Earth Nourished Woman

Two Laurens, One Mission, Three Meals

I’m on a mission to encourage everyone to do what I call, “The Seven Healthy Basics”.

1) Get enough sleep.

2) Get enough water.

3) Get enough time outside.

4) Get enough physical activity.

5) Be a HERO-FOODIE.

6) Cultivate healthy relationships.

7) Don’t do stupid stuff.

My friend’s backyard chicken, “Outsiding”.

Part of being a “HERO-FOODIE” is being moderate and down to earth. What’s more moderate and down to earth than eating three meals a day and not snacking? That’s how most people on the planet ate, before the food industry took over our brains and transformed us into mindless “Freaken Fake Food” consumers. Do you want to be back in control of your food choices? Perhaps eating three meals a day will help.

Here are some reasons to eat three meals and not snack.

- There is some indication that eating this way, instead of more frequently, helps the leptin system in our bodies function well. When we respond to leptin as we should, our immune systems work better and we feel satiated by the food we eat.

- Reduces opportunities for mindless eating.

- Increases likelihood that you will eat with good posture, supporting your digestive and overall health.

- Increases likelihood that you will savor your food. Savoring food increases satiety which will decrease your tendency to overeat or to eat “Freaken Fake Food”.

- Increases likelihood that you will chew your food well. Chewing well increases satiety which will decrease your tendency to overeat or to eat “Freaken Fake Food”.

- Increases likelihood that you will eat with people you love. If you do this you are doing two of “The Seven Healthy Basics” at once.

- Increases likelihood that you will choose “Really Real Food” because you’ll be making your food choices with the planning rational part of your brain when you are in the habit of sitting down to eat.

- Increases likelihood that you’ll eat homemade meals.

- Increases likelihood that you’ll eat your veggies.

- Thinking about food, wondering if you should or shouldn’t eat it, increases the chances you’ll eat it. If you’re in the habit of only eating three meals a day, you don’t have to use willpower alone to resist “Freaken Fake Food” and overeating. The force of habit gives you more power than willpower alone.

- Increases likelihood that you’ll drink enough water during the day, because you’ll be less likely to reach for food when you’re actually thirsty.

- Eating regular meals has been shown to promote having quality sleep at night.

- When you eat three meals and clean your teeth after each meal, it’s better for your oral health than snacking and having food on your teeth all day.

- You could save money you might currently spend on snack foods.

- You could break the habit of using food for emotional comfort and learn to find emotional comfort through healthy means.

- If children are observing your behavior, you could be helping them learn healthy food habits.

- Increases the likelihood that you will invest some energy in the aesthetics of your meals. We are nourished in part by the beauty of our food and how it’s presented.

- Eating three meals a day may help your social life if you have been avoiding eating at regular meal times. Social occasions often revolve around sharing a meal.

- Eating tasty food can stimulate your appetite, making you feel more hungry and less satisfied. Snacks are often small and yummy- Just enough to get you going. Just enough to make you crave more of the hot button flavors- sweet, fat, salt.

- When you’re genuinely hungry you’re more likely to enjoy healthy food. When you snack, you might not come to your healthy meals with genuine hunger.

- Increases the chances that you’ll use less plastic packaging. Snack foods are commonly wrapped in plastic and making food from scratch at home usually produces less non-biodegradable waste.

- If you’re someone who doesn’t eat enough, the structure of three meals may get your body and psyche adapted to taking in enough nutrients in a day.

- If you’re someone with more body fat than you want, you may lose excess body fat gradually and painlessly. Many people who switch to this way of eating have this experience.

OK. That wasn’t a million reasons. But you get the picture. I think it’s a good idea to eat “Really Real Food”, serve it on antique service (in our crazy “Freaken Fake Food” culture, we have super sized our plates, bowls, cups and silverware), and eat three meals a day with no snacks.

Grounded. Simple. Common sense. The Earth Nourished Woman way.

Lauren as “The Really Real Food Mary Poppins”

How to help protect your kids from getting conditioned by our crazy freaken food culture to be crazy freaken food consumers. or…

How to raise a HERO-FOODIE-

1) Eat 3 meals a day and don’t snack. If snacking isn’t the cultural norm of your household there will be less opportunity for freaken fake food to creep into your children’s diet. They will be hungrier at meal times, and hunger is the best sauce. (If your child is young enough to still need snacks, just make sure the snacks are given at consistent times, in small portions and eaten at the table.)

2) It’s OK to have special treats on special occasions, just make the treats from real food ingredients and keep portions under control.

3) Model healthy food choices by being a healthy eater yourself.

4) Don’t bring any freaken fake foods into the house. Don’t allow freaken fake food in the house.

5) Eat together as a family. Sit down together at a dining room table with no television or radio on. Talk to each other. Breathe deeply. Chew completely. Sit up straight. Put your fork down in between bites.

6) Get children involved in where food comes from by taking them to local organic farms, and by growing food in your yard. Have them help you grow and cook food.

7) Don’t force them to eat. If they don’t eat what you serve, they will just be hungry until the next meal. Don’t worry. They will not starve. Don’t take it personally. You gave them good food. You have done your job.

8) Don’t give up if you’re not prefect or if you child is getting freaken fake foods outside of the house. Don’t let perfection be the enemy of the good. Just keep shooting for a healthy food culture in your personal choices and in the areas you have control over.

9) Don’t have television in the house. This will cut down on the amount your child is bombarded by corporate sponsored food messaging.

Lauren, Eco-health Performance Artist

If you’re ever confused by something I say, you can come here to learn the language of La-La Land. These are all phrases and words I’ve play-created. (Except for Stupid Stuff and La-La Land, which I just have my own unique definitions for). Please let me know about words and phrases you play-create.

Earth Nourished -

The state one reaches when one is making ecologically intelligent choices about how to be nourished. By nourished I mean, well-fed physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally.

HERO-FOODIE -

A person who supports HERO-FARMERS, is Earth Nourished, and eats a moderate, varied diet of Really Real Food.

HERO-FARMER -

A person who grows food in an ecologically intelligent way. (Any amount of food. From one tomato to an large family farm. Anyone can be a HERO-FARMER.)

The Seven Healthy Basics -

A check list to go through first, when attempting to improve your health. The foundation of an Earth Nourished Life.

Eco-omnivore –

A person who believes that eating some animal foods (including meat) is healthy for humans. A person who knows that the raising of animals for food, when done in ecological ways, creates a more nourishing and sustainable food system. Used in a sentence, “Lauren Michelle Kinsey, The Earth Nourished Woman, is an eco-omnivore.”

Really Real Food-

Food that is grown in ecologically intelligent ways, is processed wisely from farm to mouth, and truly nourishes everyone involved in its production. Each person involved in the production (including farmers, sales people, and chefs) earn a living wage for the work they do. What makes it so “really real” is how it supports the sustained health of everyone.

Freaken Fake Food-

Food that doesn’t support the sustained health of the individual and/or the broader community.

Stupid Stuff-

The things we do that run counter to our lasting happiness and block us from reaching healthy goals.

Spliciferating –

Getting so caught up in details that “The Seven Healthy Basics” get overlooked and neglected. The tendency to develop phobias and neurosis around food and health behaviors as an attempt to gain health, or deal with the stresses of life by over-controlling one area of life.

A portmanteau of the words splicing, specifics, and perseverating.

Pronounced- splah-siff-er-ate-ing

Awefabwonderay! -

A word to use when you want to say, “That is awesome, fabulous and wonderful! Hooray!”

Play-creating-

Creating good things with a playful, experimental, adventurous, and co-operative attitude.

Outsiding-

Getting outside.

La-La Land-

Lauren’s World.

Eco-health-

A word that communicates the inherent connection between things that are ecologically intelligent and things that are healthy for our bodies. Used in a sentence- “Grass-fed meat is eco-healthy.”

Eco-health Performance Artist-

Anyone who promotes eco-health through art. Used in a sentence, “Lauren Michelle Kinsey is a leading eco-health performance artist, who performs under the title, The Earth Nourished Woman.”

Little Lauren, Mad at Her Big Brother For Emulating Stupid Stuff

Let’s say you have low energy, or you get sick often, or your sex drive is low, or you have lost your zest for life, or you’re not thinking as clearly as you like to, or you’re constipated, or you have back pain, or you have more body fat than is healthy for you, or you don’t look as lovely as you’d like to, or you’re congested, or you have heartburn, or you have high blood pressure, or you have high cholesterol, or you have dry skin or a rash, or some other health issue.

You’ve made sure that your symptoms aren’t pointing to a major health issue that only a licensed health professional could help you with.

Now you’re researching ways to address your health issue. You want to do it naturally. You want to be self empowered. You’re not excited about the idea of taking prescription drugs that may only be masking symptoms and at the same time giving you a host of side effects to deal with.

Where do you start your research? Before you spend a dime, or start some trendy or fringe diet, or start some extreme exercise program, or run away to join the circus, you go through “The Seven Healthy Basics”.

You ask yourself-

1) Am I getting enough sleep? (If you aren’t, you start practicing good sleep hygiene to improve your sleep.)

2) Am I getting enough water? (If you aren’t, you start designing ways to get yourself to drink more water every day.)

3) Am I getting enough time outside? (If you aren’t, you start planning ways to get more time outside every day.)

4) Am I getting enough physical activity? (If you aren’t, you design a strategy for ways to gently expand your physical capacity through movement. You design an approach that is realistic for your body and your life. You refine your program as your body gets more fit.)

5) Am I a HERO-FOODIE? (If you aren’t, you brainstorm ways to start eating better. You move yourself in a positive direction with your food choices.)

6) Do I cultivate healthy relationships? (If you are in toxic relationships you face that and address the problem. If you have wonderful relationships you remember to invest time and energy into them on a regular basis to keep them strong. If you need to form better relationships you invest time and energy into doing so.)

7) Do I do any stupid stuff? (If you are smoking cigarettes or doing other things you know are stupid, you do what it takes to quit. No amount of taking expensive supplements or getting a good night’s sleep is going to make up for doing stupid stuff to your body. Luckily, doing the other Seven Healthy Basics will make it easier for you to quit doing stupid stuff. Even if it’s hard to stop your stupid stuff, do it anyway. You are worthy of such a loving choice.)

Little Lauren, Giving Some Hard to Hear Advice to Her Big Brother

But Lauren! What exactly is stupid stuff? How do I know if something is stupid?

OK, here’s a trick. Sit down with some paper and a pen. Write “Stupid Stuff I Do” at the top of the page. Now, without editing or thinking too much, or distracting yourself, just start writing. We all know on some level what our stupid stuff is. Once you have it in writing, it will be harder to be in denial about. Look through your list and circle the thing that is the most destructive. Start with that one.

Get support to stop your stupid stuff. Humans need each other. It’s OK to ask for help.

I’m on a mission to encourage everyone to do what I call, “The Seven Healthy Basics”.

1) Get enough sleep.

2) Get enough water.

3) Get enough time outside.

4) Get enough physical activity.

5) Be a HERO-FOODIE.

6) Cultivate healthy relationships.

7) Don’t do stupid stuff.

This blog post on cultivating healthy relationships is the sixth in a series of posts that go into more detail about about what I mean by each of “The Seven”.

Stress kills.

Toxic relationships are one of the biggest stresses we can experience.

Healthy relationships lower stress.

If you want to be healthy, walk away from toxic relationships. Study assertiveness so you can handle any necessary interactions with people who are unhealthy in how they treat you.

If you want to be healthy, invest time and energy into forming and cultivating relationships with people who bring out the best in you. Stand by the people who have been good to you. Choose to be close to people who help you grow.

Choose to be close to people who aren’t aggressive, or passive aggressive, and can express themselves assertively. Be assertive.

Choose to be close to people who through their words and actions show they are trustworthy. Be trustworthy.

Reveal yourself fully. Intimacy is built on trust and on being seen and loved for who we really are. Knowing that you are loved in this deep way, will lower your stress level.

Everyone needs at least three Nourishing Friends they see regularly-

Nourishing Friends-

1) Live close by so you can see them in person regularly.

2) Are able to both give and take emotional support.

3) Know you deeply and love you for who you really are. You can talk about anything with them, no matter how personal.

Friendships like these go a long long way toward insuring your good health, and the lack of friendships like these can be a major contributor to stress and health issues.

Even more important than having good relationships is not having bad ones. If you have trouble determining if a relationship is bad or not, read self help books and/or talk to a therapist. Understanding how you should expect to be treated is a wise and vital investment in your lifelong health.

Lauren, HERO-FOODIE.

I’m on a mission to encourage everyone to do what I call, “The Seven Healthy Basics”.

1) Get enough sleep.

2) Get enough water.

3) Get enough time outside.

4) Get enough physical activity.

5) Be a HERO-FOODIE.

6) Cultivate healthy relationships.

7) Don’t do stupid stuff.

This blog post on how to be a HERO-FOODIE is the fifth in a series of posts that go into more detail about about what I mean by each of “The Seven”.

A HERO-FOODIE is someone who supports HERO-FARMERS. A HERO-FARMER is someone who grows food in an ecologically intelligent way.

A HERO-FOODIE has a common sense, down-to-earth, holistic approach to food. They get the highest quality food they are able to and they make meals at home from whole foods as often as they can. They grow and gather some food if they are able. They eat a varied diet. They eat “Really Real Food”. It’s quite simple really.

One HERO-FOODIE slogan is “Don’t panic, go organic. Don’t go postal, go local. Don’t worry child, eat wild.” This can also be turned into a cheer if you are so inclined. I sometimes like to day dream about eco-hip cheerleaders chanting HERO-FOODIE slogans. Some day this dream will be realized.

Lauren, Posed In Such a Way as to Abstractly Convey Movement

I’m on a mission to encourage everyone to do what I call, “The Seven Healthy Basics”.

1) Get enough sleep.

2) Get enough water.

3) Get enough time outside.

4) Get enough physical activity.

5) Be a HERO-FOODIE.

6) Cultivate healthy relationships.

7) Don’t do stupid stuff.

This blog post on physical activity is the fourth in a series of posts that will go into more detail about about what I mean by each of “The Seven”.

Even something as simple as advice to get enough physical activity can be met with protest. So I am am going to give those concerns a voice, via a character. This character’s name is Mrs. Tunicate.

Lauren’s Rendering of Mrs. Tunicate

Mrs. Tunicate says-

No Lauren! Don’t tell me to be active! Physical activity is boring! I’m too busy! I have physical limitations! You’ve told me that overexercise is bad, but how the heck do I tell if I’m overexercising?

Earth Nourished Woman says-

Oh Mrs. Tunicate. I understand why you’re afraid. I will address your concerns one by one.

Tunicate Concern #1)

There are so many ways to move your body, and you are such a creative and resourceful person. I’m sure you can find ways to move that are enjoyable for you.

Tunicate Concern #2)

Do what you can to prioritize health as you design your life, then simply do what you are able to in the time that you have. Even little bits, done consistently add up. Just google “five-minute fitness” and many suggestions will come up.

Tunicate Concern #3)

Work with what you have to do what you can. Your creativity and resourcefulness are endless. What you end up doing for physical activity may look nothing like what it looks like for the mainstream. That’s wonderful! Congratulate yourself for designing something that was made specifically for the needs and limitations of your body. Google “exercising with a disability” and many ideas will come up.

Tunicate Concern #4)

Some symptoms of over-training include-

- Excessive aches in your muscles, bones or joints

- Pain

- Elevated morning pulse

- Decrease in performance (Your ability is declining instead of increasing. For example, you can lift less weight instead of more.)

- Strain

- Injury

- Exhaustion ( You may think you have to work out until you are wiped out to get any results. A better approach is to gently expand your capacity over time. When you are doing this you will enjoy your activity and feel invigorated by it, not exhausted by it.)

- Menstruation stops or is delayed

- You lose your appetite and aren’t able to eat enough food

- Your morning basal body temperature is declining

- Your moods are darker than normal

- Insomnia

When you find your balance point and get enough physical activity, you might-

- increase your strength, endurance, and flexibility

- lose body fat (Not just because of the “calories in/calories out” equation, but because of improved hormonal balance and decreased stress level and a higher metabolism from increased muscle mass)

- look better

- feel better about yourself

- sleep better at night

- feel happier, more creative and more emotionally resilient

- have a greater ability to enjoy healthy sexual intimacy

- live longer

- have more energy

- have that healthy glow to your skin

- be more productive

- be nicer to people

Lauren “Outsiding”

I’m on a mission to encourage everyone to do what I call, “The Seven Healthy Basics”.

1) Get enough sleep.

2) Get enough water.

3) Get enough time outside.

4) Get enough physical activity.

5) Be a HERO-FOODIE.

6) Cultivate healthy relationships.

7) Don’t do stupid stuff.

This blog post on “outsiding” (my newly created word to quickly say “getting outside”) is the third in a series of posts that will go into more detail about about what I mean by each of “The Seven”.

Even something as simple as advice to get enough time outside can be met with protest. So I am am going to give those concerns a voice, via a character. This character’s name is Mrs. Bandicoot.

Lauren’s Rendering of Mrs. Bandicoot

Mrs. Bandicoot says-

No Lauren! Don’t tell me to go outside! The sun is trying to kill me. The mosquitoes transmit deadly diseases. The ticks are killers too. It’s too hot outside. It’s too cold outside. It’s raining! It’s windy!

Earth Nourished Woman says-

Oh Mrs. Bandicoot. I understand why you’re afraid. I will address your concerns one by one.

Bandicoot Concern #1)

The sun is dangerous if we get too much of it and in certain places in the world the dangers are even more intense due to the destruction of the ozone layer. Learn about what medical experts recommend for sun exposure in your part of the world and figure out the safer ways to get enough sunlight on your skin and in your eyes.

Bandicoot Concern #2)

As climate change continues to intensify, the danger of infectious diseases transmitted through insects worsens. You can address this concern with learning about proper protective clothing for the outdoor activity of your choice, combined with using natural bug repellents. You can create non-toxic repellents yourself from essential oils or you can purchase them at your local health food store. Everything in life involves some level of risk, even driving in a car or riding a bike. What matters is accurately calculating risk/reward ratios.

Bandicoot Concern #3)

Uncomfortable weather conditions can be easily addressed with proper attire, proper perspective and acclimatization. Many people have learned to love the beauty of snow, rain, cold, heat, wind, and ice. All can be understood and healthfully enjoyed.

Why we need sun on our skin-

Vitamin D (You can get vitamin D through supplementation but then you are in danger of getting too much. When you get it from the sun on your skin, your body has a mechanism that prevents overdose. When you get it from supplements you might also have trouble absorbing it.)

Vitamin D has numerous health benefits, including improved immunity, bone density, and resistance to disease.

Why we need natural sunlight in our eyes-

Sleep quality is better at night when we are exposed to natural light during the day.

Mood improves through the hormones that are stimulated by natural light.

When you get outside you might-

Get fresh air.

Feel connected to nature.

See, feel, smell and hear beauty.

Take a break from EMF pollution.

Bask in negative ions.

Improve your eye health.

Get away from television and the computer.

Meet people.

Be more likely to feel comfortable gathering nutrient dense wild food and medicinal herbs and mushrooms and provide yourself with the opportunity to come across these things.

Lose body fat and have that healthy glow that makeup tries to imitate.

Expand your comfort zone.

Feel empowered.

Be more physically active.

A well hydrated Lauren with one of her favorite water jars.

I’m on a mission to encourage everyone to do what I call, “The Seven Healthy Basics”.

1) Get enough sleep.

2) Get enough water.

3) Get enough time outside.

4) Get enough physical activity.

5) Be a HERO-FOODIE.

6) Cultivate healthy relationships.

7) Don’t do stupid stuff.

This blog post on water is the second in a series of posts that will go into more detail about about what I mean by each of “The Seven”.

Glass water storage containers don’t leach plastics into your water.

How do I tell if I’m not drinking enough water?

Some possible symptoms of not getting enough water are-

1) Your urine is darker than straw color and/or has a strong odor

2) When you pinch your skin it doesn’t immediately regain its shape

3) headaches

4) low energy

5) dry eyes

6) dry skin

7) difficulty concentrating

8) heartburn

9) constipation

10) unpleasant mood/mental state

How do I tell if I’m getting enough water?

“If you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate.”

~ The Mayo Clinic Website

What are some possible benefits of getting enough water?

1) Less environmental toxins stored in the body

2) More energy

3) Better sleep

4) Better moods

5) Better hormonal balance

6) Better looking skin

7) Less body fat

8) A higher metabolism

9) Clearer thinking

10) Better digestion

11) Less false hunger

Water is the universal beautifier.

What are some ways to increase my water intake?

1) Start your day with water.

2) Keep water nearby throughout the day.

3) Put up visual reminders.

4) If you experience any of the “symptoms of not getting enough water” I listed above, think of water as the first thing to try.

5) Make drinking water part of your daily routine.

6) Make it taste better by choosing the highest quality water you can. (High quality water is free of chlorine and other contaminants).

Lauren, as woodland nymph rising from slumber.

I am on a mission to encourage everyone to do what I call, “The Seven Healthy Basics”.

1) Get enough sleep.

2) Get enough water.

3) Get enough time outside.

4) Get enough physical activity.

5) Be a HERO-FOODIE.

6) Cultivate healthy relationships.

7) Don’t do stupid stuff.

This blog post on sleep is the first in a series of blog posts that go into more detail about about what I mean by each of “The Seven”.

Sleep is a powerful medicine with the potential to transform your health and enhance your beauty.

We all know sleep is a good thing, but it’s not often the first thing we prioritize. It’s rarely the first thing we think of turning to when faced with a health issue.

We all know stress is a killer, and lack of sleep is a constant low grade stress on our bodies. Even so, not all of us know how to increase our chances of getting the sleep we need.

Sleep scientists promote something they call “sleep hygiene”. If we practice good sleep hygiene we are likely to get good sleep.

I’m going to list out all the different recommendations for sleep hygiene, but I am not going to explain why they work. There has been extensive research into why each part is useful and if you’re curious a simple google search will give you more detail. This blog post is simply a short and sweet “How To” for people who understand why sleep is important and want a clear, easy to read list of things to put into practice to get better sleep.

Practicing good sleep hygiene requires that we prioritize sleep and build our lives with sleep hygiene as a core part of our routine. This practice can run counter to the way our society is structured, so you may feel like a bit of a pioneer if you adopt it.

Just do what you can to the best of your ability and improve as you are able.

You will feel and see the rewards.

Recommended Practices for Good Sleep Hygiene-

1) Consistently wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.

2) Use blackout blinds to make your room as dark as possible at night.

3) Don’t use clocks that glow in the dark or other appliances that emit light in your bedroom at night.

4) Develop a bedtime routine you can do each night that will help you wind down for sleep.

5) Don’t use the bedroom for anything other than sleep and sexual intimacy.

6) If you wake in the middle of the night, don’t turn on the TV, computer, or any bright lights. Stay in bed and relax for around twenty minutes. If you don’t get back to sleep, get out of bed and (using dim lights only) do something calm and quiet until you are tired enough to get back to sleep. This is an ideal time to practice a relaxation technique.

7) Limit naps during the day to under 45 minutes. Don’t take naps after 2pm.

8) Avoid nicotine, caffeine, other stimulants, large meals, spicy food, alcohol, and exercising in the hours before bedtime.

9) Consistently go to sleep at the same time every night.

10) Go outside and expose yourself to natural light first thing in the morning.

11) Get plenty of physical activity each day but don’t over exercise.

12) Eat a healthy diet.

13) Invest in healthy relationships so you have the emotional support you need to resolve the internal conflicts that may disrupt sleep.

14) Stay hydrated throughout the day.

15) Make your sleep environment as quiet as possible and/or use earplugs and a white noise machine.

16) Keeping a regular daily schedule will help your circadian rhythms stay regular, and keep you on track for good sleep at night.

17) Sleep with plants in the room to enhance air quality. Some plants are better than others at removing harmful toxins from the air. Mother-in-Law’s Tongue also known as Snake Plant, removes toxins like formaldehyde (which can be found in many mattresses, pillows and bed frames) and it gives off oxygen at night.