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Updates
Robin Recommends…Nevada City Seafood
Nevada City Seafood, Inc
Business: Specialty Seafood
Services: What sets Eric and Enedina’s seafood apart from other local markets is freshness, not to mention the variety. Eric drives to the wharf in San Francisco three days a week to bring back to Nevada County the freshest fish available in the foothills. They started the business after struggling to find fresh fish locally to serve at their own dinner table and are very pleased with the number of Nevada County residents who agree! Eric “has it down to a science” in terms of how much fish to bring back from the wharf, to maximize freshness while minimizing waste.
Robin’s Thoughts: The first thing I noticed was that the Nevada City Seafood storefront does not smell fishy! What keeps me going back however, is the friendly customer service provided by the knowledgeable staff. I have made special requests that have been filled with a smile, such as slicing thin a piece of ahi tuna, and during one visit, I inquired about smoked salmon and was pleasantly surprised when Enedina offered me a small sample of three varieties. Yum! They also sell locally made breads and olive oil, another example of commitment to our community. I am especially delighted that Eric and Enedina provide biodegradable and recyclable containers from Xtremely GREEN (another local business: http://xtremelygreen.com), and encourage customers to consider bringing along a small cooler to cut back on the use plastic bags. Good thinking! When Nevada City Seafood is on my list of stop-ins, I grab a cooler, toss in a couple of ice packs, and bring my fish home chilled and ready for dinner!
Contact Info
Web: stay tuned!
Phone: 530-274-2919 Address: 1020 Whispering Pines, Suite G,Grass Valley, CA
Email: nevadacityseafood@gmail.com
A Guided Relaxation Session
Listen to this soothing practice of relaxation breathing. Inhale calm and quiet, exhale tension and stress…
Posted in Audio, Mindfulness, Relax | 
Tags: audio, breathe, Mindfulness, quiet, Relax, soothe | 
1 Comment »On Running In Fort Lauderdale: Pros and Cons
Where to begin? OK, 0945 and still time for a quick run before brunch with mom and dad. I am staying at my sister’s house and she lives in a lovely neighborhood right off of a golf course/club area. (they don’t golf, thank goodness). As my cup is perpetually half-full, I focused on the Pros, but alas, I must admit, there were some Cons…
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Pro |
Con |
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88 degrees, 90% humidity; incredible sweat |
88 degrees, 90% humidity; incredible sweat! |
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Thick hybrid grass, lots of cushion provided for running |
Chemicals being sprayed on thick hybrid grass; golf course watering in the morning, even though it rained overnight |
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Amazing blooming bushes and exotic flowers |
Homeowners spraying more chemicals on amazing blooming bushes and exotic flowers |
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Lizards, box turtles, and one long brown snake |
Flattened snake in the road |
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Ibis, Egrets, Hawks, Blue Heron, unknown but lovely sounding songbirds |
How do the birds and reptiles survive the chemicals? |
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Plastic water bottles along the grass and floating in the mad-made lakes |
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Being reprimanded by a dapper fellow in a golf cart to stay off the course, so they would not be “liable if you get hit by a golf ball” |
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A hot dog and soda concession, on a modified golf cart, cruising around the course |
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No pick-up-after-your-dog rule (guess how I found out??!) |
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A great workout! |
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On Becoming Well
On the last evening of a wonderful 4-day backpack trip into the Eastern Sierras, I noticed a sensation in my throat, sort of a full and scratchy feeling. Not paying too much attention, I assumed that the extreme dust from the trail had irritated my nose and throat. In the middle of the night, I felt a bit achy, but chalked that up to sleeping on a thin pad and carrying a heavy load on the arduous hike. The next day, hiking out and back to civilization, I nearly forgot about not having felt well, I was able to push hard on the 8 mile hike. That night however, wow, I became really ill. Feverish, massive sore throat, cough, headache, runny eyes–yuck, I felt awful.
That was a week ago. After 3 days in bed and laying low at home, I have slowly been becoming well: able to venture out, walk the dog, accomplish a bit of work, food shop, etc. But what a humbling experience this has been. I had not been sick in many, many years–in fact, I prided myself on having vibrant health, on “never getting sick”–all of which I associated with eating healthfully, exercising regularly, and getting adequate sleep.
So much for that pretense of security, eh? Everyone gets sick! Some people are more susceptible to catching the germ that is going around, some people rarely become ill, and some of us are more resistant to germs and recover more quickly if an illness does take a stronghold. Like this flu bug did to me. In spite of my very good eating habits, and of being fit, I got sick. Perhaps the hard miles on the trail, eating trail food (and not very much of it), and the altitude had weakened my resistance–I will never know for sure.
After the initial shock that my body had “let me down” by becoming ill, I capitulated to the process, crawled into bed, and focused on getting well. I drank a lot of water, ate small amounts of healing foods, and was fascinated as I observed my body slowly regain its balance. I am still not quite 100%, but am feeling pretty close now.
My lesson is that in spite of my generally excellent health habits, I am simply human–I get sick–but I am becoming well.
Mindfulness practice with dark chocolate: a perfect combination
Imagine this: a dark chocolate bar, wrapper opened, lying on the kitchen counter. You walk by, grab a square and gobble it up. It’s delicious, but you are left wanting. You hesitate for a moment before you take the second piece, and eat that one even more quickly, to sort of “get it over with”. Your brain is very happy with the chocolate buzz, but your stomach is not quite satisfied. That third square should just about do it…
Now, imagine those couple of moments of less-than-conscious indulgence in a different way–a more mindful way. The 1-inch square of dark chocolate is broken into 3 small but ample chunks. Take the first piece and hold it in your open palm. Sniff it. Lick it. Lick it again. Nibble off a bite, allowing it to melt slowly in your mouth. Feel your tastebuds come alive with the rich flavor. Take another, larger bite from the small piece. Roll it around your mouth with your tongue. Savor the sensuous texture, the incredibly delicious taste, the smell of the chocoate in your nose. Repeat this sensory experience with the next small piece. Take your time, let your brain, your mouth, your tongue, your nose, your throat all get in on this. The last small piece of the 1-inch, very healthy, good-for-you dark chocolate bar, is all yours! Don’t rush. Close your eyes as you let this deep pleasure take over…
How incredible was that mindful chocolate experience? Fantastic!
As I work with clients to faciliate behavior change that leads to their optimal lifestyle managment, I talk often about mindfulness. Being present in the moment allows for a richness of each experience that may be otherwise missed in our familiar hurry-up-to-get-it-done way of living. All aspects of our life can become a deeper and more meaningful experience if we choose to slow down a bit to be present with whatever it is we are doing. Whether it is folding laundry, cooking a meal, listening to our child describe his school day, or eating a 1-inch square of dark chocolate, we will be more satisfied after the fact, simply because we paid attention while we were in that moment.
Many people have a tendency to become over-fed at a meal. Choosing to eat with a mindful approach will keep your brain on par with your stomach, so you will not only be aware of satiation before you feel too full, but your level of pleasure will be increased during and after that meal. This is a key concept to healthy weight management.
Enjoy your square of dark chocolate!
Sundays start with a ride
My husband and I have a standing bike ride date on Sunday mornings. We leave from our house around 8 AM and head off for one of our local loops. The morning air is delicious and oh-so-cool, the smells are damp and fresh, and there are fewer cars on the roads this early. This morning, barely awake was how I felt as we started, but I returned feeling invigorated and zippy. What a great way to start the day — exercise, pleasant temperatures, being with my sweetie, enjoying a quiet ride on familiar roads.
What’d I eat when we got back? A cold, crisp apple smeared with almond butter! Yum.
If you have not been out yet this morning, take this opportunity now, before it gets too hot. If the day is passing you by, make a plan for next weekend to enjoy an outdoor exercise session early in the morning — your day will be better for it!
Happy Sunday.
Your Heart Matters
Something terrific happened this morning while Grace and I were enjoying our morning walk on the ditch.
Two women approached us, coming from the opposite direction. I had seen them several times in the past, typically in the afternoons, but that was before summer arrived. They walk at a fast pace, as intent on the exercise as they are in the animated conversations they share. One of the women looked as though exercise was a relatively new habit, while the other appeared fit and as though she is the “cheerleader”.
I had not seen them for a couple of months, I realized. I noticed immediately that the woman who just months prior was seemingly new to exercise had clearly lost weight and changed her shape! She looked marvelous!
As we met up on the trail, we exchanged pleasantries about the cool morning temperatures, how hot it would be later in the day, and crazy Grace with the soccer ball imbedded in her mouth. I commented with exuberance over the changed appearance of the new walker, and she with well-deserved pride told me that she had lost over 30 pounds by eating well and adding in a routine physical activity program. How fantastic.
The cheerleader then said “You’re Robin, aren’t you? Your business is HeartMatters”! Surprised but pleased, I confessed to her acknowledgment and I asked how she knew about me. Excitedly, she recounted that she had heard me speak twice in the past few months—in early Spring, I had presented at a Soroptimist luncheon, and more recently, the Nevada County Association of Realtors had invited me to speak at their quarterly business meeting. This woman had happened to be at both of those presentations!
The focus of the program for the Soroptimist group had been bringing balance into our lives; women tend to take care of others first, allowing themselves to be last on the priority list. I discussed the opportunity to shift this way of life, as well as strategies to find time during the busy day to sit quietly and create a state of relaxation, to choose real foods that support physical and emotional health, and to establish a routine physical activity program.
The Association of Realtors presentation had a different theme; called Your Heart Matters, I addressed the opportunity to decrease risk factors that lead to disease states (cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes to name a few), and focused on behavior change. The key elements were deep breathing to increase mindfulness and relaxation, positive affirmation, and small step goal achievement.
Back to the conversation with these two fellow walkers… the woman who in the past had seemed to be a newbie to walking, excitedly offered this, “Oh yes, she [her walking mate, the cheerleader] told us all about what you said, about breathing, about setting small step goals, about eating real food…”; “Yes”, said the cheerleader, “you gave us great information and each day I breathe to relax, and to lower my blood pressure! It’s been very helpful.”
I was truly touched, not only by the recognition, but more so by the fact that I had been able to impact the life of a Nevada County community member. What an honor it is for me to share my knowledge with others, and to know that in that sharing comes a motivation, a forward movement towards optimal health. For that opportunity, I am grateful.
Posted in Updates | Tags: behavior change, fitness, motivation, Nevada County, Soroptimist | No Comments »