Organice Your Life®

A few years ago I was obsessed with a book called 'Emotional Intelligence', which described how emotions play a very large role in the way we think and act, and in accomplishing personal and professional success. The writer, Daniel Goleman, has a fantastic way of writing, combining engaging anecdotes with scientific information. So...when I saw his book 'Social Intelligence' in the local bookstore, I didn't hesitate for a second. I started reading it yesterday and I'm loving it so far. 'Socal Intelligence' describes how our brains are designed to make connections with other people. We have a natural ability to do so (think of how easily we copy other people's behavior (yawning, smiling, crying, flirting, being irritated, etc.)), but we can also develop these skills in order to succeed even more in any social situation. Interesting stuff!

Daniel Goleman also wrote a book called 'Ecological Intelligence', about the environmental consequences of what we make and buy. Sounds very promising as well! Check him out in these links below:

www.danielgoleman.info/
www.ted.com/speakers/daniel_goleman.html

Even though I don't label myself out of principle, someone pointed out to me that he thought I was a real 'yippie'. A what?? A yippie is a yuppy with a hippie belief system (or, as he put it: a hippie that takes a daily shower and has a job). I totally agreed.

Since I know this trick, I eat much more fruit!

I love grapefruit and oranges, but I did not like to peel it, nor did I like the skin that would be left on the meat.

So I learnt how to seperate the segments of an orange!

How?

See below chef Andrew Zimmern from the CookingClub.com show you exactly how to take segments out of an orange!

Just be very careful! ( It is a knife you are holding)

Trust me it tastes so much better without the skin, and it makes you look like a good chef if you know how to do it!

My friend Maruja showed it to me first and I thought she was SO skilled back then, haha!

www.cookingclub.com

15-06-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
Organice my Party!
Tags: birthday | food | world cup |

Yesterday I celebrated my birthday!

And of course that celebration comes with some stress, of cleaning and decorating my apartment with ribbons and balloons, making sure there were enough drinks and food, and hoping everyone was gonna enjoy themselves!

Not only was it my birthday, the Dutch National Team played their first match against Denmark. They won! So it was a double celebration!

I thought to add to the fun to prepare all the food and drinks in orange, as it is the national color of Holland! Maybe with a bit of cheating with red white and blue colors of the flag, I managed to make mostly orange food. And it tasted good too! I also decorated my place all in orange with some red, white and blue flags!

I had shrimps and "whiskey cocktailsauce" which is an orange colored sauce, and I made orange pumpkin mini pies. I also made orange peppersoup ( delish!) which was easy to make, and I made orange pasta, with orange sauce! Big Hit! I wish I took a picture of that. Instead I made a picture of the snacks.... which were also orange.

Maybe for coming games, you can also cook for your friends in your countries' colors?

Funny thing is that usually the person whose birthday it is, is mostly catering to others, and missing out on fun! Well this time I could enjoy, as I prepared everything beforehand. That's the secret of a good party: thinking ahead, planning and preparation!

Also, make sure you invite all your really good friends. Don't just invite people because you are afraid that not many people will show up. Trust me it is better when you are hanging out with the people you like, no matter how many of them show up! And I was happy as most of my dear friends were there....And also Maruja and Irene who are contributors to OYL! Maruja and I go way back, and has seen a lot of birthdays... I think this one was one of my favorites!

And gifts... I never ask for gifts, I just want fun and happiness on my birthday! But my friends know what to give me.... Little things that are useful in my house! I will write a blog in the future about possible gifts you can give people that don't cost much, but do a lot.

Well, that was it.... going to clean up the mess from yesterday now!

If you have any stories of parties you organized, you want to share with us, don't hesitate and leave them in the Community, by clicking on the link below!

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The Glammies, the Award Show organized by Dutch Glamour and Ici Paris XL, was a true happening!

I never really go to events in my home country of the Netherlands, but last Tuesday, me and my best friend Maruja (Who is also an OYL contributor) went to Paradiso in Amsterdam, the location where this event was held. Paradiso is a true Pop heaven, having bands like the Rolling Stones perform there in the past. Maruja had never seen it, so as she is about to sign a record deal, I told her she needed to see where she is gonna perform in the near future!

The pink carpet had some of Holland's most famous walk by, and even though the paparazzi is nothing like the ones in the USA, there were some, and it felt very glamourous!

Jetteke van Lexmond, a head stylist at Glamour, dressed me in this cute black dress by Carven. Her sister Lieke van Lexmond won Female Beauty Personality of the Year. ( Male Beauty Personality became dutch actor Barry Atsma)

The Glammies are a yearly award show, in which people and products are being honored. Best Fragrance for women became YSL Parisienne, and for men it was Boss Bottled (That had OYL's very own Marius play the lead in the advertising and commercial!) Tweezerman got a price, and also Lancome's Geneifique. That Glammy was accepted by Elettra Rossellini Wiedemann. ( who is also very committed to a better world by studying something like Environmental Science at a university in London. She is also a very very sweet girl!)

Performances by Paloma Faith and Jenny Lane were great!! These women truly know how to dress great, and have really good voices!

The afterparty was very nice! The cocktails were yummy (something with lemon?) and people looked amazing.

We went home with a goody box with all the winning products, and the new edition of Glamour in it.

Glammies: You rock!

www.glammies.nl
www.glamour.nl

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After reviewing the documentary 'Sea the truth' I felt inspired to share with you some of my favorite vegan recipes! I like to call it: Maruja's Italian feast :D

Lasagna:
Fry up some onions, peppers, mushrooms with garlic and add tomato sauce. Put in a little sea salt, black pepper, oregano and fresh basil to get that nice Italian flavour. Cut some zucchini in thin slices and fry them up in some olive oil. Get a nice big lasagna dish and put in a layer of sauce, then a layer of zucchini slices, then the lasagna noodles. Repeat until...whenever you want :D Just make sure you end with a layer of sauce! Put it in a pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes.

Stuffed zucchini:
Cut a zucchini in half and scoop out the middle part, leaving a thick shell. Chop up the scooped out zucchini and fry it up with garlic, onions and tomato. Add bread crumbs, black olives, salt and pepper, and any herb you like (e.g. basil, thyme, parsley). Stuff the zucchini shells with this filling, put it in a baking dish and pour in some broth, enough to cover the bottom. Put this in a pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes.

Sun-dried tomato bread:
Mix up about 500 grams of wholewheat flour, a cup of sugar, 2 teaspoons of baking powder and some nice herbs like oregano, salt and pepper. Cut up some sun-dried tomatoes and throw them in. Then, add a can or bottle of beer (yes, really!) and stir it up until it's all mixed well. Make a ball from the dough, cut some openings on the top and put the dough in a pre-heated oven. Set it to 175°C/375°F and wait about 20 minutes. Pour some oil over the bread and put it back in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Or bruschetta:
Toast some good bread. In the meantime, cut up some tomatoes, black olives and garlic. Mix them up with balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, sea salt and black pepper. Put it on the toast.

Simple and YUMMY!

Seen any good movies lately? Well, I saw 'The imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus' yesterday, AWESOME! But before that I was invited (thanks to Lonneke) to see something more serious... Beautiful Tuschinski in Amsterdam hosted the premiere of a documentary called 'Sea the truth', a film made possible by political party 'Partij voor de Dieren' and the Nicolaas G. Pierson Foundation. So...early in the morning a large group of people gathered in front of the cinema. Mostly politicians and activists (I felt a little bit like an oddball fashionwise) that were interested to see the sequel to 'Meat the truth'.

Sea the truth describes the alarming situation concerning the fishing industry, focussing mainly on 2 aspects: the shocking decrease of fish in the oceans caused by commercial fishing, and the incredible amount of poison that is polluting the fish. Interviews with scientists and other experts are accompanied by amazing underwater footage of diver Dos Winkel, reminding us how wonderful ocean life is.

Here are some shocking 'highlights' according to the documentary:
- if we continue overfishing, there will be no fish left around 2048. That means we have about 40 years of sushi left (if we're lucky)...
- most commercial fish (except for haring) contain an enormous amount of mercury, much higher than science advices us to eat. And mercury poisoning does not seem fun...
- In the North Pacific Ocean there is a so-called 'island of plastic', (also known as 'plastic soup') a large area of litter in the middle of the ocean. This is obviously terrible for the ocean and it's contaminating the fish that we put in our mouths...
- to make fish oil, a mere 3-5% of the fish is used. And the omega 3 doesn't even come from the fish, it comes from algae.

'Sea the truth' was a good piece of information about an important part of the food industry. Even though the tone of the documentary was slightly moralistic (which always makes me a bit rebellious), I still found it very useful to hear the facts and figures. I thought the problem was well represented, and eye-opening in a way. What I absolutely missed was a 'ray of hope'. Having done research on behavioral change, I am convinced that people will only change if they believe there is a better way. I've never seen someone change their behavior when somebody told them what's wrong without offering a better alternative. The only message I heard in this documentary was: stop eating fish. I never eat meat and very rarely eat fish, but I almost felt like my mommy was scolding me! (and yes, as a result I had a sushi-fest a few days later)

Food is fuel, and what we eat affects our bodies as well as the earth. I myself have been experimenting with my diet this last year to see what makes me feel most healthy and energized, using mainly local products that cause the least waste for our planet. Having said that, I strongly believe that even though we should absolutely take this seriously, we should also feel like this is not a restriction, but rather a choice to live a healthier life. Telling people what to do is rarely effective, but informing people how to do things better for themselves and the planet might have a shot.

But, maybe I'm doing the same exact thing in this blog... ;) So, watch 'Sea the truth' and decide for yourself!

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Is there anything more heartbreaking than a sick child? I don't think so... Today I found out about a very simple, yet powerful initiative called Post Pals. It's a website that invites people to reach out to sick children, 'Pals'. Every Pal has a page, where they can tell their story. You can become penpals with them and send them letters, e-mails, gifts, whatever your heart tells you. I think this is such a wonderful thing! Obviously it is no replacement for good health, but I can imagine that knowing somebody cares about you and takes the time to wish you well can literally make your day. As usual, it doesn't take much time or effort to put a smile on someone's face. Check out the Post Pals website for more info!

www.postpals.co.uk/

02-04-2010 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
Happy Birthday Maruja!
Tags: happy | birthday | maruja | lenny | kravitz |

OYL Contributor and personal friend Maruja Retana is celebrating her birthday today!

Maruja, a graduated Psychologist, has a beautiful voice (LOVE!), and as it looks right now, she will have her first song coming out soon!

To celebrate, watch her doing her beautiful version of Heaven Help, originally by Lenny Kravitz.

Congratulations Maruja!
www.marujaretana.com

07-03-2010 | Posted by: Maruja Retana
Freeze!
Tags: maruja | frozen | vegetables | healthy |

Even though it's really fun to go to a farmer's market and look for the nicest looking fruit and vegetables, what seems to be even healthier? Frozen vegetables! Since they are usually frozen right after harvesting, the vitamins are preserved a little better. 'Fresh' vegetables (unless you grow them yourself in the backyard) lay around for a while because of the distribution process of about 2 weeks, causing them to los nutritional value. So let's ditch the bad rap, let's go frozen!

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02-03-2010 | Posted by: Maruja Retana
How to live to be a 100!
Tags: maruja | 100 | healthy | lifestyle | blue zones |

Referring to my last blog, I want to get a little more into one specific subject. Dan Buettner did a very interesting research on how to live a healthy and long life. He found out there are a few areas that he calls 'blue zones', where people live to be over a hundred years old in a measurably better way! Wow, who doesn't want that?? Since my sweet grandmother lived to be 98 and I myself am half Costarican (one of the blue zones) I had hoped I was blessed with great genes that made me set for an awesome 100+ life. But...genes are only about 10% responsibe! So....what's the secret of the 'blue zoners'?

1. They move naturally:
None of the people he interviewed went to the gym. None! Instead, their lives were naturally filled with movement. They gardened, worked on a farm, or walked to the vineyard down the mountain every day. Also, when they did 'exercise', it was only for fun. Whether it was dancing, playing with the kids, sailing or playing soccer, they purely did it out of enjoyment.

2. They have the 'right' outlook:
Work to live, instead of living to work. Also, one of the most important things he found was a strong sense of purpose, having a reason to get out of bed each day and that makes you truly enthousiastic. And...no matter how busy the day is, always have at least one moment of peace and relaxation every day!

3. They eat wisely:
Their diets were mainly plant-based, so a lot of vegetables and fruit were consumed. Meat and processed food were an exception! Moderation seemed to be a key word, many of them ate about 80% of what they initially wanted to eat. We have a saying that goes: the eyes are bigger than the stomach, which is so true! Instead of piling up the food on their plate, they took a little less. It takes a little while for the brain to realize the stomach is full, so I personally thought this was a very good idea. But don't think these ladies and gents were depriving themselves of some fun! A couple of glasses of red wine per day turned out be very common.

4. They belong to the 'right' tribe
A strong circle of family and friends, and a sense of belonging proved to be very critical. Often, the 100+ people lived with their children and grandchildren. It kept them young and gave them a sense of importance. Giving life advice to a grandchild is a win-win situation, good for everybody. For some guidance of their own, they turned to a higher power. They all had strong religious or spiritual belief system that made them resilient and grateful.

Interesting stuff, right? Check out the links for some more information.
http://www.bluezones.com
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/dan_buettner_how_to_live_
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Buettner

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02-03-2010 | Posted by: Maruja Retana
Nothing on tv? Watch ted.com!
Tags: maruja | ted |

I'm sure many of you have already discovered TED.com, and if you haven't: check it out! Lately I have been watching a lot of interesting talks about health, food and lifestyle, and of course also about music and psychology. Here are some of my favorites:

In this fiery and funny talk, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman weighs in on what's wrong with the way we eat now (too much meat, too few plants; too much fast food, too little home cooking), and why it's putting the entire planet at risk.

To find the path to long life and health, Dan Buettner and team study the world's "Blue Zones," communities whose elders live with vim and vigor to record-setting age. At TEDxTC, he shares the 9 common diet and lifestyle habits that keep them spry past age 100.

Jamie Oliver won the 2010 TED Prize for this one: “I wish for your help to create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.”

At his Stanford University commencement speech, Steve Jobs, CEO and co-founder of Apple and Pixar, urges us to pursue our dreams and see the opportunities in life's setbacks -- including death itself

In this fun, 3-min performance from the World Science Festival, musician Bobby McFerrin uses the pentatonic scale to reveal one surprising result of the way our brains are wired.

In this highly personal talk from TEDMED, magician and stuntman David Blaine describes what it took to hold his breath underwater for 17 minutes -- a world record (only two minutes shorter than this entire talk!) -- and what his often death-defying work means to him. Warning: do NOT try this at home.

Enjoy!
ted.com

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12-12-2009 | Posted by: Maruja Retana
Ecofont
Tags: ecofont | font | printing | jason mraz | maruja |

While reading Jason Mraz' blog (not only an amazing singer-songwriter, but also a good writer!) I discovered the EcoFont. This font was developed by Dutch communication agency SPRANQ to create awareness on our overly developed 'printing behavior'. Because there are tiny little holes in the font, you will save 20% ink when you print out your document. In Holland we say: All the small things count!

Download it for free:

www.ecofont.com
freshnessfactorfivethousand.blogspot.com/

10-12-2009 | Posted by: Maruja Retana
Less stress, more mindfulness
Tags: mindful | balance | stress | yourself | maruja |

I'm in sunny Miami with Lonneke, it's lovely out here! So relaxing! It made me re-realize something very important (in between soaking up the sun, going for a swim and having amazing food): always stay mindful! Mindfulness has become a popular, trendy term with a new agey feel, but it is actually quite simply being aware of your thoughts, actions and feelings. For some reason it sounds easier than it is, though... We live in a society where we feel pressured to be productive 24/7, which causes so much stress. Even lying at the pool here, underneath the bluest sky and the most beautiful view you have ever seen, I feel compelled to check my e-mail every 10 minutes and I have to force myself to just enjoy the moment. How crazy is that!

Another example: I have given up eating in front of the tv a long time ago (or watching tv, for that matter), but now I catch myself doing other things instead (check my e-mail, make to do lists, write several hit albums). Being away from my regular work environment reminds me to consciously eat my breakfast, lunch and dinner. Today, I had Greek yoghurt with fruit and granola. It was so good! I actually tasted each bite, the sweetness of the banana, the crunchiness of the granola. Needless to say, if we'd all eat this way (me included) we would eat less AND be more fulfilled afterwards. Besides, when you truly taste your food, you probably only want to have good, fresh ingredients instead of greasy burgers and oversalted fries.

This seems a little bit yesterday's news, but there is a big difference in knowing the path and walking it. I personally don't know many people who actually live perfectly balanced. So let's all pretend we're in Miami, looking out over the water, enjoying the sun and remind ourselves to be mindful, especially with our busy schedules! It doesn't take any time, just awareness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness

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08-12-2009 | Posted by: Anne-Marie Van Dijk
PURA VIDA - a great success!
Tags: pura vida | event | bottle | water | good heart |

I am proud to announce that yesterday's launch of - PURA VIDA - was a great success!

Lonneke Engel, Eyal Amir and myself have co-founded a new initiative dedicated to inspire and celebrate more eco-friendly and sustainable approaches within the fashion industry. Fashion being a threshold of tremendous power, we wish to channel this energy into more progressive, innovative ways of thinking serving our Body-Mind-Planet.

PURA VIDA is in part a series of events, launching a new ecological concept - one step at a time - with practical tools to apply to our every day lives.

This event's focus - Kicking our plastic habit!

How to reduce some of the plastic bottle waste we generate on a daily basis.

PURA VIDA partnered with SIGG and NaturaWater to highlight the benefits of installing a local tap water purifying system and the importance of trying to reduce our consumption of plastic beverage containers - for our health and for the health of our planet.

We are grateful to our many sponsors who enabled us to make this happen, amongst others: SIGG, NaturaWater, Imperial Bag, Prairie Organica, Organecia ... and GustOrganics.
We are also incredibly grateful to Maruja (special blogger at Organice Your Life) who sang live and captivated us with her enchanting voice!

Check out our soon-to-come website for more information on our efforts and what you can do to join the movemen!

www.puravidamovement.info
models.com/oftheminute/?p=11372
www.fashionweekdaily.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=6643928

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05-11-2009 | Posted by: Lonneke Engel
CO71 Amsterdam-Newark
Tags: continental airlines | pura vida | party | the cove |

Maruja was my company on this flight to NYC. We are traveling together and of course that is more fun! It was a good trip. De 8,5 hour traveling time passed quickly with sleeping, watching tv on the tv system, chatting and eating. And the food I must say, was pretty good! Just like i wrote about Delta Airlines a few weeks ago, Continental offered a vegetarian option for everybody on the flight! Black eyed pea masala with rice, very good!

And I saw the new releases to watch included The Cove, the movie I spoke about before, and is a must see!

So it was all good, and I have to say,, traveling with a friend is the best! Now I am going to continue working on the Pura Vida Party the 7th of December in NYC. A Christmas Celebration for the fashion scene, organized by me, Annemarie van Dijk and Eyal Amir ( who coincidentally write for this blog!)

And the subject this party?

"The Beauty and the Waste. More Beauty, Less Waste!"

We are going to try to fix the waste problem on the shoots, and during fashion shows. Hopefully we will succeed! And on top of that: Maruja is going to sing! Below you find a little taste of how she can sing. I will keep you posted more about this party!
www.puravidamovement.info
www.thecovemovie.com

02-12-2009 | Posted by: Maruja Retana
Cleaning tip!
Tags: cleaning | oven | lime | lemon | maruja |

Here's a good tip for the holiday season: I recently picked up the habit of cooking (instead of just warming up food), which means I use my oven a LOT nowadays. I can recommend this to everyone, freshly made food is the best! But what to do when the oven starts to smell...not so good after a while? You don't want your chocolate cookies to taste like fish, right?

Easily solved: Take a bowl and fill it with water. Then take a lemon or (my favorite) a lime, cut it in half and squeeze the juice so it mixes with the water. Put the lemon or lime also in the bowl. Put this in the oven and turn it on until the water starts to boil. Then, turn off the oven and let it cool off with the door closed. This little trick will not only make it much easier to clean your oven, as the bowl will attract the dirt and grease from the oven, but it also smells delicious!

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12-10-2009 | Posted by: Maruja Retana
Miracle product!
Tags: maruja | jojoba | hair | skin |

Before I decided to focus on music, I worked as a psychologist and gave trainings on the subject of personal effectivity. I would give people advice on how to reach their goals better, and 2 terms I used a lot were 'efficiency' (how you reach a goal) and 'effectivity' (IF you reach a goal). If there's one thing I'm very fond of, it's efficiency... I like it when things make sense, I like it when you can use something for multiple reasons, I love it when I have found the shortest route to what I want. And obviously I want my methods to work as well....

What's with the lecture, you might ask? To illustrate why I almost cried a little bit when I read an article from one of my favorite bloggers, Gala Darling. She wrote about how jojoba oil was 'the elixir of the gods', describing how it is really good (effectivity) for your hair AND skin (efficiency).

Needless to say, I was fascinated by this information... I ordered a bottle from an online shop and tried it out for the past 2 weeks. I used 2 drops of it every night after cleansing but before moisturizing my skin, and 3 drops after I washed my hair. Conclusion: I AM STUNNED! It really works miracles!

My skin is usually of the notorious combination type, where my T-zone is oily and the rest dry. The jojoba oil really evens it out, which is great for so many reasons: obviously it just looks better and healthier, I don't have to touch up my make up during the day, my hair stays cleaner etc.

My hair is curly and thick, and it gets dry very easily. The jojoba oil makes it look very shiny and healthy and my curls really come alive! Also, it seems like I don't have to wash it as often (which could also be the result of my better skin).

Other ways you can use it:
- lip balm
- eye make up remover (that doesn't irritate your eyes)
- shave prep
- massage oil
- for a higher IQ (ok, that might not be true)

I swear I am not a spokesperson for this product (yet). But I could be, I am psyched to have found this! Try it out at home, it's very cheap, you don't need much of it for any purpose (another efficiency factor) and it's effective... And I didn't even mention the fact that your bathroom will look so organized, after you've thrown away your moisturizer, lip balm, make up remover and hair products!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jojoba_oil
galadarling.com/article/jojoba-oil-is-the-elixir-of-the-gods

08-09-2009 | Posted by: Maruja Retana
I knew it...music will save the earth! :)
Tags: maruja | dancefloor | music | eco-friendly | club4climate |

Ok, here's the thing: Us humans have been taking a lot from the earth and not giving back enough. In this day and age, the awareness is growing, and I can see around me that people want to start living differently, in a more ecofriendly way. Now, I believe that changing your lifestyle to be a more conscious one doesn't necessarily mean you have to sacrifice a lot. But most of us just don't really know what to change yet....

Well, have I got good news for you, I know what you can do to save the planet:

DANCE!

There are several (but still not enough) clubs all over the world (including Rotterdam and London), that have a dancefloor that turns your sexy and wild moves into electricity! Organisation Club4Climate developed the technique and is even planning to create a party island with only one purpose: Dance to save the earth!

How does it work?
The nightclub is fitted with a 'bouncing' floor made of springs and a series of power generating blocks. These blocks are made from crystals that produce a small electrical current when squashed. This process is known as piezoelectricity. As dancers move up and down, the blocks are squeezed and current is fed into nearby batteries. The batteries are constantly recharged by the movement of the floor and used to power parts of the nightblub.

My boyfriend, who is a DJ, has predicted this a looong time ago: We should generate power from movement at places where many people gather. It's genius! And so logical at the same time. I really hope we'll find the same technology at train stations, schools, concert halls and other venues within the next 10 years. This sort of information makes me so happy, since it clearly means that we can really make a change and not feel like we have to lead boring, restricting lives at all.

Go check it out! Oh, and if you can prove you walked or biked to the club, you can get in for free ;)

www.club4climate.com/
www.sustainabledanceclub.com/
www.viewlondon.co.uk/clubs/club-surya-info-52971.html

03-08-2009 | Posted by: Maruja Retana
Massage au chocolat
Tags: maruja | massage | chocolat |

Two things I love with a passion? Chocolate and massages. You can imagine my delight when I recently discovered that you can actually combine the two! Even though both are considered luxury products, I personally believe they are extremely healthy for you and (dare I say it) even quite necessary for your wellbeing.

Why chocolate?
Uhm...seriously? It's just damn good! :D
But it's also actually really good FOR you, especially dark chocolate has a lot of health benefits: It contains alkaloids like theobromine, that increase serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain. (Serotonin has various functions, including control of appetite, mood and anger, endorphins work as natural pain relievers and produce a sense of well being). Scientists also claim that chocolate, eaten in moderation, can lower blood pressure.

Why massages?
(Again: seriously?)
As opposed to the calvinistic belief that massages are a decadent indulgence, they are actually a powerful pain management tool, a very effective stress reliever and therefore a good way to keep your body healthy. Massages relieve pain, reduce anxiety, depression and blood pressure. They also stimulate the release of endorphins and serotonin. Another interesting fact is that they increase peripheral blood lymphocytes, which stimulates the immune system by getting rid of the body's waste products. This is because massages improve both blood and lymph circulation, which helps your body gain strength and maximizes your energy level. Efficient circulation also helps in muscle recovery, growth, and promotes the natural healing process.

Why chocolate massages?
Well, duh... Ok, in the highly unlikely case you're not convinced yet, here's why: Needless to say, it smells delicious, and the warm chocolate on your back feels amazing. But there's much more to it: The combination of almond oil and cocoa really hydrates your skin, and therefore has an anti-aging effect, plus it contains various minerals that improve skin texture. Cocoa contains anti-oxidants, that have a detoxing effect on your body. Also, it contains tannic acid, known for its slimming effect. And this is only the physical part! It's very good for the mind too: The double increase of serotonin and endorphin makes you feel superrelaxed, peaceful and gives you a feeling of happiness.

Can anyone resist...?

http://knol.google.com/k/reeta-juneja/the-chocolate-massag

27-08-2009 | Posted by: Maruja Retana
Smile!
Tags: maruja | smile | laugh | science |

A well known song of Charlie Chaplin (very recently performed in a very moving way by Jermaine Jackson, at the memorial service of MJ) has the following passage: 'Smile! What's the use of crying? You'll find that life is still worthwhile,
if you just smile.'

Laughing is healthy, they say, but why? For many reasons, actually! Purely physical alone: When you smile/laugh (the louder, the better) your brain releases a chemical called endorphin. This is a natural painkiller and has a soothing effect, which lowers blood pressure. Laughing also strengthens your blood vessels as well as increases the blood flow, so it's very good for your heart! Furthermore, your immune system is strengthened during laughing. Your body produces so called natural killer cells. This type of cell is comparable to Mo of the movie Wall-E, it scans every cell and destroys the 'bad guys' like tumor cells. And, during a good laughing fit, antibodies are produced, that get rid of stress hormones. So laughing is seriously stress reducing! (In the clip below that fact is demonstrated in a very funny way :D)

Getting back to Charlie Chaplin, the good man was absolutely right. Even when you don't feel well, and smiling or laughing is the last thing you want to do, it helps when you just make yourself do it anyway. Slowly, but surely, you will actually start to feel better. You are kind of fooling your own body, but it really works! A fun detail (about which a could fill a whole other blog) is that it is not as easy to fol other people. A fake smile is usually easy to spot. Try doing the BBC-test to check how well your people insight is ;)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/smiles/
http://www.lyricsdownload.com/charlie-chaplin-smile-lyrics.h

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16-07-2009 | Posted by: Maruja Retana
She's running like she's never run befooooore!
Tags: work out | music | maruja | running |

I also have a love/hate relationship with workouts, just like Lonneke and probably the majority of the world population. It sounds too simple for words, but the moment that I got an iPod for my birthday (there are really good ones that you can clip on your clothing) and started listening to music while running, a whole new world opened for me. Music really makes all the difference! Ok, been there, done that, you might say. I can imagine. But the concept of 'workout music' recently developed a new dimension in my life. I noticed that I really got into the running flow whenever I played 'Maniac' by Michael Sembello (well known from the movie classis 'Flashdance'). The tempo was fast and upbeat in such a way that I could have run all day long. While surfing (on the internet, not waves, I'n not *that* sporty) I found this website: RunningMusicMix.com, basically a walhalla for people like me, who really need music to kick it up a notch when it comes to sports. There are complete playlists of songs like Maniac: great, danceable eighties music, around 158 beats per minute. But if you want to run faster, or slower, it's all there... Now, I am a very hardcore fan of the 80's era, I realize that not everyone shares that love with me. That's why there are also playlists of modern songs, of every possible genre! So...since there's no excuse anymore, get out of that chair!
http://www.runningmusicmix.com/

18-06-2009 | Posted by: Maruja Retana
Another excuse to go shopping...
Tags: maruja | organic | t-shirts | fashion | lonely dinosaur |

I know, there is ALWAYS a good excuse to go shopping for cute new outfits... But how about saving the earth at the same time? Ok, sorry, I tend to exaggerate a tiny little bit, but the guys from Lonely Dinosaur DO make it a point to only produce (very funny) T-shirts that are 100% organic. They use organic and recycled cotton (and possibly hemp in the future), as well as water-based inks. Owners/designers Sam & Eric travel throughout the US in their RV (of course fueled by vegetable oil), while making our planet a little bit better in their own way (and being insanely hilarious in the process). Check out their website!
www.lonelydinosaur.com/