The New Paradigm

I've been doing some thinking about the Movement that is happening right now in America. I love it- that's my first thought. People are waking up. Thanks to the internet, people are being exposed to truths that would never make the mainstream media news. There is a shift happening, and its palpable. I myself woke up to a whole new level of consciousness in 2013- I started the year as someone who was hiding her head in the sand about the state of things. It was a facebook event that grabbed my attention- the March Against Monsanto. A friend had tried to tell me about Monsanto and GMOs a year prior, and I refused to listen. It was too big, too much, I couldn't handle it. I saw that event and thought- "Here this is again, this Monsanto. I need to know more." I did some research, and I was appalled. I went to the March Against Monsanto on May 25, and the die was cast. I could not return to my former life- my former life meaning eating processed foods for every meal, with no regard to where it came from or what was in it. And in looking at food, which is central to the life of every person, I started to learn more about everything to which I had turned a blind eye. I opened my eyes. I woke up.

Waking up is all good and well, but its nothing without action. I learned this in the course of my life; I am no spring chicken and have had ample opportunity to learn some good hard lessons, and 'faith without works is dead' is a big one for me. I started blogging about my journey, and I started a facebook page to help spread ideas and draw attention to necessary issues. I changed the way I ate, and started culling recipes into a cookbook of easy, healthy, non GMO vegetarian meals. I began to investigate the world of the Food Justice Movement. I started attending beekeeping mentoring with Honeylove, I signed up as a volunteer at Los Angeles Green Grounds, I went to another March Against Monsanto, and other protests. I started to meet more like minded people; we met and talked about our roles in the New Paradigm. I am working on a non-profit for teenage girls, to teach them to grow food and raise bees, to understand their value and empower them to act on their compassionate urge to help, to connect them back to what is important and teach them to take a stand and play a part in the Shift. It is a snowball effect: once it starts it gathers no moss but rolls along with its own momentum. For those who are waking up, who are starting to realize they play a part in this Movement, I say- Fuck yeah. Come on, we need you. But don't just wake up; dig in. Shake the hive. Make waves. get involved. Always look for the thing the presence of which would make a difference, and bring that. All the time. The revolution is 24/7.

What I have been thinking about, however, is the different stances one can take in said Movement. I have found myself in both the anti side of things- protesting, standing against injustices, and pro- the growing and building of the New Paradigm. We need both. We need the fighters. We need them and we need them in great numbers.  But I think, in spite of my fighting nature (and I do have that, very definitely I do) that its my job to grow, and to build, and to teach. To inspire. But first- I have to be inspiring, and that is what I am building now, what I am growing. I am learning the vernacular of the New Paradigm, and how to speak about it in ways that are effective. Often I find many people preaching, and doing a really great job of it. But they are also preaching to the choir, and that is not what I want to do. I want to reach those who don't know and need to know. I want to connect with people who could make a very big difference if their eyes were only open. The system does everything in its power to lull the masses into a state of complacency, and its doing a DAMN fine job of it. People are generally more fascinated by Miley Cyrus's tongue's antics than the fact that Obama is trying to fast track the Trans Pacific Partnership. That's exactly how they want it. But you know this- if you are reading this, chances are that you are one of the lucky ones with a clue about what's going on. And since you likely are one of those people, I have to ask- what are you doing about it?

I have seen people leave the Monsanto March, or the TPP Rally, and go get Jack in the Box. I love that they showed up, that they cared, that they committed half their day to standing against the Fat Cats- but then its all dismantled by a decision. They leave and go support the very evil that they marched against. We must all, all of us who care and seek to make a difference, stop supporting corporations. Just don't do it. Shop at local businesses. Do your best to buy from local farmers- not every city has a farmer's market, but there are natural health food stores and co-ops. Try to buy organic from your market, and if its not the season for a certain produce item, then just don't buy it- it means that its been shipped across the world and picked before its ripened.  Buy your clothes second hand whenever possible- I make exceptions for undies and socks. I buy my technology second hand- I don't need the newest iphone when it hits the market- who really *needs* the latest iphone the second it comes out? Try to not use single use items whenever possible- carry a re-usable water bottle, and re-usable coffee cups if you're a coffee freak. Refill gallon size containers with water at the Water Vending machine in front of your grocery store- its 30 cents a gallon and you can fill up your re-usable water bottle daily.  Re-usable bags for groceries- but NOT JUST GROCERIES. Keep one of those kinds that fold up tiny for any time you shop- the pharmacy, the second hand store, anywhere. Keep flatware in your car for when you eat anywhere that you might need plastic forks or spoons. Never EVER eat fast food.  Bike or walk or use public transportation, or, if you can, get a hybrid or electric car. Look into alternative energy sources if you own your home. (In LA, they will install solar panels for you for free. Look into it!) Eat less, or no, meat. Do anything in your power to be sustainable by looking at your life and really understanding what is necessary and what has been marketed to you based on its convenience. 

 Convenience is killing this planet. People generally shirk commitment and embrace convenience. It needs to be the other way around. That's the start of the real revolution. . Eat food that causes chronic illnesses? Sure, if you make it so we don't have to get out of our car. Give all of our personal information to anyone asking for it? Sure, as long as we have access to apps, social media, and products delivered to our door. Destroy the ocean's delicate ecosystem with excessive non-biodegradable plastic? Sure, as long as we can have a bottle of water with us at all times. Hey- I'm guilty, too. We live in the modern age, and we have learned to hand over our rights so long as we are too distracted to be bothered by it. The process of waking up requires that we all pay attention to how spellbound we are by convenience, and how we go out of our way to avoid commitment...even a commitment to eschew convenience for the sake of living more rightly and true and in accord with the needs of our own body, mind, and world.

Those are just some ways EVERYONE can make a difference. To go a little more radical- start growing your own food. Raise bees- get in touch with a beekeeping association in your area and they will show you how. Raise chickens. Talk about it. Start a blog. Start a facebook page. Have meetings to discuss what your neighborhood can do to reduce its total carbon footprint. There are ways, and there is something each one of us can do. Maybe you're a fighter- then by all means, FIGHT! Show up at rallies, stand for something. Maybe you are more likely to want to build the New Paradigm- look into groups that are already doing it- you don't have to re-invent the wheel, the groups are out there, and they need you. THE MOVEMENT NEEDS YOU. I hope you really are getting that. I don't mean the you that lives next door or sitting beside you- I mean YOU.

Do whatever you can, with whatever you have!

I only have so much time to spare to do anything- like most people, I am raising a family and working. Unlike some people, I am doing this on my own with no assistance. And even so, I find the time to be involved, so there really is no excuse. Still, it has been important for me to get clear on what I am committed to showing up for. It does no good to get burned out or overwhelmed. There are lots of marches and rallies these days, and I feel like I've missed out when I don't or can't go, but my heart tells me to go explore the growing process. And in so doing, I meet the most amazing people who are interested in creating a better world, and I learn new ways to make a difference. We talk about forming alliances, fortifying the Movement, teaching others, reaching out.  Whether you are a fighter, a lover, a visionary or an anti-establishmentarian, I implore you to take who you are and make waves. Start with the small things you can do, right now, in your life, and see where that takes you. Occupy yourself!


XOXO,

Ashley Dane
Shake the Hive

Carry On. Stay Kind. Occupy Yourself.

One of the greatest things about having a voice and presence as an activist in the virtual world is the people that find you, rally around you, and support you and your message. Just these past two weeks, I have had some great responses to things I've posted. Halloween night, I posted this-

Angela Davis- liberate minds as well as society

A few moments after posting that, I received this in my inbox, from a wonderful woman named Karen Sue Gaddy. I asked her if I could mention her name and post her message.

Just saw your post w Angela Davis

 I was not much more than 20. They were goin up the jersey tp minding their own business. State police stopped their car. Think they had Lewis or Newton in the car. Angela went to prison pg. I sat in my upstairs window and wept as men with guns walked the fields and woods around my house. They came on the radio and told us to stay inside and lock our doors. There had been a shoot out on the jersey tpk around mile market 8 or 8A between Black Panthers and popo.

I had already seen what the establishment was doing to stop the uprising. Those of us who craved change read the "underground" newspaper and just knew that most of what the establishment was printing was lies. If you gotta stuff a gag in a man's mouth in court, you must be afeared of losing control. (In them days, the popo would stop any hippie or weirdo in a desolate part of the Garden State in the A.M.,rip your ride apart, seats and all, throw it out on the side of the highway and leave you there at the mercy of the night to put your shit back together.)

So, I did not lock my doors. I opened all my windows and doors and prayed they would make it to my house and I could have helped them in some way. I just played "Four Way Street" full blast on the outdoor speakers, blasted it across the fields and woods and awaited the inevitable. They did not make it to my house.     

Carry on. Stay kind. Always there is a movement.

"Those of us who crave change."  If you are reading this, then there is a good chance you are one of those people.  Change must happen, and the change requires that we each look at our lives and do things differently. I love this quote by David Suzuki- it says so much-

David Suzuki- Re-examine our lifestyles is right!

This revolution has elements that none other has had before. The enemy is not only without. There is a complacency that has infiltrated our minds, or homes, and our lives, that is the biggest obstacle in this movement. If we could overcome that obstacle EN MASSE- it would be a powerful, even unstoppable force. There are more of us than of them. And by them, I mean the shareholders and those who make money on the bones of our children's children. Those who profit from our illnesses. Those who package food "products"  to make them tempting, add chemical flavorings to induce cravings, all the while knowing that these diets create obesity, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, all sorts of maladies for which they also provide a plethora of pharmaceuticals- BIG PHARMA. And BIG AGRA, they are all for the GMOs, tout them as being the solution to world hunger, meanwhile American grocery stores are 80% full of GMO tainted products, and people are still starving in the world.  This isn't new information, but how many of you have changed your eating lifestyle radically in lieu of this information? How many people, when presented with images of the plastic garbage vortex in the Pacific Ocean- larger than the state of Texas-  stop using single use plastic items entirely, things like water bottles, cups from coffee shops, plastic bags at grocery stores, lighters? I know that when you read about this stuff, it bothers you. But for most, it doesn't bother them enough, and that's the biggest enemy we face. The apathy, the complacency. that is why this revolution IS primarily an internal one. At least, it begins there, and then it manifests in your life.

Once you start to do things differently, you want to talk about it. You want to have a community around you of like minded people. You tolerate ignorance less. You prefer to learn to be sustainable, to rely less and less on this very flawed system full of sleeping sheep people. You might learn to grow food, or shop at the farmer's markets. You might march at rallies, write blogs, create groups in your community, work with non-profits, learn about beekeeping, help plant urban farms, grow your own food, build a solar panel,  create a non profit, write a cookbook of the new recipes you are learning to create in place of processed foods. You might feel healthier, sexier, people might say, "Wow, you look great, are you in love?" You might be less stressed, moody, prone to anxiety. You might be more present in all your relationships.  You might be EXCITED- for no reason and for every reason. You might feel like part of a movement. You might sense the presence of greater alternatives opening up for the future of humanity. You might feel like one of the good guys. You might love yourself for it.  This is the revolution. The enemy is apathy. Learn to recognize your enemy in your life, and maneuver around it, or kill it dead, but don't let it stop you. OCCUPY YOURSELF!

I loved what Karen Sue Gaddy sent so much. I love how she felt impelled to write to me, a total stranger, and give me a glimpse into a moment and time in her life and her own revolutionary heart. Above all, I love how she signed off. Carry on. Stay kind. Always there is a movement. Thank you, Karen!!

OCCUPY YOURSELF



xoxo,

Ashley Dane
Shake the Hive

Buying Locally Grown

I can't stress the importance of buying locally grown goods.  Buying locally grown is like throwing a Molotov cocktail in the face of Monsanto and Bayer and Syngenta. And if you have a revolutionary nature like I do, then that alone is reason enough to start shopping at your local farmer's market or natural food co-op.

My daughter tagged along with her camera. I had to goof off for her!

BUYING LOCALLY GROWN- WHERE DOES YOUR FOOD COME FROM?

I am going to forego talking about the processed foods from the center aisles of your grocery store- I talk about this a lot, but for the sake of this blog, I am going to just say- Don't eat that crap. Trust me. Its bad. God only knows what havoc its wreaking on your immune system.

 Having said that, some people really do try to shop mostly from the outer edges of the grocery store, where the so called fresh food can be found. Even so, the food there has some issues that are not obvious. Produce, for example. We can now buy strawberries and seasonal produce year round. Sometimes its more expensive than others, depending on the season. Usually, the produce is shipped in from other states, and even other countries, like South America. What this means is that your produce was picked well before it was ripe, in order to get on the shelf in time and also allow it to sit on the shelf for another week or so. When produce is picked before it is ripe, it is lacking the natural processes that make it not only taste good, but deliver nutrients. The nutrients come in the maturation process, so when a tomato is picked several days before it is ripe, even though it will continue to ripen while its in a box on its way to the grocery store, it is not ripening on the vine and lacks the necessary sugars and sunlight to become a true representation of what a tomato should be. You can also see the difference with your own eyes. Cut open a tomato from the grocery store and its water-y and goopy and has lots of space inside it- often only the outer part is usable. But cut open a vine ripened fresh locally grown tomato, and its solid tomato meat all the way through.

My beloved Studio City farmer's market. Its also a fun way to spend a Sunday!

So, by the time it gets to you, its been picked too young, put in boxes and transported across states or even countries. It doesn't taste or look like a tomato that you bought that was picked the day before, as you get from a local farmer, and it lacks the full range of nutrients, too. It is a well known fact that in countries that eat a mostly plant based diet, there is a lack of the major illnesses that plague us in the USA. By eating the most nutrient dense produce you can buy, and learning to eliminate processed foods (I know, it takes time. Even I have a list of 5 that I am not ready to give up yet.) and reducing animal based foods (I said reduce. If you can eliminate them, then I totally salute you, but I am definitely not there yet. However, I now eat meat about once a week. My weakness is milk.) you can significantly decrease you and your family's chances of succumbing to such abundant ailments as obesity, high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Fresh fruit and vegetables contain what our bodies need to function properly and stave off illness and disease.

"Let food by thy medicine." Hippocrates said that. Every Dr has to swear a Hippocratic oath to this day in order to become a physician- that's how legit Hippocrates is. And how not legit many Drs aren't.

Check out this trailer from the documentary Forks Over Knives. Its a must see! And don't worry, so many people tell me they are afraid of seeing how animals are treated in meat processing plants- they don't really show all of that. They just tell you some amazing facts that everyone should know.

Another big factor is the cost to the environment to ship all of this produce all over the world. Often your produce has been in several trucks, planes, or trains before it gets to you. There is a lot of fuel used in this transport. When you buy local, you are not contributing to the exorbitant waste, or the emissions from said waste. Local farmers drive to the markets, but not usually from very far, with their fresh, vine ripened produce. So it tastes better, is healthier, and doesn't contribute to the consumption of fossil fuels.



Checking out the zucchini for some Bomb Ass Zucchini Chips!!!

You also don't get GMO produce, since you know where it came from. They don't sell Frankenfoods at farmer's markets. And those who created genetically modified organisms want the small farmers out of business. Its very convenient that they are killing off the honey bees, which farmers have relied upon since the beginning of time to pollinate their crops. When you support small farmers. you DO NOT support those power hungry assholes that are ready to sacrifice the health of you, your children and the planet for profit.

 

ITS NOT JUST FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

At all farmer's markets, you can find a variety of things besides produce. I get fresh eggs from hens that are free range. They left the hens only a day or two prior to my getting them, rather than weeks after. They taste amazing!!! I also get my soap at my local farmer's market in Studio City, spices, and fish. They also have meat from grass fed cows, handmade clothing and jewelry, organic chousehold cleaning supplies, organic coffee and honey, some cool herbal tonic drinks, fresh squeezed orange juice, locally grown nuts, and smoothies. I always buy a bouquet of lilies for $5. One of my favorite discoveries is Nary Dairy,  a cheese alternative spread made from cashew butter.  The Nary Dairy people are so super sweet, and I love eating food made by such great people. My favorite is the Chia Cheddar. I eat it with quinoa, flax and chia seed crackers.  No more chips, no more candy bars,  no more grazing on snack stuff from 7-11. This stuff is awesome!

With Suzanne from Nary Dairy. Such great people!!! So yummy!!

I now do at least half of my weekly shopping for my family at the farmer's market, and I continue to learn new recipes so that I utilize foods that I can buy there, like my Bomb Ass zucchini chips. It makes me so happy to eat food that supports the local farmers, does not support shipping produce all over the world, is ripe and fresh and nutrient dense and delicious. I love that I walk to the market to get it, use only my recycled shopping bags, and don't purchase anything in packaging- no waste whatsoever. I love that I am not supporting the giant food corporations that would like to jeopardize our health to keep Big Pharma fat and happy.  The revolution starts with making different choices in who and what your dollar supports. So its a big fat UP YOURS to Monsanto, and that makes me ecstatic.

Not everyone has a local farmer's market, and not everywhere has a climate where they can buy locally grown.  Here are two helpful websites that can assist you in finding what is in your area-

CLICK HERE for a farmer's market locator.

CLICK HERE for a natural foods co-op locator

Don't forget to use recycled shopping bags. I will soon have some snazzy Shake The Hive market bags, with little produce bags inside so you don't have to ever use any plastic bags again.  A friend of mine is helping me with the new logo, and I can't wait to unveil it!

Don't forget to March Against Monsanto! Check out the facebook page for the March nearest you

Shake the Hive!

Ashley Dane

Radical Recipes from the New Anarchist's Cookbook- Stick-it-To-The-man Stir Fry

This week has been weird. I've been craving deep fried wontons with cream cheese inside- and I'm not gonna lie. I got some. But then I craved them the next night, and I realized how sneaky my brain is. Its wired, via my taste buds, to want deep fried food food, filled with some gooey cheese- I mean,  what is cream cheese, anyway? I will look it up later, but I do love it, and I'm not backing down from it yet- although I get it from trader Joe's, no more Philly Cream Cheese filled with GMOs for me.

I had to have a bit of a stand down with myself. I was in a bit of a state. All I could think about all day long were those damn wontons. Sometimes, in these recipes I post, I offer the recipe itself up as an alternative to a craving. This isn't that, not really. There is no relation to the following recipe and fried cream cheese wontons in taste or texture- but its the best thing I've made all week, and it totally hit the spot, and I won't be surprised if I crave it all day tomorrow- that's the goal. To keep eating the right foods until I de-program myself from the processed, deep fried, palm oil and high fructose corn syrup laden, GMO packed crap that is packaged so cleverly, branded so well its seared into our flesh, and hits all the high notes with our taste buds. I want to crave healthy stuff, because I want to make sure my dollars are not supporting the aforementioned atrocity that is the typical American diet. I want my dollars to go to the local and small and organic farmers, who are not trying to compromise my health for the sake of Big Pharma.

Eat Radical recipes and avoid Big Pharma- stick it to the man by eating like you give a damn!

Enough of me ranting. I posted a recipe a couple of weeks back, and this is actually a variation on a theme.

STICK-IT-TO-THE-MAN STIR FRY

There's no going back now

What you will need-


6 Organic carrots. NOT those already peeled bright orange weird carrots, those are actually reconstituted carrots. But like REAL carrots, with green at the top, that you have to peel
Frozen organic green beans
organic non GMO sprouted tofu, firm
mushrooms
oyster sauce
sesame oil
garlic
Quinoa- optional side dish, I highly recommend.

So the biggest prep time in this recipe is for the carrots. I peel them, place them in tent of aluminum foil with EVOO and garlic, and bake them in the oven at 450 for 20 minutes, or until they are 'al dente'. And yes, there is a perfect texture for carrots. If they aren't al dente, I won't eat them- they don't even taste like carrots when they are cooked right. Which is good since I kind of hate carrots otherwise.

Here is an amazing song to cut tofu and mushrooms by, FLUME featuring Chet Faker...

(Put quinoa on to cook now, if you are going to have that as a side dish)

While carrots are cooking, cut the tofu into squares and set aside. Cut the mushrooms into slices. Mince the garlic, unless you have a Trader Joe's and can get the frozen garlic cubes- they ROCK! Put sesame oil, oyster sauce, and plenty of garlic in a wok or frying pan. (I never measure, but if I had to guess, I'd say start with 1/3 cup of each and 3 cloves garlic- if a clove means one of those little chunks that you have to peel inside a big thing of garlic)

STICK IT TO THE MAN! Right from your own kitchen!!!

Don't turn the stove on high, I always do and burn everything. Keep it on a low-medium setting while the oil, sauce, and garlic get a chance to mingle and infuse.  After about 3-5 minutes, put the tofu in first. Mix it gently so it doesn't break apart but gets saturated with the sauce. After a few minutes, put the mushrooms in and do the same thing. A few minutes later, put the green beans in (I put them in frozen) and let it all simmer for a while.

Now check on those carrots. If they seem good to you, take them out carefully and cut them into bite sizes. Throw those in with the rest of the stir fry and simmer some more.

You will be able to tell when its ready- mostly because the frozen beans will be hot which means everything else is well cooked too. Try to make sure someone is with you- you will want to have someone taste your amazing cooking immediately. You will be grinning from ear to ear, and you know how it is, you have to share the joy asap. At least, that was my experience.

If you try it and you like it, let me know!!

And don't forget, just 5 weeks away and coming to a city or town near you-

Occupy yourself! March Against Monsanto. Find the location near you on facebook.

Love and rockets,

Ashley Dane
Shake The Hive

Microwaves are bad....and here is why

Microwaves.

Its hard to think of life without them, isn't it? About two years ago, I had a friend who didn't have one, and I can totally remember thinking they were so....odd! I couldn't imagine how they did it.

I've changed a lot since that time. I am currently sorting through nearly everything in my life, looking for the truth about what I put in my mouth, my body, and most especially my mind, which controls the rest of it anyway. Its not easy- it challenges so much of who I think I am, and what I find comfort in. Food, especially, is such a personal thing. We like what we like. Or do we? I have found that I am not to be trusted. If I know that I am eating something super processed,  filled with palm oil, genetically modified organisms, high fructose corn syrup, dyes, and a host of other things that are proven to be BAD, for me and for the planet- if I know this, and I still eat it, what is calling the shots in my head?  Some sort of programming that tells me the satisfaction I seek is in that bad food, which over rides all the other facts. I want my satisfaction. My taste buds want that thing, and they are not to be deterred. Usually, that's the case. But I don't trust my taste buds any more. The bad foods appeal to our taste buds, but we need to eat twice as much of that food to feel physically satisfied. That's how America became the home of the Super Size meal. And that is why our kids now suffer maladies once entirely the realm of older people, after a life time of eating poorly- things like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and heart disease. These diseases are on the rise in youth because so many kids' diets consist of the worst possible nutrition. 

MICROWAVES ARE BAD

So the issue of the microwave. Its another thing I have taken another look at. For the past few months, in my house, I have been on a campaign to reduce its use, but my kids won't let me get rid of it quite yet.  On the front of it, in Sharpie marker, I have written- DONT USE THIS UNLESS YOU HAVE TO! ITS BAD! and drew a picture of a skull and crossbones. Its helped a lot, it rarely gets used. One of these days, it will be thrown out, and by that time my kids won't miss it. Any day now. I don't buy food that is microwave friendly any more- that's a huge component to the success of living without a microwave. Eat fresh! We are eating lots of green stuff, and you can find lots of RADICAL RECIPES right here on Shake The Hive. (And watch the documentary Forks Over Knives if you really want to take it to the next level. Let me know what you think, if you do!)

My microwave, with warning written on the front in marker

Why would I not want a microwave? Here are some reasons, below. But what I personally understand is that the microwaves sort of blow up the molecules in food, making them unrecognizable to the body as the food you think you are eating.  That's my rendition, in a nutshell. So if you are nuking some processed crap, there isn't a lot of good stuff to destroy- but some of the findings below say that it doesn't just destroy good stuff, it turns cells in carcinogens, in some cases.

The first set of findings are a very DIY sort of control exeriment, done with house plants. The results are shocking. The second set of findings, under the plant experiment, are from a blog written by Dr Mercola, which can be found in its entirety by clicking here.  Its some amazing stuff, and if this doesn't stop you in your tracks, I don't know what will.

Below is a Science fair project presented by a girl in a secondary school in Sussex. In it she took filtered water and divided it into two parts. You can find the original article by clicking here.

The first part she heated to boiling in a pan on the stove, and the second part she heated to boiling in a microwave. Then after cooling she used the water to water two identical plants to see if there would be any difference in the growth between the normal boiled water and the water boiled in a microwave.

She was thinking that the structure or energy of the water may be compromised by microwave.
As it turned out, even she was amazed at the difference, after the experiment which was repeated by her class mates a number of times and had the same result.

It has been known for some years that the problem with microwaved anything is not the radiation people used to worry about, it’s how it corrupts the DNA in the food so the body can not recognize it.
Microwaves don’t work different ways on different substances. Whatever you put into the microwave suffers the same destructive process. Microwaves agitate the molecules to move faster and faster. This movement causes friction which denatures the original make-up of the substance. It results in destroyed vitamins, minerals, proteins and generates the new stuff called radiolytic compounds, things that are not found in nature.

So the body wraps it in fat cells to protect itself from the dead food or it eliminates it fast. Think of all the Mothers heating up milk in these ‘Safe’ appliances. What about the nurse in Canada that warmed up blood for a transfusion patient and accidentally killed him when the blood went in dead. But the makers say it’s safe. But proof is in the pictures of living plants dying!!!






FORENSIC RESEARCH DOCUMENT
Prepared By: William P. Kopp
A. R. E. C. Research Operations
TO61-7R10/10-77F05
RELEASE PRIORITY: CLASS I ROO1a
Ten Reasons to dispose off your Microwave Oven
From the conclusions of the Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, we can no longer ignore the microwave oven sitting in our kitchens. Based on this research, one can conclude this article with the following:
1). Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term – permanent – brain damage by ‘shorting out’ electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue].
2). The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.
3). Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.
4). The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body.
5). Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.
6). The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.
7). Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumours]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in UK and America .
8). The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.
9). Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.
10). Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.


Twenty Years of Russian Research Supports Microwave Concerns
The Nazis are credited with inventing the first microwave-cooking device to provide mobile food support to their troops during their invasion of the Soviet Union in World War II [14] . These first microwave ovens were experimental. After the war, the US War Department was assigned the task of researching the safety of microwave ovens.
But it was the Russians who really took the bull by the horns.
After the war, the Russians had retrieved some of these microwave ovens and conducted thorough research on their biological effects. Alarmed by what they learned, the Russians banned microwave ovens in 1976, but they later lifted the ban during Perestroika in the late 1980's.
Still, 20 years of Russian research (and German studies as far back as 1942 Berlin) make a strong argument against the safety of microwave cooking.
Their findings led the Russian government to issue an international warning about possible biological and environmental damage associated with the use of microwave ovens and other similar frequency electronic devices (e.g. mobile phones).
I was not able to personally evaluate any of these older bodies of research, since those documents are now difficult to track down, so I can't attest to their methodology or conclusions. All you can do is weigh their findings appropriately, as best you can.
The Powerwatch article cited above summarizes the Russian research quite well, which I will duplicate below.

•Russian investigators found that carcinogens were formed from the microwaving of nearly all foods tested.

•The microwaving of milk and grains converted some of the amino acids into carcinogenic substances.

•Microwaving prepared meats caused the formation of the cancer-causing agents d-Nitrosodienthanolamines.

•Thawing frozen fruits by microwave converted their glucoside and galactoside fractions into carcinogenic substances.

•Extremely short exposure of raw, cooked or frozen vegetables converted their plant alkaloids into carcinogens.

•Carcinogenic free radicals were formed in microwaved plants--especially root vegetables.

•Structural degradation leading to decreased food value was found to be 60 to 90 percent overall for all foods tested, with significant decreases in bioavailability of B complex vitamins, vitamins C and E, essential minerals, and lipotropics (substances that prevent abnormal accumulation of fat).

I might add that this finding is supported by the 1998 Japanese study by Watanabe7 about vitamin B12 in milk, cited above.

The Swiss Clinical Study: Hans Hertel
Some fairly compelling evidence supporting the destructive effects of microwaves comes from a highly cited study by a Swiss food scientist named Hans Hertel. Dr. Hertel was the first scientist to study the effects of microwaved foods on the blood and physiology of human beings.

His small study, coauthored by Dr. Bernard Blanc of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the University Institute for Biochemistry, revealed the degenerative forces produced by microwave ovens on the foods they cooked.

Dr. Hertel concluded that microwave cooking changed the nutrients in the food, and that changes took place in the blood that could cause negative health effects.

Hertel's conclusions were that microwaving food resulted in:

•Increased cholesterol levels

•Decreased numbers of leukocytes (white blood cells), which can suggest poisoning

•Decreased numbers of red blood cells

•Production of radiolytic compounds

•Decreased hemoglobin levels, which could indicate anemia

Not surprisingly, Dr. Hertel's study was met with great resistance from those with much to lose.
A gag order against Dr. Hertel was issued by a Swiss trade organization in 1992, which was later removed in 1998. But an American journalist, Tom Valentine, published the results of Hertel's study in Search for Health in the spring of 1992 [15] .

Occupy yourself!!!

xoxo,

Ashley Dane
Shake The Hive

Whats up with pink Himalyan sea salt???

There are lots of small ways to improve what we keep in our kitchen. There are the obvious things- shop only in the outer aisles of the super market, buy local, eliminate processed foods- all of this very pertinent and valuable. But I also like the small steps that don't necessarily require an upheaval of one's lifestyle. Wait- I take that back. I love upheaval. I am here to promote upheaval and a completely radical departure from a lifestyle of processed foods, fast food, allowing convenience to dictate what food you put in your body, and the obsessive investigation of anything and everything one puts into their mouth, body, and mind. Having said that, I will tell you why switching your salt is an awesome idea.

First, but not terribly important in the scheme of things- Himalayan Sea Salt is pink! Not baby girl pink, but a chthonian, primal pink. Like a tongue. Like salmon. Like something that is rich in good things. It looks deeply and intrinsically good.

Himalayan Sea Salt chunks

Now on to the importance of switching from processed table salt to a "full spectrum" salt.

  Himalayan Sea Salt contains a full spectrum of 84 minerals and trace elements. It is an unrefined, unprocessed "raw" salt that's hand-mined from abundant salt caves that were formed 250 million years ago as ocean salt settled in certain geologic pockets around the earth- basically, these were sea caves millions of years ago, so this is salt from an ancient sea.

Most of the western world thinks of salt as sodium chloride -- a highly refined, processed white substance that's devoid of nutrients. Salt is so completely devoid of nutrients, in fact, that in the early 20th century, doctors noticed that people who ate white table salt started to suffer chronic degenerative diseases such as goiter. This was caused by the lack of iodine in the salt. In addition to goiter, there is a not so lovely condition called cretinism-

Iodine deficiency is one of the leading causes of preventable mental handicaps worldwide, producing typical reductions in IQ of 10 to 15 IQ points. It has been speculated that deficiency of iodine and other micronutrients may be a possible factor in observed differences in IQ between ethnic groups: see race and intelligence for a further discussion of this controversial issue.

Cretinism is a condition associated with iodine deficiency and goiter, commonly characterised by mental deficiency, deaf-mutism, squint, disorders of stance and gait, stunted growth and hypothyroidism. Paracelsus was the first to point out the relation between goitrous parents and mentally retarded children.^{[5]-Wikipedia}

Regular processed table salt is missing over 80 minerals. 80!!!! But they only put ONE mineral back  , and that's the iodine. Hence- iodized salt. Like the one with the sweet girl on the side, with her umbrella- so well branded to us Americans, we almost feel like we know her.

Morton Salt is owned by K+S AG, a German chemical and salt company.

 Why would you want to eat salt that's been artificially enriched with ONE mineral when you could be eating salt that contains 84 minerals?  Well, probably you didn't know. But you do now! 

Lots of salt companies now are cashing in on the term 'sea salt'. Don't be fooled. If your salt is white, its processed. Like your sugar- if its white, its bleached and processed. (I'll get to alternatives to white sugar in another blog- but trust me, its not Splenda or Equal or Sweet n Low!)

You can get Himalayan Sea Salt at lots of health food stores, or you can order it from amazon.com. Do it. Occupy yourself means you re-appropriate all that has been claimed by anything or anyone other than you. Choose to dismantle your programming, question all that you think you know (I say start with your attitude about food- and the rest will follow naturally) and wage a full on revolution in the neighborhood that is YOU. Vive la resistance!!!!



If I can do this, you can too

xoxo,

Ashley Dane

You Are What You Eat (and then some)

Doing things different is hard. That's probably why we often don't.  I've said it before, and I'm saying it again- I refuse to be a robot, with my actions dictated by my programming.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT

For me, the true act of resistance, the really radical thing any one of us can do is to question everything, starting with our own selves. So often we define ourselves by our preferences.  How many times have you said, "That's just me, that's just who I am." Poppycock. There are a precious few of us who are self realized, and those people shirk the concept of "I' entirely. I'm not suggesting that, though- its too extreme for most of us, slugging out our daily lives and trying to be the best and most helpful versions of ourselves.

If you are what you eat, then you are what your taste buds tell you. Your tongue DEFINES you. Try that on for size.

In my life, as in most people's, my relationship to food is defining. For anyone new to this blog, let me give you an example. I have always hated water, and preferred cokes. I hated vegetables. I loved processed foods and fast food. Since I never gained weight, I never thought much about it- and you know as well as I do that weight is a much bigger motivator for people changing their eating habits than health. Sad but true. So for me, I wasn't motivated to change, and more than that, I enjoyed being a food brat. I thought it was funny to eat Kraft mac and cheese every day for lunch, to drink 5 cokes a day, a steak for dinner, and 10 cookies with milk before bed and a big chocolate-y coffee drink for breakfast. But when I started to look at my own resistance to even considering eating more like a GROWN UP, I had to admit, I was stuck. I was rigid about it, I wasn't going to listen to anyone who might suggest I try to drink more water, or eat some veggies. I wasn't going to listen, and I didn't listen. I was stubborn as a mule. And I know many other mules, and I know how they feel. To question our food preferences strikes at the heart of our identity.



Word up, yo

I've come a long way in a short while, if I do say so myself. However, this isn't really about me. I offer myself up as a guinea pig of sorts- this blog inspires me to continue because it might, it just might, help someone else make some better choices. Its a self fulfilling prophecy in the most positive of ways. I just know that if I can do it, you can too, no matter who you are. You have to figure out your 'why'. Mine is entirely a socio-political statement. Health was never a selling point for me, nor weight loss. My reason is entirely this- there are evil corporations that are poisoning our food sources. They seek to dominate the world food supply- and when they do, they will dominate the world. Companies like Monsanto and Bayer are killing our bees, tearing up rainforests for palm oil production, and are genetically altering our food. They feed us crap in bright packaging and we eat it. Every cent I don't spend on processed food is a cent they don't get, and every time I buy locally grown, I am supporting farmers, freedom, and the future of the planet. That is what inspires me now, about all choices I make- but it started with food, and now its taking over everything. That is why I call it a revolution- it is a personal revolution, it is a radical move to question your own proclivities and to alter your own internal system.

I am not sure if this is an ad for Coke, or a warning against it.

My new challenge? WATER. Drinking water and cutting back on Cokes (maybe even cutting them out completely- maybe). I didn't think I was ready for this, and it wasn't even really a decision I made consciously. I just chose other things besides Cokes to drink for the past two days. This might be the first time since I was 10 that I have gone two whole days without a Coke. I'm 44. 34 years. That sounds appalling, but its the truth. Coke was my water. So when I say- "If I can do it, you can too", this exact scenario comes to mind. If I can let go of a 34 year long love affair with Coca Cola, then for sure you can let go of whatever you think you never will.

So I am on day two. I am not telling myself I will never have a Coke again, but I can tell you this- the last few cokes I had, I questioned myself. I thought, "Is this really a good taste? Do you even like this?" And I found that the real answer, behind the knee jerk answer, was no, not really. Its too acidy, too sweet, leaves a strange after taste. So I asked myself what I did like about it, and really I just like the carbonation. Those bubbles are what I am after. I have been drinking sparkling water instead, and there isn't anything I don't like about it.  I love this clip, below- this guy makes a pretty good point. In Mexico, high fructose corn syrup is illegal. And yet you can't even drink the water in Mexico- so even with their standards, high fructose corn syrup is not allowed. And that is the main ingredient in my favorite drink. We all know how a nail will dissolve in it. And even this isn't as compelling as the dictates of our taste buds.

Our taste buds control us. I want to propose that our taste buds make emotional connections that could be entirely based on lies. Or, our taste buds lie- and they are very, very compelling.  When I do what my taste buds tell me, I am the worst kind of robot. I am letting little bumps on my tongue define a large part of who I think I am. I am letting the food corporations manipulate my taste buds into manipulating me. That makes me a big meat puppet. No thank you. I'd rather OCCUPY MYSELF! I will figure out who I really am, what I really like and want in my system, and consider the needs of the future of this planet when making my own authentic choices.

When you come right down to it, its really a trip to start dismantling your preferences. In so doing I have discovered that I also really don't like my Kraft Macaroni and cheese. Or American cheese, or white bread. Or hot dogs. I might not even really like gummy bears, but that's another blog entirely. These past two months of eating fresh food, locally grown food, I have discovered a world that was right there all the time, at which I scoffed. I actually like green food. I even kind of love it.  I like fruit! Water isn't so bad, either. I have cut back on red meat to the extent that I have had it twice in two months instead of every night. I will not ever eat fast food again, ever. Who the hell am I anymore?  Its crazy, but its oh so good. And in taking on this shift in my eating life, it has taken root in other areas. I  accept no substitutes, I don't seek cheap thrills. I am not about to drink the Kool-Aid.  I want an authentic experience in all aspects of my life. I am learning that the old adage is true, after all- we really are what we eat. Damn it all to hell- I hate it that they were right all along. Pisses me off to no end! It is a supreme insult to my inner brat to accept defeat, but the brat has run the show long enough. Its just not that cute anymore.

So- for those of you, who, like me, have a hard time with drinking water, there are some great apps out there-

Google play Water APPs

iphone water APPs

And just to remind us all about the magic of water, and its ability to display the consciousness that it is-

And finally, if you are a water drinker, try to avoid water produced or bottled by Nestle. The CEO of Nestle thinks that people are 'entitled' about water, and that water needs to be privatized. Screw that guy. Learn about water- its not all the same. And try to buy those 5 gallon bottles with a little spigot to keep in your fridge and get yourself a cool water canteen or sport bottle and refill as needed for the day. No need for all the senseless waste produced by all those water bottles!

OCCUPY YOURSELF!

xoxo,

 

Ashley Dane

Your Open Mind

Last night, I met three friends and one brand new one for dinner at Good Earth in Studio City. One of them, I travel the globe with. One of them I work with and wish I could travel the globe with. One is very good friends with the previous two and I am getting to know her- we went to the Monsanto Rally together in May. And one is a brand new friend, who will, I am sure, be one of my dear old friends in a few years.

When you get a group of women together, you never know what you are going to get. Often those with a personal history will touch on topics and the others will listen in, too unfamiliar to press for clarifying details, waiting for the conversation to turn into one they can participate in. Usually it revolves around men, botox and filler, or gossip.  This night, however, we had a group of socially and politically conscious women all in one place, and I wish wish WISH we recorded it.

Two of the friends are vegan. I love that they are, I think thats amazing. One of them is very insistent that I watch a documentary called Earthlings. Very insistent. She says she knows if I watch that I will never eat meat again. I am not ready for this- its already a challenge to re-train my taste buds that I eat much less than I used to, because that alone is a process. I don't really eat red meat, but in certain situations, I would. I eat chicken and fish. I rarely eat pork but I might have a little bacon with my fresh from the farm eggs. I just know that right this minute, I am not ready to go to that extreme. But it does seem like a natural progression. She and the other vegan choose that lifestyle out of moral imperatives towards animals. I choose to take on this shift in my life for political reasons, mostly. I love animals, but right now in my life, I am okay with eating them. Thats just me and where I am right now. I prefer to eat free range meat that has been raised gently, and not in meat factories. That works for me, right now.

There was another woman there who is a nutritionist. She could cite reasons for so much of the obesity, diabetes, and heart disease in the US, attributed mostly to the diet of most Americans. Americans eat shit. Seriously. Americans eat fast food constantly. Or they eat specifically with concern to weight, without changing their diets they opt for 'fat free',  or diet products, like diet coke. Lean cuisines and a diet coke is the staple lunch for office workers across the country.  Our food is often 85% GMOs. This woman, who I was quickly growing to love, then brought up the issue coming about in North carolina- this new platform to make the public display of a woman's nipples a felony, to which we all thought we would post pictures of our nipples in a show of resistance.  She also brought up fracking, passionately talking about what a danger it is to the future of all mankind and the planet, and the inevitability of this planet becoming completely incapable of supporting life if this practice continues. She isn't wrong. This planet and its ecosystem can only take so much. These could be the last few centuries of human life on earth if we don't all start to understand and do our part.

I watched these women get very upset by the complacency of other Americans. My vegan friends were angry at people who eat meat, and the nutritionist said she got so upset when people said, "GMOs are proven not to be bad for you," or, "there is plenty of water in the world, fracking will not affect our water supply." The ignorance of others makes them crazy. We had a long talk about that.  They come from families who always viewed people who did not think as they did as idiots. That quickly became the running joke at the table- anyone expressing a view that differed from anyone else the whole table would quip- "you're an idiot!" Its interesting to note that this stance is usually off putting to the very people who would benefit from their message, but I understand their passion and enthusiasm for what they believe in wholeheartedly.

I let my very good and dear vegan friend know that, if I didn't know her and she came preaching at me, I would think, "You're a real bitch, lady." She isn't, she is the furthest things from it, but if I didn't know her I would think it, because I am not where she is, my values are in a different place- that doesn't make me bad, or wrong, or an idiot. It just means I am where I am. There is an opportunity to enlighten me, to raise my consciousness about the issues that matter to her, but making me wrong won't do it. It feels judgmental, and no one likes that. We talked about that, how my vegan friend is not environmentally concerned, where I am all about recycling and re-using and being mindful. I was surprised to hear that, but thats all. The nutritionist says she eats some meat, just not red meat, and the two vegans sort of jumped on her about how she could know what she knows and still eat meat. She said it is simply what she is at peace with in her life, her reasons for making the choices might not be informed by the same passions they are driven by- sure, we all love animals. The nutritionist eats the way she does because she is concerned about her health. The vegans, out of a moral obligation they feel towards animals. My quiet friend that I work with eats the ways she does, which is very healthy, partly because she is a marathon runner and she gives her body what she knows it needs. Her stance is largely a pragmatic approach to being the best running machine possible. Also, she was raised by hippies in a vegetarian household and was never acclimated to processed or fast foods, so in that way, she doesn't need to make a stand in giving up foods that don't support her passion- those things were simply never present. Its just a way of life for her.

It was such a cool night, so many things were talked about, and I realized I was sitting with some really beautiful creatures. Like, not just in appearance- which, I might add, they all are stunning creatures- but they just all vibrate differently. They glow. They are filled with purpose and meaning, concern for animals, the planet, their bodies, women's issues, each other. Their lives are a testament to what they believe in, and all of them believe in greater good.  Including me- I should be saying 'We' here. We want to change the world, in our own corners of it where we live. It would be great if it rippled outward. Thats the goal.

 I want this journey of understanding my own place in the solution to be relatable, so that it might inspire others to do even just one thing differently. And then maybe another, and then to begin to enjoy it, to love the shift, to revel in it, to take on newer and better ways to live in harmony with all things, and to be so enthusiastic that others can't help but notice.

Here I am, working on my blog. I wish I had gotten pictures of all my friends last night- one thing is for sure, if I put real photos on a blog, I get twice as many hits. This is going to be yet another challenge, as I don't like to be photographed. But I will do what it takes to get your attention and connect. I care about you and your world! If you are reading this, you are exactly where you should be. Keep your mind open.

OCCUPY YOURSELF!

Radical Recipes/ Truffle salmon sashimi with arugula and shaved parmesan- YUM

I try to post some fun stuff in between my rants, like recipes. I find that they are integral to my continued success at being a radical in my own kitchen. Being radical is, at its heart, about doing away with what doesn't work and replacing it with something newer, and more aligned with, one's new paradigm.

So having said that, I find myself a little bit at a loss still. I walk in the kitchen and I feel like I want something quick and yummy.  The idea of taking time to prepare a meal- (for myself, I mean, I always prepare it for my kids and I)- is not indigenous to my being. If my kids are not home, I will literally just go for whatever is easiest and whatever is yummiest of what is easiest. Like my now infamous obsession with Kraft mac and cheese- deluxe version- its way easier than the other kind.

This recipe below does not require any cooking, so it helps it qualify for easy. Convenient- not so much. Its not something you can keep on your shelf indefinitely- you have to know you plan to eat it soon. And you have to either get, or already have- the ingredients. Like truffle oil- not a lot of people already have that, but I do. I love truffle. I used to put it on McDonalds French fries. Now I put it on salmon and tune. Sigh. But these ingredients, once you have them, last a long time, and make lots of things yummy.



Truffle salmon sashimi with arugula and shaved parmesan

This dish is one that I love at Sushi Roku in Los Angeles- where its $28 for 6 pieces. The dressing is a combination of soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, and truffle oil, with fresh ginger bits. It plays off the peppery arugula and the sharp parmesan, and the salmon (or tuna, whichever you prefer) is just the perfect vehicle to carry all those flavors.


Ingredients- (for 2)

12 pieces Salmon or tuna sashimi (I got mine from Whole Foods, by their deli department. They have a guy there who cuts it up and puts it in plastic to-go containers)
organic arugula
block aged parmesan cheese
low sodium soy sauce
sesame oil
white truffle oil
fresh ginger

Mix in a bowl two teaspoons soy sauce, two tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon truffle oil, and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil. (At this point I taste it and decide what I want to taste more of- its sort of an organic process)
Cut up fresh ginger and put about 1 teaspoon in the oil and soy sauce mixture and let sit for a few minutes in fridge

Create a shallow bed of arugula on each plate, Spread out the sashimi so it sort of fans out nicely. Shave the parmesan cheese so there are chunks (mine in the picture isn't so much shaved as chopped- I don't have a proper shaver/grater thing)

NOW this isn't part of the recipe, but its a nice addition- a couple of avocados, sliced in small sections and also fanned out from the main dish, lightly salted. Another great addition to this- cucumbers, lightly salted and drizzled with soy sauce, with toasted sesame seeds on top-

Remove the oil and soy sauce mixture and drizzle over the sashimi. Be sparing at first and bring the rest to the table so one can add as they see fit.

This is a super light meal that is elegant and sexy and requires zero cooking. Its a total treat to the tastebuds with all that flavor going on.  And its really good for you- providing you purchase all non GMO products to prepare it- hopefully you have a Trader Joe's in your town. Kikkoman soy sauce is made from non GMO soy beans.

If you try it and love it, please send me a note!

Occupy yourself