Food In Travels: 2014

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Food Prices On The Rise: 4 Tips To Save & Eat Healthy

By Carly Harrill on May 30, 2014

It looks like consumers will be coming up against some major sticker shock at their local grocer. Economic projections show that retail food prices could rise as much as 3.5 percent in 2014—the biggest annual spike in almost three years. According to a recent Arizona State University (ASU) study, the biggest hit will be to the produce aisle where many of us get our inspiration to eat healthy.

The study found that produce staples, including lettuce, avocados, broccoli, tomatoes, and peppers, are all expected to jump in cost over the next few months, in some cases significantly. A head of lettuce could increase as much as 34 percent, from 62 cents to $2.44, while avocados could rise .35 cents to cost healthy shoppers $1.60 each. Overall, fruit and veggie prices have increased nearly 2 percent since February.

The price tag on produce is not the only to see gains. A steady increase in animal proteins may motivate some carnivores to limit the BBQ’ing this summer.

Read more about reducing your food waste
Over the last year, meat prices have risen more than 5 percent with the cost of beef and pork expected to top out at a 7 percent increase by end of 2014. Meanwhile, dairy has jumped 2.4 percent in price and the cost of eggs—thanks to an avian flu outbreak—is up almost 10 percent.

Enough with the depressing numbers: why are our food bills doubling?

The hit to our wallets is largely the work of Mother Nature, from droughts to disease to supply. Much of the fanfare points to California, the source of roughly half of the nation’s produce, where a serious drought is leaving farmers with little choice but to cut food production. This, met by a five-year drought in the Midwest, has affected costs of meat as it becomes costlier to feed livestock. A deadly virus that wiped out more than 6 million piglets in 2013 only intensified the pressure, leading to a jolt in pork prices.

We can expect the food sticker shock to linger, if not grow, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), who reports "large and lasting effects on fruit, vegetable, dairy and egg prices."

With this in perspective, there are always ways to beat the system to save some money and still eat healthy. Here are some tips to lower your grocery bill without lowering your family’s appetite.

Tip #1: Cut and chop it up yourself. Buying precut meats, fruits and vegetables drives the cost up roughly 60 percent. Buy them whole and take the time to cut them up yourself, then freeze or store in air-tight containers.

Tip #2: Cut out the middleman. Grocery stores pass their food costs on to the consumer, and then pad it for profit. Buy your meats, dairy and produce directly from local farmers by visiting your neighborhood farmers’ market or signing up to receive a box of fresh food delivered to your door each month via a local Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA). This can save you a surprising amount of money (and it’s like Christmas when that box shows up on your doorstep!)

Tip #3: Grow your own. Have you secretly wanted to start your own garden but keep delaying? Well, no better time than the present. Start small (and simple!) by growing fresh herbs, and then expand your garden as you experiment with your green thumb. If you lack yard space but have access to plenty of light, consider indoor container gardening. (Check out Pinterest for inspiration.) Avocados, carrots, salad greens, lemons, mushrooms, tomatoes, and oranges are just a handful of the healthy, edibles that thrive indoors. Having fresh herbs and produce around you will only inspire you to eat healthy when cheap processed foods are calling your name.

Read more about freezing summer fruits and vegetables

Tip #4: Buy frozen. While we think fresh is always best, frozen produce may be gaining more of the spotlight as cost increases. For one, most frozen foods are cheaper than their fresh counterparts and they have a longer shelflife. But could frozen be more nutritious, too? “The second produce is harvested, it begins to lose nutrients,” says Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD. “Since frozen produce is typically iced close to the time it’s picked, and freezing preserves and possibly boosts antioxidants and nutrients, freezing essentially “locks in” good nutrition.” Additionally, freezing inherently preserves food so preservatives aren’t needed in pre-packaged frozen fruits and veggies. It’s a win-win.

Personal Responsibility For Our Health in 2015

Excerpt from Marco Torres & Michael Forrester, Waking Times Post

We can no longer hide from the disease epidemics nor face the consequences of sustaining a chronically ill population with ever-increasing health care costs. Fear has driven millions of people to submit to medical practitioners who can only provide symptomatic relief and inevitably prolong illness. This is changing and as we begin to honor the many great Physicians for their good will, we will also see the limitations of medical practice and its ability to heal.
We will soon stop blaming others for our personal failures regarding our state of health. We will begin taking a greater sense of responsibility in what we eat and how we move our bodies. We will pursue physical activity to a greater extent this year for enjoyment and health rather than fitness or weight loss. Constant, consistent physical movement throughout our daily lives is the single most important thingwe can do to be physically healthier and smarter, regardless of age. It’s time for an new era in movement. Movement towards physical and mental health. As we align with physical activities that allow us to express our movement patterns, more people will benefit from increased cardiovascular and muscular health. Nutrition as well as our choice of health practitioners will also take on new experimentation in 2015 as we become more comfortable with giving our bodies personalized nutrients and care at the highest levels with experts that can provide guidance on how we can heal ourselves.

5 Trends You Will See Intensify in 2015

By WakingTimes December 31, 2014

Marco Torres & Michael Forrester, Prevent Disease
Waking Times
We are creatures of habit and when things go wrong we play the blame game, whether it be directed to ourselves or others. The coming year will be shaped by an increased sense of personal responsibility and rising numbers of people divided on critical issues related to our food supply, our water, our medicine, our health and the planet itself.
All nations on Earth are now living in the times of change and accelerated chaos. Nothing is the same any more. The past few years alone have been a thorn in the side of Mr and Mrs. Consistency. In fact, the only thing that has been consistent is change. As each year passes, we see a greater contrast in shorter period of time.
Those who want change are putting their neck out and standing up for what they believe in. Others are satisfied with following the blind. Some claim the difference is being awakened while others suggest it’s just our time for a major shift to shake what we believe to be normal.
The greatest divisions to separate our species are unfolding at this very moment and the trends that have defined the landscapes of societal values, political will and moral education are being challenged at unprecedented levels. Here are 5 trends that will intensify next year.

1) People Eating For Health Rather Than Fads

More people will begin eating for their health and not necessarily choosing a dietary strategy based on a moral decision. That means diet fads will eventually become obsolete as people become ultra informed on making decisions that best suit their metabolic type. The future of nutrition will be based on eating to “fuel” our body’s cells and our engines of metabolism. As more people migrate to the foods that align with their own body, rather than a perceived ideal of what we “should” eat, we will see a growing contingency of healthy eaters who select foods based on the best possible choices for individualized nutrition. This means there will be two types of people moving forward: those who cannot move past their own ideology; and those that will. For those that will, it will mean a lesser extent of arguments, debates and anger directed towards specific dietary choices, regardless of whether somebody chooses vegan, raw, vegetarian, paleo, Mediterranean, junk food, etc. It won’t matter as much as it used to. More people will be concerned about the purity of our food and water supply, the banning of GMOs, agricultural practices and so many other issues that will bind groups together towards a common goal. For those who cannot move past their dietary ideologies and accept those of others, they will detach from this growing contingency and unfortunately be left in the minority.

2) People Standing Against Toxins In Our Food

Growing numbers are also now uniformly rejecting toxic additives in our food supply. As the evidence continues to mount against artificial flavors/colors, enriched wheat, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, canola oil, aspartame and the abundance of other harmful preservatives, emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners, the public perception of food production is changing. We are on the precipice of discovering what our toxic food industry has done to our bodies and our environment. What used to be acceptable is no longer acceptable and people are speaking up. There is a heightened awareness and a sense of caution on the minds of most grocery shoppers. The length of time spent reading ingredient labels in between aisles has increased exponentially in the last decade. There will be growing interest in whole foods, fermented foods, non-gmo verification, superfoods, clean and affordable filtered water, sustainable food supplies among many other trends.

3) People Standing Against Toxins In Our Water Supply

The next two years will see more communities remove dangerous chemicals such as fluoride from their water supplies. Since 2010, 168 communities have rejected fluoride and those numbers will only continue to grow. More Americans will become informed on the fact that fluoride is one of the few openly admitted toxins by the US government, known to be harmful to our health, yet absolutely no action is being taken to restrict its use on a federal level. The evidence that fluoridation is more harmful than beneficial is now overwhelming and policy makers who avoid thoroughly reviewing recent data and banning the toxin will risk a huge backlash from the public as supporters for non-fluoridated communities rise.

4) People Standing Against Toxins In Medicine

Perhaps the most evident in this area will be among vaccines. There are simply no safe vaccines and there is no possibility at this time of making vaccines safer because manufacturers are unwilling to remove the toxins they claim are necessary within vaccine formulations. People are now listening more than ever and the message is spreading like wild fire. The evidence being highlighted is that the historical significance and effectiveness of vaccines is nothing more than repeated myths absent of any real-life data. Unless you don’t have an opinion at all on vaccines, you likely fall into one of the five phases of awareness and awakeningand the coming year will shift more people from being on the fence, to coming to terms with all the risks that outweigh the benefits. There are now millions of educated and informed groups of people that will stop at nothing to expose the dangers of vaccinations. Their numbers are growing by the day and as government and medical officials hold on to the vaccination fairy tale that it does no harm, the separation between those who continue to propagate this myth and those against it will only intensify in 2015. Among health care, there is also mass interest in alternative and complementary health methods which is now a multi billion dollar industry, especially as the skepticism of medical patients increases regarding conventional medicine, their methods and symptomatic short-term thinking which many believe has caused western nations great disservice regarding human health.

5) Personal Responsibility For Our Health

We can no longer hide from the disease epidemics nor face the consequences of sustaining a chronically ill population with ever-increasing health care costs. Fear has driven millions of people to submit to medical practitioners who can only provide symptomatic relief and inevitably prolong illness. This is changing and as we begin to honor the many great Physicians for their good will, we will also see the limitations of medical practice and its ability to heal.
We will soon stop blaming others for our personal failures regarding our state of health. We will begin taking a greater sense of responsibility in what we eat and how we move our bodies. We will pursue physical activity to a greater extent this year for enjoyment and health rather than fitness or weight loss. Constant, consistent physical movement throughout our daily lives is the single most important thingwe can do to be physically healthier and smarter, regardless of age. It’s time for an new era in movement. Movement towards physical and mental health. As we align with physical activities that allow us to express our movement patterns, more people will benefit from increased cardiovascular and muscular health. Nutrition as well as our choice of health practitioners will also take on new experimentation in 2015 as we become more comfortable with giving our bodies personalized nutrients and care at the highest levels with experts that can provide guidance on how we can heal ourselves.

Do Cosmic Rays Evolve Consciousness And Transform DNA?

By WakingTimes December 30, 2014

Elina St-Onge, Collective-Evolution
Waking Times

26 years ago in the year 1987, something happened and the world felt it. The first globally synchronized meditation –commonly known as the first “Harmonic Convergence” – took place. Tens of thousands of people gathered all around the world at sacred sites around the planet to co-ordinate their intention. What intention? José Arguelles, who initiated the meditation put it this way:

“There comes a point when things have to change. A vibration signal was sent out. Where the signal was coming from – whether it was coming from our genetic coding, whether it was coming from the Earth, whether it was coming from outer space, or whether it was coming from all of those – this signal went out and people responded to a signal. It is very much like when a species gets a signal to change the direction of its migration pattern.” – José Arguelles

It was from that year on that the human mind began to open up more than it ever has before. Even though the status quo resisted these new ideas, more and more people began seeing through the old paradigm of war, environmental destruction, poverty, slavery and materialism, and instead opened their eyes and minds to a more wholistic worldview. People began questioning the many structures of society, and suppressed information began to resurface and become available to the masses. Ever since 1987, human consciousness has experienced a noticeable acceleration.

Now what is this all about? And why 26 years ago? Is this just some new age speculative talk? As much as world change is not a concept that needs to be backed up by science to be recognized as important, interesting studies have shown that this evolutionary movement isn’t just a coincidence or a simple initiative of a few individuals. The whole cosmos seems to be in.

Cosmic Rays and Human DNA

Before delving into the significance of the year 1987, let’s explore what scientists have discovered to be a key factor in the evolution of life: Cosmic rays. Cosmic rays are light waves of a very high frequency that have been shown to transform human DNA –therefore affecting human evolution. In fact, an analysis of ice cores extracted from polar stations in Greenland and Antartica have demonstrated that about 12,000 years ago and 34,000 years ago, an incredible increase in cosmic rays occurred. Scientists were astonished to find that both times correspond to periods of great leaps in human evolution in terms of art, technology and state of consciousness. Andrew Collins, a science and history writer who has studied the effects of cosmic rays, said:

“The effects of cosmic rays on our own genetics has led to mutations within the body, within the mind, the brain, that has altered our perception of reality… The correspondence between ancient cosmic ray levels and sudden evolutionary leaps and human technology and art are facts.”

Even as far back as 1973, famous science writer and astronomer Carl Sagan spoke about how cosmic rays cause DNA mutations and would have affected human evolution.

Cosmic rays are passing through the Earth and our bodies all the time due to ambient processes of the cosmos – hence, there is always a slow and gradual evolution taking place. However, in 1987 – the same year when a spark of change was being felt across the world –something different took place. A Supernova occurred close enough to the Earth that it was visible to the naked eye. Cool, but what does that have to do with anything?
A Supernova is a rare stellar explosion so powerful that its radiation can briefly outshine an entire galaxy, releasing as much energy as the sun is expected to emit over its whole life. What type of energy are supernova’s known to emit? You guessed it: Cosmic rays. 1987’s supernova – scientifically referred to as Supernova 1987A – propelled evolution-inducing cosmic rays throughout the universe that have reached planet Earth and are still affecting us to this day. In 1987, an evolution in consciousness began – followed by a growing global movement for change. Coincidence or not, the connection between rising frequencies and rising consciousness is factual.

“Are you aware that a Shift in human consciousness is occurring, even as you read these words, that employs celestial triggers such as supernovas and Earth’s alignment with Galactic Center in the years leading up to 2012, to trigger the evolution of our species?” – Sol Luckman

Around and after the year of 1987, many other celestial events have occurred; the most known being a massive increase in solar flares (also producing cosmic rays) and a rapid decrease of the Earth’s magnetic field – both of which are happening to this day. The Earth’s magnetic field is known to act as a shield against high frequencies… so what happens when it weakens? All the goodness of high frequencies seeps right in. Now many would think this is crazy because of the common belief that they are dangerous, however the purpose of cosmic rays and other high frequencies isn’t to fry us alive; but to gradually instigate the evolution of our DNA; the blueprint of our level of consciousness.
According to medical science, we have 2 strands of DNA and 10 strands of “junk” DNA which are believed to have no purpose whatsoever. But what if this so-called “junk” DNA is merely dormant DNA? Studies show that our dormant DNA is now reactivating.
Dr. Berrenda Fox, physiologist and naturopath (who was later on “silenced” by the government and given a bad name to suppress such information) said it herself:

“Everyone has one double helix of DNA. What we are finding is that there are other helixes that are being formed. In the double helix there are two strands of DNA coiled into a spiral. It is my understanding that we will be developing twelve helixes. During this time, which seems to have started maybe 5 to 20 years ago, we have been mutating. This is the scientific explanation. It is a mutation of our species into something for which the end result is not yet known. I am working with three children right now who have three DNA helixes… Some adults that I have tested actually do have another DNA helix forming. Some are even getting their third. These people are going through a lot of major shifts in their consciousness and physical bodies, because it is all one. In my opinion, the Earth and everyone here is raising its vibration… A lot of the old paradigms can no longer exist, yet are fighting to be maintained, but there is no doubt that it is changing. Those of us who have chose to live at this time are the forerunners of almost a new species.” – Dr. Berrenda Fox

Could this be the beginning of another evolutionary leap? I think so.

About the Author

My name is Elina and I’ve been writing for Collective Evolution since 2010. My main focus as a writer is to unveil the wisdom and lessons I learn from my personal experiences and observations, and share it with all of you in hopes that it will assist others to see the challenges within their own journey in a new light. A bit more about me: I love photography, I enjoy drawing, I’m a pretty decent percussionist, I love nature and animals, I like grilled veggie paninis… other than that, I have no set life plan but I aim to enjoy the moment and stay open to all possibilities! Feel free to e-mail me: stonge.elina@gmail.com. [[[Check out my new Ebook ‘How To Change The World’ Here: https://www.facebook.com/HTCTW.book]]]

Is Monsanto’s GMO Corn Causing Gluten Intolerance?

By Andrea Donsky on May 18, 2014

I’ve been gluten-free for at least five years.
I decided to cut out gluten from my diet because of how I felt every time I ate it. I can describe it in one word: Awful.
More and more research is now showing that gluten may be less tolerable to the digestive system than it once was. A study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology found that Bacillus thuringlensis or BT Toxin added to Monsanto’s GMO corn is not destroyed during digestion. As a result, it may actually damage human intestinal cells, causing sensitivities like gluten intolerance and autoimmune diseases like Celiac disease. While Celiac disease is much better understood today than it was 50 years ago, it’s also diagnosed five times as often. If you look around, you’ll notice that more and more people have issues with gluten than ever did before, and GMO corn could be partially to blame.
Read more about where to vacation if you have Celiac disease

Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity on the Rise

Today, one percent of the population has Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disease with symptoms that include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and even diminished growth rates in kids. It also causes damage to the intestines. Gluten intolerance, on the other hand, has a much bigger pool with seven percent of the population having what’s called Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS), marked by gastrointestinal issues, headaches, joint pain and numbness, and even depression.

Doctors test for Celiac disease. With regards to NCGS, if you think that you might be gluten intolerant, consider a gluten-free diet for a month. Once it’s completely out of your system, reintroduce it and notice whether you have adverse reactions to gluten. You can also get comprehensive testing through Cyrex Laboratories. They test for various proteins as well as foods that mimic the effects of gluten. Your healthcare practitioner can order you the test.
Read more about places gluten may be hiding in your gluten-free diet
Below are some videos we created a few years back to give you more information on living a gluten-free lifestyle. Enjoy!

This is Why Sodium Benzoate is So Scary

By Deborah Mitchell

Sodium benzoate is a synthetic chemical produced when benzoic acid, which is found naturally in some fruits and spices, is combined with sodium hydroxide. Since sodium benzoate contains a natural ingredient, it is probably safe, right? After all, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Canadian Health Protection Branch have pronounced this chemical preservative to be acceptable when consumed in low amounts.
In fact, the FDA has granted sodium benzoate GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status, and the so-called safe limit in food is 0.1 percent by weight. In water, the acceptable limit, set by the Environmental Protection Agency, is 5 parts per billion (ppb). But this common food additive, which is found in carbonated sodas, fruit juice products, salad dressings, and fermented foods such as vinegar, wine, and pickles, is not natural nor safe. Here’s the story.

Read more about the Scary Seven foods to avoid

Sodium benzoate is a sodium salt that is present at extremely low levels in berries, apples, plums, cinnamon, and several other natural foods. There’s nothing scary about the chemical in these items. But lab-synthesized sodium benzoate (and its close relative, benzoic acid) are a different story. When these preservatives are added to foods and to the interior of metal cans that contain beverages or liquid foods, they can have a detrimental effect on your health.

For example, a small percentage of people are hypersensitive to sodium benzoate and can experience asthmatic attacks, hives, or other allergic reactions when they consume the preservative. A more common problem, however, is the combination of sodium benzoate and citric acid and/or ascorbic acid (vitamin C). When these ingredients get together, they form benzene, a cancer-causing chemical associated with leukemia and other blood cancers.

During 2005 to 2007, the FDA conducted a study of various carbonated and fruit beverages that contained sodium benzoate alone and the preservatives along with vitamin C. At that time, they reported that most of the beverages contained less than the maximum allowable amount of sodium benzoate. Those that failed the test were reformulated. However, that does not mean every soft drink or fruit beverage on the market has been tested, nor that products in today’s market would meet the standards.

Read more about how scary soda is

Another consideration is a possible link between sodium benzoate and ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder). The Mayo Clinic notes that the preservative (as well as several food dyes) may enhance or trigger hyperactivity in children.

In a laboratory study, scientists evaluated the genotoxic impact of sodium benzoate in cultured human cells. They found that the chemical significantly increased damage to DNA (which triggers cell mutation and cancer) when it was added to the cells in various concentrations.

Other exposures to sodium benzoate
Manufacturers add sodium benzoate to health and beauty products such as mouthwash, shampoo, body lotions, and deodorant to prevent bacteria from contaminating these items. Over-the-counter and prescription drugs such as pills, cough syrups, and topical medications also can contain sodium benzoate.
What you should do

If you want to avoid sodium benzoate, read labels carefully. Look for the words “benzoic acid,” “benzene,” “sodium benzoate,” or “benzoate,” especially if you also see “citric acid,” “ascorbic acid,” or “vitamin C.” Sodium benzoate is also known as E211.

Read more about making natural soda

The next time you are in a supermarket and have a few minutes, check out the soft drink aisle. A quick peruse of the labels will reveal that some products (e.g., Coke Zero, Sprite) do not contain the sodium benzoate and that others (e.g., Dr. Pepper, Sunkist Orange, Mt. Dew) do.

Since soft drinks and processed fruit drinks are typically the most common sources of sodium benzoate in the diet, you and your children can go a long way toward eliminating this chemical from your life if you stop consuming these beverages.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

5 Breakfast Foods Hiding GMOs

By Sara Novak

GMOs are commonly found in corn, soy, and sugar beets, and as a result, they’re also common in many of the breakfast foods that we consider healthy. GMOs have so saturated our food system that it’s difficult to find breakfast foods without them unless you know what you’re really looking for at the grocery store. Here are some foods to avoid:

1. Cereals with HFCS or corn

Cereals made with high fructose corn syrup are usually GMO because there is no non-GMO high fructose corn syrup. The corn used in cereals is often GMO. Be vigilant and look for organic cereals that include the NON GMO Project verification.

2. Veggie breakfast sausage

Conventional veggie breakfast sausages are made with processed soy, which is often GMO. We tend to think that if it’s vegetarian, it’s automatically healthy, but that’s not true of highly processed GMO soy. According to health guru Christina Pirello, soy isolates--the fake cold cuts, veggie sausage, and vegan salad dressings of the world--are carcinogenic and incredibly unhealthy.

3. Eggs

We would never think of eggs as GMO except for the fact that chickens are often fed a diet loaded with GMO corn and soy, which they pass onto you. Instead, choose organic, free range, and local eggs to avoid GMOs in your morning omelette.

4. Instant oatmeal

Hearty whole grain oatmeal--it must be natural, right? Wrong. Conventional instant oatmeal has added sugars, which come from GMO sugar beets. Not to mention the artificial flavors and colors. Instead, make a healthier choice like Country Choice Organic Instant Oatmeal. It is NON GMO Project certified, has no sulfites, and all of its ingredients are organic (no pesticide residue). Or if you have time, consider making oatmeal from scratch. You can use whatever you want like cinnamon, raw honey, organic fruits, and coconut milk cooked slowly over the stove. Yum.

5. Breakfast bars

You have to work really hard to find breakfast bars that aren’t loaded with questionable ingredients and tons of sugar. When you’re reading a breakfast bar label, bear in mind all the GMO ingredients like sugar, whey, soy lecithin, high fructose corn syrup, soy protein isolate, cottonseed oil, and so many more. Today, there are a number of healthy breakfast bars available, but you just have to know what you’re looking for on the label. Look for organic or raw bars and avoid added sugars, artificial colors, preservatives, and artificial flavors.

21 Traits Of An Awakening Soul

by Collective Evolution.

You can say it’s because of a global shift in consciousness, a destiny we have arrived at due to spiritual evolution, or the outcome of strange times, but, many people all across the globe are going through intense personal changes and sensing an expansion of consciousness. Personal changes of this magnitude can be difficult to recognize and to understand, but here are 21 traits that might suggest you are going through a big shift within yourself.

1. Being in public places is sometimes overwhelming. Since our walls between self and other are dissolving, we haven’t really learned to distinguish between someone else’s energy and our own. If the general mood of the crowd is herd-like or negative, we can feel this acutely, and may feel like retreating into our own private space. When we have recharged our batteries with meditation, spending time in nature, far away from other people, or just sitting in quiet contemplation, we are ready to be with the masses again. In personal relationships, we often will feel someone else’s emotions as our own. It is important to have this higher sense of empathy, but we must learn to allow another person’s emotions while observing them and keeping our empathy, but, realizing that not all emotions belong to us. Social influence can dampen our own innate wisdom.

2. We know things without having to intellectually figure them out. Often called intuitive awareness, we have ‘a-ha’ moments and insights that can explain some of the most complex theories or phenomenon in the world. Some of the most brilliant minds of our time just ‘know.’ Adepts and sages often were given downloads of information from higher states of consciousness after meditating or being in the presence of a more conscious individual; this is happening for more people with more frequency. As we trust our intuition more often, it grows stronger. This is a time of ‘thinking’ with our hearts more than our heads. Our guts will no longer be ignored. Our dreams are becoming pre-cognitive and eventually our conscious thoughts will be as well.

3. Watching television or most of main stream media, including newspapers and many Hollywood movies is very distasteful to us. The mindset that creates much, but not all, of the programming on television and in cinema is abhorrent. It makes people into commodities and promotes violence. It reduces our intelligence and numbs our natural empathetic response to someone in pain.

4. Lying to us is nearly impossible. We may not know exactly what truth you are withholding, but we can also tell (with our developing intuition and ESP skills) that something isn’t right. We also know when you have other emotions, pain, love, etc. that you aren’t expressing. You’re an open book to us. We aren’t trained in counter-intelligence, we are just observant and knowing. While we may pick up on physical cues, we can look into your eyes and know what you are feeling.

5. We may pick up symptoms of your cold, just like men who get morning sickness when their wives are pregnant. Sympathy pains, whether emotional or physical, are something we experience often. We tend to absorb emotion through the solar plexus, considered the place we ‘stomach emotion’ so as we learn to strengthen this chakra center, we may sometimes develop digestive issues. Grounding to the earth can help to re-establish our emotional center. Walking barefoot is a great way to re-ground.

6. We tend to root for the underdog, those without voices, those who have been beaten down by the matrix, etc. We are very compassionate people, and these marginalized individuals often need more love. People can sense our loving hearts, so complete strangers will often tell us their life stories or approach us with their problems. While we don’t want to be a dumping ground for everyone’s issues, we are also a good ear for those working through their stuff.

7. If we don’t learn how to set proper boundaries, we can get tired easily from taking on other people’s emotions. Energy Vampires are drawn to us like flies to paper, so we need to be extra vigilant in protecting ourselves at times.

8. Unfortunately, sensitives or empaths often turn to drug abuse or alcohol to block some of their emotions and to ‘protect’ themselves from feeling the pain of others.

9. We are all becoming people who assist others. We naturally gravitate toward healing fields, acupuncture, reiki, Qi-Gong, yoga, massage, midwivery, etc. are fields we often find ourselves in. We know that the collective needs assistance and so we try our best to offer it in whatever form we are most drawn to. We also turn away from the ‘traditional’ forms of healing ourselves. Preferring natural foods, herbs, and holistic medicine as ways to cure every ailment.

10. We see the possibilities before others do. Just like when the church told Copernicus he was wrong, and he stood by his heliocentric theory, we know what the masses refuse to believe. Our minds are light-years ahead.

11. We are creative. We sing, dance, paint, invent, or write. We have amazing imaginations.

12. We require more solitude than the average person.

13. We might get bored easily, but we are really good at entertaining ourselves.

14. We have a difficult time doing things we don’t want to do or don’t really enjoy. We really do believe life was meant to be an expression of joy. Why waste it doing something you hate? We aren’t lazy, we are discerning.

15. We are obsessed with bringing the truth to light. Like little children who say, “that’s not fair” we want to “right” the “wrongs” of the world, and we believe it often just takes education. We endeavor to explain the unexplainable and find answers to the deep questions of life. We are seekers, in the Campbellian paradigm. ‘The Hero With a Thousand Faces.”

16. We can’t keep track of time. Our imaginations often get away with us and a day can feel like a minute, a week, a day.

17. We abhor routine.

18. We often disagree with authority, especially when it doesn’t make sense. (for obvious reasons).

19. We will often be kind, but if you are egotistical or rude, we won’t spend much time with you or find an excuse to not hang out with people who are obsessed with themselves. We don’t ‘get’ people who are insensitive to other people’s feelings or points of view.

20. We may be vegan or vegetarian because we can sense a certain energy of the food we eat, like if an animal was slaughtered inhumanely. We don’t want to consume negative energy.

21. We wear our own emotions on our sleeves and have a hard time ‘pretending’ to be happy if we aren’t. We avoid confrontation, But will quietly go about changing the world in ways you can’t even see.

These 21 traits of an awakening soul are a reminder of how important it is to maintain awareness, clarity and strength in these interesting times. If you are experiencing something that is not on this list, please add it to the comments section below.

About the Author

Christina Sarich, Contributor
Waking Times

Christina Sarich is a musician, yogi, humanitarian and freelance writer who channels many hours of studying Lao Tzu, Paramahansa Yogananda, Rob Brezny, Miles Davis, and Tom Robbins into interesting tidbits to help you Wake up Your Sleepy Little Head, and See the Big Picture. Her blog is Yoga for the New World. Her latest book is Pharma Sutra: Healing the Body And Mind Through the Art of Yoga.

5 Ways Meditation Will Change Your Life (For The Better)

by Ali Washington

Meditation. If you are thinking of yourself or someone you know sitting on the floor with their legs crossed and their eyes closed right now, then you are like the majority of the western world who sees this picture when they think of meditation.

What Is Meditation?

While it is possible to be in a meditative state in this position – this is not necessarily ‘meditation.’ This is because true meditation is a state – a state of mind, body and spirit where you are calm, focused, aware, and connected with your true essence. For most, getting to this state of meditation is a bit of a journey. That is why there are so many different mediation techniques to choose from. Sitting on the floor with your eyes closed is only one. There is also mantra meditation, chaotic breathing, focused attention and kundalini practices – just to name a few. So do not be discouraged if a seated meditation isn’t right for you. Try several different techniques until you find one that resonates with you. Then, practice daily. The benefits of working towards a state of meditation on a daily basis are far too numerous for me to fully explain here, but here are my top five reasons for practicing mediation that I hope will inspire you to take up a practice of your own.

Benefit Number 1: It Will Give You Better Body Awareness

Body awareness is key to good health. If you are not connected to your body – not aware of what is going on with it, not tuned into its subtle messages – then you are far more susceptible to illness and things going wrong. When you take the time each day to slow down and notice your body, you will start to become more aware of how your body feels after you eat certain foods, after you do certain activities, after you spend time with different people. This awareness is absolutely invaluable to your long-term health and one of the first and most noticeable benefits of a daily meditation practice. Even just taking the time to slow down and notice the quality of your breathing will have profound effects on your health. Your body is constantly sending you valuable information – you just need to slow down long enough to hear what it is saying.

Benefit Number 2: It Will Improve Your Relationships

The practice of meditation will help you to become more connected with yourself – with how you are feeling, what you are thinking and how your life is affecting you. The more you take the time to slow down and tune into yourself, the more you are going to become aware of the roll you are playing in the relationships you have. There is a good chance that through a meditation practice you will start to notice the areas in your relationships where you are not taking full responsibility for yourself – where you are creating co-dependent tendencies. From this place of awareness you will be better able to feel what relationship habits you have that are not beneficial for you, and which ones are. This knowledge will empower you to make any changes needed, so that you can have more harmonious relationships with everyone you interact with.

Benefit Number 3: It Will Help You Communicate Better

All your new found self awareness will help you to more effectively communicate what you are thinking and feeling to those around you. The first reason for this is that you will be more aware yourself of what you are thinking and feeling – which is a crucial component in effective communication. Secondly, you will most likely feel far less reactive because you will be taking more responsibility for yourself – and this again will improve your communication skills. The more you are aware of yourself, the more you are going to be able to help others become aware of what is going on with you. This will improve your communication skills with everyone from your partner, to your boss to the stranger who bumps into you on the street.

Benefit Number 4: It Will Sharpen Your Ability To Focus

Meditation is essentially a practice in focus. It is really the art of drawing your mind to the present moment and being with what is, right now. If that is not the definition of focus, then I don’t know what is! Meditation practices teach you how to be around distractions without getting pulled off course by them. The longer you practice, the more you will notice your ability to keep your mind on the current task at hand, rather than watching your mind jump from what you are doing to what’s for dinner, to who is texting you, to what are you going to wear to work tomorrow and so on. This focus will dramatically improve your ability to function at work, to drive, to communicate – pretty much everything in your life can be improved with increased capacity for focus.

Benefit Number 5: It Will Encourage You To Love Yourself More

Finally, mediation is the fastest road I know to self-love. By setting aside time each day where you are going to sit and be with yourself, there is a good chance that all of your ‘stuff’ is going to come up. All of your insecurities, all of your doubts, all of your fears, everything that is sitting below the surface will rise to the top. Then, if you are able to continue your practice of sitting and being with yourself and all of your emotions, eventually you will break through. You will begin to see yourself in a new light – in a true light. You will begin to see that you are not your issues, you are not your emotions, you are not your job – you will start to connect with your true essence. This is my most favorite part of the meditation path and practice. It always inevitably leads you back home to your heart of love and compassion. Do you meditate? What kind of meditation do you find most beneficial for you? I would love to hear what works for you!

City Council panel backs away from GMO ban it previously supported

By Soumya Karlamangla contact the reporter

Three days before Los Angeles lawmakers voted on a proposal to ban genetically modified crops, the world's largest biotechnology trade group hired three top City Hall lobbyists to stop it.
The matter had sailed through a meeting weeks before with only one City Council member expressing doubt.
But when a council committee sat down to vote again this month, three of the five members came out strongly against it — though they said lobbyists had nothing to do with it.
The action shocked Councilman Paul Koretz, who co-authored the proposal and expected his colleagues to rubber-stamp it as they had many times before.
"Since nothing else had changed ... it clearly was heavy lobbying," Koretz said later.
Such a ban would be largely symbolic in L.A. because there are currently no known genetically modified organisms, known as GMOs, grown within the city.
Nevertheless, before this month, L.A.'s 15 council members had voiced almost no opposition to the ban. In October, the council approved the ban with only one opposing vote.
Opponents of the proposal said the shift on the City Council came after members received more information and had more time to spot possible problems with the ban.
"The city is going to be better off making a decision with a lot of information, rather than just emotion," said lobbyist George Kieffer, who represented critics of the ban. "Their statement, if they choose to make it, will be just as important in three months as it is today."

Kathay Feng, executive director of the nonprofit government watchdog California Common Cause, said it's not unusual to see lobbyists exert influence at any level of government. The smack- down of the GMO ban at City Hall, she said, is "just sort of small anecdotal evidence of something that happens on a fairly regular basis."
Koretz's ordinance sought to prohibit the growth of genetically modified organisms — plants or animals whose genetic material has been altered to make them bigger or resistant to pests and herbicides. GMO supporters say such crops are needed to boost food production, while opponents say not enough research has been done to tell if the products are harmful to humans.
The four councilmen at the committee meeting this month — one was absent — had only to OK the ban's final language so it could be officially adopted.
At the beginning of the session, Councilman Joe Buscaino — the member who voted against the ban in October — said that he didn't think the city was the right entity to enforce such an action and that it didn't have the resources to shoulder extra responsibilities.
Then Councilman Gil Cedillo listed his own problems with the ban, including enforcement and cost. Then Councilman Tom LaBonge agreed. Kieffer, a prominent Los Angeles attorney and City Hall lobbyist, was at the meeting along with lobbyists John Ek and Howard Sunkin. Kieffer spoke and identified himself as representing the Biotechnology Industry Organization. In a subsequent interview, he confirmed that Ek and Sunkin were also on the team, although they declined to comment to The Times. The council committee tabled the ban for more study, leaving Koretz to fear that it had been effectively killed. In an interview, Kieffer said he dropped off materials at the council offices on the morning of the meeting. He said he wanted to show that the proposed ban was based on "wrong science." His colleagues, he said, reached out to various other council offices.

Cedillo said neither he nor anyone from his staff talked to any of the lobbyists. LaBonge said he didn't speak with them either, although one of his staffers talked to a lobbyist in the hall outside the meeting. Buscaino said he was always against the ban but had spoken to Ek before the meeting about the issue. Kieffer says he and his colleagues will continue to lobby against the proposed GMO ban.
Joanne Poyourow, a local environmental activist in favor of a GMO ban, called the council's reversal "horrifying." She said her volunteer coalition had met with council members' staffs and thought almost all were supportive of the ban. Though disappointed, Poyourow said she wasn't surprised by the professional lobbyists. "I've been working with GMOs for long enough that I knew that at some point we would get resistance," she said.

Jaime Regalado, professor emeritus of political science at Cal State L.A., said it's fairly unusual for the philosophically progressive L.A. council to be strongly influenced by lobbyists. He said it's possible that the council members were never that supportive of the ban.
The GMO turnabout also reveals where city ethics regulations fall short in tracking the effect of lobbyists at City Hall. Lobbyists are required to report who they work for and how much they are paid — but sometimes not until months after they've completed their work.
Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Law School professor who's on the city's Ethics Commission, said that can mean when an issue is being discussed the public won't "have the information necessary to see a full picture."
Even when a lobbyist's presence is known, Common Cause's Feng notes, existing reporting requirements just "don't tell you the whole story." It's still hard to tell what happened, she said, because lobbyists aren't required to disclose which staff members they meet with, or how often, when and for how long.
For example, city records now don't show anyone working as a lobbyist for the biotechnology group.
Karen Batra, communications director for the Biotechnology Industry Organization based in Washington, declined to confirm that her group hired the Los Angeles lobbyists. The trade group represents companies such as seed maker Monsanto as well as universities that conduct related research.
She would not talk about the group's lobbying strategy beyond saying that the ban in L.A. would set "an enormous precedent for areas of the country that may not be familiar with the benefits of the technology."
Its members, she said, want to "make sure that policy makers are made aware of how damaging a policy like this could be."
Follow @skarlamangla on Twitter for more L.A. politics news

Why are Americans still so overweight or obese?

By Dr. Linda Mundorff on February 14, 2014

My husband and I have traveled all over the United States, Mexico and Canada and I am here to tell you that the American diet is troubling. Our supermarkets have more variety and selection of food products than anywhere else I have visited. Just walk down the cereal aisle in your local supermarket and you will see what I mean. Yet, we still gorge ourselves on unhealthy foods. Why?

I tell my kids all the time: Don’t put more on your plate than you plan on eating because it is such a sin to waste food. (OK, I am first generation in the United States, and I grew up poor; we never wasted food.) My kids are wonderful, caring and compassionate individuals, but it is difficult for them to embrace a concept that is so foreign (no pun intended) to them. They have never had to wonder where their next meal was going to come from, let alone having fresh running water and a clean warm bed to sleep in.
Read more for tips to decrease your food waste
But sadly, the facts don't lie about our American Diet habits and our penchant for unhealthy foods:

When you have a two-paycheck family that can barely make ends meet, one of the first things to go is healthier food choices like produce, fresh cuts of meat, poultry and fish, dairy and whole grains.

When the average employee works nine hours a day and commutes approximately two hours round-trip per day, the last thing he or she wants to do is cook dinner.
In some regions there is a lack of availability or it is too expensive to eat healthy.
We are always on the move and so our food has to be as well. I don’t see any economic problems at the local fast-food restaurant. As a matter of fact, it is cheaper to feed a family off the $1.00 menu than it is to purchase, prepare and serve the healthier equivalent at home.

It is difficult to please everyone, especially when it comes to vegetables. Frankly, after a while you get real tired of hearing the complaining.
Who wants to clean the kitchen after working all day, preparing, cooking and serving dinner?
Addiction to processed and fried foods.
With too many afterschool extracurricular activities, we just can’t seem to get the entire family together for dinner.

Read tips for making family meals healthy and fun

Fatigue, stress, exhaustion—and not enough hours in the day.
It is so much easier to open up a can, place a prepackaged meal in the microwave or bring in fast food.

So although Americans don’t eat as well as they should, the facts are we do eat better than most and have leftovers to prove it. But there's always room for improvement.

새로운 네트워크 마케팅 회사는 YEVO 국제 S. 한국에있다라는오고있다

멕시코, 일본, 한국에 오는 새로운 네트워크 마케팅 회사가 있습니다. 이것은 실제 재산을 구축 할 장소에 자신을 넣어 평생 기회에 한 번입니다. 기업 팀 전문적인 경험의 많은 년 실제 팀을 구성합니다.

사람들의 네트워크를 통해 식량을 배포하는 건강 식품 회사와 함께 작업하는 것은 사람들의 삶에 영향을 미칠 수 있도록하는 가장 좋은 방법입니다. 각 국가 계획 개발 및 유통의 국가 내 포장됩니다 자신의 지역의 음식이 될 것입니다. 각 YEVO의 봉사는 자신의 몸이 제대로 작동하려면 지구상의 모든 인간이 필요로 (43) 필수 영양소의 50 %를 포함합니다. 모든 사람은 매우 짧은 시간에 회사를 알게 될 것이다. 그것은 "YEVO 국제"입니다.식품 회사의 뒤에 남자는 억만 장자 피터 캐슬입니다. 건강과 영양에 대한 자세한 내용은 당신은 당신의 언어에 여기 블로그에 기사를 번역 할 수 있습니다. 이 회사는 공식적으로 곧 따라 멕시코, 일본, 대한민국과 미국 시장에서 2015년 2월 1일을 시작합니다. 이 회사와 경영진에 대한 자세한 내용을 배울 수있는 시간입니다. 다시이 위치에있을 수있는 기회를 결코 할 수 있습니다.

새로운 네트워크 마케팅 회사는 YEVO 국제 멕시코에있다라는오고있다

Hay una nueva empresa de comercialización de la red llegando a México llamado yevo Internacional!

Hay una nueva empresa de Network Marketing venir a México, Japón y Corea del Sur. Esto es una vez en la vida oportunidad de ponerse en el lugar de crear riqueza real. Para construir un equipo real con un equipo corporativo que los muchos años de experiencia profesional.

Trabajar con una compañía de alimentos saludables que distribuirá su alimento a través de redes de personas que es la mejor manera de hacer un impacto en la vida de la gente. Cada país se tienen comida de su propia región que será planificado, desarrollado, y se envasa en el país de distribución. Cada porción yevo contendrá 50% de los 43 nutrientes esenciales que cada ser humano en el planeta necesita para que sus cuerpos funcionan correctamente. Todo el mundo va a conocer la empresa en un tiempo muy corto. Es "yevo Internacional". El hombre detrás de la empresa de alimentos es multimillonario Peter Castleman. Para aprender más sobre la salud y la nutrición se puede traducir los artículos del blog para su idioma. La compañía lanzará oficialmente 01 de febrero 2015 en el mercado de Estados Unidos con México, Japón y Corea del Sur a seguir en breve. Este es el tiempo para aprender más sobre la compañía y sus ejecutivos. Usted nunca puede tener la oportunidad de estar en esta posición otra vez. Plan de compensación se puede explicar en español.