Greetings,

welcome everyone. If you are new, the last couple of posts have been about my trip to the Healthy Lifestyles Expo in LA hosted by Vegsource.com

It was a grand trip, a place I had not been to since I was thirteen! It was long overdue to go there again. Why was it so long? Well, long story short, for the longest time, I was afraid to fly. Now, I don’t let my fears control my life. That’s part of the book though, that you will just have to read and find out for yourself!

One of my colleagues at the expo offered me a taste of some organic grapes. They were so good! It was an added bonus that there were seeds inside. (Yes, I know, consider the botanist dork whose words you read.) 🙂
“Ooh seeds!”
I said.

Somewhat surprised, my colleague asked: “You like the seeds?”
“Oh yes, packed with nutrients, including Resveratrol.”
“That would be most concentrated in the skins.” She said.
Ha! I knew I was where I belonged and among true friends and colleagues. But oh, did this bring back memories.

The last time I was there, I rode in a car with family. This was around 1991, and I knew next to nothing about vegetarian diets or health, only that when I heard the word, I pictured a small framed nerdy type eating a whole head of lettuce; truly, this was how I visualized anyone at the time who was a vegetarian.

It is interesting to note that all three meals of the day on this road trip so long ago were spent stopping and going. In early 1991, if I thought veg folks lived on lettuce, where do you think we ate? Yep, you guessed it, not for salad. You name it, totally familiar, but even some you can’t name. Typical stop and go fare was at Mcdonald’s, Arby’s, Carl’s jr. etc.

Yes me, mr. long time veg just on his last trip to Cali virtually lived on hamburgers and fries for a week-long vacation! Well, at thirteen, who could blame me? I didn’t know anything about health at the time. How would I? These things were not regularly taught on the curriculum in school.

However, by the end of the trip, even as an acne faced, squeaky voiced, bundle of energy and alternating hormones, I could sense that I didn’t feel well. Interestingly, those who were with me said the same thing. One suggested that for our last night, we do something different. That was to go to the store, buy some produce and some healthy snacks and sit around a beach fire.

That we did. I gorged myself on grapes and watermelon. They tasted unbelievably good to me. At thirteen, I could sense that those grapes and watermelon were filling a deep void.

This is the difference between junk food and health food, nourishment via nutrition. Nutrition is highly concentrated in living plant foods.

After being filled with grapes and watermelon, I walked to the ocean with a small, Quartz crystal that I had purchased from a vendor earlier. The ocean captivated me. The waves touched my bare feet and it excited me in a way that was completely unfamiliar. The moon was shining and provided enough light for the Quartz crystal to glisten some as I dipped it in the ocean. I even tasted the water to see if it really was salty! (Believe me, it was.)

So there I was, thirteen in the moonlight, the ocean waves brushing my feet, holding a crystal and having just gorged myself on living foods that I could sense I was lacking very much…..

This was the earliest time that I can recall actually sensing life. I could feel the living earth. Looking back, if I were to describe this through my teen lens of ’91, would be something like “I felt what seemed like the earth breathing.” This was an experience when I sensed that there was something vast, powerful and very much alive; certainly beyond my acne and the “gangsta rap” I liked in 1991.

So, many things were present in mid October, 2013, as they were in 1991, even if much differently. There was still the moon, (full in fact.) There were grapes, tasty ones with seeds and loaded with Resveratrol, and as a regular connoisseur of living foods, I sensed life at every turn this recent trip to LA. I didn’t make it to the ocean this time, but I will again someday.

It feels so good to be veg!

The Wellness Diaries book is available at Barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com
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Be sure to visit my store, always adding ideas and items offered.
My second book, Life Is Conscious, coming right up!
thank you for reading.
Owen

Presentation by Dr. Michael Klaper

Caldwell Esselstyn, MD author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease

Food demo: Sabrina Nelson of Vegsource and Ann Esselstyn

It was so fascinating to go to the Healthy Lifestyles Expo to hear about nutrition, health and the environment straight from the experts last weekend. I met so many inspiring people. In fact, pretty much everyone I met inspired me in one way or another. Each had their own unique story to tell about what it was that sparked them to start a plant-based diet.

One man’s story caught my interest because he has been plant-based only since October 1st! He is also sixty-nine years young and was excited to be seeing changes in his health after only three weeks! He described a physical and mental “lightness”, better sleep and an overall sense of healing taking place since he had adopted a plant-based diet.

As excited as I was for him, this was not surprising to me. The body is always attempting to find a state of health and feeding it nutritious foods as found in plants is a major step in helping the body to do this. The benefits of a plant-based diet truly are amazing, and just as described in The Wellness Diaries, one notices changes in overall health almost within days. The impact is that profound. This is because it is a more natural diet for people, one that helps people return to their natural state-health.

Just as my own account explained in The Wellness Diaries, after I adopted a plant-based diet, I noticed changes nearly overnight. I began sleeping much better, I felt up to some activity to where I eventually started exercising again. There is so much evidence and there just is no mistaking the profound effect of adopting nourishment via nutrition, (a plant-based diet).

I realized that everyone who eats a plant-based diet will have their own stories as they took this vital first step that opened up the other steps of health for them. Each unique story includes details of how their physical symptoms of illness disappear, they shed excess weight, cholesterol drops dramatically, they begin to sleep better, they feel up to doing some activity, they gain a better outlook on life. It becomes easier for them to shed the negativity and to focus on the bright side. The body is able to regain balance and wholeness when it is fed what it is designed to eat. This is plants.

Hello! The above is health described.

Yes, there really is something to the cabbage, kale, rice, sweet potatoes, lentils, quinoa, potatoes, carrots, balsamic vinegar salad, apples, etc.

It is never too late to start eating well on a plant-based diet. Not even at sixty-nine.

This was my first year attending the expo and it was great to hear the facts confirmed straight from the experts.

Thank you for reading.
Be sure to subscribe to my feed!
Also see my 7 step guide.
Owen

I took a fantastic trip to Los Angeles, California for the Healthy Lifestyles Expo hosted by Vegsource. It was a way to continue education about a healthy lifestyle but it was also a great vacation. I met wonderful, inspiring people and had a great time. Some of the first things I noticed right off the airplane, (that is of course, besides the palm trees,) were squirrels!

I was amazed to see these guys running through the park full of palm trees amidst the hustle and bustle of cars, foot traffic and city noise. This introduced the theme of LA to me that I found so amazing! The squirrels, crows, Chickadees and the pine and palm trees that I observed thriving beside so much human activity not only amused me but inspired me too. There is so much in this area but it all works! All thrive. All becomes part of the balance of the ecosystem, however modified it may be.

I found LA to be a place with beautiful scenery, plants, animals, a mostly warm climate and friendly people. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay there. As far as people, LA represents those from all walks of life, cultures belief systems and ethnic backgrounds. As with the animals and plants, it works! It is like these things are all thrown together and it is therefore all part of the thriving ecosystem. All the varieties of plants, animals and people…. who says all these can’t live together in harmony? This is just what I saw. I saw exactly what I hoped to see.

This streetname caught my eye…. How could it not?

What would this sign say? …. “stop, notice the tree, and whether in or out of Owen’s mouth, pay attention”. 🙂

As for the expo, it was great to hear of the most recent studies and evidence about plant-based nutrition, human health and how it is related to the health of the earth.

Among some of the experts were T Colin Campbell, PhD, author of The China Study, Caldwell B Esselstyn, MD, author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, and Dr. Michael Klaper.

Night life of any ecosystem is a new world too.

“Crow Tree”

In my zone, this tree would be a 2′ houseplant! I knew that LA was warm bit it still took getting used to see Ficus trees as landscaped plants. Yes, I know I need to get out more!

Oleander “We’re not in Kansas anymore Toto”

It was great to be there and hear the latest on health and nutrition straight from the experts.
Beautiful LA.

Thank you for reading.
Stay tuned!
Owen

September at Wellnessdiaries.com is Remember The Bees Month.
Please pass it on!

-Owen

Local honeybees on a Bluebeard (Caryopteris) shrub.

“What about honey?”

3/29/16

Vegan sweeteners such as Stevia and Agave nectar are better for the bees. Try some of these as replacements for honey; but please get to the root of the issue and avoid the use of toxic yard herbicides and pesticides. These are some of the worst substances for bees. Many hands make light work. Think of the difference we can make in helping bees to thrive by using safe, inexpensive home remedies instead of the hideously toxic herbicides and pesticides that are so harmful to the bees and the environment; not to mention human health.

Anyone eating a plant-based, (veg) diet will have likely heard this commonly asked question regarding food choices. (Briefly onto other groups,) anyone familiar with the natural world, and plants, is aware of the important role bees play on the environment, and especially on world wide food production. This ongoing debate throughout the veg community about honey and just how much is okay to eat is a small sliver of a much larger picture. Perhaps all of us could ask, “What about the bees?” This question, I believe is a look at the right perspective.

As a veg, but also a naturalist, with background in both botany and horticulture, I am well aware of the ethical concerns regarding honey; and also aware of the importance of bees on our planet, the key role they play in the food we eat. Personally, I love bees! As a naturalist/ botanist, how could I not love bees? For I know just how vital they are to the delicate balance of life on our planet. They help to encourage the growth and spread of vegetation throughout the world. Bees are responsible for pollinating millions of plant species, helping the plants to reproduce, as part of life cycle and ecosystem balance; not to mention all of the food crops affected directly be pollinators. Bees, in a major way, are key to our having food to eat.

Let’s Prioritize

With many working years spent among cultivated trees, shrubs, vines and flowers, I have learned some of the bees’ favorites among cultivated plants. While working countless hours among all types of landscape, and edible plants, I have noticed that bees especially love many of the mint family, (often blue, particularly Lavendar, Salvia and Russian Sage.) They also love some Aster famiy such as Echinacea. I have observed that these listed are scarcely without a swarm of bees on them, as they actively dive deep into each flower, head first. For me, this is exciting! It is also comforting. It is a frequent reminder of nature doing what it is supposed to do. It also reminds me just how vital it is to respect and honor nature’s ways and educating others on the importance of, and how to do the same. No doubt about it, part of respecting nature, is to chip in to make sure that bees are here to stay. We cannot afford to lose them.

Honey is obviously an ongoing debate within the veg community. This controversy as it pertains to vegetarians is a fraction of a much larger issue. The veg community is well aware of the destructive effects that factory farming reaps on our planet; that which is equaled by the destruction it has on our health.
However, the key role that bees play in production of food is vital to the food we eat. One so vital in fact, that if bees were to die off, refilling the giant void would be next to impossible and we would be in major trouble.
So we have the issue of honey, as part of diet, (to be, or not to be.) This is rather small in the overall scheme of things. Then we have bees, an essential part of us having food to eat. While it may be that not all people eat honey, all people must eat food. I think you will agree with me, that it is time to put things into perspective here. Perhaps honey can be seen as a small token of appreciation shown to nature. Perhaps something to be more mindful of than ever before, treated as nature’s gold, but with a newly adjusted ratio of acceptance to resistance.

Honey as Food?

Honey is a sweetener, and as with all sweeteners should not make up the bulk of a person’s diet. Sweeteners are intended as treats.

While vegans may prefer sweeteners such as brown rice syrup, Agave, Stevia, and other sweeteners, let’s remember that honey, used as a sweetener, (which should equate to sparingly) does offer some benefits. I submit that the two words to be concerned with here, are balance and mindfulness.The word balance applies to nearly everything, (no wonder it is one of my favorite words to use!) Obviously, with honey being a sweetener, the word balance applies well. Maybe a jar a day, is a bit much. A sweetener, an occasional treat, as part of balance, why not? Viewed as such, and not as a major source of income for those who produce it. An occasional treat of honey offers nutritional benefits and quite likely benefits the environment in an unexpected, indirect way; that of helping all of us who are arguing about small details to come together in yet another way. One more dark crack sealed, another bridge built. I submit that it is this, ways of coming together, focusing on where we agree, and on basic needs and common wants, which most effectively fills in the dark voids of tension and disagreements of these often slivers in the woodpile details.

I believe that mindful, conservative consumption for those people who do choose to eat honey, whether veg or not is going to prove far more beneficial to all involved over time, including the bees, people and the earth. We can choose to offer suppport to local bee keepers, who are practicing ecologically sound methods of beekeeping, who show genuine concern for, and mindfulness of the planet. What key role (bee caregivers,) is more deserving of our conscious support than this?

There are plenty of sweeteners to choose from: There are plenty to go around, and as conscious consumers, the power of choice, as we continually strive to prioritize and balance our needs works wonders in our world! It really does.

Correspondence with a Beekeeper

Over the course of weeks that this article was formulating, lo and behold, I was glad to find myself in communication with a local beekeeper. I was glad to be informed that there are environmentally responsible, respectful, sustainable ways of harvesting honey, and reducing bee harm as much as possible in the trade, (often referred to as the craft.) What’s more, is that ecologically responsible methods are slowly but surely becoming the standard in the trade. I really did want to jump for joy! I was so happy to hear this.
Throughout our correspondence, this knowledgable “beek” listed several environmentally responsible methods. These not only included reducing the harm done to the bees directly as much as possible while harvesting honey, but also not taking honey from the bees seasonal stores, or the honeycombs. The responsible beekeeper makes sure that any bees bought or sold are healthy, strong, free of parasites and disease. They ensure that bees have plenty to eat, and possess a basic understanding of bee health.

Many beekeepers strive to feed their bees natural food, to keep them strong and fit, helping to ensure that bees continue to remain strong, and do what bees are intended to do. This has been loosely compared to keeping pets responsibly. My background in exotic reptile pets (see page above) has taught me that in some ways, understanding these creatures, essential to the balance of life on the planet, and providing responsible care, may soon be a last chance for them. Habitat loss is apparent. Just as with reptiles in the wild, maybe the time is not far distant, that the bees remaining in the wild, will not suffice. Maybe it is a time to responsibly, and oh so carefully intervene on behalf of the bees in this way. I think that this is the exact approach that beekeepers must uphold as a standard, and the only standard that conscious consumers should be willing to support.

There are things that you can do to help the bees:

Don’t use pesticides, herbicides or other toxic lawn and garden chemicals. These weaken and and/or kill bees. Research methods of natural pest control. There are many inexpensive, safe home remedies using simple ingredients such as epsom salts, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, black pepper, and garlic. They are effective for weed control and pest repellent.

Bees will often use hollowed stumps or similar structures for their hives. Get creative! is there part of a tree, or natural crevice in your yard or field that you can use to attract bees? Remember that keeping and attracting bees is good. Bees are not the same as wasps or hornets. Bees are beneficial (and essential) insects.
Support local beekeepers that practice environmentally sound/bee sound practices.

There really are so many ways of meeting each other half way where there is a large-scale disagreement. There is a fifty-fifty in respecting differences, values, but understanding the sense of urgency for a sustainable world. (May all always have enough.) I encourage each and all to consider their actions and choices and doing what each can as they can, in coming together for the overall good, avoiding rigidity, and adopting a willingness to hold to values; but also being willing to adapt and flow toward a sustainable, progressive world.

Please join me in considering that it is time to save the buzz for the big environmental and health issues, such as factory farming, and to please remember the bees in all that you do. That should be a given, right? Not only for bees of course, but for all creatures. Practice conscious consumption, whether a strict vegan, vegetarian, or just a person who wants to eat food, please, please remember the bees.

At Wellnessdiaries.com September is “Remember the Bees” month.
Please join me and pass it on.

Thank you for reading.
Owen

Order WD here:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wellness-diaries-owen-staples/1115240040?ean=9781475987409