Earth Day!!

(Just a brief explanation...I attempted this post yesterday and experienced errors continually. I typed the post in Word and was trying to copy paste. I was lazy. I did not want to retype the body of the post. Today I am feeling I should have gone ahead and made myself do the work. So, I am doing the work. A happy belated Earth Day to all!)

Earth Day 2009, what are you doing to celebrate it? Are you thinking about that garden you might plant or maybe the shrubbery you want for next spring’s bloom? Are you thinking of the air or water quality in your city? Perhaps you are thinking on a more global scope and pondering the rainforest depletion or the expansion of desert lands. I am thinking on a very personal level today. I am thinking of my health and its impact on the planet.

As a personal trainer I tell people daily to drink filtered water, eat lean proteins and fresh vegetables, and do cardiovascular exercise. My job and lifestyle have a direct impact on the quality of my life and my environment. When I am taking care of myself I am taking care of the planet. How so?

Filtered water is of vital importance to the homeostasis of the human organism. Every metabolic function requires water. The tap water in most cities is more like soup than water. Municipal water is chlorinated to make it “safe” for drinking. Chlorine is not a chemical I am interested in ingesting. Most water is also treated with fluoride. Toothpaste with fluoride has a warning label on it. If you swallow more than a pea sized amount you must call poison control. Is this something we need to drink? I don’t think so. These are only two offenders. Think about the offense to the body for a moment and then think about what the impact is on the environment. I worry about the contamination to the ground that grows our food. I worry about the contamination to the waterways, rivers, lakes, and ocean. These waterways do more than provide fish for eating. They are of vital importance to the “metabolic function” of the planet. So I put only clean filtered water into my body.

Lean protein is a large category covering many individual items. I have been a complete vegetarian in the past but right now am eating poultry. I found that I have a sensitivity to soy products and this presents a difficulty for the vegetarian diet. The poultry and eggs that I buy are hormone free and free range. I try very hard to also buy locally grown. The treatment of animals in mass markets is deplorable to say the least. I ask my clients to give up red meat if they can. We are fortunate in Asheville to have some local farmers who are supplying “healthy and happy” lean red meats, including buffalo. If I were to subscribe to the red meat eating plan these would be my choices. Meat has a large impact on the environment. Many acres of land have been cleared in the name of producing meat for the mass markets. Once those acres are cleared the time they are able to feed cattle is limited. The meat must be transported to market thus, consuming further natural resources. Eating lean meats consciously grown and locally produced lowers the overall impact on the earth and the body.

As a vegetarian eating soy, I was happy knowing that soy beans put nutrients back into depleted soils. I am always grateful when one of my clients tells me they are eating a vegetarian diet. It is like a score for the home team. I do eat meals throughout the week that are void of animal products. These meals are rich in leafy greens and often also contain legumes. When I choose my fruits and vegetables I strive to buy local and organic. If I can’t purchase organic my next choice is transitional farming. It is such a great feeling knowing that the food I am eating is not laden with pesticides that will harm me or the wildlife in my world. Those pesticides do not stay on the plants. Portions of them wash off into the dirt and flow toward the waterways which are so important to our lives. Excessive spraying of berries is proven to harm birds and insects, which could take me many many posts to cover. Now that we are officially into the spring season the farmer’s markets in Asheville are open. I am looking forward to finding fresh foods grown in my own county!

By now I am sure you are wondering how cardiovascular exercise could be of benefit to the planet. As I increase the health of my body I am raising my resistance to bacteria and viruses. This lowers my consumption of paper products and packaged remedies. It may be of small consequence but each item adds up. Another benefit to being in shape is I am more interested in spending time outdoors. Outdoors is where my garden is. Outdoors is where the trees and shrubs are. Outdoors is where I can go hiking. Outdoors is where I come in direct contact with the EARTH and am able to celebrate our co-existence on a regular basis!

Go outside. Celebrate your co-existence with the EARTH. Breathe the fresh clean air that is being produced by all the beautiful spring vegetation!