Boat to Throat Restaurants

Recently came across Fish2Fork.com, a restaurant guide for diners who want to eat fish that is sustainably caught.

I was happy to see that one of my favorite local eateries, Sea Rocket Bistro, made the grade.

"Sea Rocket Bistro uses ingredients purchased directly from farmers, fishermen, and ranchers in San Diego. Menu items include sustainably harvested seafood, organic produce and pastured meats, as well as local craft beers and California wines."

The atmosphere is really great too - very intimate with lots of artistic touches, including a rotating monthly showcase of a local artist. My girlfriend Danielle and I also loved the daily menu of tapas under $5. We had a scallop ceviche that was amazing!

Packaged Food Rules

"My criteria for choosing packaged foods are: nothing with more than five ingredients, no ingredients I can't pronounce, nothing artificial, and no cartoons on the package. Why no cartoons? Because those companies are deliberately marketing to children, and I want to discourage that."

- Marion Nestle, nutritionist, author of What to Eat and creator of Foodpolitics.com

Symphony Performance in the Park

Last night La Jolla Music Society's SummerFest 2010 kicked off with a free concert in Ellen Browning Scripps Park. The show was spectacular and included selections from famed composers like Vivaldi, Schumann and Mendelssohn.

One of my favorite pieces was one in which a local 12-year-old virtuoso made her violin sing. In one short month she is bound for The Juilliard School in New York- and doubtlessly musical greatness.

I also really enjoyed a selection performed by a two-man group called "The Perfect Storm." The teenagers played traditional Chinese instruments that looked funny but sounded exquisite.

I love going to this every year with my friends - and this year with my new puppy in tow. The sound of the ocean's waves mingling with the classical music is a match made in heaven. If only they did free performances more often....

IPhone Pedometer

I have heard that doctors recommend walking about 10,000 steps per day – which is roughly the equivalent of five miles. To see how my daily walking patterns measured up, I loaded this $0.99 pedometer onto my IPhone (and I am quite pleased with it).

The app tracks your caloric burn, distance traveled, and total walking time. Basically you just make sure the phone is on your person as you are taking it to the streets and restart the timer prior to setting out– and you are all set. Make sure to enter your height and weight the first time you use it so that you can get an accurate calorie burning count.

Community Supported Agriculture

I recently heard about Del Mar's Seabreeze Organic Farm. The farm produces a wide range of products year-round, including: vegetables (primarily greens), flowers, some fruit, herbs, and a small amount of chickens and ducks.

I toured the farm recently, and it was absolutely breathtaking. Ocean views and well-tended fields were a feast for the eyes and eating the veggies picked right off the vine was delightful for the old taste buds. It is amazing how fresh Seabreeze's produce tastes - nothing like what I buy in my grocery store.

The farm also offers a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Program. CSA has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Essentially, people buy a monthly or yearly membership in a CSA and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

Seems like a great way to get sustainable food delivered right to your door - and keep your dollars in the community and in the hands of a local farmer. Some farmers include the option for shareholders to buy shares of eggs, homemade bread, meat, cheese, fruit, flowers or other farm products along with their veggies.

National organization Local Harvest offers a free map of CSAs located all across the country.

Threads for Thought

I first came across these T-shirts at Whole Foods and loved them so much I sought them out online for a wider choice of sizes and colors. The material for this V-neck is soft and thin, the length is perfect (past the bootie so they are great over leggings), and you can't beat the $12 price.

"At Threads for Thought we use sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton and polyester recycled from plastic water bottles to create clothing that is comfortable, beautiful, and socially conscious; then we donate a portion of our proceeds to charity."

TOMS Shoes

I am in love with TOMS Shoes. They are SO comfortable, easy to slip on/off for yoga and dog walking, and best of all - they are a purchase with a purpose.

"TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what we're all about."

Prices range from $44 to $69 depending on style.

Less is More

This excellent article “But Will It Make You Happy” in The New York Times is fascinating. I was inspired by the 31-year-old married couple who decided that by reducing the demands on their time and wallets, and throwing out a majority of their belongings, they would actually be richer than they were when living the stereotypical 30-something life. And they were right!

New studies are not only showing us what to spend our money on to make our happiness quotient go up, they are also showing us that when it comes to owning commercial goods – less is more.

Buying material items makes you happy initially – but the feeling quickly fades so that you have to buy again in order to feel the same level of satisfaction. A never-ending cycle. But by spending money on experiences and leisure activities, you have a more lasting happiness. Especially when those activities increase the quality of your interpersonal relationships.

Ayurveda

My best friend Melissa, a yoga teacher and all-around health warrior, has been raving about how great she feels since beginning to live an Ayurvedic life.

Ayurveda is an ancient holistic healing system that originated in India. The practice focuses on the use of herbs, massage, meditation, exercise and yoga.

According to Ayurveda, people are composed of three complementary energies, or doshas: vata (movement), pitta (transformation), and kapha (stability). We're all our own special blend of vata, pitta, and kapha, but we usually have one dominant dosha that determines things such as our personality, body shape, health and appetites. Left unchecked, your dominant dosha can cause physical or emotional imbalance.

Someone with vata qualities, for instance, is energetic and talkative, but when that vata gets out of balance it can manifest as anxiety and insomnia. Being creatures of nature, everything -- from the food on our plates to the weather to the color of our walls -- affects our doshas' balance.

The Ayurvedic system uses the principles of nature to bring people back into equilibrium, maintaining well-being. And although diet tends to get most of the attention in Ayurveda, exercise choices are a critical and often overlooked cause of physical and emotional dosha imbalance. Balancing your exercise choices according to your dosha can make a big difference in your overall health and well-being.

Each dosha is naturally inclined toward certain activities, but these should be complemented by their energetic opposites to achieve balanced bodies and minds. For example, if you're a pitta (like me), your passionate, aggressive nature may draw you to competitive, high-energy sports like tennis. But competition tends to aggravate, rather than balance out, pitta. You'll probably enjoy exercise more and reap more health benefits if you also pursue activities that cool your fire, like swimming or skiing.

Whole Living Magazine offers a free test to determine what your leading dosha is, and then recommends exercises that are appropriate for your dosha type .

Acupuncture

Every Monday, I spend my lunch break at Omidi Acupuncture getting pierced with tiny needles that literally bring me to a state of bliss. You have to try it to believe it, but acupuncture makes me simultaneously relaxed and high on life.

The best part is – unlike massage where you feel relaxed only while getting the work performed, the positive effects of acupuncture stay with you all day. My energy feels revitalized, balanced, and peaceful for hours after a treatment.

As an athlete, I often have at least one (if not more) body part that is aching from overuse. Acupuncture has helped to relieve pain in my hamstrings, lower back, and rotator cuff with no side effects. I have also gotten treatments during periods of high anxiety and stress with positive results. Best of all – acupuncture is covered by most health insurance providers, so typically the only cost incurred is that of a patient’s co-pay.

I asked my acupuncturist and friend, Moji Omidi, to provide me with a few details to share about the history of her healing profession. Here is what I learned:

Acupuncture is the oldest continually practiced medicine in the world. It has been employed as a healthcare modality for almost 3,000 years! Currently, around ¼ of the world’s population makes use of the practice.

Acupuncture works by re-establishing the yin/yang balance of the body, and the balance between qi (pronounced “chee”), blood and body fluids. Qi, or vital energy, circulates through specific pathways called meridians. There are 14 main meridian pathways in the body, and each is connected to specific organs and glands.

When a person’s Qi flows freely, they enjoy physical, mental, and emotional well-being. An obstruction of Qi anywhere in the body is like a dam, backing up the flow in one area and restricting it in others.

Things that can affect a person’s Qi include: physical and emotional trauma, stress, lack of exercise, overexertion, seasonal changes and diet. When the disruption of Qi is prolonged or excessive, then illness, pain or disease can set in.

During a treatment, an acupuncturist will place fine, sterile needles at specific acupoints on the body. Typically, needles are inserted at depths ranging from 1/8” to 1 ½”.

When the needles are inserted, a person may feel a vague numbness, tingling or dull ache. Sometimes people experience a sensation of energy spreading and moving around the needle. After the treatment, a feeling of being energized or a deep sense of relaxation is typical.