I peeped this video over at Outdoor Afro, and thought it was hilarious. And sad. Well, more hilarious than sad. But, not really.
Disclaimer: I am not a health practitioner. I am not giving you medical advice. I am merely sharing remedies I’ve tried for my family and myself that have worked well for us. My medical knowledge begins and ends at watching Scrubs, Nip/Tuck and the doctor lady on Sons of Anarchy. Please be advised: I am not a doctor. Nor do I play one on TV.
‘Tis the season to be sicky-poo. I’m not big on the pharmaceuticals unless absolutely necessary, so I’m always looking for stuff I can whip up in the kitchen that will whip a cold or flu into shape. The first thing I do is make a batch of honey cough syrup (of course, we know not to give honey to infants, right?). I know it sounds insane but it works. According to a Penn State study, a spoonful of honey soothes a cough and sore throat much better than a spoonful of that chemical elixir called cough syrup.
Then, I found a recipe for a sort of natural alternative to a popular over-the-counter flu remedy. It’s pretty gross, but it tastes TONS better, and it works (for me, anyway).
So first thing’s first, you must assemble your ingredients. Yes, it includes organics and fresh ingredients, but if you compare the cost of good-for-you ingredients to the price of over-the-counter drug cocktails and visits to the doctor, you come out way ahead making a trip to the farmers market or Whole Foods. So, quit whining and write this down:
- Raw honey (the darker and more local, the better)
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Medium onion (I like to use red onions)
- Lemons
I adapted my cough syrup recipe from one I found on Mamapedia.com:
- In a small saucepan, combine:
- 1 cup of honey
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 Tbsp thyme leaves
- 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- Simmer on low until the onion is softened.
- Eat as is spooned over chicken or a baked sweet potato, or strain out all of the chunky stuff into a jelly jar and seal it tight.
Take a swig whenever you need to for coughs or sore throats, or to just boost your immune system. Works wonders!
Now on to the hot herbal cold + flu drinky drink. I use a recipe I found on LearningHerbs.com. It’s not for the faint of heart, so beware. This is usually reserved for the grown-up sicky-poos of the family. I usually use the Traditional Medicinals Just for Kids teas and the Herbs for Kids drops instead. Tastes better and they’re formulated for their little bodies.
So here’s what you do:
- Grate an inch of fresh ginger and simmer in small saucepan of water for 15 to 20 minutes.
- If you’re feeling adventurous, add a bulb of minced garlic to simmer with the ginger.
- After the simmering, remove from heat and add about 4 TBsp of lemon juice and about 3 TBsp of honey.
- Adjust to taste, let it cool a little. You want to drink it hot, but you don’t want to cook your insides.
- Take it to the head. There’s no sipping this stuff.
There you have it. My two favorite remedies of the season. You will be your ecodopalicious self in no time.
Saw this video of renaissance man and veggie Q-Tip (he don’t eat no ham n’ eggs ’cause they’re high in cholesterol!) and the insanely talented Norah Jones while perusing the Curvy Eco-Centric Recessionista blog, and was reminded of how much I love this album!
This one is another favorite, ManWomanBoogie, featuring beautimous veggie Amanda Diva:
And we can’t forget:
Yes, I have a slight crush. Who doesn’t?
I’m going to dance. Have a great holiday!
Obama will reportedly slide through Copenhagen for the global climate conference on his way to Onslo to pick up his Nobel Peace Prize.
Why is this important?
The US was the number one global polluter until China took over in 2006. There needs to be a commitment from the world’s biggest yuck-makers in order to make any progress in reducing pollution. Otherwise, this climate conference is just lip service.
The Obama Administration (as well as China) has to come up off some numbers and give a targeted goal for reducing pollution in order for this trip to Copenhagen to even matter. As of now only half of the world’s emissions are covered, so success depends on the US and China making that move to curb emissions.
Grist and Planet Green have great crash courses on COP15 (Conference of Parties 15) in Copenhagen and why we should be concerned and informed.
This, my friends, is what I call some bullshit.
While reading my Girlie Girl Army newsletter, I came across this link to a Craigslist ad seeking an African American or mixed race vegan actress. Said African American/mixed race vegan actress would essentially be mocking the POTUS’s State of the Union address, “proudly and powerfully reciting a speech” touting PETA’s progress while stripping down from a business suit into her birthday suit.
Seriously?
Then I found this article on The Vegan Ideal about how PETA exploits black men in its advertising campaigns, pointing out that:
“…there is a direct historical connection between PETA’s use of an exotic/erotic and dehumanized image of Black man aggressively lunging from inside a cage (prison) and its use of the image of Black men being lynched. The very images that PETA creates in its portrayal of a Black man as a “wild” nonhuman animals are synonymous with those controlling images used to justify lynching and imprisoning Black men.”
PETA also has a history of getting women to get nekkid for them in various capacities, from print ad campaigns to demonstrations. These women are depicted as battered, abused and even as cuts of meat. The Gender Blender has a visual rundown of some of the offending material used in their campaigns of shock and awe. And even more evidence of their not so ethical behavior:
- PETA’s 97 Percent Death Rate – Please Donate to Kill More Animals
- PETA protests Westminster dog show (Klan hoods and all)
- PETA promotes soft core porn?
- What Does PETA Have Against President Obama?
I understand their intention is to change the quality of life for animals, and I’m all for that. However, is it really necessary to objectify women and play on racial stereotypes (black men are hypersexual, dangerous savages and black women are hypersexual seductresses) in order to draw attention to the plight of animals? Is there no other alternative to trampling on other movements to gain momentum in your own movement?
I call bullshit, PETA. Your controversial campaigns are not so because of the nudity. Who cares about a nekkid celebrity? They’re nekkid all the time, that’s not shocking, it’s boring. What is shocking is the lengths you will go to in order to get your point across. In this blogger’s opinion, your progress is canceled out by the use of thinly veiled porn and painful racial images to shock people into treating animals better.
Boo to you, PETA.
Image from The Vegan Ideal
Sliding through Miami this weekend? Load up the fam and check out the 6th Annual Organic Hip Hop Conference happening Friday Nov 20 – Saturday Nov 21 at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center:
Cool weather does not mean you should shelve the nail routine until Spring. I live in the South, where winter can be pretty mild. Yes, you will see me in my sequined, 4-inch platform sandals. And you will not talk junk about it.
That being said, I opened a bottle of nail polish the other day and almost passed out from the smell. Yuck! Let’s look at what’s floating around in your standard bottle of nail polish:
- phthalates (an endocrine disruptor)
- toluene (petroleum-based product linked to cancer)
- formaldehyde (known carcinogen)
Sounds like a cancer cocktail to me. So what is an ecodopalicious angel to do? The purist will just go bare. For the ecodiva who cannot live without a mani pedi, you’ll have to go with one of these safer, less smelly toxic alternatives:
Don’t worry about the color selection. You’ll have a hard time choosing from a wide spectrum including the nudest nudes, trendy brights and goth girl darks. You can even stick to your trusty dusty French manicure with no problem. Just don’t forget to snatch up some non toxic remover, because even non-acetone polish remover is suspect.
I’ve used the HoneyBee Gardens polish on my little eco-cutie and myself. It’s water-based, so showers and bubble baths do a number on a fresh coat. I do want to try the Priti and butter London lines not only because a whiff of an open bottle won’t scramble my brains, but the colors are superecodopalicious.
Check out Bianca Alexander of Conscious Living TV as she gets an organic mani pedi at ZaZa Nail Spa in San Francisco:
Because this event sounds pretty dope.
According to ecorazzi, Russell Simmons is hosting Farm Sanctuary’s A Celebration FOR the Turkeys at NYC’s Tavern on the Green on November 22, 2009. The brunch will include presentations by Mr. Def Jam himself and Johnathan Safran Foer, author of Eating Animals, and special guests Laurie Anderson (love!), Lou Reed and Ally Sheedy. Also on tap: a spread of the finest vegan yummies NYC has to offer, a favor bag (swag!) fit for an ecodopalicious angel, and an after soiree with lots of holiday nog, spiced (not spiked, unless you sneak in your whiskey-filled flask) cider and vegan pastries. Mmmm, pastries.
Farm Sanctuary, an animal protection organization, will put on a few star-studded events across the nation to bring awareness to the plight of all Turkey Lurkeys this holiday season.
As a part of Sesame Street’s 40th Anniversary, Michelle Obama made an appearance to teach the littles about planting their own garden. Nothing tastes like some collards straight out of the ground, although our FLOTUS didn’t plant collards. She kept it simple with a salad garden: tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and lettuce.
TIME Magazine beat the crazies to the punch with a silly satire on Mrs. Obama indocrinating our children with her crazy veggie ways.
Timberland has been greening up in recent years and has recently recruited Wyclef Jean as one of seven Earthkeeper Heroes in its Earthkeepers program. Wyclef will work with Earthkeepers to fight deforestation in Haiti through Yele Haiti, Wyclef’s nonprofit.
On deck: Urban greening events around the nation; a tree nursery in Haiti to provide an example of a sustainable business and help in reforestation efforts; and Yele Haiti Boots, with $2 from the purchase of each pair going to Yele Haiti.
I see you, Clef! I love when our people use their celebrity status for a good cause. Not only is he lifting up Haiti, he’s helping Mother Earth in the process.
