ORIGIN. M A R A N DA P L E ASA N T ’ S
THE CONSCIOUS CULTURE MAGAZINE VE GAN women who
8V3egGanoRurecmipetes + food ideas
[ To nics an d El ixirs ]
Ay ur ve da LIVING V I BRAN TLY
eat impossible for breakfast
YOGA LEADERS
WELLNESS TRENDSETTERS
ATHLETES EC O HEROES
PIONEERS.
{
Best of TRAVE L
{
Health Tips:
gisele
RAW , VEG AN
lenny kravitz
Bal an ci ng M ot he rh oo d + C AR EE R
Cozy up.
Start the New Year right. Allow yourself to relax into the warm, inviting spaciousness of a Kripalu R&R Retreat this winter.
Stockbridge, MA | 800.741.7353 | kripalu.org MISSION DRIVEN, DONOR SUPPORTED
KripaluÂŽ is a registered trademark of Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. All rights reserved.
See Me.
Millions of refugees are fleeing violence and poverty—but we can’t lose sight of the individuals. Each one needs food, shelter, and opportunity. You can provide not only aid, but hope. Please give today.
Help now: Text SEE ME to 97779 or visit oxfamamerica.org Oxfam America is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization (EIN/tax ID number: 23-706-9110). Your donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. By texting SEE ME to 97779 you are opting to receive monthly text messages from Oxfam. Text STOP to opt-out or HELP for more info. No purchase necessary. Message and data rates may apply.
MARANDA PLEASANT’S
THRIVE PLAnT-BASED: CuLTurE. FooD. LiFESTyLE.
BEST of VEGAn
Fashion. Athletes. RockeRs. Gifts.
& food ideas 100+recipes Innovative eAsy
MARANDA PLEASANT
Gourmet
MANTRA YOGA HEALTH
Your Bes t Life Home
Vegan
on stands now ➪
mantra yoga + Health magazine Yoga. Health. Plant-based Recipes. Ayurveda Green Living. Home. Travel. Wellness mantramag.com
Thrive Magazine
➪ Plant- based Culture + Lifestyle. Vegan Recipes Cruelty- free fashion. Natural Beauty Mythrivemag.com photo: fullyraw kristina
contents
44
38 54
Wellness
42
46
48
Family
26
Travel
50 4 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
18
Eco Fashion
ContentS 8
the case for a winter road trip A few tips to keep you safe & happy by chief adventurer + powder chaser, Christian Schauf
18
9 Ways to Tiptoe into Zero Waste Our super star eco blogger + fashionista, Holly Rose
26
origin. travel Guanacaste, Costa Rica
48
balancing business with mothering Adventures in airport pumping, carrying 80 ounces of milk across the country, blowing transformers in China, pushback, and doing what’s best for you
50
Sven Soares The importance of accepting + knowing yourself fully, staying fit, + his love for animals
54
30
Melissa Etheridge Deciding to choose love in each moment, a message to women + breast cancer thrivers, and best thing you can do for the world is be yourself
42
Syria: refugee road More than five years of conflict, one long journey
Everyday Ayurveda Practices for balancing body and mind, Kripalu Center for Yoga + Health
amber valletta Getting grounded, staying present, mothering, & being a positive distributor in the fashion industry
44
Sarah DeAnna Her natural skincare routine, her superfood breakfast, the power of yoga, & a good night’s sleep
46
Christina Applegate Founder, Right Action for Women. Mom. Entrepreneur. Actress
58 64
ECO PIONEERS + MOVEMENT MAKERS Innovators for a better world
67
Vegan Food Share Founders: Al & Dee Borja. @VeganFoodShare connects the plant-based movement worldwide. They welcome and involve peeps that are new to the lifestyle and introduce influencers globally through the vfs platform
:
Gisele Bundchen
Vulnerability, the Gift of Children, and How Our Health Depends on Fighting Deforestation + Climate Change
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 5
EDITOR’S LETTER THRIVE TEAM PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Maranda Pleasant Twitter: @marandapleasant
Editor’s LetteR
Creative DIRECTOR Melody Tarver
Instagram: @OriginMagazine
SENIOR EDITOR Antoine Level COPY EDITOR Colin Legerton ECO EDITOR Ian Somerhalder ANIMAL EDITORS Barbi Twins contributing editorS Moby Etienne Michel
Love launching our new TRAVEL + WELLNESS sections! Let us know your fav ECO RESORTS, BOUTIQUE HOTELS, SPAS and TRAVEL recommendations. I'd also love to hear about your fav organic products for next issue.
GLOBAL YOUTH EDITOR Ocean Pleasant
Women Who Rock!
Sustainability Editors Holly Rose Angelica Papio
Nominate them! We want to feature more inspirational pioneers and wellness leaders.
Special Projects OXFAM Inger Forland Charlsie Niemiec United Nations Foundation Christian Schauf Holly Rose Shane Woodward The Pollination Project
Email us: bestof@originmagazine.com
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Alena Haurylik Contact us Head Ninja editor@originmagazine.com
Be a ninja Kick Ass. R epe at.
Advertising ads@originmagazine.com
nourish. renew.
How amazing are these fem pioneers, change makers and athletes this issue?
Subscriptions
originmagazine.com/subscribe Ad Rates + Specs originmagazine.com/advertise RATES BEGIN AT $3400/FULL PAGE
They motivate me to live an inspired life, channeling fear into excitement and action.
PHONE 713.922.8584
We’re also stoked to feature so many eco positive and living green trailblazers, paving the way for a cleaner, kinder planet.
Join Our Team team@originmagazine.com
We’re about to go big on our cruelty-free, vegan fashion and products sections. Love to know your favorites. We finally decided to come out of the (vegan) closet. All the food inspo you could ever need!
Twitter: @originmagazine
So proud to feature one of the best conversations I’ve ever had, with legend and cancer thriver, Melissa Etheridge. Real, on point and why life doesn’t really have to be so hard.
Mantra Yoga + Health editor@mantramag.com Twitter: @mantrayogamag
We’re also launching our new social section! Pics from your awesome events! Send them over: social@originmagazine.com
thrive magazine editor@mythrivemag.com Twitter: @readthrive
Here’s to living vibrantly. Let's stay connected, follow our 16-month trip around the globe: @MarandaPleasant
150 trees planted this issue
Maranda Pleasant ORIGIN Magazine • THRIVE Magazine • Mantra Yoga + Health • REAL Magazine
Founder / Editor-in-Chief editor@originmagazine.com
100% vegan
photos: (top RIGHT) lechon kirb, (BOTTOM LEFT), NATHALIE SADER, (bottom RIGHT), ALENA HAURYLIK 6 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
CLOTHING FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE FULLY, PL AY LONG, AND TR AVEL WELL.
Adventure Series. ROADTRIPS
Chief Adventurer + Powder Chaser, Christian Schauf Instagram: @ChristianSchauf
y name is Christian, and I’m addicted to powder. Freshies. Powpow. My favorite community? Trenchtown, USA. My heaven on earth, my happy place, is a deep and steep mountain of untouched snow. If you are an addict like me, you know the only cure is more powder, but landing yourself in the middle of one of these nirvanas takes effort. And a little luck. With that said, over the past few years, I’ve developed a few unintentional habits in the name of getting my fix. It usually starts with an early week “powder alert” email from one of a dozen skiing websites I subscribe to. It crescendos to a group text where my closest friends and I send roughly 3,247 texts over the next 48 hours pretending to be meteorologists. We analyze the jet stream, talk about moisture content, consider barometric pressure, and almost always end up convinced we are in for Snowmageddon 201X. Friday mornings typically start with a “If you’re not at my house and ready to rock at 5pm, we are leaving without you.” and end with a truck full of dudes convinced they are in for All-Time conditions.
8 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Most times we’re wrong. But our enthusiasm never wavers. There’s always another storm brewing somewhere out in the Pacific, and another reason to get excited. But if I’m honest, it’s never entirely been about the skiing. Many still roll their eyes at my let’s-get-in-the-truck-Friday-and-drive-towherever-has-the-best-powder mentality. “That’s so far.” “Why don’t you fly?” People just don’t get it. But my list of converts grows with every trip. The combination of sunsets, mountains, coffee, and camaraderie that can only come from windshield time is hard to beat. Heck, it’s darn near magical. Powder day or not. So whether you’re a powder hound like me, or just someone considering planning a winter vacation, here are a few good reasons why I think you need to plan a road trip this winter... and a few tips to keep you safe and happy.
Forget road rage, road trips actually relieve stress and improve creativity. Simply putting yourself in an unfamiliar environment provides you a broader view of the world, which in turn improves your understanding and influences creativity. Need another reason? Travellers feel significantly more relaxed within the first two days of their journey. In part thanks to stepping away from a screen and focusing on the open road. I, for one, can say my experiences back this up completely. Some of my best ideas have come from behind a steering wheel and catching up on my favorite podcast or book on tape feels as beneficial as a weekend seminar.
With more than one person in a car, driving can save in a variety of ways. Not only is a fuel-efficient car likely cheaper than multiple airline tickets, you also eliminate rental car costs, airport parking, extra baggage fees that come with bringing your winter gear, and more. If you’re anything like me, the ability to bring a few extra pieces of gear (powder skis or all-mountain skis? Both!) and clothing without worrying about being overweight at the airport counter is priceless.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 9
Adventure Series. ROADTRIPS
Yes, that’s right. I said faster. Let’s do some quick math... let’s say you live one hour from an airport and your flight time is three hours. By my count, you’ve already invested at least three hours before your wheels get off the ground after driving, parking, security, and boarding. Add the time it takes to get off the plane once you’ve landed, time spent waiting for luggage (I won’t even bring up the dreaded delayed or lost luggage scenario), get to a rental car, drive the rest of the way, you could have easily driven 10 hours in the same time it takes you to fly. If you’re in SoCal, that gets you to Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Northern California, and almost to Colorado. If you’re a skier like me, one of my favorite things to do is to take turns driving through the night. Find a diner at sunrise, grab a big breakfast and a pot of coffee, and be first in line when the mountain opens.
1. TIRES: A good set of winter tires are non-negotiable. When the
Let’s face it, the view from your airplane seat doesn’t offer much in the way of diversity. You may even be tempted to connect to the wifi and dive back into the very work you’re looking to take a break from. Don’t. Instead, use your personal time to recharge and get out of those habits. Stop at an off-the-beaten-path diner, talk with the locals, and grab a novelty coffee cup. Turn up a dirt road and see where it goes. Grab a picture next to a sign welcoming you to a new state. Have an impromptu snowball fight. One of my favorite stops is Alabama Hills in Lone Pine, CA. Just a few hours outside of Mammoth Lakes, and two miles off the route, this crazy geological area features Mars-esque rock landscapes and has been the location for movies ranging from Tombstone to Iron Man.
With all respect to my favorite mountain towns, the best skiing is where it’s snowing. Last winter, we left California late Friday night and tracked a storm towards Arizona. By morning, it became apparent that the storm had moved north, so we called an audible. Three hours later, we were in a completely different state, and up to our waists in freshies. The snow kept falling through the night, so we kept skiing, and took a personal day that none of us will ever regret or forget. Leave home without accommodations booked and don’t feel forced to get to a certain hotel at a certain time. With apps like HotelTonight, finding affordable accommodations last minute has never been easier. 10 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
thermometer hits 7°C, summer and all-season tires become hard and lose their effectiveness. Winter tires are made of compounds that stay soft and flexible so they can grip the road even in cold temperatures. They have deeper lugs which prevent snow from packing in and also feature larger biting lugs on the outside of the tire, designed to grip snow and ice.
2. SURVIVAL KIt: It’s always smart to be prepared. Despite our best plans, things can always happen. But you can change a serious situation into an inconvenience with the right stuff. We recommend the SEVENTY2 from Uncharted Supply Co. It features 30 different products, including snowshoes, a water filter, emergency blanket, fire starters, radio, food, and much more. 3. BUY YOUR FO OD bEFORE YOU LEAVE. You’re going to buy groceries anyway. Get it at home and save over resort prices and have extra supplies if your drive ends up taking longer than expected. 4. D ON’t RUSH. One of my friends is an accomplished mountain
guide. His favorite saying is “Slow is steady and steady is fast.” Don’t put yourself in a slippery situation by trying to push the pace. Accidents most frequently happen when you try to change direction quicker than your tires can hang on for. Enjoy the drive and give yourself plenty of space and time when conditions are less than ideal.
5. TALk tO LOCALS. Conditions can be as unique as the town you drive through. And nobody knows that stretch of highway better than the guy who’s spent the last 20 years behind the counter at the local convenience store. Know where the next service exit is. Ask about cell reception or when the last plows came through. So next time you start getting cabin fever, skip the TSA lines and head out for a winter adventure. Follow me at @christianschauf and I hope to see you down the snowy road.
Sustainability Matters To you, to the earth and to us at Boxed Water. We offer you a better choice with sustainable packaging, thoughtful design and pure, refreshing water.
For a better, more sustainable option, e-mail hello@boxedwaterisbetter.com
eats. restaurant pick
Kindred:
San Diego
Vegan Punk Rock A Sweet Ass Mix:
Ridiculously
Ambitious Cocktails
sign + Modern Rebellion De
100 Vegan %
Punk Restaurant
Founder: Kory Stetina Instagram: @BarKindred BarKindred.com
FOOD: They create vegan cuisine with a focus on flavor, and an ambiance of indulgence, escape, and hospitality, with a passion and reach that goes way beyond the veg community, created from the punk and hardcore culture. They put their heart and soul into the bar menu. Insane craft cocktails.
DESIGN: A bizarre twist of classic
Kory
14 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
elegance and metal that is like nothing else, with an soundtrack exclusively of droning, psychedelic, stoner metal.
Profile: Kory Stetina, vegan for 15 years, was exposed to animal rights through the hardcore scene. Kind of our punk crush, reshaping the plant-based culture.
eats. coffee
e e f f o C g in d n a t s r e d Un on a Deeper Level W w
hen choosing the coffee for you, know how to understand what you like and dislike.
Our coffee Experts: Westrock Coffee Instagram: @westrockcoffee westrockcoffee.com
We enjoy our daily cup (or two) of coffee holistically, even if we don’t realize it. The smell, the taste, the feeling you get when you take a sip, and the warmth the mug exudes. The entire experience is like a song. When you know the origin of the coffee and how it was grown, it’s like a song that was written just for you. We rarely get to see the backstory of the beans in our cup of coffee. Since the best coffees in the world are grown at high elevations (at least 3,000 feet above sea level) between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer, places like East Africa, Central America, and the Pacific Islands are where your coffee is grown. When it’s crafted and roasted, expertise and skill are needed to expose the natural, vibrant flavors of each origin’s coffee.
Look for
16 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
4 things:
Yum!
acidity by examining the “zing” that the acid leaves on your tongue. Body. The viscosity of coffee contributes to the overall experience. Hold the coffee in your mouth and touch your tongue to the roof of your mouth. Does it have low body like water, or high body like whole milk? Like us, look for coffee that works at every stage of the coffee supply chain. Always paying a fair price to farmers for the coffee, agricultural and financial training, and authentic partnership are all major factors in sustainable coffee.
Storing Your Coffee What is the best way to store your coffee to prevent it from going stale?
Flavor. Look deeper into the coffees by pointing out the flavors like plum or brown sugar.
Keep it in a container that is airtight. Oxygen causes coffee to stale at a faster rate. It is also better to keep it out of direct sunlight.
Aftertaste. After you take a sip, does the coffee feel dry, smooth, lingering, good, or bad? There are many ways to describe the aftertaste of a coffee.
Store coffee in glass so that the container does not retain oils or odors from the previous batch that it was holding. Materials like plastic will retain oils. Make sure the containers always have a proper lid.
Acidity. There are also many ways to describe acid in coffee. The taste and feeling of citric acid is what most people recognize in coffee. Described simply, you can feel whether it is high or low
Use whole bean coffee instead of pre-ground coffee. When you use whole bean coffee, the bean is encapsulated, protecting the natural flavors in the bean.
COOKING TO COCKTAILS. THIS IS THE TICKET. One ingredient that takes you places. Caramelize carrots, glaze pears, drizzle over ice cream, or go ahead and shake a splash in your martini. And, we’re just getting started! You’re going to love this stuff. Each Ea small batch is roasted by hand, cold brewed for eighteen hours, then combined with pure cane sugar & slowly simmered to a thick, rich amber syrup. Our all natural coffee syrup is a delicious way to bring coffee goodness and sweetness s to your favorite foods & drinks.
Order direct at www.davescoffee.com Cold brewed & hand crafted with Love in Rhode Island.
cruelty-free fashion LOVE
Beyond Skin
Glam vegan footwear, made by happy humans with planet-friendly materials. Gold, Baby! beyondskin.co.uk
For the eth ica l fas hio nis ta! A C la ss ic !
88 Handbags
LOVE
Teal Combo Katie Satchel 88-eightyeight.com
A Per fec t We eke nde r!
Susi Studio
Bourgeois Boheme The Ellen in Stone
susistudio.com
Best
Editor’s Picks
A feminized take take on the classic men’s Derby. Super versatile, with a luxurious leatheridentical finish.
us.bboheme.com
of
Amy Weekender in
Ombre Black + Pixie Mood Duffle-style bag that’s perfect for all of your everyday essentials or gym gear. We fight over this one. pixiemood.com
Vegan Fashion Urban Expressions Chic. High-end. PETA approved. urbanexpressions.net
LO VE
LaBante London The ‘Avant’
It’s our carryall bag perfect for organizing our ton of digital devices. Features contrast lining, a protective laptop compartment, and two open pockets for phones and other digital storage, plus a detachable wallet. LOVE this bag! labante.co.uk
The Per fec t Wor k Bag !
20 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
MATT & NAT Luxury vegan bags
everyone loves. mattandnat.com
Angela Roi
Crossbody Bag So C hic !
Luxurious, spacious crossbody bag w/ adjustable strap. angelaroi.com
travel. Renew. Replenish. Nourish Wanderlust. Vagabonds. Bohemians. Spirit Dwellers
A Year on the Road One Bag. 18 C ountries. Lessons Learned
#BucketListYear | Maranda Pleasant | Instagram: @marandapleasant
Ice land
Greece Amalf i C oast, Italy
Dubr ovnik, Cr oat ia Greece Szechenyi bat hs in Budapest
M
Santorini, Greece
any of us think about it. Dream about it. We secretly conspire. Last December, I just did it. I put everything in storage from my house in Los Angeles and my apartment in Manhattan. One bag. No itinerary. Same-day ticket. One year later, I’m still running this magazine from the road. I met a beautiful lover in Paris in February. A total revolutionary. We dated for a month before I had to return to Los Angeles. He quit his job and flew over two weeks later. We’ve been together on the road for the past 10 months. Sometimes you just have to take those crazy chances. Cliché, I know, but sometimes you really do have to leave home to find yourself on a deeper level.
Here are a few of my top picks from the last 12 months. Dubrovnik, Croatia. Time to go: September, when tourists are gone, the crystal blue water is still warm, and prices drop drastically. For $60 you can take a speedboat to three different islands and spend five hours snorkeling and swimming. Stockholm, Sweden. The archipelago in summer! Take a ferry for a couple of hours and see hundreds of small islands while drinking champagne. Breathtaking. A dream come true. Budapest, Hungary. My biggest surprise. Captivating. You literally step back in time. Istanbul. Get lost just wandering the streets, eating street food, and listening to the prayers from the mosques. Greece. Perfect time to go, May until June 14. After that, prices triple and tourists flood in. September is also great weather and less traffic. budapest photo by Candice Hammack 22 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Cowgirls vs. Cancer Bozeman, MT Founder: Margaret Burns Vap
Nature’s Best Yoga Mat
Mission: Provides retreat scholarships to yoginis who have experienced the physical, emotional and financial hardships of breast cancer Get Involved: www.bigskyyogaretreats. com/cowgirlcancer.html Mat: Jade
Great grip. Earth friendly.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 23
travel. Renew. Replenish. Nourish
{ CONTINUED }
Wanderlust. Vagabonds. Bohemians. Spirit Dwellers
A Year on the Road One Bag. 18 C ountries. Lessons Learned #BucketListYear | Maranda Pleasant
Positano, Italy
Green land
Ravel lo, Italy
Far oe Island s + new friends
New England
S
o many of us struggle, spending our lives working inside under fluorescent lights. I couldn’t do one more night of sirens and horns in Manhattan. Breakpoint. I needed nature and a quiet place to rest. I couldn’t feel my softness anymore. I was snappy to people on the street, grumpy on the phone, and needed everything to be faster. Faster. Faster. My soul needed a rewilding. A total reset. I needed to dance under the moon, and feel deeply free. It’s been a year, and we’ve decided to keep going. Here’s a few more of our favs.
Italy. Tuscany was more beautiful than I imagined. Steer clear of the bigger cities and go to the small charming towns. Of course the Amalfi Coast, Positano, and Ravello are my very favorites. Rent a convertible and drive along the coast, carefully. New England. Best time: October. I fell in love with Lenox and Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Postcard perfect everywhere you look. Kennebunkport, Maine is as enchanting as it gets. Some towns are too big or too tiny to offer options; this one gets it just right. Camden, Maine is pretty spectacular under a full moon in fall. Paris. Best time: spring or fall. Picnic on the Seine after the Sunday Farmer’s Market, read poetry, and drink wine. Iceland. Beautiful, but so overpriced and impossible in summer with tourists. One beer = $20. We left early. Sweden was cheap in comparison. Greenland. Sailing the fjords was one of my top travel moments. Waking up to a three-story iceberg floating by on my birthday, in July, was pretty special. Faroe Islands. Summer is perfect. Hitchhike. Ride the free buses. Meet locals and have $13 avocado toast by the pier. For our in-depth travel tips, recommendations, our biggest mistakes, and wackadoodle moments, follow our journey on Instagram and on our website. Instagram: @MarandaPleasant. OriginMagazine.com
24 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
travel. Renew. Replenish. Nourish
Retreats that Restore
Guanacaste, Costa Rica rythmia.com | Facebook: Rythmia Instagram: @Rythmialac
More than ever, we need to slow down, renew, nourish, and replenish ourselves. It’s beautiful when we feed our spirits from the deep well of ourselves, living a vibrant creative life that’s healthy emotionally and physically. We’ve found your second home.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8
26 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
9
9
reasons we rythmia
Location, Location, Location: In one of only 5 blue zones in the world. The beach is a 15-minute bike ride away!
Yoga. Our Fav! Two classes a day. One in the morning (solar) and one in the evening (lunar). The teachers are trained by business partner Shiva Rea.
Food! Their outdoor restaurant,
ROOTS, is locally sourced, farm-totable organic. We love dining al fresco. The highest vibration, innovative and creative, and of course nutritious and healthy cuisine. Love the fresh green juices too.
Spa Time. Essential oils brought out
to you on a silver platter, choosing your personal scent. Seriously, steam room, mud bath, and jacuzzi to invigorate and soften skin.
Meditation. Perfect with eco natural landscape, Labyrinth + the guided meditations with a shaman. Plant Medicine. Their medically
license resort utilizes a variety of health modalities, including plant medicine which is overseen by a medical doctor and a shaman.
Colonics. Remove those blockages
with the Dead Sea Hydrotherapy Colon Cleanse, cleansing the internal organs and digestive system.
Workshops. Our fav thought leaders, cultural creatives, and shapeshifters, activating new thinking and inspiration. Business partner Reverend Michael Beckwith coming in January. It ’ s All Inclusive. Either a 7 or 14
night stay and all meals, workshops, plant medicine ceremonies, colon cleanse, and spa services are included. Yes, you get 3 one-hour massages each week.
LUXURY Vegan Handbags Under $50
Instagram: @88.eightyeight | 88-eightyeight.com
WELLNESS. The Art of Ayurveda
To Ice or Not to Ice?
The Ayurvedic Question Our Ayurvedic partners, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health Instagram: @KripaluCenter | Kripalu.org Photo: Alena Haurylik
W
orkout is finished, and all you can think about is a cold drink. But before you reach for that glass of ice water, let’s hear what the ancient health science of Ayurveda has to say about it. Ayurveda’s foundational prescription is “like increases like and opposites balance.” This makes sense, right? If you’re cold, put on a sweater and drink a mug of warm tea. One exception to the rule, however, is treating excess heat with icy drinks.
What’s Wrong
with
Ice?
Consuming ice water dampens the digestive fire, or agni. Agni’s job is to process everything you take in through the senses—and that includes food and beverages. Typically, the body has a base temperature of 98.6 degrees. When you toss back a glass of ice water with a temperature of 33 degrees, the energy expenditure required to kick the heat back up to 98.6 is substantial. Consuming ice-cold drinks is like throwing a bucket of water on a campfire: When the fire dies down, whatever’s on the grill stops cooking. Think of the fire as your digestive system: If it’s damped down, you can’t assimilate your food as efficiently.
But Doesn’t Ice Water Burn Calories? You might have heard this dieting tip from fitness buffs. Yes, drinking ice water does burn calories in the short term as the body struggles to return to homeostasis. However, over the long term, drinking cold water creates imbalances that can ultimately result in weight gain. According to Ayurveda, hot or warm water increases the digestive fire (“like increases like”), resulting in a better breakdown and assimilation of everything we consume. Strong, supported agni will prevent food from being stored as fat. So rehydrate with a bottle of room-temperature water instead. And if you need something extra, spritz with some rosewater to refresh and cool the body and mind. photo by alena haurylik
P LANT
ME
DI
C E
CE
R
IAL
IN
AWAKEN TO A NEW KIND OF ALL-INCLUSIVE
EM
ON
L
TH
SP
A, M ASSAG E
&
Y O A
HE
G
A
e c n e i r e p x E n o i t a c a V RYTHMIA, an everything-included, medically licensed luxury resort
N
EAL ING M OD D H A
L IE S
AD
A
CE
IT
V
and wellness retreat in Costa Rica.
Get your Miracle in beautiful Guanacaste, Costa Rica NO HIDDEN FEES • BOARD-CERTIFIED MEDICAL DOCTORS • LICENSED THERAPISTS THE DEAD SEA CLEANSE COLON HYDROTHERAPY • CEREMONIAL PLANT MEDICINE HEALING TOUCH PRACTITIONERS • LIFE COACHING • YOGA • SPA • MASSAGE VOLCANIC MUD BATHS • MEDITATION • FARM-TO-TABLE ORGANIC FOOD • JUICE BAR
RY T HM I A PRESE NTS - U P COM IN G L U MINAR IE S - Q1 20 17 Foster Gamble and Kimberly Carter Gamble
Reverend Michael Bernard Beckwith
don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
Kyle Cease
Shiva Rea
Call now using promotion code OMQ1 to get free transfers to and from the resort - a $300 value!
JAN 08 - 14
JAN 22 - 28
FEB 26 - MAR 05
MAR 05 - 12
MAR 26 - APR 02
1-888-801-7766 RYT H M I A .CO M /O R I G I N
WELLNESS. The Art of Ayurveda
Winter
Self-Care, the Ayurvedic Way Our Ayurvedic partners, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health Photo: John Dolan
M
ost of us don’t live in caves in the Himalayas, spending hours upon hours in meditation, contemplation, and chanting. We’re engaged in work, family, and social activity while attempting to live a conscious lifestyle. We are householders, living our yoga both on and off the mat. So, what does this have to do with the winter? Well, many of us will be engaged in a bit of holiday cheer this season. This might mean staying up past 10:00 pm more often, eating off the organic/sugar-free/ gluten-free grid, and having a cocktail or two. Here are some ways to maintain balance in this time of celebration and new year.
Eat early. Ayurveda teaches that lunch
should be the biggest meal of the day. The digestive fire is hottest at high noon, like the midday heat of the sun. But … most parties are at night. Try to eat as early in the evening as possible, and avoid noshing for the rest of the night. If you’re hosting a gathering, consider making it a brunch or late-afternoon meal. A few tips for better digestion: Sip ginger tea while eating heavy, savory foods. Add black pepper to your food to heat up your digestion. Eat your heavier foods first and lighter foods last.
Don’t stop moving. Throughout the holiday season, keep doing your yoga. So many of us are overscheduled, overworked, and overtired during the holidays. Continuing your yoga practice will support calm, stable energy, properly functioning digestion, and the patience to handle your busy schedule and those “challenging” relatives. Here’s how to make sure it happens: Schedule time for doing yoga at home or going to a class; give it as much importance as holiday shopping and the other seasonal items on your to-do list. Or try taking a 15- to 30-minute walk after big meals. Try ginger for your GI tract. If you wake up in the morning feeling like
a stuffed animal after that amazing cheese platter and that decadent flourless chocolate cake, don’t go out for breakfast or make pancakes at home. The course
Faux Fur correction is to sip ginger tea until your appetite returns, which might take several hours. Ginger tea is warming, aids digestion, and burns off toxicity.
If you overdo it, rehydrate. It happens. When you drink a bit too much alcohol for your body’s comfort, the best remedy is to drown the hangover. Drink a glass of warm water in the morning (ice water slows down digestion). Drink coconut water—which is so hydrating that it was reportedly given intravenously during World War II when IV saline solution was in short supply.
Let’s be realistic: The holidays might disrupt your wellness routine just a wee bit. But you’d be amazed how much it helps to practice a little self-care between the occasional self-indulgences.
photo by John Dolan 34 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
ORIGIN. conservation. eco heroes
Q: Is our ocean in trouble? A: Our world ocean is facing a cascading series of disasters, from
industrial overfishing that’s taking fish out of the water faster than they can reproduce to oil, chemical, plastic, and nutrient pollution to loss of critical habitat from wetlands to the deep sea bottom. On top of all that, fossil fuel-fired climate disruption is not only warming the ocean and melting polar ice but changing the basic chemistry of the ocean, making it more acidic, which threatens every shell-forming critter from plankton to lobsters to coral reefs. Not only clams but Cajuns are now threatened as whole coastal cultures are at risk from rising seas and more extreme weather.
Q: Still only about 4 percent of the ocean is presently protected. Are we operating on the right scale?
A:
The challenge is to grow our solutions faster than the problems we face. I wrote The Golden Shore when I realized that where I live in California is itself a world-class solution. With 40 million people and the planet’s sixth largest economy, we’ve still managed to teach ourselves how to live well, and largely in harmony, with our coast and ocean.
Q: How has California restored its ocean and marine wildlife? A:
As a late maritime frontier, California went through a phase in which native wildlife including sea otters, whales, and elephant seals were driven close to extinction. The ocean was overexploited and polluted and parts of the coast overbuilt. But over time, Californians came to develop a sense of stewardship for their ocean and respect for their own diversity—as reflected by the increased activism of coastal tribes working to restore their culture and environment. The 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill was a driver of the modern environmental movement and helped inspire the protection of the coast with creation of the California Coastal Commission in the 1970s that not only limited bad development but guaranteed public access to the shoreline. Since then, California has become a leader in ocean legislation and policy, including
36 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
the recent establishment of a network of offshore marine parks. With a democracy of blue interests—surfers, ports, the Navy, marine science labs, coastal homeowners—no single special interest can dominate state decision-making like oil does in Louisiana, fishermen in New England, and real-estate developers in Florida. While the process of democracy can be messy, the outcomes tend to be positive, given that you protect what you love and most Californians love their coast.
Q: What future threats does the coast of California face? A:
The late Coastal Commission leader Peter Douglas used to say, “The Coast is never saved, it’s always being saved.” Along with ongoing threats from unsound development and urban and agricultural runoff pollution (including plastic), climate change impacts represent a major threat to California’s future. Despite having a sound climate plan at the state level, Californians are now seeing impacts from drought and fire to dying sea lion pups on and offshore as a result of other people’s energy choices. How to adjust to sea level rise and demands for new industrial uses of the ocean, such as desalinization and offshore wind farms, are challenges that also offer opportunities for new solutions. After all, California has historically been a model for how to take a greener, or in this case, bluer, approach.
Q: Is California a world model for living well with the greater part of our planet that’s blue?
A:While everyone has to find solutions that fit their local needs and communities, I’d still say yes, yes it is.
Author and ocean activist, Founder and Executive Director of Blue Frontier, bluefront.org, an ocean conservation group, and Co-Founder of the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards, peterbenchleyoceanawards. org. David is a long-time journalist, private investigator, scuba diver, and bodysurfer. His latest book, The Golden Shore – California’s Love Affair with the Sea, has just come out in paperback.
Vegans Who Rock
V
Lenny Kravitz SEXIEST #RawVegan
e l u R e v o L t Le “ ”
At 8 Months Raw, Kravitz Inspires us again, with His Commitment to the Environment, Humanitarianism, and Compassion for Animals.
Love is the most p o w e r f u l energy there is. LENNYKRAVITZ.COM | #LetLoveRuleFoundation 38 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Maranda Pleasant: What truth do you know for sure? LENNY KRAVITZ: That love is the most powerful energy there is. MP: “Love is the most powerful energy there is.” I’m just going to let that one sit for a second. It’s funny when we ask people that—“love” is the only word that ever comes to mind. It’s like the one universal thing that we know, even if it’s not always the thing that we live. Are there any causes that you’re particularly passionate about? LK: Oh, so many. Let’s start with human interactions. I really believe that there is a way for us to settle disputes nonviolently, using our minds, using all that was given to us. I’m very much about the environment, I’m very much about health, about being able to, at the very least, eat organic, whole foods that are healthy for us. And then, of course, everyone being able to eat and at least have a humane way to live. There’s enough for everybody, but unfortunately, there’s a lot of greed and a lot of ego. MP: So, what is it that makes you come alive and inspires you? LK: Life, you know, the moment. Where the magic is. That’s all. That’s where this comes from. I just live my life and try to be present. When I’m present in the moment and something comes, I can capture it, because it doesn’t come from me—it’s out there. So that’s what really keeps me motivated, alive, hungry. I’m still as excited and motivated now as I was twenty-five years ago, and that’s because I really live for those moments. And that’s where the art comes from, that’s where the music is born, that’s where it all appears. I love it. MP: What’s been one of your biggest life lessons so far? LK: To let go of the illusion that I’m in control. That’s an important one, because I tend to be a person who likes to be in control, not only of my art but of my life and things around me, and it can be healthy up to a certain point, but at the end of the day, we have to go on faith and learn to let go and ride the wave. I think, for me, my life is the most fluid when I exercise that. MP: Do you believe that you channel? When you say that inspiration comes to you? LK: Absolutely. Yeah. You need to open up so that more comes through. And you can just feel that when your ego is not in the way and when you’re letting it be what it wants to be. You have to let it be what it wants to be as opposed to what you think it should be. Like I said, I had started an album months before that I thought was the beginning of my album, and that’s not what it ended up being. It ended up being this group of expressions. So that was interesting. You can start something, do it, and believe that that’s what you’re doing, but then the inspiration comes and it’s like, “Nope, this is what it is.” MP: Is there anything you would say to this next generation coming up, taking over the planet? LK: That’s a hard one. I think that we have to be very careful and get back into the loop, get back to nature. Get back to God and not let the technology send us somewhere that we’re going to regret. We have so many distractions. We’re losing the family unit. We’re losing the one-on-one. We’re becoming extremely narcissistic. And we have to be careful about that. There’s a lot to deal with out there.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 39
Vegans Who Rock
V
“
z t i v a r K Lenny
On his raw diet:
This journey is one of the most incredible I've ever taken. The life force is magnificent. It affects the MENTAL, PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL, and the planet.
40 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
MARANDA PLEASANT’S
THRIVE PLAnT-BASED: CuLTurE. FooD. LiFESTyLE.
of VEGAn BEST Fashion. Athletes.
RockeRs. Gifts.
100+
recipes && recipes food food ideas ideas Innovative eAsy Gourmet
w o N y ll a n o ti a N s d n ta S n O mythrivemag.com
ORIGIN. ECO. Lifestyle
9intoWays to Tiptoe Zero Waste { Holly Rose Our Super Star Eco Blogger + Fashionista
Blog: leotielovely.blogspot.com leotielovely.com
Photos: Shane Woodward
The Solution: Compostable products are available, but they do come with ecological costs of their own. Though coffee shops should take responsibility and offer a to-go option which is less harmful to the earth, it’s not just up to them alone. You can go one step further by buying your own reusable coffee cup and carrying it with you wherever you go. If that’s too much commitment, buy yourself a few extra minutes each day and order your coffee in a mug to stay.
e, there isrld F"or everyvne,egaantidvin the wo a positi n living, th t of gree ent ringsatr ue." statem
N
For every negative, there is a positive, and in the world of green living, that statement rings true. There is a solution to just about every single polluting product in existence; all we have to do is make the switch and with it edit our habits. It’s a challenging thing to do and mistakes will be made undoubtedly, but once you get the hang 18 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
The Solution: Bamboo. It is the fastest growing plant in the world (24 inches in 24 hours!), which enables frequent and sustainable harvesting without causing damage to the ecosystem of bamboo forests. It produces more oxygen and absorbs more carbon dioxide than trees, combating global warming with each bamboo shoot planted. Because it is from the earth, it can return to the earth as well; all you have to do is put it in your compost and it will break down! R E U S A B L E C O FF E E C U P S The Problem: Coffee cups are NOT recyclable, no matter which bin you put them in, due to the polyethylene plastic which keeps the paper cup intact.
Instagram: @leotielovely
ot so long ago, things like disposable razors, plastic water bottles, disposable coffee cups, and plastic bags weren’t a part of our culture. If you were thirsty, you’d visit a restaurant, use a water fountain, or wait until you got home. If you wanted a coffee, you’d go sit at a café. Now, our lives are filled with thoughtlessly created and often toxic products which do more harm to our health, the planet, and her inhabitants than most of us are aware of.
breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces. Over a million sea birds and mammals die annually from plastic ingestion or entanglement (that we know of), and the billions of plastic toothbrushes which reach landfills globally each year are partially to blame.
of it, the modest and meaningful sense of pride which develops inside of you will make it feel all the more worthwhile. DISPOSABLE RAZORS The Problem: In the U.S., two billion disposable razors go to landfill each year, and since they’re made of plastics, they’ll never break down and are also difficult to recycle. The Solution: Get rid of those dastardly disposable razors and replace them with a reusable safety razor instead. You’ll save money and the planet in the process. P L A ST I C T O O T H B R U S H e s The Problem: It takes over 1,000 years for a single toothbrush to decompose, and even when it does, the plastic it is made of is never really gone, it just
R E U S A B L E W A T E R B O TT L E S The Problem: Today, most of us use water bottles daily, despite the fact we’re paying 2,900 times the price for water which comes from the same source as our taps. With each plasticencased sip, we may be ingesting BPAs, which have been linked to to breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers, cardiovascular disease, miscarriages, decreased birth weight, altered immune system activity, metabolic problems, AND cognitive and behavioral childhood developmental problems. On top of the health and economic issues, there are the ecological issues as well. It takes 17 million barrels of oil to produce 30 billion water bottles; it also takes more water to produce a bottle of water than the bottle itself with hold, plus, the plastics the bottle is made of, like all plastics, will never decompose. The Solution: Reusable stainless steel water bottles. C O TT O N B A L L S The Problem: Cotton is one of the world’s dirtiest crops due to the use of insecticides and pesticides. Cotton also takes a huge amount of fresh water to produce, all of which becomes tainted by the chemicals used in growing it, affecting the soil, food, and drinking water of the surrounding communities. This is one of many reasons disposable makeup remover wipes, like cotton balls and cotton rounds, are a majorly wasteful product. The Solution: Washable organic cotton rounds.
"aroewfi, llouedr liwitvesh N thoughtlesnsld yoften created aducts toxic pro more which doour health, harm to , and her the planet inhabitanstsarthe an most of f.u aware o "
Holly
Shane TAMPONS The Problem: Cotton in pads and tampons have traces of pesticides and GMOs which are absorbed into your blood system and can affect your reproductive system. To top it off, the plastics in these products won’t break down, which means all of the 16,800 tampons each woman is estimated to use in her lifetime will end up in the landfill wreaking havoc on the environment. Menstrual rhythms alone bring an estimated 200,000 tons of garbage to the landfill each year. The Solution: Get rid of your pesticide-laden tampons and pads, which toxify your bits, and exchange for a reusable menstrual cup, like the Moon Cup, or completely natural solutions like the Holy Sponge, natural organic tampons, period pants, or reusable menstrual pads instead. P L A ST I C B A G S The Problem: About one million plastic bags are used every minute, and each one takes 1,000 years to degrade. This is one of many reasons to avoid them at all costs, whether you’re using them as shopping bags, produce bags, or zip-locking food in them, they’re about as evil as evil comes. The Solution: Say no to plastic and use reusable bags instead, ideally made from organic fibers if possible. P L A ST I C ST R A W S The Problem: Plastic straws have caused huge pains to animals, they’re hugely harmful to the environment and to wildlife, yet each day we use 500 million straws, enough to fill over 46,400 large school buses per year. The Solution: If you’re a straw user, carry a reusable one! There are some lovely ones made of stainless steel which are small enough to fit in your pencil case or makeup bag. DISPOSABLE CUTLERY The Problem: Typically, disposable cutlery is made from a type of plastic known as polystyrene 1, more commonly known as Styrofoam, a product which is difficult to recycle. The Solution: Travel spork and utility knives replace disposable cutlery for good! ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 19
Bad Ass Bosses:
Eco Heroes
Interview with
Gisele Bundchen UNEP Goodwill Ambassador
:
Instagram: @giseleofficial
Vulnerability, the Gift of Children, and How Our Health Depends on Fighting Deforestation + Climate Change Conversation with Maranda Pleasant Maranda Pleasant: What makes you come alive? Gisele BÜndchen: The love for my children. They just brought a whole new perspective to my life.
ecosystem losses, which negatively impacts our livelihoods—it’s a vicious cycle. I am especially passionate about forests and water; they are home to thousands of species that are vital to our life balance.
MP: What makes you feel vulnerable?
Our health depends on the health of our planet.
GB: I’m a very sensitive person, and I feel that makes me vulnerable. But I see that as a good thing. I really enjoy experiencing all the different emotions in life.
MP: How do you keep your center in the middle of chaos? Do you have a daily routine?
MP: If you could say something to everyone on the planet, what would it be? GB: To be more loving, compassionate, and understanding with ourselves, with others, and with the planet, because we are all connected. We are one. MP: Why is protecting the environment personal for you? GB: I grew up in a small town in the countryside of Brazil, and I have always loved being surrounded by nature. Nature is where I feel most comfortable; it’s where I find my balance. I would like my kids and all future generations to have the chance to experience nature as I did. MP: What are some of your biggest concerns right now? GB: One thing leads to the other. Deforestation leads to climate change, which leads to Unep.org | rainforest-alliance.org 28 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
GB: Breathing is my best ally. By doing simple breathing exercises, I can quickly come back to center and feel more grounded. My daily routine is always changing since I still travel a lot, but I try to take some time for myself every day to meditate and exercise. It can be 15 minutes, an hour, whatever time I have. I also think eating well keeps me healthy. MP: What’s been one of your biggest lessons so far in life? GB: I’m constantly learning and evolving. I’m fascinated with life. I read a book when I was in my early 20s that really inspired me and that I try to live my life by, The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, which says, “Be impeccable with your words, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and always do your best.” I love this. MP: What truth do you know for sure? GB: I believe in the importance of seeking
self-knowledge. The more I know myself, the more I feel empowered. MP: Tell me about your latest projects. GB: Apart from working with UNEP in various campaigns such as Think.Eat.Save: Reduce your Foodprint, which aims to tackle food wastage, and promoting green practices through World Environment Day, I just became a member of the Board of Directors for the Rainforest Alliance. Together with my family, I’ve created the Água Limpa Project (Clean Water Project) in my hometown, which aims to restore the quality of drinking water and raise awareness. The project has already been executed and can be used as a model for other cities that intend to do the same. I also try to use my social media accounts to raise awareness about socialenvironmental causes that I endorse. Gisele Bündchen has marked an era in the fashion industry and became the world’s top model. During her unprecedented career, Gisele has been the face of countless global campaigns and appeared many times on covers shot by the best photographers and in editorials in the most influential magazines. She has walked the runway for the best fashion designers around the world. She is also recognized for her long-standing and passionate commitment to the environment. With a truly global reach, Gisele uses her power to raise awareness for protecting the planet across continents and with people from all walks of life.
“
Breathing is my best ally. By doing simple breathing exercises, I can quickly come back to center and feel more grounded.
”
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 29
WELLNESS. The Art of Ayurveda
Everyday Ayurveda Practices for Balancing Body and Mind Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health Instagram: @KripaluCenter | Kripalu.org Editor’s note: When we decided to launch our new Ayurveda section, we knew we had the best: people who have spent more than 30 years studying, practicing, and teaching the art of Ayurveda. We are proud to partner with the Kripalu Center for 2017.
{
10
Here are simple Ayurvedic practices to reset your system and pump up your health quotient.
1.
Right after you wake up, drink a full glass of room-temperature or warm water (you can add lemon if you like).
2.
End your shower with abhyanga, a self-massage with oil that calms the nervous system and boosts immunity by removing toxins that have traveled from the organs to the skin. Keep a squeeze bottle of oil in the shower and use it to massage the entire body. You can skip the scalp, so you don’t have oily hair, and the feet, so you don’t slip. Don’t soap off the oil—allow the warmth of the shower to drive it into your skin. You’ll step out with smooth, protected skin.
3.
Nasya is basically abhyanga for the nose. Place one to two drops of sesame, almond, or prepared nasya oil in each nostril and massage it in to prevent dryness. Use in the morning and before bed.
5.
Consider bacopa, an herb that’s been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries to support mood and emotional stability.
6.
Stay on schedule with mealtimes. Ayurveda teaches that the body loves regular routines. If you eat breakfast at 7:00 am one day and 10:00 the next, for example, that can throw off your digestion.
7.
Make lunch the main meal of your day. Just like the heat of the sun, the digestive fire is strongest in the middle of the day. If it’s an especially big meal, lie on your left side afterward for five to ten minutes.
8.
Choose your food each day by identifying what you think will be most balancing for you—if you’re feeling cold, choose a hot option; if you’re feeling sluggish, choose something light.
out that neti pot you bought ages ago and start using it. 4. Dig It’s a great way to ward off colds and allergies. Fill the pot with 9. warm water and add a pinch of sea salt. Tilt your head over the sink and place the spout into one nostril, breathing through your mouth. Allow the water to flow into that nostril and out the other. Repeat on the other side.
{
Savor every bite: Ayurveda teaches that being in tune with your meal—from selecting and preparing it to quietly sitting with it and appreciating it—feeds far more than just your body.
to bed before 10:00 pm. Sounds impossible, right? But 10. Get the hours between 10:00 pm and 2:00 am provide the most restorative sleep—so you get up the next morning ready to start with tip number one again!
30 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Any system of medicine that’s been continually practiced for five thousand years is worth trying— especially when there are no side effects.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 31
Bad Ass Bosses:
ORIGIN. MUSE
Interview: Maranda Pleasant
Getting Grounded, Staying Present,
Amber Valletta
Mothering, & Being a Positive Distributor in the Fashion Industry.
Entrepreneur. Model. Pioneer in Eco Fashion Founder, Master + Muse masterandmuse.com
42 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Maranda Pleasant: What makes you come alive? Amber Valletta: Doing something new and challenging. It can be anything from starting a business to playing a sport. Seeing a great concert, looking at extraordinary art, or being in nature. More than anything, it’s my son’s smile and love that makes me light up! MP: What’s been one of the biggest lessons in your life so far? AV: I realized that being present for loved ones who are dying or aging is one of the greatest honors and gifts in my life. MP: What truth do you know for sure? AV: That we are quite small in the big scheme of things. MP: What makes you feel vulnerable? AV: My son, on a regular basis. In order for me to parent well I have to empathize and stay open with my son. I am also vulnerable when it comes to trying new things, when I don’t feel like I completely know what I am doing. Lack of control.
MP: If you could say something to everyone on the planet, what would it be? AV: Can’t we all just play nicely and leave the playground the way we found it, clean and safe? MP: How do you keep your center in the middle of chaos? Do you have a daily routine? AV: I start with eating healthier and cutting out caffeine— at least cutting back on caffeine. I exercise and get outside to play. I reconnect with my spiritual practice, which is daily meditation and prayer. Most importantly, I reconnect with my family and friends. If all else fails, a few deep breaths. MP: Tell us about your project and why you are so passionate about it. AV: My business is an online store called Master & Muse. I am excited to have a collaborative partner in yoox.com. It’s a one-stop shop for high fashion that is made ethically and thoughtfully. We have found amazing designers that are sourcing sustainable or non-toxic materials and pay fair wages to artisans and employees. Most of the designers are eco-friendly, even by default, through their use of up-cycled materials and organic fabrics, and by producing in small quantities. Ultimately, the design has to be great—no one will buy it if it looks like a hemp sack! I am super passionate about my new business because it has the potential to disrupt the fashion industry in a positive way. Master & Muse is providing a place to buy better. There are many big issues in producing fashion today, and the consumer doesn’t fully understand the problems at hand. That is where we come in. We are providing awareness, information, and great fashion.
“
I realized that being present for loved ones who are dying or aging is one of the greatest honors and gifts in my life.
”
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 43
Bad Ass Bosses:
Vegan. Yogi. Health + Fitness Guru.
A Bonafide Gym Rat. Yogi. Vegan. Raw Chocolate lover.
Oh yeah, and One of the World’s Top Models.
Sarah De Anna
Her Natural Skincare Routine, Her Superfood Breakfast, the Power of Yoga & a Good Night’s Sleep sarahdeanna.com Instagram: @supermodelyou sarah deanna, photo by Ben Horton, wardrobe: Kit and Ace, Stylist: Courtney Burton Makeup by sarah using Thrive Causemetics & Antonym Cosmetics 44 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
I’ve known Sarah for several years. She’s always composed, radiant, so positive it just opens your heart, and her skin always freaking glows. I wanted to know her secrets. She was generous enough to share a few insights. I’m always uplifted in her presence. Love you SD.
swear by beauty oils over your typical cream moisturizer. As for makeup brands: I love Thrive Causemetics. It’s a vegan beauty brand that benefits a great cause. I also just got turned onto Antonym Cosmetics, a cruelty-free, organic, and vegan brand with beautiful pigments and colors.
Q: How do you stay fueled?
Q: Where were you born? Where do you
—
M ar an da
A: I always eat a big breakfast. Even if I have a
4am call-time or early morning flight, I wake up early enough to make sure that I get a healthy start to my morning. I’m obsessed with superfoods like spirulina and anything green. I believe in healthy fats found in avocados, seeds, nuts, and of course I consume a lot of coconut oil internally and externally. I also admittedly have a carrot addiction. So bad that my skin is kind of yellow/ orange. Ha!
Q: What does a day eating look like for you? What are some of your favorite snacks?
A: I always start my day with a big breakfast. By big, I mean calorically dense. My smoothies or other breakfast meals can easily add up to over 1000 calories. The rest of my day is usually snacking. I don’t really like having proper meals except in the mornings. My favorite snacks are raw chocolate, nuts/seeds, and any other raw treats. Q: How do you stay flexible and strong? What do you practice?
A: I am a yoga addict. And a gym rat in general. Working out and moving my body is necessary for my mental health. It’s also my meditation and my holy place. The gym is like my church in many ways. I’ve always been this way. I truly and genuinely love working out and being active! I love everything from lifting weights, spinning, hiking, and playing sports like beach volleyball and basketball. Q: How has yoga influenced your life? A: Yoga has made me a better person. A more
present person. It’s made me more connected to my body and more self-aware in all areas of my life. I love yoga. I know a lot of people love yoga, but there are also a lot of people who don’t and I can’t understand that. Yoga is a huge part of my life and always will be. And I love all branches of yoga: vinyasa, kundalini, Bikram, all of them are great!
Q: Are there any natural beauty products or ingredients that you swear by?
A: All my beauty products are natural! Most of them come from the kitchen: coconut oil, salt, sugar, apple cider vinegar. I use all these things externally probably more than internally. I also
currently live?
A: I was born in Salem, Oregon, USA. So, I’m American even though most people don’t think I am. My mom delivered me in a natural clinic, as opposed to a hospital, which I love, and which somehow has probably subconsciously contributed to my natural living lifestyle. Q: What is the hardest part about traveling and being a vegan? What are some tips you have for vegans who travel?
A: Whenever I tell people I’m a vegan, they always say how hard it must be. A lot of them don’t understand it at all. Being a vegan for me isn’t hard at all. I’ve been one since I was 13 or 14 years old, it happened naturally. I didn’t consciously try to stop eating meat or animal products, I just stopped choosing foods that contained them. For me, finding fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts isn’t that difficult. Maybe it’s not always the freshest or always organic, but you can find vegan food all over the world. Restaurants on the other hand don’t always understand “vegan,” but because I do, I can look at a menu and tell them what I want, minus all the animal products. It’s really not that hard. If you seek, you will find.
“
Yoga has made me a better person. A more present person. It’s made me more connected to my body and more self-aware in all areas of my life.
”
Q: What are you passionate about? A: Modeling is not my passion and never has been. I’m actually super cerebral and crazy passionate about things like epigenetics, DNA, neuroscience, and physics. Q: How do you stay centered in the middle of chaos?
A: As I said before, I need my yoga and my gym life. It’s imperative for me. Sleep! Beauty sleep is also non-negotiable! I need my sleep like I need air to breathe. Sarah DeAnna is an international high fashion model and author of the bestselling book Supermodel You. She has walked the runway for most of today’s top designers and has been featured in many of fashion’s most prestigious magazines. Despite her still successful modeling career, her true passion is health and fitness, and in helping others.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 45
Bad Ass Bosses:
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE
Interview: Maranda Pleasant
C h ristin a Ap p l e g a t e Founder, Right Action for Women. Mom. Entrepreneur. Actress. rightactionforwomen.org | fabkids.com | fruitwater.com
Maranda Pleasant: What makes you
MP: What’s been one of the biggest lessons in
MP: What truth do you know for sure?
I haven’t had meat for so long now that I don’t remember anything different, so it’s easy for me to put meals together and make sure my family is eating healthy, too. I love a good cookbook like Candle Cafe’s. I like making quinoa pasta with tons of veggies and feta. Jennifer’s Way makes great pancake mix.
CA: Thought is creative. Be mindful of where
MP: If you could say something to everyone on
a foundation that works to educate women about what it means to be at high risk for breast cancer and encourage them to get the appropriate screenings. We have been able to assist so many women with the high cost of MRI screening. We partnered with ASICS, who created a special edition pink product line: ASICS Right Action for Women Collection. Proceeds go toward assisting women who are fighting the disease.
come alive?
Christina Applegate: Hearing my daughter
laugh is the best way to lift my spirit.
your attention is, because the universe doesn’t know the difference. It only knows where your focus is. Life will surely manifest where you put that attention.
the planet, what would it be?
MP: What is your routine for staying so healthy? I know you don’t eat meat, you’re gluten-free and a busy working mom.
MP: Why is incorporating humor into one’s life so important?
CA: I’ve always tried to be pretty healthy, eating
is the best medicine. There is something about laughter that can take away all the darkness.
well and exercising regularly. I definitely give myself treats. When Sadie was born, my priorities shifted a bit. Instead of hitting the treadmill six days a week, I try to spend as much time with my daughter and fit in a bit of cardio during the week. Although, running and playing around with my daughter keeps me pretty active as it is.
46 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
CA: If you’re too in your head and you’re not in
the moment, life passes you by.
CA: Comedy can be very freeing. Laughter truly
MP: How do you keep your center in the middle of chaos? CA: It’s hard. Sometimes I find myself not
breathing, so breathing helps.
your life so far?
CA: Take no moment for granted. MP: Tell us about your latest projects. CA: In 2008, I created Right Action for Women,
I am also a creative partner at Fabkids, a website that offers monthly outfits styled just for your kids. I joined Fabkids because it encapsulates everything I believe in for kids and want as a mom—celebrating kids and empowering them to express their individuality through their own personal style in a way that builds confidence and lets them shine.
“
If you’re too in your head and you’re not in the moment, life passes you by.
”
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 47
Bosses
Who
Rock
business with Pumping Successfully While Traveling Adventures in Airport Pumping, Carrying 80 Ounces of Milk Across the Country, Blowing Transformers in China, Pushback, and Doing What’s Best for You.
Morgan Agho Twitter: @alwaysmorgan_ | Instagram: @alwaysmorgan_
I
took a business trip to Hong Kong and slept the entire flight. When I woke up I quickly felt the pain of my breasts. I needed to pump, and really should have done so on the plane. In the airport, I found a bathroom with an outlet. Success. The businessmen I was meeting couldn’t understand why I was 30 minutes late and they also weren’t expecting me to be a woman, so I didn’t feel the need to explain. I felt confident that I would be able to use my electric pump the entire trip and all that time I spent worrying was for nothing. I mean, by now I had been on numerous business trips with my pump. Once I successfully transported close to 80 ounces of milk home from Los Angeles to Canada to New Jersey and back to Los Angeles. I had a few meetings in Hong Kong that day and then took a train to China. I arrived in my Western hotel, and as I suspected the outlets were different than those in the America, or even Hong Kong. No worries, I had an outlet
alwaysmorgan.com 48 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
converter with me. I plugged my pump in, turned it on, and POP. All the lights in my room went out, a large spark expelled from the outlet, and I smelled something burning. I panicked. What would the hotel staff say? How much would it cost to fix any damages? This was a nightmare. As it turns out, this happens often and was an easy fix for them, but unfortunate for me as I had completely fried my electric pump on day one of a seven-day trip. Luckily, I always travel with a manual pump. It takes twice the time and is a lot more work, but I’m glad I had it. I traveled from south China to north China and back to America with my milk. I looked forward to breastfeeding my daughter after giving birth. I enjoyed it from the beginning, not to say I didn’t have my hardships. It created a special bond between us. After my maternity leave I wanted to continue, but knew it would be difficult with work, commuting, and pumping. I didn’t want to give it up and was hell-bent on making it work. And so I did
until she was almost two and ready to wean. At first, it was extremely stressful. I would cry in the bathroom at my work, standing there staring at an unflushed urinal while trying not to breathe in the lovely scent that only a gender-neutral bathroom can offer. I would think to myself, how long can you really do this for and is it worth it? Pumping every two hours was stressful, logistically challenging, and got me a lot of negative attention with my colleagues. Even mothers thought I was crazy to nurse and pump for as long as I did. I eventually stopped caring about everyone else and learned a few tricks that make pumping easier, especially while traveling. My first trip was an epic failure; all the milk I produced had gone sour by the time I arrived home. By my third trip I was a pro. Heck, by then I was pumping and driving on my way to work to save time—much safer than it sounds and a topic for another day.
Morgan agho, photo by Alexandra Nurthen
Tips for the Traveling, Pumping Mom: 1. Get comfortable with your pump before
you go. Sounds silly, but some moms who nurse find it difficult to express milk with their pumps.
2. A few weeks before you head out, ensure you have enough frozen milk for your little one.
3. Bring a soft cooler bag that will hold ice
and the amount of milk you think you’ll produce by the end of the trip.
4. Bring enough milk storage bags. They are easier and smaller to store than bottles.
5. Check out kits that allow you to pump
directly into bags instead of bottles. This will save you space and having to wash bottles at night.
6. Bring large Ziploc bags to store ice in. I
would ask coffee shops, food places, and flight attendants for ice. As it melted, I would dump it and get more. Most hotel rooms have mini fridges that you can store your milk in overnight. If not, the hotel staff is sometimes willing to store your milk in their restaurant fridge. If that doesn’t work, I would put mine in an ice bucket and dump ice over it.
7. Don’t bother trying to find dry ice while
on the road. It was harder to find than I anticipated, even in America. Forget it if you’re abroad.
8. Bring a small shampoo bottle with dish
soap in it to wash all of your equipment at night. During the day, don’t worry about washing your equipment—this is stressful and time consuming. Put anything that touched milk in your cooler bag (inside a Ziploc bag so it doesn’t drip on everything). This will keep it cool enough to prevent the milk on it from spoiling, then you can wash it that evening.
9. Bring your nursing cover-up. In most
airports, privacy is non-existent. Sometimes you will get lucky with a family stall or even a nursing room, but not always. There were times I couldn’t find either and to make matters worse the bathrooms didn’t have outlets so I had to pump in public. I’ve even pumped in a seat on an airplane. If you’re covered, you’ll feel more comfortable, and some people simply think you’re nursing.
10. Always travel with a manual pump. It’s perfect for emergencies.
11. Keep your phone close by with a picture of your child. You may end up pumping in some strange places. Seeing their face will help relax you so your milk flows more easily. In moments where you might want to give up, it will help remind you why you are doing it. 12. Going through airport security with your milk, even abroad, is easy. Let them know it’s your breast milk; they will test it and you’ll be on your way. Also know that you are allowed one extra carry-on since your pump is considered a medical device. 13. Give yourself a break. After your last pumping session for the night, enjoy a glass of wine. After all, your pump won’t come back for unexpected seconds.
“
Pumping every two hours was stressful, logistically challenging, and got me a lot of negative attention with my colleagues. Even mothers thought I was crazy to nurse and pump for as long as I did. I eventually stopped caring about everyone else and learned a few tricks that make pumping easier, especially while traveling.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 49
ORIGIN. vegan MUSE
V
Sven Soares Vegan / Dancer / Choreographer / Model / Photographer
The Importance of Accepting + Knowing Yourself Fully, Staying Fit, + His Love for Animals. Instagram: @svensoares | @tapsmoments
sven soares, photo by Jeffrey Mac, Nack @jef3frey 50 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
“” the hardest part about creating:
To trust that everything will come if you stay open, patient, and love yourself.
Q: What is something that has made a huge difference in your life?
A: Accepting that we are all one, that I am creation and creator, and that love is in everything. I’m thankful that life put me through some experiences that pushed me to reflect a lot and open myself. I’m also grateful to have met people who by their very existence or with some exchanges were really inspiring. I want to experience life fully. Q: As an artist, what is the hardest part about creating?
A: To trust that everything will come if you stay open, patient, and love yourself. Q: What makes you feel vulnerable? A: Interesting question, depends on what vulnerable means, because when you accept yourself fully and all as it is, you know your responsibilities and vulnerability might become trust/fearless. I think as long as you don’t accept or if you fight within yourself you can be vulnerable. ➾
sven soares, photo by Chris Born, @chris.born ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 51
ORIGIN. vegan MUSE
V
“”
I’m thankful that life put me through some experiences that pushed me to reflect a lot and open myself.
Q: Why did you choose to become vegan? A: Out of respect for myself and to stop being part of the problem concerning all the issues involved with eating meat. Of course, I’m a big animal lover and eating meat didn’t really fit with the idea of loving. I realized I have the choice to eat and stay alive without causing pain, death, and pollution. If we claim to be smarter than animals, then let’s use our knowledge and all the information we have concerning food to be respectful and loving towards our planet and fellow beings. Q: What does a day eating look like for you? How do you stay fueled?
A: I start my day with water, actually. I’ll only eat when I’m hungry and often the first thing I eat is fruit in the form of a smoothie, juice, or just by eating them fresh. Some nuts might join the party. I try to diversify my diet and I’m in the process of eating more and more raw food. I avoid eating rice, noodles, or bread, but I’m a big fan of beans, lentils, quinoa, roots like cassava (manioca), etc. When I can, I eat small portions five or six times a day. Q: How do you stay flexible and strong? How do you stay so fit?
A: I like outdoor activities: hiking, climbing, swimming, or outdoor workouts. I always try to find new training techniques and develop a good overall body condition since every sport strengthens the body differently. I’m naturally quite flexible, but I try to stretch after my workouts or after dancing sessions, but I must admit that I’m quite lazy about it! Most importantly, I drink a lot of water, at least four to five liters a day. Q: What are issues that are important to you? A: Knowing yourself. Q: How do you stay centered in the middle of chaos?
A: I breathe and try to change the perspective of how I see the situation I’m in, then I try to change it actively and accept it for what it is.
Sven Soares, 33, born in Luxembourg, both parents from Cape Verde. Started dancing at 16, modeling at 23, and photographer since 2013.Vegan out of love of life. Life student. Owner of horse with whom I learn and grow every day.
sven soares, photo by Chris Born, @chris.born 52 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
NO. 1 WORLDWIDE FOR OVER 45 YEARS Cellfood is used and trusted around the world in over 90 countries —now in its 45th year of distribution. Bring a bottle home today!
Cellfood has a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee, with no time limit. Manufactured by NuScience Corp. Lancaster, CA
Imagine your body working as nature intended
Lumina Health Products 800-749-9196 www.luminahealth.com
pioneers Icon. Feminist. LGBT + Black Lives Matter Activist. Legendary Musician
Melissa Etheridge Deciding to Choose Love in Each Moment, a Message to Wo m e n + B r e a s t C a n c e r T h r i v e r s , a nd B e s t T h i n g Yo u C a n D o fo r t h e Wo r l d i s B e Yo u r s e l f N e w Alb u m O u t N ow Memphis Rock and Soul Maranda Pleasant: You’ve impacted not just me but millions of women watching you move through breast cancer, being a spokesperson for gay rights, and now, of course, for the civil rights movement. Melissa Etheridge: Yay. That just does my heart so good and makes me feel like I’m not alone and this was all worth it, absolutely. MP: As a woman, as someone who’s been a pioneer on so many fronts, what is the thing that makes you feel vulnerable? ME: Well, I never got in this to be an activist. That was the furthest thing from my thought. I had a dream when I was growing up of being rich and famous and being a rock star. That was the dream and that was the drive. Then I got to LA, and life is funny: it takes its own path and you start walking the journey. Early on, I realized, if I make the fearful choice, if early on I realize I’m too afraid to step in forward and lean into this and say, “I’m a woman,” “I’m gay,” or whatever the obstacle was at that particular moment, it’s full of vulnerability, yet every choice just comes down to that moment between love and fear. I just decided a long time ago that I was going to choose love. Every time I have, the results are just so rewarding and so rich and so deep and full and constantly come back to me. So, everything is vulnerable. I’m vulnerable every day. It’s part of the plan. That’s part of the way we get through this is to be vulnerable and to be willing to be vulnerable and to
54 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
know that it will help me grow; it will help me become who I am. MP: I feel like I should wake up every morning and just listen to that. Choose love, Maranda, choose love. ME: Even in our thoughts, even when you wake up thinking silently to yourself, choose love in that moment. Choose to have loving thoughts. These are the things that change our lives. MP: Is there anything that really helped you either mentally or emotionally or spiritually through your process with breast cancer? ME: Well, the whole experience for me was such a growing, learning experience. I’m one that looks back and is so grateful. It was such a gift to have gone through breast cancer, that I now look at my health as a thing to maintain, not to be afraid of, not to worry about, but knowing that when I’m out there every day, all my job is, is to bring love, not only into my thoughts, but into what I eat, into what I choose, what I think, what I surround myself with. So, every day I say choose only love. It’s a way of reorganizing your life and making your priority yourself. As women, we are so good at saving the rest of the world. We are so good at worrying about everybody else—our children, our family, our partners—and we’re the last ones to go to bed and we starve ourselves. To be able to understand that if I put myself first, if I take care of myself
physically and emotionally, then I will be so much stronger and so much more able to take care of everyone else. And I will be an example of how to do that for everyone else. I think breast cancer is a symptom of our society and our own choices about food, about how our day should be, about our priorities. It’s about taking some control. It’s about finding the power not to be a victim. I can’t stand when they say, “She’s a cancer victim.” I can’t stand the victim-y stuff. Cancer is something that happens inside of us. It doesn’t come from something outside; it’s not just a mystery. It comes when our bodies are too acidic, and our bodies get too acidic because of what we eat and what we stress about and the choices we make. So if we as women can take this health crisis—and it is, half of us are getting cancer—and go, “This is the key, this is why it’s happening, and this is what we’re going to do,” then we can revolutionize help. It can be the biggest revolution of humanity to understand how to overcome cancer. MP: It’s really amazing and refreshing to hear somebody say that. ME: When I went through it myself, the first thing I noticed was “Wow, nobody really knows anything.” I love the medical community, bless their hearts, they want to do well, they want to heal, that’s what they go in for, but you don’t have people thinking outside the box, or if you do, they’re not getting the funding. So it’s for us to change that paradigm and go, “I’m not a victim here. I can change this and I have some control over it.”
MP: I started reading Louise Hay 20 years ago and it was just like, “Wait a second. I can control my health?” It just changed the whole paradigm of healing. I think that it’s really good to hear someone say that so confidently, someone who’s gone through it. ME: Twelve years cancer-free. Every year I live completely cancer-free, I prove my point. So there you go.
Yo u c a n ’ t g e t i t wrong and you never get it done. MP: Is there something you would say to gay, bi, or lesbian people that are struggling with pushback in their community? ME: I would say, I’m 55 years old and I’ve been a lesbian all my life. From as far back as I can remember, that’s just the way it was. I have a walked a path, and in this path I have seen very clearly that, once again, when I did not choose fear—when I saw that I might be afraid that if I came out that people won’t want to listen to me, that I’ll lose record sales, that my career... Nobody was out then and I saw very clearly that I didn’t want to live the other way. I didn’t want to be closeted. I’m not a liar and I’m not good at holding secrets and that has got to be one of the most unhealthy things for you. If you are a mother, when you are not yourself, you’re cutting off a stream of life to yourself and it will take its toll. So I would say, first of all, this is your life. This is not your family’s life or your partner’s life or your mother’s or your children’s life. This is your life. We all have choices every day, and the best thing that any gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender person can do is to be themselves. There is power in being oneself. When you do that, you strengthen your community, you give your community someone who, when they are confronted with it in some conversation, they can say, “Hey, that person I work with, they’re gay and they’re cool. They’re fine. Their kids are fine. Everybody’s fine.” That’s what changes hearts and minds, and when you come out, you make it easier for the next person and the next person and it becomes very clear that the LGBT community is a strong fiber and part of our whole America and international society. We are a beautiful, wonderful part, so step up and be that. And the more you do it, the more you live it every day, the stronger it becomes. Pretty soon, you’re not even questioning it and you can see the changes around you. The best thing you can do for yourself, for your community, for the world is to be yourself. ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 55
I ju s t d ecid ed a lo n g time ago t hat I wa s go i ng to c ho o se lov e . Eve ry t im e I have, t h e result s are jus t
full
and
consta ntly
MP: What everyone needs to hear. So let’s talk about your new album, Memphis Rock and Soul. I saw that it was also inspired by leaders of the civil rights movement. As someone that’s deeply involved with art and activism, including Black Lives Matter, can you tell me why this project felt so important to you? What’s the deeper meaning behind this album? ME: I’ve been going headlong and strong into writing songs and creating and writing, and one of my managers said, “Hey, what would you think of doing cover songs?” And I said, “Well, they’d have to be songs that just rocked my soul to the core, that I just light up thinking that I’m going to be able to perform them.” And he said, “Well, what about Stax Records?” And I said, “Right on, that’s exactly it.” Not only are the songs just wickedly amazing, I mean Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin are just the two greatest singers in the world as far as I’m concerned. When you think about Stax Records, and when you understand Stax Records, the interracial thing they had going on down there and how extremely special it was that when you walked through the doors of Stax, there was no color and Blacks and Whites totally got together in Memphis, which was just torn apart. And the music they were making was the heartbeat of rock and roll. That’s where rock and roll came from. The music would be shipped off to England. It would land in the port in Liverpool and that’s where the Beatles would hear it and that’s where it just inspired everyone. So, for me, to go back and do Stax Records is just going to the heart of all my inspirations. I’ve seen a film of Janis Joplin watching Otis Redding in concert at the Monterey Pop Festival and then you see a film of her later at Woodstock and she’s moving just like Otis Redding and singing just like him. Those people who inspired me were inspired by them, and I was also inspired by them. I like to think of myself as kind of a musicologist and I like to understand the history of music. It’s so important to civil rights, because it came from the beginning of America—it came from the slaves in the fields and the poor Appalachian folks up in
s o rewardi ng
a nd
so ri ch
a nd
so deep
an d
co me bac k to m e . S o, eve ry thi ng i s vu l ne ra b le. the mountains. So you get this poor White and poor Black going on down in the South, and you mix this together. In the 1920s, 1930s, you see the Carter family going to all the different communities, Black and White, and gathering up all the folk songs and making the beginning of popular music. This is folk music, and from that came these kids who would go to Black church and listen to the gospel music, and then go home and listen to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio. They loved both, so you got this mixture of country and gospel and blues, and that made soul music. Later on, the White boys grabbed it and that made rock and roll. The hip-hop we’re listening to today just comes from the same wellspring. We’re all drawing from the same place, and I really wanted to break through the color barrier. I wanted to sing these songs, and it doesn’t matter if I’m a White girl singing them or a purple whatever. It’s just time. Our society is pushing through the last barriers of racial inequality. Through the internet and all the tools we have in front of us, we are able to absolutely draw attention to this immediately and create change. When I went to go do the Staple Singers, the song “Respect Yourself” felt like I was in a scientific experiment and I had gloves on. I said, “OK, how can I treat this respectfully? How can I honor what Pops and Mavis were bringing in 1970, 1971? What can I bring?” So I brought Priscilla Renea in, this beautiful African American singer-songwriter—she wrote “California King Bed” for Rihanna and she’s just amazingly successful and wonderful—I brought her in and said, “Let’s you and me create a new lyric for this classic.” One of the lines that I wrote I took straight from Black Lives Matter. It was, “Every one of us changes at the speed of trust.” MP: Is there something else you’d like to say? ME: I would say that this journey that I’ve been on that is my life has been amazing, and it has shown me that you can’t get it wrong and you never get it done.
MP: Can you say that one more time? “You can’t get it wrong and you never get it done.” ME: Because if you were to just relax a little and understand that this whole game called life is about creating and it’s not about having it perfect or having some sort of life where everything is perfect and fine. The contrast that we experience every day is there to move us on and to move us up, and this work, it’s up to us whether we think it’s drudgery or whether we think it’s the work of a lifetime. I’m saying anything that we do from when we make our bed in the morning to the women scientists that we have and everything in between is our life, and to find joy in every single little thing from the lunch we make for our kids to the work we create in our jobs, it’s up to us to make it amazing. No one’s going to walk into our life and go, “You’ve been working so hard, you deserve this.” That’s not how it works. It’s up to us to create it in our minds and our hearts, to do what you love and love what you do, that in the end—and the end comes, it does for all of us—when it comes, then you can say, “Wow, I did what I loved and I loved what I did and it was a great ride.” There’s no other criteria for this. There’s none. There’s no race to see who has the most of this or did the most of that or who was loved the most or respected the best. There’s no book in the end that takes score. It’s about your experience, our experience, my experience. I’m having a blast. Every barrier that comes up, I’m like, “Look at that, that’s an opportunity. I’m going to feel so great on the other side of that. Once I figure out how to get through this, it’s going to be amazing and I’m going to have pushed the barbed wire down for the next folks coming through, and that’s great.” And that’s what we do every day. So I hope my life or my words can inspire anyone to take a hold of their life. Whatever it is, there’s no judgment on what you’re doing. It’s up to you to love what you’re doing and that will bring a sparkle and that will bring other people to love it also. So I would say, just live your life every day because it’s yours. It’s your life.
—Melissa Etheridge 56 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
MP: People always like to say, “This person was a pioneer” or “This person was groundbreaking,” but what I think we need now is more revolutionaries, more people who can think for themselves. We need more people to push it forward, and I think because of the culture we’ve set up for women, where your value is associated with being nice, being polite, liked, and not making waves, I think that’s a lethal thing for anyone that would be a pioneer or a revolutionary, and most people don’t understand that when you’re in new territory, and we need people to break the next territory. ME: Every day we’re walking where nobody’s walked before. Our society is at a place where no one has been before, and that’s the good news. The more we think about it from an opportunity standpoint, even when you’re talking about it, when you say, “This is hard, this is hard, this is hard,” let’s start saying, “This might look hard, but we can make it easy.” We can make it to where the next generation looks and goes, “Wow, thank you, you made it easy.” The way you make it easy is to insist in your heart that the way to behave is to honor and respect people and insist upon that in yourself. Honor and respect yourself first—it starts within ourselves. We can’t go out and change the world unless we come from a place of loving and respecting ourselves, because when you do that, you change the world. It’s pretty crazy; you’ll actually see the world open up. If you are fighting something in the outside world, it’s because you’re fighting something inside you. So, coming to peace inside yourself is the absolute first step. Then it will be so much easier to say to anyone who’s struggling with anything, because you will know. Because you’ve found that peace inside yourself, you’ll know exactly what to say or do as you move along. The universe will open up for you, this reality will unfold in front of you, giving you exactly what you need to inspire and ascend through this whole game that we’re living here. MP: I love that you just reminded us that it doesn’t have to be so freaking hard. Sometimes we encounter resistance because we expect resistance and create resistance. Thank you so much, Melissa. ME: Thank you so much.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 57
Change Makers. Humanitarian Feature
The people of Syria are living through a brutal war that has displaced half the population, taken more than 400,000 lives, and destroyed much of the nation’s infrastructure. Desperate for safety, more than 4.8 million people have fled their homeland, seeking refuge in other countries. The humanitarian organization Oxfam is providing lifesaving aid to Syrian refugees as well as to Syrians who are still inside the country. Captured by Oxfam photographer Pablo Tosco, these images offer a glimpse into the hardships of forced exile and the fortitude of families who refuse to give up hope.
{
58 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Oxfam Photographer: Pablo Tosco oxfamamerica.org
{
▼ Khaled—sheltering one of his children in a blanket against cold and rain—crossed the border into Serbia from Macedonia. According to Serbian law, refugees like Khaled, his wife, and children had only 72 hours to travel to make their 300-mile trek across the country.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 59
Change Makers. Humanitarian Feature
Ibrahim, Aisha, and their baby live in a refugee settlement in Lebanon. More than one million Syrians have sought safety in Lebanon, but with few ways to make a living, 70 percent of refugee households there live on less than $4 per day. ▼
▲
Liqaa and Bassell welcome their first child, born in the Zaatari refugee camp. “It was such a beautiful day for me and for my husband to see this sweet baby,” said Liqaa, but “It’s so difficult to raise a baby here.... Adults can get by with the services we have here, but for children it’s much harder.”
“
Every time I fly my kite, I feel free,
”
said this 13-year-old boy, photographed in the Zaatari refugee camp. The World Health Organization has estimated that over 58 percent of the camp’s residents are under the age of 18.
Nour, who fled the fighting in Syria with her son and five grandchildren, waited at a registration area on the border between Macedonia and Greece. ▼
▲
The Zaatari camp in Jordan houses 80,000 Syrian refugees—more than three times the number it was designed to shelter.
60 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Holding her travel permit, Syrian refugee Fatheh Ali prepared to make the trek across Serbia with four of her children.
The whole trip has “been very difficult,” she said.
“My God, we have walked a lot.
”
▼
Landing on the shores of Lesbos, refugees faced new obstacles in their journey to safety. There are nearly 60,000 refugees and people on the move, mostly Syrians, stranded in Greece—trapped since countries have closed the routes to northern Europe.
Crowded boats arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos in early 2016. Many Syrian refugees risk the dangers of crossing the Mediterranean in search of safety. This past year, more than 4,180 people died while trying to reach Europe by sea. ▲
You Can Help As millions of refugees flee violence and , poverty, Pablo s photography reminds us , that we can t lose sight of the individuals. Donate now at oxfamamerica.org and help people around the world receive the support they need to build a better future.
▲ Close living quarters are the reality for families now living in the Zaatari camp. Abu Omar, who has five daughters, fled with his family to Jordan in 2012. After selling a car he left in Syria, he had managed to open a bakery in the camp.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 61
Sustainability Columnist:
ANGELICA PAPIO
} SFMOMA The Living Wall The long awaited new SFMOMA is now home to the largest living wall in the United States. The Living Wall is 33 feet high and 4,400 square feet. The Living Wall can be seen from 6 floors and provides a lush backdrop to the SFMOMA. Created by David Brenner. 151 3rd St. San Francisco. sfmoma.org | F: sfmoma | I: @sfmoma
} NOMADgardens NOMADgardens is a roaming community garden in the heart of Mission Bay San Francisco. Over 80% of their members are firsttime gardeners. They lead community workshops to help inspire communities to get started growing their own food and herbs. They rent 2’x4’ raised beds to local residents to get involved in urban agriculture. Last year Nomad Gardens grew over 1,000 crops. 1401 4th St. San Francisco. nomadgardens.org | F: nomadiccommunitygardens
Last year Nomad Gardens grew over
SFMOMA is now home to the largest 1,000 crops. living wall in the United States.
} Planting Justice Village } Living Culture Living Village Culture is an experimental project exploring what a village way of life can look like in a modern, Western context. LVC is a collective of cultural creatives that study the village ways of the past and align with their lineage holders in the present. They use conscious gatherings to cultivate practices focused on earth-based wisdom and mystical traditions through ancestral art classes, ceremony, performance, ritual, and sacred art. livingvillageculture.com | I: @living_village_culture
An experimental project exploring what a village way of life can look like in a modern, Western context.
Planting Justice is a grassroots organization with a mission to democratize access to healthy food by empowering urban residents with skills, resources, and knowledge they need to maximize organic food production, expand job opportunities, and ensure environmental sustainability in the Bay Area. In five years, they’ve created 20 living-wage jobs for formerly incarcerated people and built over 400 edible gardens throughout the East Bay, as well as a permaculture plant nursery and a 5 acre food forest farm. 3443 San Pablo Ave. Oakland. plantingjustice.org | F: plantingjustice | I: @plantingjustice
Created 20 living-wage jobs for formerly incarcerated people and built over 400 edible gardens throughout the East Bay.
Columnist ANGELICA PAPIO is the owner of DIY Edible Gardens, an edible landscape design build firm. She empowers people with the tools to use the garden as a cornerstone of health. diyediblegardens.com. I: @diy.ediblegardens
62 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Eco
} The Podolls
Podoll, a San Francisco-based eco, vegan fashion line, is a husband and wife team. Josh and Lauren Podoll have designed a line of separates and sculptural dresses in handdyed organic cotton and raw silk, featuring hand-drawn prints. Lauren and Josh own and operate two brick-andmortar shops in San Francisco and Burlingame and their designs are carried in stores across the US and Canada. They live in San Francisco with their four-year-old son. 3985 24th St, San Francisco. shopthepodolls.com | F: thepodolls | I: @thepodolls
Separates and sculptural dresses in hand-dyed organic cotton and raw silk, featuring hand-drawn prints...
} Aftelier Perfume
Mandy Aftel is the owner of Aftelier Perfume. She started making natural perfumes almost 30 years ago and assembles essences from hidden corners of the world. Aftel sources and studies the world’s oldest scents, exotic indulgences that have long seductive histories. Each bottle is hand-blended in small batches in her Berkeley studio, dedicated to reawakening the art of natural perfumery in an industry that is dominated by artificially produced synthetics. 1442A Walnut St, Ste 369. Berkeley. aftelier.com | F: AftelierPerfumes | I: @aftelierperfume
Sources and studies the world’s oldest scents, exotic indulgences that have long seductive histories.
San Francisco } The Flower Mart
Habitat } Horticulture Habitat Horticulture is San Francisco’s leading living wall design build company. They created California’s largest indoor living wall at at Foundry Square. Their résumé now includes the largest living wall in the United States. They have an approach to design that highlights sustainability and functionality. David Brenner is the founding principal and lead designer applying his passion for plants to renew people’s appreciation of our built environment and the value of nature. 83A Wiese St. San Francisco. habitathorticulture.com | F: HabitatHorticulture | I: @habitat_horticulture
They have an approach to design that highlights sustainability and functionality.
} Habitat Horticulture The San Francisco Flower Mart (SFFM) is one of only five growerowned wholesale flower market in the U.S. Founded over 100 years ago. The flower growers first came together in 1912 to form what became the San Francisco Flower Mart. Located in the heart of SOMA, SFFM is expanding. It will now include a mezzanine with office space for the wholesale flower vendors. New, energyand space-efficient refrigeration space will also be provided next to individual vendor stalls. 640 Brannan St. San Francisco. Sanfranciscoflowermart.com | F: SFFlowerMart | I: @sfflowermart
One of only five grower-owned wholesale flower markets in the U.S.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 63
ECO PIONEERS + M O V E M E N T M A K E rs r a Better World. Innovators :fo The Pollination Project Curated by
“
Eco-hiphop + Going Green Living Bling Ietef Vita aka Dj Cavem
Thug life is now kale life.
�
Founder of Eco-HipHop + Going Green Living Bling Educator. Organic Gardener. Producer djcavem.com Instagram: @ietef
Location: Denver, CO Passion: My passion is music, food, and gardening. Naturally, food and gardening go hand in hand. Growing up in a food desert was what really inspired me to take action as an environmental activist and transform the health of communities. Music is my platform in which I inform, engage, and educate.
Mission: Our mission is to redefine the image of wealth in hip-hop culture. Hip Hop has been used to market clothing, fast food, and drug dealers, which is why I founded environmental hip hop (Eco-HipHop). If Hip Hop can create drug dealers, I can create kale growers. Thug life is now kale life. My wife and business partner Alkemia Earth, who is a raw vegan chef and yogi, co-founded Culinary Concerts, a live performance and plant-based cooking show.
411: Green power couple Dj
Cavem and Alkemia Earth are transforming the world with their unique message that combines Hip Hop, gardening, yoga, and culinary arts. Award-winning educator and emcee Dj Cavem Moetavation is founder of Eco-HipHop and Going Green Living Bling.
64 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
gy “ Restoring our inner ecolo tice. generates environmental jus
hIP hOP IS GrEEn AshEl Eldridge
ns I am here to break theicchslaiave of post-traumat th syndrome through the 10op Element of HipH
A creative, visionary, and healer: senior strategist for HipHop is Green, Founder of The Urban Farmacy, Purium Health Coach, and Creativity Coach Improvisationalist with The Legend of the Uber Rapper
”
hiphopisgreen.com theurbanfarmacy.org Instagram: @hiphopisgreen
Location: Oakland, CA
Passion: I reconnect humanity to their hearts, land, and their best selves. I love organic vegan superfoods and artivism that creates goosebumps and a sense of aliveness. I love passengers jumping out of the Uber Rapper car loving their life. I teach climate solutions, healing race trauma, and meditation as medication.
Chilis on Wheels
Michelle Carrera
My mission is to rebuild the relationship with humanity, plants, and our higher selves. Restoring our inner ecology generates environmental justice. I am here to break the chains of post-traumatic slave syndrome through the 10th Element of Hip-Hop. I am here to replace diabetes medication with plant power. My mission is to amplify the voice of the Earth through art and music.
Projects:
Founder of Chilis on Wheels
Teaches climate justice at SFSU, performs with Earth Amplified and Dogon Lights, and practices health coaching and spiritual purification with Purium, Sukyo Mahikari, and shamanism.
chilisonwheels.org Instagram: @ChilisonWheels
Location: NYC Passion: My passion is veganism, justice, kindness, parenting, and the way these things merge together. I love spirits lit on fire creating change in their communities, using compassion to lift this world. I’m also a passionate storyteller who believes we all have a story with the power to transform us all.
411: Transpersonal Psychology,
founder of Earth Amplified, SOS Juice, and The Urban Farmacy. He is a health coach and distributor with Purium, a senior strategist for HipHop is Green, and mastermind behind the ‘Legend of the Uber Rapper.’
Photo: Dijon of Souls of Society Jacket by Peace Fits
Mission: My mission is to help and uplift others. Right now that manifests through serving vegan food to those who need it, speaking of compassion to animals, to people, to the environment, to ourselves. Extending warmth, gentleness, and kindness to as many people as I can. I work mostly with the vegan community, communities of low
Mission:
income, and the Latino community, to help create spaces and tell stories, and serve as a beacon of love.
Projects: Currently, I serve vegan food to people in need of a warm meal and create a compassionate community for all.
411: Born and raised in Puerto
Rico. Constantly creating and collaborating on new projects to spread love and light. Founder of Chilis on Wheels, TheVTeam, and Vegan Latinos of NYC Meetup. A freelance translator, writer, and unschooling mother.
Photo: Kim-Julie Hansen
“Ifirlove ecreaspiritintsg litchaonnge
in their communities, using compassion to lift this world.
”
— Michelle Carrera ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 65
ECO PI O NE E R S + M O VEM E N T M A KERS
Innovators for a Better World.
Gino Pastori-ng
create meaningful and lasting solutions to our problems, if given the opportunities and resources Co-Founder & Co-Director of to do so.
KE HL I
Youth Impact Hub Oakland
Projects: I support innovative youth in manifesting their visions for a more just and regenerative world through social entrepreneurship training.
youthimpacthub.org
Location: Oakland, CA Passion: My passion is midwifing the genius of young people and modeling genuine, joyful self-care in the process. I live my passion through building community, facilitation, yoga, meditation, hiphop, and immersing myself in nature. My passion is rooted in family, and I ground my actions in the legacy of my ancestors.
DIVAS OF COMPTOn Kehli Berry
Director, Founder of 1-Shine Youth Services and Divas of Compton, Inc. 1shineyouth.com divasofcompton.org Instagram: @divasofcompton
Location: Compton, CA Passion: Creating and developing innovative performing arts, leadership, and academic programming for youth and teens in inner cities. I enjoy exposing youth to opportunities that introduce health and wellness, cultural and global awareness in an effort to improve the quality of their life and to work towards the development of youth leaders.
Mission: I find creative and innovative ways to bring learning and leadership to life in an effort to provide them with the essential tools needed to develop into community change agents capable of initiating effective change in their home, school, and community. Through performing arts, I create productions that empower, enlighten, and educate the community about cultural and global awareness. As a supplemental education service provider, I
implement cultural studies into existing curriculum to help students gain a deeper appreciation for multi-cultures.
Projects: I teach and direct a performing arts and leadership program for over 85 youth and teen girls and develop and direct summer and afterschool programs for at-risk youth in grades K-8 for local community centers and schools. I facilitate teen leadership workshops, as well as teach a health and fitness class for adult women called Hydration.
Mission:
Photo: Demario Lewis
By bea ring the bru nt of ineq uity in our curr ent eco nom ic system , the se you ng peop le cult ivat e trem end ous creativi ty and inno vat ion just to sur vive .
GIN O
”
411: A teacher, dancer, model,
actress, and athlete, born and raised in the city of Compton, Kehli Berry is a community activist with a passion for youth development and performing arts. Dedicating her life to creating innovative youth and performing arts programs, she has been influential in effectively developing quality youth programming.
hIP hOP GrEEn is
Keith Tucker
I’m passionate and excited about living my purpose of serving others, manifested in the Hip Hop Green Dinners and the 10th Element of Hip Hop. Both are geared towards health and wellness and serve to open up pathways towards a sustainable and more compassionate world.
Mission: To build and promote the Green Age of Hip Hop globally through Hip Hop is Green (HHIG). It
66 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
of Youth Impact Hub Oakland (YIHO), the first co-working space for youth-led innovation in a global network of over 80 hubs. YIHO has funded and launched over 50 youth-led social enterprise projects since its inception.
“
To elevate and showcase the innovation of youth in low-income communities to bring about a more just and regenerative world. By bearing the brunt of inequity in our current economic system, these young people cultivate tremendous creativity and innovation just to survive, and therefore they are the ones who are best equipped to
Passion:
KE ITH
411: Co-founder and co-director
provides powerful programs for underserved, low-income urban youth and their families in areas of health and wellness through creative media and live events. We provide plant-based meals and information as well as resources which help and inspire people to live healthy lives and have healthy communities.
411: A health activist, filmmaker,
speaker, movement maker, and the creator of the Hip Hop Green Dinner, the 10th Element of HipHop, and a leader in promoting health and wellness to the HipHop generation.
Food. Pioneers
“
We decided enough was enough and a drastic change needed to happen.
”
Vegan e r Sha d Foo Founders:
Al & Dee Borja
Al & Dee
Q:
What inspired you two to found VFS in the Spring of 2012?
270,000 Followers. 5 Million Tags. @VeganFoodShare Connects the Plant-Based Movement Worldwide. They Welcome and Involve Peeps that are New to the Lifestyle and Introduce Influencers Globally through the VFS Platform.
A:
Instagram: @VeganFoodShare
Instagram and social media wasn’t really a big part of our lives, but we felt we needed to be connected to a growing community of like-minded individuals. We are inspired by those who have made the commitment to share the lifestyle and by those who inspire others as well. We have worked and interacted with various groups with veganism in mind and continue to contribute our knowledge and experience to the willing.
We were inspired by attending our first vegan potluck, held by Lane Gold, author of Vegan Junk Food. At the time, my wife Dee and I were the only vegans we knew. So we felt this would be a great way to get introduced to what other vegans ate, while learning more about veganism through those who have far more experience than ourselves.
Q: What inspired you to go vegan?
V
A: I’ve been vegan since 2009. I was inspired to go
plant- based when a family member’s health started to decline. My wife Dee, an aspiring photographer, researched the reasons for poor declining health and quickly concluded consuming animal products was one of the factors. We decided enough was enough and a drastic change needed to happen. It wasn’t as easy for me to go vegan overnight, but Dee’s determination to get me to eat more consciously has inspired us to motivate others to pursue the vegan life. I’m continuing my work in the entertainment industry while influencing others to make the change. Dee is currently pursuing a career in photography.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 67
MARANDA PLEASANT
On Stands N ow! of
best trav el MANTRA On e Year YOGA HEALTH
on the Ro ad
Your Bes t Life Home
Vegan
national vegan yoga magazine mantra yoga + Health
recipes. home. travel. green living. real. no b.s.
On stands nationally subscribe: mantramag.com/ subscribe photo: fullyraw kristina
Discover the taste of awesome organic herbal teas • Pukka teas are brimming with wisdom. Thanks to our Master Herbalist Sebastian, each blend is infused with the profound knowledge of the power of plants • We only use the best parts of 100% organically-grown medicinal grade herbs • Our blends are made with tender loving care; from the families who grow and harvest the herbs to our tea packers in the UK
pukkaherbsUSA
• We’re committed to ecological sourcing and sustainable harvesting As a result, every Pukka tea is more than just a drink: it’s a chance to taste the essence of nature and bring your senses alive. We hope you enjoy the teas as much as we have in creating them. &
Sebastian and Tim Founders of Pukka Herbs, UK
www.pukkaherbs.com
ARE YOU STRESSED OUT? IF SO, YOU’RE NOT ALONE. In fact, the American Institute of Stress (AIS) highlights the following “stress” statistics:
Magnesium-Calcium Balance
Stress is the basic cause of 60 percent of all human illness and disease. Three out of four doctor visits are for stress-related ailments, costing our nation $300 billion each year in medical bills and lost productivity. Stress increases the risk of a stroke by 50 percent and risk of heart disease by 40 percent. One in five Americans reports “extreme stress” with symptoms such as shaking, heart palpitations and depression. Forty percent of stressed people overeat or eat unhealthy foods. Forty-four percent of stressed people lose sleep every night. Obviously, we have a stress problem. So, if you’re stressed, push pause, take a deep breath—and give your body the equilibrium it craves with Dr. Formulated Relax & Restore whole food magnesium!†
ANTI-STRESS
†
Did you know that if certain nutrients are out of whack, it can add to the stress we feel? Most people don’t get the amounts of magnesium they require and some forms of magnesium are simply not absorbed well in the body. This can lead to a magnesium-calcium imbalance leaving the body perpetually stressed. Calcium is necessary to excite nerves and muscle contraction; magnesium is required for calming nerves and relaxing muscles.† Generally, most people get more calcium than magnesium in their diets, but it takes adequate magnesium levels to push calcium out of cells, enabling the body to truly relax and restore.† In short, magnesium is a significant player in helping us de-stress so we can sleep better.† So, if you’re feeling stressed out or unable to sleep well, you should consider a whole food magnesium supplement such as Relax & Restore at bedtime to help you de-stress and get a good night’s sleep.†
CALM
SLEEP BETTER†
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
It’s Time to Relax & Restore! Dr. Formulated whole food magnesium Relax & Restore powder is a delicious, fizzy drink to help calm and relax you, while restoring your body’s optimal magnesium levels.† Relax & Restore features the first-ever whole food magnesium made with our finest U.S.A. grown organic peas, as well as, live probiotics—1 billion CFU—to support healthy digestion and regularity.† Supports relaxation and restores optimal magnesium levels† while providing a better night’s sleep† Contains the probiotics Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Lactobacillus acidophilus—1 billion CFU— to support healthy digestion, utilization and regularity† Whole food magnesium, Non-GMO Project Verified, Certified Vegan, gluten, dairy and soy free Mixes easily in 3 fizzy delicious flavors
by David Perlmutter, M.D. Board Certified Neurologist, #1 New York Times Best-Selling Author & Fellow of the American College of Nutrition
NON GMO
Project VERIFIED
nongmoproject.org
Tired of being tired? Floradix heLps reduce exhaustion and fatigue* Life is busy and trying to juggle family and work can leave you feeling exhausted and run-down…especially if you are iron deficient. Floradix is a low-dose supplement designed to prevent and treat iron deficiency and has been helping women reclaim their energy and vitality for over 60 years.
Iron deficiency affects 20% to 25% of the world population,1 with irondeficiency anemia the most common type of anemia.
25%
Reference 1 . McLean E, Cogswell M, Egli I, et al. Worldwide prevalence of anaemia, WHO Vitamin and Mineral Surveillance Information System, 1993-2005. Public Health Nutrition 2009; 12(4): 444-54.
We all need iron for energy. Women are especially prone to iron deficiency due to periods, pregnancy, and breast-feeding. In fact, menstruation is the main reason women are 10 times more likely than men to suffer from low iron levels. Just a few consecutive heavy periods can cause iron losses that are difficult to reverse without supplementation.
Iron-deficiency symptom checklist: Are you iron-deficient? Do you often feel weak? Do you look pale, lack appetite, or feel tired? Are you often cold or chilly? Do you have brittle hair and nails? Are you vegetarian? The more questions you answered “yes” to, the higher your risk of being iron deficient.
$2
OFF coupon
Is iron missing in your diet? If your diet hasn’t been giving you the recommended 18 mg of iron a day and you’re feeling tired and run-down, Floradix® Liquid Iron + Herbs could be the simple solution. In addition to iron, Floradix’s gentle formula contains vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, as well as vitamin C. Vitamin C helps the body absorb the form of iron found in fruits and vegetables, like those found in Floradix®’s liquid base.
Present this coupon on your next purchase of Floradix or Floravital (8.5 oz. or 17 oz. size) and receive $2 off the retail price. EXPIRES 1/31/17
Retailer: Flora, Inc. will reimburse you the face value of this coupon plus 8 cents handling for coupons redeemed in accordance with this offer. Invoices proving purchase of sufficient stock to support coupon submissions must be provided upon request. Consumers are limited to one coupon per purchase and are responsible for all taxes. Cash value is .0001 cents. Send all coupons to: Flora, Inc., P.O. Box 407, MPS Dept. 787, Cinnaminson, NJ 08077.
WWW.FLORAHEALTH.COM 1-888-436-6697
FLORADIX IS AVAILABLE AT:
*THIS STATEMENT HAS NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE, OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.
Find peace of mind this holiday season!
Natural Relief from Holiday Stress with these whole herb solutions: Tulsi ~ Holy Basil: • Aids in stress relief and uplifts mood • Supports healthy immune and digestive function • #1 herb of the Yogic, Ayurvedic and Puranic traditions
Ashwagandha: • Calming stress relief • Natural source of energy and vitality • Soothes nervous system and supports restful sleep *These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
EARTH SEER
organicindia.com
At the heart of ORGANIC INDIA is our commitment to be a living embodiment of love and consciousness in action.
contents
62
52
Yoga
50
12 20
Tia Blanco
34
56
Healthy Cocktails
Lexi duPont 6 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Fitness
58
Pioneers
30
ContentS 16
Life on the Vegan Farm Organic farmer + vegan foodie, Anna Sneddon
18
Edgar Castrejon The vegan, yogi, + healthy living foodie shares some of his fav recipes
22
Ami Shoesmith This sun-loving, Crossfit-obsessed, Sagittarian foodie has a thirst for adventure and a passion for making everything look pretty
30
Nathalie Sader Goddess coach & holistic chef, empowering women to love themselves through healthy rituals and finding their life’s purpose
34
jules aron, mixologist Zen and tonic: Tips for healthier cocktails
46
Jasmine Briones Her go-to ingredient, veganism as a path to recovery, and the best savory dishes for your fam
50
tia blanco Vegan, pro surfer, gold medalist at the Open Women’s World Surfing Championship
56
Lexi duPont She travels by helicopter up to extreme peaks, in remote areas, and rides the impossible mountains most of us only see in films
58
Stillness in the Sky One of the world’s top skydivers, Angela Tara Hsu, takes her yoga practice to the clouds
62
Michelle Weinhofen Uncovering layers to reshape your life.Yoga for peeps who can’t touch their toes. Her natural beauty routine + Ayurvedic skin brushing
64
Cirque Du Soleil Artist, Gasya Literally balancing motherhood + career
66
MELISSA ARNOT High-altitude climber, fitness disciple, and high-camp peacemaker. World record holder. Six successful summits of Mt. Everest. Summited Mt. Rainier 104 times. Cofounder of the Juniper Fund, supporting Sherpa families faced with climbing tragedies
68
our ultimate muse Trailblazer and pioneer Mehgan Heaney-Grier is our ultimate muse. Even though her newest adventures with deadly vipers and piranhas make us cringe
52
Alexandra Paul Tips on eating clean for travelers, staying fit + fueled, and lessons in business
Alena Haurylik
Eating Bright this Winter: Creating Healthy Organic Fresh Smoothie Bowls
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 7
eats. Eating Clean Inspiration
er t n i W s i h t t h g i E at i n g B r
c i n a g r O y h t l a e H g n i t a e r C s l w o B e i h t Fresh Smoo raph ist. Photog l y t S . ie d o Fo
er
Alena Haurylik alenafoodpho Instagram: @
INGREDIENTS � cup frozen spinach � frozen banana � cucumber � cup pineapple chunks ½ cup water Lime juice/lemon juice, to taste Mint, to taste Blend all the ingredients together until smooth and enjoy! 8 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
to
Healthy Green Smoothie
Papaya Bowls
alenafoodphoto.com
EARTH’S HEALTHIEST CHOCOLATE AVAILABLE WITH ZERO CALORIES AT INNOCENTCHOCOLATE.COM GET 15% OFF WITH PROMO CODE: ORIGIN
TM
eats. Eating Clean Inspiration
Let’s resist the urge to sink into a funk this winter. Let’s live vibrantly. Eat colorfully. Nourish ourselves from the inside out. Let’s Embrace slow living, but still keep moving, and feed ourselves deeply and wholesomely with amazing organic ingredients.
A few of our favorite smoothie ingredients: Hemp seeds Coconut oil Spirulina Cacao powder and nibs Avocado Camu powder Chia seeds Chorella Turmeric Ginger Leafy greens Maca powder Lemon
10 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
k i l y r u a H a n Ale
t h g i r B g n i Eat t his W i n t e r
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 11
eats. Eating Clean Inspiration
Alena Haurylik
Raspberry Smoothie
Coconut Bowl
12 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
INGREDIENTS � cup frozen raspberries � banana � cup cashew, almond, hemp, or any nut milk � tbsp shredded coconuts � tbsp coconut oil Blend all the ingredients together until smooth.
PROFESSIONAL CHEFS,
HOME COOKS &
EVERYONE IN BETWEEN can master plant-based techniques with our
online courses, streamed on any device. CULINARY RX An instructional cooking and nutrition course that empowers students through their transition to a more health-supportive diet and lifestyle with 78 recipes and 96 instructional technique videos.
ESSENTIAL VEGAN DESSERTS More than 50 videos and 100 hours of coursework teach essential techniques and recipes to inspire students to create quality vegan desserts.
PLANT-BASED PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION COURSE This ground-breaking plant-based certification course focuses on the application of core techniques through more than 200 online videos, personalized instructor guidance and online events.
Unlock your offer and learn more at rouxbe.com/origin
FOUNDED IN 2005 | OVER 200K STUDENTS IN 180 COUNTRIES USED BY 400+ HOTELS AROUND THE WORLD | 98% SATISFACTION RATE
eats
18 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
“
”
eats
INGREDIENTS � cup mashed butternut squash or pumpkin � cups oat flour �½ tsp baking powder �½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp pink salt � tbsp cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg ½ cup coconut oil � cup maple or agave syrup ½ cup chai tea (� tea bags brewed) � tsp vanilla paste Maca Orange Icing � tbsp vegan butter � tbsp maca powder � tsp orange juice � tbsp maple syrup Topping � ⁄� cup pomegranate seeds � tbsp orange zest
20 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
METHOD Preheat the oven t0 ���°F/ ���°C. Take your dry ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly, then set aside. Take your wet ingredients into a separate bowl and mix thoroughly, then set aside. Pour in ½ cup of dry ingredients at a time into the wet ingredient bowl and mix well. Repeat this step until all cake ingredients are mixed thoroughly. Pour into a cake pan (�� cm or � inches wide), bake for � hour (or check with a toothpick), and set aside to let it cool for �� min. As the cake cools down, make your icing by adding all ingredients together and whisking them until smooth. Top the cake with the icing, orange zest, and pomegranate seeds.
INGREDIENTS � cup cubed tofu � tbsp sesame oil � tbsp tamari soy sauce � tsp maple syrup � tsp garlic powder � tsp red pepper flakes � tsp mirin or rice vinegar � tbsp water, if needed Pan-Fried Broccoli About �½ cups broccoli florets � tsp lemon zest � tbsp garlic powder � tsp onion powder � tbsp kimchi juice or soy sauce � tbsp water or oil � tsp nutritional yeast A dash of black pepper Tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, lemon, and sesame seeds for topping METHOD Take a frying pan, add your oil on medium heat, then add your cubed tofu and fry for �-� minutes. Add your tamari soy sauce, mirin, garlic powder, and pepper flakes, then fry for another 10 minutes. Keep flipping your tofu so each side is fried and stop frying them when they turn crisp brown. Set aside. Take another frying pan, add your oil on medium to high heat, and add your broccoli florets. Fry for �-� minutes, then add the rest of your seasonings. Fry for another � minutes and set aside. Then just cut the rest of your veggies and add them to your plate. Enjoy!
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 21
eats
Australia Represents
Ami Shoesmith This Sun-Loving, Crossfit-Obsessed, Sagittarian Foodie Has a Thirst for Adventure and a Passion for Making Everything Look Pretty. Instagram: @the_sunkissed_kitchen
Use cookie cutters to cut your fruits & vegetables! It makes everything look super cute, and is a great way to get kids (and some adults) to eat their fruits and veggies!
Cook with Weeds! They are super nutritious and great for adding to salads or smoothies. My favorites are probably chickweed and wood sorrel, but there are so many great ones out there!
22 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
ARTISANAL TREENUT CHEESES THAT RIVAL THE BEST OF FRANCE AND ITALY. Made in New York’s Historic Hudson Valley from the Finest Brazilian Cashews.
SOFT FRENCH-STYLE TREENUT CHEESES: Herb-Garlic | Scallion | Green Peppercorn | Chipotle-Serrano
AGED ARTISANAL TREENUT CHEESES: Classic - Hickory Smoked | Cracked Pepper
VEGAN, PALEO & KOSHER treelinecheese.com
DAIRY-FREE PROBIOTIC GLUTEN-FREE SOY-FREE
eats
Spring Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
salad INGREDIENTS � cups wild rocket ½ cup sliced strawberries ½ avocado ½ pomegranate � cucumber Handful fresh mint Handful fresh basil Handful fresh coriander Handful micro-parsley � heirloom purple carrot ¼ cup tamari almonds A few edible flowers Dressing INGREDIENTS ¾ cup strawberries � tbsp apple cider vinegar � tbsp macadamia nut oil � tbsp coconut sugar ¼ cup water Herb salt to taste (I use about ¼ – ½ tsp)
METHOD First make the vinaigrette by blending all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Arrange the leafy greens in a bowl or on a platter. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the cucumber and carrots into strips. To create the cucumber tubes, just twist the cucumber strips around your finger. Add the fresh herbs and pomegranate. Top with sliced strawberries, micro-greens, and tamari almonds. Slice your avocado and place on top. (If you want to try making the rose, there are a lot of online tutorials that can show you how; they are actually really easy.) Add some edible flowers (if you’re using them). Serve with the vinaigrette.
24 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Ami Shoesmith
Pink Protein Smoothie Bowl
INGREDIENTS ½ avocado ½ frozen banana* � cup almond milk ½ tsp beetroot powder � tbsp vanilla protein powder Toppings � strawberries ½ pomegranate ½ apple � tbsp quinoa puffs A few edible flowers (optional) *Add more banana if you want a sweeter smoothie METHOD Add all the smoothie ingredients to a blender and process until smooth! Decorate with the toppings and enjoy! You can really top your smoothie bowl with whatever you like. Some of my favourite toppings are muesli or cereals, and sliced banana!
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 25
eats
, L E B E R , L E B RE O S U O Y E V I LO cipes e , rebel r
ster niki web
otographer or, and Ph at re C e ip Stylist, Rec ltant, Food cipes Food Consu : @rebelre
s R e b e l R e c i p er o' o t Banana Beet apjacks Blueberry Fl INGREDIENTS � really ripe organic bananas, chopped � cooked organic beetroots � scoops acai (optional) ¹/³ cup maple syrup � tbsp almond butter � cups organic gluten-free oats ¹/³ cup flax (I used Protein World) ¹/³ cup sunflower seeds ¹/³ cup sesame seeds ¹/³ cup ground almonds � tsp cinnamon � tsp mixed spice Pinch chili flakes ¹/³ cup melted coconut oil Toppings ½ cup blueberries Handful muesli or mixed nuts and seeds method Preheat the oven to ���°C/���°F. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the banana, beetroot, almond butter, and acai in a food processor until thoroughly blended. Heat coconut oil very gently in a saucepan until melted, then add to the wet mix and pulse for a second. Add the wet mix to the mixture and stir well until everything is combined (it shouldn’t be too wet). Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper and spread the mix on top, around an inch thick. Top with the blueberries and your choice of crunchy toppings. Bake for �� minutes. Test the middle of the flapjacks with a knife to ensure they are cooked through. If not, bake for a few more minutes and test again. Remove from the oven, leave to cool slightly, and then divide into squares.
rebelrecipes.com 26 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Mindfulness is Golden In this busy world, your time is Golden. Thankfully, taking a moment to honor yourself has never been this delicious or convenient. Unwind with a nourishing cup of Gaia Herbs Golden Milk — a mix of turmeric, dates and herbs based on Ayurvedic tradition. Just add your favorite milk, and enjoy. For more information visit GaiaHerbs.com.
Vegan Gluten-free No GMOs
eats
} ps.ny i love you Olia Saunders,
{
Photog I Artist I Vegan Foodie
Instagram: @PS.NY
Quick Dinner Idea
Golden Millet Porridge With Fruits And Nuts The peculiarity of this grain is that it isn’t stored for as long as other, more common grains. Over time, the grain develops a bitter taste which does not allow for making tasty dishes from it. Check its scent before you use it, as it shouldn’t smell rancid.
PS.NY
Millet should always be washed before cooking. It usually requires rinsing up to six times or until the water runs transparent after washing. The water used for cleaning millet should be warm. INGREDIENTS �½ cups millet, rinse well in warm water �½ cups almond milk or water � large pear cut into cubes ½ small honey melon with its seeds removed and cut into cubes ½ cup fresh (or dried) cranberries ¼ cup pistachios ¼ tsp salt � tbsp maple syrup � tbsp vegan butter To cook � cup of millet, you’ll need �-�½ cups of water. If you want to make creamier porridge, increase the amount of water (or vegan milk) to �.
method Wash millet, add hot water, and cook over a high heat. Remove the foam when it rises and add salt. Bring it to a boil. After the water has evaporated from the porridge, add vegan milk. Reduce the heat, simmer over medium-low heat while stirring frequently for about ��-�� minutes, until it thickens. Millet grains should be soft. Add more almond milk if the grains aren’t soft and continue to cook. Add vegan butter, maple syrup, pear, honey melon, cranberries, and pistachios. Serve hot or cold. 28 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Z ee Perfect Dairy-Free
Chocolate Coconut “Cheese” Cake INGREDIENTS Filling � cups pre-soaked cashews �½ cups coconut cream (my favorite one is from Trader’s Joe) ¼ cup coconut oil ½ cup lemon juice ½ cup light agave syrup � ⁄� cup raw cocoa powder � tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp salt Crust � cup quick oats � cup almonds ¼ tsp sea salt � tbsp coconut sugar � tbsp light agave syrup � tbsp coconut oil, melted Frosting � oz (���g) vegan dark chocolate
METHOD Crust Soak cashews for at least 4 hours. Preheat oven to ���ºF/���ºC. Add oats, almonds, sea salt, and coconut sugar in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Line a 6-8 inch spring form pan with parchment paper. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add agave syrup and melted coconut oil. Mix it with a spoon to combine until a loose dough is formed and not crumbling. If too dry, add a bit more melted coconut oil. Transfer mixture to parchment-lined baking sheet. Press crust evenly down into your spring form pan. Bake for �� minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Let rest for �� minutes at room temperature, then transfer to refrigerator to let cool completely. Filling Drain cashews and transfer into a food processor. Add lime juice and pulse until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add cocoa powder, vanilla extract, coconut oil, agave, and salt and blend very well, scraping sides often, until very smooth. Transfer to a highspeed blender, add coconut cream, and blend for extra smooth batter. Pour filling over the pre-baked crust and spread into an even layer. Tap on counter to remove air bubbles over your crust in your pan. Place in the freezer for at least four hours. Frosting Place chocolate in a small pot, heat gently, and stir until the chocolate is totally melted. Cool until it’s the right texture for spreading. Add a bit of hot water if it’s too dense. Spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Use any berries, fruits, nuts, or even coconut flakes to decorate your cake.
Cookie
Psdotny.com
eats
The Sacred Kitchen Nathalie Sader
Instagram: @nathaliesader | nathaliesader.com
Goddess Coach & Holistic Chef, Empowering Women to Love Themselves Through Healthy Rituals and Finding Their Life’s Purpose I love lighting a candle, playing my favorite tune, and setting an intention for the meal I am cooking. Let’s say I am preparing a soup for my daughter who just caught a cold; I just get all the ingredients ready, place my hands over them, and set the intention of nourishment and recovery, and cook with that intention in mind.I believe that food’s energy can be transformed by our own energy and intention while cooking. And this makes the whole cooking process much more fun and empowering. But unless you believe in it, it won’t work.
30 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
ADVERTISEMENT
Go With Your Gut Digestive Health Affects More Than You Think
H
ave you ever had a “gut feeling” or been told to “go with your gut?” It turns out there could be a scientific explanation behind these everyday expressions.
Recent research on gut health focuses on the human microbiome, which contains trillions of bacteria that live primarily in your GI tract. When there is an imbalance, whether it’s due to poor diet, pollutants, or antibiotics, your health can suffer. New science suggests that poor digestive health can lead to chronic inflammation due to leaky gut, fatigue, low metabolism, and poor immunity. In fact, around 80% of your immune system is located in the digestive tract! Many scientists now believe there may be a gut-brain link much stronger than we ever realized, which would help explain why we say we feel things “in our gut,” and how poor digestive balance could be linked to depressed mood and increased anxiety.
THE ROLE OF PROBIOTICS It’s hard to eat right all the time, and sometimes antibiotics are necessary, but you don’t have to let it upset your inner ecosystem. Probiotics can provide the good bacteria that helps to restore and maintain digestive health. When it comes to choosing the right probiotic, it’s important to know what strains are available. Because the gut is an acidic environment with intricate needs, certain strains of bacteria will work better than others. The latest advancement in probiotics is spore-formers. Spores are nature’s true probiotics. They naturally survive to reach the site of action, the gut, where they work to restore a healthy balance by colonizing, as probiotics are meant to do. Unfortunately, many probiotics, like the ones found in popular yogurts and leading brands, can’t guarantee they will survive the shelf or your gut! When choosing a probiotic, be sure to check the labels and choose a spore probiotic strain that is DNA verified (so you know it’s the real deal) with guaranteed survivability to truly benefit your overall health.
Most of the patients I see have digestive conditions, autoimmune “conditions or hormone imbalances. I’ve been using probiotics for over 20 years, and a lot of the conditions I see are either primary digestive problems or the digestive tract is part of their problem. What’s different about the Smart Spore technology is that it’s spore-based technology. It is bacillus spores, and those spores have shown the ability to naturally survive through the stomach acid. Many of the research studies on lactobacillus and bifidobacteria show that they’re not able to survive through the stomach acid. It’s more of a dead cell therapy than actual probiotic therapy.
- Dr. Tom Payne, Chiropractic Physician
”
Make Your Gut Happy with Probiogen™: Proven to Survive 100x Better than Leading Brands with Smart Spore Technology™ & DNA Verified Spore Probiotics
Daily Digestive Balance Weight Management Women’s Vitality & More Stress & Mood Dairy Free • Gluten Free Soy Free • Non-GMO • Vegetarian
SAVE 15% on your purchase!
Use Discount Code: ORIGIN15
Visit www.probiogen.com *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
eats
INGREDIENTS � plantains (about 2 cups plantains purée) ¼ cup coconut flour � ⁄� cup melted coconut oil � tsp baking soda + � tsp cream of tartar (or � tbsp baking powder) � tbsp maple syrup Toppings Maple syrup Strawberries Raspberries Love METHOD To peel the plantains, trim off the ends and run the knife through the peel lengthwise, then pull the skin off using your hands. Cut the plantains into � chunks each and purée in a food processor. (They should be on the green side with some hues of yellow.) Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and mix briefly until smooth. Test batter and adjust sweetness to taste by adding a little more maple syrup. Let the batter sit for � minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your waffle iron, lightly greased with coconut oil. Scoop about half a cup of the batter in the middle of the waffle iron, spreading it a little with a spoon, and cook according to your waffle iron instructions, normally for � minutes or until desired crispiness is acheived. Serve immediately, topped with maple syrup, fresh berries, chocolate mint, and some love! Enjoy!
5 Ingredient Vegan & Paleo waffles Makes 5 waffles | Preparation time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 20 mins | Total time: 30 mins
32 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Nathalie Sader
Vegan Mozzarella Caprese Makes 4 cheese balls | Preparation time: 10 mins | Cooking time: 5 mins
vegan mozzarella INGREDIENTS ½ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight ½ cup water � tbsp tapioca flour � or � tbsp fresh lemon juice � tsp Celtic sea salt Pinch of nutmeg Utensils High-speed blender Saucepan Big glass bowl with cold water and ice cubes Spatula Ice cream scoop METHOD First, preheat a saucepan on medium to low heat for a couple of minutes. Using a high-speed blender, blend together cashews, water, tapioca flour, lemon juice, sea salt, and nutmeg until creamy and smooth. Pour this mixture into your hot saucepan and stir continuously on medium heat until it is bubbly. This will take about � minutes max. The cashew mixture should be by now a stretchy, gooey ball. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out some cheese and dip it all in the cold water, keep it for �� seconds, then release the cheese in the water. Repeat until no cheese is left in your saucepan. Keep the cheese in the cold water for �� mins. Drain and store your cheese balls in a container in the fridge. Caprese INGREDIENTS � mozzarella cheese balls, sliced � medium ripe tomatoes �� basil leaves � tbsp olive oil � tsp balsamic vinegar Sea salt to taste METHOD Slice each tomato, making sure not to cut through the bottom. Wedge each mozzarella slice between two tomato slices. Garnish with basil. Mix oil with balsamic vinegar and salt and drizzle over your salad! Enjoy!
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 33
DRINKS. Garden to Glass Cocktails
Zen and Tonic, Fresh & Savory Cocktails for the Enlightened Drinker ORIGIN Mixologist + Author
Jules Aron Instagram: @julesaron Photos: Gyorgy Papp
34 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Tips for s il a t k c o C r ie Health
1. Skip the refined sugar and artificial flavors in favor of
fresh garden-to-glass cocktails made with fresh fruit, herbs, superfoods, and even fresh vegetables.
2. Always use fresh, natural ingredients such as fruits,
herbs, and veggies, and fresh-squeezed juices. You can naturally sweeten most cocktails using whole fruit instead of sugar, sour mixes, and syrups. Simply muddle the fruit using the back of a spoon or muddler for added fiber, natural sugars, and vitamins.
3. Make your own simple syrups using natural sweeteners,
such as coconut sugar, maple syrup, and date syrup, for a healthy dose of antioxidants and none of the artificial ingredients and sugars. To make a simple syrup, use a �:� ratio, for instance, ½ tablespoon maple syrup mixed with ½ tablespoon warm water.
4. Create your own infusions by adding herbs and spices
directly into your spirit for a jolt of flavor. Simply let your botanicals infuse for several days before straining them out. You’ll have a full-flavored homemade infusion chock full of nutrients in no time.
5. Choose organic alcohol or small batch spirits whenever
possible for better quality control. Because what you drink is just as important as what you eat.
6. Choose a natural sparkling water over all other sodas
to eliminate refined sweeteners, added sodium, and other artificial additives.
7. Always choose nutritious ingredients: coconut water,
fresh citrus, ginger, aromatic herbs, superfood berries, and even chia seeds show up often as star ingredients in my cocktails not only because of their superior taste but also because of their health benefits.
8. By incorporating some of the most nutrient-rich fruits,
veggies, herbs, and spices, you can feel good about what you drink without ever sacrificing flavor or pleasure. ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 35
DRINKS. Garden to Glass Cocktails
Jules Aron
The Jessica Rabbit Makes
2
drinks
INGREDIENTS � oz gin � oregano sprigs, plus more for garnish � oz freshly pressed carrot juice � oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice � oz passion fruit syrup (recipe below-optional)
{ Superfood Spotlight } Oregano is rich in fiber, vitamin K, and omega-3 fatty acids and contains antioxidants that pack a powerful punch. The fresh, crisp carrot juice is a great source of vitamin A, a nutrient that boosts eye and skin health and helps keep the immune system functioning properly. The splash of citrus adds a boost of vitamin C and a refreshing zing.
Let the oregano infuse in the gin for 24 hours. Combine all the ingredients, except the reserved oregano garnish, in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain the mixture in two cocktail glasses and garnish with the reserved oregano sprig. Passion Fruit Syrup � cup maple syrup � cup water ½ cup passion fruit pulp and juice Combine the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat and bring to a boil. Let sit for 30 minutes to cool. Strain into a clean jar, cover, and keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
DRINKS. Garden to Glass Cocktails
Summer Thyme Makes
2
drinks
INGREDIENTS ¼ cup strawberries � thyme sprigs � lemon wedge � oz sake Place strawberries, two of the thyme sprigs, and lemon wedge in a shaker and muddle well. Fill shaker with ice, add the sake, and shake well. Double strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the remaining thyme sprig.
{
Superfood Spotlight
}
With antibacterial properties and high amounts of vitamins, thyme has a long history of use in natural medicine in connection with chest and respiratory problems.
38 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
***Recipes from: Zen and Tonic, Fresh and Savory Cocktails for the Enlightened Drinker.
Jules Aron
Pineapple Express Makes
{
Superfood Spotlight
}
Rich in chlorophyll, this drink works to neutralize toxins in the body.
2
drinks
INGREDIENTS ½ pineapple, peeled ½ lime, peeled �� mint leaves � tsp wheatgrass powder � oz tequila In a juicer, process the pineapple and lime and transfer to a blender. Add the mint, wheatgrass powder, and tequila. Blend well. Pour the mixture into four shot glasses.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 39
eats
Krystle Anne’s
Food Tip #1: Mango in curry is amazing. I always try to put mango in my curry whenever I can.
The Minty Anne
C r e at i n g t h e Be s t Vegan Korean Sushi + Fish Ta c o s K r y s t l e A n n e Pa s c u a l
Fo od Blogger. Photog r a pher . F o o di e . Co l l ege Stu den t
I n s t a g r a m : @t h e m i n t y a n n e
mintyanne.blogspot.com
photos: THRIVE RECIPE PHOTOS
Krystle Anne’s
Food Tip #2: Add mint and lemon wherever you can.
“Fish” Tacos with Mango Salsa and Lime Cream Dressing
INGREDIENTS � mango, chopped � onion, chopped � fresh jalapeño chile pepper, finely chopped � tbsp lime juice � tbsp lemon juice � tbsp chopped cilantro ¼ tomato, finely chopped ½ purple cabbage, sliced ¼ cup radish, sliced ½ cup tahini ½ cup alkaline water � tsp black pepper � tbsp lime juice ½ tsp pink salt ¼ block organic tofu � avocado, sliced � stalks of butter lettuce Corn tortillas Gardein Golden Fishless Filet
METHOD For the salsa, combine mango, onion, jalapeño chile pepper, lime juice, lemon juice, cilantro, and tomato in a medium bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. For the lime dressing, add tahini, black pepper, sea salt, and tofu in a blender. Add water � tablespoons at a time until a desired consistency is reached. Set aside. In a nonstick pan, cook the fishless filets until golden. Assemble butter lettuce, purple cabbage, radish, and avocado on � heated corn tortillas. Top with lemon cream dressing and mango salsa. Enjoy!
eats Krystle Anne’s
Food Tip #3: Fall in love with food. Food is the reason why I love taking photos. It jumpstarted my life towards a career I enjoy and has allowed me to love my body the way it is. I’ve also gained a heap amount of friends that love food as much as I do. I’m a foodie for life.
INGREDIENTS for ‘Bulgogi’ Mushrooms ¹/³ cup gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) � tsp soy sauce (or tamari or liquid aminos) � FRESH shiitake mushrooms, sliced � eggplant, chopped and minced � tsp sesame oil �½ tbsp bee-free honey (or coconut sugar or fave sweetener) � cloves garlic, minced METHOD for ‘Bulgogi’ Mushrooms In a wok, heat up sesame oil at a medium-high heat and toss in garlic until fragrant. Then, toss in shiitake mushrooms and eggplant for �-� minutes. Meanwhile, mix soy sauce, gochujang, and sweetener together in a small bowl. Add the mixture to the wok. Depending on how strong or salty you want the flavor, add a spoonful at a time. (Note: You will have extra.) Let the flavor sink in and set aside.
42 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
INGREDIENTS for Kimbap � julienned carrot ½ julienned pickled daikon radish � cups spinach, blanched & seasoned with sesame & salt � julienned cucumber ‘bulgogi’ mushroom (topping) kimchi rice, steamed with sugar & rice vinegar seaweed julienned green onion (topping) sesame seeds (topping) METHOD for Kimbap On a bamboo sushi mat (or paper towel), place seaweed shiny side down. Use fingers for easier rice application. Spread rice over seaweed. Place desired ingredients on the bottom half of the rice spread and roll up from bottom. With a sharp knife, cut kimbap roll and top with ‘bulgogi’, sesame seeds, and green onion.
Vegan “Bulgogi” Mushroom Kimbap (Korean Sushi)
Refreshingly clean and great taste HPP premium cold-pressed for fresh retention of vitamins, minerals and enzymes, including Theobromine, Vitamin B6, Thiamin & Magnesium Off-the-chart loaded with anti-aging antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects Non-GMO verified, non-dairy, vegan, gluten free & kosher Sustainably sourced and certified by Rainforest Alliance™ Produced by the seventh generation of cacao farmers And only 80 natural calories per full-bottle serving
Suavva Cacao Fruit Smoothies are created with a light natural blend of citrus pulp that surrounds each cocoa bean. Loaded with theobromine (literally translated as “food of the gods”), cacao fruit juice "abounds with proven antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.” In fact, compared to curcumin (the active ingredient of turmeric), cacao pulp juice exhibits 6-8 times greater values with the corresponding higher antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects (Brunswick Labs, July 2015). Ask for Suavva Cacao Fruit Smoothies in your local store today for a refreshingly clean and natural approach to energize happiness® in the lives of yourself, your family and your friends!
www.suavva.com
Life
on the
Vegan Farm Eat To Thrive
ORGANIC FARMER + Vegan Foodie,
A nna S ne d d on
Instagram: @eat_to_thrive
FOO D TI P S :
1 . More Bananas
. Bananas are in season yearround and can be used in place of dairy products in pancakes, muffins, and “nice cream.” They’re so versatile.
, 2Obviously . E a t inwtheh winter at s in season. I end up buying a lot of imported fruits, but eating seasonal fruits and veggies as much as possible is important to me.
3 . T r y s k i pp i n g t h e o i l .
Potatoes and vegetables can be steamed or baked on parchment, stir-fries cooked in water on lower heats, salad dressings made with nut or seed butters plus juicy fruits and veggies rather than oil. I’ve been doing this for over three years. It’s possible! And like all things, it gets easier with time.
16 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
eats
“
I f e e l s o f u ll o f j o y k n o w i n g that no living, breathing, feeling creature was harmed o r t o r t u r e d s o I c o u ld e a t . I ' m h a pp i e r b e c a u s e o f t h a t .
”
[
Raw Vegan Pesto Pasta Oil & Salt free!
]
INGREDIENTS 3 medium zucchinis (approx 450-500 g), peeled 1 cup really packed fresh basil 2-3 tbsp pine nuts (soaked in water for a few hours beforehand) 30 g kale (I like baby or young kale; it’s less bitter. Use lacinato for a really deep green color.) 1-2 fresh garlic cloves 1 tbsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 tbsp lime juice ¹/³-½ cup chopped tomato(es) METHOD To make the pesto, mix everything except the zucchini in a food processor. Use a spiralizer to make zucchini noodles. Mix together and enjoy!
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 17
eats
Creating Creamy Cupcakes and Luscious Chia Pudding Food Photographer + Vegan Foodie Heather Sanderson Instagram: @myvibrantsoul_
Vanilla Almond & Blueberry Chia Pudding Layered with Tart Raspberry Chia Jam I have to admit that the first time I saw a recipe for chia pudding, I was far from enthused to try it, but now that I have had it on a few occasions, I really enjoy it and ask myself why I’m not eating it every day! If you’ve yet to try it, you should definitely give it a whirl. It’s a delicious, quick, and nutritious way to start your day. It’s a great option for busy mornings!
INGREDIENTS Chia Pudding � tbsp chia seeds � cup vanilla almond milk ¼ tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp almond extract ½ cup blueberries (or any other fruit) Raspberry Chia Jam � cups frozen raspberries � tbsp chia seeds � tbsp maple syrup METHOD Chia Pudding Add chia seeds, extracts, maple syrup, blueberries, and almond milk to a jar or sealable container and mix well to avoid any clumping. Allow to sit overnight in the fridge, then stir well in the morning before layering with jam and fresh fruit. Raspberry Chia Jam Add the frozen fruit to a saucepan and heat until thawed, stirring often. Mash the fruit with a large spoon before mixing in the maple syrup and chia seeds. Stir well. Allow to thicken over low heat for a few minutes before transferring to a jar to cool.
Secret to Great French Fries: I always make my french fries oil-free, and the secret I have found to ensure a crispy outside and soft inside is to boil the potatoes with lots of salt and garlic cloves prior to baking. They come out perfect every time! I eat them almost every day!
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 45
eats
s e n o i r B Jasmine Plant-based Nutritionist + Lifestyle Blogger
Her Go-to ingredient, Veganism as a Path to Recovery, and the Best Savory Dishes for Your Fam! Instagram: @ sweetsimplevegan
Q: What is something new that you recommend us
trying in the kitchen that many of us might not think of?
A: Cooking with water or vegetable stock instead of
oils. Removing oils from my kitchen, and from my diet altogether, has allowed me to feel much healthier, lighter, and more energetic throughout the day.
Q: What ingredients do you think are underused at home when we cook?
A: Fresh herbs and spices are definitely ingredients
that I feel should be included more in our daily dishes. They add not only more flavor to the dish, but also that always satisfying taste of freshness. Utilizing herbs and spices also allows us to cut down on the use of salt in our food as they are flavorful already all on their own.
Q: Any food secret you swear by? A: Nutritional yeast on all savory dishes. It is my go-to ingredient in the kitchen, and definitely a must have ingredient in yours!
Q: How has food impacted your life/health? A: Once I shifted into a plant-based diet and vegan
lifestyle, I not only improved my health, but also my relationship with food. After struggling with an eating disorder as a teenager, veganism was the key to my recovery and rediscovery of health and self-love.
sweetsimplevegan.com 46 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Easy Veggie Sliders + e c u a S se e e h C d r a st u M w Cashe INGREDIENTS Veggie Patties � tbsp chia seeds + 6 tbsp water � cups cold cooked brown rice � cups pinto beans, strained � cup rolled oats ½ cup diced red onion ¹/³ cup diced green bell pepper ¹/³ cup chopped carrots � oz crimini mushrooms � cloves garlic � stalks celery � tbsp nutritional yeast � tsp chili powder ¼ tsp paprika ¼ tsp cumin ¹⁄�-¼ tsp black pepper, to taste ¼ tsp salt Cashew Mustard Cheese Sauce � tbsp German mustard ½ inch fresh turmeric, peeled ½ tsp turmeric powder ½ cup veggie broth � cup cashews � tbsp lemon juice � tsp black salt ½ medium potato, cooked and skin removed Additional Ingredients Burger buns or bread of choice (gluten-free if needed) Red onion Lettuce Tomato Cilantro method Veggie Patty Mix chia seeds with water and set aside for �� minutes. Line a baking sheet with a mat or parchment paper. Roughly chop vegetables, then add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse until uniform and broken down. (Not too chunky; we did this in two batches in a small food processor.) Scoop � tbsp and form into patties, ½-inch thick. Bake in oven at ���°C/���°F on convection for �� minutes, flip, then bake for another � minutes. Cool for �� minutes, then assemble burgers as desired. Cashew Mustard Cheese Sauce Soak cashews for �-� hours or until soft. Add all above ingredients to high-speed blender until creamy and smooth. Add more cashews to thicken as needed. Add more veggie broth to thin out if too thick.
Jasmine
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 47
eats Instagram: @datesandavocados
Raw Desserts For Fall
A Raw Vegan Chef with a Massive Love for Creating
Healthy and Beautiful Desserts
Lore salas
INGREDIENTS for the CRUST ½ cup raw almonds � tsp raw cashew butter � tsp raw coconut sugar � tsp maple syrup � tsp melted coconut oil Pinch of pink Himalayan salt INGREDIENTS for the FILLING � cups cashews, soaked for at least 6 hours ½ cup unsweetened almond milk � tsp fresh lemon juice ¼ tsp vanilla extract � tbsp maple syrup � tsp coconut sugar �½ tsp matcha powder � tbsp melted coconut oil Pinch of pink Himalayan salt ¼ cup fresh blueberries METHOD In a food processor, pulse the almonds until partially broken. Add the remaining ingredients and process until the mixture is sticky but still crumbly in consistency. Press into a �-inch (�� cm) spring mold and form an even layer (you will have enough dough for another mold). Place into the freezer for �� mins until it firms up. To prepare the cream filling, first rinse and drain the cashews. Blend all ingredients together (except coconut oil and blueberries) in a high-speed blender until nice and smooth. Add the coconut oil and blend again at slow speed for just a few seconds until well incorporated. Pour the cream over the base and disperse the blueberries throughout the filling. Place the cake into the freezer for at least � hours. One hour before serving, remove the cheesecake from the mold and place into the refrigerator. Garnish with matcha powder and more blueberries.
MATCHA & BLUEBERRY RAW “CHEESECAKE” (A total dream )
48 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
Lore Q: What is something new that you recommend us trying in the kitchen that many of us might not think of? A: Invest in a cheesecloth and some vegan probiotics, and give nut cheeses a try!
Q: What ingredients do you think are underused at home when we cook? A: I think when it comes to salad dressings, people get into a routine and it’s so easy to add one more ingredient like miso or tahini to make your salads more fun and interesting.
Q: Any food secret you swear by? A: I break the boundaries of nut milks and add them to savory dishes like curry or hummus.
Q: How has food impacted your life/health? A: Food has changed my life in a 180-degree turn. Discovering how to create delicious and healthy desserts helped propel my journey towards becoming a raw food chef and now I want to spread the love to the world.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 49
vegan athletes
V
Vegan, Pro surfer, at the Gold Medalist , Open Women s World Surfing Championship. Instagram: @tiablanco | tiablanco.tumblr.com
50 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
V “
I try to feel and react with my heart, as opposed to my mind. Q: Where were you born? Where do you currently live? A: I was born in Puerto Rico and currently live in San Diego.
”
Q: How do you stay flexible and strong besides surfing? What else do you practice?
A: I try to practice yoga every day!
some tips you have for vegans who travel ?
Q: How has yoga influenced your life?
A: Bring some foods from home. I always bring snacks like kale chips,
A: I love how yoga makes me feel mentally and physically. I hate feeling stiff
Q: What is the hardest part about traveling and being a vegan? What are rice crackers, mulberries, and easy meals to cook just in case I have a kitchen. Love pasta, lentils, quinoa, etc.
Q: What were some huge influencers for you becoming vegan? A: My uncle is a doctor and he was my main influencer in why I am
vegan. However, along the way I have found so many influencers that have kept me motivated.
Q: As a badass professional athlete, how do you stay fueled? A: I like to fuel up with fruits because they are the easiest foods to turn
and tense, so yoga is so perfect for me!
Q: Are there any natural beauty products or ingredients that you swear by? A: I love tamanu oil and shea butter. Q: What are a few of the reasons that you’re vegan? A: For the animals, environment, and my health! Q: What are some of your favorite recipes?
into energy. I love to make banana smoothies before my workouts.
A: Follow my @tiasvegankitchen on Instagram for some of my favorites.
Q: What does a day eating look like for you?
Q: How do you stay centered in the middle of chaos?
A: This is what I ate yesterday: I enjoyed oatmeal with banana and
A: I try to feel and react with my heart, as opposed to my mind.
Q: What are some of your favorite snacks?
Tia Blanco, a Trestles local, is one of the hottest up-and-coming West Coast surfers. A member of the prestigious Surfing America team, Blanco is committed to Surfing America Prime and NSSA events, focused on a national title and maintaining her 4.0 GPA.
pomegranates in the morning, homemade chickpea and mushroom burgers and tofu noodle soup for dinner.
A: I love roasted chickpeas, roasted cinnamon almonds, and kale chips
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 51
WELLNESS. Alexandra Paul
Interview: Maranda Pleasant
Eating Clean for Travelers,
Tips on
Staying Fit + Fueled, and
Lessons
in
Business
Alexandra Paul Health Coach. Plant-based Nutrition Expert. Entrepreneur. Actor Instagram: @AlexandraCoaching
Q: What is the hardest part about traveling and being a vegan? A: Most people have trouble eating healthily when traveling, and vegans
have some extra challenges! My solution is to bring my own food. Just this week, I flew to both Vegas and Maine, and each trip I packed fresh fruit I cut beforehand, individual packets of peanut butter, vegan protein powder, oatmeal packets, and some granola. And a metal water bottle, so I don’t have to use plastic bottles. Once I get somewhere, I stake out the nearest grocery store for things like hummus, fresh vegetables, and more fruit. I like popcorn as a snack and it keeps well.
Q: What were some huge influencers for you becoming vegan ? A: I think all the messages I received added up to me becoming vegan.
The people I knew who were vegan, the videos I saw online, the things I read. Now I cannot imagine not being vegan. I became vegetarian when I was 14 after reading Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe. Her arguments were environmental, but a couple years later I read Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation and that made me aware of animal rights. I stopped wearing leather, wool, or silk and using products tested on animals after I met Chris DeRose, the founder of Last Chance for Animals, 29 years ago. My brother Jonathan has been vegan for decades, so he was a major influence. I wish I had gone vegan sooner. It has had a profound effect on me; it has changed my life for the better.
Q: How do you stay fueled? What does a day eating look like for you? What are some of your favorite snacks?
52 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
A: I eat all day long! I love fruit, especially watermelon, which I top with a
sprinkle of berry protein powder. I love vegetables, especially bell peppers, dipped in babaganoush or hummus. I really only drink water, an occasional herb tea, no coffee, juices, or soda. I like making soups that I can throughout the week and I love plain ol’ kale. I also love eating natural, unsalted peanut butter out of the jar. I swim in ocean races up to 14 miles, so when I am in the midst of a race, I fuel with protein shakes and bars.
Q: How do you stay flexible and strong? What do you practice? A: I have a bad lower back, so I do yoga at home for 45 minutes every other day. It is not a zen practice, as I listen to NPR’s This American Life or TED talks while I am stretching, but it keeps me pain-free. I am actually grateful for my back issue, because without it I would never do yoga, and yoga has so many other benefits too. I lift weights a couple times a week and I do an hour of cardio six mornings a week. I hate sitting because it hurts my back and I just prefer to move, so I walk every chance I get. I walk outside on conference calls and I have a treaddesk in my office, so I am walking when I am answering emails or writing.
Q: Are there any natural wellness products or ingredients that you swear by? A: I am a big pusher of B12, especially for vegetarians and vegans. Check
your homocysteine levels, and if they are high (common among vegans and vegetarians) make sure you increase your B12 intake.
Q: Tell us a little about your health coaching business. A: I help people achieve their health and
fitness goals when they cannot do it on their own. My clients struggle to eat well or fit exercise into their lives and they all want to lose at least 10 pounds, so I work with them to develop healthy habits. Change is hard. Human physiology is wired to fight and remain the same, which is why so many people in America today cannot get out of the cycle of bad eating, little exercise, too much stress and not enough sleep. But I am trained in the science of change and motivation, so when people are stuck I can guide them out.
Q: What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned running your own business, being an entrepreneur and artist? A: I have learned how important marketing
is for my coaching business, and how different it is these days. I am being forced to be more consistent on social media. As an actress, I spent the first 20 years of my career with publicists who did everything for me, and I just had to show up for premieres and do magazine and tv interviews. So it has been an adjustment for me to daily reveal a more personal side for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and to be wholly responsible for it.
“
I wish I had gone vegan sooner. It has had a profound effect on me; it has changed my life for the better.
”
Alexandra Paul is a health coach, with clients globally. Her expertise includes a certification from Cornell University's plant-based nutrition course, as well as certification from Wellcoaches School. She was a certified EMT for 23 years. As an actress, Alexandra starred in over 75 films and television shows, and is internationally recognized for her role on the TV series Baywatch. Visit AlexandraCoaching.com for a free 20-minute consultation with Alexandra.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 53
MEDITATION. athletes Who Rock
Christen Press
World Cup Champion and
Star
of the
Chicago Red Stars
On Vedic Meditation, Having Big Goals, High Standards, and the Power to Choose Your Response. Instagram: @ChristenPress Interview: Chris Lucas | Instagram: @cwlucas Q: You are clearly playing at the highest level with even more pressure to be defined by wins and losses. How did you get past that pressure in college and enable yourself to enjoy the game in a way that’s authentic to you? A: It was a long journey back to being able
to enjoy soccer from when I graduated. In January 2012, a few things happened simultaneously. The women’s league folded, so I couldn’t find employment playing soccer in this country, and I moved to Sweden. I left my family and friends being able to watch all my games, and was just playing in a completely different world where I didn’t know anyone and no one cared what I was doing. That was really freeing for me. I was so present because I didn’t have the opportunity to look forward or backward because everything was happening so quickly. It brought me to a present and conscious kind of living that allowed me to rediscover my love for soccer. At the same time, right before I left for Sweden, I learned Vedic meditation. I absolutely think that changed my perspective on soccer and my life.
Q: Can you walk us through Vedic meditation for those who aren’t familiar? How do you get set up for meditation; is there a routine you go through in order to get ready to meditate?
54 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
A: Vedic meditation is one of the oldest and
most widely practiced types of meditation. It’s a twice daily practice where you sit down for 20 minutes and they give you a mantra— which is just a word in Sanskrit that should have no connotations for you, it’s just a sound— and twice a day you go over your sound for 20 minutes. When you are meditating, thoughts come in and interrupt and infiltrate your mantra and your transcendental state. The lesson is that’s OK! You’re gonna have stressors and thoughts; you could be thinking about what you’re having for dinner or why you are getting a divorce. It impacts your meditation differently, but at the end of the day a stressor is a stressor, and meditation teaches you to take the power away from it by not giving it any attention. For these 20 minutes all you’re doing is repeating your mantra. For me, it’s less about the benefits of a transcendental state than the lesson that I have the power to control how I react to whatever is happening in my environment. In Vedic meditation, it’s a seated position with your back supported and no support for your head (so you can’t be lying in a lounge chair for example). Sitting up on a seat or a sofa or on the ground with your back supported is perfect. Your legs and hands can be however; your hands don’t have to be the traditional hand open, thumb-finger touch; use a natural position that allows you to relax without falling asleep.
Q: You mentioned it gives you the power to choose your response. How have you seen that show up on the field? A: I think there’s two main ways that meditation has impacted my sport and my profession. The first thing is generally I am happier, I have less stress, and that just makes me a better person and better player. When everyone gets as close as possible to their best self, everything is fruitful from that point. Actually, meditation has allowed me to find a new focus on the pitch. I think back to my college days. I was a terror on the field, my teammates will tell you, and I yelled at everyone and was constantly stressing out about the shots I missed or why that person passed there instead of here. I was in my head so much. Not only did it make me unhappy, it distracted me. What meditation taught me is that all those thoughts are completely unnecessary. There’s nothing constructive about me worrying about the shot that I missed. The only way that you can let that go is by refocusing. That’s what meditation is, it’s constant refocusing. I kind of made my mantra about the ball. I just come back to “Where’s the ball on the field?” and I think this loudly. “Where’s the ball on the field?” and then, “Where should I be?” By the time I fixate on the ball and reposition myself, I’m back in the game. I do this constantly during the game.
“
on meditation: [It] has impacted my support and my profession. I am happier, I have less stress, and that makes me a better person and a better player.
�
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 55
athletes. pioneers
She Eats
e l b i s s o Imp st for
a f k a e Br
nitarian
er + Huma in Freeski
t n o P u d i x e L n o S k i i n g S e n s a t i ain Freeskier and One of thveels unta
Pro Big Mo
he Tra Mount S . ig it B u s c s ir le C r a g e n Totally F xtreme Skii E e h t e Areas, and n t o o n m e e R m o in W , s w Very Fe e in Films. xtreme Peak e E S o t ly n p O u s r e U t f p by Helico ntains Most o u o M le ib s s o p t a Pleasan Rides the Im n: Mar and io t a s r e v n Co
56 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
lexidupont
Instagram: @
Q: You are hailed as a skiing sensation. A totally fearless big mountain freeskier. One of the very few women on the extreme skiing circuit. You travel by helicopter up to extreme peaks, miles away from anything. The impossible mountains most people only see in films. It looks terrifying and exhilarating. What’s the toughest part about the last three years? A: I think the hardest part is losing friends.
The mountains are very complex. They can bring an endless amount of joy, but they can also bring unbearable sadness. We all have lost so many friends to the mountains, and it never gets any easier.
Q: How do you stay flexible and strong? What else do you practice? A: Physical and mental fitness is definitely
a huge part of my everyday routine. I try and do something physical every day. From Crossfit, to yoga, to surfing, climbing, biking, and hiking. I also meditate for 20 minutes every day and I am on a strictly sugarless diet.
“
Any female success is your success. Jealousy is a true evil and we need more encouraging, confident, and passionate women in this world.
”
Q: I’ve read that the ski industry loves “girls that rip.” You are highly praised as one of the most badass big mountain skiers. Do you ever experience sexism in your industry? Are you ever tired of being referred to as a female big mountain athlete and ever just want to be a top pro athlete? A: The big mountain ski industry is
definitely a male dominant world. There are only a handful of girls that can hang with the boys and it is very rare for us girls to ski together. I do however think the times are changing. The boys are realizing we are talented and knowledgeable and we have gained a lot of respect. I don’t mind being called a female pro skier rather than just a pro skier, but one thing that does get to me is whenever one of us girls skis something for the first time it’s a “first female descent” instead of just a “first descent.” When a guy gets a first descent we don’t call it the “first male descent.” It is definitely a problem, but we are working hard to change it. It is such a beautiful time to be a female extreme athlete. Now we just need to get more girls involved!
Q: Any advice for girls coming up in any field as a pioneer like you? A: Just keep doing it! Make it loud and
encourage every other girl around you to participate.We need more women out there, no matter the sport. We need to do it for the girls who can’t. I think the majority of athletic women are quite competitive, but I think it’s important to realize that any female success is your success. Any win or first descent is a win or first descent for all women. Jealousy is a true evil and we need more encouraging, confident, and passionate women in this world.
Q: What’s been the biggest lessons you’ve learned lately? A: One of the biggest lessons I have
learned lately is self-love. You are all you need. Everyone and everything you include in your journey contributes towards your experience, but they do not control it. Stop “shoulding” all over yourself and be present knowing you enhance your life.
Q: How do you stay centered in the middle of chaos? Or on top of the mountain? A: Breathing. Q:You’re also an artist. Can you tell us about your passion and what you create? Does that influence your skiing at all? A: I studied Studio Art and Art History
at the University of Colorado and I have always been quite creative. I’ve been drawing and making things ever since I was little. My medium is primarily screen printing and I have a little print shop in my shed just down the hill from my Dome. Screen printing is a long, tedious process, but I love every step of it. From mixing inks to pulling images onto paper. I mostly create gig posters with controversial or spiritual meanings. My creative mind definitely inspires my skiing because I look at the mountain in a unique way. I try and leave my mark on the mountain and flow with as much ease and beauty as possible. Lexi duPont is an American professional big mountain freeskier. The Freeskiing World Tour contender and former Junior Olympics competitor has been featured in several films and is a member of Eddie Bauer’s First Ascent Team of athletes and guides. When she isn’t chasing powder, you can find her surfing, climbing, biking, and flying, working with nonprofits or relaxing in the 500 square foot geodesic dome she calls home
Lexidupont.com ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 57
yoga. athletes Who Rock
Stillness in the One of the World’s Top Skydivers, Angela Tara Takes her Yoga Practice to the Clouds.
Hsu,
Instagram: @AngelaTaraHsu | Interview: Chris Lucas: Instagram:@cwlucas
Q: How did you start mixing skydiving and yoga? A: It happened naturally. I started jumping
in 2004 and gravitated toward the discipline of Freestyle, which is like acrobatics or dancing in the air. The more flexible I am, the better, because it allows more range of movement to create different shapes. I’m too accident-prone on the ground to be a dancer or acrobat, but the freedom of flying lets me experiment without fighting gravity. Most freestylers draw inspiration from their gymnastics or dancing background; I use yoga.
Q: Do you find the two influence each other? A: Absolutely! When skydiving, there’s no choice but to be completely present in the moment. I can’t think about what I want to eat later or the errand I forgot to run. In yoga, I’m trying to stay present voluntarily, even though most of the time it’s tempting to dwell on the past or the future. Mentally, yoga is an essential tool in dealing with the nerves before a jump when the pressure is on. I use pranayama and meditation to stay calm and focus rather than imagining the ways things could go
wrong. On a physical level, my yoga practice makes me a better flyer. The strength and body awareness help me figure out and create new moves, while maintaining those that get less attention. I’ve jumped much less in the last four years compared to earlier in my skydiving career, but I was still able to make it onto the U.S. team and compete at the World Meet with less training. That’s a credit that to my yoga practice.
A: When competing, there’s definitely an
element of performance, but skydiving is something that is best experienced rather than described. The best explanation I’ve come up with is that it’s a taste of purity. In “yoga speak” I would liken it to a place between santosha and samadhi. I’m in control and aware of everything, and yet completely free and at peace at the same time. This video for Infinity was an attempt to put it into words: http://bit.ly/angelahsu.
Q: How do you choose poses to take from the earth to the sky, and what goes into making it happen?
Q: What has been your most memorable jump?
A: It’s trial and error and a lot of flailing! The
A: Skydiving with my mom. She was diagnosed
rig on my back limits range of motion, not to mention the lack of physical foundation to ground into. There’s a misconception that moving around the sky is the hardest part, but it’s actually more difficult to be still in the sky; to hold a pose without being tossed around takes more strength and control. Usually within a few attempts I can tell if it’s something that I can control and fly versus something that seemed cool in my head. After that it’s practice, repetition, and adjusting until it looks and feels the way I want.
Q: Does yoga in the sky feel more like performing or similar to practice?
with Alzheimer’s disease and her short-term memory is almost non-existent. I wasn’t sure how she would respond or realize what was happening. Would she reset in the plane and freak out? There was no way to know, but it was something I wanted her to experience even if she forgot it later. The first half of the jump she was overwhelmed, which is a normal reaction most people have. But as I was flying next to her, we locked eyes and she completely lit up! There was complete clarity; she knew exactly what was happening and had the biggest smile on her face. It is a moment that I will never forget.
ANGELA TARA HSU, photoS by WILL PESEK 58 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
I use pranayama and meditation to stay calm and focus rather than imagining the ways things could go wrong.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 59
yoga. athletes Who Rock
One of the Most Accomplished
Rock Climbers
in the
World, Olivia Hsu
How Ashtanga Mysore Yoga brings a Sense of Balance and Flexibility to her Climbing Instagram: @olicow Interview: Chris Lucas | Instagram: @cwlucas
Q: Which came first, climbing or yoga? How did you first discover them? A: Climbing came first. A girlfriend of mine
and I went to a beginners rock climbing day and I remember climbing a 5.10 (the most technically difficult grade) my first day. I had an empowering moment where I realized even though I could barely do one pull-up, I could use my flexibility and problem-solving skills to figure out moves that suited my body. I was instantly hooked. I discovered yoga through climbing. I eventually ended up with a finger injury that forced me to take some time off. I found a yoga class, which happened to be a Ashtanga Mysore class, and instantly fell in love and practiced every day.
Q: How does yoga impact your climbing, not just in terms of longevity, but also in terms of the actual climbing? A: Yoga brings a sense of balance to my
climbing. On a physical level, it helps my strength, my flexibility, my breathing/ regulating on routes, and of course, my durability and longevity. Compared to other sports, yoga is very complementary to climbing. I can take a month off from climbing and get back to where I was without much effort. Yoga is like climbing in that
it requires complex movement patterns. It taught me to use my breath as a tool to create ease under stress, whether it’s a hard route or difficult posture. Mentally, yoga helps me be more present with my climbing and recognize the day-to-day differences in my body. People joke when I climb it’s like I’m doing yoga. I’ve been doing the two side-by-side for almost 17 years; maybe they have morphed into one!
Q: How did you decide to teach Mysore and
what about the practice speaks to you?
A: I taught Mysore from the very start. I
started by apprenticing with my teacher in Australia for a couple years. These days most people do teacher trainings, and I’m truly grateful for my apprenticeship because those opportunities are few and far between. Now I travel to relieve other Mysore teachers who have their own studios so they can be students themselves. I love the Mysore practice because it’s where the heart of the Ashtanga practice lies.
Q: What makes a great yoga teacher? What makes a great climbing teacher? A: Compassion in both. When I can put
myself in someone else’s shoes and experience
what other people are going though—this is the essence of teaching. A great yoga or climbing teacher is a person who can inspire and support their students.
Q: Who are your teachers in each of these disciplines and what have you learned from them? A: I studied yoga under Mary Taylor and
Richard Freeman for the last 10 years and learned a tremendous amount from them. Mary and Richard have been wonderful teachers not only in asana but in life, teaching me at the root of yoga lies compassion. More recently, I studied with Tim Miller, who has a love for teaching that is infectious. I see yoga as a mirror for our lives and we are constantly evolving as human beings. Justin Siong and Dave Wahl are some of the best climbing trainers around, and they have taught me how to train, how to dig deep, and where my limits truly are. I feel like I am forever learning and this all is a never-ending process similar to a daily Mysore practice: I get up, roll out my mat, and even though it’s the same practice, it’s always different, and I learn something new even in postures I have done a thousand times!
olivia HSU, rockclimbing photo by javi pec 60 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
“
On what makes a great yoga and climbing teacher:
Compassion in both. When I can put myself , in someone else s shoes and experience what other people are going though-this is the essence of teaching.
�
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 61
yoga. yogis who rock
Uncovering Layers to
Reshape your Life.
Yoga for Peeps Who
Can’t Touch their Toes. Her Natural Beauty Routine + Ayurvedic Skin Brushing. Michelle Weinhofen
Certified yoga instructor. Reiki healer. Orange County, California Instagram:
Q: Biggest misunderstanding about yoga? A:
Most people say “Oh, I can’t do yoga because I’m not flexible.” I wish more people would ask me how to go about starting a yoga practice even though they are very tight. I couldn’t touch my toes when I started—not even close! Most people are surprised to find that out when I tell them. That is one of the main reasons for the physical practice. If we were all super flexible and could touch our toes immediately and everything was easy, where is the lesson, challenge, growth, and fun in that?
Q: What were some huge influencers for you becoming vegan ?
A: I think as my yoga practice continued to
develop, I became more mindful in all areas of my life and realized that practicing ahimsa (non-violence) should be extended to all beings. It kind of happened organically, but I just found that I didn’t want to eat meat and it started to gross me out. I started becoming interested in veganism (I was never a vegetarian before). Knowing that I was really sensitive to the horrors I could potentially watch in certain documentaries, I decided to watch Vegucated on Netflix since it seemed more geared around how people went from being meat-eaters to vegans and how it changed them. It was extremely informative and
62 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
@michelleweinhofen
showcased a portion of cruelty in the industry that had me in tears. I went cold-turkey vegan immediately after watching that and never looked back. About a week into being vegan, I also watched Gary Yourofsky’s speech on YouTube, and even though I was already committed, I’m very glad I watched that as well. Like every vegan I know will tell you, going vegan was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Q: Are there any natural beauty products or ingredients that you swear by?
A: My favorite skincare item is organic
rosehip oil as a face oil, because it gives amazing moisture without greasiness and helped me diminish sunspots and slight scarring from past breakouts. I definitely swear by dry brushing! It’s not a product, but it’s an Ayurvedic skin brushing technique that helps stimulate the lymphatic system to help cleanse our bodies of toxins and helps to exfoliate our skin. Other than that, I try to drink a lot of water because it clears and hydrates my skin.
Q: How do you stay centered in the middle of chaos ? A: Yoga. I feel it has changed every cell in my physical body as well as altering my
energetic body. When chaos occurs, I’m able to observe instead of immediately reacting or giving in to the chaos. I think it is extremely important to be able to find stillness. Often people find it hard or boring to be still. While it is an extremely hard practice at times, the benefits and bliss that come from it are immeasurable. I’ve found myself in certain high-stress situations while traveling that normally would have had me in a panic and stressed out, but I found myself very calm and still in the center of the storm. I remember taking a moment while it was happening and going, “Wow, so this is my yoga practice translating off of the mat.”
Q: How has yoga influenced your life ? A: Yoga has completely changed my life
for the better. I was working hard at the entertainment industry dream and then I found yoga while training for a half marathon to relieve my tight muscles. Slowly but surely yoga dug in deep, grabbed ahold of me, and didn’t let go. I feel like I’ve finally become (and am still becoming) the person I am meant to be. Yoga has uncovered layers that I didn’t need and helped me reshape my lifestyle into one that has been extremely rewarding, raising vibrations in myself and others, and full of amazing lessons that help me continue on this journey.
“
If we were all super flexible and could touch our toes immediately and everything was easy, where is the lesson, challenge, growth, and fun in that?
”
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 63
yoga. moms who rock
Cirque Du Soleil Artist. Acrobat. Contortionist. Yogi. Mother.
Gasya Online Viral Sensation.
Gaukhar Akhmetova-Atherton
You’ve probably seen her stunning videos trending on Facebook, featuring jaw dropping handstands with her daughter on her back.
Literally balancing Motherhood + Career Instagram: @Gasya
Q: What are a few of your biggest challenges, balancing your career with motherhood?
A: I recall how challenging it was for me as a young
woman, and certainly as a new mother of two, to adapt my own lifestyle, training, and expectations to fit into these new realities of mine. My body changed and I had to listen to it. I remember reading a lot in order gain the best knowledge possible. My workouts have become less of an impact on my body as a whole and I mainly focus on living a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. With two children by my side, I can’t live any other way. The second challenge was putting my own career on hold for a few years as we had our two children. I was born to be a performer, and when I am not on a stage I miss it very much. I couldn’t have done this without the support of my husband, who is an acrobat/ performer himself.
Q:
What do you swear by?
64 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
A: I’ve become quite the expert at keeping my
energy levels high and constant throughout my day. Our children are full of energy and I don’t want to discourage that. I make sure I eat healthy and I swear by portion control. I eat little and often. My workouts I now take when I can—either when my children are sleeping, or my favorite is when they wish to join me. To lead by example. This is another thing I swear by.
Q: A lesson you’ve learned in the last few years? A:
I’ve learned that every situation, whether positive or negative, can be looked at in very different ways. I aim to focus my mind on the positives in everything that I do in life. Especially in those challenging moments. The goal is to have a happy and healthy outlook in life, to complement a happy, healthy body. It’s amazing how the smallest thing done by my children can bring the biggest smile to my face. My spirit is lifted for the whole day.
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 65
ATHLETES. GROUND BREAKERS
GROUND BREAKERS High-altitude Climber, Fitness Disciple,
High-camp Peacemaker, Melissa Arnot. World Record Holder. Six Successful Summits of Mt. Everest. Summited Mt. Rainier 104 times. Cofounder, The Juniper Fund, supporting Sherpa families faced with climbing tragedies.
and
Instagram: @melissaarnot
66 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
“
My biggest mistake: I would say it is being so hard on myself and others. I'm striving to be nicer and make my ripple positive.
”
The first American woman to summit Everest and survive the descent without supplemental oxygen. Q: You are a female mountaineer. What is it like rocking a male-dominated field?
A:
I always say that the beauty of the mountains is that they don’t care about your gender. They are indiscriminate. The same can’t be said for people who might underestimate me because I’m small or a girl, but I think being present and being competent just helps change the landscape of what mountaineering is. Q: Any advice for fems coming up in any field as a pioneer like you?
A:
Don’t be afraid to get out there! The first step is the hardest, but the rewards are huge. Q: What is something you wish you had known five years ago?
A: I wish I would have known the sacrifices
I would need to make to achieve my goals, but also known they would be worth it. It has been hard but so much more rewarding then I ever could have imagined.
Q: You have summited Everest six times. This year you became the first American woman to summit Everest and survive the descent without supplemental oxygen. What inspired you?
A:
I have been pursing the goal of seeing what I am capable of. It has been a long process and a very rewarding one.
Q: What’s the toughest part about the last four years?
A: Some of my Everest seasons have been
horrifically tragic, seeing friends and local workers die. That has been eye-opening and heart-wrenching.
Q: What’s been the biggest lessons you’ve learned lately?
A:
A:
My biggest mistake: I would say it is being so hard on myself and others. I’m striving to be nicer and make my ripple positive.
Q: How do you stay centered on the side of the world’s largest mountain?
A:
I am so grateful that nature teaches us what we need to know. If things are crazy, I try to mimic the nature surrounding me and be still.
Q: Any health regimens that you swear by?
A:
I have become more ok with and more aware of my own imperfections. I used to want everyone to like me, and I have realized I’m better off being who I am and accepting that I’m not everyone’s flavor.
I don’t always practice it, but I’m always happier when I eat food that I can recognize from its source, natural food. But gummy bears are so good!
Q: How do you stay flexible and strong? How
Melissa Arnot holds the American women’s world record with six successful summits of Mt. Everest. A professional mountain guide since 2004, she has guided on three continents, and summited Mt. Rainier 104 times. In 2014, Arnot pioneered a first ascent of 20,600-foot Mustang Himal in a remote and newly permitted region of Nepal and also traveled to the Wrangell St. Elias range in Alaska to tick a number of expedition ascents.
do you train?
A:
Training is a huge part of what I do, about four hours a day before a big climb. I do a combo of hiking, biking, running, and yoga. Staying strong isn’t a program for me, but part of my daily life. Q: The biggest mistake you’ve ever made?
MELISSAARNOT.com ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 67
Adventurer Series
nt Div er, Mar ine Con ser vat ion ist , Adv ent ure r, Fre edi ve Cha mpi on, Stu the Wom en Div er’s Hal l of Fam e. Mom , and an Ori gin al Ind uct ee in
Mehgan for the working of lost
is now part of the elite team of explore rs Discove ry Channel series, Treasur e Quest, as Divemas ter and Anthrop ologist in search Incan gold in the waters of South America . Instagram: @mehganheaneygrier
Q: You’re a badass working in male- dominated fields. What is it like? Challenges?
that no one has the right to tell you that you cannot achieve your goals.
A: Ha! Well, thank you! I have been working
Q: What is something you wish you had
in male-dominated fields for most of my working life, so it isn’t something that I notice all that much anymore. I suppose it’s become just another day at the “office,” and because we all bring unique and valuable skill sets to the team, we operate with mutual respect for one another. So no particular challenges on that front, although I will say that bathroom breaks on Snake Island, where I had to venture out into the woods teeming with deadly vipers, were quite unnerving!
Q: Any advice for girls coming up in any field as a pioneer like you?
A: Never give up.
Be tenacious, use your voice, and speak your mind. Set your sights on what you want to do and get after it! In today’s world, there are so many outlets and resources out there, literally at our fingertips, the sky is truly the limit. And above all, know
68 ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM
known 10 years ago?
A: That although the days are long, the years are short, and that showing up for yourself and your people is the most important thing. I think I knew this 10 years ago, but wish I had had a better understanding of it then.
Q: How do you stay centered in the middle of chaos or intense pressure?
A: I am a strong multi-tasker and pride
myself on always being prepared. I mentally and physically train and try to prep, plan, and pack for every scenario I can think of. I leave my expectations out of it, and embrace the notion of going into the unknown. The rest is out of my hands anyway! Then, when I am out in the field diving with alligators, encountering deadly snakes, or repelling down a waterfall, oftentimes hundreds of
miles from civilization, I can truly be in the moment and focused. I don’t know if this would work for everyone, but it’s served me well over the years while working under pressure and probably saved my life more times than I could recall.
Q: Tell us more about your current projects. A: My basic line up deals with adventure,
exploration, marine conservation, and outreach. A big focus for me is the outreach component, and sharing these things with others. Coming up soon, I have a lot of new material from my recent expeditions that I will be putting out on my YouTube channel beginning this month, offering a raw dose of adventure featuring my personal take and experiences from my adventures. There will also be some survival strategies, funny moments with the team, animal encounters, and a variety of other jungle take-aways. People can keep up with these adventures at mehganheaneygrier.com
Q: Tell us about your role on this season of Treasure Quest: Snake Island.
A: I was brought onto the Expedition Team
for my expertise in diving and my studies in anthropology and archeology. My background of working in remote locations, experience with large predators, and ability to work well in dangerous and possibly life-threatening situations was also a plus and these expeditions have not disappointed in calling on all my skill sets! Specifically, though, as the Expedition Divemaster I plan and execute all of the dives and underwater exploration, including the water safety, and all search and discovery.
Q: What was the toughest obstacle you had to face on your expedition?
A: For the toughest obstacle to overcome
on the ground there, I would say that for me it was the water conditions. The freshwater rivers in South America are a challenging and daunting environment on all levels. I was mostly dealing with zero visibility and there were unpredictable currents, swift moving trees and other debris, and a lot of sharptoothed fauna to contend with, like schools of piranha, sting ray, and large cayman! This isn’t even to go into the microorganisms that live in these murky waters, which probably have the potential to be the most dangerous out of all the options. It was hair-raising diving from start to finish, to say the least!
“
Never give up. Be tenacious, use your voice, and speak your mind. Set your sights on what you want to do and get after it!
”
ORIGINMAGAZINE.COM 69