If a tree falls in the forest, do the other trees hear its "ooof?"

This babblelog is all about the bike path to sex, happiness, and world peace.  It sez so right up there, front and centre. Earlier this week, Bike Snob said:

(mmm, sperm whale)

You see? This is, in fact, my very own blog and I can type in whatever I want. Snob sez so right up there in orange and white. I do try to keep these babblings relevant to bicycles in some way shape or form, since it is the BIKE path to world peace which I'm blithely trying to lead you down.

Imagine my consternation, then, when my friend said "You really should stop harping on about bikes the way you do," followed up with "Philosophizing is all well and fine, but if you want to build a large readership, you should offer something of actual value to people."  He went on to suggest that I share with you, my dear reader, some of the things I've learned about health and wellness over the years.


This feels so good, so right, writing this blog.  It's so much fun. If the sound of the blog is not heard, does it really exist in any meaningful way?  It  has to be relevant or there's just no point in it. He's right.  It does have to offer a value, or readers will stop coming back.  That's just common sense.  I know.  Beavers.  It needs more wet beaver shots. Here are a couple of them for you....

photo lifted from here

Here's the thing.  This friend ...I probably shouldn't call him a friend, really, because he makes it quite clear that he doesn't like me much, though he persists in helping me. Bless him. Anyway, he has given me a few bits of stellar advice in the past, and he has done rather well for himself both in broadcasting and in business, so you do see my quandary, right?

You, dear reader, may or may not know that I have put some time and effort into raising people's awareness of a few environmental health and wellness issues, and in particular, have, over the past several years, worked on a health-centred design project which involved making PURE sustainable furniture, like this:

With a genius who looks like this:

Ami McKay

I always try to make friends with really smart people because smart rubs off.  Even people with density -yes, people like me!- learn things this way.  (Well, what do you know?  Turns out I can shamelessly plug things in my very own blog, too.) PURE design is all about removing toxins from your indoor environment, so  I was not even a little bit surprised when the CBC's Marketplace ran a show about the dangerous chemicals offgassing (wee mini-me breaks into peals of laughter whenever I say that word, it always makes me smile to mention it.) from your furniture and electronics. I wasn't even mildly nonplussed.  Nope.  I was all like.... "McFinally."

And this is just the bit which made it through the notorious Canadian Science Muzzle.

Don't even get me started.  

Oprah"s peeps featured this in the last edition of "O at Home. Why?  Because it's healthy and PURE."  Boo Yeah,  Sukkah.  We badass.  In the very best sense.

The honest to goodness truth is that I do have a strong desire to offer you, kind reader, something of real value, something which will truly enrich your life.  My friend figures I have a unique perspective, having done some healing of my own. (Have I told you, for instance, that my eyesight has gotten better over the last ten years?  How cool is that?? 

Forgive me. I come from a family full of  liars lawyers, politicians, and environmental activists, too.  Ranting comes naturally.  Guess you probably noticed by now. I do try to reform and refine my passionate ways, because I scare people sometimes. This is why I try not to rant, though much like a werewolf the need regularly overwhelms me.

Like when I saw Rick's rant the other day. Today I'm a tortured soul.

.  I like to do as the Dali sez and create peace in the world by creating peace in my own corner of the world.  And in that crazy, co-incidental Hermetic way, as above, so below, it seems that so many of our global issues could be solved if we applied the same principles to energy and food policies.  Take micro grids.  Small scale energy production done on local levels, for example, less disruptive, small scale hydro-electric projects, plus two-way infrastructure on all new structures so that every new building is capable of feeding the grid when passive and sustainable energy capture is available.  Easy peasy pumpkin pie. Vertical urban densification and a committed vertical urban spaces to grow local foods to eliminate massive chunks of our petrochemical dependence. I am trying to foster an idea of a better world, a place where my children's children can live happily and well.  Assuming any of us can actually have children by then.

Oh here we go.  The beast is out of her cage again.

You've got to understand, I love Rick.  Canada is a vast country full of many great and wonderful things, including a few remarkable talents, and Rick Mercer ranks high among them.  Everybody loves Rick.  You gotta love Rick.

And I've always loved his message, too, at least I did until this week.  Now I'm a tortured soul.

He.  Is.  Wrong.

Torture.  Love Rick.  Torture.

Rick is wrong.

There really is a first for everything.

:*(

The very next day, the CBC published an article about the very dodgy methods which Canada's Public Health Agencies base their statistics.  It makes my heart pound, just a little, when I see people promoting flu jabs, and I want to clench my teeth, because frankly I see a clear pattern of greed driven profiteering at the highest levels throughout this country. I see people suffer because of it.  And.  I.  Must. Rant.

How many people do you know who've died of the flu?  Really.  If it were as serious as they say it is you would hear about it every year.  People you know would be dropping...  Canada's health agencies include all deaths by pneumonia in their flu statistics, by the way, and not nearly all pneumonia is caused by flu. Pneumonia can be either viral or bacterial. If you google "Why does a broken hip lead to death sometimes?" you'll find all that laying about causes pneumonia.

There are plenty of natural remedies things you can use to boost your immune system without a flu shot. Rick is wrong.  Please don't get a flu shot.  There are tons of natural alternatives you can do to effectively boost your immune system naturally, and you will boost all of your other bodily functions, too.  Exercise daily.  Work up a sweat, move. Go to the gym if you dare, and look into interval training. Breathe hard.  RIDE YOUR BIKE.

ahem

sorry

(This is how I rode from work to see Fred the chiropractor this week when it was cold and dry, unlike today, which was warm and drenched.)

It's no concidence that this blog is about the BIKE PATH TO WORLD PEACE, you know.  Health and wellness is at the root of it. Riding a bike is interval training. It is very good for you for lots of reasons, one of which being that it benefits your immune system tremendously.  Google it, if you like. I'm too lazy. I ride because it feels good.  I'm happy when I ride my bike.  Driving a car is not the same.  It's a simple decision.  I like simple. 

Note to self:  do not drink and post.

Reply to self:  Stop being such a dork.

 OHOHOH!  I KNOW  I KNOW! There is a kundalini exercise to clean out your lymph system, and it has an ironic side effect in that a happy lymph system is nature's best facelift.  This works wonders to keep you healthy during flu season, too.  I tried to find the one which works best on youtube, but nada. Bupkiss.  Tell you what.  I'll post it to youtube for you, cause that is definitely something which will benefit you.  All it takes is three minutes, anyone can do it and you can do it anywhere, though it does look quite silly so I never do it where people will see.  Instead, I am going to go straight ahead and film myself doing it and then I will post it online.  

Sigh.

Tortured.  

It's for the greater good.

me feeling good after seeing Fred

There are plenty of highly qualified people out there blogging about health. My favourite news source, though he scares the bejezus out of me sometimes, is Mike the Health Ranger and the Natural News TV.  Oh, and Dr Mercola, too.  I love my naturopathic clinic, Integrative Healing Arts.  Fred is one of many specialists there. Every one of these kinds of sources know WAAAAAAY more about pretty much everything than I do.  They offer a different perspective on world events than mainstream media is ever going to give you, and I strongly encourage you to explore your options with an open mind. It's good to look at stuff from a different perspective, don't you think?

Vancouver from Waaaaay hey hey upon high.

  You care about your health.  You want to feel good, to feel happy and well every bit as much as I do.  Happiness is your nature.  It is also the key to the deepest level of healing, and the easiest way to feel it is to give it to someone else.  Happiness is why I look forward to Bike Snob's posts.  He makes me laugh, and the commenteratti... heh heh.  Never mind. 

All I'm saying is if you want to be healthy, be happy. Instead of looking for reasons to complain, look for reasons to celebrate.  Look for reasons to laugh.  Follow your bliss...  

Wellies for the floods- look Ma, no heels!!

...even through the pouring rain.