The Importance of Singing

Love this article from Journal of Music via Utne about why in Western culture we suddenly stop singing to our children (and in general) as soon as they're past toddlerhood and why we need to sing more.

It reminds me of my observations during my travels to countries like Portugal and Mali where I was delighted to find people taking turns singing around the holiday table, or belting out a heartfelt song while walking down the beach balancing a huge bundle of sticks on the head.

Read the full essay here

Leafy Greens in Nigeria

I've never heard of these greens before, but Affan and Ugu are some of the greens you might find served up in Nigeria, according to the site Afrigourmet.

They look like nice alternatives to all of the white rice and meat dishes that are prevalent in many African countries.

Wonder how an Ugu green smoothie would taste?

Read more about them here.

(via Timbuktu Chronicles)

To Squat or Sit........?

I remember the fear I had on my first trip Africa - wondering how was I going to relieve myself in places that didn't have modern toilets? But what a revelation I had when I finally mustered up my courage (after holding it for 3 days!) and assumed the position over that hole in the ground. I'm sure those of you who go camping a lot can relate to this as well.
In her Natural Health Blog, "Doctor of the Future" Carolyn Dean, MD talks about how most other cultures use the squatting position for evacuation and explains how it is a better posture than sitting to facilitate elimination of bodily waste.
The website Toilet Related Ailments goes in depth on the many diseases and health problems that many doctors think are attributed to the modern toilet, the history of sitting down to eliminate and how many other countries where squatting is the norm there are much lower incidences of bowel diseases.
For those of us living in a non-squatting country, there are a few options. You can either "surf the seat" (you get the idea), or purchase a nifty table that you can climb on that fits above your toilet. There's a company called "Nature's Platform", that sells such a table.
But if you're not committed to that level of bathroom tactics transformation, Dr. Dean recommends placing a high foot stool in front of you that will give you at least some angle of assistance when you put your feet up on it. Try it some time and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Ancient Health Knowledge of India Finally Catalogued and Shared on Web

Via Utne and the Ecologist.

"the government of India recently finished a massive database that puts thousands of years' worth of traditional Indian remedies, medicines, and practices in the public domain" - Utne

I didn't know this, but apparently people in the U.S. and Europe have tried to patent plants, herbs and even yoga poses that have been used for healing in India and other countries for thousands of years. Crazy, right? Patenting was attempted on the spice, turmeric, neem trees and even basmati rice. The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library exposes some of these past attempts at intellectual thievery and thwarts any future bio-piracy by establishing a classification system for wisdom inherent in India's ancient healing arts and sciences .

Right now, you can find information only on the principles, therapies and medicines of Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha, but eventually a section on Yoga and all of its 1,500 yoga poses will be included.

"India has effectively made its store of wisdom ‘public property’, which can now be accessed and used by anyone, but patented by no-one." - the Ecologist

Surrounded By the Beauty of Nature

My son and I took a three day vacation in the White Mountains of New Hampshire this past week before the insanity of trying out the New York City public school system begins in a couple weeks.

All I can say is .....(deep breath in, exhale).

Wisdom From the Hadza of Tanzania

In the July/August issue of Utne magazine on the last page there's a wonderful account of Eric Utne's recent visit to Tanzania where he spent time with the nomadic Hadza or Hadzabe people of the northeast region. By highlighting three stories that were told to him by Hadza men and women, Eric suggests how beautifully simple and relevant the Hadza's way of thinking is;

"Withhold judgement. Listen to your elders. Don't fear death. This is the sort of commonsense thinking we need now." - Eric Utne

Read the full piece here

More on Benefits of Oil Pulling: My Experience

A great new article posted on Natural News about the benefits of the Ayurvedic tradition of Oil Pulling reminded me to talk about my experience with it so far.

I've been more or less consistent with it for the past couple of months and I have definitely noticed a few differences. One being that my gums no longer bleed like they used to do and that my breath is noticeably fresher and the taste in my mouth is more neutral in the morning.

I started using coconut oil in the beginning and then switched to Hemp oil, which seems to work better and be less uncomfortable, but after reading the recent Natural News article I might try the recommended Sesame oil and see if I get even more results.

The great thing about it is that it is such an easy habit to form. Right upon rising, I simply take the tablespoon of oil and then do my morning yoga, shower, or prepare breakfast. The 12 to 15 recommended minutes go by really fast when you're doing other things.

It could be a really great habit to get children into as well as a powerful addition to their anti-cavity arsenal, as this excerpt from the aforementioned article details;

"Two scientific studies indicate the effect of oil pulling against specific bacteria in the mouth cavity. Streptococcus mutans, which reportedly causes dental caries, was measured. Subjects swished sesame oil in their mouths for ten minutes a day. Within a week, bacterial counts in the mouth were significantly lowered."

Check out this more in depth article here

ToothPaste Alternatives

A friend of mine just asked me if I use tooth soap, so I will answer that question and elaborate on what I have been using on my teeth these days.

No, I am not currently using tooth soap, but I will more than likely (as I've been experimenting a lot with different tooth cleaners lately) make my own tooth soap using the following recipe;

1 tablespoon of Dr. Bronner's castile liquid soap

5 tablespoons of coconut oil

1 tablespoon of olive oil

10 -- 12 drops of orange oil

10 -- 12 drops of peppermint oil

What I have been using lately is a combination of bentonite clay, filtered water, stevia and peppermint essential oil. Feels pretty good on the teeth and my five year old son loves to use it. The clay has also been shown to absorb bacteria from the gums and teeth, especially when left on overnight. My son has a brown spot on his front tooth that is caused from food bacteria getting caught in a surface cavity. When I dab some clay on the brown spot, the next morning it's gone.

Some other of my favorite store bought toothpaste alternatives are using 3 parts baking soda to one part sea salt - (makes your teeth feel extra squeaky clean!) and simply scraping my toothbrush over a bar of unscented Neutrogena glycerin soap (usually if I'm pressed for time).

A lot of people debate over whether glycerin coats the teeth and stops remineralization

or not, but I tend to agree with Dr. Paul Keyes at the OraMedia Dental Self-Sufficiency site.

In his article "What are you Brushing With?" he talks about his experience with glycerin leaving a very clean feeling to his teeth with no residue at all and that just a drop of glycerin can be seen to instantly stop bacteria motility under a microscope.

Here's another great dentifrice recipe I found on the Cooking Traditions forum boards;

2 TB extra virgin coconut oil

3 TB Baking Soda

Stevia to taste

20-25 drops peppermint oil

Related, but on another aspect of dental health, there's a great book by Ramiel Nagel called "Cure Tooth Decay" that explores the possibility of remineralizing and preventing tooth decay through nutrition. The book specifically explores the findings and research of famed dentist Dr. Weston Price, who studied the diets of traditional peoples across the world in the 30's and 40's to find why their incidences of mal-formed jaws and tooth decay were much less than inthe modern West.

More posts on this to come. Also look out for a post on "chewsticks" - another way to clean the gums and teeth practiced in Africa and many other parts of the world.

Happy brushing with your new toothpaste ideas!

Beautiful and Unusual Portraits of People from Ethiopia's Omo Valley

Check out these stunning photographs by acclaimed German photographer, Han Silvester, found on the Saharan Vibe blog here.

Is it Better to Sleep on the Hard Ground?

The other day I listened to the interview with Victoria Boutenko on the first night of the Raw Mom Summitt and she spoke about her whole family sleeping on either the floor or another hard surface. She explained for the first couple of nights or so your body would be detoxifying and you would probably feel discomfort, but after about seven nights, you would feel aches and pains sleeping on your soft bed! I talked to my partner, Laye about it and he said that back in Senegal growing up they used to sleep on the ground as well and often children would just fall asleep wherever they were on any surface. It reminds me of watching my own son just fall asleep so deeply after playing with trains for hours on the living room floor and simply letting a train drop from his hand and rolling over on his side.
In one of Victoria's first books "12 Steps to Raw" she writes "our bodies need to stretch out at night. All the bones and joints can only stretch out when we lie on a hard surface...the spine is improperly positioned while driving, in front of the computer, watching tv, such that some joints don’t get adequate spinal fluid and blood enriching oxygen."

This great article on zafu.net (the website of a company that sells yoga props and meditation pillows) gives a more in depth exploration of "Sleep Ergonomics" and the habit of traditional peoples to sleep on hard surfaces. You can find it here

Vital Information for Parents to be Shared at the Raw Mom Summitt

The Raw Mom Summit is coming soon! If you are a parent or soon to be a parent, please join me and register for these free live interviews with some my favorite experts in the raw food, attachment parenting and natural living world.
The series hosts interviews with Jean Liedloff, (author of the Continum Concept), herbalist Susan Weed, raw foodist Victoria Boutenko and Shazzie and many more.

Here are some quotes from some of the speakers that are lined up;

"It's not even possible to discuss conscious parenting without talking about diet." Karen Ranzi

"What have we misunderstood about our Human Nature? We use the word 'normal' as if it is a synonym for 'natural', which it is not." Jean Liedloff


"What have I learned? (about good parenting) To listen, listen, listen. What do I teach my children? To question everything!" Victoria Boutenko

"The birth process affects our ability to love, experience happiness and intimacy, as well as whether living in a body is experienced as safe and joyful and or as painful and lonesome." Elena Tonetti

Looks amazing. Please join me and listen to these interviews while you are cleaning the house or playing with your child.
"The Evolution of Motherhood Has Arrived" - rawmomsummit.org

Can you Thrive on A 100% Fruit Diet?

Just heard this amazing interview on Frederic Patenaude's health website.
"Fruitarian" Anne Osborne talks about how she has thrived on a 100% fruit diet for the past 17 years and has raised two healthy children on the same diet as well. Incredible and eye-opening for me.

She's a big proponent of following your instinct and passion when eating. Anne also talks about trying out this diet by eating each fruit (including tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocados - all technically fruits) by itself and just listening to what your body tells you after.

Check out her website FruitGod.com.

Here's Anne Osborne speaking about her lifestyle on YouTube;

Bamboo Bikes in Africa

I came across this awesome project after I saw a really cool bamboo bicycle parked on the street in my neighborhood and immediately had to do a Google search to find one. Couldn't find any that you could purchase, but I found out about this organization that is helping to build bamboo bikes in rural Africa.

Started by scientists and engineers at Columbia University and initially funded by the Earth Institute there, the projects main objectives are to "introduce greatly improved bicycle design to improve transportation and health care delivery," and to "ensure that semi-literate people in Africa, with limited access to electricity (no power tools), can build bicycles from locally available materials and components." - bamboobike.org

On their website they explain that most people in poor rural Africa can't afford cars or even mo-peds for that matter and the bicycles that they predominantly have there are not only of a design meant for recreation and not critical transportation, and they are mostly shipped completely assembled from Asia. Introducing the design and construction of bikes with the main components made from locally grown bamboo could create a sustainable business model through out Africa. The organization views these bikes as a "necessary and viable form of transportation that will contribute to alleviation of economic and health issues." - bamboobike.org

After reading about the project, I think they are right and I hope they are successful.

Read more about the Bamboo Bike Project here.

An Answer to the Blending Vs. Juicing Question

I often get into the discussion of of whether juicing or blending is better for you. I usually say that with blending you retain the fiber, but that's just one of the benefits.

In a chapter from her upcoming book Victoria Boutenko of RawFamily.com consulted a professor of chemistry at Southern Oregon University who explains that blending causes reduced oxidation and the idea that blending a fruit or vegetable actually releases more antioxidants from the cells.

Read the whole article in Raw Family's latest e-newsletter here.

More Incredible Resourcefulness from Africa

Boy Selling Ice Cream in Ghana

Had to share this article I read in the international issue of Utne Magazine.

This 14 year old from Malawi basically read a U.S. text book and taught himself how to build a windmill using whatever he could find and generated enough power for his family's house that they could stop using "the toxic paraffin candles they previously used". The windmill eventually generated enough power for other electrical appliances too. Imagine if we all had the self-reliance and creativity this boy had.

Read the full article here.

Swishing Oil in the Mouth an Ancient Remedy?

In my fervent research to find natural cures for an ailment I just discovered I have, I came across an interesting healing technique I had never heard of - Oil Pulling.

It seems almost deceptively simple; first thing in the morning, you swish a tablespoon of either sesame, safflower or virgin coconut oil in your mouth for 10 to 15 min.

Testimonials range from teeth becoming harder and whiter to eradication of cancer.

An article on newsfood.com states that Deepak Chopra promoted it in his book "Perfect Health" and explains that:

"oil pulling is one of many Ayurvedic techniques valuable for purifying and strengthening the body. According to Ayurveda, organ meridians are present in the tongue just as they are in key points such as the hands, feet and ears. That makes the tongue integral for diagnosis, and care of the tongue important in preventing and treating illness.
The ancient practice of oil pulling makes sense in another way. As oil is swished back and forth before being spit out, the mouth`s mucous membranes and large veins on the underside of the tongue are likely to absorb vital nutrients from the oil. Sesame oil, one of the oils traditionally recommended for this practice, has antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties".

I'm going to start trying it tomorrow morning with my beloved coconut oil and I'll let you know the results!

Here are some great links with more information:
http://www.guideforselfhealing.com/2007/06/05/how-to-do-oil-pulling/
http://oilpulling.com
http://www.newsfood.com/q/56729/the_benefits_of_oil_pulling/

My Son Makes Up an "African" Song

Here's a continuation of what I talked about in one of my earlier posts - learning through observation . Alaijah said that he learned this song at one of my Congolese dance classes a month ago.

I never heard him sing anything like this before and then one evening it just came out of him.

Beautiful Face of an Afar Woman

This woman is from the nomadic tribe know as Afar that is found mainly in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Eritrea. I love the contrast of the scarification markings with the sweetness of her eyes and smile.

Family activities and rhythms have put me on a brief hiatus from posting. More posts to soon follow. Peace.

Handy Tool For Healthy Eating

Here's a great downloadable chart created by one of my favorite health advocates, Mike Adams, the Health Ranger. You can find it here at Honest Food Guide.org

Print it out and give to your family and friends!

"A Beautiful Truth" - Must See Documentary

Wow! I just saw this amazing documentary that was released in the Fall of 2008 that I had never even heard of. Maybe I'm the only one who didn't know about it?
Anyway, I urge you to take the time and watch this movie (it's on "watch it now" in Netflix) if you haven't already seen it.

It's basically the story of a boy who does his own independent research on what the book "A Cancer Therapy: Results of 50 cases" by Dr. Max Gerson stated back in 1945; - that degenerative diseases were brought on by toxic, degraded food, water and air and that if you "Stay close to nature, its eternal laws will protect you." (from the Gerson Institute website http://www.gerson.org/)

The movie's website states:
"The Gerson Therapy is a powerful, natural treatment that boosts your body's own immune system to heal cancer, arthritis, heart disease, allergies and many other degenerative diseases. One aspect of the Gerson Therapy that sets it apart from most other treatment methods is its all-encompassing nature. An abundance of nutrients from thirteen fresh, organic juices is consumed every day, providing your body with a super dose of enzymes, minerals and nutrients. These substances then break down diseased tissue in the body, while enemas aid in eliminating the lifelong buildup of toxins from the liver."

Interestingly this was the first movie to document and capture on camera mercury vapors coming off of silver fillings. There is also some strong information about the dangers of MSG, aspartame, fluoride and genetically modified foods.

The style of the movie was slightly corny for my taste, but the message and content were so powerfully positive and valuable, I think you can overlook the delivery.

A Beautiful Truth is both a sobering and enlightening movie that everyone should see.

Simple Invention Can Make a Major Change Throughout Africa

Imagine if instead of going to the sink and turning the faucet to get water you had to walk 5 miles to a well and fill a plastic oil drum with water, put it on top of your head and then walk back home another 5 miles! Many people all over Africa and in other underdeveloped parts of the world have to do this every day, or even two times a day to get clean water for drinking and cooking. This job is mostly relegated to the women and sometimes the kids of the household. Think of all of the other things a woman can do for her family if she's not spending all of that time to fetch water. And think of what carrying those heavy drums of water on your head can do to your spine and body over time.

Thanks to one of my favorite review sights, Metaefficent, I found out about this new organization called Hippo Water Roller that has come up with an ingeniously simple invention that make a major impact for a lot of people.

With this simple device pictured above transporting water doesn't have to tax your body and take all day. The drums are easily rolled to their destination by pushing the metal handle.

The website states "The daily burden of water collection undermines productivity, limits educational opportunities and traps households in poverty".

One filled HippoRoller can meet the basic water needs of a family of 5 for a whole day.

For $100 you can donate one HippoRoller to a family.

Their website is www.hipporoller.org

Steps Towards a More Sustainable Life of Less - from Zen Habits

Great post from Leo Babuta on his highly recommended blog, Zen Habits (zenhabits.net), about a topic so appropriate to our current times; living with less.   And one of the reasons we can and need to learn so much from indigenous cultures that are seemingly not as "advanced" as the West.

Here's the link to the post Steps Towards A More Sustainable Life of Less

Downward Doggin' to the Drums

After months (or maybe it's been years - I'm embarrassed to say) I finally took a yoga class at my sister's yoga studio, the Mystic Yoga Shala. It was a Power Vinyasa class in a 90 degree heated room and definitely not for someone as inexperienced as myself, but I was lured by the idea that they would have live drumming during the class. There were two guys playing djun-djuns, djembes, asikos and other various cool sounding percussion during the entire session! Pretty cool. One thing my sister commented on after the class was over, was how listening to the drums seemed to make the holding of the postures take less effort, or possibly maybe she meant that it was easier to focus and therefore hold and transition between the postures (??) Well, whatever it was, it certainly worked for me, because I don't think I knew how much effort I was putting in to the class while I was taking it. Two days later I can't believe how much of a huge tenderized piece of meat I feel like!

This particular class was partially benefiting and bringing awareness to a very cool organization called Africa Yoga Project

Their mission is "to empower youth, build a global community
and increase well-being in East Africa", particularly in Kenya where they have "introduced hundreds of students in Kenya to the practice of yoga, as well provided educational scholarships, job training food stipends, temporary housing and health services".

I thought there answer to "Why Yoga?" was particularly awesome too:
"Yoga reveals our authentic selves, perfect and flawed, uncovers our limitless potential to embrace change and to take action. The practice of yoga does not only work for upper class westerners, but for Kenyans too. Yoga transforms limitations into power.
Yoga revolutionizes our body, our emotions, our relationships and our ability to serve the greater good"

Nuf said.

Free Power of Greens Mini-Course

Victoria Boutenko, the author of one of my favorite books from 2008 "Green for Life" is offering a free power of greens mini-course in conjunction with health renegade Frederic Patenaude. If you haven't heard of the famous "Green Smoothie", you have to check this out. After finding out about Victoria and rawfamily.com, I bought Green for Life and haven't stopped making green smoothies ever since.

If you click on the link below, just scroll down a ways to find the sign-up form for the free mini-course.

http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/greenforlife2.html

Healing the Youth of Nicaragua with Capoeira

This is a video of my good friend Justin Prado whom I met at the Central Park drum circle and became close through our love of drumming. Drumming led him to Capoeira (Brazilian form of martial arts that incorporates music and song). And Capoeira led him back to his home country of Nicaragua (away for 32 years!) where he had the opportunity to teach capoeira to children of the Fabretto youth organization, who's mission is to "enable impoverished Nicaraguan children and their families in underserved communities to break the cycle of poverty and reach their full potential through programs promoting nutrition, health, education, community and character development." www.fabretto.org

Right on, Justin.

Singing the Praises of Coconut Oil

I can't express in words what a big fan of anything coconut I am. Since I was a child I always loved anything with what I believed to be a natural coconut smell or taste. As I grew older and wiser and learned more about real whole foods, I discovered that what I liked when I was younger was some kind of perverted chemical version of the real thing.

Now I appreciate the real thing so much more. And today it's way beyond just an aesthetic appreciation. After I learned of all of the may uses and healing properties of even just the oil of the coconut (I won't even go into the juice or the meat), I became a true devotee.

Check out this amazing article on Natural News extolling the benefits of coconut oil http://www.naturalnews.com/025717.html The author even calls it a "The Secret Fountain of Youth"

In our house, we use it on our bodies as a moisturizer, a daily make-up remover, cooking oil, hair oil, smoothie addition. We add it to the rice cooker to improve the flavor and texture of grains and sometimes I just eat it right out of the jar!

Only buy organic, cold-processed virgin oil. My favorite and most inexpensive source is from Vitaglo.com. We buy the 16oz jar from Now vitamins for $8.80, so it doesn't have to break ya' http://www.vitaglo.com/1726.html Buy some coconut oil today and slather it on!

Boku Superfood Review

I have always wanted to add an extra umph to my family's diet. We eat pretty well (mostly vegetarian with occasional seafood) and have at least one large "green smoothie" a day. I had heard about and tried a lot of the different protein and supplement powders out there and felt confused as to which one to stick with. Then I read Mike Adams review of Boku Superfood over at one of my favorite health newsletters, naturalnews.com, and I decided to try it.

Mike Adams awarded it the "Best Product" award for 2008 and said that "It's simply one of the very best superfood products I've ever seen, and I've been using it myself with outstanding results."

Here are just some of the ingredients:

Land Vegetables: Maca root, Horsetail, Nettles, Flax Seed Meal, Wheat Grass, Barley Grass, Alfalfa Leaf Juice, Dandelion Leaf Juice, Barley Grass Juice, Oat Grass Juice, Ginger, Broccoli Juice, Spinach Juice, Parsley Juice, Kale Juice (all certified organic, absolutely no pesticides used)

Wildcrafted Land Vegetables: Carob Powder, Nopal Cactus, Spirulina, Chlorella

Probiotics: Numerous strains of beneficial bacteria that improve immune function, aid in digestion and actually help generate beneficial nutrients in your gut

It's also relatively inexpensive and honestly tastes delicious. If you mix it by itself with your favorite milk or water, it tastes almost like a chocolate milkshake!

We usually add a few scoops to our usual smoothie; 2 bananas, a handful of frozen berries, a bunch of greens (kale, chard, collards, spinach), couple spoonfuls of virgin coconut oil and a couple teaspoons of bee pollen.

Best of all my son loves it and will drink this smoothie every time.

Check out the Natural News review for yourself http://www.naturalnews.com/022566.html

Boku's website http://www.bokusuperfood.com/

They offer discounts for auto shipping as well.

Learning Through Observation

I took my 4 year old son Alaijah to one of the dance workshops I mentioned last post and I was so disappointed that he didn't participate in either the drumming or dancing. He has been playing music and dancing at home since he had the motor skills to do it and the the teacher had personally come up to him and encouraged him to do either or both. I couldn't figure out why he would just sit there with his mouth agape the entire time. That was until a couple nights after when he suddenly got in the mood to recreate what he had seen at the classes. It was then that I realized that he was observing and absorbing everything he saw that day.


It reminded me that we don't learn exclusively by action. Our minds can process what we see and then our bodies can execute it later on after what we have learned has really "sunken in" .


Alaijah did just that in these two clips. In one he spontaneously used shakers as drumsticks to imitate the wrist-shakers (forgot the real name for them) the drummers wear. In the next clip he demonstrates his Congolese hip movements.

Dancing with Titos Sompa of Brazzaville

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to take participate in two Congolese dance workshops taught by master Titos Sompa.

"A renown dancer, choreographer, and musician, noted especially as a master Congolese drummer, percussionist, and kalimba player, Mr. Sompa utilizes his multiple talents to make known and keep alive Congolese musical and cultural traditions that offer healing, spiritual grounding, and affirming community to the Western world. " (http://www.mbongivillage.org/)

And let me tell you did I feel the healing when I danced in his class. One thing he always mentions during class is that you should be smiling as you dance and you should love yourself.

Here's a clip of Titos and his brother Biza teaching and performing throughout the years.

Welcome

Greetings

Well I am finally starting the blog that I have wanted to do for some time now. I will be sharing with everyone all of the important findings I make in regards to the world of Health, Natural Living and Roots Culture.

The name "Yaram Chosan" comes from the Wolof language of West Africa (primarily Senegal) and means simply Health (or it can mean 'body') Culture (or Heritage).

To me, it stands for a few things;

• the culture and lifestyle of everything pertaining to our well-being - physical, mental and spiritual


• our heriatge and birthright to be healthy, whole human-beings and live up to our highest potentials


• the elements found in indigenous or "roots" cultures, such as those in Africa, Asia, Latin America etc. that promote wholeness and harmony with the Earth.

If any of this resonates with you and you want to learn more, I hope that you will visit often or subscribe to my blog as I share what I am most passionate about.