The New Human Condition

Many of the cleaning products we use today can be extremely harmful to us. A home that is cleaned using harsh chemical cleaners could be very unhealthy to you and your family members. Here are some simple tips for greener cleaning:

Use Fewer Products: Whenever possible, use an all-purpose cleaner. This will generally work for almost any cleaning need including bathroom, kitchen, glass, furniture, etc. All-purpose green cleaners are not harsh on surfaces and can be used in lieu of multiple products.

Avoid Air Fresheners: Air fresheners may smell nice, but they are also releasing chemicals into the air. Some even contain known carcinogens or Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). If you burn candles, burn soy. If an area is in need of a freshening, try simply airing it out using fresh air from a nearby window. A fresh breeze will air out an area and kill most germs and bacteria naturally.

Cut Down on Disinfectants: Anti-bacterial products are overused in the home today. For almost any cleaning job, simple soap and water or an all-purpose cleaner are more than adequate. Anti-bacterial soaps kill off all bacteria, including those that are healthy and necessary for your natural body functions. They have also given rise to “superbugs”, which are antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

Make Your Own Nontoxic Cleaning Products: You can quickly and easily make your own cleaning products that are cheaper and healthier for you. Check out my previous post on making your own cleaners here.

Joe Consumerism, Culture, Green Cleaners, Cleaning

Here are three easy-to-make alternatives to standard cleaning products:

Furniture Polish

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup white distilled vinegar

20-30 drops of lemon oil

Add ingredients together and shake well before using. Put this on a rag or brush and use it as you would a normal furniture polish.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

There are two options here:

1. Sprinkle the inside of the toilet bowl with baking soda, drizzle with vinegar and let this sit for about 30 minutes. Then scrub with a brush or wipe clean.
2. Put ¼ cup borax in the toilet bowl and let it sit for 30 minutes. Scrub with a brush and then wipe clean. Afterwards, add a couple of drops of pine oil as a disinfectant.

All-Purpose Cleaner

2 cups white distilled vinegar

2 cups water

20 to 30 drops of a scented oil (eucalyptus is my favorite, but you can use lavender, lemongrass, etc)

Mix all the ingredients together and pour them into a spray bottle. You can use this on hard surfaces like countertops, tile floors, windows, and mirrors. 

Joe Consumerism, Culture, Health Green, Green Cleaners

Besides just matching up rhythms, when two musicians play together their brain waves synchronize as well. A study by German scientists using jazz guitarists suggests the brain waves of each musician were actually syncing and responding to each other as they listened and played.

Another study on music in the U.S. monitored recovering heart patients and found similar results. As patients listened to relaxing guitar music, their hearts gradually began to beat in time with the music. Over the course of several days, this rhythmic healing helped to mend their bodies post-surgery.

Doctors are increasingly looking at music as a way to help mind and body rejuvenate and reconnect. Music is a very important part of our culture, and can help us to reconnect with our bodies and with each other.

Joe Culture, Health, Music, Spirituality Guitar, Music

This isn’t new, but I just came across it. The video simplifies things some, but does make some really good points about our consumption rates. Hopefully it will get at least a few people to change their ways….(click on the image below to take you to the page)

Joe Consumerism, Culture, Nature Bottled Water, Story of Stuff

In today’s world, stress is inevitable. We live in fast-paced environments that are full of danger, disease, and toxins. We are managing our lives, our jobs, our relationships, our family, and many other things that make up our day. The problem is that stress is horrible for your heart, especially for men. Recent studies have shown increased risk of heart attack and stroke as a result of chronically high stress levels.

It’s not possible to get rid of stress completely, but there are ways to deal with it and keep it at a manageable level.

Sweat it out. Exercise is a stress reliever. Whether you are feeling run down, or just too busy to get in a workout, get it in anyhow…it could be the most important thing you do. Even if you just go for a walk instead of hitting the gym, exercise releases chemicals that make you feel happier, plus you will sleep better at night.

Get Enough Sleep: Sleep is critical to managing your stress levels and to your overall health. In fact, there is probably nothing more important than getting a good’s nights sleep. Studies have shown that getting less than 6 hours of sleep nightly can raise the risk of heart disease by up to 39%. Read about some tips on sleeping better here:

Meditate: You don’t need to get out a yoga mat and sit in lotus position for this. During the day take some time out from whatever you are doing and just think about nothing (easier said than done, I know). Go for a walk, take a bath, or put on a relaxing song or two and just let your mind be at ease.

Don’t Skip Meals (Especially Breakfast): Eating several small meals throughout the day helps regulate your digestion, blood sugar, and energy levels. Your body will put less stress on itself, allowing you to better deal with anything the world throws at you.

Start Talking: If stress levels are really getting to you, talk with a close friend of loved one. Oftentimes they can suggest something that will help you, otherwise sometimes just talking about things helps ease the stress you might be feeling. A counselor could also help if things are really bad.

Remember to Look at the Big Picture: Don’t get too upset about things that are meaningless and out of your control. Did the restaurant get your order wrong? Did someone cut you off on your way to work? Let it go. These small things can really annoy us and add significant stress to our lives. Don’t let them, these things are meaningless in the big picture of life.  

So take care of stress and take care of your heart!

Joe Culture, Health Heart, Stress

One of my goals in life is to live to be 100 or more. As strange as that sounds, becoming a “centenarian” might not be as hard as I think. A new study by health and longevity experts suggests that over half of babies born today will live to 100. Half of today’s college students can also expect to celebrate this birthday milestone if they live a healthy life, eating well and exercising. Click here to read the article in its entirety.

If we are going to live to 100 or more, we need to really be living. This means going after our goals and not just letting life pass us by. 100 years seems like a long time now, but it will probably fly by just like the last “X” number of years have. Life is never guaranteed and we need to make the most of the time we are given. For those who don’t know… my friend Kimi recently passed away. She was someone who really took time to enjoy her life and enrich those of everyone around her. Kimi loved human interaction, and encouraged it whenever she should. She brought a lot of good into the world in her short time here. Read about her life and her impact on the world. We can all take steps to enrich our lives and live more intensely. 

Keep Focused: Stay in the moment. Always be aware of the present. Take note of your surroundings and enjoy them. Too often we rush through our lives from one task to another. Keep your memory sharp by presenting it with creative challenges (puzzles, experiments, social interaction, etc). Don’t abuse alcohol or drugs that dampen the senses. One of my favorite quotes comes from a book called “The Last American Man”:

“There is no way that you can have a decent life as a man if you aren’t awake and aware every moment. Show up for your own life. Don’t pass your days in a stupor, content to swallow whatever watery ideas modern society may bottle feed you through the media, satisfied to slumber through life in an instant gratification sugar coma. The most extraordinary gift you’ve been given is your own humanity, which is about consciousness. So honor that consciousness.”

Eat Smart: Eat a wide variety of foods, and always take a chance to expose yourself to something new. Choose fresh, organic foods when possible. Follow Michael Pollan’s advice: “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” Your body gathers nutrients and essential health compounds from the foods you eat. Read about “Eating in America”:

Relax: Take some time to relax when you are feeling stressed. Stress is an absolute nightmare for the body. It raises blood pressure and anxiety, advances the aging process, and increases the risk of many illnesses, particularly those that are cardiovascular-related. Take time out every day to sit down, enjoy a mug of your favorite beverage, or meditate. Read my post on taking “time-out” to enjoy life here.

Sleep Soundly: Sleep is the best thing you can do to help your body, increase your overall lifespan, and to look and feel younger. The human body undergoes various restorative processes during the sleep cycle, repairing damaged tissues and cells, and compiling memory and mental functions. If you have a hard time getting to sleep at night, read my post on How to Become a Better Sleeper.

Look Your Best: Always take time to put on your best appearance to the world. This doesn’t mean you have to dress up every time you go out (I’m not a huge fan of dress clothes myself…I prefer a old pair of jeans and a comfy t-shirt). But it does mean you should keep your appearance up. Brush your teeth at least daily. Stay clean by showering often, and applying light, natural scents to your skin. Keep your hair and nails neat and trimmed. These may seem like common sense tips, but they are often neglected. Not only will these small things make you look better, you will feel better about yourself as a result.  

Joe Culture, Food and Nutrition, Health Life, Longevity

Ok, the title might be a bit dramatic, but having too much clutter around you can definitely have an impact on your quality of life. Too many physical items around can distract you from your day-to-day goals, and even impact you emotionally (there is a reason why “Zen gardens” are extremely simple in design).

My room tends to look like this if I let it go for too long...

Here are some of the ways too much clutter can have an effect:

Physical:

Besides the obvious hazard of having too much stuff lying around, clutter can lead to physical damage of items or a living space. Things that are not kept organized can destroy items which may be of value, or ruin sensitive parts of a home or living space.

Mental:

Having random items scattered everywhere can make it hard to concentrate on just one thing. So many things are trying to stimulate your senses at one time that it becomes hard to focus your mental energy.

Spiritual:

Going along with mental effects…clutter distracts you from focusing on your own spiritual practice. This is especially true when it comes to focusing spiritual energy in prayer or meditation. Items that are nearby or forced to see will continue to enter your mind and distract you from making the spiritual connection you are trying to make.

Time:

Having too many things can be a huge time-waster as well. Sorting through things, moving them around, and trying to locate certain items will take longer. Time is valuable and should be used for productive means, not digging through a pile of useless items.

Wealth:

The clutter lying around could be worth something. Gather your things, and sell them at a garage sale or on eBay. Not only will you un-clutter your life, you could get a few dollars for your things in return.

Joe Culture Consumerism, Time Management

More and more studies are coming out that show the growth of organic foods in supermarkets across the U.S. This growth is led solely by consumer demand for these products! This is a great thing! People are demanding more organic and fair-trade options when they shop for groceries.

The largest growth category has been in Meats, followed closely by Dairy, then Fruits and Vegetables. These are the three categories that can also be the healthiest for the consumer. These types of products are not a combination of different ingredients to form something new. Rather they are what they are. When we eat an apple, we eat an apple, chicken is chicken, etc. Whatever these plants or animals comsumed during their lifespan, we also consume. If they had been ingested processed food and chemicals, that passes on to us directly. But if they have eaten a natural organic diet, we reap the benefits.

There are only good things to come from this increase in consumer demand. Keep it up!

Joe Culture, Food and Nutrition Organic

Today at lunch, I was catching up on my National Geographic magazine. (I have a tendency to let them pile up for a few months before I get a chance to go through them all). Something I saw in the January 2008 issue really made me think…

The article was about our “high-tech trash”, meaning our old computer equipment, tv’s, cell phones, etc…and where they end up when we throw them away. Sadly, the answer is in third world countries like Ghana, Thailand, Pakistan, and the poorer regions of India and China. Out of all the hierarchies in the world, I didn’t realize that one existed in trash as well. Many things that we use and then discard here in the U.S. gets shipped overseas to a landfull. That way the hazardous materials and chemicals in many electronic devices are no longer our problem…(out of sight, out of mind huh?). This picture really got to me:

This photo by Peter Essick, a National Geographic photographer, shows a boy carrying used copper wiring he had pulled out of the garbage to sell for scrap. Oftentimes the wires are burned to remove the protective coverings. These fires release toxic chemicals into the environment and into the bodies of people collecting these type of things.

Can you imagine that this boy is going through our garbage to find some scrap metal to sell? The contrast between our lifestyle and his is enormous. I cannot even imagine having to do the job that this young boy is doing. But next time I will think twice about where my trash is going…

 I’m going to do another post on poverty and the disparity between developed and developing nations. Look for it soon.

Joe Culture Poverty

Religion and Capitalism don’t mix. In Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, he conceives of “The Invisible Hand:”

…every individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of the society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it. By preferring the support of domestic to that of foreign industry, he intends only his own security; and by directing that industry in such a manner as its produce may be of the greatest value, he intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. Nor is it always the worse for the society that it was no part of it. By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it. I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good.

What Smith is saying is that the economy is structured in such a way that takes advantages of selfish interests. If a company wants to excel, they must improve upon a product or invent a new one that more appeals to the consumer. By doing this, the company is pursuing selfish interests (money) and also improving society by creating more convenient products. That is how capitalism proceeds.

 This being said, the invisible hand has grabbed religion and tossed it aside. It is non-conducive to the economy. The invisible hand and capitalism are so focused on gaining an edge that they bombard the market with new product that seem to be improving exponentially.

 People have so many distractions, they lose focus on religion. They have been catered to by the invisible hand and their lives have become too comfortable. They are distracted (attention deficits) and there are so many alluring alternatives to focus their attention on.

 The bottom line is this: Capitalism, moved by the invisible hand, diverts our attention from religion.

Joe Culture, religion Adam Smith, Capitalism