Woodnote: Herbarium – Pelham Foraging
Category Archives: Articles
Lifestyle: Apothecary – Mugwort
Generally speaking mugwort grows along streams or river banks in large patches. Mugwort is part of the sage family and is a cousin to sagebrush, which has a similar scent. However, culinary sage is actually in the mint family, which is different than the sage family.
An edible plant, but is used more like an herb than anything else. With it’s distinctive scent, Mugwort is used to flavor meats, and was also commonly used to flavor beer before hops were introduced. In fact it has been a key ingredient in the infamous absinthe. In addition to the culinary uses, it is also medicinal, and is sometimes called the “dream plant”, as it is known for enhancing dreams and is often dried and smoked for this purpose. Mugwort is also antibacterial and anti fungal and is good for topical uses for itching and burning, helps with rashes and poison oak.
Menstrual Cycle Pain
One of the uses of mugwort tea is in the treatment of dysmenorrhea, more commonly known as menstrual cycle cramps. It is also known to stimulate and regulate menstruation and support the body as it changes through menopause.
Toxin Effects
This herbal tea is also linked to cleansing the kidneys, reducing the chances of infection and improving function. it encourages sweating. Further, eliminate toxins from the body through the skin.
Malaria Prevention
Malaria is a contagious very bad disease caused by a parasite that invades human red blood cells, transmitted by mosquitoes. The most effective malaria drug is Artemisinin. It contains a large amount of Artemisinin.
Strengthens The Immune System
The high concentration of vitamin C active antioxidants makes mugwort tea a wonderful choice for boosting the immune system. Vitamin C can stimulate the production of white blood cells, and act as an antioxidant, which can neutralize radicals that cause inflammation and weaken the body’s defenses.
Antimicrobial and Antifungal Properties
Clinical studies have shown that wormwood tea has an antimicrobial effect. E. coli (a disease that damages the kidneys, intestines, and brain caused by an unhealthy red meat-borne parasite.) and salmonella (it’s a poisonous germ.) protect against various types of bacteria, including.
Sources
Solving E=MC2?
[vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Inquiry: Solving E=MC2?” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:100%20light%20regular%3A100%3Anormal” el_class=”widget-title”][vc_column_text]While thinking about the conversation I had lately about the manifest world being an interference and that spirals are expressions of intersections of light, I thought about Einsteins’ equation… and remembered that not too long ago I applied the golden mean, 1.61 to Einsteins’ E=MC2… I think I may be getting somewhere with all this physics stuff and think that conventional physics is extremely wrong in some things… but then I realized I already came to this conclusion last March when I wrote my “Traveling Faster than the Speed of Light” post.
E = 12.0107 (amu of carbon) x 2.61803399 (golden mean squared, c2).
E= 31.4444
If we move the decimal point over, it would be E=3.14 and that would be Pi; or the intersection of linear and non-linear reality!
So Carbon would travel 3.14 miles per second*.
E= 15.9994 (amu of oxygen) x 2.61803399 (golden mean squared, c2).
E= 41.8869 or E=4.1886 … oxygen would travel 4.18 miles per second.
* this means that it would travel 3.14 miles each second
Silver would travel…
E= 107.8682 amu (amu of silver) x 2.61803399 (golden mean squared, c2).
E= 282.4026 … E=28.2402 miles per second
According to this treatise… Pi (3.14) is the intersection of linear and non-linear reality. This would also correspond to the idea that spirals are expressions of intersections of light. If carbon is a fundamental element of the manifest world, it could perhaps speed up or slow down light helping to create the interference. Pi creates a spiral, which is seen in nature… http://www.maa.org/mathland/mathtrek_09_02_02.html
E= 1.00794 (amu of Hydrogen) x 2.61803399 (golden mean squared, c2).
E= 2.6388 / 10
E= 0.2638
Hydrogen would travel 0.2638 miles per second
If we wanted to find how fast water traveled, it would travel 4.7162 m/s. ( Hydrogen + Hydrogen + Oxygen)
0.2638 + 0.2638 + 4.1886 = 4.7162 miles per second[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”sg498_8790gxe”][vc_custom_heading text=”Support the Research” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:25px|text_align:left|color:%2311322a” google_fonts=”font_family:Playfair%20Display%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”New Products” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:100%20light%20regular%3A100%3Anormal” el_class=”widget-title”][vc_masonry_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”4″ element_width=”6″ gap=”10″ item=”basicGrid_NoAnimation” grid_id=”vc_gid:1568585838966-fda97a3f-40cd-3″ taxonomies=”579, 632, 631, 580, 582, 581″][vc_custom_heading text=”Other Posts” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:100%20light%20regular%3A100%3Anormal” el_class=”widget-title”][vc_masonry_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”4″ element_width=”6″ gap=”10″ item=”basicGrid_NoAnimation” grid_id=”vc_gid:1568585839015-43bc38dd-ef21-4″ taxonomies=”132″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Botanical Macros
The Universe is Flat
[vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Inquiry: The Universe is Flat” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:100%20light%20regular%3A100%3Anormal” el_class=”widget-title”][vc_column_text]This post is in response to an old post on symbology in Tibetan art for a holographic reality.
For aeons philosophers and scientists have debated what the physical shape of the universe is. Just recently on Universetoday a journalist reported that researchers and scientists have finally declared that the Universe is flat. Say what?
Various universe evolution scenarios. A universe with too much density collapses in on itself, a critical density universe stays static, while a universe with not enough density keeps expanding at a steady (coasting) rate. However, today’s cosmology puts emphasis upon the cosmological constant, which gives an accelerating expansion. Does this mean that density is irrelevant? Credit: NASA.
Tibetan mandala depicting “Mount Meru” the object that in Tibetan mythology said to have created the universe.
“A remarkable finding of the early 21st century, that kind of sits alongside the Nobel prize winning discovery of the universe’s accelerating expansion, is the finding that the universe is geometrically flat. This is a remarkable and unexpected feature of a universe that is expanding – let alone one that is expanding at an accelerated rate – and like the accelerating expansion, it is a key feature of our current standard model of the universe.
It may be that the flatness is just a consequence of the accelerating expansion – but to date this cannot be stated conclusively.”
Source: http://www.universetoday.com/89912/astronomy-without-a-telescope-flat-universe/
Metaphysics teaches us that all things that contain an electromagnetic field or magnetic field will be torodial in shape. This applies to the human, the earth and they teach also the universe…
So if the universe is flat, that must mean its obviously not torodial, and obviously not electromagnetic/mechanical as the physicists have always thought it must be. But… how can 3 dimensional objects exist in a geometrically flat universe?
The above image is taken from The Scientific Indian blog. The author, Selva, posted how he was questioned about the connectedness of this world through synchronicity. He connected how the Belousov-Zhabontinsky reaction looked like a CMB picture of the universe. Explain that! BZ reactions are typically known for their formations of archimedes spirals which are said to be waves of information rather than mechanical.
Do we live in a universe that communicates more through information transmissions/transactions than through mechanical motions?
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”sg498_8790gxe”][vc_custom_heading text=”Support the Research” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:25px|text_align:left|color:%2311322a” google_fonts=”font_family:Playfair%20Display%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”New Products” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:100%20light%20regular%3A100%3Anormal” el_class=”widget-title”][vc_masonry_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”4″ element_width=”6″ gap=”10″ item=”basicGrid_NoAnimation” grid_id=”vc_gid:1568585920657-d3cb7c46-fe22-10″ taxonomies=”579, 632, 631, 580, 582, 581″][vc_custom_heading text=”Other Posts” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:100%20light%20regular%3A100%3Anormal” el_class=”widget-title”][vc_masonry_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”4″ element_width=”6″ gap=”10″ item=”basicGrid_NoAnimation” grid_id=”vc_gid:1568585920726-8dbc6d3f-99aa-6″ taxonomies=”132″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
O, to become a star
[vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Inquiry: O, to become a star” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:100%20light%20regular%3A100%3Anormal” el_class=”widget-title”][vc_column_text]
Every little girl (and boy) dreams of becoming a star. To be in the spotlight, to be famous and known for your talent(s) and to be recognized; to have fame and a huge fortune. This all sounds great, especially for life in the physical world. Has it occurred to anyone, however, that the famous are actually a ‘top’ secret club that is extremely sinister on the inside? Has it ever occurred to you that some of the humanitarian songs and activities that the celebrities do is just for show? To hide the REAL person? Duality is something that everyone should take seriously into consideration; you’ll learn that when something SEEMS positive on the outside, may actually be extremely sinister on the inside. Its also called the concept of balance, the asymmetrical built of the Universe… and the best example of all of this is the Sirius constellation.
May 23, 2011 I wrote about the connection of the Sirius mystery to Human history. Which goes into detail about the symbolism regarding this star and its appearance in our society. The biggest piece of information to be learnt about this constellation is that it contains a companion star, Sirius Star A and Sirius Star B:
The triangle is a highly symbolic symbol in today’s society and the Sirius Star located around it/in the middle may in fact be the origin of the “All-Seeing Eye” or the Eye of Horus:
On the US seal, the Eye is surrounded by the words Annuit Cœptis, meaning “He approves (or has approved) [our] undertakings”, and Novus Ordo Seclorum, meaning “New Order of the Ages”. The Eye is positioned above an unfinished pyramid with thirteen steps, representing the original thirteen states and the future growth of the country. The lowest level of the pyramid shows the year 1776 in Roman numerals. The combined implication is that the Eye, or God, favors the prosperity of the United States. Novus Ordo Seclorum is actually from a prophecy.
“Novus Ordo Seclorum is a quotation from the 4th Ecolque and was borrowed in turn by Virgil from the mystic Sibylline records.” – Charles A.L. Totten
“A mighty order of ages is born anew. Both the prophetic Virgin and Saturnian kingdoms now return. Now a new progeny is let down from the lofty heavens… The Boy soon to be born in whom the iron age shall come to an end, and the golden one shall arise again in the whole earth.”
“Whatso tracks remain of our old wickedness, once done away, shall free the earth from never-ceasing fear. He shall receive the life of gods, and see heroes with gods commingling, and himself be seen of them.”
“And with his father’s worth reign o’er a world at peace.”
The Age of Horus was predicted by Aleister Crowley, an occult practitioner, who had been extremely influential to the music industry:
the Aeon of Horus the dualistic approach to religion will be transcended through the abolition of the present notion of a God external to oneself. The two will be united. “Man will no longer worship God as an external factor, as in Paganism, or as an internal state of consciousness, as in Christianity, but will realize his identity with God.” The new Aeon of Horus, based on the union of the male and female polarities, will involve the magical use of semen and ecstasy, culminating in an apotheosis of matter – “in the realization of the old Gnostic notion that matter is not dual but one with the Spirit” — symbolized by the androgynous Baphomet of the Templars and the Illuminati.
My thoughts of the Illuminati and BS that’s been going around: I understand why everything about them seems mysterious, wrong, and sinister. Just plain evil, etc. But how can we assume that they are? What if they created that image of themselves just to deceive us even more? You can’t be certain that this group is evil… just because they are doing things out of the norm they aren’t evil. What if they are preparing us for the BIG event that will happen in the future? What if they will become our teachers?
Just because the Illuminati make themselves appear evil because they are breaking down our society as we know it to form a One World Government… doesn’t mean they are. We are used to the current world and anyone going against it is deemed “evil”…
No one is certain that they are evil, and yes sometimes the imagery and symbolism may be evil, but like all Duality, whatever appears EVIL may actually be GOOD and whatever APPEARS to be GOOD may actually be EVIL.
Duality is huge in my life, my clairvoyance is based off of it… like whatever appears in my mind as the total and final outcome of something… it ends up as the complete opposite even if my gut and intuition says so…
Like for example, over the summer I was trying to take out the air conditioner at my summer house and it fell out of the window. I got injured pretty badly, and didn’t even notice until I was outside. I was balling my eyes out and all I could think of was the air conditioner on the ground in pieces… but as soon as I turned around the corner, it wasn’t. It was lying a on pile of dead leaves, protected.
Just because something goes through your mind and that you are absolutely sure of it, doesn’t mean that it is true. Just because the symbolisms that we see in society may be evil, their Ultimate meanings may actually not be what we think they are.
“Had! The manifestation of Nuit.
The unveiling of the company of heaven.
Every man and woman is a star.
Every number is infinite; there is no difference.
Help me, o warrior lord of Thebes, in my unveiling before the Children of men!”
– The opening lines of the Book of the Law
I do beLIEve that evil exists but at the same time (a big surprise here) I don’t. Because of the concept of Duality…. in order to be ONE you need TWO.
Jesus said in the Gospel of Thomas; “On the day when you were one, you became two. But when you become two, what will you do?”
smh
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”sg498_8790gxe”][vc_custom_heading text=”Support the Research” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:25px|text_align:left|color:%2311322a” google_fonts=”font_family:Playfair%20Display%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”New Products” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:100%20light%20regular%3A100%3Anormal” el_class=”widget-title”][vc_masonry_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”4″ element_width=”6″ gap=”10″ item=”basicGrid_NoAnimation” grid_id=”vc_gid:1568586024693-86fa66b0-d8fc-10″ taxonomies=”579, 632, 631, 580, 582, 581″][vc_custom_heading text=”Other Posts” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Roboto%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:100%20light%20regular%3A100%3Anormal” el_class=”widget-title”][vc_masonry_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”4″ element_width=”6″ gap=”10″ item=”basicGrid_NoAnimation” grid_id=”vc_gid:1568586024783-e288f792-2f8e-9″ taxonomies=”132″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
New England Destination Guide
New England Destination Guide
I am very excited to have connected with Tomiko Harvey at Passports and Grubs to write this New England Destination Guide! A fellow colleague – Jessie Leiber over at Little Legends Design suggested I do a New England travel guide of the places my work has taken me. Below are some places off the beaten path that are perfect for the aspiring adventurer.
In addition to being a graphic designer, I am a fine art photographer who has exhibited work in over 32 exhibitions in the last 3 years. As an avid traveller, I have made a point to go to the receptions of these exhibitions to mainly network, meet new people and see a new place. I’ve been lucky to have exhibited abroad as well as nationally and have exhibited in almost all of New England. Today, I will share with you gems that cannot be missed that I have discovered while adventuring around New England!
1. Pomfret, CT – Celebrations Gallery and Shoppes
Unfortunately the shop has since closed, but the town of Pomfret, CT is certainly a destination off the beaten path. Located in the heart of Windham County Connecticut, it is a town that boasts beautiful rolling hills and bed and breakfasts that promote a country vacation. The town it’s self is known for a strong artist and crafters community and it’s businesses are a reflection of that. While on a vacation in the country you can stop by local artistsan shops and find the local dressmaker, furniture maker, holistic health practitioners, ceramics and other unique products. One must not forget to stop by Martha’s Herbery for local greens and herbs.
[tp_hotelmap_widget coordinates=”41.915098, -71.908961″ width=500 height=500 zoom=12 subid=””]
2. Beverly, MA – Cabot Street Studios
This business has since dissolved and is now Zeitgeist Gallery. I had my first studio at this location for about 6 months. I feel like Beverly often gets overshadowed a lot because Salem, MA is right next store. The tourists flock to Salem for it’s obvious charm, but Beverly, has a lot of charm of it’s own. It is a small artist and holistic practitioner community that is well connected. With Montserrat College of Art right there, it is a great resource and destination for an emerging artist.
[tp_hotelmap_widget coordinates=”42.51954, -70.896716″ width=500 height=500 zoom=12 subid=””]
3. Greenfield, MA – The Boxcar Gallery
This location too has since closed (noticing a trend here??). I swear there are galleries my work has been in elsewhere that have remained open! Greenfield is a hub of commerce and culture and one of the cool things about this gallery was that yes, it was indeed an old Boxcar – turned – gallery! Also interesting to note that this particular exhibition had original works of art from JMW Turner. It was pretty cool to exhibit my work amongst a classic. Greenfield is nestled in the Hampshire County in Western MA, and a great location spring and fall – especially so to see the foliage.
[tp_hotelmap_widget coordinates=”42.587586, -72.599534″ width=500 height=500 zoom=12 subid=””]
4. Cambridge, MA – Gallery 263, Kathryn Schultz Gallery, University Place Gallery
Cambridge, MA is an interesting city as it houses many famous universities, businesses and is a high tech cosmopolitan city that boasts historical charm. The combination of the past and the future provides a unique symbiosis for emerging fields in art, science and technology. Cambridge, MA has a lot of unique gems and museums to walk through; for example the Harvard Natural History Museum and the MIT Museum provide invigorating stimulation.
[tp_hotelmap_widget coordinates=”42.3751, -71.10561″ width=500 height=500 zoom=12 subid=””]
5. Provincetown, MA – Gallery Ehva
This destination has a fond place in my heart because my family and I would take me to Provincetown every summer growing up. As a child, I had dreamed of exhibiting in Provincetown and finally it happened in June 2014! I had met a gallery owner through an arts festival in Provincetown and we connected and planned to exhibit my work in their upcoming show that reflected Amy Winehouse; it featured works done by my age group (20 somethings) which was rare for me. We later partied the night away in Provincetown.
[tp_hotelmap_widget coordinates=”42.058436, -70.178638″ width=500 height=500 zoom=12 subid=””]
6. Bethlehem, NH – 42 Maple Contemporary Arts Center
After going to college in the infamous Christmas City in Pennsylvania, being accepted into an exhibition in Bethlehem, NH was the ultimate irony. Bethlehem, NH is very different than Bethlehem, PA especially it’s location. In New Hampshire it is situated in the middle of Franconia National Park. A location where you can see the sights and hike the mountains. My work was accepted into a show called the Bee’s Knees which promoted the depopulation of the Bee species at a location known as “The Tallest Toy Box in Town” – 42 Maple Contemporary Center.
[tp_hotelmap_widget coordinates=”44.28034, -71.688141″ width=500 height=500 zoom=12 subid=””]
7. Gloucester, MA – Rocky Neck Arts Colony
Noted as the oldest artists colony in the country, Rocky Neck Arts Colony is nestled in Gloucester, MA – a charming, unique fishing town on the North Shore. The Rocky Neck Arts Colony community center is located in a renovated church in downtown Gloucester on a stretch of rocky land that sticks out into the water. There are many unique shops, galleries and restaurants to wander around. It is a nice way to spend a summer day without having to go all the way to Cape Cod.
[tp_hotelmap_widget coordinates=”42.615929, -70.661989″ width=500 height=500 zoom=12 subid=””]
8. Bar Harbor, ME – MDI Biological Laboratory
This exhibition was unique as it was located at a biological laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine. The exhibition was celebrating the centennial of Acadia National Park. I have heard of Bar Harbor being an excellent summer destination and with a unique combination of art and science it was a road trip not to be missed. Traveling only 5 hours from Boston, made it be an accessible getaway for the weekend. The trip was short enough where you weren’t stuck in the car all day but long enough to motivate you to stay longer. The area was magnificent with it’s scenic views and blue horizons. It’s a perfect destination for the outdoorsy and the beach goers. As an emerging artist in the field of art and science exploring the biological laboratory was a dream. It was interesting to see the scientists working there and the types of people the reception attracted.
[tp_hotelmap_widget coordinates=”44.387579, -68.203902″ width=500 height=500 zoom=12 subid=””]
There you have it! The above locations have a fond place in my heart for they are slightly different than your typical country destination or even your beach community. Adventuring to these locations has been an eye-opener for me to see new sights and senses. It had never occurred to me that you can combine travel with exhibiting art, but if you make a point to attend the events it will naturally become a part of it.
Kristi Beisecker is an artist and freelance designer in Massachusetts. In her spare time she creates photograms using electricity and organic materials with analog darkroom processing. She also reads and writes about science and spirituality, composes and performs music and gives spiritual guidance.
Check her out on Social Media: instagram | twitter | facebook | pinterest
Top 5 Nutrition Hacks for the Busy Woman
In a world that never stops moving, life can get pretty busy, overwhelming even. And even when nutrition is a priority, it can often fall down your list of priorities and become forgotten. Because your job is more important. Or your kids are more important. And of course these things need to be taken care of. So when you only have a minimum amount of time to think about nutrition, using nutrition hacks can save the day.
I live a busy life: between working on my master’s and curating my blog into a business, sometimes it seems like I don’t have any free time. BUT over time I’ve developed a few tricks to keep up with my nutrition even when it seems like there’s barely time to breathe. Here are my top nutrition hacks for the busy woman.
• Sneak in nutrients
• Plan to go shopping once a week
• Pre-make meals
• Make snack packs to take with
• Know when to compromise
Sneak in nutrients
This is a fairly simple strategy, and one of my favorites. In short, it’s a game of replacements. Replacing one less nutritious food with one more nutritious food takes practically no effort, apart from remembering to actually do it.
There are two ways to look at this strategy: one is to look at it as adding a more nutrient dense food, the other is to look at it as removing a more harmful food.
In the first strategy, for example, you could replace your morning breakfast toast with fresh fruit. And to be honest fresh fruit might take even less time to prepare, as it’s generally ready to eat. Fruit is more nutrient dense than toast because calorie for calorie, it contains more nutrients.
In the second strategy, for example, you could replace your standard, sugary peanut butter with natural peanut butter (i.e. the only ingredient is ground peanuts and maybe salt). In this way, you’re eliminating not only unnecessary sugar, but also harmful preservatives. This takes literally zero extra time, and can make a huge improvement on your health.
As time goes on, you can replace more and more foods, making a seamless and time-efficient transition into a healthier diet.
Not sure what foods to replace? Grab a copy of my Unhealthy -> Healthy Food Replacement Cheat Sheet from my free resource library by clicking the photo below
Plan to go shopping once a week
The biggest mistake busy people make is not planning meals ahead of time. It can seem so much easier or faster to just stop by the store everyday on the way home to pick up what you need for dinner, but I can guarantee that this is actually wasting your time.
Not only are you spending extra time in the store, but you’re also leaving yourself no room to pre-make meals, which can be huge time-savers. You’re also leaving dinner up to a whim, which often means you’re not making the healthiest choice you could be making.
What I have found is the most efficient way to deal with shopping and meal planning is to sit down once a week and write out all my meals for the week, then just do one big shopping trip. Now there are a few tricks to making this planning process efficient and effective, and you can read about my process in my post “Top 5 Meal Planning Tips to Help You Stay On Track.”
Pre-make meals
As I mentioned above, pre-making meals can be a huge time-saver. To cite the classic example, making up lasagna and then sticking it in the fridge in the morning so you only have to throw it in the oven when you get home. Another example would be something like pre-forming/seasoning some burger patties on the weekend so that you just have to throw them on the grill when it’s time to make dinner.
Another way to look at this is to plan leftovers for dinner. I like to make a big pot of chili on the weekend and then eat the leftovers for lunch or dinner throughout the week.
Make snack packs to take with you
Snacks are often the undoing of our nutrition plan. Say you get hungry at work. It’s still 2 more hours til you get off, so you walk down to the vending machine and grab whatever looks good. You know it’s not the healthiest, but you gotta eat right??
The best way to avoid this trap is to bring snacks from home. Not only are these cheaper, but they will be a much healthier choice come mid-afternoon.
Some of my favorite snacks to bring to work are raw almonds, carrots, hummus, and homemade granola. The biggest idea here is to make sure you’re not just bringing your own bag of chips rather than buying them from a vending machine.
Related: How to Painlessly Cut Junk Food Out of Your Diet
Know when to compromise
My final tip is to know when to compromise. You aren’t always going to have the time to be healthy, no matter how much planning you do. So it’s important to know which things are least-harmful to compromise on.
For example, take the mid-afternoon snack craving we talked about above. If you really are hungry, you can compromise and get something from the vending machine. At the same time, you can choose to get something healthier than potato chips. In terms of health, if they have Nature Valley granola bars I would choose one of those. If you’re more concerned about clean eating, Fritos are actually the way to go, because they have no preservatives.
Another example might be one day you realize you’ve forgotten to plan a lunch for the day and you’re already trying to rush out the door. Instead of skipping lunch to have a pity party, it’s healthier for you to go ahead and buy something on your lunch break. Just as long as you’re not reaching for something that comes with fries.
Really, the key here is moderation. You won’t always be able to perfectly keep up with your nutrition, and that’s ok. As long as you keep unhealthy foods to a minimum, your overall health should be just fine.
So now my question for all you busy women out there is: What do you do to keep up with nutrition? Are these all things you already do, or do you have a few extra tips you could share with me and my readers? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear from you. ☺
About Rachel
Rachel is a blogger and Bioengineering masters student who lives in Clemson, SC (go tigers!). After studying conventional pharmaceuticals and how they target specific ailments, she applied that knowledge to figuring out how essential oils can work to treat the same ailments, and ended up creating the blog The Essential Girl. When she’s not blogging or sciencing the shit out of something in the lab, she likes to drink tea, nom on popcorn, and binge Netflix with her Astrophysicist boyfriend.
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theessentialgirlblog
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/essentialgirl22/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theessentialgirl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EssentialGirl22
Email: rachel@theessentialgirl.com
Related articles
Conceptual Success
The concept of a goal is an interesting one. While it’s necessary to create a goal to achieve results, the processes involves a shift of focus away from the present moment of time. The essence of any spiritual practice is to allow yourself to resonate as close as possible to the present moment. What is the answer to this discrepancy? It is the culturally based definition of success.
In the context of a western society, the elusive goal called success looks like wealth and fame. As a portrait photographer, I have been exposed to a large collection of collegiate and high school graduations within the north east region of the United States. I see this to be a perfect representation of the region’s societal prescription. In this part of the world, class officials and leaders preach to their students messages that ultimately vocalize the wealth and fame version of success. They say that acquisition of upper echelon employment will provide a sufficient amount of wealth required to be happy. This is the goal they set out for the millennial generation to follow.
I don’t believe this can this fulfill the spirits of every human being that is born into this society, and is the reason for a good chunk of the hardships that this genre of life brings. Anyone who has been exposed to a drastically different way of life in other global communities will see the same vision. Each context of society seems to know they should be chasing happiness, however the concept of profit has driven more developed parts of the world such as the United States to devote their souls to acquiring materialistic wealth while namelessly robbing their happiness in the process.
Don’t be seduced into thinking that that which does not make a profit is without value. — Arthur Miller
If people are able to raise their appreciation for the present moment, this concept may also become clear. Setting a goal must lay forth a fulfilling path that is centered to the individuals passions and desires, not to the tune of a corporate profit. Success will come when passion, the art of creation, and happiness find their place to guide the path set by an ultimate goal. This way, the process of shifting focus away from the here and now can be enlightening, and success can come from within.
A goal is an amazing entity. Looked at with full appreciation and dominant compassion, manipulation of elements within the universe converge to display a desired outcome. What could be more beautiful than that?
Connect Deeper
If these words resonated with you, learn more about my style:
A Centered Take on Society
To my objective vision, today’s society is a living and growing entity made rational and tangible through the five human senses, while attenuating the unknown.
Society cares for the individual only so far as he is profitable -Simone de Beauvoir
Having been raised in western cultural norms, and recently exposed to the radical dichotomy that exists between global cultures, it has become clear to me that accepting yourself while staying true to your passions holds the key to a positive frequency of life. This way, everything can be perfect.
Accept yourself as you are. And that is the most difficult thing in the world, because it goes against your training, education, your culture. From the very beginning you have been told how you should be. Nobody has ever told you that you are good as you are → Osho
This concept has awakened my beliefs to a direction that is not bound by convention. My thoughts have gravitated towards making sense of the world we call home. Essentially, I see truths that point toward many different avenues to achieve the same desired outcome. I believe everyone has a unique and essential perspective of the world. I personally find a great sense of curiosity in exploring these avenues, and appreciating our dimensional gift that is the present moment. Through the experience of natural forms of stimulation such as exercise or practiced gratitude for our existence, we are able to give our body the exact programming and rewards that it is primitively set up to receive in order to subscribe to a positive frequency of life.
We are in a transitional period with our bodies, in that many demands of modern western culture see no need to fulfill these natural reward systems. Instead, they are replaced with stresses on the acquisition of money and material worth. Unless you are actively pursuing something that you absolutely love and are passionate about, the relatively new prescribed path of life called your job becomes ultimately empty and completely unnatural to the human body and its coordinated psyche.
It is almost as if society has engineered itself so that we can consistently innovate and create new things more quickly and more easily. From an evolutionary perspective, it is almost as if this machine wants to be born, so it has reprogrammed society to live for the machine, rather than to live for the natural human needs system.
We are all on this incomprehensibly large sphere hurling its self through infinite space and time. How come nobody seems to talk about it?
Connect Deeper
If this article resonated with you, check out my lifestyle.
The Bicycle
Out of the numerous mechanical inventions that human-kind has come up with, perhaps one that has the greatest potential to enhance an exploratory and spiritual mindset is the bicycle. Not only does it serve as an active form of transportation, it provides a platform for adventure.
In its integrity, the bicycle can be seen to metaphorically demonstrate the acquisition of a joyful and simplistic lifestyle. By adhering to a notion that does not continuously strive for never ending amelioration to all of life’s nuances, but rather content and simple gratitude, the beauty of existence glows more intensely than that of a life experienced by chasing expectations or problems.
I want to wake up and put my best face forward to the day. If I take care of myself the day is going to take care of me. | Ultra Romance
As a sport to many and a hobby to others, bikes create experiences. People first started riding bikes at the turn of the century. It was about getting out to the country side and being independent. People still exist today that are spearheading this movement. As compared to a person who has become integrated into certain modern societal cultures, these people subscribe to a frequency that is more heavily in tune with the relationship between them selves and the appreciation for the present moment. In this sense, the reward of existence that matches the aesthetic of discovery carries an identical reward to that of a bottomless bank account. With recognition that everyone is given the present moment and will continue to receive it forever, the greatest gift that promises to keep on giving, may in fact be the bicycle.
Connect Deeper
If this article resonated with you, check out my lifestyle.
Worcester, MA – Gluten Free Expo July 23 – 24
Disclaimer:
As a lifestyle specialist, when I came upon this event that is being hosted in Worcester I thought it would be an interesting backdrop to create a content series. While I don’t want to offend those who have to deal with gluten and other food allergies on a day-to-day basis because of medical sensitivities by saying that it’s just a luxurious ‘lifestyle’ – it does fall under the Food category which is considered part of the lifestyle categories. As I expand this blog, I want to make sure that all lifestyles are considered and no one is excluded. Not to mention sampling food is always a plus! 😀
This July, Udis Gluten Free and Glutino are presenting a Gluten Free and Allergen Free expo in Worcester, MA! It is aimed to be an educational experience on the realities of those suffering with gluten and other food allergens. While I am not aware of a strong stereotype with this group, this expo helps make aware of the various struggles and challenges that this group of people struggle with on a day-to-day basis. While I don’t have an allergy, I am always exploring and experimenting ways to improve my diet as someone with hypothyroidism, gluten certainly has an effect on my energy levels!
Sometimes finding the right ingredients is key to making a traditional gluten filled recipe gluten free yet still making it taste the same. A huge challenge those with Gluten and Food Allergens face is that sometimes the substitutes aren’t exactly perfect and the taste can be off, or the recipe just doesn’t turn out right. For the weekend of July 23 – 24, the Gluten Free and Allergen Friendly expo will provide classes on how to over come this translation struggle and will help educate you on how to find that perfect recipe. Sometimes if you don’t know where to look, it’s hard to find what you’re looking for!
Additionally, it may be hard to trust certain brands and companies to make a truly gluten and allergy free food item. At the Gluten Free and Allergen Friendly expo you will be able to sample supposedly gluten free food and snacks from over 100 brands. This will allow you to taste gluten free food without making the commitment to buy the entire thing – as gluten-free products can be pricer!
And the best part about attending this expo is that you’ll be able to mingle and socialized with your favorite vendors, authors and bloggers (like yours truly) and be able to ask them questions or experience a new brand together. If you are just beginning your allergen free journey, be sure to check out this expo as it will help create the footing you need in order to educate yourself on the gluten and allergen free community.
Directions Below to reach the Expo:
When
July 23 & 24, 2016
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Concessions open for beverages only.
Where
DCU Center-North Exhibit Hall
50 Foster Street
Worcester, MA 01608
Click HERE for directions and transportation.
Click HERE for parking.
Tickets
Adult Tickets – $15 for a One-Day pass