Do you buy into the idea that if you aren’t drenched in sweat and left breathless by your workout routine, you are not getting results? Are you subjecting yourself to an unhealthy inner dialogue with your treadmill? Is yoga something you’d love to try but you’re avoiding because your workout is geared towards loosing weight rather than striving for personal balance?

Science might offer you a reason to get back to the mat.  Dr. Alan Kristal, professor of Epidemiology at the University of Washington's, School of Public Health, practices what he studies. A long time advocate for nutrition and practitioner of yoga, in 2005 Kristal set out to lend medical creditability to the rumor that yoga was not only a stress reducing activity, but also an effective tool in the battle that nearly 63% of Americans wage with their weight.  

The study was conducted in collaboration with his associates at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center located in Seattle (funded by the National Cancer Institute). It focused on a group of 15,500 middle-aged (between 45 and 55) men and women who were considered healthy. Each participant was asked to complete a survey profiling their physical activity as well as their weight. This data was then complied and analyzed by the research team. Factors that impact weight change, like diet and exercise were then categorized and studied.

Kristal and his team found that those who practiced yoga tended to either lose or maintain their weight. Quoted as having said; "Those practicing yoga who were overweight to start with lost about 5 pounds during the same time period those not practicing yoga gained 14 pounds," Kristal has made a scientific case for the practice of yoga as it applies to weight loss.

That said, those of you who practice yoga, know full well that the benefits do not stop at weight loss.  Though Kristal says that it is not entirely clear exactly how yoga has this impact he goes on to say  "The buzzword here is mindfulness -- the ability to observe what is happening internally in a non-reactive fashion. That is what helps change the relationship of mind to body, and eventually to food and eating."

Need more information? Prevention Magazine, known for great health related content, has published a guide to the poses most connected with the practical application of yoga for weight loss.  Prevention suggests the Crescent pose to help firm abs, hips and thighs, and the Hover position for arms, back, shoulders and abs. The Hover pose is also an integral part of the Sun Salutation which, practiced in totality, helps raise the heart rate and burn calories.

Whether your goal is to shed that pesky freshman five that has been hanging on since college or you’re just looking for something to help you get that balance back, it’s looking more and more like yoga can help you realize your goals.   

With soulful vocals, distinct acoustic guitar baselines, and lyrics that speak to everyone from music aficionados to young love, the toddler set to Hollywood icons, Jack Johnson captivates with his music. With Jack, though, you get so much more than a tune that will stick in your head for days.

Raised in Hawaii, spending a good portion of his life at one with the ocean, this gifted surfer and musician brings a respect for nature, community and proof that the actions of one man can change the world.

Efforts were taken to reduce the environmental impact of Jack Johnson's 2008 World Tour including powering buses, coaches and generators with over 14,000 gallons of sustainable biodiesel (bio fuels burn cleaner than petroleum and generate dramatically less carbon emissions), recycling and composting over 70 tons of waste from Jack's US tour dates, and more. *

One need only stop by Johnson’s website to notice that this musical talent is more than just a cool surfer kid with an eye to green-ing up the concert scene. His landing page features a “rip board” encouraging fans to volunteer at and carpool to concerts, “choose locally grown, organic food”, strive to reduce plastic use and support non-profit groups.

Listening to Jack Johnson is so much more than just enjoying that subtle island groove, it brings the listener into a community of people who want to have it all, great music, good times and an a greener planet. It’s never “Wasting Time.” 

For a woman, the first thing that often comes to mind when you hear the word “beauty” is appearance. To some, beauty can be clothing, or even the way a person’s hair is styled. To other people it is the way someone looks naturally or with a whole face of makeup.  Studies show that women spend as much as 1/3 of their income on their looks alone.

But does that mean you have to spend a fortune to look great? We think not! There are many things you can do yourself, to be beautiful inside and out -- the natural way. Healthy food, exercise, and a good night’s rest are just a few natural things you can do to start keeping yourself looking and feeling good!

FOCUS ON THE SKIN: Your skin is one of the first things people notice about you. Rest is vital for skin to stay healthy, and strong. Without good sleep habits, skin is more prone to rashes or breakouts caused by inability to withstand the environment, regular dirt, and makeup. The most evident sign of lack of sleep is dark circles under the eyes. Exercise is another huge factor in keeping skin healthy. Results from healthy exercise habits include increased circulation and delivery of nutrients to skin cells, which in turn rid the skin of damaging toxins. When healthy, the skin can more easily create collagen, resulting in the reduction of wrinkles and fine lines.  

What you eat also has an impact on your health and therefore your “beauty” factor. Ever heard the phrase: “You are what you eat”? Keep the following types of foods in mind to cultivate a healthy, more vibrant complexion:

• Fruits, such as cantaloupe, strawberries, plums, oranges, and grapefruits are rich in antioxidants and increase the body’s ability to absorb free radicals that can lead to skin problems.
• Vegetables rich in vitamin A improve skin cell replenishing and helps to renew skin quicker. Broccoli, spinach, carrots, brussels sprouts, and peas are some great resources. Chow down!
• Avocados also are rich in Vitamin E and natural oils, which are moisturizing to the skin. Not only are they good for eating, but the combination of avocado and honey can create a great dry skin mask.
• Last but not least, water! When skin is hydrated, it is healthy and plump and more radiant. Water stimulates the circulation of blood, fluids, and the necessary elements inside our body. It has the power to hydrate, revitalize, detoxify, and oxygenate the skin.  Simply put, deprive yourself of water and you’ll see the difference in the mirror.



Welcome to our bi-weekly series affectionately dubbed: Garden Tip Tuesday. One of most natural “highs” a person can get is the joy that comes from working the soil. The beauty of it is that it means so many things to each individual. For some, it’s the peace that fills them looking out upon acres of beautifully manicured gardens. Others find their passion in a daily chat with the windowsill bunch. No matter how much soil you’re working with or what you hope will spring to life from within it, having a rich, well fed and prepared medium in which to create is key.

Recently, as often happens, we met an interesting person via Twitter. Annie Haven (@GreenSoil) carries on a tradition of natural farming and ranching started by her family in 1853. With a steadfast belief that chemical additives were the last thing his crops needed, Annie’s grandfather resisted the post World War II push for the use of manufactured fertilizers and toxin laden pesticides. Instead Archibald B. Haven, chose to continue feeding his livestock from the fields, turning their leavings into a fertilizer. The fruits of the Haven’s family’s labor once blanketed an area stretching from San Diego county up the California coastline. To this day Haven livestock is only fed on grass.

Annie Haven found a way to bring this family passion for natural, chemical free, farming and by extension, gardening, to everyone. Authentic Haven Brand is a soil conditioning brew-yourself tea that helps to fortify the root systems of your plants so that they can better absorb the nutrients they need. It is a simple, yet genius concept.

Each bag, when seeped for 1-3 days in water, produces five gallons of soil feeding fertilizer. Simply water and watch your roses, veggies, potted plants and even your lawn grow healthy and strong. The “ingredients” for the tea are harvested, processed and packaged by hand. Annie will proudly tell you that her product “doesn’t see a machine until it hits the post office”, thus making the whole process eco-friendly while helping preserve natural soil conditioning to the world, one tea bag at a time.

This amazing “tea” can also be added to your composting efforts to help accelerate the process of organic matter breakdown. Any avid, and even amateur, gardener knows that compost is the magic that takes the ordinary garden and makes it extraordinary.

Authentic Haven Brand also shares our desire to make eco-responsible products accessible to everyone, by keeping cost down and quality high. Essentially this week our tip is not only about  preparing your soil but about finding a sustainable way to keep your garden thriving year round while keeping it eco-friendly. Like we keep saying, it CAN be easy being green.