adapting, taking just enough, accepting what was given, never pushing too hard

The Hopi have worked their homelands for centuries. To survive meant adapting, taking just enough, accepting what was given, never pushing too hard. They grow beans and corn, mostly, coaxing crops from hostile earth with some of the same ceremonies and planting calendars that have served them for centuries.

...in 1878, John Wesley Powell foresaw the risks of demanding too much of the natural environment. He argued that people should build settlements based on watersheds, managing resources collectively to encourage wise use.

Naturalist Aldo Leopold proposed the idea of “land health” and suggested that if people regarded themselves as a part of the wider natural world, they would understand their true impact on the land.
“We abuse land,” he wrote in 1949, “because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”


http://www.azcentral.com/news/green/articles/2008/06/27/20080627sus-impact0627.html

dirty air = beautiful color?

wow - the 3rd high pollution advisory...

the good news? rumor has it that the dust in the air is what contributes to the color in our sunsets

however - the following report from our government's Air Now web site suggests that part of the ozone pollution is blowing in from California - hmmm
And, who knew that the clean, dream communities in the northeast and east Valley are where the pollution ends up... also, when I watched the May 31st loop graphic map display the path of the ozone pollution, I was stunned to see that the higher concentrations start in the "out of the big bad city and pollution" towns of Cave Creek and Anthem and then move into the Valley... just goes to show us that we are all in this together - California's air pollution is our air pollution and everyone in the Valley is responsible for the quality of our air.

AN OZONE HIGH POLLUTION ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT TODAY JUNE 01 AN OZONE HEALTH WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MONDAY JUNE 02 Much of Arizona -- but especially the Phoenix metro area -- experienced near to or unhealthy levels of ground-level ozone on Saturday; monitors at Casa Grande, Yuma, Tucson, and even Flagstaff also registered high or unhealthy ozone pollution concentrations. The combination of desert heat, sunny skies, relatively light winds, high sun angle, and low-level winds with California ozone/precursor transporting capabilities all appeared to operate in concert to produce the highest and most widespread ozone event of the season so far. Unfortunately, the same synoptic weather pattern is in place today and 9:00 a.m. ozone levels at some sites are already higher than 24 hours ago; thus, the High Pollution Advisory will remain in effect. Much stronger westerly winds are predicted for Monday afternoon, so the far northeast and east Valley should be primarily at risk for unhealthy ozone levels again on Monday; an Ozone Health Watch has been issued for that day. Persons with respiratory problems should avoid outdoor activities during the afternoon and early evening hours. -Reith

sparkling mineral water - why does it feel so good

inquiring minds... I often like to do minor research on health related topics so that I can make conscious decisions about how I care for my body.

One of the doctors who helped me recently suggested that I drink Perrier regularly. I did so for a while when I was seeing that doctor often but then trailed off drinking it until I would encounter a set back in my health, especially when my digestion was off, and, interestingly so, times of extreme stress and fatigue.

The other day I started craving it again. This time I decided to stock up on it (well, to confess, it is on sale too - $1.25 each) so that I could drink it on a daily basis for a while.

Curious as to why I might be craving it I googled the topic "health benefits mineral water Perrier" - Perrier because Dr. Williams said that he had tried many different brands and found that it was the best... after doing some research (that I include below) I have decided that it needs to be an important part of my daily routine - also, I like the idea that it is in a glass bottle instead of a plastic one!

Drink up! Be healthy!


So here is some of the info I found on a blog by Dr John Briffa from London:
"a recent study which suggests that fizzy water may sometimes offer superior health benefits to flat.

The research in question, published in the Journal of Nutrition, was designed to assess the health effects of sparkling and still mineral water in a group of women. The study participants were asked to drink 1 litre of either the sparkling or still each day for two months, followed by two months on the other water. During the study, the study participants underwent a number of tests including blood pressure checks and measurement of a variety of blood components including cholesterol. Compared to the still mineral water, the drinking of sparkling water brought about significant reductions in the level of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (generally regarded as a risk factor for heart disease), as well as a significant increase in levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (generally taken to reduce heart disease risk). These and other biochemical changes induced by drinking sparkling water were estimated to reduce the women’s risk of developing heart disease over the next decade by about a third.

Quite what it is about sparkling water that accounts for its seeming heart healthy properties is not known for sure, though the explanation is unlikely to lie in the bubbles themselves. More likely, the benefits of the water used in the study are related to its high mineral content compared to the still water it was tested against. One mineral that the fizzy stuff was particularly high in was sodium - generally regarded as undesirable food constituent on account of its ability to boost blood pressure. However, studies show that low sodium diets may increase cholesterol levels. This throws up the possibility that the sparkling water’s relatively high sodium content might actually have played some part in its apparent ability to quell levels of unhealthy cholesterol.

Interestingly, the Journal of Nutrition study found that the drinking of the sodium-rich mineral water did not lead to any increase in blood pressure. One reason for this is that sparkling waters tend to be rich in bicarbonate, which is believed to help balance any negative effects sodium may have in the body. Personally, my belief is that individual keen to limit sodium in their diets need concern themselves less about foods and drinks that contain this mineral naturally, than processed foodstuffs that have had it added (often in considerable quantity) by food manufacturers. Sparkling waters rich in sodium may not have the healthiest of reputations, but research has bubbled up which suggests that they may actually offer considerable benefits for the body."