In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort. It had a perfectly round door like a porthole, painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle. The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with panelled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted, provided with polished chairs, and lots of lots of pegs for hats and coats — the hobbit was fond of visitors. The tunnel wound on and on, going fairly but not quite straight into the side of the hill — The Hill, as all the people for many miles round called it — and many little round doors opened out of it, first on one side and then on another. No going upstairs for the hobbit: bedrooms, bathrooms, cellars, pantries (lots of these), wardrobes (he had whole rooms devoted to clothes), kitchens, dining rooms, all were on the same floor, and indeed on the same passage. The best rooms were all on the left-hand side (going in), for these were the only ones to have windows, deep-set round windows looking over his garden, and meadows beyond, sloping down to the river.

- J. R. R. Tolkien, “The Hobbit”

Some extraordinary individuals and families have taken it upon themselves to create their own hobbit holes, better known as low impact woodland homes. My personal favorite was built by a Welshman, Simon Dale, and his family (no contractors, and he’s not a professional). Simon proclaims, “This kind of building is accessible to anyone. My main relevant skills were being able bodied, having self belief and perseverance and a mate or two to give a lift now and again”. With only a few months and a few thousand dollars, the Dale’s had found a unique solution to the high-cost of housing while indulging their desire to live closer to nature, by building a small eco-home into a hillside.  Some of the “green” features of their home include: a skylight to let in natural light, solar panels to fuel lights and electronics, a refrigerator cooled by air coming from underground through the foundation, water supplied by gravity from a nearby spring, the collection of roof water for use in the garden, and a compost toilet.

When asked about the advantages of an earth sheltered home (like that of the Dale’s), Robert Harrison (another “regular guy” building his own hobbit hole) explicates, “An Earth Sheltered home is extremely low-maintenance. There is no roof to repair, no breakdown of foundation or walls, no rust or rotting. The primary part exposed to the outside world is the cement, which is sheltered from the heat and cold by the ground.  The interior wooden panelling and floors would be stained and polished, and if kept dry, should last well beyond our lifetimes. Less power is needed for heating and cooling, since the earth does not change temperature quickly and never freezes. It also makes for a much more attractive outside, since the surrounding lawn and even hill overtop is all usable landscape for our kids to play on someday”. An earth sheltered home has a limited visual impact on the chosen site (it blends in with nature, preserving the character of the land, and promotes, rather then disturbs wildlife), preserves greenspace (it allows the roof to remain as part of the greenery, whether as a garden, yard, etc.), and makes for more efficient land use (hilly terrain that may otherwise be destroyed or unsuitable for conventional construction is easily utilized for just such a project). Earth sheltered homes, particularly in urban areas, are not only aesthetically pleasing, but can actually revitalize the natural landscape due to the increase of plant and animal habitat. According to a University of Minnesota study, water and air quality are also improved and the soil is enriched by allowing the natural ecological processes to occur within the boundaries of a built environment. One of the biggest draws for me is the energy efficiency of earth sheltered homes (you can save as much as 90% on your energy costs). More energy efficient means less of a drain on our finite natural resources, and a personal carbon footprint reduction. Need more reasons?  Check out 25 Reasons Why You Should Consider Earth Sheltered Living (from Earth Sheltered Technology, Inc.).

Why go green when it comes to housing? Did you know that buildings in the U.S. consume 6 times as much energy, and produce 6 times as much greenhouse gas emissions as ALL cars and trucks combined? And it doesn’t stop there; The negative impacts of conventional building practices are far more substantial then you might think. Buildings consume seventy-six percent of the electricity used in the U.S., making the building sector the largest greenhouse-gas-emitting sector, surpassing both the industrial and transportation sectors (Architecture2030.org/U.S. Energy Information Administration). The operation of buildings is also responsible for a large percentage of water use, and building construction consumes large quantities of wood and raw materials, and generates a huge amount of solid waste. The manufacturing of many building materials contributes to air and water pollution, as well. Underground architecture and sustainable design is one response to this dilemma, and a step in the right direction. Eco-Living.net has an extensive list offering information on various types of alternative structures and building methods (Cob is another one of my favorites). To access their list for more websites and ideas, click here.

Not sure what they mean by “green” or low impact building? “Green essentially means healthy, energy and resource efficient, and environmentally low-impact. “Green building” is a term that is used to describe a process for designing, developing, constructing, and operating buildings and infrastructure using sustainable methods and materials—to provide healthy living environments for people, to reduce the use of energy and natural resources, and to minimize negative impacts on local, regional, and global ecosystems” (globalgreen.org). According to lowimpacthousing.com, “A growing number of architects, designers, developers, builders and homeowners are working to reduce the environmental impact of housing… This movement goes by several names: Ecological housing; Factor four housing; Green housing; Healthy housing; Low emission housing; Passive housing; Zero emission housing, and so on. The common theme is to lower environmental impacts throughout the lifecycle of a house – from site selection through design and materials choices, construction, operation, maintenance and demolition”. Every step in the process is evaluated for green strategies to replace or better the traditional methods.

We can all make a difference, and every little bit helps. In the words of Ghandi, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. It starts with you.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), more than 57 percent of U.S. households own one or more pets. Nearly half of the AVMA survey respondents considered their pets to be companions, and only about 2 percent considered them to be property. A study performed by the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University found that 97 percent of people talk to their pets. The human-animal bond is becoming increasingly strong in our society. So unless you’re allergic, uncomfortable around animals, or don’t have the means to care for one, get out there and find yourself a furry friend.

Dr. Deborah Wells of the Animal Behaviour Centre of Queens University, Belfast, found that dog owners have lower blood pressure and cholesterol, fewer minor physical ailments, and are less likely to develop serious medical problems. She also found that dogs seem to aid recovery from serious illnesses (like heart attacks). Wells states, “It is possible that dogs can directly promote our well-being by buffering us from stress. The ownership of a dog can also lead to increases in physical activity and facilitate the development of social contacts, which may enhance physiological and psychological human health in a more indirect manner”. Research has shown that pets can help reduce stress and blood pressure in owners, increase longevity in those who’ve had heart attacks, and even relax and improve the appetites of Alzheimer’s patients. According to Dr. Lynette Hart of the Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (University of California), studies have shown that Alzheimer’s patients have fewer anxious outbursts if there is an animal in the home. Biologist Erika Friedmann, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing takes it a step further, “Any disease condition that has a stress-related component to it, we believe pets could ameliorate stress and moderate the situation”.

Pets can also stave off feelings of loneliness, improve your mood, and lessen the likelihood of depression (particularly in response to feelings of social isolation and lack of social support from people). Pets listen without judgment, and support you no matter what. They are always there for you. And in terms of improving your mood, playing with a dog can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine — nerve transmitters that are known to have pleasurable and calming properties. Pets have a wonderful impact on your life, and can be there for you in ways that people can’t. Click here to see what I mean.

Pets also encourage exercise, which is good for stress management and overall health. Dogs need to be walked, and cats fed. They get you up off the couch and moving. Walks force pet owners to get out and socialize instead of sitting around wallowing in self pity, or stewing in stress hormones, which can improve mood (not to mention the calories burned). Besides, when we’re out walking, having a dog with us can make us more approachable and give people a reason to stop and talk, thereby increasing the number of people we meet, giving us an opportunity to increase our network of friends and acquaintances, which also has great stress management benefits. A dog is a natural conversation starter. I mean, when I run alone the most that I might hear is a hello every now and then. With my dogs I’m constantly being asked about their breeds and told how cute they are out on the running trails. They’re natural conversation starters that help ease people out of social isolation or shyness.

But wait! Before you run out and adopt a mastiff to share your studio apartment, do your research. Be sure to choose a pet whose personality, size, and requirements align with your needs, abilities, and living situation. And spread the word to all those crazy cat ladies out there, although they make great companions, pets are still no substitute for real (human) friends and family.

Daily stressors are not the problem.  They’re merely contributors.  The real problem is the way our body responds to the barrage of chronic stress in our lives.  Our bodies were designed to deal with acute stress, like when a zebra spots a hungry lion.  Fight or flight instincts are immediately kicked into gear, saving the zebra who flees from certain death.  In today’s society, however, most of the stressors that we encounter are not a threat to our physical survival. They may consist of rush hour traffic, missing a deadline, bouncing a check or having an argument with our boss or spouse.  Unfortunately, our bodies don’t know the difference, so on a daily basis, toxic stress hormones flow into our bodies for events that pose no real threat to our physical survival.  We end up ruminating in our own stress hormones, while they become more and more imbalanced, causing more and more problems both physically and psychologically.

The real culprit here is a disruption in the metabolic balance in the body.  Most people think of metabolism as it refers to losing weight, but metabolic balance actually refers to restoring a balance in hormones, enzymes, and neurotransmitters (like cortisol, testosterone, and insulin, to name a few).  When these metabolic compounds (or stress hormones) are out of balance, we feel terrible (fatigue, irritability, stress).  Furthermore, the evidence is overwhelming that there is a cumulative buildup of stress hormones in the population today. If not properly metabolized over time, chronic stress can lead to disorders of our autonomic nervous system, of our hormonal system, and our immune system (not to mention that it causes damage to organs, bones, skin, muscles and brain cells).

So how can we combat these effects?  Rather then dealing with the symptoms (using energy drinks or antidepressants, for example) which is obviously not working, we need to fix the problem.  The solution found me through a good friend of mine, Jen.  Jen introduced me to a supplement called Eleviv (or X51).  She told me that Eleviv is herbal, and completely healthy (with no side effects), and has proven to help boost energy levels and reduce fatigue, to promote vigor through mental and physical stamina, to improve coping abilities while stressed, to enhance mood and a feeling of well-being, to restore concentration and mental alertness, and to maintain metabolic balance.  She said that people taking it were also craving less carbs, and losing fat around their midsection (without adding exercise), and that they were sleeping better.  Her speil automatically sent up red flags for me.  I mean, it couldn’t possibly do all that they were saying it could.  In my experience, things that seem too good to be true, usually are.  On the flip side, I trust Jen completely.  If it worked for her and her husband (and so many others that she mentioned), there’s always a chance that it could work for me, right?  So I gave it a chance.  It was $20 for a one week trial ($55 for a month).  I took my first dose before bed, and woke up a new person (I kid you not).

I am the furthest thing from a morning person.  I like to sleep late, I wake up grumpy, and I require lots of caffeine to get going, but that first morning on X51, I woke up a morning person for the first time in my life.  From the time my eyes popped open at 9 (which was early for me), I was completely focused, peppy like a kid on Christmas morning, and motivated to attack my to-do list.  I actually went running that morning for the first time in a month.  I felt amazing!  I gave it a couple days figuring it couldn’t possibly last.  Surprisingly, it did!  I no longer felt depressed for no reason, my quick temper became far more patient and my interactions more kind.  Stress was still there, but it no longer controlled me!  I was more functional and productive by leaps and bounds.  I stumbled into the fountain of youth, and came out a kid again.  I’m amazed at the results that my husband and I have experienced, and can’t wait to share this amazing supplement with others.  I’ll write more about Eleviv in the future (after the impact it’s made in my life, how could I not?!), but in the meantime, for more info check out the eleviv site or shoot aaron@jailbreakcreative.com an email to ask for a sample.

Give it a shot.  What do you have to lose?

I’m 27, and grew up with a big family in rural upstate NY.  I’ve always been studious and athletic, and much harder on myself then I am on others.  I’m right-brained (intuitive, led by feelings, creative, subjective, and holistic), and a Scorpio (although I don’t know a lot about astrology, from what I’ve read, I fit the bill.  Passionate, secretive, risk taker… ).  I’m also pretty stubborn, and often late, but I’m gonna blame my mom for inheriting those traits (lol).

After getting my undergrad. degree in Albany (in English lit., Theater, and Art), I moved to California for my M.Ed. Two years living near L.A. left me completely fed up with image obsessed clones and an utter lack of vegetation, so I moved to Virginia in ‘07′.  I absolutely love it here.  It’s amazingly beautiful, and the mountains are only minutes away.

I tend to choose jobs based on my passions (fitness, art, education, working with children or animals, etc.), so I’ve been very fortunate in that I typically love what I do. For example, I was an elementary school teacher for 5 years, I worked in an Art Museum, and I was a personal fitness trainer.  Each of these has allowed me to grow in both understanding and knowledge within each field, while examining my own inner workings more deeply.  I’m a strong believer in the quote “live the life you love”, and by adhering to that mantra (and staying true to myself) I’ve stumbled down a path littered with happiness and love.

My passions are art (especially the impressionists), literature, sports and the outdoors (running, hiking, resistance training, camping, dance), Music, my family and friends (first and foremost), my two puppies, great food (LOVE seafood and good Italian), travel, and living that existential ideal (getting the most from every moment and every experience).  I love to laugh and detest drama (in life, not the theater of course).  I’m a hopeless optimist also, so my glass is always half full.  How about you?