Green Grocer Q and A

Hello Friends,

Healthy food is one of the obligatory aspects of leading a healthy life and peaceful life.
Today I had the pleasure of meeting Michael, the manager of a local health food store, The Green Grocer in Portsmouth, RI.

This store is unlike your typical grocery store, you pull off of a busy main road onto a dirt parking lot and before you stands a big rustic barn– home to The Green Grocer. Since it was almost closing time there weren’t too many customers which meant that luckily Michael was able to tell me all about the store he loves so much.

I asked him a few questions about the store and with each response he exuded his passion for the establishment and a healthy lifestyle.

Q: How did The Green Grocer start?

A: Well, John and Aly Wood started the grocery store seven years ago. Prior to opening, they worked at A Market in Newport-previously called Harvest. They began their own store because they wanted to start out on their own. Aly introduced John to the organic lifestyle and they have been passionate about that and their community for the past seven years.

Q: Where did the name The Green Grocer come from?

A: I think they were hoping for the name to be recognizable. There is definitely more information about the name on the website!

I went to their website and as he said, the owners wanted people to recognize the name. They wanted customers to know exactly what they do. A second reason for the name was because the word “green” meant a lot to the owners. It signifies Spring and to them it means learning about better ways to take care of ourselves and our plant in sustainable way. 

definitely more information about that on the websiteQ: What makes The Green Grocer different from different chain grocery stores in the area?

A: I think that more people are becoming aware of where their food is coming from and how it is being raised. We have all organic produce that we get from many different companies like Alberts Organic, Four Seasons Organics and many others. We also get our beef locally from Aquidneck Farms. We try to support local businesses as much as we can.

Q: What do you think draws people to this store?

A: Social media is extremely helpful. Actually a couple weeks ago when law suits came out again Kashi and Bear Naked for
have GMO’s and other cancer causing ingredients in their food, we put out a sign saying that we would no longer carry their products. The sign went viral and up until last week, we were getting calls asking about it and the Kashi Facebook page shut down because people were posting so many negative things on their page. Those brands care more about the money than their customers. Here, we put our customers first. I think we have great customer service. We also try to keep prices as low as possible because we would rather have our customers come back than make a lot of money from them the first time they come.

Today was my first experience at The Green Grocer and I loved every minute of it. I’ve never been able to walk into a grocery store and get full attention from the manager right before closing. He was attentive and enthusiastic about what he does.

Thank you Michael for making my first experience at The Green Grocer memorable! I will definitely be back soon!Peace,

Fiona

 

Discover your Truths

Hello Loyal Readers!

Today I came across a post in one of my favorite blogs that was truly inspiring.

Many people struggle with figuring out who they really are. It is a daily struggle for most people to accept who they really are and vocalize it to not only their peers but to themselves. Oriya Pollack, a writer for Tiny Buddha created a list of 12 tips to live a happier and more passionate life. Each tip resonated in some way.Many people go through a stage in their life when they dislike the person they have become. They frantically search for ways to create a new person in themselves or find a new identity.

 This happened to me when I transferred colleges but of course it can happen to many people during their “mid-life crisis”.

It is understandable when people go through transitions or see half of their life behind them to question what they are doing, who they are, and what kind of person they want to be.

Pollack reminds his readers that the acceptance of who we truly are will not come to us overnight. It will take time for each person struggling to embrace who they really are.

It is terrifying to have an internal conversation about who you truly are. When you lie to yourself about the person you think you should be, it is hard to wake up from the dream person you created for yourself.

For me, one of the hardest things to do was introduce the real me to people I have been performing for my whole life. The real Fiona is someone that was covered up for so long; but once I showed her off, I felt a sense of relief and happiness I never felt before.

The steps Pollack lists for finding yourself are required when you want to release the true you. Happy Hunting!

Peace,
Fiona

Getting the Juicy Details…

Hello Friends!

I came across an article in the Wall Street Journal recently dealing with the debate over juice cleanses. Many people who participate in these cleanses have raved about the effects the juicing has on the cleanser’s overall demeanor and health. I have always been skeptical.

My sister and I were looking into doing one last summer when we found the BluePrint Cleanse juices in our local Whole Foods. We immediately went home and researched the idea behind it. They are advertised as a specific diet that will rid it’s consumers of toxins in the body-which toxins, I am not sure.

These juicing businesses have made huge amounts of money advertising their restrictive diets with the support of many doctors who share little information in terms of what is scientifically proven.

I do not disagree with people who say they feel better after participating in a restrictive diet. The satisfaction alone of people about to have self control would make me feel great! However, I do wonder whether the results are more mental than physical.

In my opinion, if you sustain a healthy diet for a long period while staying away from the foods your body might be sensitive to, you should feel great all the time. Cutting out certain nutritious necessities may hurt your body in the long run.

Everything in moderation… right?

Peace,
Fiona

Consumer Roundup

Hello Friends!

I am not proud to say this, but I am the textbook definition of a professional consumer.

As you already know I am uhhhhbsessed with yoga. Who can practice without the perfect mat, leggings, headband and every other type of apparel you can purchase? I certainly cannot.

I spend more time than I would like to admit looking for new and improved yoga equipment and outfits and now I am here to share my wealth of knowledge with all of you! Here is what I have come up with so far:

1. Lululemon: I don’t know too many girls who aren’t at least familiar with this fabulous store. They’re ready to outfit you for any kind of yoga or running experience. Their products range from yoga mats and water bottles to yoga pants and underwear. One of the main reasons I love this place is because of their assortment of pants designed perfectly for my long and lean body type! It may be expensive, but I would rather shell out $100 dollars for a pair of great fitting yoga pants than strut my stuff in a pair of high waters!

2. Manduka: This website has a much narrower selection than Lululemon but that does not make it any less fantastic! I got my favorite yoga mat from this store a few months ago and it has not let me down! I’m sure there are a few other sweat betty’s out there who can barely do down dog without sliding right off your mat from all angles. The eKO mat by Manduka not only keeps your grip but it is also long enough for us tall girls to fall into a peaceful meditated state when we are ready for Savasana! If you ever need a handy way to carry this mat around, look into their GO free backpack. If you’re like me you always have a million things that need a spot and this backpack has a pocket for it all!

3. Yogitoes: If the anti-slip material of the Manduka yoga mat doesn’t work for you or if you are too attached to your slippery cute mat this towel is perfect for you. This is a microfiber towel that lays directly on your mat. Spray it with water to get it damp and you are ready for the hottest yoga session you have ever experienced without worrying about creating your own slip and slide! They come in different sizes from a  hand towel to a full towel reaching the length of your mat.

4. LifeFactory: Alright so this is a very specific store, but I love it nonetheless. Ever since the research was released  about the poisonous plastic water bottles I have been frantically searching for an alternative. I tried the metal ones but I couldn’t get past the illusion that my water tasted like the bottle itself so I finally went for glass. I am one of the most clumsy people you will ever meet and I have not broken a single life factory water bottle. Keep this is mind next time you need to update the water bottle stock!

5. Alive: Yoga isn’t the only thing you need to do to keep your body healthy! I know this doesn’t directly relate to your practice but you need to keep your body healthy enough to hit the mat every day and Alive multivitamins are extremely helpful in that regard. I take chew three of the gummies every morning and spend the day feeling energized and healthy!

Happy Shopping!
Peace,
Fiona

Spring Break Tip!

Hello my favorite readers!

Congratulations! We have made it through the dead of winter now Spring Break is finally upon us. I realize we all celebrate this incredible gift of a week differently: Catching up on sleep, catching up on work, relaxing or visiting a warm spot to let the beginning of a summer tan sink in!

Regardless of where you are or what you are doing, it is sometimes hard to remember to maintain the healthy routine you have followed all semester.

One of the things I struggle with most is sticking my healthy diet

rather than eating at all the take-out restaurants in my home-town or raiding my parents fridge.

This is obviously VERY difficult to stay away from; free food? Who doesn’t love that?! My absolute favorite way to stay on top of my healthy eating routine is to go through Pinterest or Foodgawker to look for fabulous recipes that you don’t have time, energy or money to make at home.

Rather than regret eating that marvelous chocolate chip cookie your mom just pulled out of the oven, get excited about all of the culinary opportunities you have.

If you are still anxiously awaiting the arrival of Spring Break, look for delicious (and healthy) recipes in your [limited] free time. It is a great way to get prepared and excited for your upcoming week off!

Happy Vacationing!
Peace,
Fiona

Rethinking Yoga

The Healthy Practice gets Healthier

I’m going to be honest with you, I began practicing yoga because I despise nothing more than going to the gym. I can never eloquently describe to anyone just how much I detest such an institution but needless to say I was very out of shape going into my freshman year of college for that very reason combined with the fact that my diet was deplorable.

I needed to change my ways so I turned to yoga. When I began I saw it as a physically tolling activity that I loved for a reason I could not understand.

I soon realized that I needed yoga in my life not just for physical reasons. I dove into the practice head first and never looked back. To me, yoga is about pushing your body to the limit and just when you feel like you’re going to break you push past the difficulties and fall into a euphoria you’ve never felt.

Now that I’m saying this, I am realizing that my yoga practice is a perfect metaphor for my outlook on life–funny how things like that happen! After practicing, many people-including myself-comment on the difference in my overall demeanor. I tend to be a very relaxed person but I never ooze happiness until after I finish 90 minutes of yoga.

I had no idea what other kinds of positive physical benefits yoga has on the body.

I am now realizing that I am so relaxed and happy after practicing for reasons I could never imagine. National Geographic shared in an article a couple weeks ago that the physical effects of yoga far exceed merely making the practitioner happy.

In addition to being able to increasing strength, practicing yoga acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, and help broaden attention spans.

This information was mind-blowing for me to read. Although I am not sure exactly what I want to do after I graduate, being a teacher-of elementary school, not just yoga- is something I have always considered. I have been searching for ways in which I could incorporate yoga to the classroom setting and this article might have my answer!

Happy Reading!
Peace,
Fiona

Our Meet Cute!

“I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ‘if this isn’t nice I don’t know what is.'” -Kurt Vonnegut

I don’t know about you but when I think about a peaceful life, I think about a happy life. So what better way to start a blog about peace with a  quote about happiness. In my opinion, in order to be happy and at peace, you need to recognize it once in a while. Most people who strive for a peaceful life will one day recognize it, let out a sigh of relief and think to themselves, “FINALLY!”. This is not to say every day will be that great. There are times when the pressures around you will feel as though they are too much to handle and you feel like there is no way out.

In this blog I will discuss the strategies I use to take a step back from my hectic day and calm down. These strategies could include: Yoga postures, must reads, FOOD (a favorite), enlightening quotes and many other relaxers. There is nothing more satisfying than finding that

one thing you can always fall back on when you are feeling overwhelmed whether it is a delicious salad or your favorite yoga pose. I can’t wait to see if any of you have any tips to share with me!

Until next time!
Peace,
Fiona