Costco Wake-Up Call!

So, this blog can make your life happier, healthier, and longer! Last week, I was standing in the check-out line at Costco, lost in thought, thinking about kid pick-up at the Elementary School. I didn’t want to be late and it seems that I am always running out of time at this point of my day. My food was being scanned by the check-out clerk, and I was clarifying with the cart-loading-guy, “no boxes.” That’s when the guy in line behind me spoke up. 

He said, “You know, you have so many high quality organic foods here: kale, chicken, milk, apples, and so on.” Then he went on to say, “It just doesn’t make sense.” I was hooked. What was he going to say next?

He said, “I normally wouldn’t say this but with all of the healthy foods in the cart I am concerned about those,” and he pointed to the Kirkland All Beef Hot Dogs! At that point, he confessed to being a Fourth Year Medical Student and was very concerned about trans fats because, with rare exception, they are not naturally occurring so the body does not have a way to process them. They are created in a factory by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils (hydrogenated oil) causing them to increase in density.

I had never had trans fats explained to me. This was really useful information for someone who’s fairly health-conscious. I had always focused on the “100% Beef” on the label, not the 1 gram of trans fat per dog. After checking out mercola.com (“World’s #1 Natural Health Website”) and heart.org (American Heart Association) I learned that trans fat consumption is a key player in heart disease and clogged arteries, and is connected to dementia, Alzheimer’s, strokes, and type 2 diabetes.

Now, I am doing my best to help my family stay away from trans fats. Saturated fats are not the really bad fats any more. Since saturated fat is naturally occurring our bodies can process it. Trans fats are not that way – yikes! They are very, very bad – Factory Bad.

As a result of that day at Costco, I am hoping to steer clear of oils (other than coconut oil) and foods with trans fats. (One piece of good news: the FDA has banned partially hydrogenated oils from foods starting in 2018.) 

Later that day, I headed to Whole Foods (hoping it wouldn’t be “whole paycheck”) where I found the most perfect and healthy hot dogs for our family. They were only twice as much as the Costco per-dog-price, which I thought was actually pretty good.

Unprocessed meats don’t have factory produced trans fat so that is another great choice - so maybe go see the butcher. I want to make the world a better place so I just thought I had to share this with the begwen community as there are so many of us foodies who are trying our best, but still missing the mark.

Looking ahead: I hope that we all have many days of joy and health ahead of us thanks to the med student in the Costco line. Let's share this with our friends and families and get this news out there - just like that med student did for me. :)

(Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor or nutritionist. Just a mom with a lot of mouths to feed. J) 

Peaceful Manatee

Life lived just beneath the surface of the water can be a dangerous life, even for a gentle sea cow just happily munching on sea grass. Sadly, recreational boats recklessly colliding with manatees in posted “no wake zones” account for 1/3 of the deaths of manatees today. The problem is so pronounced that scientists often track manatees in the wild by the shape of the deep propeller wounds on their backs. Mother manatees instinctively push their young below as boats approach, and protectively bear the wounds inflicted by leisure marine sports.  In spite of their obstacles, however, this endangered species endures as a unique and special creature often seen grazing plants under the blue Gulf of Mexico sea.

I went to the Manatee Visitor Center on a recent trip to Florida. It was interesting to learn about manatees. Manatees like to eat all day much like cows. They are peaceful vegetarian grazers who love the warm waters of Florida. They can’t live in waters less than 68 degrees so they used to migrate to the hot springs during the winter. Now, they don’t travel so far, they winter at the power plant near Tampa. The plant heats the waters in the process creating electricity. This keeps the manatees toasty warm in the winter, but creates a new marriage of convenience between “big coal” interests and an endangered species.

When I was there, the manatees were lying outside of the power plant water exhaust flumes warming up in the hot waters. I just wish I could have been closer to get a better picture for this blog. Environmentalists do appreciate the fact that the manatees are safe from boats and direct tourist interference when next to the power plant.  This is because when they go to the native hot springs, tour companies that charge travellers to ‘swim with the manatees’ are waiting with crowds of the curious.  Some feel that outlawing these businesses that sell interaction with an endangered species might be a better approach to their conservation, allowing them to winter in the more natural setting of the hot springs.  Until then, they rest peacefully next to the massive Tampa power plant.  Like many places around the planet, Florida struggles to protect wildlife while also promoting tourism and a healthy economy.

Living beneath the surface in shallow waters harvesting sea grass is their way of life. They weigh in at about 1,000lbs. But beware, when Florida tourists try to interact with them out in the Gulf of Mexico it can be a crime, (with fines of as much as $15,000!) so please give them and all other endangered wildlife respectful space if you visit Florida.  Millions of tourists come to Florida to enjoy the beaches and wildlife every year, and the crowds can be stressful for the native species, but this is also true everywhere that we may sojourn in the world. Let’s leave nature alone and view from a distance!

It was nice to learn more about these special animals. We don’t have them in the Northwest so it was fun to see the manatees’ winter home by the steam plant.

#HappyNewYear

2016 Was A Great Year

Looking back at 2016 so many great things come to mind. There are so many things to celebrate in 2016 when I stop to think about it.

Let’s pause for a moment and grab a Starbucks Tuxedo New Year’s Latte and celebrate 2016 together begwen blog style:

* The Cubs won the World Series! This happened for the first time in 100 years!

* Global carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels did not grow in 2016. We are making progress in our environmental stewardship!

* The American Ballet Theater continues to be an example for America as Misty Copeland continues to shine as a Principal Dancer. She is the first African American to be given that rank in a major ballet company. 

The impact of Misty’s role will continue to transform the sport and art of ballet to include artists and athletes of all races.

* I get so caught up in the negative effects of climate change but there have been some great strides this past year including the Humpback Whale being taken off the endangered species list. After writing a blog about the death of a juvenile humpback during the summer this is great news! Also, manatees are so precious; it is awesome to share that the global manatee population is no longer endangered.

* The Olympics were amazing! Simone Biles’ performances were truly beyond words. She blew the competition away and her athleticism and skill was stunning. In the pool, it was great that Michael Phelps pulled it off yet again. Also, Simone Manuel was the first African American swimmer to win a gold medal (100m freestyle), whoot!

* The battle against malaria is still raging. More and more people in Africa are sleeping under mosquito nets. Way to go Gates Foundation for the progress on this! I found out this year at the Gates Foundation Visitor Center that the mosquito is the world’s deadliest animal – so “bug off” mosquitos in 2017. It is hard to believe that such a small animal is so deadly. Grateful for progress!

* There were a few new ice cream flavors to make us happy in 2016. The “Cookie Two Step” by Blue Bell, which has cookie dough (in spite of warnings from the FDA about uncooked dough) and the “Empower Mint” by Ben and Jerry’s for those mint lovers out there.

* On a personal note in the begwen family: We improved in our remote control drone flying skills, we laughed, we saw some memorable shows, we celebrated a great wedding anniversary, we cheered each other on, grew, prayed, learned a few things, worshipped, hiked, skied, tried to stay healthy, and played.

Looking forward, I can’t wait for the many celebrations and victories of 2017. Let's be "impatient optimists" (Bill Gates Foundation) as we see 2017 unfold. There are great possibilities this coming year for our personal lives, country and world.

So Happy New Year to you! Thanks for sharing this Starbucks Tuxedo New Years Latte with me as we ring in all that awaits us in 2017!!!

May 2017 be better, beautifier, braver, and brighter than you can dream. May your life in 2017 truly be blessed!

The Thanks Challenge

 Maroon, gold, and chestnut brown leaves decorate the earth in the Northwest as trees feel the change of the seasons. As the leaves fall and cover the ground, we are reminded about the grace that fills our lives. These simple gifts cover us and enlist our gratitude, yet why aren’t we more grateful? Why does that gratitude seem so fleeting? Gratitude seems so basic, so simple, and can even be overwhelming when we think about the many things that we are thankful for.

Reviving the gift of gratitude beckons us in this particular time of the year. 

Let’s make a point this month to commit to a lifestyle of giving thanks. 

Ready for something new? Here is a challenge for you.

1. Every day until Thanksgiving choose two things for which you are thankful. 

2. Write them down as a note on your phone, or on an old-fashioned sticky note, or on the bathroom mirror (just be sure to use a dry erase pen) and then make a point to tell someone every day. 

3. Just mention what you are thankful for to a friend, family, co-worker, neighbor, or even the cashier at the Dollar Store.  

I know for myself, when I sit down and really reflect upon all that I am grateful for, it makes me wonder how I ever allow myself to go through life taking so much for granted. 

I bet that if we recognize the gifts of grace that surround our lives and express gratitude for them, we would have more JOY. 

By expressing gratitude for the celebrations, meaningful events, simple pleasures, and even the challenges and difficulties that sharpen us it brings contentment and peace into our hearts. And when we take time to tell others the things/people for which we are thankful, we encourage them to reflect upon their own life, as well. 

Together let’s make a commitment to be bold about thankfulness and allow daily gratitude to revive your heart this entire month of November and into Thanksgiving!