Hollye Jacobs's Blog, page 7

Produce With The Most (And Least) Pesticides

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) just released its 2015 update to the annual Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. This is fantastic because it lists the latest version of the fruits and vegetables that are found to contain the most pesticide residues. (A/K/A: The Dirty Dozens!)

EWG analyzed data from tests conducted by the USDA. They washed and peeled produce to mimic what a consumer would do before it’s tested and then compiled the data to determine the dirtiest  48 fruits and veggies. The data also showed the produce that contained the least amount of pesticide residues (a/k/a the Clean Dozens!)

Some of the dirtiest produce includes apples, grapes, and yes, (sadly) even spinach too! These specific produce absorb and contain high amounts of pesticides and residue even after they have been washed off at home. The bottom line: You may want to consider spending the extra dollar or two on these bad boys and buy them organic. Just sayin’!

The Silver Lining is that the USDA’s data also showed the produce that contained the least amount of pesticide residues (a/k/a the Clean Dozens!)  However, even though these fruits and veggies makes the clean list, they were only found to have the least pesticide residue, not necessarily no residue.

Check out the graphics below and feel free to print them out (that’s what I did) and keep them handy on your next shopping spree!

For more information, visit www.ewg.org

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BeautyCounter in Santa Barbara Magazine

This month, I am incredibly honored to be included in Santa Barbara Magazine‘s Best of 2015 issue. Santa Barbara Magazine has always been one of my absolute favorite periodicals, so having the opportunity to be a part of it and share some of my favorite things to do in my favorite town is a major Silver Lining!

This issue happens to be one of my favorite of the year. The magazine is divided so beautifully into well organized and easily accessible sections, including Home, Garden, Entertaining, Food & Wine, Sports, Kids, The Arts, Getaways, Out & About and finally, The Reason We Live Here (which, if you’ve ever been here, you definitely knowwwww!).

This issue will make you go ahead and commit to making a reservation to visit. And fair warning, when you’re here, you’ll try every which way to figure out how to stay longer (or even move here, which is what the HOTY and I did 3 weeks after our first visit – seriously).

In this issue, I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with my friend Gregg Renfrew the founder of and genius (she would be mortified to be called a genius, but she totally IS!) behind BeautyCounter, a skin care line committed to getting safe AND effective products into the hands of everyone.  I love love love their products (and no, of course I’m not now – or ever – paid to endorse anything!).

And yes, both  Santa Barbara and BeautyCounter are as wonderful as you imagine  (Silver Lining!). So, pick up Santa Barbara magazine and start planning!

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Friday Fitness: Afternoon Energy Boost

Today, I’m starting a new little column: Friday Fitness.  I thought that I’d start with a daily routine that I use to give me an energy boost.

I can’t tell you how often I hit the afternoon wall. Literally. Crash, bang, boom.  At 3:00, I feel like I could just go to bed right then and there.  Most days I am able to refuse the candy jar calling my name or the teapot whistling at me. My reasoning is certainly not because I am holier than thou, rather; it is because I gave myself this set of exercises to do. It revvvvvves me up more than anything that I could chew or drink.  Hope that this helps you as much as it does me!  Oh and the Silver Lining is that there are NO CALORIES & it goes a long way toward getting you fit!

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This Weekend Choose: Hugs

This Weekend Choose: Hugs

Hugs. Who doesn’t love them? Hugs make us all feel wanted, supported, and loved especially when it is coming from someone we truly care about. The Silver Lining is that hugs can actually ward off stress and protect the immune system. (I know right, pretty cool!)

According to a study conducted at Carnegie Mellon University, being hugged by a trusted person may act as an effective means of conveying support and reducing stress. This effect may be attributed to the physical contact itself or to hugging being a behavioral indicator of intimacy and support. Either way, hugging is more than just wrapping your arms around someone. It has health benefits too!

If you needed any more reason to go wrap your arms around someone special this weekend, consider this: Hugs also lower blood pressure, alleviate fears around death and dying, improve heart health and decrease feelings of loneliness.

So give a hug to someone this weekend. You never know, your hug may be just the Silver Lining they need!

 

 

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Privacy in the Age of the Internet

Ummmm, hellooooooo. Sorry that I have been MIA. Really sorry.  I have had some s**t going on that is well, it is just not blog worthy.  And this is saying a whole lot since I am pretty much an open book.

My “inner turtle” – that part of me that closes down when things get beyond intense, when I feel the need to protect myself – has been on call 24/7 the past week.  I’ve had some weird ass stuff happen that has propelled me into my protective shell.

My incidents – that I am going to keep to myself if you don’t mind – have gotten me thinking about privacy in an overshared world. The truth of the matter is that thanks to blogging and social media posting, we are subject to countless and silent attempts at mining information about our habits, health, opinions and more either indirectly or because of our own doing.

From the time I started writing – both the blog and the books – I have been committed to sharing information that helps me navigate life during and after a cancer experience. That has literally been my sole (or is it soul?) purpose.

An unintended consequence is the fact that I am out there for the world to see. Up until now, I never thought that was a bad thing. I always saw it (and intended it to be) helpful and hopeful. However, best laid plans…

What I have learned – the hard way, of course (why is it alwaaaaays the hard way?) – is that things don’t always turn out that way I imagine and that there unintended consequences that stem from being so connected.  My cell phone, email, web browser and social media sites are just a few of the technologies that I use on a daily basis to communicate with family, friends and readers. However, they are also producing digital footprints that leave me vulnerable and exposed. I’m not so crazy about being able to be tracked and accessed so easily, to be honest with you.

And yet, having an online presence is what I do. Finding the right balance between what to share and what not share or simply avoiding common mistakes isn’t always easy. As technology advances, trying to maintain privacy on the Internet has become increasingly difficult for everyone, not just me. I’m trying to figure it all out. I don’t know where these musings will lead, but I’ll certainly keep you posted.

In the meantime, one thing that I have come to know for sure (and hope that you will too):  “what happens on the Internet, stays on the Internet.”

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The Most Marvelous Color of All

The Most Marvelous Color of All

Women think of all colors except the absence of color. I have said that black has it all. White too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony.

– Coco Chanel

White is my absolute favorite color. Is it really a color?! That is a debate that I need not have here, dear readers. What I love about white is that it is peaceful, hopeful, timeless, elegant, and (the biggest Silver Lining!) it can be worn to fit any mood or occasion. An added bonus Silver Lining is that living in heaven – I mean Santa Barbara! – I can use and wear white all of the time.

I – and many others! – associate white with goodness, purity, light, and innocence. It is considered to the color associated with perfection and insinuates safety, purity, and cleanliness. My go-to outfit uniform is all white: my white J.Crew denim paired with a white blouse. Incidentally, I have a white blouse problem, for which there is no official program – or maybe there is, but I haven’t yet found it.

Here are a few beautiful photos I found of the color white. Oh and a few photos of me wearing my favorite all white outfit, which is pretty much my uniform! Enjoy!

How does white make you feel?

Photography by: Mark Skovorodko

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Friday’s Fixin’s: Ruby Detox Salad

Ruby Detox Salad with Tamari Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Welcome back to Friday’s Fixin’s.  A friend gave me a little grief last week because I haven’t posted yummalicious recipes in a while – ok, in ages.  Well, the wait is finally OVER.  I’m so doggone excited to share the Ruby Detox Salad.  This salad tastes just as good as it looks (and it looks might fine!)! I like to think of it as a little bowl of Silver Linings. Literally every single solitary ingredient is nutritious and great for your digestive system! I happen to adore this ruby color. There is something about it that just makes me smile.

I can’t remember how I found it, but I can tell you where:  The Food Federation blog. Ever heard of it?  I’m sure that you have. I’m still a little behind the times when it comes to knowing the latest and greatest; however, this blog is IT!

Back to the easy peasy recipe. The dressing is made with Apple Cider Vinegar, which promotes a healthy digestive system and detoxes your body. My favorite part of the salad is the toasted pumpkin seeds in Tamari sauce, which gives them a crisp and salty taste. Did you know that regular Tamari sauce has gluten in it?  Who knew. That stuff sneaks in where/when you least expect it.  The Silver Lining is that Tamari sauce is also available gluten free!

Here is how to make the Food Federation Ruby Detox salad:

Serves 4-6 as a side, and 2-3 as a main

Ingredients

2 carrots, grated
1 beetroot, grated
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 orange, segmented
coriander, flat leaf parsley, or mint leaves (or a combination)
1 tsp oil
1 tsp tamari or soy sauce
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
DRESSING:

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp honey

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp wholegrain mustard

1 clove garlic, crushed

Instructions:

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
For the seeds, heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Toss the seeds with the oil and tamari and toast in the hot pan. Keep and eye on them so that they do not burn and toss frequently until they are crispy and a dark brown colour.
Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add the seeds and the dressing and toss to combine.

Just a heads up: When tossing everything together, be aware that your fingers may turn ruby red from the beets! Rinse your hands directy after tossing so that the stains do not stay long. (Or just use silverware to toss!)

Hope that you enjoy it as much as I am!  Please do let me know what you think!

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5 Reasons to Lift Weights

5 Reasons to Lift Weights

Have you ever had one of those “I reaaaaaaaly need to go for a run” moments (or hours)? They typically occur after days like yesterday – SuperBowl Sunday – when I ate a bunch of things that I would never normally eat. A few months ago, my oncologist suggested that rather than focus solely (or is it soul-y) on running or hiking, that I add weights to my workout repertoire.  I did an internal eye-roll (or actually maybe he saw it!) because I’ve never been a weights kinda gal.  I have always been worried that it would bulk me up Terminator style (btw, did you seeeeeeee the ad for the new Terminator movie-grandparent edition?  Quelle horror!!!). Anyhoo, my oncologist assured me that no, I wouldn’t bulk up. Rather, it would be an excellent way to convert fat (yes, he used the word fat) into muscle which not only looks better but – the BEST Silver Lining! – is that it will help reduce my risk of a recurrence.

Let me explain:  We have an enzyme in fat tissue (called aromatase). It changes fat into estrogen. In a gal like myself who had (love saying had) estrogen positive FBC, I do NOT want estrogen in my body!  Ok, so the less fat that I have the less estrogen that I have.  Make sense?

As if i needed another reason for not having fat, here are 5 other great reasons to spend more time lifting weights and less time doing cardio:

1. Muscles increase your metabolism. Regularly lifting weights promotes the growth of lean muscle mass and reduces your insulin sensitivity, which stimulates fat loss. Put it this way, the more muscle your body has, the more calories it will burn when you are at rest.

2. Setting personal records keeps you motivated. Personal records allow you to continually grow. When you surpass a previous record, whether its the amount of push ups or chin ups you can do, you are motivating yourself to keep reestablishing a new record. This instills a sense of pride and keeps you coming back for more because you now have a sense of purpose in the weight room. I’m still working on this one.  As I mentioned, I don’t want to get bulky, but I do want to get more lean. Ok, I guess THAT there is my motivation!

3. Being strong makes everything else easier. Exercising to be stronger, mobile, and fast makes being efficient at everyday tasks much easier. Moving furniture, carying multiple bags of groceries, lifting a heavy box onto the top shelf. It’s tasks like these that become much easier when you are physically stronger. I am already feeling stronger and I have to tell you that it makes me feel really happy!

4. Strength is a potent confidence booster. Physical strength contributes to strength of character, which in turn boosts confidence. The first time I was able to do 2 pull-ups in a row (yes, in a ROW!!!) I was amazed!! Just by lifting weights a few weeks for a few weeks I gained enough strength to do 2 full pull-ups! Yes, I’m patting myself on the back. When I left the gym that day I felt more confident then ever. I felt as if the strength I earned in the gym could be translated to my life outside of the gym, which was a great Silver Lining.

5. Weight lifting is efficient. As a mom, wife, and worker-bee I COMPLETELY understand that time is very valuable. There are days where I physically can’t dedicate an hour or so to excercise because of my other obligations. The Silver Lining is that weight lifting saves a lot of time because it is so efficient. You can get a very efficient work out in just 20 minutes. By speeding up the rate of intensity of your lift you actually gain more strength and lose more fat, which is quite a win-win!

Do you lift weights?  If so, how do you do it? Have you noticed a difference?

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Wake Up This Morning and SMILE!

I hope that you will do this as you awaken each morning!

It will certainly add a Silver Lining to your day – no matter WHAT the day brings!

 

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This Weekend Choose: Patience

Choosing patience can be quite – ahem - challenging for me at times.  I will give myself credit for – with each passing year – becoming more patient; however, I still have quite a way to go.   I find that the more tired I am, the less patient that I am.  Not rocket science by any stretch of the imagination; however, when I am getting nudge-y, I (as gently as I can) remind myself to take a deep breath and to always think twice before I speak once.  This is a pearl of wisdom that the HOTY taught me that I carry with me each and every day.

Have a wonderful weekend!

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