Living the Good Life, and the Idle Life

I continue on with this series What Would a Low Density Lifestyle World Look Like? with an interesting take on living a relaxed, very Low Density Lifestyle life, courtesy of English journalist Tom Hodgkinson.

This is an interview that comes courtesy of the website Good. Good is a collaboration of individuals, businesses and nonprofits pushing the world forward.

Tom Hodgkinson runs the website The Idler and is an advocate of the good life as the idle life. He thinks the way to happiness is to be a loafer.

Tom Hodgkinson’s books sometimes end up in bookstores’ self-help sections. That would make How to Be Idle and The Freedom Manifesto the only books to advocate dropping out of consumer society, ditching urban life, anarchy, bread baking, beer drinking, and generally living like it’s the Middle Ages. As co-founder and editor of The Idler magazine, Hodgkinson champions laziness, hedonism, thrift and a freewheeling DIY approach to life. Let him tell it, and it’s the key to a more ecologically sound future.

GOOD: You’re a known critic of consumer society, so tell us: what have you purchased yourself, lately?

Tom Hodgkinson: I try not to buy anything beyond beer, bacon, and books. Generally, though, I find that the older, the better. I did buy a painted pine bookcase recently from the local antique shop, which is very useful and beautiful.

Good: What’s your take on the global financial crisis?

T.H.: I am feeling very cheerful, to the point of smugness, about it. As someone who has no shares, no stocks, no bonds, no insurance policies, no pensions, and no money, I am feeling very safe. Money is for spending, not saving. I think average people should respond with great joy. At last, what businessmen used to call the “real world” has been exposed as imaginary. Perhaps what businessmen used to call a dream world—poetry, nature, God, the spirit, music, contemplation, books and good conversation—will now be seen as the “real world.”

Good: Just after the first major government bank bailouts were announced, you wrote that all that money would be better spent giving everyone an acre of land. What would we do with it?

T.H.: With just an acre of land a family of five or six can provide a huge amount of their food needs. You can keep animals and grow fruit and vegetables. This was the thinking behind Distributism, a political idea of the 1920s put about by Catholic intellectuals such as G. K. Chesterton. They saw a return to a medieval-style system where families combined smallholding with another source of income. Smallholding is enjoyable, useful, reconnects you with nature, is therapeutic, keeps you fit and healthy and is enormously satisfying. The quality of the produce is far higher than the products of the industrialized food system. You can also do more or less of it as circumstances change. A large garden in the city, or even a terrace, can be used to grow delicious food.

Good: Yes, you’ve written quite a bit in praise of the Middle Ages—in fact, you argue they were sort of a golden age of social justice and sustainability. Really? That’s not how most people think of them.

T.H.: We have been taught the negative version of the Middle Ages by the people who replaced them, the Puritans and Protestants. If you want to replace an existing system with your new system, then you need to besmirch the previous system. The idea we carry around in our minds of the Middle Ages is a ridiculous caricature. Just think about the beauty of the cathedrals—are they really a product of the Dark Ages? They outstrip the Empire State Building in terms of beauty by a million miles. The medieval economic system, interestingly, was against lending money at interest and it was for fixed prices. You were not allowed to undercut your fellow worker or manufacturer. In a sense the system was opposite to ours: It valued community over individuality, and precisely guarded against the kind of collapse that unrestrained competition has led to.

Good: To turn to modern times for a moment, what do you think of the whole “sustainability” trend?

T.H.: Three years ago, business hated anything “green.” Then they realized that it was simply a new market, and therefore great news. What sustainability really means is growing your own vegetables. It means wood not plastic, composting toilets, chickens in the yard. It means fun and a different kind of life—not just swapping one brand for another.

Good: In The Freedom Manifesto, you urge readers to “stop consuming and start producing.” What’s that mean?

T.H.: In practical terms it means rediscovering our ability to make things, like bread, jam and clothes. Instead of buying everything, grow stuff, make stuff—rediscover the lost arts of husbandry. When you cut down your need for money in this way, you cut down your need for work, leading to more idleness all round. Look at Cuba today. Look at the U.K. during the Second World War. You can supply for yourself a lot more of the things that you need.

Good: But Cuba is dirt poor. Is that what you’re advocating?

T.H.: I just want to say that living on modest means is not necessarily a bad thing. Thrift can be creative. I don’t really care whether people are rich or poor: the thing really is your approach to life. I just happen to think that promoting the idea of being rich is ridiculous, because only a few people can be rich, whereas many can live on modest incomes. So to me it makes a lot of practical sense to promote, not poverty, exactly, but the ability to live well on small incomes.

Good: Is that what you mean in The Freedom Manifesto, when you urge readers to “Reject Career”? Do you think people should give up work and all the ambition that goes with it?

T.H.: It is not so much work per se that I am against, but rather work for someone else and work that you don’t enjoy. I work quite hard, about four hours a day, but I do things that I enjoy. How can we reclaim work for ourselves, and make it something joyful and creative? As for aspirations, I think that to aspire to real freedom in everyday life should replace the aspiration to make a lot of money.

Good: A final question, and an important one: you’ve suggested that people should buy ukuleles. Um, why?

T.H.: I don’t really believe that anyone should do anything. But having said that, I personally have derived a huge amount of pleasure from learning the uke. They are better than iPods. I play Woody Guthrie songs and the Beatles. Kids can play it, and it’s elegant for the ladies: think Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. They are very cheap and very portable, and they’ve got that fun-loving Hawaiian vibe. You can have one on your desk and practice while waiting for large downloads. Try it: Take a uke to work.

Tom Hodgkinson’s most recent book, The Freedom Manifesto, is available from Harper Perennial. His website is http://idler.co.uk/.

The website Good is located at http://www.good.is/

Save Heat, Save Money: How to Cut Your Heating Bill, Save Energy, and Lower Your Costs

Winter may be over, and you’re probably not cranking the heat anymore, unless you live in Alaska, Antartica, Siberia, or some other tundra.

But regardless of it not being winter anymore, if you want to be a good Low Density Lifestyler, you want to think of how you impact the earth, and how much heat you use to keep your house warm in the winter.

High temperatures in your home lead to high utility bills — not to mention a high price paid by the earth to keep you warm.

And so, yesterday I told you about affordable electric cars that are on the horizon, and today I’m telling you about making your heating bill affordable, along with saving energy.

And as I’ve pointed out in this entire series about the environment – from the articles on the White House Organic Garden, sustainable foods, and other articles, living a Low Density Lifestyle is not just about your own health and wellness and healthy living, but the health and wellness of the entire planet, and for the entire planet to experience healthy living.

I’ll be back tomorrow with the last article in this series on the environment and living a Low Density Lifestyle.

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The Sustainable Foods Movement is Gaining Momentum

The Mother of Slow Food

Sustainable, local foods has also been called “Slow Foods.” Now if you call eating that leads to health and wellness, along with healthy living, slow foods, then what do you call a lifestyle that leads to health and wellness and healthy living? Slow living, or as I’ve been promoting it, a Low Density Lifestyle.

Since I’ve been talking about sustainable, local and organic foods for the past week, discussing such things as the White House Organic Garden, and living the life of a Locavore, I thought I’d tell you how sustainable foods has become a movement, and is gaining enough momentum that it is making its way  into the mainstream.

After being largely ignored for years by Washington, advocates of organic and locally grown food have found a receptive ear in the White House, which has vowed to encourage a more nutritious and sustainable food supply.

The most vocal booster so far has been the first lady, Michelle Obama, who has emphasized the need for fresh, unprocessed, locally grown food and, as we all know, started work on a White House organic vegetable garden. More surprising are the pronouncements out of the Department of Agriculture, an agency with long and close ties to agribusiness.

In mid-February, Tom Vilsack, the new secretary of agriculture, took a jackhammer to a patch of pavement outside his headquarters to create his own organic “people’s garden.” Two weeks later, the Obama administration named Kathleen Merrigan, an assistant professor at Tufts University and a longtime champion of sustainable agriculture and healthy food, as Mr. Vilsack’s top deputy.

Sustainable-food activists are hoping that such actions are precursors to major changes in the way the federal government oversees the nation’s food supply and farms, changes that could significantly bolster demand for fresh, local and organic products. Already, they have offered plenty of ambitious ideas.

For instance, the celebrity chef Alice Waters recommends that the federal government triple its budget for school lunches to provide youngsters with healthier food. And the author Michael Pollan has called on President Obama to pursue a “reform of the entire food system” by focusing on a Pollan priority: diversified, regional food networks.

Many activists say they are packing their bags and heading to Washington. They are bringing along a copy of the soon-to-released documentary, “Food Inc.,” which includes attacks on the corn lobby and Monsanto, and intend to provide a private screening for Mr. Vilsack and Ms. Merrigan.

“We are so used to being outside the door,” says Walter Robb, co-president and chief operating officer of Whole Foods Market, the grocery chain that played a crucial role in making organic and natural food more mainstream. “We are in the door now.”

AT the heart of the sustainable-food movement is a belief that America has become efficient at producing cheap, abundant food that profits corporations and agribusiness, but is unhealthy and bad for the environment.

The federal government is culpable, the activists say, because it pays farmers billions in subsidies each year for growing grains and soybeans. A result is an abundance of corn and soybeans that provide cheap feed for livestock and inexpensive food ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup.

They argue that farm policy — and federal dollars — should instead encourage farmers to grow more diverse crops, reward conservation practices and promote local food networks that rely less on fossil fuels for such things as fertilizer and transportation.

Last year, mandatory spending on farm subsidies was $7.5 billion, compared with $15 million for programs for organic and local foods, according to the House Appropriations Committee.

But with more awareness of the obesity epidemic, particularly among children, and by concerns about food safety amid seemingly continual outbreaks of tainted supplies, sustainable-food activists and entrepreneurs have convinced more Americans to watch what they eat.

They have encouraged the growth of farmers’ markets and created such a demand for organic, natural and local products that they are now sold at many major grocers, including Wal-Mart.

“Increasingly, companies are looking to reduce the amount of additives,” says Ted Smyth, who retired earlier this year as senior vice president at H. J. Heinz, the food giant. “Consumers are looking for more authentic foods. This trend absolutely has percolated through into mainstream foods.”

And so, the seeds of change are upon us, giving us much to feel good about. Earth Day is upon us, and for a change, the Earth may reap the benefits of more and more people living a Low Density Lifestyle.

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Being a Locavore Means Becoming a Veggie Dealer

Ok, I bet you’re still singing and dancing from the video in yesterday’s article. Once you get a chance to sit down, I’m going to continue with the discussion on eating a sustainable and local diet, and carry on from the previous article on being a locavore.

In that previous article I explained what being a locavore was and how to be one in the wintertime.

This is, alas, the flip side of the locavore movement and the thing that holds most people back from putting into practice: how can you get your foods in the winter?

In other words, what if you don’t live in places where food grows all year round?

What are you to do when your neighborhood farmer’s market is only open from May or June until some time in October?  Or, if you grow your own food and your season doesn’t last all year?

The fact is, eating local during any other time but late Spring, Summer, and early Fall isn’t always easy; growing your own is challenging, and buying your own is indisputably expensive.

But now there is a way for local food lovers to hook up with other local food lovers, regardless of locations; it’s called VeggieTrader.com.

It’s a very easy, very community-friendly idea: grow too many tomatoes? Have too much lettuce coming up that you can’t use? Looking for Brussels Sprouts starters but can’t find any at your local nursery? Log onto VeggieTrader.com; tell it what you’re looking for or what you have too much of, scour the I WANT postings, and that’s it.

Whether you choose to sell, give away, or trade your produce is your business, and if you do wind up buying, odds are it will be far cheaper for you to procure your goods from a gardening neighbor than a high-end supermarket. Utter brilliance, and perfect for people who are devoted to eating as locally as possible, but who have to jump hurdle over hurdle in order to do it.

So now you have no excuse not to be a year-round locavore: VeggieTrader.com!

Also, would you like to know where there are farmer’s markets in your area?  What restaurants in your area serve locally grown food? What food stores sell it? And what farms in your area grow organically?

You can find all this out and more at eatwellguide.org. It will lead you to the promised land on your quest to be a locavore.

So there you have it. You can trade or buy veggies through VeggieTrader.com, or you can find purveyors of local and organic foods through eatwellguide.org.

And once you get into the swing of it and live the life of a locavore, you’ll really be living a Low Density Lifestyle.

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Are You a Locavore? And How Do You Do It in the Winter?

Be a Locavore All Year Round by Eating Locally Even in Winter

All this week I’ve been talking about food from an environmental perspective. I’ve been doing so because as I first pointed out, living a Low Density Lifestyle is not just about individual health and wellness and individual healthy living, but also about the health and wellness of the planet.

It makes sense that if you are to live a Low Density Lifestyle and feel light of body and mind, then you are going to tread lighter on the planet. And with Earth Day coming soon, what better time to discuss healthy living and our connection to the earth than now.

And so, I’ve told you about the White House Organic Garden and the garden plans, I told you how Monsanto was waging a PR battle against the White House Organic Garden, and then I posted an interview with Michael Pollen, who always has important things to say about eating locally and organically.

Ultimately, if you want to live a Low Density Lifestyle on the planet, then eating locally whenever possible is the best way to go, because then you’re lowering the economic and energy costs of getting the food to you.

Nowadays, if you are someone who likes to eat locally, you can call yourself a “Locavore.” A locavore is someone who eats food grown or produced locally or within a certain radius such as 50, 100, or 150 miles (240 km).

The locavore movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers’ markets or even to produce their own food, with the argument that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better. Locally grown food is an environmentally friendly means of obtaining food, since supermarkets that import their food use more fossil fuels and non-renewable resources.

The term “Locavore” was coined by Jessica Prentice from the San Francisco Bay Area on the occasion of World Environment Day 2005 to describe and promote the practice of eating a diet consisting of food harvested from within an area most commonly bound by a 100-mile (160 km) radius. “Localvore” is sometimes also used.

The New Oxford American Dictionary chose locavore as its word of the year 2007. The local foods movement is gaining momentum as people discover that the best-tasting and most sustainable choices are foods that are fresh, seasonal, and grown close to home.

Some locavores draw inspiration from the The 100-Mile Diet or from advocates of local eating like Barbara Kingsolver whose book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle chronicles her family’s attempts to eat locally. Others just follow their taste buds to farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture programs, and community gardens.

A study in the 2007 Dewey Health Review revealed that a Locavore diet (study included 100 individuals ages 18-55 eating local food grown within an 80-mile (130 km) radius) resulted in a 19% increase in sturdiness of bowel movement and an overall drop in sleep apnea and night terrors.

So becoming a locavore is a great way to ensure that you’re living a Low Density Lifestyle in relation to the planet.

One question many people have, if they are trying to be a locavore, is What Do I Do in the Winter? In many parts of the world, winter gets mighty cold and there is no local foods to eat.

Watch the video above and you will learn how to be a year-round locavore. And when you do you’ll really be living a Low Density Lifestyle and truly be experiencing healthy living.

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Not Everyone is Happy with the White House Garden

In yesterday’s article, I told you about the White House organic garden in detail. I showed you the plans for the garden, and highlighted 10 vegetables and 8 herbs that will be grown in the garden.

The plan for the garden is to educate children and the general public about the merits of healthy eating, and to be able to feed the residents and guests of the White House with locally grown food.

It’s such a great thing, and whatever your political thinking, it’s hard to find fault with creating an organic garden at the White House. As I showed you in the other day’s article, the White House has a longstanding tradition of growing vegetables.

But there is a group that has gotten their knickers in a twit over the White House garden. It is a group that needs to learn some stress management techniques and also how to manage stress, because they are too deeply immersed in a High Density Lifestyle, and it is causing them to have tunnel vision.

The group that is foaming at the mouth about the garden is called MACA, which stands for Mid America CropLife Association. MACA is made up of former executives from Dow AgroSciences, Monsanto and DuPont Crop Protection.

In case you’re not aware of whom these companies are, they are deeply entrenched in agribusiness and manufacture pesticides and fertilizers, and also are involved with bioengineering as it applies to farming.

Because MACA feels threatened about all the good publicity organic gardening and farming is getting of late, they decided they needed to retaliate and sent an email to Michelle Obama. They also then forwarded the email to many others. In their letter they made the case for chemical farming and urged Michelle Obama not to solely rely on organic methods to grow the White House garden.

They really need to take a deep breath and learn some stress management techniques so that they can manage stress better. It is really unfortunate when groups like this that are so embedded in a High Density Lifestyle can’t see beyond their own self-interests.

Accompanying the email that MACA forwarded to others was an introductory message. This is what it said:

Did you hear the news? The White House is planning to have an “organic” garden on the grounds to provide fresh fruits and vegetables for the Obama’s and their guests. While a garden is a great idea, the thought of it being organic made Janet Braun, CropLife Ambassador Coordinator and I shudder. As a result, we sent a letter encouraging them to consider using crop protection products and to recognize the importance of agriculture to the entire U.S. economy. Read below for the entire letter.

And here is the entire email letter they sent to Michelle Obama and then forwarded around:

March 26, 2009

Mrs. Barack Obama
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mrs. Obama,

We are writing regarding the garden recently added to the White House grounds to ensure a fresh supply of fruits and vegetables to your family, guests and staff. Congratulations on recognizing the importance of agriculture in America! The U.S. has the safest and most abundant food supply in the world thanks to the 3 million people who farm or ranch in the United States.

The CropLife Ambassador Network, a program of the Mid America CropLife Association, consists of over 160 ambassadors who work and many of whom grew up in agriculture. Their mission is to provide scientifically based, accurate information to the public regarding the safety and value of American agricultural food production. Many people, especially children, don’t realize the extent to which their daily lives depend on America’s agricultural industry. For instance, children are unaware the jeans they put on in the morning, the three meals eaten daily, the baseball with which they play and even the biofuels that power the school bus are available because of America’s farmers and ranchers.

Agriculture is the largest industry in America generating 20% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. Individuals, family partnerships or family corporations operate almost 99% of U.S. farms. Over 22 million people are employed in farm-related jobs, including production agriculture, farm inputs, processing and marketing and sales. Through research and changes in production practices, today’s food producers are providing Americans with the widest variety of foods ever.

Starting in the early 1900’s, technology advances have allowed farmers to continually produce more food on less land while using less human labor. Over time, Americans were able to leave the time-consuming demands of farming to pursue new interests and develop new abilities. Today, an average farmer produces enough food to feed 144 Americans who are living longer lives than many of their ancestors. Technology in agriculture has allowed for the development of much of what we know and use in our lives today. If Americans were still required to farm to support their family’s basic food and fiber needs, would the U.S. have been leaders in the advancement of science, communication, education, medicine, transportation and the arts?

We live in a very different world than that of our grandparents. Americans are juggling jobs with the needs of children and aging parents. The time needed to tend a garden is not there for the majority of our citizens, certainly not a garden of sufficient productivity to supply much of a family’s year-round food needs.

Much of the food considered not wholesome or tasty is the result of how it is stored or prepared rather than how it is grown. Fresh foods grown conventionally are wholesome and flavorful yet more economical. Local and conventional farming is not mutually exclusive. However, a Midwest mother whose child loves strawberries, a good source of Vitamin C, appreciates the ability to offer California strawberries in March a few months before the official Mid-west season.

Farmers and ranchers are the first environmentalists, maintaining and improving the soil and natural resources to pass onto future generations. Technology allows for farmers to meet the increasing demand for food and fiber in a sustainable manner.

* Farmers use reduced tillage practices on more than 72 million acres to prevent erosion.
* Farmers maintain over 1.3 million acres of grass waterways, allowing water to flow naturally from crops without eroding soil.
* Contour farming keeps soil from washing away. About 26 million acres in the U.S. are managed this way.
* Agricultural land provides habitat for 75% of the nation’s wildlife.
* Precision farming boosts crop yields and reduces waste by using satellite maps and computers to match seed, fertilizer and crop protection applications to local soil conditions.
* Sophisticated Global Positioning Systems can be specifically designed for spraying pesticides. A weed detector equipped with infrared light identifies specific plants by the different rates of light they reflect and then sends a signal to a pump to spray a preset amount of herbicide onto the weed.
* Biogenetics allows a particular trait to be implanted directly into the seed to protect the seed against certain pests.
* Farmers are utilizing 4-wheel drive tractors with up to 300 horsepower requiring fewer passes across fields-saving energy and time.
* Huge combines are speeding the time it takes to harvest crops.
* With modern methods, 1 acre of land in the U.S. can produce 42,000 lbs. of strawberries, 110,000 heads of lettuce, 25,400 lbs. of potatoes, 8,900 lbs. of sweet corn, or 640 lbs of cotton lint.

As you go about planning and planting the White House garden, we respectfully encourage you to recognize the role conventional agriculture plays in the U.S in feeding the ever-increasing population, contributing to the U.S. economy and providing a safe and economical food supply. America’s farmers understand crop protection technologies are supported by sound scientific research and innovation.

The CropLife Ambassador Network offers educational programs for elementary school educators at http://ambassador.maca.org covering the science behind crop protection products and their contribution to sustainable agriculture. You may find our programs America’s Abundance, Farmers Stewards of the Land and War of the Weeds of particular interest. We thank you for recognizing the importance and value of America’s current agricultural technologies in feeding our country and contributing to the U.S economy.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions.

Sincerely,

Bonnie McCarvel, Executive Director
Janet Braun, Program Coordinator
Mid America CropLife Association
11327 Gravois Rd., #201
St. Louis, MO 63126

Nice job, MACA. They really know how to keep people living the High Density Lifestyle. If you’re a Star Wars fan, you would file this under The Empire Strikes Back (is that Darth Vader I see in the horizon, getting ready to land his ship on the White House lawn?)

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The White House Organic Garden

I told you in yesterday’s article about the White House and the organic garden that Michelle Obama has initiated on the White House grounds.

That’s such a Low Density Lifestyle thing to do! As I pointed out in yesterday’s article, living a Low Density Lifestyle is not just about health and wellness and healthy living for yourself, but also for the planet. The point is, when you live a Low Density Lifestyle, you feel lighter of body and mind, and therefore you treade lighter on the earth.

There was also a video in yesterday’s article that showed a history of gardening at the White House – and as the video showed, growing vegetables and fruit was a long-standing tradition at the White House, up until modern times.

Above is a diagram of the gardening plans at the White House. In the garden, there will be 55 varieties of vegetables, along with an herb garden – and all will be organic!

Here is a highlight of 10 of the vegetables being planted in the garden. They are being spotlighted because they are excellent foods.

Kale: Delivers beta carotene, along with other eye-health supportive carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin. Its organosulfur compounds are thought to reduce the risk of some types of cancer. Also provides a good dose of vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, iron, calcium, and fiber.

Spinach: Good source of beta carotene, magnesium, and folate. In addition, spinach offers nice amounts of vitamins C, E and K; calcium, potassium, iron, lutein, lipoic acid, and fiber. Studies show that the phytonutrients in spinach may aid in the prevention of heart disease, arthritis, and certain forms of cancer.

Broccoli: Considered a cancer risk reducer, partly due to its phytonutrient content (such as indoles and sulforaphane). An excellent source of vitamin C. Also delivers beta carotene, calcium, folate, and fiber.

Sugar Snap Peas: Provide insoluble fiber; may help lower cholesterol. Offers vitamins B1, B6, C and K, as well as iron, potassium, and lutein. New research shows promise for helping with high blood pressure and kidney disease.

Rhubarb: The stalks from rhubarb deliver vitamins C and K, fiber, potassium, and calcium. Rhubarb may benefit those with high cholesterol.

Romaine Lettuce: This salad green is packed with folate, vitamin C, and beta carotene. Other nutrients include vitamin K, manganese, chromium, and fiber.

Carrots: Good source of fiber, vitamins C and K, and the minerals potassium and manganese. Rich in antioxidants such as beta carotene, which can aid in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Collard Greens: Also has cancer-protective organosulfur compounds. Delivers beta carotene, vitamins B6 and C, calcium, zinc, and folate.

Swiss Chard: Provides vitamins B2, B6, C, K, and betacarotene, as well as the minerals iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium.

Onions: Rich source of vitamin C, chromium, and quercetin. Studies indicate that onions may improve cardiovascular health and lower cancer risk.

And in the herb garden, here is a spotlight on 8 of the herbs that will be grown:

Thyme

Health Benefits: Used as a cough remedy; considered antifungal and antibacterial. A primary constituent, thymol, is the main active antiseptic ingredient in Listerine mouthwash.

Oregano

Health Benefits: Antimicrobial, antifungal, antiparasitic; has antioxidant effects. Traditionally used for coughs, colds, and mild fevers.

Sage

Health Benefits: Has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. Used traditionally for minor digestive complaints, sore throat, and headaches.

Rosemary

Health Benefits: Used traditionally as a memory aid and to help concentration. Also for joint pain, sore muscles, and minor digestive problems. Antioxidant, antifungal. Currently being studied for its anti-cancer properties.

Hyssop

Health Benefits: Extracts of the leaves are antiviral and antimicrobial. Traditionally used for coughs, colds, and bronchitis. Added to a balm for cold sores.

Dill

Health Benefits: Can aid digestion by relieving intestinal gas. Helps relieve bad breath.

Cilantro

Health Benefits: Antimicrobial. Traditionally used to treat indigestion, loss of appetite, and joint pain.

Parsley

Health Benefits: Mild diuretic. Chew on parsley for fresh breath. Supports digestion; helps relieve bloating and gas.

And so, we have the White House inspiring us to not only live a life of health and wellness and of healthy living in general, but to practice living a Low Density Lifestyle in regards to our relationship with the planet.

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Low Density Living – On Planet Earth

The Garden of Eatin’ – A Short History of Gardening at the White House
I’ve been talking all these weeks about how a Low Density Lifestyle can put you on the path of health and wellness, and of healthy living in general. And that is so, so true and so, so important.

A Low Density Lifestyle will make you feel lighter of body and mind. It will also make you be and feel less dense in relationship to our planet. With all the concern about global warming, pollution and toxins in our environment, it’s so important to apply a Low Density Lifestyle to the environment, and tread lightly wherever you go.

For the next couple of weeks, I will be talking about being light in relationship to our planet. First I will talk about sustainable agriculture, organic foods and eating locally; then after that I will talk about the environment and energy.

Earth Day is coming very soon, so this is a good time to bring up these subjects.

The point is that living a Low Density Lifestyle applies not only to your personal well-being, but to the well-being of the greater whole. You can say it extends to the health and wellness of the entire planet, so that the planet can experience healthy living.

You may have heard by now that Michelle Obama has decided to take a segment of the White House lawn and turn it into an organic vegetable and fruit garden. What a great statement to make about the importance of eating organic, sustainable and local foods.

In other words, the Obamas are advocating for a Low Density Lifestyle!

In the above video, you’ll see a history of gardening at the White House. You’ll see that by putting in an organic garden, Michelle Obama is turning back the clock to a time when it was the normal thing to do – just as living a Low Density Lifestyle was also the normal thing to do.

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