pH lecture at Whole Foods

My first lecture at Whole Foods! Just in case you can't make it, here are some helpful pH balancing tips for you to incorporate into your life right away.

What is pH? 
pH is a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity (base) of a solution. When substances dissolve in water they produce charged molecules called ions. Acidic water contains extra hydrogen ions (H+)

pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14. Neutral water has a pH of 7. Our blood pH is always between 7.25 and 7.45. If it waivers from this range you will die. So, the body is hard at work keeping that pH perfect. But it's important to consider just how hard the body is working to maintain that perfect blood pH. By testing your saliva and urine you can see what your pH level is and assess just how hard your body is working. If your pH is below 6.8 your body is leaching minerals from your bones to buffer the blood to maintain that pH.

Why does a balanced pH in the body matter?

Lets put it this way... Cancer can not exist in a balanced state. Cancerous tissues are acidic which has to do with less oxygen in the cells. The standard American diet is FULL of acidic foods such as sugar, beef, dairy, soda, refined foods, additives and preservatives, artificial sweeteners and soy. On top of that there are several environmental factors that effect the acid/alkaline balance. And stress.... stress is super acidic and causes oxidative stress on a cellular level.

What can you do to stay in balance?

Of course I'm going to tell you to do yoga! Yoga is all about stress reduction, breathing and relaxation. Guess what, if your cells are happy and full of oxygen, good warm fuzzy thoughts and a positive outlook then you are headed towards a balanced state. If you are totally rolling your eyes at me right now then perhaps consider some dietary changes.

What foods are alkalizing to the body?
Lemon/Lime
Apple Cider Vinegar
Leafy Greens
Sea Vegetables
Raspberrys
Pumpkin Seeds
Sweet Potato
Green Tea
Fish Oil/Cod liver oil
Avocado

What should I start doing today to shift my pH to a more alkaline state?

Test your pH! You can find pH test strips at the health food store.
(Ideal saliva pH is between 6.8 and 7.2)
16 oz room temp water with the juice of 1/2 a lemon upon waking
Try having a green juice for lunch instead of a soda
Reduce sugar/dairy/red meet intake (sorry Reid Valley)
Stop combining fruit with grain. Eek! I know, that just goes against everything we were ever taught! (The problem is that these two foods will compete for digestion, however the grains will always win... which means the fruit is sitting and fermenting creating excess acid until the grains have been digested.)
Check labels for soy and stop consuming any and all soy products
Decrease coffee intake (switch to green tea a few times a week)
Drink mineralized water (not purified) and if it is purified add essential trace minerals to your water daily.

Yosemite National Park

 El Capitan!

 On Friday went to see Bethy and the kids in Hanford. We stayed with them Friday and Saturday night and did a day trip to Yosemite on Saturday. We just love spending time with the kiddos- they are doing great and counting down the days until Frank arrives (March).

 Clearly we took advantage of the stunning photo background!! :)

 Check out little Ben's shirt. It's a picture of an F-18 and says "this is how my Daddy rolls!"

 Best pic of the day

 Ben and Gregg have a really sweet bond. Ben LOVED hanging out in the backpack.

 Just as we made it to Yosemite Village near the gift shop and theater it started to down poor! It was hectic...

 Picnic under El Captain

 

Goodbye Yosemite. We can't wait to go back and do some camping in the park.

First camp trip in CALI!

 Very exciting weekend for the Potters!! We went camping for the first time in Cali and had a blast. First stop: Ojai. A quaint little town just outside of Los Padres National Forest. We stopped at this great organic market for lunch thanks to Christa's suggestion.

 Ummmmm green juice. My new favorite!

 Ojai Hot Springs. Doesn't this look peaceful! Well, Gregg and I were a big caught off guard when we walked up to these pools to find 4 dudes chilling in the hot springs naked! I mean wow, do you smile and say hi, or do you just keep on walking? Mind you... the water is crystal clear. It gave us a good laugh to say the least.

 See, I told you it was crystal clear!

 

 We camped at a great little spot that backed up into a waterfall. Great photo ops!

 I got Gregg hooked on coconut water. It's delicious and nutritious. Not quite like camping with beer though...

We can't wait to find our next camp spot- It's awesome to explore a bit of Cali.

Bioluminiscent Waves

Ok, so I know this video clip says Australia, but our waves in Encinitas are doing this right now! It's incredible!! Gregg and I went down to check them out last night. Pretty impressive to see bright blue rolling waves in the dark. I tried to get my own photos but I didn't have any luck. If you are curious about this phenomenon read on...

"The "red tide" bioluminescence phenomenon — when waves of water appear to glow neon green, blue from within — is actually caused by millions of tiny organisms called dinoflagellates. These are a subcategory of plankton, which are single-celled marine organisms that are capable of photosynthesis. An overgrowth of these organisms causes visible patches to "bloom" on the water's surface in red, yellow, brown, red or even black colors during the day. But at night, the concentration of bioluminescent plankton lights up as it washes ashore with the tide."

Goodbye sweet Mombo kitty

 Tuesday morning we said goodbye to sweet Mombo Kitty.  We will remember this kitty for:

-Going on walks with us... she thought she was a dog and would tag along with Chino
-Her funny crossed eyes
-The unforgettable story of Gregg making shelves in the garage which lead to a very squished kitty after a plank fell on her. Perhaps that is why she had crossed eyes. :)
-Cuddling with Chino on cold winter nights
-Bonding with Mom- and becoming Mama Ger's first kitty that she really ever slept with.
-I will remember that Gregg bought me Mombo as one of my first gifts from him ever, and we named her Mombo after the place we met in Botswana.

There is nothing like loosing a pet that you loved so much... We will miss you Mombo

this is RAD!

I don't want to brag, but when I saw this and realized it was my photo next to these other incredible yoga gurus I had to share it. Shiva Rae has been this famous inspiring yoga to me since I started practicing- and I will get to take her class for the first time next weekend. Check out this Really Freaking Awesome link!

Nourishing Wisdom

I suggest that all of my clients read this book within the first few weeks of working with them. This is on of my favorite points from the book:

"If we imagine the body differently, for example as if it were an important piece of athletic machinery to be well maintained and fine-tuned, we would reach for a completely different diet, perhaps one that includes vitamin supplements, health foods, and meals designed for their digestive efficiency."

Why is it that we tend to take care of our prized possessions more then we take care of ourselves. You put premium fuel in a new fancy car, and you trust that the fuel in your aircraft is a high quality grade, clean and pure... because your life depends on it. What if you started eating like your life depended on it? Ponder that one over your next few meals...

Biking and Ben Harper

 Today was one of those days where you look around and say... I LIVE HERE!!! Denise, Kerry and I went to yoga together, hit the beach and later in the afternoon rode our bikes to the Del Mar race track where we watched Ben Harper for $6. Love that.

Sharks in Encinitas... bahhh nahhh nahhh nahhhh

Is this enough to freak you out??? This is at Swami's Beach- the most popular surf spot in Encinitas. There have been 5 shark sightings this week. I went to Swami's today to see what all the fuss was about. I didn't see any sharks, but I saw some massive waves!

Spirit Twins-

Last week in yoga class, Katie (my teacher) read this aloud before starting our practice. I think this is such a brilliant way to remind ourselves that it's ok to dream. Her message through out class was "what you don't know, you don't know."


Dreams do come true if you tell yourself that every day... they can and will come true. And when the window of opportunity presents itself, have the courage to step through it. It's not that we don't have the opportunities- because doors are constantly opening around us. It's that we get stuck in fear and would rather choose the 'safe' road. I believe that is why so many people feel stagnant, stuck or even miserable in life. So next time the window of opportunity opens in your world... go ahead... step through it!!!

Imagine this scene if you will.

Two babies are in utero confined to the wall of their mother’s womb, and they are having a conversation. For the sake of clarity we’ll call these twins Ego and Spirit.

Spirit says to Ego, “I know you are going to find this difficult to accept, but I truly believe there is life after birth.”

Ego responds, “Don’t be ridiculous. Look around you. This is all there is. Why must you always be thinking about something beyond this reality? Accept your lot in life. Make yourself comfortable and forget about all this life-after-birth nonsense.”

Spirit quiets down for a while, but her inner voice won’t allow her to remain silent any longer. “Ego, now don’t get mad, but I have something else to say. I also believe that there is a Mother.”
“A Mother!” Ego guffaws. “How can you be so absurd? You’ve never seen a Mother. Why can’t you accept that this is all there is? The idea of a Mother is crazy. You are here alone with me. This is your reality. Now grab hold of that cord. Go into your corner and stop being so silly. Trust me, there is no Mother.”

Spirit reluctantly stops her conversation with Ego, but her restlessness soon gets the better of her. “Ego,” she implores, “please listen without rejecting my idea. Somehow I think that those constant pressures we both feel, those movements that make us so uncomfortable at times, that continual repositioning and all of that closing in that seems to be taking place as we keep growing, is getting us ready for a place of glowing light, and we will experience it very soon.”

“Now I know you are absolutely insane,” replies Ego. “All you’ve ever known is darkness. You’ve never seen the light. How can you even contemplate such an idea? Those movements and pressures you feel are your reality. You are a distinct separate being. This is your journey and you’re on your own. Darkness and pressures and a closed-in feeling are what life is all about. You’ll have to fight it as long as you live. Now grab your cord and please stay still.

Spirit relaxes for a while, but finally she can contain herself no longer. “Ego, I have only one more thing to say, and then I’ll never bother you again.”

“Go ahead,” Ego responds impatiently.

“I believe all of these pressures and all of this discomfort is not only going to bring us to a new celestial light, but when we experience it, we are going to meet Mother face-to-face and know an ecstasy that is beyond anything we have ever experienced up until now.”

“You really are crazy, Spirit. Now I’m truly convinced of it.”
Wayne Dyer