2.3.1 Supporting Evidence: Annotated Resource Review

LIFESTYLE/HAPPINESS
Turtle Cartoon  — Yogi Times -- Great cartoon on perspective/optimism
https://www.facebook.com/yogitimes/photos/a.173705769336741.35445.102740293099956/924251640948813/?type=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_1JoYuLeYI
13 minute talk by Deepak Chopra highlighting happiness
Considers 5 pillars of happiness on this plane and our role as an expanding consciousness seeking union with the divine.  Make all your stories love stories.  5 pillars include Friends, enjoying work, exercise, sleep, attitude.

http://www.ted.com/talks/matthieu_ricard_on_the_habits_of_happiness
French Buddhist monk on happiness.   This isn’t my favorite TED on happiness but he does point out with neuroscience research and practice that meditation is a huge tool toward acceptance of whatever is.

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_asks_why_are_we_happy?language=en
Great talk by Harvard professor Dan Gilbert on the science around happiness.  A concise articulation of some of his main points from Stumbling on Happiness
http://www.amazon.com/Stumbling-Happiness-Daniel-Gilbert-ebook/dp/B000GCFW0A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429032594&sr=8-1&keywords=TED+Dan+Gilbert

http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/stories/10-habits-you-should-pick-up-from-your-grandmother
this nice simple pattern level article contends that many of our lives would be improved if we took some simple cues from how our ancestors lived.  The author rightly points to more time in nature and using natural products (cleaning, herbal medicine and less processed foods)

http://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/permaculture-approach-optimum-health
In this delightful blog, the author uses a running metaphor of the body as the environment to care for through permaculture principles and techniques.

http://wakeup-world.com/2013/02/08/5-amazing-properties-of-sunlight-youve-never-heard-about/
Personally, I don’t need science to tell me that sunlight is good for me; however, I do think it’s fun to consider other ways in which the things we love are giving us Unknown Good Benefits.  

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success Carol Dweck -- Great book on how our perspective toward learning and failing can inform our pathway.

STRESS
Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers - Book
Fantastic book contending that our evolutionary development of stress to deal with short term physiological emergencies is destroying our health as our challenges are becoming psychological and chronic.  There are wonderful lectures and videos of Sapolsky on youtube and itunesU.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYG0ZuTv5rs —
Stress : Portrait of a Killer
Great 1 hour documentary focusing upon Stress.  Primarily the work of Sapolsky with references to Whitehall UK study, study of wman with special needs kids and Dutch Hunger Winter study.  Long and short is that our level of stress is connected to our place in the hierarchy and our attitude about it.  Self empowerment, seizing control .  There are mental solutions to stress  

HERBALISM
The Wild Medicine Solution, Guido Mase -- Book
Guido has a great perspective on aromatics, bitters and adaptogens.

PARENTING
General Theory on Love -- My main takeaway from this book is that we are social creatures and the most important thing in the first 5 years of childhood development is sharing love with the child.  

Happiest Baby on the Block -- Wonderful perspective on helping the very little ones (under 1 year) sleep and discover peace.

The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Child Care -- Perhaps my favorite reference regarding nutrition for the growing baby and toddler.  Sally Fallon is part of the Weston Price Foundation and in addition to insightful views on Nutrition, she has thoughful analysis of vaccines and other healthcare issues.  

Nurture Shock -- Great book that gives 6 succinct philosophies on childhood development.

http://m.lvsun.com/news/2013/mar/01/unlv-researchers-author-first-ever-scholarly-repor/#.UxighzM33SY.facebook
An early study/insight into a fairly new modern practice of eating the placenta as medicine for mama and baby (purported by many to be age old in many cultures.)  I like the idea that the placenta can offer exactly what a nursing mom needs and have many anecdotal stories of placenta pills being wonderful.  I would certainly recommend for anyone I know.  The purported benefits are often sited as mood, energy and lactation enhancement.  

NATURAL CLEANSERS
http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2012/08/my-simple-natural-frugal-cleaning-cabinet.html
I appreciated her acknowledgement of not being a germaphobe and her awareness that the fewer the ingredients the cheaper and hopefully safer cleansers.  

CLEANSING
http://ecosalon.com/5-foods-that-protect-against-radiation/ —
A simple look at some foods that help mitigate effects of radiation.

http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_stamets_on_6_ways_mushrooms_can_save_the_world?language=en
Paul Stamets TED Talk -- Stamets outlines wonderful implications of mushrooms ability to heal and detox humans and the planet.


http://lifespa.com/top-ten-reasons-cleanse-ghee/
John Douillard, a great Ayurvedic practitioner, talks about more benefits of cleansing with ghee.

http://themastercleanse.org/
Description of doing a powerful water based (lemonade-based) cleanse.

NUTRITION
http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2014/01/
organic_vs_conventional_produce_for_kids_you_don_t_need_to_fear_pesticides.html
A nice counter(perma)culture view that despite the fact that organic produce is presumably better for the environment, is the extra money worth the mitigated risk to our kids?   I think I take a similar view of this woman who both recognizes that “Dose makes the poison”  and as I would suggest, the stress that we invite into our systems can often be more challenging than the pesticides.  So although I am a huge supporter of organic, I am not dogmatic/adamant about much.   Supporting organic for the earth seems more important to me than inviting stress into our body about being organic.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/02/12/275376259/the-full-fat-paradox-whole-milk-may-keep-us-lean?sc=ipad&f=1001
A fairly simple look at the benefits of Whole Fat.  For more detailed information, I like Sally Fallon’s exhaustive research through the Weston A Price Foundation

http://www.alternet.org/personal-health/7-foods-experts-said-were-bad-us-turned-out-be-healthy?page=0%2C0
Simply on Principle, I like articles outlining what the Experts said were bad, where now they are clearly wrong.  I would suggest that there are even more foods (and medicines/pharmaceuticals) that I would include in this category (definitely red meat, butter).  Also the pointer toward something like cholesterol which got whole fat dairy and eggs and red meat on the poo poo list, is another correlation that I think few people understand.  (My playful analogy for cholesterol is that saying high cholesterol is causing heart disease is like saying that lots of police cause crime (as opposed to being the bodies/cities reaction to challenges/crimes).  Cholesterol indeed is the mother hormone that I think is drastically important especially for developing babies and toddlers in order to form a functioning endocrine system.

http://www.ewg.org/research/shoppers-guide-to-avoiding-ge-food
An indictment and watchdog around how to spot GMO foods and why to be cautious.

http://time.com/2863227/ending-the-war-on-fat/
Concise 5 minute video debunking the myth that fat is bad for us.

http://nourishedkitchen.com/bone-broth/
a concise article laying out the benefits and creation of bone broths.  Bone broths are typically simmered for in excess of 12 hours, I would also include that many people add vinegar to help pull out all the minerals and nutrients.  

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/gelatin-and-collagen-hydrolysate-whats-the-difference/
Interesting article discussing benefits of gelatin in our diet.  I am fascinated that balancing “traditional” muscle meats with more eggs, stocks and organ meats could be a nice way to balance our intake of protein.  

http://www.naturalblaze.com/2014/02/12-lessons-about-eating-we-can-learn.html
focusing upon the HOW we eat rather than the WHAT we eat.  This article outlines 12 good Practices that the French employ in their otherwise highly “criticized” diet via American allopathy.    Highlighting awarenesses including slowing down, enjoying the meal, sitting together, stopping when full, and appreciating quality all make for a healthier diet regimen.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/07/14/329529110/food-mood-connection-how-you-eat-can-amp-up-or-tamp-down-stress
Discussing the connection between diet and stress/mood.  This article is a bit simplistic but the focus is sound.  Eating fewer high sugar foods and swinging wildly with our blood sugar can be mitigated through more whole foods rich in fats and protein.