For those of you living in/near Five Dock, the gym opposite KingsWilliam Chiropractic - where I offer massage therapy - has a free 7 days pass promotion at the moment.
Download your pass here:
http://www.kapowadvertising.com/members/sydney/sydney_files/nsw011.php
Friday, May 22, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Fruits and vegetables yielding fewer nutrients
I think this has been "common knowledge" for awhile now and certainly there's been plenty of argument between the 'supplements' vs 'good diet' camps, but seems there's now evidence of the fact that our fruit 'n' veg ain't what it used to be:
Of the 13 major nutrients found in fruits and vegetables, six have declined substantially, according to a study by Donald Davis, a biochemist at the University of Texas at Austin.
Using data from the U.S. Dept of Agriculture, Davis claims the average vegetable found in today’s supermarket is anywhere from 5% to 40% lower in minerals than those harvested just 50 years ago. His research finds that recently grown crops have shown decreases of up to 38% in protein, magnesium, calcium, vitamin C, phosphorus, iron, zinc and riboflavin when compared with produce from past decades.
What accounts for this negative trend? Like any other competitive industry, farmers’ attempts to drive up profits have led them to use new techniques to increase production, Davis said. The faster-grown fruits don’t have as much time to develop the nutrients.
“Farmers get paid by the weight of a crop, not by amount of nutrients,” Davis said. He called this the “dilution effect”: As fruits and vegetables grown in the United States become larger and more plentiful, they provide fewer vitamins and minerals.
“It’s a simple inverse relationship: The higher the yield, the lower the nutrients,” he said. Today’s jumbo-sized produce contains more “dry matter” than anything else, which dilutes mineral concentrations. In other words, when it comes to growing food, less is more. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides may help speed the market-readiness of produce, but slower-growing crops have more time to absorb nutrients from both the sun and the soil.
“Lots of agricultural scientists don’t know about this, and the public doesn’t know about this,” he said. However, scientific papers have cited one of the first reports of this effect, a 1981 study by W.M. Jarrell and R.B. Beverly in Advances in Agronomy, more than 180 times since its publication, “suggesting that the effect is widely regarded as common knowledge.”
Davis does note that historical data can sometimes be misleading, if not altogether inaccurate. Take early measurements of iron in foods: because scientists failed to sufficiently remove clinging soil, iron levels appeared unusually high in certain vegetables like spinach. Then again, good historical data provides the only real-world evidence of changes in foods over time, and such data does exist — one farm in Hertfordshire, England, for example, has archived its wheat samples since 1843.
Modern monoculture farming practices have also led to soil-mineral depletion, which, in turn, affects the nutrient content of crops.
In addition, there is a “genetic dillution effect,” in which selective breeding to increase crop yield has led to declines in protein, minerals and amino acids.. Because nearly 90% of dry matter is carbohydrates, “when breeders select for high yield, they are, in effect, selecting mostly for high carbohydrate with no assurance that dozens of other nutrients and thousands of phytochemicals will all increase in proportion to yield.”
Wheat Also Being Examined
Davis is currently researching the dilution effect in 14 varieties of wheat. His findings already suggest that, once again, the larger the yield of wheat, the lower the nutrients.
Jeff Cronin, at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said scientists and the USDA often overlook farming practices.
“Breeding plants to improve crop yield at the expense of all other things seems to be the problem, as well as depleting soil and not rotating crops properly,” he said.
While Davis is not pleased about the decreasing levels of nutrients in produce, he still encourages people to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
“Even though amounts of nutrients have declined, fruits and vegetables are still the richest source of protective nutrients, much better than eating highly refined foods such as white flour, sugars and fatty foods,” he said.
This research suggests that local community farming initiatives and backyard vegetable gardens using organic gardening methods may produce fruits and vegetables higher in nutrients while enriching the soil for future crop production.
Resource:
Written by Greg Seaman and posted on 1 May 2009 at
http://www.eartheasy.com/blog/2009/05/fruits-and-vegetables-yielding-fewer-nutrients-than-in-the-past/
Of the 13 major nutrients found in fruits and vegetables, six have declined substantially, according to a study by Donald Davis, a biochemist at the University of Texas at Austin.
Using data from the U.S. Dept of Agriculture, Davis claims the average vegetable found in today’s supermarket is anywhere from 5% to 40% lower in minerals than those harvested just 50 years ago. His research finds that recently grown crops have shown decreases of up to 38% in protein, magnesium, calcium, vitamin C, phosphorus, iron, zinc and riboflavin when compared with produce from past decades.
What accounts for this negative trend? Like any other competitive industry, farmers’ attempts to drive up profits have led them to use new techniques to increase production, Davis said. The faster-grown fruits don’t have as much time to develop the nutrients.
“Farmers get paid by the weight of a crop, not by amount of nutrients,” Davis said. He called this the “dilution effect”: As fruits and vegetables grown in the United States become larger and more plentiful, they provide fewer vitamins and minerals.
“It’s a simple inverse relationship: The higher the yield, the lower the nutrients,” he said. Today’s jumbo-sized produce contains more “dry matter” than anything else, which dilutes mineral concentrations. In other words, when it comes to growing food, less is more. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides may help speed the market-readiness of produce, but slower-growing crops have more time to absorb nutrients from both the sun and the soil.
“Lots of agricultural scientists don’t know about this, and the public doesn’t know about this,” he said. However, scientific papers have cited one of the first reports of this effect, a 1981 study by W.M. Jarrell and R.B. Beverly in Advances in Agronomy, more than 180 times since its publication, “suggesting that the effect is widely regarded as common knowledge.”
Davis does note that historical data can sometimes be misleading, if not altogether inaccurate. Take early measurements of iron in foods: because scientists failed to sufficiently remove clinging soil, iron levels appeared unusually high in certain vegetables like spinach. Then again, good historical data provides the only real-world evidence of changes in foods over time, and such data does exist — one farm in Hertfordshire, England, for example, has archived its wheat samples since 1843.
Modern monoculture farming practices have also led to soil-mineral depletion, which, in turn, affects the nutrient content of crops.
In addition, there is a “genetic dillution effect,” in which selective breeding to increase crop yield has led to declines in protein, minerals and amino acids.. Because nearly 90% of dry matter is carbohydrates, “when breeders select for high yield, they are, in effect, selecting mostly for high carbohydrate with no assurance that dozens of other nutrients and thousands of phytochemicals will all increase in proportion to yield.”
Wheat Also Being Examined
Davis is currently researching the dilution effect in 14 varieties of wheat. His findings already suggest that, once again, the larger the yield of wheat, the lower the nutrients.
Jeff Cronin, at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said scientists and the USDA often overlook farming practices.
“Breeding plants to improve crop yield at the expense of all other things seems to be the problem, as well as depleting soil and not rotating crops properly,” he said.
While Davis is not pleased about the decreasing levels of nutrients in produce, he still encourages people to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
“Even though amounts of nutrients have declined, fruits and vegetables are still the richest source of protective nutrients, much better than eating highly refined foods such as white flour, sugars and fatty foods,” he said.
This research suggests that local community farming initiatives and backyard vegetable gardens using organic gardening methods may produce fruits and vegetables higher in nutrients while enriching the soil for future crop production.
Resource:
Written by Greg Seaman and posted on 1 May 2009 at
http://www.eartheasy.com/blog/2009/05/fruits-and-vegetables-yielding-fewer-nutrients-than-in-the-past/
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The time to exercise
Yes, we all know that exercise is a necessary part of your good health regime, but when's the best time to exercise?
Well, one option is when it works for you eg before/after work etc. If you're a "first thing" exerciser I'd like to highlight some information for you to take into account when planning a routine.
The spine needs bed rest and bed rest reduces the applied (hydrostatic) load below the disc osmotic pressure, resulting in net inflow of fluid. This is how the disc receives nutrients and in fact your spine will "grow" during the usual eight hours of bed rest per day. Diurnal variation in the fluid level of the intervertebral (spine) discs changes the stresses on the disc: they are highly hydrated upon rising from bed. The annulus (core of disc) is subjected to much higher stresses during at this time and the end plates fail at lower compressive loads as well.
Discs will lose 90% of the fluid they generally lose over the course of the day within the first hour after rising from bed.
Thus, performing spine-bending maneuvers first thing in the morning is unwise and it is recommended to avoid full-range motion under load shortly after rising from bed eg. spine stretches, sit-ups, rowing.
Reference: "Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance" (3rd Edition) by Stuart McGill PhD, Professor of Spine Biomechanics, University of Waterloo, Canada. www.backfitpro.com
Well, one option is when it works for you eg before/after work etc. If you're a "first thing" exerciser I'd like to highlight some information for you to take into account when planning a routine.
The spine needs bed rest and bed rest reduces the applied (hydrostatic) load below the disc osmotic pressure, resulting in net inflow of fluid. This is how the disc receives nutrients and in fact your spine will "grow" during the usual eight hours of bed rest per day. Diurnal variation in the fluid level of the intervertebral (spine) discs changes the stresses on the disc: they are highly hydrated upon rising from bed. The annulus (core of disc) is subjected to much higher stresses during at this time and the end plates fail at lower compressive loads as well.
Discs will lose 90% of the fluid they generally lose over the course of the day within the first hour after rising from bed.
Thus, performing spine-bending maneuvers first thing in the morning is unwise and it is recommended to avoid full-range motion under load shortly after rising from bed eg. spine stretches, sit-ups, rowing.
Reference: "Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance" (3rd Edition) by Stuart McGill PhD, Professor of Spine Biomechanics, University of Waterloo, Canada. www.backfitpro.com
Friday, May 1, 2009
It's the flu .... it's the flu
DON'T PANIC - let's look at this rationally.
How many billions of people are there in the world? I know there's 20 millioin in Mexico City and between 7-180 cases of H1N1 Influenza A (aka Swine Flu) - do the math folks.
Ok, in the southern hemisphere flu season is upon us and it's best to take precautions (regardless of the strain of flu about), so as these types of infections are spread by human-to-human or human-to-hard surface contact, we should all try to reduce the risk of getting sick or infecting others.
* Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze (or wear a face mask).
* Throw away any used tissues into a garbage bin
* wash hands thoroughly and regularly, especially before you touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
* Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
* If you’re sick, stay at home and avoid close contact with young children and the elderly.
* eat healthy, fresh fruit and vege to support keep your body "fighting fit"
* if you are immuno-suppressed or work in public health get your flu vaccine soon
Are you looking for a safe healthy alternative for flu immunity?
Rather than hording the pharmaceutical treatments (Tamiflu etc) try the homeopathic option and get 'Flu Immunity' drops: either to support your system against the bugs or help recover from it.
Susceptibility to infections depends upon the status of the immune system. The goal of the treatment with homoeopathic preparations is to activate and support the endogenous defense mechanisms, ie to strengthen the body’s defense against infection.
Biotherapeutic treatments stimulate the body’s own immune system affecting the actual causes of the illness. This is done as a regulation therapy of the defence activity not as a suppression therapy = much kinder to your body.
Stay well!
How many billions of people are there in the world? I know there's 20 millioin in Mexico City and between 7-180 cases of H1N1 Influenza A (aka Swine Flu) - do the math folks.
Ok, in the southern hemisphere flu season is upon us and it's best to take precautions (regardless of the strain of flu about), so as these types of infections are spread by human-to-human or human-to-hard surface contact, we should all try to reduce the risk of getting sick or infecting others.
* Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze (or wear a face mask).
* Throw away any used tissues into a garbage bin
* wash hands thoroughly and regularly, especially before you touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
* Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
* If you’re sick, stay at home and avoid close contact with young children and the elderly.
* eat healthy, fresh fruit and vege to support keep your body "fighting fit"
* if you are immuno-suppressed or work in public health get your flu vaccine soon
Are you looking for a safe healthy alternative for flu immunity?
Rather than hording the pharmaceutical treatments (Tamiflu etc) try the homeopathic option and get 'Flu Immunity' drops: either to support your system against the bugs or help recover from it.
Susceptibility to infections depends upon the status of the immune system. The goal of the treatment with homoeopathic preparations is to activate and support the endogenous defense mechanisms, ie to strengthen the body’s defense against infection.
Biotherapeutic treatments stimulate the body’s own immune system affecting the actual causes of the illness. This is done as a regulation therapy of the defence activity not as a suppression therapy = much kinder to your body.
Stay well!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Halitosis
Julie-Anne Atkinson, naturopath, outlines some basic Q&A on the triggers and treatments for bad breath.
Q. What are some of the main causes of bad breath?
A. The thing to look at first is oral hygiene. You really need to ensure your teeth are properly cleaned and that the tongue is brushed – there are special scrapers you can buy for this. Often the tongue is a trap for bacteria. Flossing will remove any food debris trapped between the teeth. Meat, for instance, can be trapped between the teeth and ferment.
Cigarette smoking and alcohol can also trigger bad breath – particularly when large amounts of alcohol are consumed the night before.
Q. How can bad breath best be addressed?
A. It’s about maintaining good digestive health and a good level of bacteria in the gut and bowel. We would see benefits in replacing good gut bacteria through the use of a (live) probiotic supplement. This can often remedy bad breath.
The problem can also be tied in with bowel function. In other words, you may not be eliminating waste properly and your breath may be affected. To address constipation you should increase the amount of water you drink, increase your fibre intake, and of course, use a (live) probiotic supplement. Bitter lettuce greens can also be of help to your digestive system.
You can also have a non-invasive kinesiology check on your gut to see if it's a nutritional upset (intolerance to food) or parasite or other bacteria and treat it with homeopathics or natural tonics.
Q. When is bad breath symptomatic of other health conditions?
A. Often, in cases when cleaning the teeth might only mask bad breath for several minutes. In looking for underlying disease states, we examine digestion and check for infection. Sinusitis can also be a reason behind bad breath due to the build up of mucus. Gum disease also ties in with oral hygiene. A regular check up & clean with your dentist can catch dental issues early.
Q. What are some great tips for people wishing to keep their breath at its best? A. Doing a detox is a really good idea because you're addressing elimination via a range of different routes – your digestive system including the bowel, liver, and skin. Exercise is fantastic, too. Smoking can cause more mucus production, and this mucus can become stagnant, so giving up can assist in preventing bad breath. And chewing parsley mixed with lemon juice can also be helpful (yeah for Tabouli!).
Q. How do you know if you have bad breath?
Bright idea: the Australian Breath Clinic has developed a machine called the Halimeter which uses a gas sensor capable of detecting parts-per-billion quantities of several gases known to cause bad breath. .... or you could just ask a (good) friend to tell you the truth!
First published on 20/4/09 at:
http://www.blackmores.com.au/News/Detail.aspx?ArticleId=9123
Q. What are some of the main causes of bad breath?
A. The thing to look at first is oral hygiene. You really need to ensure your teeth are properly cleaned and that the tongue is brushed – there are special scrapers you can buy for this. Often the tongue is a trap for bacteria. Flossing will remove any food debris trapped between the teeth. Meat, for instance, can be trapped between the teeth and ferment.
Cigarette smoking and alcohol can also trigger bad breath – particularly when large amounts of alcohol are consumed the night before.
Q. How can bad breath best be addressed?
A. It’s about maintaining good digestive health and a good level of bacteria in the gut and bowel. We would see benefits in replacing good gut bacteria through the use of a (live) probiotic supplement. This can often remedy bad breath.
The problem can also be tied in with bowel function. In other words, you may not be eliminating waste properly and your breath may be affected. To address constipation you should increase the amount of water you drink, increase your fibre intake, and of course, use a (live) probiotic supplement. Bitter lettuce greens can also be of help to your digestive system.
You can also have a non-invasive kinesiology check on your gut to see if it's a nutritional upset (intolerance to food) or parasite or other bacteria and treat it with homeopathics or natural tonics.
Q. When is bad breath symptomatic of other health conditions?
A. Often, in cases when cleaning the teeth might only mask bad breath for several minutes. In looking for underlying disease states, we examine digestion and check for infection. Sinusitis can also be a reason behind bad breath due to the build up of mucus. Gum disease also ties in with oral hygiene. A regular check up & clean with your dentist can catch dental issues early.
Q. What are some great tips for people wishing to keep their breath at its best? A. Doing a detox is a really good idea because you're addressing elimination via a range of different routes – your digestive system including the bowel, liver, and skin. Exercise is fantastic, too. Smoking can cause more mucus production, and this mucus can become stagnant, so giving up can assist in preventing bad breath. And chewing parsley mixed with lemon juice can also be helpful (yeah for Tabouli!).
Q. How do you know if you have bad breath?
Bright idea: the Australian Breath Clinic has developed a machine called the Halimeter which uses a gas sensor capable of detecting parts-per-billion quantities of several gases known to cause bad breath. .... or you could just ask a (good) friend to tell you the truth!
First published on 20/4/09 at:
http://www.blackmores.com.au/News/Detail.aspx?ArticleId=9123
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Eating healthy on a shoe-string
Get smart about saving money, while also making your health feel the love. Here are some tips:
1. Don’t go shopping on an empty belly
Hunger pangs can stir impulsive shopping. Have a healthy meal or snack before you hit the aisles, so you stick to what you need, rather than what your tastebuds dictate there and then. Also, take a list so you don't over-stock or miss essential purchases.
2. Be reward-program savvy
Take advantage of shopping incentives. Your local supermarket may offer a frequent shopper program, and even give you advance notice of specials. For example your local supermarket may have an ‘e-community’ which you can subscribe to online and receive ‘member offers’. Keep an eye on local newspapers, too – these often feature flyers for specials.
3. Keep a price journal
Take note of prices on items you buy regularly so you can better gauge when they’re on sale. With easily stored things such as canned foods and toothpaste, this approach can help you bulk buy when the price is right!
4. Stay seasonal
In-season produce is thought by some to better retain its nutritional value. It also has to travel less distance, meaning it’s typically cheaper.
The Victorian Government’s online health initiative, Better Health, and Tassie's "East Well" has great info on what’s in season etc. Better Health also lets you select fruit and veg, then click through to a recipe incorporating those ingredients. (links below)
5. Visit farmers’ markets
Most cities and towns host farmers’ markets. Because it often comes from local growers, this produce may be a little cheaper and a lot fresher than in supermarkets. Farmers markets may also be a good source of less-expensive organic produce. Also developing a relationship with vendors can help you stay abreast of what’s in season, when. (link below)
6. Berries below freezing
As well as being a great source of essential nutrients, berries amp up your antioxidant levels. That said, they can be pretty pricey. Save your coin by buying several berry punnets on special and freezing them. Alternately, buy bulk berries from the frozen food section – these are delicious blended with milk, honey, low-fat yoghurt and LSA mix (linseed, sunflower seeds, almonds) for a healthy morning smoothie.
7. What’s the plan, Stan?
Keeping a weekly meal plan may save you from over-stocking your fridge and cupboards with items that ‘smile at you from the supermarket shelve’, but don’t neatly complement a meal you’ll make any time soon. This approach is also a good way of ensuring you weave variety into your meals.
8. Mind the expiry date
Pay concerted attention to the expiry dates when shopping so you’re not buying something you can’t use within time – sounds obvious, but a lot of food (and cash) is needlessly wasted this way. Also buy fresh veg frequently, rather than during your "big" shop - this helps you get the freshest available.
9. Check check, one two…
Is your docket correct? Double-check it to make sure nothing has been accidentally scanned twice. This especially applies at restaurants when treating yourself to an "eat out" night.
10. Lean and bean
Lentils, chickpeas and other pulses are a top way to make meals go further for less. Add lentils to rice, or toss a cup of chickpeas through your favourite salad. Their canned varieties keep for a long time, they are low-GI, a good source of protein and give you sustained energy.
Author: Jennifer Pinkerton
First published 05/03/09 at
www.blackmores.com.au/News/Detail.aspx?ArticleId=9485
Better Health: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcrecipes.nsf/InSeasonView/InSeason?OpenDocument
EatWell: http://www.eatwelltas.org.au/seasonpage.php
Australian Farmers’ Market Association: www.farmersmarkets.org.au
1. Don’t go shopping on an empty belly
Hunger pangs can stir impulsive shopping. Have a healthy meal or snack before you hit the aisles, so you stick to what you need, rather than what your tastebuds dictate there and then. Also, take a list so you don't over-stock or miss essential purchases.
2. Be reward-program savvy
Take advantage of shopping incentives. Your local supermarket may offer a frequent shopper program, and even give you advance notice of specials. For example your local supermarket may have an ‘e-community’ which you can subscribe to online and receive ‘member offers’. Keep an eye on local newspapers, too – these often feature flyers for specials.
3. Keep a price journal
Take note of prices on items you buy regularly so you can better gauge when they’re on sale. With easily stored things such as canned foods and toothpaste, this approach can help you bulk buy when the price is right!
4. Stay seasonal
In-season produce is thought by some to better retain its nutritional value. It also has to travel less distance, meaning it’s typically cheaper.
The Victorian Government’s online health initiative, Better Health, and Tassie's "East Well" has great info on what’s in season etc. Better Health also lets you select fruit and veg, then click through to a recipe incorporating those ingredients. (links below)
5. Visit farmers’ markets
Most cities and towns host farmers’ markets. Because it often comes from local growers, this produce may be a little cheaper and a lot fresher than in supermarkets. Farmers markets may also be a good source of less-expensive organic produce. Also developing a relationship with vendors can help you stay abreast of what’s in season, when. (link below)
6. Berries below freezing
As well as being a great source of essential nutrients, berries amp up your antioxidant levels. That said, they can be pretty pricey. Save your coin by buying several berry punnets on special and freezing them. Alternately, buy bulk berries from the frozen food section – these are delicious blended with milk, honey, low-fat yoghurt and LSA mix (linseed, sunflower seeds, almonds) for a healthy morning smoothie.
7. What’s the plan, Stan?
Keeping a weekly meal plan may save you from over-stocking your fridge and cupboards with items that ‘smile at you from the supermarket shelve’, but don’t neatly complement a meal you’ll make any time soon. This approach is also a good way of ensuring you weave variety into your meals.
8. Mind the expiry date
Pay concerted attention to the expiry dates when shopping so you’re not buying something you can’t use within time – sounds obvious, but a lot of food (and cash) is needlessly wasted this way. Also buy fresh veg frequently, rather than during your "big" shop - this helps you get the freshest available.
9. Check check, one two…
Is your docket correct? Double-check it to make sure nothing has been accidentally scanned twice. This especially applies at restaurants when treating yourself to an "eat out" night.
10. Lean and bean
Lentils, chickpeas and other pulses are a top way to make meals go further for less. Add lentils to rice, or toss a cup of chickpeas through your favourite salad. Their canned varieties keep for a long time, they are low-GI, a good source of protein and give you sustained energy.
Author: Jennifer Pinkerton
First published 05/03/09 at
www.blackmores.com.au/News/Detail.aspx?ArticleId=9485
Better Health: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcrecipes.nsf/InSeasonView/InSeason?OpenDocument
EatWell: http://www.eatwelltas.org.au/seasonpage.php
Australian Farmers’ Market Association: www.farmersmarkets.org.au
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Happiness ...
"What is happiness?
The feeling that power is growing, that resistance is overcome.” So wrote Friedrich Nietzsche in 1895.
I’m guessing that many would feel uncomfortable embracing this definition of happiness, maybe in part it’s because we’ve nodded in agreement with Lord Acton’s catchy caveat, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” And who would want to risk corruption?
But what if we were to dig to the root, Latin meaning of power, “to be able”? Suddenly the word’s hard edge dissolves; power simply means efficacy — our capacity, as philosopher Erich Fromm put it, to “make a dent.”
Over the last decade the happiness quest has spawned bestselling books, courses, retreats, and even a “happiness conference.” Most seem to offer similar advice: Once our basic physical needs are covered, more stuff does little to boost our happiness. Friendships, family, self-acceptance, and meaning in our lives are the core determinants of our happiness.
I’m happy we’re talking about happiness, but disturbed, too, because I’ve noticed that most happiness gurus fail to mention power. And why is that a big mistake? Because most human beings are not couch potatoes and whiners. We are doers and creators. In fact, the human need to “make a dent” is so great that Fromm argued we should toss out René Descartes’ “I think therefore I am” and replace it with “I am, because I effect.”
Even much of what we call “materialism” is, I think, not about “things” at all. It is a distorted, ultimately unsatisfying attempt to feel powerful, with status through possessions forced to stand in for power (retail therapy). If true, then addressing powerlessness is a direct way both to foster happiness and to overcome planet-destroying materialism.
... addressing powerlessness is a direct way both to foster happiness and to overcome planet-destroying materialism.
There’s just one pathway to happiness in which this deep, human need for power is given pride of place: democracy. By this I mean democracy as a living practice that enables us to have a real say in every dimension of our public lives, from school to workplace and beyond.
Standing on a railroad platform in rural India with desperately poor people lying only a few steps away on grimy concrete, I turned to Jafri, a young Indian researcher traveling with us — he was helping some of his country’s poorest farmers escape the debt-and-toxins trap of chemical agriculture—and I asked: “How do you keep going?”
“I have to feel I am doing something to address the roots of suffering,” he replied, “or I couldn’t be happy.”
Including power in our definition of happiness changes everything.
But, if we add power to the happiness equation, our agenda shifts.
If happiness lies in covering basic needs plus satisfying personal ties and finding meaning, society’s role is limited. It need only ensure that essential needs are met and provide opportunities to pursue personal relationships and meaning. Even a largely totalitarian government could do that.
But, if we add power to the happiness equation, our agenda shifts. Maximizing happiness then requires engaging citizens in changing the rules and norms so that more and more of us are empowered participants. And, of course, joining with others in this exhilarating pursuit we achieve a double whammy: Such activity furthers the widely appreciated relational and meaning aspects of the happiness puzzle.
If we have treated freedom and happiness as virtually synonymous, my point is a really old one. We might do well to replace the maxims of Acton and even Nietzsche with one uttered by Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero 2000 years ago:
“Freedom is participation in power.”
Resource:
Author Frances Moore Lappé wrote this article as part of Sustainable Happiness, the Winter 2009 issue of YES! Magazine, where she is Contributing Editor.
The feeling that power is growing, that resistance is overcome.” So wrote Friedrich Nietzsche in 1895.
I’m guessing that many would feel uncomfortable embracing this definition of happiness, maybe in part it’s because we’ve nodded in agreement with Lord Acton’s catchy caveat, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” And who would want to risk corruption?
But what if we were to dig to the root, Latin meaning of power, “to be able”? Suddenly the word’s hard edge dissolves; power simply means efficacy — our capacity, as philosopher Erich Fromm put it, to “make a dent.”
Over the last decade the happiness quest has spawned bestselling books, courses, retreats, and even a “happiness conference.” Most seem to offer similar advice: Once our basic physical needs are covered, more stuff does little to boost our happiness. Friendships, family, self-acceptance, and meaning in our lives are the core determinants of our happiness.
I’m happy we’re talking about happiness, but disturbed, too, because I’ve noticed that most happiness gurus fail to mention power. And why is that a big mistake? Because most human beings are not couch potatoes and whiners. We are doers and creators. In fact, the human need to “make a dent” is so great that Fromm argued we should toss out René Descartes’ “I think therefore I am” and replace it with “I am, because I effect.”
Even much of what we call “materialism” is, I think, not about “things” at all. It is a distorted, ultimately unsatisfying attempt to feel powerful, with status through possessions forced to stand in for power (retail therapy). If true, then addressing powerlessness is a direct way both to foster happiness and to overcome planet-destroying materialism.
... addressing powerlessness is a direct way both to foster happiness and to overcome planet-destroying materialism.
There’s just one pathway to happiness in which this deep, human need for power is given pride of place: democracy. By this I mean democracy as a living practice that enables us to have a real say in every dimension of our public lives, from school to workplace and beyond.
Standing on a railroad platform in rural India with desperately poor people lying only a few steps away on grimy concrete, I turned to Jafri, a young Indian researcher traveling with us — he was helping some of his country’s poorest farmers escape the debt-and-toxins trap of chemical agriculture—and I asked: “How do you keep going?”
“I have to feel I am doing something to address the roots of suffering,” he replied, “or I couldn’t be happy.”
Including power in our definition of happiness changes everything.
But, if we add power to the happiness equation, our agenda shifts.
If happiness lies in covering basic needs plus satisfying personal ties and finding meaning, society’s role is limited. It need only ensure that essential needs are met and provide opportunities to pursue personal relationships and meaning. Even a largely totalitarian government could do that.
But, if we add power to the happiness equation, our agenda shifts. Maximizing happiness then requires engaging citizens in changing the rules and norms so that more and more of us are empowered participants. And, of course, joining with others in this exhilarating pursuit we achieve a double whammy: Such activity furthers the widely appreciated relational and meaning aspects of the happiness puzzle.
If we have treated freedom and happiness as virtually synonymous, my point is a really old one. We might do well to replace the maxims of Acton and even Nietzsche with one uttered by Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero 2000 years ago:
“Freedom is participation in power.”
Resource:
Author Frances Moore Lappé wrote this article as part of Sustainable Happiness, the Winter 2009 issue of YES! Magazine, where she is Contributing Editor.
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