30-Day Challenge: Going Local

Maia — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:41:09 +0000

Today I set myself a challenge. I looked over last week’s grocery receipts. Percentage spent on local food? 32%. Not horrible, I suppose, but I know I can do better. I want to do better.

So I started trying to come up with ways to improve that percentage… I can continue my practice of Conscious Shopping (my eBook will be available soon!) and set a goal of increasing my local spending as I go. I also like the idea of pledging to eat only food from local sources one day a week or even make that one meal each day. OR, I thought (sometimes I think in all caps), I can dare myself. In fact, I can skip straight to the almighty Triple Dog Dare. As in, “Maia, I Triple Dog Dare you to go 30-days without eating anything that is not locally grown or produced!”

Hmm… points to ponder…

In my last post, I mentioned what a logical, rational person I am. Which is absolutely true. But it’s not the only kind of person I am. Sometimes I need a challenge. I need to shake things up—and things haven’t gotten shaken—or even stirred, for that matter—around here in a long time.

But I digress.

I came across this William James (psychologist, philosopher, author and brother of Henry—I know. I looked it up) quote a while back and it’s been glued to me ever since…

“To change one’s life: do it flambouyantly; do it immediately; no exceptions.”

Don’t get me wrong. I do believe that slow and steady wins the race and that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step and all that sensible stuff. But. Sometimes don’t you just want to take a side trip and dance like a dervish? Don’t you want to kick down the walls of that box you’re supposed be thinking outside of and live like there is no box?

Here is where I am: TODAY I WANT TO DANCE LIKE A DERVISH AND LIVE LIKE THERE IS NO BOX!

And so it goes…I am taking that Triple Dog Dare.

Fight Cancer…with Vegetables!

Maia — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:36:55 +0000

There are many reasons to include locally grown produce in your healthy diet–from supporting your local economy to reducing your carbon footprint. And did you know that locally grown produce is also better for you? Vegetables and fruits are at their most nutritious when they’re allowed to ripen before harvesting, and because they’re not being shipped halfway across the country or around the world, they can be picked closer to their optimum harvest time and still be fresh when you pick them up at your local farmers’ market. Not to mention, the fresher they are the better they taste!

Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale etc.) are fresh and plentiful this time of year–and these vegetables may help lower your risk for cancer. These vegetables are high in fibre, vitamins and minerals, as well as containing antioxidants beta carotene and sulforaphane, a phytochemical which stimulates the body to produce carcinogen-detoxifying enzymes.

Here are a few simple ways to add cruciferous vegetables to your diet. One great way is to add them in at breakfast by tossing some steamed broccoli or wilted kale into a healthy omelet. Broccoli or cauliflower added to any salad gives it a nice nutritional boost.

humbleneighborhood.com» harvest time

30-Day Challenge: Going Local

Fight Cancer…with Vegetables!