

Have a Picnic!
Picnics are one of my absolute favorite things about the warm weather. I like to invite a few friends to meet in a public park, everyone brings something to share, a blanket to sit on, their own fork from home, and it’s an instant and easy party! (Not to mention you don’t have to prepare your house for guests or do any major clean up after). Or, you can make an ordinary meal a bit more “ooh la la” special by dining by candlelight in the backyard or on the roof. (If you need some picnicspiration, try my Greenmarket Potato Salad recipe or Mark Bittman’s 101 Picnic Dishes.)

Go Raw Together!
A couple of the things I love about camp is the opportunity to try new things, make new friends, and work together. With the abundance of beautiful and delicious fresh produce in season right now, it’s a great time to experiment with new recipes. But no one wants to slave over a hot stove when it’s hot out, so try some raw or mostly raw dishes. You’ll get to play up the lovely flavors of summer produce with a minimum of sweat-inducing effort! Have a raw foods potluck, encouraging each invitee to bring a friend you haven’t met. (If you feel like getting fancy, check out recipes from Raw Food Real World).

Ride a Bicycle Made for Two!
Or, do something else you haven’t tried that can get you out and about. If you live near a lake or a river, you can probably rent or borrow a canoe, kayak, or tube and go out on the water. If you live near hills or mountains, go camping or for an early morning bird-watching hike. If it’s too hot where you live, go out for some late-night stargazing, run through the sprinkler at sunset, find an indoor ice rink, or check out a museum in town you’ve been meaning to go to. Or, if you’re stuck in the city, spend a day exploring a new neighborhood—try new foods and learn more about your neighbors! (Try TravelSkoot for ideas.)


NEWS FROM AJA
I'm Running the Half-Marathon! NEXT WEEK!!
Continuing with my running streak, I'm competing in the Nike NYC Half-Marathon next week for charity. I'm on The Fresh Air Fund’s team and I’m looking for sponsorship-- anything you can give will help to send 10,000 low-income NYC kids on summer vacations in the country.

I'm hoping to raise $1,310. Or, $100 per mile of the 13.1 mile race!
Though I think it would be great to raise a bit more- $1,600, which is the cost of sending one child on vacation. I would be really grateful for absolutely any contributions you are able to make.

You can donate online: http://freshair.kintera.org/ajamarsh
(There are also instructions there for how to donate by mail)


ANNOUNCEMENTS, etc.
In Season: It’s Wild Salmon season! It wasn’t really until last year that I realized I liked salmon. I always thought it was too fishy tasting and the texture didn’t appeal to me. Last summer, I had some really nice, slightly rare wild salmon, and oh my, what a world of difference. So if you think you don’t like salmon, I implore you to give it a try. Here’s a recipe for my Wild Salmon Burgers.

Cool Recent Blog Posts: Read about the highlights of my trip to Summer Camp, get some Green Cleaning Tips, and make some Vegan Brownies this weekend!

Guest Blogger Opportunities: I’m always looking for interested individuals to write guest blogs for Stem+Leaf about green and healthy-lifestyle related subjects, from your own perspective. No need to be an experienced writer-- just enthusiastic with something to say! Please contact me for more information.

Sign up here to receive my monthly newsletter in your inbox.


The day is yours—soak it up!
Aja

Chef Aja T. Marsh News - June Newsletter

Hello Friends!

Summer is finally here and it actually feels like it up here in New York, and everyone seems happier and smiley, which is contagious! The Greenmarket is getting very colorful with the first of the harvest: strawberries, sugar snap peas, herbs and greens of all kinds, tomatoes, rhubarb, and new potatoes! I personally, am really looking forward to doing some canning and pickling this summer. I've never done it before, and I'm super excited about the adventure-- stay tuned to Stem+Leaf for those developments! (If you are an experienced, or aspiring, canner-- I'd love to hear from you!)

Canning and pickling are a just a couple of ways to stretch today's dollars into meals for the weeks and months to come. In the wake of the steady rise of food, fuel, and utilities prices, there is no better time to look into other ways to cut and reduce overall costs...

Shop at your local Farmers' Market
With exception to prepared and baked goods, I haven't noticed a big increase in food prices at the farmers' markets. Sure, prices often seem higher than at the grocery store, but they more accurately reflect the cost of growing food and help to pay farmers' a living wage. Market prices are reasonable, and you know what you're getting is super-fresh, and didn't have to be shipped across the country, or around the world, to get to your plate. Most markets can provide you with most of the produce you need as well as meats, breads, cheeses, milk, eggs, and condiments-- usually at a superior quality to what you find at the grocery store.
Don't know if you have a Farmers' Market near you? Check here.

Buy in Bulk
While prices in basic commodities like grains and beans may have gone up, it is still cheaper to buy in bulk than it is to buy individually packaged items. Most health food stores have a self- or assisted-serve bulk section where you can load up on basic pantry items, cereals, cooking oils, and sweeteners. Many stores also have a bulk beauty section, with cut-your-own soap, bath salts, and other body products. One-up it, and bring in your own re-usable containers (or re-use your plastic bags from the last time) when you fill up-- this will save you a step when you get home!

Re-use Your Bags
Plastic bags are produced with petroleum products, which we all know are in short (and expensive) supply. By re-using the plastic bags you've already accumulated, and/or using fabric bags to carry your goods to and from the market, grocery store, big box shop, or just for lugging things to and fro, you will help to decrease the demand for the plastic bags! And many stores even give you money back for each bag you re-use! For city-life, I love totes that have a strap long enough to hang from my shoulder-- makes schlepping around town with my groceries a breeze!
Check the right hand side of this page for links to retailers who sell reusable bags!

Carpool, Walk, Bike, and Use Public Transportation
Gas is now over $4/gallon in most parts of the country. I'm still pretty young and I remember when it was 99 cents. Driving less is one thing, but there is probably more you can do to reduce your use of gasoline-- which will help both your wallet, and the air you breathe! Look into neighborhood carpools, or take turns carpooling to the grocery store, etc. with friends and family. Plan your errands to be done in one outing to maximize your time. See if you can 'Park and Ride' to city destinations, parking near a bus route, and taking the bus most of the way. Walk or bike as much as you can, when you can. Instead of having to fit a work-out into your day, make your commute the workout by jogging to or from work or your carpool.


NEWS FROM AJA
I'm Running the Half-Marathon!
That's 13.1 miles! Continuing with my running streak, I'm competing in the Nike NYC Half-Marathon next month for charity.

I'm on The Fresh Air Fund's team and am looking for sponsorship-- anything you can give will help to send 10,000 low-income NYC kids on summer vacations in the country. This is a super-cool organization, and I'm excited to be involved.

I'm hoping to raise $1,310. Or, $100 per mile!
Though I think it would be great to raise a bit more- $1,600, which is the cost of sending one child on a great summer vacation. I would be really grateful for absolutely any contributions you are able to make-- every little bit can and does make a difference

You can donate online!
My donations page is: http://freshair.kintera.org/ajamarsh
(There are also instructions there for how to donate by mail)


ANNOUNCEMENTS, etc.
Now More Recipes: Keep an eye out here on the blog-- I'm gearing up to post a bunch of recipes, that will carry on throughout the next few months at least. Now that I'm moved and settling in, and the Greenmarket is so inspiring, I anticipate a lot more on-the-fly recipes to share.

Guest Blogger Opportunities: I am always looking for interested individuals to write guest blogs for Stem+Leaf about green and healthy-lifestyle related subjects, or maybe you have a great summer recipe to share, from your own perspective. No need to be an experienced writer-- just enthusiastic with something to say! Please contact me for more information.

Breathe in the sunshine and be grateful for the day!

what's new? (a lot!)

I have finally had some time in the past few days to begin to sift through the many emails in my many inboxes, catch up on some news, and read some new blogs. I've posted many of the worthy ones in the articles, links, and blogs lists on the right hand side of this page, but I wanted to bring a few to your attention.

food for your inbox
Like many of you, I'm sure, I subscribe to several daily or weekly newsletters. There are a couple however, that I want to be sure you know about:
-Vital Juice Daily, a colorful email blast with a short, holistic health-related tip or news, often with links to recipes, and comes in general, NYC, or LA editions.
-Ideal Bite, which will send you a fun-spirited eco-tip daily, with editions specific to several US cities.
[Both of these you can check out online instead of the mailing list, but I find the emails more convenient].

in the e-news
-New York Times included an article on food waste in the U.S. in comparison to food shortages in other countries, and the current rise in food prices. It's also got a photo illustration worth checking out. (photo illustration courtesy of The New York Times)
-Jetblue has just publically launched their green initiative, 'Jetting to Green', complete with an easy carbon-offsetting* hookup and mileage calculator with carbonfund.org, and a sweepstakes to win a Prius.
-Sierra Club's page 'A Pain in the Gas' which is full of gas-saving tips, news and info on the oil crisis, and clean-car info. The Sierra Club's blog, Scrapbook, also recently posted an article about Hawaii's recent landmark passage of a mandatory solar water heater bill.

blogs of note
-Wasted Food is a well written, informative, but wholly approachable and entertaining blog written by Jonathan Bloom on world food waste. A must read.
-The New York Times' blog, Dot Earth, on Climate Change is more wordy (as well it would be), but a wealth of information mingled with subjectivity- an ideal one-stop spot for global warming news.
-And for the dedicated foodies, Mark Bittman's (author of How to Cook Everything)food blog, Bitten, is funny, irreverent at times, and full of yum.

and a couple of green incentives
-If recycling on its own didn't make you feel good enough, in select cities, you can now get paid to recycle curbside. RecycleBank isn't available everywhere yet, but they're working on it. Their site also includes a lot of basic information on how recycling works anyway.
-Green Dimes will pay you to stop your junk mail. It's not much padding for your wallet, but you probably are tired of all catalogs and brochures and other junk from stuffing your mailbox only to go into the recycle bin, barely touched. So save a tree or two and let your mailbox be used for things you actually want to read.


*For those of you who aren't yet off-setting your carbon usage, it's actually remarkably cheap. For a roundtrip flight from NYC to LA, it's less than $9. That's not much extra to tack onto a flight. But don't forget about off-setting your vehicle and energy usage as well! Go to carbondfund.org to learn how.

Chef Aja T. Marsh News - May Newsletter: Use Your Words - Making 'Fun' of 'Work'

Hello and Happy May to You!

A few weeks back, I went out to breakfast with a friend and a friend of his visiting from out of town. With most of the food gone from our plates, the waitress came around and asked the out-of-town guest if he was still ‘working’ on his food. He looked at her kindly and with a smile said, “I was never working on this food. I’ve been enjoying and having fun with it.” After, she walked away with a smile, the three of us discussed how important it is to be conscious of the words that we use. But it’s really kept me thinking.

What is “work”? A place we dread going? Something we aren’t looking forward to doing? We work out, work it out, and work it in. Working on our relationships, projects, and we work on things that we enjoy and get pleasure from. I’m still thinking about what we talked about because it made me realize how easy it is for us to lose focus on the things we are enjoying, or not. And sometimes we even have to use more positive words to encourage us to do things that maybe are not as fun as we would like.

The language we use so unconsciously sinks into our psyche and creates a pattern. Why are we “working,” laboring over our food, when we should be savoring, playing, and relishing in it? By reducing eating to a chore, we forget how pleasurable flavors and textures can be! Sure, it’s important to ‘eat well’ but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it.

Since this breakfast conversation, I’ve really tried to get out of saying “work” when it isn’t necessary. I remember to chew and eat slowly, and enjoy the experience of my meal and of the food, as well as offering gratitude to the cycles of energy that helped to create the food. And sometimes I’ll even play with my food, because I am a grown up and can do whatever I want! Beyond the plate, I’ll ask someone what they’re playing around with, how their day was, not “how was work”, sign-off phone conversations with “have fun!” and I sprinkle my own to-do lists with smiley faces and happy doodles. Maybe it seems silly, but actually, that’s the point.


NEWS FROM AJA
I know I have been neglectful, and never sent out an April newsletter. But in my defense, I was traveling to and from Texas, establishing new clients and contacts in the NYC area, and apartment searching in Brooklyn, which is incredibly time consuming. But now that I'm mostly settled back in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, I should hope not to leave you hanging again.

In the meantime, there have been a couple of great guest blogs posted here including a new installment from Janet Watkins in her multi-part series on Fish and Sustainability (I posted an informal Italian-inspired Sardines on Toast recipe in the comments).

My dear friend Shannon McCarthy also posted a great account of her experience and know-how with Sugar Addiction (there's also a yummy and very special cookie recipe she posted in the comments to accompany the entry). As always on the blog, continue to leave comments, let me know if you tried any of the recipes, etc.! I want to provide content that you will use and enjoy.

This coming weekend I will be donating my services to a fundraiser for Feel Your Boobies, sponsored by S-Factor here in NYC. Should be a great time for everyone-- you should come out if you're around!

Coming up, you may find me with a cooler of sandwiches in McCarren Park in Brooklyn. That's all I can say for now...



ANNOUNCEMENTS, etc.
Read my article in E-Print!: Another article of mine was published in the April Green Issue of the Ladies Who Launch Online Magazine. My article, entitled 'How to Be a Greener Shopper' focuses on green shopping tips, which if you've been keeping up with the newsletters and Stem+Leaf, you've probably already read about.

Guest Blogger Opportunities: I am still looking for interested individuals to write guest blogs for Stem+Leaf about green and healthy-lifestyle related subjects, from your own perspective. No need to be an experienced writer-- just enthusiastic with something to say! Please contact me for more information.



Enjoy the fun of every day!

Chef Aja T. Marsh News - March Newsletter

Happy (Nearly) Spring Greetings!
As someone who only wants people to be healthy and eat nourishing and delicious food, I think one of my biggest frustrations at the moment is the general public's state of confusion over what is good or bad to eat. It is certain that it is more important now than ever before that we pay attention to our health, lifestyle habits, our environment, our food, and how each of those affect each of the others. But it is also, unfortunately, the greatest irony that in our society today we have the greatest opportunity to be healthy, yet are at our utmost unhealthiest. Blame it on mass confusion-- I understand, it is a contradictory buzz word world out there, filled with new fad diets, supplements, pills, and essential nutrients and going into the store with good intentions can cause you to walk out frustrated and overwhelmed. I am not a nutritionist or dietitian, and do not claim to have ‘the answers’, but I’ll tell you what I know to be the most basic truths of good health.

It's either food. Or it's not.
First off, I think we should stop thinking in terms of ‘good’ food and ‘bad’ food. Really, we should think in terms of ‘food’ and ‘not food’. What’s ‘not food’? Well aside from the things we generally regard as inedible, ‘not food’ refers to synthetically created products masquerading as food. Sure, it tastes good-- science made it tasty. In theory, that’s pretty incredible, but in the reality of our everyday, it just makes what should be simple, instinctual decisions even harder. Real food doesn’t have long ingredient lists-- ideally, it only has one-- and those ingredients should be ones you recognize and can pronounce. Real food isn’t confusing-- it’s not trying to be something that it isn’t. A tomato is a tomato*.
*Although, that being said, sometimes a tomato isn’t just a tomato. Thanks again to the progress of science and technology, some produce is now more than meets the eye. In the U.S. products with genetically modified ingredients do not have to be labeled as such. Yet, 60-70% of processed food on the shelves contains some. Most likely contenders? Soy, corn, canola. Produce that has been genetically modified does not have to be labeled either, but you’ll know it if it’s SKU number begins with an “8”.

The Earth provides you with everything you need.
Break it down to the most basic level. Sun shines and rain falls, plants grow, and we and other animals can eat those plants, and some of those animals, we in turn consume. That’s all we need. So, sure, Oreos taste amazing, but what the heck are they? There’s hardly anything remotely recognizable in their ingredients. Your body is made to digest real food, not the ‘not food’ that many of us eat on a regular basis. ‘Not food’ makes us sick because our body doesn’t understand it very well. It handles it the best it can, but not always very well or completely.

Your body know what’s good for it. And what isn’t.
Learning to listen to your body is perhaps one of the more challenging things to do, if you are not already tuned in, but it is one of the single most important things you can do for your physical and emotional self. Your body is constantly telling you how it feels about what it’s put through on a daily basis. The extremes of those bodily emotions are migraines and other physical illnesses. But if you learn to pay attention, you’ll notice other clues-- breakouts after eating certain foods, subtle stomachaches, inability to sleep, etc. You’ll also be able to tell when you’re truly hungry, when what you’re doing is right. So before blindly eating just anything, ask your body what it needs. If you quiet down your brain, your body will respond.

And perhaps you think you are genetically predisposed for heart disease, diabetes, and obesity? That might be part of the story, but if you do right by your body, it will do right by you. Most major illnesses and disease are entirely preventable through diet and lifestyle. Listen to your body. It knows what’s up.

A‘diet’ will not save you.
The fad diets we see come in and out of fashion all have positive elements to them, and many of them have foundations in healthy ideas, but the idea that what works for your sister or friend or neighbor is also going to work for you is a bit silly. Everyone and every body is different. Not to mention that regimented diets are generally not the answer. You need a variety of real, natural food. But beyond that, you especially need to move. It’s easy to wake up, get in the car, sit at a desk, drive home, go to bed, and find that you’ve probably not broken a sweat once. It is essential to move, really move, every single day. It’s what our bodies were constructed to do.

Want to learn more? Please contact me if you are interested in personalized, individual Healthy Lifestyle Coaching.
(We don't have to be in the same town or even the same state! My program is conducted primarily via telephone and email)


NEWS FROM AJA
Working the movie shoot in New Hampshire was delightful, full of really nice and warm people, and I received the nicest compliments on the food I prepared for the cast and crew. Ranging from "that veggie chili is one of the top ten best foods I've ever had in my life" to "best food I've had on a movie set ever." Read some of my accounts from my time there.

I'm also working to post more frequently on Stem+Leaf and would love to hear more from you! Leave comments, let me know if you tried any of the recipes, etc.! I want to provide content that you will enjoy.

If you know of anyone who would benefit from this newsletter, please feel free to pass it far and wide. Friends and family can also sign up here to be on this monthly mailing list.


ANNOUNCEMENTS, etc.
Read my article in E-Print!: I was recently published in the March Wellness Issues of the Ladies Who Launch Online Magazine. My article, entitled 'Staying Healthy While Launching' focuses on keeping on track health-wise while starting a business. It also touches on some of the 'food' and 'not food' issues discussed above and features two recipes!
*If this link doesn't take you directly to the article, click on 'Hot Topics' under in the Magazine box and it should be the first article to open up.

Recycle Your Plastic Caps: Aveda stores are encouraging you to bring in hard plastic caps from water, detergent, hair product bottles, etc. (which are not generally recyclable curbside) to their stores for recycling. Bring in 25 or more, get a free sample. I will gladly take in your caps if you cannot. Read more about it here.

Current Guest Blog: Janet Watkins is presenting a 5-part guest blog series on how to purchase and consume fish sustainably and healthily. Read the first part here, with the second part up later this week!

Guest Blogger Opportunities: I am always on the lookout for interested individuals to write guest blogs for Stem+Leaf about green and healthy-lifestyle related subjects, from your own perspective. No need to be an experienced writer-- just enthusiastic with something to say! Please contact me for more information.

Be well and Enjoy the day!

Chef Aja T. Marsh News - February Newsletter

What’s that smell? Is it all the love in the air? I hope so!
As the much beleaguered Valentine’s Day rolls around, I would like to take a moment to talk about how we can translate and incorporate the love we have for ourselves and those closest to us, into a love for our bodies, communities, and earth. To me, living a healthy and loving lifestyle is more than just about what I eat—it’s about thinking critically about what I choose to put into and around my body, and how those choices affect the world around me—as well as nourishing me physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

ON BEING A MORE LOVING CONSUMER...
Supporting Local Businesses
Unfortunately it is getting more and more difficult to support locally owned small businesses in suburban areas, especially grocery stores, and increasingly in urban areas. However, by shopping and dining at local establishments you are supporting your community’s economy, as well as encouraging entrepreneurial enterprises where you can interact with owners who are passionate about their business, versus having impersonal experiences at large chain stores. By nurturing your community in this way, your neighborhood becomes richer with your investment economically and socially and you can build relationships with the people you live and work among.

Buying Local Produce
There are farmer’s markets in most cities across the country, as well as seasonal u-pick or farm stands on city outskirts, which could make for a fun weekend activity with your friends or family. You could also participate in a C.S.A. (Community Supported Agriculture) which offers you weekly allotments of food currently being harvested by the farm, usually in exchange of light farm work and a reasonable fee for the season. By getting produce from your area, you will be eating only what is in season and in harmony with the earth, as well as getting food that allows the farmers a living wage and isn’t shipped thousands of miles—therefore also reducing its environmental impact. FarmersMarket.com has a searchable database of markets across the U.S.

Shopping Green [see the blog I just posted about it!]
It’s easy to start. Bring your own bags. Don’t bag your produce unless absolutely necessary. Buy in bulk. Reduce your overall packaging usage. Carpool to the grocery store with a friend or neighbor.

Living Compassionately for You, Your Family, and The Earth
Instead of spraying all kinds of chemicals around your house to make it smell or look good, look into non-toxic and natural cleaning products. This is especially important if you have children, pets, allergies, or sensitive skin. Why wash the dishes you eat off of with chemicals? Baking soda and vinegar, for example, make a great all purpose abrasive cleanser and disinfectant. Buy cruelty-free products that haven’t been tested on animals. Drink Fair-Trade and Organic coffees and teas. Dry your clothes outside, and use the power of the sun to bleach your clothes. Purchase recycled toilet paper and paper towels. Recycle everything you can. Reuse containers. Compost. Care2 has pretty comprehensive information and tips on their GreenLiving page as does TreeHugger


NEWS FROM AJA
One of the projects I was working on in January was to recreate the recipe for Cookie Monster’s cookies. Yes, you read right. You know the cookies he scarfs so jubilantly into his mouth on ‘Sesame Street’? Well, they have a new recipe for those now. While they are made entirely of real food ingredients, they aren’t anything that would be especially tasty to your or I. But Cookie Monster loves them. I look forward to meet him soon! Stay tuned to the blog for that!

On Friday, I will be heading to New Hampshire to cater my friends’ movie shoot, and when I return to NYC at the end of the month, I’ll be working freelance with one of my favorite catering companies in NYC – Fancy Girl Catering.

I'm also working to post more frequently here on Stem+Leaf and would love to hear more from you! Leave comments, let me know if you tried any of the recipes, etc.! I want to provide content that you will enjoy.

ANNOUNCEMENTS, etc.
Kitchen Ninjas!: Last month, my good friend, and award-winning filmmaker, Jef Greilich produced and shot a 6-minute pilot for a web cooking show starring me and my ‘sidekick’ Yoshi Kono. It was just pitched to OnNetworks.com, but while we’re waiting to hear back from them, you can check out the pilot episode here.

Guest Blogger Opportunities: I am still looking for interested individuals to write guest blogs for Stem+Leaf about green and healthy-lifestyle related subjects, from your own perspective. No need to be an experienced writer-- just enthusiastic with something to say! Please contact me for more information. [Sabrina Hu had her guest blog posted earlier this month, discussing the holistic winter cleanse she did through her yoga studio in Atlanta, GA].


Be well, share love, and live fully today and everyday!

Chef Aja T. Marsh News - January Newsletter

Happy New Year!
2008 is going to be a fabulous year. I can just feel it.
Already it's getting off to a pretty interesting start. I am in New York City for most of January, picking up some work, making new connections, and setting some wheels in motion for the months ahead. Coming up, I'll be doing catering and some behind-the-scenes documenting on a friends' movie in New Hampshire in February, and have a few other exciting projects in the works you'll be hearing more about soon. I'm also planning this year to completely offset my carbon emissions and continue to travel more with my work.

As we begin to re-emerge from the post-holiday haze, all of these ideas of what we 'should' or 'want' to be doing begin to appear. And while I've never really been one to make resolutions, throughout the year I do continuously set new goals for myself and go to work on them. If your own New Year's resolutions include trying to be a healthier you, don't feel pressured to have to make an immediate, drastic transition. Gradual and simple steps make a huge difference in the long run, without putting too much stress on your in the 'now.' Do one little thing each week, or each month, and you'll be well on your way!

- If you are seeking to be more active, first start with incorporating more movement in your every day-- take a walk after dinner, use the stairs when possible, don't use your remote controls.
- Want to eat healthier? Be a label-reader and cut out things like high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils (trans fats), and artificial sweeteners (saccharin, aspartame, etc.). And make an effort to include more fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains into your diet.
- Stay hydrated. Drink water continuously through the day-- I find the bigger the glass, the more I will drink, so I often carry around a 36 oz. bottle everywhere I go. If you consume caffeine regularly, you'll need to drink a bit more water to stay properly hydrated, so have a glass of water along side your morning coffee.
- When spending down time with friends or family, plan to bond while doing a healthy activity-- something silly like roller skating or bowling, making a healthy meal together and watching a movie, or trying something new like yoga.
- Feeling tired? Eating regular wholesome meals and snacks, as well as getting regular exercise can do wonders for your energy levels. Watching TV right before bed can make for a shallower, less satisfying sleep, and not getting enough sleep (7-8 hours is ideal for most people) weakens your immune system, making you more susceptible to viruses and allergies.
- And there are other things that nourish us aside from food, water, and exercise. Making and taking the time to laugh, smile, share love is so important to your emotional well-being, as is setting aside time for you. Feeling good in mind will have you feeling good in body.

UPCOMING EVENTS, etc.
Cooking Class: Introduction to Healthy Eating (Austin)
Friday, February 1st, 6:30-9:30pm

Website Update: The galleries have new photos!

Guest Blogger Opportunity: I am looking for interested individuals to write guest blogs for Stem+Leaf about green and healthy-lifestyle related subjects, from your own perspective. No need to be an experienced writer-- just enthusiastic with something to say! Please contact me for more information.

Be well, today and every day!