When I was in middle school, my biggest body insecurity was my hair. It was dry, brittle, poofy, and had a very weak color. When I went raw, it changed drastically. I took a lot of MSM at that time, a habit I’ve gotten out of for no good reason, and that was a great help in the beginning along with my dietary change.

The hair, like the skin, is definitely a direct reflection of what we eat. My diet consists of a lot of leafy greens, and I feel that contributes to it’s health. I also feel the proteins in the spirulina I eat help too, although that’s more of a hypothesis. I drink a decent amount of water as well, likely about 2 quarts per day or 3 if I exercise that day, plus all the water rich food. My body tends to retain water, so this amount is good for me.

As I write this, my throat is sore and my body has been throwing out mucous all day. Why? Well, Los Angeles. Honestly, I think it was the air. When I got out of the car the air hit me like a ton of bricks and I actually had the thought, ‘Can I breathe this?’ To give you some context, Patagonia was rated, if I am correct, the town with the 5th most pure air in the United States. This is what I’ve been used to breathing 98% of the last three years. I’m actually going to go on juice for a few days and down mushrooms and vitamin C.

Awesome image Aviva made to parody our uber ugly hotel room:

A nice weekend this one was. First thing Saturday… Hike up Red Mountain (that’s the glorious mountain you see in many pics of the Tree).

I am settling into the common nightly routine of returning to my super cozy house, putting on soft lighting and sometimes delicious smelling candles, making tea and settling in to listen to music, read, or gain inspiration online. The stars are clear and crisp and the air is fresh with fall, being that this area is right in the fullest blossoming of the season.

Well I am just feeling JOLLY after our epic weekend in Oklahoma City! The 105degrees Academy is going to be instrumental in revolutionizing health in Oklahoma City and elsewhere – and I mean that truly, not because of my bias as a presenter 😉

To document the trip.. First, I awoke at 4am to drive to the Tucson airport. My flights were smooth and I practiced my presentation and slept. Upon arriving at the Oklahoma City airport, the lovely Ladan Raissi greeted me and took me to 105degrees. By the time I had gotten there, the presentations had already started, and I walked in on Anthony’s presentation (sorry for the bad quality of some of these photos).

Week 5 was spread out over about 3 weeks due to a 36 hour fever I had (first in YEARS), and computer malfunction (no playing of DVD!). Nonetheless, it is finished. It is just incredible how much strength and visible muscle tone can be lost by skipping days or a week or two of working out. Just amazing.

‘Great dreamers’ dreams are never fulfilled, they are always transcended.’

-Alfred Lord Whitehead

“You enter the forest at the darkest point, where there is no path. Where there is a way or path, it is someone else’s path.”

—Joseph Campbell