Category: Lifestyle

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Lifestyle

Grocery Store Actually Takes Mom's Suggestion To Heart

Typically, complaints to any restaurant or business are met with a polite apology and not much else. One grocery store in Ireland went the extra mile, though. 

Gina Grant, a mother from County Donegal, was having a difficult time shopping for groceries. Her son Francis has Mitochondrial Disease and is totally reliant on her. Grant only had two options while shopping: Try to push a wheelchair and a cart simultaneously or put Francis in the cart with the groceries. Neither situation was ideal. 

“Ordinarily I have to put my son in the back of the trolley along with the food, which he finds incredibly stressful,” Grant told the Irish Mirror. 

After one especially trying trip to Dunnes Stores, Grant petitioned store management for an accommodation. She wanted a cart that would make shopping with Francis less stressful. To her surprise, Dunnes exceeded her expectations.

Grant showed up to the store one day, anticipating another difficult trip when the staff told her Francis’ cart was ready. 

“They brought it over and it had a special padded seat, head support, safety harnesses, the works! If I had of won the lottery, I couldn’t have been happier. It was amazing, I haven’t stopped smiling since. It was a wonderful thing to do,” Grant told the Irish Mirror.

Grant said it was a “pleasure” to shop for once and that “such a small thing” can make an incredible difference. She won’t be the only one to benefit either. The cart, which is the first of its kind in the Donegal, will be available for anyone who needs it. Additionally, Dunnes plans to make 155 specialized carts available in stores across the country. 

The happy mother commended the store. 

“I am over the moon that Dunnes have decided to do this,” she said. “I know how much a difference this little thing has had in my life. So to think that me pushing Dunnes to get me a trolley for my son will bring normality to other parents in the same situation, it makes me very chuffed.”

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Lifestyle

Homeless Shelter Residents in Atlanta Grow Food and Harvest Hope

In 2009, a Georgia-based homeless shelter started an initiative that has changed hundreds of lives. Metro Atlanta Task Force began constructing and cultivating a rooftop garden to cut costs on food and to introduce valuable life skills to their residents. The beauty behind their program is that the residents themselves were helping harvest delicious natural foods, while learning the fundamentals of gardening. Many of the residents were once in living situations like you and me, but a negative turn of events left them jobless and consequently homeless with not a lot to take pride in, and that’s how this brilliant idea came to fruition. 

Metro Atlanta Task Force has a troubled reputation with local politicians threatening expulsion and gentrification. However, when you take a peek on top of their building it’s a gardener’s paradise. It’s not “just a fad,” but has become a way of life for these residents. 

The project began in 2006 and now consists of more than 80 raised garden beds. Task Force began developing the concept of a rooftop garden from the architectural aspect to how they would certify their residents who ultimately would put in the time and hours. In 2009, they received a very small grant from Emory University which took their dreams and shaped them into a reality. During the building process, Metro Atlantic Task Force received multiple awards from the city due to their space utilization and the quality of their vegetation. These colorful beds house tomatoes, carrots, watermelon, collard greens, and more. 

When they finally opened their roof up in 2009 the residents were overjoyed. They were able to yield crops that appear on their plates every single day, plus the certification from their labors help them become hired at local greeneries propelling them towards a place of their own, once again. The first harvest yielded fifty-five pounds of veggies. Over the year’s they’ve gotten a surge of bees, which has assisted them in creating their own beehives for honey. As their success has spread there has been the talk of expansion to their neighboring building. Blueprints are being drawn up and the directors are thrilled at the impending opportunity. Not only will they have an even larger expansive of vegetation but this means that there’s a new certification project for the residents as well (Vice).

Anita Beaty, executive director of the Metro Atlanta Task Force, shared with Vice their success: “Everything we do is a learning experience and job training for our residents. Part of the conventional way homelessness has been addressed has been to emphasize fixing people instead of the conditions that cause poverty. Homeless people are assumed to be full of deficits. But homelessness is not a blood type; it is the experience of extreme poverty and the experience of people who are chronically excluded from housing. For the garden expansion, like all of our programs, we will use and certify resident labor. Through this, residents get the experience necessary for employment, as well as certification and practical experience.” 

More than 400 men, women, and children reside in the shelter and have all helped in the development of the garden in one way or another. Not only are they learning practical lessons, like how to properly fertilize a plant, but they are also building confidence. Homelessness is something that’s filled with shame and sadness, but here they are able to rediscover who they are and avoid being identified by what they are lacking in – a home. Gardening is a magnificent form of self-healing and therapy. 

Resident gardener, Romeon Mack, describes gardening like this: “Life can get you down. Nobody wants to be homeless. Being up here, away from everything, really helps you reflect on what you did before in life…this is our real world…at least till we get out. It’s not just the food, man… Dealing with plants is like dealing with people. You have to have other means than fighting. Plants and people both piss you off…[but] you can’t just rip it up or knock it down. Same way you can’t just hit somebody…You learn stuff up here…and you leave a better person. [Gardening], it’s a process. It’s life. It’s just like life” (Vice).

Preparing the residents for a better future is achieved in more ways than one. Although urban rooftop gardens are hip and seem to be something the more sophisticated take time to do, in this situation it’s a very real means for attaining a new lifestyle. They’re able to find themselves again and see themselves in a new and glowing light. Although homelessness and crime riddle this area of Georgia, current residents and employees are hopeful that there will gradually be a shift towards more positive outcomes. They hope the local government will realize the predicament low-income families are placed in and make moves to provide more realistic funding and opportunities for this sector of the city. Take time to read more about this great initiative and think of how you could implement something like this near you. (Real Farmacy).

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Lifestyle

Little Sisters Make Origami To Raise Money For Wells All Over The World

Folding origami is pretty impressive, but what these sisters are doing takes it to another level. 

In 2011, Katherine Adams started folding origami with her father while her older sister when to school. Around the same time, the precocious 5 year old learned that people in other countries go thirsty every day and many girls can’t go to school because they’re hauling water all day.

She decided to do something about it. 

Katherine enlisted the help of her 8-year-old sister Isabelle and her parents. The girls, and a few other volunteers, hosted an origami sale at a Starbucks in Dallas. All of the proceeds went toward building a fresh-water well in Ethiopia. Katherine and Isabelle hoped to make $500, but they made much more. The origami ornaments sold out the first day, and two months later they had raised more than $10,000.

It was more than enough to cover the cost of a new well that benefitted a whole village. 

The venture was so successful that the sisters are now co-presidents of Paper For Water. The organization has hundreds of volunteers who fold and sell origami ornaments. With their help, Paper For Water has raised more than $650,000 during the last four years. The money has gone toward 70 new wells in various places in Africa, India, and even the United States.

The girls have made an amazing effort, but it’s a drop in the bucket considering what still needs to be done. Nearly 800 million people lack access to clean water and proper sanitation facilities could cost up to $20 billion, the girls’ father Dr. Ken Adams said. The girls are optimistic, though.

“If everyone in this world helps a little, it all adds up to a lot,” Isabelle told Good News Network. “Folding origami is an easy way for people of any age to help change the world.”

The family has visited two of the wells that have been built, one in India and the other on a Navajo reservation in New Mexico. In 2017, the family plans to go on a “world tour” of the wells that have been built. 

If you want to help, you can buy ornaments on their website. 

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Lifestyle

A Guide To Recycling Better Than Your Neighbor

Blue bins line the street as I step out the door for work. My neighbors so diligently recycle, and, consequently, I had felt the peer pressure and began to do it myself. At first it turned into my second trashcan. Things I was a little unsure of I’d toss in there because, why not? I mean if it looks recyclable it probably is…right? However, I recently tried to get rid of my broken Swiffer. It’s plastic, and plastic is recyclable, but to my dismay they completely refused my trash deposits for the week. I didn’t understand, maybe it was a glitch, but everyone else had their trash cans already stowed away for the week. Little did I know that there were strict and specific rules for recycling. As I became more informed I felt vaguely annoyed that I wasn’t able to recycle everything that was biodegradable, it seemed like such a waste. However, recycling organizations were emphatic if not overly persistent that this was the only way considering most recycling plants have switched sorting over to machines. Okay, okay I’ll give them that.

But you know what’s an even bigger shame? How so many recyclable materials are scrapped because they haven’t properly been thrown away or emptied. Or, god forbid, someone had attempted to sneak in unrecyclable material…just for fun? Why intentionally put something in a recycling bin that you know isn’t going to fly with the recycling department? So, let’s all set down our hypodermic needles and take a seat. Below I’ve listed a few sweet and salty tips on what you can and can’t do while recycling (Washington Post).

Remove That Pizza Box

Yeah, you read that right. No. Pizza. Boxes. Allowed. When I first read this my mind was blown. Kaboom! Well, the reason behind why is pretty incredible. Evidently, food is one of the greatest foes to the recycling industry, specifically for paper products. Paper is recycled by having water mixed with it eventually turning it into a nice wet slurry. Now let’s go back to elementary school, or even back to your dinner last night. Water and oil don’t mix, just take a look at your vinaigrette if you’re still unconvinced. I’m assuming you see the issue. Grease from pizza boxes (oil) prevents the slurry from forming causing chunks of cardboard to be floating around the slurry. This is not great news for recycling manufacturers. Even though many of your pizza boxes claim to be recyclable, technically they are before the pizza is placed within, just use a rule of thumb and trash it the traditional way (Recyclebank). 

Clearly, just because something is technically recyclable doesn’t mean it fits America’s recycling qualifications. Take for example Christmas tree lights, can you imagine what a tangly mess that can make for a recycling machine? Unfortunately, recycling processes are still being developed so until they’ve become perfect follow the rules! 

Avoid Helping

Although this is a bit tongue in cheek it’s also true. Recycling plants do NOT want you bagging your recyclables. They have to rip apart every bag to inspect the items making sure they don’t contain prohibited contents that will damage the machinery further down the conveyer belt. Also, those bags have a tendency to get all caught up in the machinery, clogging the machinery, and forcing employees to shut down the system for hours while they handpick bags from the machine’s levers. A lot of times team members don’t have time to sift through each bag so perfectly recyclable material may just be tossed into a landfill to avoid slowing down the recycling process (Washington Post). 

No Need To Quench Your Thirst

I typically followed the practice of making sure all my water bottles, soda cans, and containers were liquid free. I’ve gone so far as to rummage in my recycling bin because I accidentally threw away a half empty soda. But did you know a few drops of liquid inside a bottle is actually a great thing? When your plastic bottles are going down the long conveyor belt there’s a lot of motion and wind. There are quite a few times where a bottle may go zooming across the room because it’s so light and has nothing weighing it down. When your bottles finally get underneath the crushers and balers all of the excess liquid will instantly be dispersed, proving no problem with their usability. 

Go The Extra Mile

Sometimes recycling is your extra mile. Although it seems simple enough, all of those extra seconds you spend sorting and tossing add up. Recycling is crazy good for our environment. You’re taking those renewable resources and recycling them for another round of use. We’re constantly making more and more “things” from raw materials and eventually those items are going to become scarce, like trees. 

Let’s say that recycling has become old hat for you. How can you go the extra mile? Well, check to see if you have recycling plants nearby that offer sorting bins. Make the extra effort to head that way and toss your sorted glass, metals, paper, and electronics. This will help expedite the recycling process and avoid any unknown mishaps on your part.

Give Back 

Composting is about to make a huge surge becoming equivalent in popularity with recycling. Environmentalists are saying that the organic material rotting in landfills are producing the third biggest source of methane gas. If this keeps occurring at the same or an increasing rate, it will eventually play a part in global warming. Instead of raking and tossing your grass clippings and leaves place them in a compost. Eventually, this will turn into nutrient-rich soil that’s perfect for your garden activities. You can feel proud that you not only created your own fertilizer, but that you most likely saved money on store bought fertilizers, as well. 

Recycling is a little more complex than just tossing your plastic bottles into a bin, but if you take two minutes out of your day to become informed you’ll be doing yourself and your children a great service by respecting the earth and treating it well. 

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Lifestyle

What's the Deal With Compression Socks?

Stand at the finish line of any running race and you will likely see countless runners wearing knee high socks or leg sleeves. Believe it or not, those socks actually serve a purpose…and it’s not simply to make a fashion statement.

No longer just for your grandma and her varicose veins, compression socks and sleeves are a craze that has swept the endurance racing community. But how exactly do they work, and what’s more, DO they really work? Let’s take a closer look…

The claims made by manufacturers are lengthy, including but not limited to: the promises of faster recovery time, decreased muscle fatigue, and cramping prevention. The idea is that the slight and sometimes graduated (tighter at the bottom, lessening towards the knee) compression of the tightly woven fabric acts as a gentle massage to your muscles, squeezing veins and helping to promote and increase blood flow. With increased blood flow comes increased oxygen delivery to the muscles, which in theory CAN assist with all of the promises mentioned above.

Which brings us back to your aforementioned Grandma: because the compression does indeed help increase blood flow, doctors have recommended them for years to post surgery or bed ridden patients, or even those with varicose veins, to help prevent pooling of the blood in legs, or worse, blood clots. So there is no denying that compression socks work for something.

But…

Scientists truly are on the fence as to whether or not compression socks live up to the claims that the sock manufacturers make for athletes. While proof of their effectiveness in athletic performance is inconclusive, a few things are for sure.

The first being: compression socks can’t hurt you. In the case of faster recovery and fresher legs, the placebo effect might certainly be to blame. Many runners will swear, scientific evidence or not, that the compression socks help them either in running performance or recovery. Personally, I always wear compression socks for runs that include steep climbs. The tightness of the socks feels like it holds my calf muscles and helps prevent cramping, and I really do notice a difference.

The second point is that compression socks can indeed help to prevent deep vein thrombosis, or blood clotting in your legs. Believe it or not, when flying on an airplane, athletes are more susceptible to DVT. Yes, you read that right, athletes are at a greater risk. A combination of typically lower blood pressure and heart rate, combined with the possibility of dehydration (especially if traveling after a race), and of course, sitting still for long periods of time (as one typically does on an airplane) are a potentially lethal combination for developing DVT. The simple act of wearing compression socks on your flight (or anytime you will be sitting for a long period of time, especially after a long training run or race) can help greatly minimize this risk by promoting blood flow to and from your lower extremities.

So, let’s get to the point:

In summary, the buzz surrounding the compression sock trend may simply be hype, or there may be some useful truth to it. So if you are interested in the possible benefits of compression socks, there really isn’t a reason to NOT give them a try! Head to your local running store to find socks designed specifically for endurance athletes. Look for a graduated compression, with a rating of 22 – 32 mmHg of pressure, and of course, find the right sock size for your foot and lower leg.

And while you’re at it, find a color or pattern sock that stands out. If nothing else, you can make a bold running fashion statement!

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Lifestyle

Gel Nail Polish: Strong and Stunning, But At What Cost?

Anyone else amazed at how a little UV light and some gel leads to gorgeous nails for weeks? I’ll be the first to raise my gel polished nails and say I love it. Not all good things are actually good for you though. Doctors are speaking up when it comes to gel nail polish. I see it as the same as junk food. It tastes great, but it’s not exactly something you should eat all the time. Gel polish works sort of the same way.
Don’t swear off the long lasting polish just yet. I have some good news to mix in with the bad.

How Gel Manicures Work

Most of us have probably dreamed of a manicure that lasts for two weeks or more. I thought I’d found a dream come true with my first gel manicure. For those who haven’t tried one yet, the polish portion of the manicure takes three steps. First, apply a special base coat that’s cured under a UV light. Next, two coats of gel polish are applied with each coat being cured under the UV light. Finally, a top coat is applied to protect the polish.
Notice anything different here? Most manicures don’t require a UV light. Here’s where part of the danger comes from and the one doctors are most concerned about.

Dangers of UV Light

I apply facial moisturizer with SPF on my face religiously every day. I don’t want to risk any skin problems from being exposed to the sun. If we protect our faces from harmful UV rays, why not our hands and nails?
The chemicals in gel polish require a curing process to harden and set on nails. Otherwise, it’d chip quickly and wear away just as quickly or faster as normal polish. You leave your hands under a UV light for at least five minutes or more with every gel manicure. It might not seem like much, but it doesn’t take that much UV radiation to damage the cells in your skin. In fact, the concentration of UV light used is up to five times more powerful than the average tanning bed. That bit of information alone has made me rethink my nails.

Doctors weigh in.

JAMA Dermatology, a journal of the American Medical Association, published a report concluding that ultraviolet light could be harmful to our health. The scariest part to me was the part saying damage could occur in just a few dozen manicures.
Many of us probably have that many or more per year. The study has only confirmed what many nail stylists already feared. Those gorgeous, long lasting manicures could boost our skin cancer risk.
The report has shed some light on the popular trend, but many doctors are saying to take the news with a grain of salt. They say more testing needs to be done to prove just how harmful these manicures really are. Some say there’s not enough UV light to warrant any worry at all.

Should you worry?

As with any potential health risk, it’s good to know about it upfront. I’m still on the fence myself. I have slacked off on how often I’ve gotten gel manicures though. I’ve even tried a few of those at home brands designed to work almost as well without a light. I wasn’t nearly as impressed with those polishes, but if they help reduce my risk of skin cancer, I don’t mind using them in between professional manicures.
Personally, I think if you’re worried about the risk, try to reduce your skin’s exposure during the curing process. Many women are already applying sunscreen to their hands before the manicure. Others place towels or gloves on their hands with just the tips of their fingers exposed. I’ve tried the sunscreen myself and it’s really easy to do. Texting gloves that leave all your fingertips exposed are great options too.

UV light isn’t the only concern.

I know I sound like a major party pooper here, but the UV light isn’t the only thing to worry about. I’ve had first-hand experience with the other issues that come with gel nail polish and those alone make me want to ease up on how often I get my nails done.
Leaving any nail polish on for more than a week could damage your nail. You’re basically cutting off all air to the nail itself.
With gel nail polish lasting two to three weeks, you’re leaving chemicals on your nails non-stop. These cause nasty yellowing along with weakening the nail itself. This is all just with the polish itself and doesn’t even begin to delve into how bad the removal process is.

Removal equals damage.

Acetone is a harsh solvent, but it does wonders at removing nail polish. It’s also the only type of nail polish remover strong enough to tackle a gel manicure. Unlike other polishes, you have to soak your nails in acetone to dissolve the polish. Some salons even sand away the layers. Do you really think your nails and fingers enjoy this process?
The removal process alone weakens the nails. Some women have even had damage to the skin around the nail. If we keep getting gel manicures back to back, the nails or the skin around your nails have no time to heal. I’m guilty of this myself. It took nearly a month for my nails to look and feel normal again.

Before Your Next Manicure

Remember I said I had good news too? Most doctors and nail stylists agree on one point. Gel manicures aren’t dangerous in moderation. Saving them for special occasions or during your busiest times might be best.
The salon you choose also makes a difference. The techniques some salons use are far less harmful. For instance, some salons now use gel brands that use an LED light versus UV. Other salons skip the acetone dip and opt for small acetone soaked pads just slightly larger than your nail. This means less acetone on your skin. I recommend asking a salon about their procedures before scheduling a manicure. If you know anyone who has used the salon, ask them about their experience. It’s okay to shop around for the safest salon.
Enjoy your gel nail polish, but wait two to three weeks after removing it before applying it again. Of course, you could always take my approach and use at home, no light brands. I know the next gel manicure I get, I’ll definitely try the new LED option if possible. Anything that makes me safer while helping me look better, I’m all for it.

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Conscious Beauty Lifestyle

5 Cruelty-Free Beauty Products You Loved In High School

I remember not being able to leave for school without at least two lip glosses and a small body spray. After high school, I kind of left some of my favorite products behind. I guess I thought they were just for teens.
There weren’t as many cruelty-free brands back then, but there are lots now! For a brand to be cruelty-free, it must not be tested on animals, the ingredient suppliers must not test on animals, and it must not be sold in a country that requires animal testing (like mainland China).
The cruelty-free status of a brand can change over time. Some brands become cruelty-free and others start testing on animals (often because they want to sell in a country that requires it). Remember that it doesn’t matter where a product is made—only where it is sold. It’s important to do your research to see if a brand is truly cruelty-free.
Some of those same cruelty-free beauty products we used when we were teenagers definitely deserve a second look now. They worked well then and they’re still incredible today!

Bonne Bell Lip Balms

I’m a Bonne Bell girl when it comes to lip balms. I’m still in love with their lip collection. It’s the perfect blend of moisture with a hint of shine and color. The off-the-wall flavors are still fun for adults!

The Body Shop Mists and Lotions

Remember when perfume meant body mists and scented lotion? Me too. I’m skipping the expensive perfumes with questionable ingredients and going back to an old high school favorite from The Body Shop.
Strawberry and peach were some of my favorites. I love the light fragrances of the mists along with the deep moisturizing properties of their lotions. I like to layer the scent to give myself a natural, fruit-based fragrance all day long.
The Body Shop has always been cruelty-free and has a firmly anti-animal-testing stance. But please note that they are owned by a parent company that is not cruelty-free.

Physicians Formula BB and CC Creams

I’ve tried other brands, but Physicians Formula still works best for my sensitive skin. I’m now more in love than ever since they introduced their Organic Wear Beauty Balm Creams. The coverage is incredible and it feels like you’re not wearing anything.

Burt’s Bees Facial Cleanser

Throughout high school, Burt’s Bees lip balms were a big hit with me and my friends. I’m still a huge fan! Their facial cleansers are a bit more recent. They keep my sensitive, acne-prone skin under control. While I usually opt for the Natural Acne Solutions Purifying Gel Cleanser, the Intense Hydration Cream Cleanser is amazing, too.

Wet n Wild Eyeshadow

I’m a little addicted to eyeshadow and I always loved Wet n Wild’s color palettes. After leaving their shadows behind after high school, I’ve finally started using them again. I couldn’t be happier.
Their line has improved, and I’m loving the Perfect Pair Eye Wand with matching shadow and liner in a single pencil. It’s quick, easy to use, and lasts for hours.
Don’t ever think you’re too old to wear your favorite high school beauty products! Just like you, they’ve only gotten better over time.

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Lifestyle

How Long Is Too Long To Store Your Food In the Freezer?

The freezer is your best weapon to control unnecessary food waste, saving you money and time in the kitchen. Not to mention that food waste is a huge environmental issue. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 40 percent of food in the U.S. goes to waste. That means we end up throwing out more than a third of the food we buy. But by learning to effectively utilize your freezer, you can vastly reduce this unnecessary waste.

Here’s How To Properly Use Your Freezer

If you know you’ve made way too much food, use your freezer to keep it from going bad. That leftover broccoli rice casserole will be just as delicious next month if it’s frozen properly. Make sure leftovers cool down completely before being put in the freezer because if you freeze foods while they’re warm, they end up warming up the entire freezer and wasting energy in the process. Take your time to properly wrap and label leftover foods. The label should include exactly what the food is and the date. Additionally, divide foods into realistic portions. If you have a family of four, don’t freeze a beef stew that feeds eight. Instead, divide it into two portions so that it doesn’t go to waste later on. Once foods are thawed out they should not be refrozen. Finally, try and keep your freezer as full as possible so the air doesn’t have to circulate to cool things down. A fuller freezer uses less energy.

How To Freeze the Garden Bounty

While canning foods is a super hipster way to preserve your summer garden, the easiest preservation tool is always your freezer. Garden vegetables do really well in the freezer, with the exception of fruits and vegetables with a high water content like cucumbers, radishes, lettuce, and bean sprouts. These guys end up getting brown and mushy. But for every other veggie, prep them by boiling for 30 seconds and then dropping them into ice to stop the cooking. Line a tray with paper towels and spread vegetables out on the tray. Freeze for an hour or two and then remove from the tray and store in a properly labeled plastic bag.

Foods That Should Never Be Frozen

Some foods never do well in the freezer. Mayonnaise-based salads like potato salad, macaroni salad, chicken salad, and tuna salad should never be frozen. The same goes for yogurt, cream, and cottage cheese as well as raw eggs or boiled eggs.

Freezing By Food Group

Freezing times really depend on the food group. For example, hot dogs and luncheon meats are fine for 1-2 months while bacon and sausage freezes for a month and ground meat freezes for 3-4 months. Beef, veal, lamb, and pork freezes for 4-12 months and chicken or turkey freezes for 9 months to 1 year. Lean fish can be stored for up to 6 months and fatty fish for 2-3 months, while raw egg whites freeze for up to a year. Leftovers vary in freezing times depending on the food item. Soups and stews freeze for 2-3 months. Cooked meat or poultry freezes well for 2-6 months and pizza for 1-2 months. Pies and quiches freeze for 1-2 months.

Using the tips above, you can change the way you do business in the kitchen. While some foods don’t freeze well, most do. The key is to be organized with your labeling and arrange foods so you can see what you have on hand when you open the freezer door. Not only can you save money by avoiding food waste, you can buy your more expensive freezer-worthy items when they’re on sale. Or if you grow your own food or are a member of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), you can properly freeze produce so it doesn’t go to waste.

Additionally, on those nights when the last thing you want to do is slave away in the kitchen, you can pull out that leftover enchilada casserole and heat it up straight from the freezer. Or maybe you’re throwing a last minute brunch and you don’t have time to make a quiche from scratch. No worries, you can defrost and bake that frozen quiche you made last month. It’s for these reasons that your freezer should be your best friend in the kitchen.

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Lifestyle

A Closer Look at Urban Farming

Urban farming can at first seem a bit odd because for a long time there’s been a divide between agriculture and urban living. This is especially true in the more impoverished urban areas, where roads are lined with fast food joints and corner markets, but locals rarely have access to fresh foods. But the urban landscape, with its empty lots and vacant schoolyards actually serves as the ideal place for growing food. From abandoned lots to warehouse space, green roofs and window boxes, there’s plenty of room for urban farming. In fact, urban farms can pop up just about anywhere.

The Benefits of Urban Farming

Urban farming is the easiest way to connect the urban population to where their food comes from. Apples and tomatoes don’t come from the grocery store or the cafeteria and that hamburger and fries wasn’t produced out of thin air. Growing your own food, whether in a rural or urban landscape reminds us that all living things are in fact connected to one another through the circle of life.

Additionally, the legacy that fast food joints and processed junk food have left behind is one of obesity and chronic disease. And impoverished urban neighborhoods with their food deserts likely suffer the most from this epidemic. Urban farming brings fresh, local, organic foods to a population that doesn’t have access to healthy foods at a low cost.

Community gardens, especially those in urban areas, bring together communities around an outdoor, physical activity. It’s about connecting on a number levels: connecting people to the land, to their food, and to each other. After all, there’s no better way to come together than over a delicious local meal.

The Urban Farming Revolution

There’s an urban farming revolution going on in cities like Los Angeles. The documentary Urban Fruit follows three urban farming revolutionaries: Ron Finley, an urban farmer in South Central LA, Jason Kim of Forage Restaurant, and Rishi Kumar of The Growing Home.

These three urban farming revolutionaries are changing the face of the urban landscape in LA. Finley plants vegetable gardens in South Central’s abandoned lots, traffic medians and along curbs. He’s working against stereotypes and showing young people in his neighborhood that getting your hands dirty is actually a good thing. Kim is the owner and chef at Forage LA, a restaurant that trades garden loot from local urban gardeners with meals at the restaurant. The restaurant uses produce from a number of certified home growers to showcase the best in local urban eats. And then there’s Rishi Kumar, a former computer programmer who after spending time in India learning about organic farming, decided he would fulfill his passion at home with The Growing Home, an urban farm located in the suburbs of LA. The Growing Home serves as an educational center and model of sustainable living.

Obstacles to Urban Farming

While the word is getting out about urban farming, and as a result, more and more people are planting gardens in LA, New York and everywhere in between, urban growers do face some obstacles. For example city laws can prevent you from growing your own food in places like curb sides, parkways or abandoned lots. Soil contaminants, can be an issue especially when plots of land that were formerly used for something else like a gas station or industrial site. But according to American Society of Agronomy, while the soil may be contaminated, very little of the contamination makes its way into the fruits or vegetables themselves. However it is a good idea to have your soil tested when planting a new garden anywhere. This will help you determine the quality of your soil and the amendments needed to make it a healthy, nutrient rich soil for fruits and vegetables to thrive.

The potential for urban farming is indeed limitless, especially in cities that have an onslaught of abandoned lots. Green roofs and window boxes are another opportunity to plant food. These growing opportunities not only provide local food, they remind us where our food comes from while bringing the community together around something we all love: good, wholesome food.

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Lifestyle

5 Things Every Trail Runner Should Carry in Their Pack

It is easy to see why trail running is one of the fastest growing outdoor sports. Not only is it a great way to get into shape, it gives runners a chance to connect with nature on a regular basis too. There is nothing quite like jogging along a scenic trail to get you motivated and inspired. 

But trail running also requires a bit of extra gear in order to remain safe and comfortable while out on a run. In addition to wearing trail-specific shoes and running clothes, most trail runners will carry a pack with additional items tucked inside just in case they need them while in the backcountry.  What they carry with them varies somewhat from person to person, but here are five essentials that no trail runner should ever leave home without. 

Water

One of the biggest challenges that trail runners face is staying hydrated while working out. Trail running is more difficult and demanding than running on a treadmill or the road, which is why it is important to have water with you at all times. Whether you’re wearing a hydration pack or carrying water bottles, be sure you have plenty of fluids to help get you through the entire run, and start rehydrating your body immediately afterwards. This is important during any season, but especially so during warmer months. 

Food

Because trail running is more demanding than most other forms of exercise, you’ll be burning more calories during your workouts. That’s why it is a good idea to carry energy bars, trail mix, or other natural snacks in your pack, just in case you find yourself getting hungry while out on the trail. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a run and realizing you don’t have enough fuel in the tank to finish the route. Having a bite to eat can alleviate that problem, and keep you running strong. 

Extra Layers

Trail runners should always carry an extra layer of clothing with them just in case the weather takes an unexpected turn for the worse. In the summer months, that extra layer could be a long-sleeve shirt or a rain shell. In other times of the year, a warm fleece or down jacket may be in order. Either way, you never know when temperatures might drop unexpectedly, rain or snow could move in, or the wind could start to howl. When those situations arise, having an extra layer will see you through the remainder of your run, and get you back to the car safely. 

Smartphone

One of the handiest items you can have in your pack these days is a smartphone. Not only does it allow you to let friends and family know exactly where you are, it can be used for a variety of other purposes too. For instance, a smartphone can help you navigate the trail, keep an eye on weather forecasts, or provide music, audio books, and podcasts to listen to on longer outings. Smartphones have been a wonderful addition to our daily lives, and they can benefit our workouts in a number of different ways too. 

Headlamp

Another important piece of gear to have with you on a trail run is a headlamp, particularly if you tend to run early in the morning or later in the day. Headlamps are designed to be worn during vigorous activities, and can provide an ample source of light to help you navigate down the trail in the dark. This is an item that you hope you won’t have to use, but you’ll be glad you have with you should your workout go a little long, and you find yourself racing the sunset to get back to the car. Running in darkness on a trail isn’t the same as running on the road, and having a bright light with you can help avoid obstacles that could cause severe injuries. 

While trail running isn’t an especially dangerous form of exercise, the fact that it takes place in more remote areas does give runners a reason to naturally be more cautious. Carrying these items in your pack will allow you to stay safe without compromising your ability to move quickly and efficiently during your workout. Other items you may want to consider carrying include a small first aid kid, a compass, and a pocketknife or multitool. While not as essential as the items listed above, these pieces of gear can come in handy in a pinch too. 

The important thing is to stay safe, have fun, and enjoy the run.