Introducing the 2012 GirlTrek Trailblazer Fellows!

GirlTrek expands opportunities for African American women to serve as health "Trailblazers" through a year-long fellowship that includes intensive training, community service, targeted advocacy and a sponsored once-in-a-lifetime health adventure!  Trailblazers "pay it forward" by telling their stories to kids in schools and participating in a multimedia healthy role model campaign.   This competitive fellowship is awarded to 12 dynamic women each year.  To follow their stories, follow the Trailblazer Facebook Page and YouTube channel.  To submit a request for a Trailblazer to speak at your school or church, email us at info@girltrek.org.  For a year, these women will become the face of this movement.  For a lifetime, they will will serve as health leaders in their communities. 

CLICK HERE to meet the Trailblazers

....ya might even recognize one!

Life After Death

In 69 days the world, as I knew it, changed dramatically. My brother, Patrick died of AIDS.  I found out he was sick, spent precious time with him in the hospital, eulogized and buried him in what felt like the blink of an eye.

During those 69 days I learned so much about life, love, self esteem, strength, faith and family.  I loved our time together.  I loved our talks.  It was nice to laugh with him, pamper him...just BE together. I remember one day while watching TV he looked over at me and said,

I Finished the Tour de Cure!

What a DAY!  I completed a 25 mile cycling event.  It was great is so many ways!  At NO POINT did I feel like I couldn't complete it!  When my butt hurt,which it did, I adjusted. When my left hamstring cramped...I stretched it.  When the headwinds came on a 3 mile incline I worried a bit.  I slowed down....a lot...then realized it might be better to power through it and get it over with.  Then my foot slipped off the pedal and I lost my balance.  Fortunately I stayed on the bike and eeked my way to the top of that lil' hill.  At the halfway marker I had the best 10 minute massage/ stretch ever!  Thank you Kaylee from Eagle Gate College.  Then I learned that my bike didn't have enough air in the tire...by A LOT...haha!  Thanks Jeff from Guthrie for hooking me up.  Oranges and peanut butter & honey sandwiches never tasted soooo good.  All in all the views were wonderful and the other riders where so cheerful.  The only thing that I felt a bit sad about was, as I looked around I quickly realized that I was the only black person in sight which was unfortunate since diabetes is SUCH a big issue in the Afro-Am community. 

Go Red Rider!

The ride back was windy as all get out but better, timing-wise, than the trip out. I was tearful as I rounded the last corner and saw the finish line.  I felt proud and thankful for the prayers and words of encouragement I have received.  Please enjoy today's Unstoppable Song:

Helping Homeless Veterans

The VA2K is an event that benefits homeless veterans. In lieu of a registration fee, participants are asked to bring items the vets are in great need of. I jammed out to music the whole way.  This was my theme song:

Looking serious (actually it was HOT & I was tired) at the finish line!

Who Knew?: Senior Water Aerobics

Looking for a gentle way to get of the couch? Try WATER AEROBICS. Today I took a class with a bunch of vibrant seniors. Though the class was not easy, it was gentle with many optional variations. I was well received and it was cool to be among people up to 30 years my senior who were ACTIVE. Added bonus: the class was free!  It feels good to find ways to exercise, while on vacation that include my parents!

First 5K This Season

I decided that the only exercise I wanted to do this year was the fun kind and the ones that were for a good cause.  Shareen & I particiated in a 5k Fun Run/ Walk to raise money for the Maliheh Community Clinic.  We had a blast, pushed ourselves and crossed the finish line together! 

Girl Power!

I love that their are programs out their that encourage & boost the self esteem of women & young girls through physical activity.  Here are two awesome examples:

GirlTrek

Exercise for Commuters

Ever wonder where you can find an "extra" 20-30 minutes to exercise?  A fun and easy way might be to dance in your car.  Yep, move your body during your commute to work.  Haha....just think, you can put yourself in a great mood by shaking your groove thang!  Car dancing also helps time pass, lowers stress, decreases the probability of road rage and is FUN!  Don't worry if people are watching....you just might be the catalyst for starting someone's day with a smile. Heyyy, maybe they'll give car dancing a try!

Connecting The Dots: Cancer...Food...Farms

I love how angles can come together to support one point. Today I was talking to an herb friend about how different herbs taken simultaneously can work together to support the body tremendously. Later I happened upon a TED TV talk about starving out cancer through food choices. In the talk, William Li, mentions compounding teas for a greater effect than using just one. He also talks about how food could be a much more viable option for those who cannot afford/ don't have access to medical-pharmaceutical treatments.


Then I got an e-mail from some friends who have been studying sustainable farming practices in Cuba. They are making a film and creating ways to educate people in Santa Cruz, CA on these farming practices. (watch video kicker on the right).---->

Here's to playing a game of dot-to-dot!

Dentists We Love (USA)

I wanted to compile a list of AWESOME Dentists in the USA. Give a shout out if yours rocks! Here are some suggestions from friends.

Getting To The Root Of It All

Everyone who knows me well, knows I OFTEN follow my intuition...
I had a feeling that the word FOCUS stood out for me because: 1. I was trying to focus on letters, shapes, lights and so on during the various eye/ brain exams. 2. When my eye wanders off to the side it is difficult for me to focus on what's ahead. 3. (perhaps the most meaningful to me) When I focus on too many external things I miss what's right in front of me, and what's inside of me.

Everyone who knows me well, knows I USUALLY follow my passions...
I was CLEAR that I wanted

Falling in Self Love: Day 303 Is GOD really EVERYWHERE?

...because I think I found GOD at the club.  When I was younger I used to attempt to dodge Sunday school by claiming that if GOD were everywhere surely he was in my bedroom and I could sleep in and pray to him after breakfast.  Needless to say, my mother was less than pleased.  Fastforward about 20 years....

Falling in Self Love: Day 269 What's Important

This week someone asked how I was handling the life-changing effect (of the accident) and what my process of self discovery is.  This was my reply:  Last month I was in a 3 car accident where a woman ran a red light, I swerved to avoid her then got rear-ended by a woman who didn't notice and accident was happening a few feet ahead of her.  I walked away feeling a little banged around but I walked away.  Since then I've realized that my energetic body is what really sustained the greatest impact.   I wondered a lot about why this happened.  Then I stopped.  I asked God to tell me what was important for me to know.  Here's what I got:

BOINGy! BOINGy! LoL!

I am jumping into spring like a child on pogo stick. I encourage you to join me for a LIFESTYLE change!  I will be inviting everyone to play on purpose, move more and eat more consciously. I wholeheartedly believe that the greatest benefits of laughter come in concert with living well. This message is the inspiration and passionate purpose behind my company, WHOLE BODY LAUGHTER.

Over the next few months I'll be enjoying a long overdue personal time out, doing a spring detox (yep it's true) as well as getting in shape for a 4 mile obstacle course for charity (yipes)!

Spring Cleaning For The Body

25 Ways to Detox Your Life                                                             (This is a re-post from my alma mater, Institute for Integrative Nutrition's, Blog)

1.    Our resident raw food guru and Integrative Nutrition guest teacher David Wolfe talks about getting started with detox in this short but super informative video.
2.    When detoxing your diet, food really matters. The film Food Matters offers a Detox and Rejuvenation Guide e-book that helps you apply the principals in the movie to remove processed, illness-causing foods from your diet.
3.    Integrative Nutrition guest teacher Dr. Mark Hyman gives you everything you need to complete a safe, effective, and medically informed detoxification program at home in The Detox Box.
4.    Find the right moves to twist and detox yourself into healthy bliss with Yoga Journal’s Go Podcast: Twist and Detox.
5.  Revamp and detox your current routine with the “Reinvent Yourself 21 Day Detox eProgram” by Find Your Balance Health (Michelle Pfennighaus—an Integrative Nutrition graduate).
6.    To prepare for a successful spring detox, check out this jam-packed foods and shopping list. 
7.    Take this quiz to see if you are a Detox Diva and get all the facts, even if you’re not quite the Aretha Franklin of detoxing yet.
8.    Serious about detoxing your home? Many toxins, especially indoors, are within our control to regulate. PlanetGreen gives a comprehensive Room-by-Room Guide to creating a chemical free home.
9.    Dr. Furhman’s Five-Day Super-Diet Challenge offers the chance to give your body a real cleanse with high-quality foods.
10.  Striving for health, but pressed for time? Check out Pressed Juicery, a juice company with a cult following of celebrities started by an Integrative Nutrition grad. Check out their shippable menu and cleanse programs.
11.   Ready to detox the meat out of your diet? Try Neal Barnard’s 21-Day Vegan Kickstart will get motivated.
12.   Feel like you can’t seem to find your life amongst all of the clutter? Check out this helpful guide to clear your clutter and find your life.
13.   Lemons & Loafers, a fashion and health blog Integrative Nutrition grad Julia Argenti, helps others look and feel great, and also offers guided cleanses through out the year.
14.   Skin brushing can detox the largest organ of the body. Organic Passion’s “How to detox your skin” is a complete guide on how to use skin brushing for detoxification.
15.   Make your own. Since many cleaning products are full of harmful chemicals, Eco-cycle gives easy recipes for making your own cleaning products. 
16.   Need some ideas to get started on the whole decluttering process? Zen Habits shares its 15 Great Decluttering Tips.
17.   Debunk myths to clear out the space for decluttering! The Happiness Project reveals 11 myths of decluttering to help in your efforts!
18.   The skin is one of our biggest organs, so tea drinkers, try pairing Yogi Tea’s “Skin Detox” with an easy weekend skin detox from Natural Health Magazine.
19.   Detox the SAD (Standard American Diet) out of your life. Integrative Nutrition grad and author, Alex Jamieson, who also appeared in the film Super Size Me, gives us The great American Detox Diet.
20.   Crazy Sexy detox this spring with wellness warrior Kris Car’s new book Crazy Sexy Diet for the ultimate guide to cleaning up your body and your mind.
21.   Integrative Nutrition guest teacher John Douillard shows you how the ancient science of Ayurveda provides a healthy daily routine and eating plan that will detoxify your body naturally on his Ayurveda for Detox DVD.
22.   We’ve all heard of detoxing your body, but what about detoxing your day?
23.   Top ten list on how to detox your home for babies and kids from author Alexandra Zissu of The Complete Organic Pregnancy. These tips go well beyond the standard advice.
24.   Easy-to-follow detox ideas from Frank Lipman's checklist of 20 Ways to 'Detox' Your Home.
25.   You say Juice, some say Joos. Joos To Your Health! is a juice company started by an Integrative Nutrition grad that helps properly support you through juice cleanses. 
26.     BONUS: Need to get rid of stuff? Recycle with Freecycle their mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills.

A Renaissance in Mesmerizing Technicolor!

A few years ago there was a shooting that shocked the otherwise calm & relatively safe haven of Salt Lake City.  The once lovely, historic Trolley Square became a graveyard. The joojoo there quickly fell dark.  Vendors packed up and moved on. The square became a baron well of nothingness, a mere shadow of it's former glory.  Then came a renaissance...a resurrection, if you will!

For those who are looking, there have been many examples of this recently. I was swept up in the love and camaraderie as I drove across the country from Washington DC to Salt Lake City just days after 9/11.  A friend reported that there was an epic sense of joie de vivre and a powerful-yet-gentle & loving sense of civic duty as she arrived in Egypt after the fall of government.  Two days ago I received an e-mail forward from a woman in Japan that describes her experience as surreal.  Though earthquakes were still coming every 15 minutes, people were thankful for their blessings.  Those with food are sharing, those with running water are filling buckets for their neighbors.  There hasn't been any looting in here areas...

When I express great joy in my body over something like the opening of the Whole Foods Market superstore at Trolley Square in Salt Lake City, it has nothing to do with commercialism and everything to do with the possibilities of ALIVENESS THRIVING FROM A PLACE WHERE A DEEP PAIN COULD HAVE EASILY TAKE HOLD TO RUIN.  Yesterday (and still today) I CELEBRATE the irony of two friends who have recently experienced despair like no other, who chose LIFE, eating in brilliant colorful surroundings of fragrant fresh flowers, gorgeous, local organic food that would feed and nourish our effervescent souls even more as we continue to ride life's awesome waves.  In the words of my resilient aunt, Phyllis, I loudly count myself & proclaim that I am still, haha, AMONG THE LIVING!

Power Has No Age Limit!

Wow! What an inspiration!

A great piece on TEDtv......

I am moved by this clip a friend sent to me today.  It made me think about how I perceive others and wonder how many ways there can be to know a person or place.  Enjoy! Thank you JF!

Falling in Self Love: Day 225 Getting Set

My surroundings are so peaceful today yet I feel an uneasiness inside.  More of an anxious feeling...like the kind I used to get when I ran track.  On your mark, Get Set (OMG!) Go.  Funny, when they said "On your mark" I felt steady, getting in the block and breathing.  When they said "GO" I was happy to sprint off, putting everything I'd practiced and all of my passion into motion.  It was the "GET SET" that always had me choked up.  Here it is again today.  This feels like the calm before the storm.   I have an idea as to why these stirrings are here.  For the record, the storm to which I refer is a good one, like spring rain after an exceptionally dry year.  So...with the TAO of Pooh, my 14 year old golden and a dish of organic fruit, homeade yogurt (w. a splash of maple) in tow...I'm off to the park.  To walk, relax my spirit and let the winter winds wash over me.  Happy Monday ME day to all!

Falling in Self Love: Day 179 Reuse, Renew, Rejuvenate

 Laughter Headquarters  renovations are underway! I used to say that I am not a painter..so not true! I am! I am...anything I set my soul to! As I build the foundation of my laughter company I feel proud and excited that the office of foolishness is almost complete! It feels good achieve success with a project that I thought I couldn't do!

Before

After - rehearsal stage, desk, laughter quote board

After - chalkboard on back of door

After - bistro seating for show previews

After - desk (on stage) toy & bookshelf