High Vibe

EARTH MATTERS More Green for the New Year - Ecology and the Holidays!

The new year is right around the corner... We're prompted by the change in the calendar - and by the traditions surrounding that change - to reflect on our lives, and to consider changes we might like to introduce. Furthermore, if you're reading this blog, you're probably the kind of person who looks at the holidays and the way we celebrate them - including the shopping and consumption that frequently accompany them - and wonders how to make them more green. HighVibe's commitment to green goes way beyond the green juices we love so much and the beautiful green plants we have in the store: we're also passionate about making and keeping the planet as green and life-filled as possible. When you think about it, what more wonderful gift could you give than the gift of a more sustainable planet - for you, your loved ones and for future generations? To us, that kind of gift is truly what embodies the holiday spirit.

To that end, we wanted to bring a couple of store items to your attention, as well as an AMAZING website that you really have to see to believe! The site is www.storyofstuff.com, and it starts with a 20 minute story of, well, stuff - where it comes from, how it gets made and sold, and what happens to it. In an incredibly engaging and practical presentation, Annie Leonard takes us through the consumption cycle; explains its impact on the environment, local and global cultures; touches on its relationship with government and big business, and - thank heaven - concludes with some really meaningful resources to explore and tips to help make your life greener all around!

This site is particularly good for kids: visual, to the point, informative without being overwhelming, serious without being alarmist, and paced for the internet generation. It is in itself a fantastic gift of education that will really work, and work for the generation that will inherit our poor bruised but still beautiful planet. Here at HighVibe, the storyofstuff site has made us really question how we deal with our consumer waste, from double packaged products from our vendors to our recycling policy, and we're working to improve how we handle these things. There's no perfect answer, but true strength is partly about having the courage to do the best we can starting right now! Definitely check it out and forward to everyone you know!

It's serendipitous that we have just added a new product that goes right along with this site - our recycled bag bags! They are strong, stylin', and crocheted from plastic bags. How cool is that?! We loved them right off the bat and are super excited to have them in the store.

We also wanted to encourage the use of our gift certificate option. One of the things mentioned in the story of stuff site is the rate at which stuff is discarded. Did you know that only one percent of the stuff you buy is still around six months later? One way to cut down on this kind of waste is to avoid purchasing items that will be discarded... and one way to do that is to take the guesswork out of what somebody wants!

Finally, there are some great charity sites out there that need support. Giving to them is a wonderful investment in our planet and our future, and most have an option to donate in someone's honor, which makes that gesture doubly meaningful! We'd particularly like to point out Emergency USA and the Chandler Sky Foundation. Dagger has been personally involved with both of these charities for ten years and can vouch for their integrity and effectiveness.

Every little thing we do with mindfulness and gratitude - whether it's a carefully chosen and lovingly given present that you buy or make yourself, a waste-reducing certificate or bag, the gift of education, a prayer, a smile to a loved one or to a stranger - helps heal the planet and increase the physical and spiritual green of life.

Praise and be amazing!

FUN Holiday Ideas

The holiday season is in full swing and High Vibe is loving it! Here are some ideas to help make the next few weeks - and the new year, and your whole life - as joyful as possible!

Gifts are a big part of the season, and everyone handles differently the questions of what and how and whether to buy or make for who and when and where and why..... it can get complicated! If you're choosing to buy your gifts this year, we do have a variety of lovely items - not to mention a sure-fire gift certificate - that are great for friends, family and colleagues, from stocking stuffers to main-course items.

If you're familiar with the High Vibe way of doing things, you know we're really into juicing - so we're quick to point to our Breville Elite, Fountain, and - new for us - Compact juicers. What better way to give the most amazing gift of all - the gift of health! Juicing is a great way to treat yourself and get creative with your food - a great gift that a whole family can enjoy. Also great for both men and women who are interested in a simple way to improve their health are our Shine and Beauty Greens products. Shine is an amazing MSM and spirulina supplement with ten amino acids and vitamin C that helps detoxify, energize and beautify your body, and the Beauty Greens are a full green food supplement including greens, probiotics, blue green algae and enzymes.

In terms of body care and outright pampering, all the personal products we carry are top of the line, so it's hard to pick out just a few. One really gorgeous item is Skincredible from Simply Divine Botanicals, a sandalwood elixir for face and body. Another fabulous item from the famous Dr. Alkaitis line is the Soothing Gel, which is the finest aftershave gel on the market. From our own Dagger we have the Detox Spa Bath Salts, a great way to relax after all the excitement of the holidays!

For those interested in learning more about bringing more green into their lives, we have a great collection of books. One is Hooked on Raw, by Rhio, one of the most user-friendly introductions to the raw food lifestyle, including lots of great recipes. Another, The Raw Food Detox Diet by Natalia Rose, has more of an emphasis on cleansing safely and effectively. We also really like Vice Cream by Jeff Rogers - the title alone is tantalizing enough, but these vegan and raw recipes for nut milk-based ice cream treats will really get your tastebuds going!

We also suggest you check out our sale page for other ideas. We ship daily using DHL, and you can place your order online or call the shop at 888-554-6645. We're open every day!

All the gifts are exciting and beautiful ways to show your love and appreciation for someone, but it's so important to remember that the spirit in which it is given is what truly makes a gift magical. During this holiday season, we will be taking time to really savor the blessings we have received and increase our awareness of the ways we can let more love into our lives. The more love we let in, the more we can give - making the universe a more joyful and beautiful place each day!

EVENT December Class

Another great class here at High Vibe last night focused on optimal diet during the winter months. We arranged our chairs in a circle and had a really pleasant evening of lecture and question-and-answer.

Dagger emphasized the importance of getting more green into our lives, especially during the winter months when there's less sunshine available. One great way to do this is to drink lots of green juices, which he described as "liquid sunshine." This is literally true, because the element that makes green juices green is chlorophyll, which is what plants create from the sun they receive! Here at High Vibe we always emphasize keeping things simple, and one of the most powerful and simplest steps towards getting more green into  your life is drinking green juice, which is more widely available now than ever! Not only can you get them at juice bars, there is a wide range of juicers like the Breville Elite, recommended by Natalia Rose, the Breville Juice Fountain Plus, and the Breville compact. Juicing is a great way to get those leafy greens like kale and spinach into your diet, as well as the high water content vegetables like cucumber and celery, which are a fantastic source of pure water. Toss an apple in for flavor and you've got the tastiest greens around!

Beyond juicing ideas, Dagger also brought up a few ways to bring the greens into the holiday season. So often we go to parties where we're invited to bring dishes - so we have a few tips on what to bring. You can get really creative with salads and dressings. It's a great way to make sure there's something at the party you can eat, as well as providing others with exposure to the joys of greener living! One great way to treat a leafy green like kale for a salad is to mix it with lemon juice and olive oil  - the dressing will make the leaf more tender and palatable. A really simple and wonderful dressing is olive oil, nutritional yeast and spirulina flakes, all tossed together. It tastes quite like Caesar dressing! Another possibility is to thin down your favorite nut butter (we particularly like sunflower seed butter and, of course, almond butter - another fantastic option is tahini!) , add some apple cider vinegar  and toss with soy lecithin. Also - did you know that thinning down nut and seed butters are the easiest way to make nut milk? There's nothing quite like freshly made nut or seed milk made via blender and nut milk bag, but it's a great trick to keep in mind!

Dagger also spent some time on a few supplements that are easy to add to your daily foods, as needed. He reviewed the different kinds of blue-green algae. The spirulina mentioned above is harvested from the ocean, and the flakes blend well with smoothies, salads, juices.... however is easiest for you! Other options include chlorella tablets, which are harvested from lakes, or E3 AFA, harvested from the famous Lake Klamath. The purest way to get your algae is as E3 Live, a frozen supplement. Blue green algae is an astonishing source of sea minerals and B vitamins - a great way to balance the earth's nutrition of vegetables with the sea's nutrition. Another tasty and nutrient-rich food is bee pollen, which is a complete amino acid and a sweet treat to put in your food! He also brought up hemp seeds and powder, which are a great plant source of protein.

Just as important as what we eat, though, is how much we eat, how it's proportioned, and the way we eat it. Dagger really brought home the point that one of the essential keys to longevity and health is, quite simply, to eat less. Eat lightly, throughout the day, and give your body a chance to digest what you've given it. Furthermore, an ideal proportion in a meal is 70-80% water-rich foods, by weight. (This is part of why juices are so helpful!) Finally, remember that foods that are prepared with love and eaten with care and gratitude will always nourish us more!

Our next monthly class will be on detox and acid-alkaline balance, on Wednesday, January 2nd.

We at High Vibe are looking forward to a healthy and green holiday season, and wish you all the best for you, your loved ones, and this lovely and abundant planet we share!