Vata Season  Introducing the Farmer's Market Feel the Power!

November 2008

Check This OUT!

Donate your old Jewelry to Help Us fundraise
"I know you've had that old dented ring since High School, Honey. Let's give it to a good cause and I'll be sure to get you a brand new one!"
Visit: GreenKarat.com
 

A time capsule has been made.
We are at a tipping point in the global fight against climate change. This is our chance to tell the world - and the future - just what is at stake.
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GLFF Teen Project
Gadget Drive
Get rid of your old electronics to help us fundraise!
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Challenge

Take 10 min everyday for one week to sit quietly with/without peaceful music to reflect upon your day.

“There is so much we take for granted and it's always the simple things that we overlook that can be the most important. I hope for all of us to open our eyes a little more each day.”

Happy Holidays {FIRST_NAME | Reader},

According to Ayurvedic principles, the human body is built upon a combination of three "doshas," the Vata, Kapha, and Pitta, which control our physiological makeup and activities.  Each dosha is influenced by different elements: the Vata by air and space, Kapha by earth and water, and Pitta by fire and water. Every one has a unique proportion of these doshas and Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of maintaining this balance in order to reduce the risk of health problems... and we all know what a pain even the common cold can be! 

Since this is the season of the Vata dosha, we will be focusing on how the weather has a strong effect on our Vata during these winter months!
      But check out this website if you want to learn more about each dosha and how exactly they 
      work inside our bodies! Learn more!

 From November to February, the Vata becomes disturbed by the brisk winter cold and wind.  It is aggravated further by consuming cold substances like ice water, refrigerated or leftover foods or foods cold in energy like green salads, food that is dry, rough or light like barley or corn. Furthermore, excessive physical exercise (primarily aerobic exercise), traveling, and  lack of proper nutrition and rest also bother the Vata.  On another note, the Vata is also responsible for the movement of the mind and its transmission of information. It provides the energy to perform all mental activities of thought and perception, and consequently there are also psychological factors that can cause an imbalance of Vata.  During this season, mental or emotional stress, or anything that disturbs the peace or security of a person can greatly impact one's Vata. 
      Excessive Vata can cause constipation, lack of energy, emactiation, decreased sensory functioning, and even increases in fear, anxiety, confusion, and aimless talking. 

      But here's how you can KEEP YOUR VATA IN CHECK!

              -Stay Warm! Wear warm socks, gloves, and a nice beanie
               outdoors!
              -Get relaxed with a nice warm beverage like herbal tea to 
               keep you warm and hydrated.
              -No Caffeine!
              -If you follow a live foods, uncooked lifestyle just add
               warming foods such as root vegetables, spices such as clove,
               cinnamon, lots of ginger and garlic, cayenne pepper, etc.
              -Try soup over salad!
              -Give yourself a warm, sesame oil massage (abhyanga) before your morning shower 

We are a grassroots, volunteer non profit organization and we invite any and everyone whose vision fits our conscious driven movement to accelerate change in all media and entertainment outlets to join with us.

The Green Lifestyle Film Festival's intention is to create a new conscious, content-driven media that will help steer television and film away from the fear-based, violence-ridden images that have become so prevalent in our popular culture.

We are continuously growing, learning, and nurturing one another so that we can be the example for change and another voice in the call for action.  The foundation and goal of this newsletter is to share with and inspire one another in an open and understanding manner.  “A Green Perspective” exemplifies how we want and encourage others to make change.

From March 19^th-21^st, 2010, we are taking our step towards our envisioned goal.

The standards we call for the music industry are set and realized on the OutDoors stage all weekend long with live musicians, theatre, and works of sustainable art. We encourage all of you to experience it. 

And during this holiday season, we invite you to purchase a pair of “Comfy’s for Causes” sandals for the holidays and 20% of your purchase actually becomes a donation to the Green Lifestyle Film Festival.  So much  “green washing” is also taking place, all in the name of rampant consumerism, that fiction and fantasy need to be replaced by integrity and adherence to a compassionate, all encompassing new economy backed by meaningful actions. The films selected for the Green Lifestyle Film Festival seek to fill that gap. Wisdom and experience are being presented as options for ignorance and fear based decisions.

A lot of money can be raised with a little bit of effort which will help us in our campaign to change the media to reflect our real aspirations, needs and gifts.  The premise being, if money is being spent on the holidays, it might as well be part donation also and benefit all of us in creating the changes that are necessary.

Please visit xmasslippers.com and scroll down to see our info.

*Please remember to put in the GLFF in the customer comments so that Comfy's can count the amount of donations to the right cause.

       Alright folks, check this out.  Many people are starting to recognize the benefits of buying their produce from local Farmer's Markets!  In fact, local produce is "fresher than anything in the supermarket and that means it is tastier and more nutritious. It is also good for your local economy--buying directly from family farmers helps them stay in business" (LocalHarvest.org)

      If you have been buying locally or are interested in trying it out, take a look at this article from Local Harvest on how to keep shopping locally through the winter:

     "In the produce realm, I usually recommend becoming familiar with winter storage crops - apples, potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, onions, garlic, beets, carrots, and other root crops - and looking for signs in your grocery store to see if any come from local farms. Depending on where you live, hardy greens may also be available through the winter. It's helpful, too, to think beyond produce, and see if there are local options for eggs, dairy products, honey, meat, beans and grains.

     "Going to the pantry to get a pint of your own pickles in January might not be quite as satisfying as going out to the garden with a salad bowl in August and coming back with supper, but it's close. The desire to eat high quality local food through the winter is prompting more and more of us to preserve some of the bounty from the hot summer months. Whether the produce will come from your garden, a CSA or the farmers market, this winter you can lay plans to stock your freezer with roasted tomatoes, blanched greens, tomato sauce and frozen berries. If you ask for a canner for Christmas, you will be able to make applesauce and jam, and enjoy your own salsa all year long.

     "Putting even a little attention on eating 'winter food' over the coming months deepens our connection to the flow of the seasons, and to the earth itself. Deep greens, brilliant oranges - nature offers us bold colors in its darkest season. Rather than focusing on all the foods we "can't" have when we choose to eat seasonally and locally, we may notice a growing sense of appreciation for the abundance and variety of nourishment the land offers to us in each season. For this food, we give thanks."

         -Erin Barnett
          Director, Local Harvest

 And check out their website for more news and info on the benefits and how-to of buying locally!
LocalHarvest.org

 Behold the Power of the FREGETABLE!!!!

  Many doctors have studied and written about the amazing health benefits of fruits and vegetables.  Professor of natural products and chemistry at Michigan State University, Muraleedharan Nair, PhD, actually proved that tart cherry extract is ten times more effective than aspirin at relieving inflammation. Additional research at the Universities of Texas and Iowa have also stood witness to the healing properties of cherries.  And to top it all off, it has been found that sweet blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries have similar effects! 
     James Duke, Ph, author of The Green Pharmacy, has also found anti-inflammatory properties in many vegetables such as celery and celery seeds, which are easy to add to any salad or soup!  In fact, it has been shown that the most Powerful Fregetables are the most colorful ones! Pineapples and many berries, peppers, and tomatoes contain effective pain and inflammation relieving compounds.  
     Most people agree that eating actual fruits and vegetables is much better for you than simply taking supplement pills and this is true for many reasons.  Fruits and vegetables have fiber, and vitamins and minerals, and are more satiable than pills, filling you up and keeping you away from those other "not-so-healthy" foods.  Taking on a more natural diet can help to provide your body with the essential nutrients our bodies need that we are not always aware of.
     As science has improved, people have become more reliant on medication and supplements because they are easier and less time consuming to take.  But those are expensive! And there have been cases where people have actually gotten sick from the medication they have been given.  Part of the battle is making the effort and getting in a routine to take care of ourselves.  

     Pain relief has also been found in ginger, turmeric, and cayenne pepper.  In fact turmeric has proved to be more effective in reducing inflammation than steroid medications when dealing with acute inflammation.  You can take up to four tablespoons of termeric a day mixed with water.  Cayenne pepper has the ability to improve circulation and decrease pain, but be careful.  It can be quite hot! There are always natural solutions to natural diseases and it's important to be aware of all our options. It is interesting to note that spices are widely used in other countries as natural remedies and pain relievers, and it is primarily in the industrialized countries that spices have lost popularity against over the counter medication.  

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  Is it time to say goodbbye to that old thing on the driveway..?

  Donate it to Cars4Causes!

 Get more info by visiting our website!
  http://www.greenlifestylefilmfestival.com

Article Archive

     Introducing the "Fear of VeGeTabLes!"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/6526816/Woman-diagnosed-with-fear-of-vegetables.html

Video List

YouTube BBC video investigation 

into the scientific findings on the health effects of Wi-fi/cell phone masts:

http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=IuNaDj6VLHw& NR=1 part 1

http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=aGplfEnWptk& NR=1    part 2

http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=-VqnPtq4GbU& NR=1   part 3