Get Woke, and other thoughts from the Election of 2016

There is part of me that is angry, there is part of me that is sad but there is another quieter part that is ready. Ready for people to recognize that we we not living in a post-racial America. That women and minorities are not being "overly-sensitive" when we say we feel unsafe or marginalized.
Wake The Fuck Up.
If you are a straight white male, this may be the first time you've realized that half the population does not agree with you and does not care about the rights of those you love. A good number of us are aware of this daily. When we think about how we dress, what streets we walk down; the fact that someone could be waiting around the next corner to harm us is present in our mind.

To those of you that voted for him: I remember who you are and I will be waiting. Not to shame you, or belittle you. But to greet you with open arms when you realize that his rhetoric of hate is harming you and those you love. When your reproductive rights are diminished. When your friends can't marry the people they love. When your sisters suffer harm at those who don't view them as autonomous beings. We will be waiting, we will be fighting for you before you're ready to join us.


What can you do now?
Support us every step of the way. Subvert every homophobic joke, every misogynistic snark, every xenophobic piece of nonsense. You may not be able to enact legislature that changes a nation, but you can make changes every day so that this world is a little safer for all of us. Research has shown us that it only takes one person to change a group dynamic. One voice to encourage all others to stand up against injustice. Be that one voice, you never know who is listening.

Wanna do more? Donate below:
Planned Parenthood
NAACP
glaad

Why I Yoga

Kaitlin Van Photography, back when my hair was short.

     Yesterday I got an email notifying me that I have been at my current yoga studio for 2 years. I've been wanting to write about why I practice for a while now, and this seemed like a pretty good sign that I should.
     Practicing yoga is the one "selfish" thing I do for myself. In almost every other aspect of my life the motivation behind my actions are to help someone (or some creature). Yoga is only for me.
     During the hour I have in a class I don't have to worry about whether other people are comfortable, or if there's anything more I can be doing. I just get to breathe and do what feels good inside of my own body.

      I first began my yoga practice when my mom offered to take me to a yoga retreat with her about 5 and half years ago. It was incredible but I didn't really "get" it. I liked how I felt strong and flexible but I didn't see how this was any different than dance or any other physical activity.

      It wasn't until 2 and a half years ago, when I was working a full time job, that I realized the true benefit of yoga (at least to me).  In my job I was giving all of myself every day. Anticipating another person's needs, working to make them comfortable and happy every minute. This hour gave me the freedom to only care about myself. If I do every challenging pose, great. If i sit in child's pose for 45 minutes, great. It's all about what my mind and body need that day.
    Yoga has pushed my to find my edge, to know when to breath and most importantly, that it's okay to put myself first sometime.

Also, If you're in San Diego and looking for a studio, come practice with me at Pilgrimage of the Heart!

Rethinking Social Media

     Everyone and their cyberstalker has been posting about the girl who "quit social media" after becoming disgusted with what her lifestyle had become. If you haven't heard the story, here's abasic run down.
     A 19 year old girl, who had been grooming her social media presence for the last few years and as a result had a crop-ton of followers, changed all her captions on Instagram to convey what was "really" happening in the picture. (I didn't eat all day and then took 100 selfies to get this one right, I was not actually zen in this photo, I was only pretending to be zen, etc.) She then deleted the account and as a result, everyone has been talking about her. I want to clear up a few things about some misconceptions and how we as a world can change the story.
1. This girl was not #healthy, #fitspo, or #cleaneating. A cursory glance at her new captions and you could tell she had an eating disorder. It is important to make people realize that your body image was not healthy or truthful, but don't assume that everyone is acting like you to have that "perfect bod" to get a perfect picture.
2. Most of her pictures were modeling, not conveying her lifestyle. I don't spend my spare time dolled up, laying in pools or dark water while surrounded by roses, but I have pictures of that. Because in modeling, as art or to sell a product, you are playing a character.
3. She was getting paid. If you see a person with a bajillion followers on Instagram post a product, there is a pretty good chance that they didn't buy it. It was sent to them and they got to keep it if they posted it and they may have even got paid in addition to that. I know people out there making their entire living off of social media posts. She was not being forced to do any of this. She did it for followers, free stuff and money.
4. If you've built this huge following, why not use it for good? rather than just tossing it in the trash? Think it's not possible? Here are a few of my favorite babes whose profiles are full of advice, funny tidbits and great brands.

@raindovemodel : Rain got a boost in notoriety after getting her own list on Buzzfeed about why she's so awesome. Basically she models men and womens wear, spends time volunteering with homeless youths and effectively kicks the gender to the curb. Need a pick me up? feeling lost in the crowd? I guarantee you she has posted something that you can relate to and will life your spirits.

I actually got to see Rain walk at my sister's show at Marist!

 @dear.dorothy : Dorothy is one of the only people that I feel totally understands body positivity. She doesn't force her ideals on others. She just wants everyone to be happy in their own skin. Her audience has grown since Mandalynn Swim began using her as one of their lifestyle models. But that's not to say that her page is all sunshine and rainbows, she uses her challenges and difficult times to inspire others in a way that isn't preachy or over bearing.

Bother of these magnificent humans use their growing audience to spread ideas of equality, self-love and compassion. I wish that this other chick had too, but oh well. Hopefully it's a wake up call for people to stop taking social media so seriously, unplug occasionally, and look for people that are spreading more genuine messages.

Stunna Shades fit for a SPY

       A few months ago I went to a little shin dig put on by Spy Optic at their Happy Camp in Solana Beach. A little while after they sent me these beauteous glasses to try out on my adventures! But I figured I'd get them a real audition before telling you how much I like them.
     So I put these guys through their paces and here's what I think: they are awesome!!
     The Mulholland is part of Spy's new "Crosstown Collection". Spy has made lots of awesome performance glasses but the guys are street wear. But that doesn't mean that all these glasses have going for them is their looks, they're still just as hard core as their performance buddies!
     They all have Spy's signature Happy Lens! This means that they cut down on glare so you can see real colors of what's out there on our adventures. I took these bad boys kayaking and got zero glare off the water! Plus I looked super cool.
     I had always thought of Spy as a brand for super active water fueled kids, but with the addition of these awesome shades, we can all look cool while making sure things look good!

Happy Tummies: a Basic Guide to Getting Better

 It's the age old story: Girl has digestive condition, girl tells person about digestive condition, person asks them a thousand questions about digestive health. So here it is! My steps to a happier tummy.

Before we begin, if you're having any serious medical problems (bloody or black stool, etc.) go talk to a real medical professional, not me. That being said, there's no reason you should have to live with mild discomfort every day! So let's take some steps to getting better.

     First things first, look up the steps you need to take to go see a specialist. You may need to get a referral, so best to start this process ASAP. While you're at it, mentally prepare yourself to talk about every aspect of digestion from beginning to end. Gas, bloating, consistency of stool, color, pain, oil, cramps, where exactly, stabbing or dull.  You will be asked about them, so don't be shy.
     Second, Start a food diary.  Keep track of what you eat at general times of the day and symptoms levels.  This is the first thing that a gastroenterologist will ask you to do, so you might as well be prepared the first time you see her. Plus you may be able to discover something on your own.
     Third, go see your doctor, listen to them, do a bunch of tests and make changes to your lifestyle.

What you should be prepared for:
     What surprised me most were the social reactions to me when I said that I had a digestive condition.  Eating is a very social thing, and to have that limited seems to make people uncomfortable. So bring your own snacks and find an alternative to "grabbing lunch". It can be awkward at first, but it's cheaper and often more fun.
     The other thing that surprised me is that people, although they may not understand what is wrong with you, are very quick to offer suggestions.  "I went on a paleo raw vegan diet for a month and that was terrific!" Get used to doing a lot of smiles and nods, but don't jump on any trend until you really think about it.  A drastic change that you don't monitor well could do just as much harm as good.
     For Example, last year I tried to go gluten free for a month.  I was pretty unsuccessful and the stress just gave me even worse stomach aches. But now I'm mostly wheat free and I'm doing lots better. Just because you have a little hiccup in your plan, don't throw it in the garbage.

Most importantly: remember that eating is something we do everyday, and therefore it isn't a quick fix.  I appreciate that I've gone through this journey because it has made me more conscious about what I put in my mouth, even if it hasn't been the smoothest fastest experience.


I'll post more about the specifics of the low FODMAP diet as well as my own experiences with digestive health. But til then, take care of those tummies!