Have You Had Your Daily Dose of Phytoncide?

Sometimes modern society is amusing, like when millions of dollars are spent by the National Institute of Health to tell us something mundane and obvious, such as exercising a little everyday is good for our health.

Or like when the New York Times reports how spending time in nature is good for you.

Hmmm…who would have thought?

The details are interesting though. The airborne chemicals called phytoncides released by trees that help protect them from insects and rot are also beneficial to humans.  That may be one reason why spending even a couple hours in the woods lowers one’s cortisol levels, pulse rate, and blood pressure.  Spending some time in the company of our leafy amigos also raises one’s white blood cell count, which boosts one’s immunity.

It may be obvious, but it is always good to be reminded to hit the trails or go “forest-bathing” for those of us who spend an inordinate amount of time in front of the computer screen.

Image Credit: wparkinson

Happy Indigenous Peoples Day!

Decolonize Your Diet Today at the North Oakland Farmers’ Market

Yet another great event from the folks at Phat Beets! Love the framing too, “de-colonize”!

From the good folks at Phat Beets Produce:

North Oakland Farmers’ Market is hosting a “Decolonize your diet” event for Indigenous People’s Day Sat, October 9th and a 10/10/10 Workparty at the Healthy Hearts Market Garden

Phat Beets Produce will host it’s first annual “Decolonize Your Diet” themed celebration for Indigenous People’s Day, on Saturday October 9th from 11-2pm at the North Oakland Farmers’ Market (5715 Market St, Oakland 94608).

Call to Action: Phone-banking Against Prop 23 with Van Jones

I had the pleasure of phone-banking with Van Jones last night at the First Congregational Church in Berkeley.

Just to make it clear, we are not related, though we do share in common a few things: 1)the same hair-cut, 2)an affinity for tequila, and 3)a commitment to crush Proposition 23.

Okay, so I made up one of those.

Prop 23 is the deceptive ballot initiative funded by Texas oil companies and the billionaire Koch brothers that would suspend California’s landmark greenhouse emission reduction law AB 32 (Global Warming Solutions Act).

Seriously though, it’s time to put the pedal to the metal (as they used to say).  Voting by mail starts today and some folks either don’t know about Prop 23 or are being fooled by the lies of Texas Oil.  It’s time to move past the awareness of Prop 23, the blogging and commenting about prop 23 (wait, isn’t that what I am doing now?), the bumper sticker activism, and hit the phones and knock on doors.

As we all know, engaged citizenry is not saying the right things, but acting on the right things.

Let’s plug into the Ella Baker Center’s campaign, Democracy For America, or Credo Action and find a way to act on our conviction by donating time and money.

Because as Michael Kieschnick, head of Credo/Working Assets says, “The old guard oil companies won’t go easily into a future where they don’t dominate the energy scene. We have to win here, crush it here, or it is a big step backwards.”

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We’re number 37!

No, not an April Fools joke: dead serious, or at least really sick serious:

U.S. ranks 37 worldwide in terms of overall quality of our healthcare system and outcomes. We spend more for it too — as a percentage of GDP the U.S. is second only to Marshall Islands. Much of the money spent on healthcare in the U.S. is not actually for medications, care, etc., but for administrative costs. And CEO bonuses and shareholders too of course.

But then again, you knew all this. That’s why you support single-payer/medicare for all, right?