http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCfRqNISQZg&feature=related
This was a 2008 PBS/Frontline news series about how many children are being medicated. It is now half way through 2010 and there is much more controversy on the topic of medicating the youth. There are many issues with this documentary:
1) Most of the parents that were video typed were overweight.
2) The children’s diets of what we saw of them consisted of microwaved corn dogs and Gatorade.
3) The children were on all of these prescriptions and yet did not talk about taking any vitamins or having a balanced diet.
4) The class structure of the children and families that were that of middle to lower class. They did not ask questions of their doctors.
5) The children were shown playing, but not exercising.
6) The students might not necessarily have social behavior problems, but could possibly be born and need to be challenged mentally.
7) Why would any parent ever have a young developing brain be put through the tons of radiation that is given off during an MRI!?
8) This was clearly stated that giving drugs to children was experimental, and that the doctors that prescribed these medications were backed by pharmaceutical companies.
No questions were raised, no solutions made, but we need to consider other aspects besides behavior. For instance, what does the environment that these children live in look like? Why are they acting out in the first place? This series does more to scare or frighten a population than to suggest solutions for how to improve this situation.
In my own personal quest to be the healthiest mentally, physically, emotionally, I have cut out all over the counter and prescribed medications. I am at the point in my life where if my body is hurting, my brain feels fuzzy, or that I act in a particular way, then I want to know why! I try to seek out the answer, by drinking more water trying various vitamins or taking something out of my diet. Sometimes, I even exercise more or spend more time outside with nature and in the sunlight. I try not to eat GMO, HFCS, and Soy. I have also enhanced the amount of fresh, raw, living foods that I consume. Through doing all of this I am finding myself to be more balanced in all areas of my life. I encourage you to take the time to find out what you are consuming and putting into your body. Do yourself a favor and become educated, in the long run and through living life to the fullest you will be thankful.
Do you take any medications? What are they for? How do you think your body/ mind would react without them?
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Royal Jelly
I have a friend who always seems to be on the ball with what is going on in the health arena! :) For instance, everyday before our barefoot woods run, he would have a spoon full of Royal Jelly. Initially, I thought he was crazy, I had tasted it, thought "eww!", and then disregarded it! Now, that Natural News is writing about the benefits of this bee produced cognitive improving jelly, I am willing to give it another try. Another thing that this friend loves is Olives. I cannot stand olives, but I am waiting for an article that speaks about the incredible natural health benefits of these slimy morsels.
Check this article out!! Maybe it will change your mind too.
http://www.naturalnews.com/029069_royal_jelly_cognitive_function.html
Check this article out!! Maybe it will change your mind too.
http://www.naturalnews.com/029069_royal_jelly_cognitive_function.html
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Orthorexia Nervosa!
Dear readers, this is extremely important that you read this! I am a huge fan of the Health Ranger, Mike Adams. He is always bringing the most up to date information on healthy living. This could depend on your mental health state. :) I will post more after camp today.
http://www.naturalnews.com/029098_orthorexia_mental_disorder.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/029098_orthorexia_mental_disorder.html
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Outward Appearence
Today while I had some down time I started talking to one of the RAs here at CTY. He commented, "It would be the saddest day if you were sad." I asked him what he meant, because I was confused, because I do not always see myself as being "happy". He then asked me if I was sad a lot, and I commented yes. Maybe actually not sad, but reflective and emotional. He then asked if I hid my sadness or my feelings, and again I answered yes. So odd I thought. We then entered into this discussion that he was a "hider" too. Meaning that everyone thinks that we are always happy, but that in reality we are just using happiness to cover up what we are truly feeling. I do not think that I do this all of the time, but I think inside I feel that I just come off like I am calm and cool. We later were discussing about shy people, and if someone asked me what I thought about myself I would say that I am a shy person, but in reality I am an extremely out going person. So, how does this happen? How it is that we see ourselves in one light, but we come off as another? There must be some psychology explanation to this. It is not that I feel like I am not being real with people, but in certain circumstances. Unless I act on my feelings then a person would never know what my actual feelings/emotions are. Hmmmm... thoughts?
Grounded green tree, Comes to life!
This is my 6 word bio for the day!
I was sitting under this beautiful oak tree with my new residence this afternoon and we wrote them together. We are going to write one everyday of camp!!
The explanation of this 6 word bio:
Like I said, I was sitting under a beautiful oak tree and feeling extremely grounded. Shoes off, sunlight peeking through the huge branches and foliage. I was grounded and peaceful. Green, because of my breath taking surroundings, and my favorite color. Tree, because I was sitting under a tree, and because I love trees. The reason why I love trees is because they are so life giving. Not only do they provide shade, shelter, but also provide oxygen and food! Trees are amazing living organisms!! :) "Comes to life" because all three of these previous things make me come to life, also I was conducting this activity with my residence, and having a purpose, giving purpose to others is what makes me survive! :)
Any 6 word bios??
I was sitting under this beautiful oak tree with my new residence this afternoon and we wrote them together. We are going to write one everyday of camp!!
The explanation of this 6 word bio:
Like I said, I was sitting under a beautiful oak tree and feeling extremely grounded. Shoes off, sunlight peeking through the huge branches and foliage. I was grounded and peaceful. Green, because of my breath taking surroundings, and my favorite color. Tree, because I was sitting under a tree, and because I love trees. The reason why I love trees is because they are so life giving. Not only do they provide shade, shelter, but also provide oxygen and food! Trees are amazing living organisms!! :) "Comes to life" because all three of these previous things make me come to life, also I was conducting this activity with my residence, and having a purpose, giving purpose to others is what makes me survive! :)
Any 6 word bios??
Splash, Quack, Slurp! Green, Giraffe Hat!
I am current at CTY-camp! :) The camp is focused on the talented youth of America. Today in training JC our SRA asked us all to compile our autobiographies in six words. I plan to do this with my residents tonight when I meet them. I like this activity, because we only get six words, so we must be decisive, and at the same time our six words could be changing drastically based on mood, environment, etc.
The whole idea came from a great American author, Ernest Hemingway. Ernest Hemingway was once prodded to compose a complete story in six words. His answer was "For sale: baby shoes, never used." Some people say it was to settle a bar bet. Others say it was a personal challenge directed at other famous authors.
Here is my 6 word bio.
Splash, Quack, Slurp!
Green, Giraffe Hat.
What does this mean? Well, this is explains my summer thus far:
Splash: Running in the woods and then jumping into the River Sinks.
Quack: I like the ducks at Lake Ella (teaching yoga at the lake); going on an adventure on the Duck Bus with Dr. Carroll in Washington DC.
Slurp: How I love smoothies; God is going to always give me lemonade!!
Green: The color of my aura; my favorite color; being "green wise" and healthy!
Giraffe: One of my favorite animals and the fact that I love my knitted Giraffe hat!
Hat: I stole Matty's adventure hat!! You always have to be prepared for an adventure, no matter where it takes you.
Would it not be awesome to keep a daily journal of six words everyday? For some, like me that would be extremely hard, but a cool activity.
Come up with a six-word story of your own, and share it with me! Tell me what it is about.
The whole idea came from a great American author, Ernest Hemingway. Ernest Hemingway was once prodded to compose a complete story in six words. His answer was "For sale: baby shoes, never used." Some people say it was to settle a bar bet. Others say it was a personal challenge directed at other famous authors.
Here is my 6 word bio.
Splash, Quack, Slurp!
Green, Giraffe Hat.
What does this mean? Well, this is explains my summer thus far:
Splash: Running in the woods and then jumping into the River Sinks.
Quack: I like the ducks at Lake Ella (teaching yoga at the lake); going on an adventure on the Duck Bus with Dr. Carroll in Washington DC.
Slurp: How I love smoothies; God is going to always give me lemonade!!
Green: The color of my aura; my favorite color; being "green wise" and healthy!
Giraffe: One of my favorite animals and the fact that I love my knitted Giraffe hat!
Hat: I stole Matty's adventure hat!! You always have to be prepared for an adventure, no matter where it takes you.
Would it not be awesome to keep a daily journal of six words everyday? For some, like me that would be extremely hard, but a cool activity.
Come up with a six-word story of your own, and share it with me! Tell me what it is about.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Born to Run - The Passion of Running
Recently I started reading the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall! This is a great book that has given me inspiration for keeping up with working out, spending time in nature, and mostly getting grounded by knowing my body more. Not only have I started running and working out, but I have changed my diet drastically. Through all of this though I have been successful to drop 40lbs this year, thus far! On this journey through finding out who I am, and getting to know myself I look to this book for motivation and knowledge. Here are a few of my favorite quotes so far! I am only on pg 100 and I am addicted and want to try to find the passion that Chris writes about through these real people's lives.
"In terms of stress relief and sensual pleasure, running is what you have in your life before you have set. The equipment and desire come factory installed; all you have to do is let 'er rip and hang on for the ride" (12).
"'Bueno!' he shouted. ' Andale pues, a mas aventuras!' Excellent! On to more adventures!" (23).
"Translation: Tarahumara men couldn't even muster the nerve to get romantic with their own wives if they didn't drown their bashfulness in home brew" (28).
"We got a motto here--you're tougher than you think you are, and you can do more than you think you can...You don't have to be fast. But you better be fearless" (61).
"Running was romantic...For them running was miserable...but you can't muscle through a five-hour run that way; you have to relax into it, like easing your body into a hot bath until it no longer resists the short and begins to enjoy it...you have to listen closely to the sound of your own breathing; be aware of how much sweat is beading on your back; make sure to treat yourself to cool water and a salty snack and ask yourself, honestly and often, exactly how you feel. What could be more sensual than payingn exquisite attention to your own body? Sensual counted as romantic, right?" (69).
"How do you flip the internal switch that changes us all back into the Natural Born Runners we once were?...That was the real secret of the Tarahumara: they'd never forgotten what it felt like to love running. They remembers that running was mankind's first fine art, our original act of inspired creation. Way before we were scratching pictures on caves or beating rhythms on hollow trees, we were perfecting the art of combining our breath and mind and muscles into fluid self-propulsion over wild terrain" (92).
"You ran to eat and to avoid being eaten; you ran to find a mate and impress her, and with her you ran off to start a new life together. You had to love running, or you wouldn't live to love anything else. And like everything else we love--everything we call our 'passions' and 'desires'--it's really an encoded ancestral necessity. We were born to run; we were born because we run. We're all Running People" (93).
"There are two goddesses in your heart...The Goddess of Wisdom and the Goddess of Wealth. Everyone think they need to get wealth first, and wisdom will come. So they concern themselves with chasing money. But they have it backwards. You have to give your heart to the Goddess of Wisdom, give her all your love and attention, and the Goddess of Wealth will become jealous, and follow you" (94).
"...connection between the capacity to love and the capacity to love running. The engineering was certainly the same: both depend on loosening your grip on your own desires, putting aside what you wanted and appreciating what you got, being patient and forgiving and undemanding. Sex and speed--haven't they been symbiotic for most of our existence, as intertwined as the strands of our DNA? We couldn't be alive without love; we wouldn't have survived without running; maybe we shouldn't be surprised that getting better at one could make you better at the other" (98).
"Perhaps all our troubles--all the violence, obesity, illness, depression, and greed we can't overcome--began when we stopped living as Running People. Deny your nature,and it will erupt in some other, uglier way" (99).
I have never thought of running like this before. What a new and fresh perspective! What are your thoughts?
"In terms of stress relief and sensual pleasure, running is what you have in your life before you have set. The equipment and desire come factory installed; all you have to do is let 'er rip and hang on for the ride" (12).
"'Bueno!' he shouted. ' Andale pues, a mas aventuras!' Excellent! On to more adventures!" (23).
"Translation: Tarahumara men couldn't even muster the nerve to get romantic with their own wives if they didn't drown their bashfulness in home brew" (28).
"We got a motto here--you're tougher than you think you are, and you can do more than you think you can...You don't have to be fast. But you better be fearless" (61).
"Running was romantic...For them running was miserable...but you can't muscle through a five-hour run that way; you have to relax into it, like easing your body into a hot bath until it no longer resists the short and begins to enjoy it...you have to listen closely to the sound of your own breathing; be aware of how much sweat is beading on your back; make sure to treat yourself to cool water and a salty snack and ask yourself, honestly and often, exactly how you feel. What could be more sensual than payingn exquisite attention to your own body? Sensual counted as romantic, right?" (69).
"How do you flip the internal switch that changes us all back into the Natural Born Runners we once were?...That was the real secret of the Tarahumara: they'd never forgotten what it felt like to love running. They remembers that running was mankind's first fine art, our original act of inspired creation. Way before we were scratching pictures on caves or beating rhythms on hollow trees, we were perfecting the art of combining our breath and mind and muscles into fluid self-propulsion over wild terrain" (92).
"You ran to eat and to avoid being eaten; you ran to find a mate and impress her, and with her you ran off to start a new life together. You had to love running, or you wouldn't live to love anything else. And like everything else we love--everything we call our 'passions' and 'desires'--it's really an encoded ancestral necessity. We were born to run; we were born because we run. We're all Running People" (93).
"There are two goddesses in your heart...The Goddess of Wisdom and the Goddess of Wealth. Everyone think they need to get wealth first, and wisdom will come. So they concern themselves with chasing money. But they have it backwards. You have to give your heart to the Goddess of Wisdom, give her all your love and attention, and the Goddess of Wealth will become jealous, and follow you" (94).
"...connection between the capacity to love and the capacity to love running. The engineering was certainly the same: both depend on loosening your grip on your own desires, putting aside what you wanted and appreciating what you got, being patient and forgiving and undemanding. Sex and speed--haven't they been symbiotic for most of our existence, as intertwined as the strands of our DNA? We couldn't be alive without love; we wouldn't have survived without running; maybe we shouldn't be surprised that getting better at one could make you better at the other" (98).
"Perhaps all our troubles--all the violence, obesity, illness, depression, and greed we can't overcome--began when we stopped living as Running People. Deny your nature,and it will erupt in some other, uglier way" (99).
I have never thought of running like this before. What a new and fresh perspective! What are your thoughts?
Summer Solstice
Last night I went on an adventure that at first I was extremely scared about doing. As Michael Stipe (lead singer of REM) sings, "Night swimming deserves a quiet night!" We headed out to the sister sinks just after the summer sun had set, around 9:30pm. When we got to our favorite grounding spot, we ran the whole way to the beautiful purifying fresh water source. The moon was high and bright. I was scared, my heart racing, what if I fell down, what if a snake or alligator was lurking? He said, "Don't worry I am a buffalo!" :) I am thankful for a passionate adventuring friend! This adventure ranks in my top three sink adventures out to the sisters. This evening reminded me of another night adventure that we have recently taken. After the experience, I wrote a haiku about our experience.
Peaceful companions
Traveling a narrow path
But, Walking by faith (Get the pun?! lol)
Silent dancers play
Meditating peacefully
Lighting the darkness
Night talkers expound
Lively forest symphony
Euphonious frogs
Open heart and mind
Sincere communication
Balanced life and soul
I have actually updated the poem, but wrote it hard copy and cannot seem to find it now. This will have to do for now, but I will post as a response to this posting as soon as I find the updated version. I am still amazed at how we can find inspiration in the most beautiful and peaceful places!
I challenge you to take a summer nighttime adventure and then write about what you experienced. I promise it will be nothing short of beautiful and amazing! :)
Peaceful companions
Traveling a narrow path
But, Walking by faith (Get the pun?! lol)
Silent dancers play
Meditating peacefully
Lighting the darkness
Night talkers expound
Lively forest symphony
Euphonious frogs
Open heart and mind
Sincere communication
Balanced life and soul
I have actually updated the poem, but wrote it hard copy and cannot seem to find it now. This will have to do for now, but I will post as a response to this posting as soon as I find the updated version. I am still amazed at how we can find inspiration in the most beautiful and peaceful places!
I challenge you to take a summer nighttime adventure and then write about what you experienced. I promise it will be nothing short of beautiful and amazing! :)
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all. I will fall.
I was driving in my car about to fall asleep, when I reached for my old school CD case. I pulled out this CD called "Dc Martin's Mix", which is a CD that my sister had gotten for free when she was in high school. I listened to this CD non stop in middle school/ early high school because, I loved the music that she was into. This song, "New Song" by Ben Lee has always been a favorite of mine. Yet, the lyrics never made any sense to me. It is just like Louise Rosenblatt's Readers Response Theory, when you visit a text multiple times you bring different interpretations to it, because you (the reader) has changed. And now that I have been changed because of life experiences, I understand what the lyrics/ text means.
My heart it is eternal
And my soul it often flies
You can see it in the evenings soaring through the skies
And it takes me close to madness
Though it never really tries
I've crossed a million rivers
And I've walked a million miles
I've kissed a holy angel and I've tried to show some style
I never even questioned
How I know it's all worthwhile
But I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
And I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
And I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
I will fall
My legs they get so tired
And my head it often screams
You can hear the thoughts all turning overload of fears and dreams
I don't mind the sting of feeling
But it burns when I'm empty
I'll ride the road I've chosen
And at times I know I'll fall
I have nothing to lose now so I want to taste it all
Wintertime in Glendale
Till the next location calls
But I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
And I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
And I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
I will fall
Well there's no one left but you now babe
Got to say that it's your call
I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
And I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
And I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
I will fall
So you ask, what does this mean? Well for all my my friends out there who are struggling with life choices and decisions then this is about you. Think about a child who is learning how to walk. How many times does he/she get up and try again after falling? Countless, until he/she conquers the task of walking. Baby steps at first, then we learn how to run! Just like all of us on our journeys, we make choices and sometimes they lead us to a dead end, or we end up "epically failing", but we must get back up and try again. With the support of close friends who love you regardless of what choices you make, you will do it all! You will be successful! Mostly you will be happy because you were persistent and have proven to yourself that you are the only person who can make your dreams come true.
So, until the next location calls, let your heart love eternally, and remember, babe it's your call! :)
My heart it is eternal
And my soul it often flies
You can see it in the evenings soaring through the skies
And it takes me close to madness
Though it never really tries
I've crossed a million rivers
And I've walked a million miles
I've kissed a holy angel and I've tried to show some style
I never even questioned
How I know it's all worthwhile
But I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
And I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
And I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
I will fall
My legs they get so tired
And my head it often screams
You can hear the thoughts all turning overload of fears and dreams
I don't mind the sting of feeling
But it burns when I'm empty
I'll ride the road I've chosen
And at times I know I'll fall
I have nothing to lose now so I want to taste it all
Wintertime in Glendale
Till the next location calls
But I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
And I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
And I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
I will fall
Well there's no one left but you now babe
Got to say that it's your call
I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
And I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
And I'm gonna make it through and I'm gonna do it all
I will fall
So you ask, what does this mean? Well for all my my friends out there who are struggling with life choices and decisions then this is about you. Think about a child who is learning how to walk. How many times does he/she get up and try again after falling? Countless, until he/she conquers the task of walking. Baby steps at first, then we learn how to run! Just like all of us on our journeys, we make choices and sometimes they lead us to a dead end, or we end up "epically failing", but we must get back up and try again. With the support of close friends who love you regardless of what choices you make, you will do it all! You will be successful! Mostly you will be happy because you were persistent and have proven to yourself that you are the only person who can make your dreams come true.
So, until the next location calls, let your heart love eternally, and remember, babe it's your call! :)
Monday, June 21, 2010
Spell Check!
As I have just started this blog, I should warn you. Yes, I am an English Education Master's student, but at times my passion for bringing words to life, and or putting words on paper distract me from being professional. Therefore, I know that I have tons of spelling and grammatical errors throughout my blogs, and rereading my first post, I notice that YES, I do spell youthful, "youthgul"! Lol! I encourage you to point these out to me, and to make light of word play. For instance, what could a youthgul actually be, besides a spelling error? :)
Internation Adoption and Life Partners
Talking to my sister about International Adoption, I went off on this spiel about what I want in a partner.
God has given us varying degrees of tolerance. You have this opportunity to be a parent, a guardian, a person to love, teach, and nurture. You can give all of this to a youthgul life. It is amazing that you are open to the idea of adopting children, especially those of another culture. You also have to realize that there are so many great opportunities for adoption here in the United States. Regardless of what you choose to do, the child will be an amazing light in their generation. You and your partner will make a great parenting team, and whatever road the two of you choose to walk you will be blessed along the way! :)
Yes, many people have baby fever, but I just want to be in a relationship. I however do NOT want to rush into anything. A friend of mine, her mom is going through a divorce with her dad. Her dad has never loved or was affectionate towards her mom. He is not kind at heart, and her mom is extremely sad says, "My husband of 31 years never loved me." It is so painful to hear those words. :( I do not want to rush into a relationship where my significant other does not show me affection and love me truly. How do we as strong women in our society let this happen? It is time that we stand together and fight for our rights yet again, we do not have to settle for anything less than our best, and that includes the guys in our lives.
I am currently between a rock and a hard place with a relationship. The guy shows me minimal affection, but I think I love him. My friends always say, you must listen to your heart and just be. Come what may! But, just being is difficult. Right now he is my best friend, and I do love him. Only time will tell! :) The question that must be asked next is what exactly am I looking for in a life partner?
I want someone who will not only love me with all of my flaws, but will appreciate that I have goals and dreams. I want someone who will encourage me to be my best everyday and to strive for living the fullest life possible. I need someone who appreciates raw natural living, and will support me on my mission to be the healthiest I can be. I want someone who will hold my hand in public, but respect others around us. I want someone who longs to see me and speak to me, who wants to grow old with me, and wants to walk every miss lead path with me. I need someone who wants to dance and play in the rain. I want to have a burning passion, desire, and spice between my lover and I for eternity. I do not want money, material possessions, or social norms to get in the way of our happiness. I don't want to ever have any doubts about my partners’ integrity or faithfulness. We will always be each other’s number two choice, because we will both love God with all of our hearts. He is our eternal lover, who has loved us before we even knew each other, and we will be content knowing that we both have our hands spread out walking towards God, being his tangible hand in all that we do. Our communication will be our number one best attribute as a couple, because communication is the key to any good and successful relationship. Lastly, I want our flaws/weakness to compliment each other’s strengths, so that we can continue to learn from each other.
I now ask you, what are your views about international adoption and/or what do you long for in your life partner? Doy you believe in soul mates, or love at first sight?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)