Make the Switch to Re-useable Straws

For a quick, sweet moment, pause whatever you are doing in this given moment. Take a few seconds to inhale deeply through your nose, and simply appreciate the sensation of your lungs expanding. Hold your breath for as long as you wish, then slowly exhale. As you feel your body shift into a more calm and mindful state, close your eyes and envision yourself in a perfect, healthy world. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel?

I believe that too often, we disregard our power as individuals to create the change we wish to see. The idea of making a significant difference can be so overwhelming that we completely disregard the possibility of anything changing, and we give up on our dreams off a perfect world.

In the United States, the average person uses about 2 plastic straws on a daily basis. That means in one country alone, over 182 billion plastic straws are thrown away every single year! Since plastic straws cannot be recycled, after they are thrown away they either sit in landfills for 500 years or make their way to the ocean. Boo!

It is hard for some of us to fathom that our individual use of plastic straws could heavily contribute to pollution and degradation of ecosystems all over the world, but one less person using plastic straws means 700 less straws being thrown away every single year. All it takes to accomplish a majority of the population saying no to single use plastic straws is one person making conscious, sustainable lifestyle choices to inspire others to do the same.

A re-usable metal straw costs no more than 3 - 6 dollars, is extremely easy to carry around, and also looks a lot cooler than a cheap plastic straw. When ordering a drink at a coffee shop or a restaurant, all you need to do is kindly ask for no plastic straw. From my personal experience, you may even get a high five or a “heck yeah!” from the barista or server. Special shout out to Alexis from Public Square Coffehouse in La Mesa who gave me a huge hug today and already knew that your girl wasn’t about to use a plastic to go cup!

You can buy a re-useable metal straw for $3 at the Totem Boutique at Trilogy Sanctuary in La Jolla that comes with a straw cleaner, and many local coffee shops now carry them as well! Purchase a re-useable straw whenever you get the chance, and you’ll be surprised by how many people will be inspired to follow your conscious footsteps. Until we speak again, sleep well, nourish your body with colorful food, and feel the sun on your skin every now and then.

With love and compassion,

Aya Chabayta || Totem Boutique Eco Warrior
President & Lead Teacher of Aya Art Co.
www.AyaArt.co

Moon Medicine: Hormones & Cycles

“Traditionally, the Moontime is the sacred time of a woman when she is honored as a Mother of the Creative Force. During this time she is allowed to release the old energy her body has carried and prepare for reconnection to the Earth Mother’s fertility that she will carry in the next Moon or month. Our Ancestors understood the importance of allowing each woman to have her Sacred Space during this time of reconnection, because women were the carriers of abundance and fertility…” - Jamie Sams

The female cycle is intimately connected to the moon cycle. Just like the moon & the sun, our physical & energetic bodies cycle monthly & yearly. The moon has particular influence over our monthly cycles and those cycles then impact and shift the energy of women around us. We truly are all connected. Moontime used to be a time when women would gather and nurture one another sharing wisdom, support, and honor for their bodies. In our modern society, many of us women are completely disconnected from our cycles. More common than not, our bodies have been influenced or altered by birth control, we are unaware of the phases of our cycle, our own fertility, and we often see “that time of the month” as the repetitively horrible, embarrassing, and annoying times in our lives.

There is no doubt that birth control was revolutionary for women. Many of the sisters who came before us fought with everything they had so that we had the choice to work and conceive, if and when we wanted. In modern day, electricity and artificial light (at all times of the day), lack of women’s circles and wisdom from our elders have all contributed to a loss of the natural connection between ourselves, our bodies, and the moon.

In the workshop I am leading on March 3rd, Moon Medicine: Hormones & Cycles, we will explore the medicine of the moon. We will learn how to naturally sync our cycles to the moon and how to use seed cycling and nourishing herbs to help guide your body back into its natural rhythm. We will learn how to listen to our bodies and pay attention to what needs to be healed, as well as learn natural remedies for common menstrual ailments.

This is also a time to honor the cycles of a woman’s life, from the beginning of womanhood to the transition and birth of a new self in peri-menopause and menopause. We will highlight the joys and struggles and the meanings behind the presence or absence of our Moontime at the different phases of life. This connection is what we are meant to share in as women, it’s the TRIBE that heals…this is Tribe Medicine.
 

If you feel called to work with me one-on-one I am accepting new patients on Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays at my office at Trilogy Sanctuary in La Jolla. If you resonate with Moon Medicine, I look forward to seeing you on Saturday, March 3rd! Sign up at the link below!

Dr. Leah Gordon
Naturopathic Doctor at Tribe Medicine
Trilogy Sanctuary