Breathe Deep: Yoga Meets Science

In attending years of yoga classes, I have heard uncountable descriptions of how yoga benefits the body and mind. I firmly believe that yoga does have many positive effects on the practitioner, but sometimes a yoga teacher will spout a benefit that just does not seem realistic. Claims surrounding one practice in particular, pranayama or breath practices, drove me crazy for years. At the beginning (and end) of most yoga classes, the teacher will instruct some form of breathing practice to help the students get centered and grounded and more able to focus on the class. The teacher will often list the benefits of the practice as he or she instructs, and these can include a huge variety of claims, but the one that I heard most often and most often questioned was "increased oxygenation of the blood." Based on my understanding of biology and human physiology, this just did not seem true. Hearing this in class disturbed me and stole my focus away from the practice at hand. As a result, pranayama would cause more dialogue in my mind instead of less. At the suggestion of my teacher, I finally researched the topic more thoroughly and wrote an essay on the true and fictional effects of pranayama on the body and mind.

“What really happens when we breathe deeply?”

Maggi Mars Brisbin - RYT-200

Pranayama is defined by the meanings of the two Sanskrit roots that make up the word: prana and ayama; prana means respiration, breath, life-force, or animating energy and ayama means to lengthen, stretch, or extend. Taking the definitions of these two words together, pranayama means to lengthen, stretch, and extend the breath or life-force (Dharmashakti, F-18). In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the primary text of yoga, pranayama is only mentioned in sutras 2.49-2.53. In these sutras, Patanjali states that pranayama is the control of the movement of the inhalations and exhalations, that “modifications of the life-breath are external, internal, or stationary” and are “regulated by space, time, and number and are either long or short.” Patanjali advises that if pranayama is practiced and mastered, the “veil over the inner light is destroyed, and the mind becomes fit for concentration (Carrer, 369-370).” Despite the limited amount of information provided by Patanjali, there has been a large repertoire of pranayama practices created to provide an array of physical, mental, and emotional benefits to the practitioner. Several common pranayama practices include Deergha Swasam, Nadi Suddhi, and Kapalabhati and their many declared benefits include, but are not limited to, oxygenation and purification of the blood, improved resistance to infections, calming of the central nervous system, stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system, relaxation of skeletal muscles, drawing of the mind inward, preparation to enter a meditative state, and improved vitality (Dharmashakti, F-18). Many of these effects are challenging to measure and quantify and it can be difficult for a skeptical practitioner to accept them without scientific experimentation and explanation. As it turns out, some of the purported benefits of pranayama have been medically investigated and validated, while others lack scientific evidence.

In order to understand how the benefits of pranayama, particularly the oxygenation and purification of blood, may or may not occur in the body, it is necessary to examine the physiology of breathing. The respiratory system includes the respiratory airways leading into and out of the lungs and the lungs. Air entering the nasal cavities proceeds to the pharynx, trachea, primary bronchi, secondary bronchi, tertiary bronchi, bronchioles, and then the alveoli of the lungs, which are the site of gas exchange. Gas exchange, the primary function of the respiratory system, is executed through the process of diffusion and therefore relies completely on concentration gradients. At sea level, air pressure is 1atm or 760mm Hg. The air is composed of a mix of gases, mostly oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide, and the total air pressure is therefore composed of the partial pressures of these individual gas components. In the ambient air, the partial pressure of oxygen (PO₂) is about 160 mm Hg or 21% of the total pressure. Inside the alveoli of a normal, resting human being, the partial pressure of oxygen is about 104mm Hg and the partial pressure of CO₂ (PCO₂) is 40mmHg. Blood returning to the lungs from the body has a PO₂ of 40mmHg and a PCO₂ of 45mmHg, so there is a large concentration difference between the blood and the air inside the alveoli. Subsequently, oxygen diffuses into the blood and carbon dioxide diffuses out of the blood (http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/301notes6.htm).

The PO₂ gradient described is significant because it necessitates that the blood entering the alveolar capillaries will leave with 100% oxygen saturation (PO₂ 100mmHg and PCO₂ 40mmHg). The blood is then pumped through the heart (no gas exchange) and into systemic circulation. Body cells are low in oxygen and high in carbon dioxide from the energy producing process of cellular respiration. Following the concentration gradient, oxygen diffuses into body cells and carbon dioxide diffuses into the blood, where it binds with hemoglobin or is transported as bicarbonate ions. When the blood returns to the alveolar capillaries, it again has a PO₂  40mmHg and PCO₂ 45mmHg, allowing for gas exchange between the alveoli and alveolar capillaries once more. In order for gas exchange to continue, the concentration gradient must be maintained; this is accomplished by breathing and continuously bringing fresh air into the alveoli (http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/301notes6.htm).

            To aid in understanding the effects of PO₂ on the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin, the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation (saturation) curve visually describes the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin along varying partial pressures of oxygen and different conditions. Under normal resting conditions within the body, hemoglobin is near oxygen saturation (75-80%) at a relatively low partial pressure of oxygen (40mmHg). Keeping resting conditions in the body, the saturation of hemoglobin will increase with increasing PO₂ until it reaches 100% saturation; hemoglobin is 97% saturated at PO₂ of 60mmHg and 100% saturated at PO₂ of about 100mmHg. Remember that the PO₂ in the alveoli of the lungs is 104mmHg, so as blood leaves the lungs, the hemoglobin is 100% saturated with oxygen.

Body cells generally have low levels of oxygen (PO₂ 40mmHg), meaning about 20-25% of hemoglobin molecules passing by will give up their bound oxygen to them. This is extremely adaptive as it allows more oxygen to be released where it is needed if a person becomes more active. Active tissue may have a PO₂ much lower than 40mmHg and blood will quickly offload oxygen to active tissue. In addition to a more dramatic PO₂ concentration gradient, active cells with increased cellular respiration produce heat along with metabolic waste products such as carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide undergoes a reaction in the blood that produces free hydrogen ions and lowers the pH. Increased temperature and lowered pH both decrease the affinity of hemoglobin towards oxygen, allowing more oxygen to be released from the hemoglobin molecules. Finally, active cells will produce a substance called 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, which changes the shape of the hemoglobin molecule causing oxygen to be released more readily. Active cells therefore change their immediate environment – increase temperature, increase carbon dioxide levels, decrease pH, and increase 2,3-diphosphogylcerate – to assure that oxygen is delivered exactly it is most needed in the body (http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/301notes6.htm).

            Pranayama practices that involve long, deep breathing are said to deliver more oxygen to the body and to detoxify the blood. With an understanding of hemoglobin saturation in the body, it is clear that breathing more deeply cannot increase the amount of oxygen in the blood nor would it remove carbon dioxide more quickly. These claims surrounding deep breathing are most likely based on an understanding of respiratory volumes and capacities. Tidal volume (TV) refers to the volume of air moving in and out of the lungs during normal, resting breath and is generally 0.5L in adults. Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV) is the volume of air that can be inhaled after a normal breath and is approximately 2.3-3.2L in adults. Expiratory reserve volume (ERV) is the volume of air that is able to be forcefully expelled after a normal exhalation and is about 1.0-2.0L in adults. The residual volume (RV) is the volume of air that remains in the respiratory system after the ERV has been expelled. The RV, generally 1.2L, is the air that cannot be purged from the respiratory system. The inspiratory capacity (IC) is the TV+IRV or the maximum amount of air that can be inhaled. The functional residual capacity (FRC) is all of the air that is not expelled during normal breathing (ERV+RV). The vital capacity (VC) is the total volume of air that an individual is capable of moving in and out of the lungs (TV+IRV+ERV). In adults, there is also about 150mL of dead space or dead air, which is air that is moved in and out during breathing but does not reach a gas exchange surface and does not participate in gas exchange. While we are breathing normally at rest, we are moving only the tidal volume in and out of the respiratory system. Because of the reserve volume, residual volume, and dead space, there is mixing of inhaled and exhaled air. This is the reason that the partial pressure of oxygen in the alveoli during normal, resting breathing is only 104mmHg instead of equaling the partial pressure of oxygen in the surrounding air, which is 160mmHg. If a person is utilizing the full vital capacity of the lungs while breathing deep slow breaths, they may be able to increase the partial pressure of oxygen in the alveoli by more completely expelling air from the lungs and therefore inhaling a larger amount of fresh air with less mixing. This, however, will not actually provide more oxygen to the body, since hemoglobin is already 100% saturated when the partial pressure of oxygen in the alveoli is only 60mmHg (http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/301notes6.htm).

             In an experiment illustrating the noneffect of deep breathing on blood oxygenation, Pratap et al. (1978) drew arterial blood from ten volunteers proficient in pranayama breathing techniques before and immediately following pranayama practices. The levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood were measured and compared; no significant changes in arterial blood gases were found after pranayama breathing practices. Pratap et al. concluded that a neural, rather than chemical, mechanism must be responsible for the reported benefits of pranayama (Pratap et al. 1978).

            The action of breathing consciously and unconsciously is controlled by skeletal muscles regulated by the phrenic nerves, several control centers in the brain, and chemoreceptors and mechanoreceptors in the body. The physical movements of breathing are performed by skeletal muscles. During a normal inhalation, the external intercostals and the diaphragm contact. Contraction of the external intercostals elevates the ribs and sternum and increases the front to back dimension of the thoracic cavity. Contraction of the diaphragm pulls the diaphragm downwards, which increases the vertical dimensions of the thoracic cavity. The contraction of these muscles increases the volume of the lungs by about 0.5L and decreases the pulmonary pressure by 1mmHg, which causes air to enter the lungs. During exhalation, the external intercostals and diaphragm are relaxed and the volume of the thoracic cavity returns to the pre-inspiratory volume, which increases pressure in the lungs and forces air out. The external intercostals and the diaphragm are innervated by the phrenic nerves that originate mostly from the 4^th cervical nerve, but also from the 3^rd and 5^th cervical nerves. The phrenic nerves, with sole motor control of the diaphragm, contain motor, sensory, and sympathetic nerve fibers and are influenced by the respiratory center in the medulla (http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/301notes6.htm).

The medulla’s respiratory center is divided into the ventral and dorsal group; the dorsal group or inspiratory center is composed of “I neurons” that stimulate the phrenic nerves that bring about contraction of the external intercostals and diaphragm. The dorsal group also contains “E neurons” which inhibit the “I neurons” and allow the external intercostals and diaphragm to relax and therefore allows for exhalation. The ventral group, or the expiratory center, stimulates phrenic nerves and then intercostal nerves that innervate the internal intercostals and abdominals.  The expiratory center produces a “forced exhalation.” There are also two respiratory centers in the Pons: the pneumotaxic center and the apneustic center. The pneumotaxic center slightly inhibits the medulla and causes shorter, shallower, quicker breaths, while the apneustic center stimulates the medulla and causes longer, deeper, slower breaths.  These four centers control normal breathing, but respiratory centers in the hypothalamus can impact breathing based on emotional responses, pain, and sexual arousal and respiratory centers in the cerebral cortex exhibit voluntary control over breathing and can override the medulla during talking, singing, and exercise (http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/301notes6.htm).

During exercise, there is often an increase in breathing rate and depth. When breathing in this manner, the scalene muscles, the sternocleidomastoid, and the pectorals are recruited to aid the external intercostals and the diaphragm in increasing the volume of the thoracic cavity. These muscles are voluntary and the increased rate and depth of breathing during exercise is due to a conscious awareness of exercise. The cerebral cortex responds to the awareness of increased activity by stimulating the accessory muscles of external respiration and the respiratory center in the medulla. There is a steady state increase in rate and depth, which is gradually altered to match gas exchange needs (http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/301notes6.htm). In purposeful deep breathing practices, the cortex is used to override natural resting breath and the muscles recruited for deep breathing during exercise are consciously engaged.

Chemoreceptors in the body respond to chemical changes in the blood and convey signals to the respiratory centers of the brain, which induce changes in breathing rates and depths. The peripheral chemoreceptors in the carotid arteries and the central chemoreceptors in the medulla are very sensitive to the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the blood. An increase in carbon dioxide and/or the resulting decrease in pH stimulates the inspiratory center and results in increased ventilation. A severe decrease in oxygen levels in the blood will stimulate increased ventilation, but a moderate decrease in oxygen levels in the blood will not have this effect (http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/301notes6.htm). Many people are surprised to learn that the desperate urge to breathe that is experienced during prolonged breath holds is a response to increased carbon dioxide rather than lack of oxygen.

The importance of mechanoreceptors to breathing is seen in the Hering-Breuer Reflex. The Hering-Breuer reflex prevents the over-inflation of the lungs by sending nerve impulses along the vagus nerve to the brain in response to the stimulation of pulmonary stretch receptors in the smooth muscles of the airways. The inspiratory region of the medulla is directly inhibited and the apneustic area of the pons is inhibited, which stops it from stimulating the medulla’s inspiratory area, resulting in exhalation. This neural circuit involves several regions of the central nervous system and utilizes motor and sensory components of the vagus nerve. The lung afferent neurons also send inhibitory projections to the cardiac vagal motor neurons, which send motor fibers to the heart by way of the vagus nerve and cause tonic inhibitory control of heart rate. Therefore, an increase in the Hering-Breuer reflex causes an inhibition of the cardiac vagal motor neurons and an elevation of heart rate. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hering%E2%80%93Breuer_reflex). This is part of the system that causes an increase in heart rate during inhalation and a decrease in heart rate during exhalation. This normal varying of heart rate is referred to as sinus arrhythmia (Pal et al. 2004). Slow, deep breathing stimulates pulmonary stretch receptors and by initiating the neural loop described by the Hering-Breuer reflex, it is believed that slow, deep breathing tones the vagal nerve, improves autonomic nervous system functions, and shifts the system towards parasympathetic control (Pal et al. 2004, Jerath et al. 2006).

Pal et al. (2004) investigated the effects of pranayama on the autonomic nervous system using several common tests of autonomic function - basal heart rate, heart rate response to standing, the difference in heart rate during inhale and exhale while deep breathing, and the heart rate response to a prolonged Valsalva maneuver – before and after the experiment. In the experiment, 60 volunteers were divided into the slow breathing (n=30) and fast breathing (n=30) groups and the groups were further divided into test and control groups. In the slow breathing test group, volunteers were instructed to inhale through one nostril for 6 seconds, hold the breath for 6 seconds, and then exhale out the other nostril for 6 seconds. This practice was done twice a day (am and pm) for 30 minutes over the course of 3 months. The fast breathing test group was instructed to take deep and fast inspirations and expirations for one minute and then rest for 3 minutes and to repeat this exercise 8-10 times over a 30 minute period twice a day for 3 months. The results showed that the in the slow-breathing group, basal heart rate was significantly decreased, the heart rate response to standing was significantly altered, the difference between heart-rate during a deep inhale and a deep exhale significantly increased, and there was no difference in heart rate during a prolonged Valsalva maneuver. Interestingly, there were no significant changes in the fast breathing group. The study demonstrated that slow deep breathing lowered basal heart rate, which is a function of the parasympathetic nervous system. The study suggests that decreased heart rate and blood pressure is accomplished by improving the tone of the vagal nerve and decreasing sympathetic discharge (Pal et al. 2004).

In another study, Pramanik et al. (2009) investigated the effects of deep slow breathing with and without the administration of hyoscine-N-butylbromide, a parasympathetic blocker drug. Volunteers (n=39) breathed at a rate of 6 breaths/ minute for 5 minutes with a 4 second inhale and a 6 second exhale while sitting in a comfortable seated position. The blood pressure and heart rate of each volunteer were measured before and after the breathing exercise. Another group (n=10) took the parasympathetic blocker drug and performed the same breathing exercise with the same parameters measured before and after the exercise. In the group that did not take the drug, systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly and the heart rate fell slightly. In the group that was administered hyocine-N-butylbromide, no significant change in heart rate or blood pressure was measured. This study shows a clear connection between slow deep breathing and the parasympathetic nervous system. Benefits from deep, slow, purposeful breath are the result of activation of pulmonary stretch receptors leading to the activation of the parasympathetic system and the inhibition of sympathetic activities. Over time, the activation of the parasympathetic system leads to improved functioning of the autonomic nervous system (Pramanik et al. 2009).

Improved function of the autonomic nervous system and a shift towards parasympathetic control can account for many of the reported benefits of slow, deep breathing, including decreased oxygen consumption, decreased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, improved immune function, and reduced stress levels (Jerath et al. 2006). The increased ability to meditate and the turning inward of the mind may be explained by another result of the activation of pulmonary stretch receptors. Hyperpolarization of neural and non-neural tissue has been observed in response to the stimulation of pulmonary stretch receptor. Hyperpolarization of nueral and non-neural tissue means that a larger stimulus is necessary to trigger an action potential in the tissue. This may mean that small physical disturbances and distractions are less disruptive because they are unable to trigger action potentials (Jeranth et al. 2009).

There is quite a bit of ongoing discussion and research regarding the effects of slow, deep breathing and other pranayama practices. Much of the interest surrounds how reported benefits can be explained in terms of human physiology and the root cause of many benefits have not yet be illuminated. While many will be better understood in the future, it is possible that some reported experiences surrounding pranayama may be a result of the placebo effect. Regardless of the science behind the practice, pranayama has brought physical, emotional, and mental benefits to humans for thousands of years and is a practice worthy of the interest it attracts.

Works Cited

Carrere, Jaganath. “Inside the Yoga Sutras. ” Integral Yoga Publications, Buckingham, Virginia; 2006.

Dharmashakti Yogin “Intensive Study Program and Yoga Intensive & Teacher Certification Program Training Manual.” Nob Hill Yoga, Albuquerque, NM; 2012.

Jerath, Ravinder, Edry, John W., Barnes, Vernon A., Jerath, Vanda (2006) “Physiology of long pranayamic breathing: neural respiratory elements may provide a mechanism that explains how slow deep breathing shifts the sutonomic nervous system.” Medical Hypothesis.

Pal, G.K., Velkumary, S., Madanmohan (2004) “Effect of short-term practice of breathing exercises on autonomic functions in normal human volunteers.” Indian J Med Res. 120: 115-121.

Pramanik, T., Sharma, H.O., Mishra, S., Mishra, A., Prjapati, R., Singh, S. (2009) “Immediate effect of slow pace Bhatrika Pranayama on blood pressure and heart rate.” The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 15(3): 293-295.

Pratap, V., Berrettini, W.H., Smith, C. (1978) “ Arterial Blood Gases in Prana Yama Practice” Perceptual and Motor Skills. 46: 171-174.

Websites Consulted

http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/301notes6.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hering%E2%80%93Breuer_reflex

Namaste

Dinner at Home

The move into our new house can best be described as fractured. We closed on the house on the Thursday before memorial day weekend. The highlight of the day was the electrical utility worker backing into my parked car while he chatted on his mobile - the first time I ever parked in my new driveway. The final walk through (my first time in the house) was otherwise uneventful and we drove the hobbled Fit to the lawyers office. The signing of papers was long and boring, and the grumbling in my tummy did not help my patience. Dealing with insurance companies and making sure the Fit was safe to drive ate up our allotted time for lunch. There was some hold up in the communication between the loan office and the lawyers office, and we sat for an hour waiting for final clearance to be passed down to issue checks to the sellers and us. I was not pleased. Eventually we gave up, said we would come back later to pick up the checks, and we raced to find something to eat. Jamie and I killed some Moe's Burritos; I even ate all the complementary chips with my burrito and started in on Jamie's chips.

Officially homeowners, Jamie dropped me off at our friends' apartment so I could finish up the lesson plans I created for my summer trip. Jamie graciously brought the Fit to the autobody shop and procured a rental vehicle. After loading up the rental, we drove to our new house for a celebratory champagne toast with friends. Jamie and I fell asleep that night on an air mattress is an empty house, that we owned.

The next morning, Jamie whisked me to the Valdosta airport, which is even smaller than expected. I flew to Atlanta and then on to Raleigh for Broadreach summer staff training. After a week of learning about the other trip leaders, role playing possible trip scenarios, playing games, and finding out about my students and trip itinerary, I flew back to the tiny Valdosta airport. Jamie picked me up with an exuberant little Gnasher pup and we did some house shopping and went out to dinner. This night we fell asleep in a house full of unpacked boxes, but we slept on our own bed (my first time in a real bed in almost a month!)!

The following morning, Jamie's alarm starting complaining at 5:00am. I grudgingly climbed out of bed and drove Jamie to his squadron. He was on his way to N. Georgia for a week of SERE training. I spent the week unpacking boxes, teaching yoga classes, reading about Thailand, and resuming my "Clean" cleanse to get my digestive tract back on track after eating lots of unhealthy (SYSCO) food at Broadreach training. The "Clean" program requires smoothies to be consumed for breakfast and dinner; solid food is only prescribed for lunch, and I usually just have a salad and some almonds.

The point of all this, is that when Jamie got home last night we had technically owned our house for 2 weeks, but I had not cooked dinner in the house once yet and we had not eaten dinner together in our new dining room at all. So, it was a big event! Our very first dinner together in our new home needed to be healthy, filling, and delicious. I decided to try a recipe for veggie pasta that I had seen in "Natural Health" magazine that would allow me to stay pretty close to the regulations of the "Clean" program, which outlaws gluten, soy, corn, sugar, nightshades, dairy, and other things. There were some tomatoes in the recipe, but of the foods eliminated in the clean programs, tomatoes seem to be less toxic to my body than others (dairy is the worst). Now, when I say veggie pasta, that is a bit deceptive, the "pasta" is actually very thinly sliced zucchini and carrots. In the magazine picture, it really looked like multi-colored spaghetti. I think mine ended up looking like just a pile of cooked vegetables, but it did taste pretty good.

Ingredients: 

Olive Oil

Salt  & Pepper

Freshly Dried basil, thyme, oregano (from the neighbors garden)

Onion

Garlic

Asparagus

Broccoli Florets

Jalapeno pepper (from neighbors garden)

2 yellow zucchini (neighbor!)

1 green zucchini (neighbor!)

2 Carrots

1 Red Pepper

Baby bella mushroom

1 can diced tomatoes

Wash all veggies. Cut the ends off of asparagus and cut into 1 inch pieces, before submerging in boiling water until just soft. Remove soft asparagus with a slotted spoon and drop into a bowl of ice water. Cook broccoli florets in an identical manner.

Slice carrots and zucchini into the thinnest strips your cutting ability allows. Mine ended up a bit thicker than they should of been, which diminished their "spaghettiness." Submerge in boiling water until limp when picked up by the middle and then plunge into a bowl of ice water.

Dice garlic and onion and saute with olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, and herbs. Clean and cut mushrooms into bite-sized pieces and add them to the pan. Cut the red pepper and jalapeno pepper and add to pan. Finally, add the can of tomatoes to the pan. Continue to cook over medium heat  until liquid from tomatoes comes to a boil, then lower heat and cover to keep warm.

In a separate pan, saute zucchini, carrots, asparagus, and broccoli with olive oil. Serve the zucchini, carrots, broccoli, and asparagus first and arrange on the plate as if pasta. I used tongs to grasp the veggies and arrange them on the plates. As you can see mine didn't really look like pasta, but it was close.

Use a ladle to heap the tomato and veggie mixture on top of the zucchini and carrot "pasta."  Here it ends up looking like a giant pile of veggies, but with a little more skill it could certainly look like a veggie pasta with multi-colored noodles. 

Since it was our first dinner at home together, I actually set the table. Our table looks rather small in our new, large dining area. We have so much more space in our new house - all of our things look a little dwarfed. 

This recipe was a great first dinner in our new home. It was relatively quick and simple, but most importantly it was made up of all healthy, whole ingredients, with several even being super local (next door). I did have fun preparing it, even if it did not look magazine perfect. I feel happy and contented to have set the tone for many wholesome meals to come! I am excited to start producing more and more food in my own yard and finding creative ways to prepare them. 

Coming up... many adventures in owning our own home (yard and home projects), but first a summer teaching in Thailand! 

Sketti Done Right

By now, most people have been exposed to "Honey Boo Boo," the precocious chubby Georgia beauty queen, and her indescribable mother due to their disturbing, but hard to ignore reality television show, "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo." The family is poor and has been raised with questionable eating habits going back generations. The mother is severely obese and feeds her children repulsive meals and snacks. Honey Boo Boo loves her gogo juice, which is mountain dew and red bull mixed together. The child slurps it through a straw and then runs amok, beating her mother, jumping on furniture, and saying crazy things that make us all laugh, but are slightly scary.

One of the family's specialty foods is "Sketti," which involves butter and ketchup being microwaved together and then poured over spaghetti. The children love it, but are clearly not having a nutritionally balanced dinner. The mom repeatedly declares that she feeds the family on a very tiny budget and that "sketti" is their best choice (see clip below). Exclamations like this have inspired many to take up demonstrating preparations of healthy foods on a budget, and I, too, been compelled to create my own version of "sketti."

My "sketti" brings together simple, inexpensive ingredients, most of which can be stored in the pantry. I use canned diced fire roasted tomatoes ($.80), canned garbanzo beans ($.80), frozen basil cubes (1 cube = $.20), ramen noodles ($.20), and fresh spinach ($1.50). The total cost of my "sketti" is $3.50, and provides three adult portions. My husband and I can both have a serving for dinner and there is some leftover for one to have for lunch the next day. This version is certainly tastier and more nutritious than the TV version, but I am not touting the nutritional value of ramen noodles by any means. This meal is quick and cheap and provides protein (garbanzo beans), phytonutrients (spinach), amino acids (tomatoes and spinach), and carbohydrates (noodles), but is still not for everyday consumption. 

Preparation takes about 5 minutes. I bring a small pan of water to a boil and add the garbanzo beans first. The beans taste better and share their flavor more when they are boiled. After about 2 minutes of boiling the garbanzo beans, I add the ramen noodles (discarding the flavor packet), and boil for about 2 more minutes. Next I drain most of the water out, add the can of diced fire roasted tomatoes in tomato juice, 1 cube of chopped basil, salt and pepper to taste, and the spinach. I heat the final mixture until the spinach is wilted and soft. And, Voila! It is delicious, colorful, nutritional, cheap, and fast! Hooray! I hope moms out there can choose this adaptation instead of the original "sketti!"

On the Move

Here I am: sitting at my kitchen table at a friend's bachelor pad (they have no furniture). I have just completed my first military DITY move and it was more work, more stress, and more devastating than I could have imagined. Exactly 7 days ago I ate at The Grove one last time, picked up my moving van and got this crazy process underway. I am not sure why I thought it would be easy. Sure, some of Jamie's co-workers were coming to help load furniture, but I still had to pack boxes, clean the house, run for the zoo, meet at UNM to work on data analysis, and do several last minute errands. Saturday flew by; I got all the heavy things in the truck and most of the boxes packed. I fell asleep on the therma-rest pad in less than 20 minutes and slept restlessly through most of the night. I woke up a couple times to nightmares of over sleeping and eventually woke around 6am to get back to packing. I packed and cleaned for a couple more hours before I rode my borrowed bicycle to zoo for the annual "Run for the Zoo and Walk With Us, Too!"

As always, my students were late and confused. I ended up only meeting 2 for the actual run/walk, but it was still a lovely way to enjoy the morning of my last full day in the town I had grown to love. I kept looking towards the mountains, trying to memorize their shape and contrast against sky. I memorized the rio grand and the elephants. I took in all these things I had seen over and over and committed them to memory, promising myself I would lose them. At the conclusion of the run/walk, I took off on the bicycle towards the university and Anapurna's for some soul sustaining vegetarian and ayurvedic grub. Kitchari was just what I needed. After nourishing myself, I headed across the street and got some data done. Analyzing data is like unwrapping a present. You are never quite sure what you will get, but sometimes there are pleasant surprises. No pleasant surprises yet, but there is still a lot of work to do. The scientist I have been working with did invite me to come back to do my doctoral work with her though; PhD in plant ecology? Maybe!

I cycled home at 5pm (later than planned), and Beth came over to help me pack and clean. This is when things really started to get crazy. Beth was such a huge help, I could never completely thank her, but I still didn't finish everything before I was completely exhausted. Again, I passed out on the therma-rest on the floor, but I think I fell asleep in less than 5 minutes for the first time all week.

I woke up the next day at 5am and started sprinting back and forth to the truck and running up and down the stairs frantically scrubbing, transporting, vacuuming, dusting, and sweeping. At about 7:30 it became apparent that I would not finish everything by my 9am checkout time. I called the housing office and they graciously informed me they could only push back the appointment if I drove to the office and changed the time in person. I am not sure how that could possibly be helpful in the midst of a move, but they were unwilling to negotiate. They sent their inspector to check on me at 9am, anyways, and alas, I was not finished. The inspector is short and stout. He has brown hair and brown eyes and looks as if he is afflicted with Down's syndrome, but he is not. He has strange mannerisms and a very judgmental glare. He walked into my house and appraised my work with a disapproving scan of the living room and a disappointed "so you really aren't ready, huh?" He drove back to the office and said he would try to squeeze me in for another appointment later in the day.

The little man parked in front of my house some 20 minutes later and waddled up to my front door to inform me that my new appointment was at 2pm. Great, thanks. I knew I did not need that much time, so I slowed my pace to just slightly frantic and kept working. After pulling the appliances away from the wall and sweeping behind them, dusting the tops of the cabinets, scrubbing the hard water lines in the toilets with a pumice stone, a lot of sweat, and a few tears, I felt like the house was ready for inspection. It was 11:30am.

So, I headed out for some errands before the inspection. I went to wally-world for a lock for the truck, pet-land for a 50lb bag of dog food, Salam Academy to drop off some grading, and Comcast to give them back the modem and router we haven't actually used in over a year. I also hit up Trader Joe's one last time for some lunch and road snacks. I got back to the house at 1:45, and snuck in some last minute dusting before the small, unfortunate looking inspector showed up again.

He looked displeased to be at my house again, but it is his job, so he was there. He around walked slowly, checking for dust by rubbing his stumpy fingers along surfaces as he went. I was so incredibly nervous; my stomach was tied in a knot in my chest and my heart was sucked up to my throat. It felt like a final exam; I had worked my tail off and this "walk-through" was what it all came down to: would I have to pay fines or not. I would. I was fined $20 for missing house keys, $30 for a broken set of blinds, $2 for an exterior light bulb being out, and $20 for not taking down all the light globes and cleaning their interior. The last couple fines he laid on me were what really angered me. During our first meeting several weeks ago, the little man told me that garbage could be left on the front lawn. I was appreciative, because this was actually convenient, and as I was moving, I bagged up garbage and put it on the front yard. On that final walk through, he told me that I would be charged $25 for the garbage and $25 for the recycling because it needed to be picked up prior to move out. Fifty dollars for garbage removal when he had told me it was ok to leave it? I was really mad. I packed all the garbage into my moving truck and my neighbor graciously took the recycling. I went to meet the man at the leasing office and sign the paperwork.

Despite the last minute relocation of my trash, the leasing agents still wanted me to pay the $50 because the trash was there during my appointment. I fought so hard I am actually a little embarrassed seeing as it was for $50, but I eventually won so perhaps it was worth it. With less than $100 of fines, I was finally leaving Kirtland Air Force base. I saved about $200 by doing a "self clean" (it is $300 to "pay and go"). I am not sure if the self-clean was the best option. It would have felt better if I did not have any fines, but if could have been worse, I suppose. I drove out the Wyoming gate for the last time.

I grabbed a Starbuck's iced coffee and I was officially on the road. It was 4pm. Driving east on I-40, I shed a tear as I passed through the Sandias, and then it was open road and crappy radio reception for a long time. Almost as soon as I passed into Texas, the deserts succeeded into grasslands and then trees started to appear. It was verifiably damp outside when I hit a raccoon with a huge thump and knocked the truck out of gear. I had no idea why the truck wouldn't go anymore. It was about 11pm in the middle of nowhere Texas, and my heart was beating loudly, pumping high levels of adrenaline throughout my system. All the possible outcomes of the truck breaking down then were spinning through my mind. I took a deep breath and looked past my shaky hands to my speedometer and watched it slowly reading lower and lower speeds: 45mph, 40mph, 35mph. But then, my gaze drifted just below the odometer and I noticed that the transmission was in Neutral. I shifted back to drive; the truck responded to the gas pedal and picked up speed. I took this as a sign that it was time to get off the road and pulled into the parking lot of the very first motel I spotted.

The motel was the only one for another 40 miles and I was scared they would not let me stay with Gnasher. So, I didn't mention my sweet little co-pilot and simply registered and drove over to my room. I let Gnasher out for a short, secretive walk and he did pee, but almost immediately after entering the room, he lifted his leg and marked the corner of the California King sized bed taking up most of the motel room. The bed was big enough that I just slept on the other side, but I really hope they was the sheets and blankets there!

The next day brought many more miles between Albuquerque and I. I made it to Dallas at lunchtime and visited with my Aunt Renee at her palatial Texas home and then drove on towards New Orleans. I made it to Baton Rouge and stayed at a pet friendly Motel 8 that Gnasher enjoyed much more than his first motel experience. The room was smaller and had laminate flooring, but most importantly, it was significantly quieter. The first room was next to a freight train line and very close to the highway. Every time a train or truck would speed by, Gnash's little head would perk up and he surveyed the situation for danger for several minutes before resting his head again. He was so anxious, I don't think he slept much that night, but, this night was a little better.

On to New Orleans! We woke up early and jumped in the truck to see Matt, my co-lead from last summer and his girlfriend, Brittany. I pulled up in front of his apartment about an hour and half later and we walked to a nice little breakfast joint, The Ruby Slipper Cafe. Along the way, Gnasher ate a crawfish shell and a shrimp tail, seeming to enjoy the local fare even if I was downright disgusted. At the restaurant, I was disappointed that there was butter in the grits and I became worried that this will continue to be a problem for me! I love grits and was looking forward to participating in the grits and everything traditions in my new home, but butter makes my belly upset. I had eggs and spinach and mushrooms instead with some delicious coffee and donated my decadent looking and certainly very buttery biscuit to Matt. After breakfast, Matt studied for his upcoming mega-medschool-test and I worked on my lesson plans for my upcoming summer trip to Thailand. It completely boggles my mind that Matt has been studying 8 hours a day for two months to take this test. That is a lot of studying.

When Matt was done studying for the day (I think he would have went a lot longer if I wasn't there), we went to Juan's Flying Burrito for dinner, which had a cute outside seating area on the sidewalk. The waitress was attentive and friendly and the green veggie burrito tasted virtuous and delicious. The guacamole was some of the best I've had, although the "green chile" was not green chile as I have come to know and love it. I am fearful that missing green chile will become a serious problem for me as life goes on in Georgia. We stopped by Angelo Brocato Ice Cream & Confectionary for dessert and I ordered some tangy raspberry and sweet mango sorbet. I was slightly rebuffed when I asked for chocolate chips and the sales girl quipped "we don't really do toppings here," but she was not as snotty as her comment and was easily forgiven. Matt and I walked back to his apartment with our frozen desserts and chatted about New Orleans and how it has changed. He pointed out spray painted x's on buildings and told me that in the four corners of the x you could find the date the building was searched, how many people were found, how many alive, and how many dead. It was a chilling reminder that the city went through a nightmarish tragedy and I tried to picture the streets and houses underwater as we continued on our way.

The next day, I continued on my way to Valdosta. I was excited to see Jamie and terrified at what I might find when I reached my new home. I was slightly relieved to leave New Orleans; there was a grittiness there that I had not encountered before and it made me feel uneasy. I arrived in Valdosta before dark and Jamie drove me over to our new house. It was exciting, even if I could only see the exterior for now. The house is on a beautiful piece of land and is blue with a red door. I just love it and I cannot wait to move in. For the next week, though, we will continue to stay on an air mattress on Jamie's coworker's floor.

The town is bigger than I expected and has many eating and shopping options. I am not sure what I will do for work yet and that remains the primary question about life in this biggish town surrounded by farms in all directions. Will I work? Will it be fulfilling? Will I be advancing my career and building my resume? Or, will I be frustrated and stunted? I think the work question will ultimately determine my experience here, but so far I am appreciating the green foliage everywhere I look, the morning dew and afternoon rain showers, and the sweet smells of green grass, hyacinths, and summer on the east coast in general.

My rocky relationship with running

I have had an on again, off again relationship with running since high school. If I am honest, our relationship started even before that. It is like when you hear a couple talking about their first kiss being in kindergarten and then teasing and bullying each other until high school, when they realized they were really in love. In 1st grade, I beat all the other kids in relay races in the parking lot of my Catholic school. Once in public school in 3rd grade, I beat the other girls in the 800m on field day. In 4th and 5th grade, I was the fastest girl in my class and was selected to run a special cross country event in a near by county park. I really loved running, it felt great, it was fun, and it gave me something to be proud of. Other girls started joining extra-curricular cross country teams, but I did not; I chose to join a gymnastics team instead. I think that decision was what first put my relationship with running on the rocks. 

In middle school, I was practicing with my gymnastics team 9 hours a week and in 7th grade, when students are allowed to participate in intermural, I added 6 hours of cheerleading in the fall and winter seasons. When Spring track rolled around, I was exhausted and more interested in going home after school. Occasionally, I would run around the block, but I didn't really keep up any level of running fitness. My natural running abilities lay undeveloped and unused until I was in high school when I signed up for Varsity track. 

Once on the track team, my delight in running was rekindled, but I felt frustrated that I could not keep up with the other girls. True, everyone else ran cross country in the fall and winter track in the winter, while I was cheerleading, but I desperately wanted to be a star on the team. I ran the 400m and 400m hurdles mostly because everyone else hated those races and I usually could at least place and get points for the team. I jumped high jump because I could use my gymnastics training in that event, and was actually good at it. To tumble, one must jump straight up and then perform a maneuver at the highest point, which is also true for high jump. It is necessary to jump up first, then arch over the pole. I always scored in high jump and jumped quite high for a very short girl. But, I wanted to run fast! Now, when I look back at my times, I can't believe how fast I actually was. Time certainly helps one appreciate the gifts of youth. 

As an undergraduate, I officially broke up with running and we were never, never, ever getting back together (except for a few flings here and there). I was focused on studying and partying and certainly wasn't fast enough to run college track. I missed the feeling of being on a team, though. I also missed work-outs facilitated by a coach; I am not the type of person to push myself, and will not work out until I am too sore to walk, unless someone is aggressively encouraging me. But, whenever I did decide I needed to get some exercise, I hit the track or the treadmill. I continued to feel that running was the only real workout and the best way to exercise. I just couldn't commit, and I only exercised about once every three months. 

After my undergraduate degree, I found myself really enjoying bicycling. I was interested in the green movement, and liked the idea of biking instead of driving. Also, my car at the time was really unpleasant to drive. I rode my bicycle most places I went, and even rode back and forth the the restaurant where I worked about 15 miles from my home. Cycling 30 miles a day did improve my fitness, even if I still thought bicycling was a rather lame form of cardiovascular exercise. Eventually, a friend suggested I start running again, and I did. I started with a mile, then 2, then 3, and eventually I ran 5 miles in a row. That same friend suggested I sign up for a half-marathon just a couple months later, and I did. Two weeks before the race, I ran twelve miles along Dune Road. I remember meeting a friend who was driving down the road on the way to the beach. I told her, "If I stop to talk now, I will never start again!"

The Queens half marathon that fall of 2009 was an amazing race. The course was beautiful, the weather was perfect, and I finished! I do not remember what my time was, just the flowers and water views. After that, I was hooked for the next 2 years. I joined New York Road Runners and subscribed to Runner's World. I read about running and training techniques. I ran races in the city on the weekends and ran a couple small time 5ks near my parents' house. I joined Team In Training and ran my first full marathon in San Diego. I ran enough NYRR races to qualify for the NYC marathon and finished NYC in 4:09. The NYC marathon was one of the proudest days of my life. 

Once I had achieved my graduate degree, I moved away from New York, and since then it has been difficult to find the same joy in running. I learned to love running in NY and places with different weather or terrain don't make the activity more enjoyable, despite what one might think. Last year, I ran the Nashville marathon and did all my training where I now live in Albuquerque. I had some IT band issues and many of my long runs were thwarted. I finished in Nashville, but my time was a huge disappointment. After the race, I came home and ran some smaller races. I ran my fastest 10k and 5k that I had since high school and was just starting to enjoy running again. And then I went away for the summer. 

I lived on a sailboat this last summer. Running was impossible. The fitness I built up simply atrophied. When I got back to ABQ, the altitude and full time farming left me exhausted. Since then, I have been trying to rekindle my relationship with running. I thought signing up for a 5k might get me on track, but it didn't and I simply skipped the race. A friend of mine bought two pairs of Nike Frees in the wrong size. She purchased them from the employee store, so she could not return them, and offered to send them to me. I thought new sneakers would surely give me a kick to my step and help me hit the pavement with enthusiasm. I look cool with neon shoes, but I am not fast. 

I feel like I am now courting running and running is the one who is rebuffing me. I just can't get fast or really enjoy running right now. I am sure that running and I are not truly divorcing, but right now I think it is safe to say that running is not answering my text messages. 

Vegan Enchiladas Are Delicious

I have made these enchiladas a couple times now and I swear that they are better every time I make them. I made them again last night and they were so good, I think it is finally time to write a blog about them. These enchiladas are surprisingly easy to make and honestly delicious: another vegan recipe that meat eaters will enjoy and appreciate. This time, I got most of my ingredients at Trader Joe's and it turned out being quite an inexpensive dinner, as well.

Ingredients:
Enchilada Sauce
Organic Wheat Tortillas
1 can black olives
1 can black beans
2 zucchini
1/2 onion
Daiya Vegan Cheese, Jack Style Wedge
1 block extra firm tofu

First, I rinsed the zucchini and cut the zucchini and half onion into slices. I drained a can of black olives and added them to the food processor with the zucchini and onions. I pulsed these ingredients until they were coarsely diced. Then, I added the drained black beans and pulsed again until the ingredients were well mixed, but not pureed.

After noisily pulsing, I transferred the mixture from the food processor to a large mixing bowl. I drained a block of organic extra firm tofu and cut it into cubes. The cubes were added to the mixing bowl and mashed up with a mixing spoon. I tried to have the tofu mix evenly with the olives, onions, beans, and zucchini. On previous enchilada nights, I added the tofu to the food processor, but it had became too pureed and the texture was not right. Mashing the tofu and stirring it in created a much nicer texture and made the final product much more pleasing. 

Next, I added enchilada sauce and equal parts water to the mixture and stirred well. I used half my bottle of enchilada sauce here, so I added water to the bottle until it was full again for the sauce that gets poured on top of the tortillas. I scooped generous amounts of the filling onto each tortilla, evenly spread it out, and rolled the tortilla up. I only had 6 tortillas (I should have bought two bags!), so I was trying to use as much of the filling as possible, but adding plentiful amounts of filling also made this dish better than previous times I had made it. 

One of my husbands friends had broken my full-sized pyrex dish this week, so I had to really cram the enchiladas into a smaller pyrex dish. Luckily, tt ended up not mattering much. I poured as much of the 50:50 enchilada sauce/water mixture into the dish as would fit, and topped the tortillas with cubed Daiya jack-style cheese wedge. I had used the shredded Daiya before, but this is what I had this time, and it was so, so much better.  

I cooked the enchiladas at 350F for about 30 minutes and then we enjoyed them with some TJ's hot sauce. I usually serve them with green chile sauce, but we are sadly out of green chiles. The green chile sauce does make them better, but they were able to shine on their own this time without being overshadowed by the green chile. I had previously thought of enchiladas solely as a vehicle for green chile, but I was able to enjoy the enchiladas as enchiladas this weekend. 

These enchiladas are quick, easy, cheap, delicious, and full of healthy choices for you and the environment. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Bottled Water Battle

This issue has been driving me crazy for years. Tap water is cleaner, safer, a ton cheaper, and better for the environment than bottled water. Add to that that it takes 3 times the amount of water than is actually in the bottle to make the bottle, over 17 billion barrels of oil are used in the production of plastic water bottles each year, and only 12% of plastic water bottles are recycled. And, the plastic that is actually recycled, cannot even be used for food packaging or to make new plastic water bottles! The US government has worked very hard over the years to ensure that US citizens have access to clean, safe, almost free drinking water. This is only a dream for many world citizens. And yet, most Americans buy flats of plastic water bottles from Costco and shun their taps, claiming that it is dirty or doesn't taste good. This is simply not true! It is cleaner and safer than bottled water, and in taste tests, Americans have been unable to distinguish water from different sources. It is astounding, but true, that Americans drink more bottled water than they do beer or milk!

For me, learning the facts about bottled water made quitting an easy choice. I have a stainless steel water bottle, an aluminum water bottle, and several Nalgene bottles that I fill with water from the sink and drink at my leisure. It tastes great, it nourishes me, it is always available, and it is free. For some reason though, most people are extremely attached to their bottled water addiction. When confronted with facts about plastic water bottles, they enter into denial. "No, the tap water here isn't clean," "the tap water tastes gross, I can tell the difference," " I put them in the recycling bin." Why are people so scared to admit that plastic water bottles are bad news and simply use a reusable bottle and the water from of their sinks? The answer is extremely relentless and successful advertising and brainwashing.

Bottled water first became fashionable in the 1980's when people began looking for a healthful alternative to noontime martinis during business lunches. Perrier and Pellegrino, sparkling European mineral water served in green glass bottles, were served in fancy restaurants in a similar way to a wine or liquor bottle service. Because, despite all the decoration, it is still essentially water, these products were not prohibitively expensive. Regular people could also choose to forgo the free tapwater and spend $6 on a bottle of sparkling mineral water and it was seen as a sign of class or good taste. Celebrities only drank bottled water, and anyone else could too. Soon, bottled water was being marketed as pure, straight from nature, healthier than tap water and should be drank exclusively not only as restaurants but at home, too. Things really got cracking when Coca-Cola and Pepsi jumped on board and declared war against tap water; a Pepsi VP is widely reported as stating "the biggest enemy is tap water". Ad campaigns were created with celebrities endorsing different water brands and bottled water became available from more and more vendors. Now, bottled water is so ubiquitous that it can even be bought at McDonalds. One can't really blame the businesses though, they are taking water out of the ground or in some cases straight from a faucet and selling it for $2 a bottle. The profits are amazing ($86 billion/year, in fact)! The ones to blame are really all the people that are continuing to fall for this ridiculous scheme.

Here's a confession: during the late 90's and very early 2000's, I was a major consumer of plastic water bottles. As a middle class kid exposed to lots of advertising, bottled water was a cheap way to be a little snobby. With the Hamptons right next door, my friends and I were always looking for ways to appear a little more high class and delighted in acting spoiled. My mom also enjoys pretending to be a little upper class and loves her coach bags, "expensive" wines, and bottled water. When my mom and I went out to eat together and the waitress asked "bottled or tap?", it felt good to say "bottled." We got a thrill out of feeling like we knew the "right" answer and we could afford to spend the extra couple dollars. At home, my mom brought home flats of Poland Spring water from BJ's (a Costco like store in NY), and I drank these religiously. I did not even have a reuseable water bottle, so If I was going to drink water, it was going to be a bottle of Poland Spring. I believed that if I drank more bottled water, I would lose weight and my skin would clear up, so I consumed A LOT of plastic water bottles. It was not until I was in college and learning more about the world, the effects of bottled water, and becoming less self-absorbed, that I finally learned to love tap water and be proud of it. Despite this, I had already caused a huge amount of damage with my recklessness and I continue to feel ashamed.

Now when I see someone drinking from a plastic water bottle, it makes me cringe and I feel compelled to share all the facts about bottled and tap water. Maybe that is obnoxious, but I really can't help it. It seems like such an easy, simple choice to me, and if people just knew the facts, they wouldn't buy plastic water bottles anymore. As a teacher, I share the issues surrounding plastic water bottles with my students, hoping that they will demand change in their homes. Some students are able to grasp the impact of their decision, but others refuse to see it. This summer, while teaching Marine Conservation Issues to high school students receiving college credit, I gave a lecture on pollution and the problems with plastic in the marine environment. Then, we headed out to the beach on a small Caribbean Island and picked up hundreds of pounds of plastic that had washed up on the beach. Later that day, the kids were thirsty after working hard and they all bought water, juice, and soda in plastic bottles (water is not the only thing in plastic: soda, iced tea, and juices in plastic are just as harmful - Choose Aluminum)! I was angry, upset, and defeated. I told them they were not allowed to buy plastic bottles for the rest of the trip, which may have instilled a habit in them for a little while, but really I wanted them to make that choice on their own. I am learning though, I cannot force people to care about this issue, I can only give them the facts and hope for the best. My own parents continue to break my heart as they relentlessly consume beverages in plastic bottles.

I am not sure what it will take to change the habits of a nation. Perhaps a marketing campaign as extensive and aggressive as the one that originally convinced us to drink from plastic bottles? Sadly, environmental groups do not have the kind of reach or funding that Coca-Cola does. I think I have no choice but to continue bugging and annoying my loved ones and students, begging them to change their habits.

The Teacher

I don't know if its true or not, but I feel like everyone has "that teacher." The teacher that inspired them and challenged them and changed their life. I was lucky that my high school, despite being in a decidedly unglamorous district surrounded by better funded much sparklier schools, had many amazing teachers. I would estimate that each year, I had at least 3 impressively high quality teachers. These teachers were organized, enthusiastic, hard-working, and persistent. They made me feel like their classes were extremely important and that my performance mattered. I honestly did not want to let them down, and while I was a perfectionist back then, and would not be happy with a grade less than 98 in a class, part of my motivation was pleasing teachers that I looked up to. I will not forget these teachers, but there is one teacher that stands out among the rest. Mr. Jester, or just "Mr. J." is one of the most amazing human beings I have met.

Mr. J was my ninth grade biology teacher. As a middle schooler, my overall GPA was literally 99.9 while taking all honors classes and two high school courses in 8th grade. When I started high school, I got a bit distracted by the older students and bigger school. I would ask to go to the bathroom and go to the cafeteria instead. I snuck out to lunch a couple times. I had crushes on senior boys and would walk through the senior hall way between every class, even if it made me late to my next class. My dedication to having a perfect GPA slipped. Freshman year was also the year I had the least fabulous teachers. My history teacher was nice enough, but not tough, my English teacher was flighty and not very organized, and my Math instructor was bullied mercilessly for her weight. Mr. J really shone in that cast of characters, but he would shine in any group of people. He demanded our full attention in a playful and serious way. He kept me aware that I cared about school and wanted to be a good student despite all the distractions in high school and he showed me that science is and always will be the most important class.

In Mr. J's class, we could not be late and we could not slack off in class. If we were caught yawning, we would be shot in the face with a water gun. If we did something truly unintelligent, we would be chastised as "smooth-brained cretins" or we would hear Mr. J mutter under his breath, "strong like bear, smart like tractor." He kept us on our toes by requiring us to call back phrases whenever he brought up certain topics. For example, when we were learning about photosynthesis he would flip off the lights when he wanted us to exclaim emphatically, "the dark reaction!"

Back when I was in high school, teachers still used overhead projectors instead of power points. He would write out notes on the overhead projector and then take down the notes and put up a Far Side comic with the names of the school administrators written in as the butt of the joke. He taught us that school administrators were essentially worthless, and at our school I think he might have been right. He would pull the comic down quickly with a little chuckle and then keep teaching about whatever it was that we were learning about.

We had massive amounts of homework, or at least it felt like it. Regardless, I spent all my time working on my biology homework. I wanted to be perfect for Mr. J. I particularly remember a winter break in which my classmates and I spent two full days in the town library sketching anatomical renditions of different organ systems in earthworms. I suspect that he assigned such a large project over break specifically so that we would spend the break in the library working together. When I finished that assignment, I was really proud of what I had accomplished and it felt really good to hand it in. Mr. J kept a tradition of "the frog test tube award," which was given to the student with the highest grade on each test. The award was really just an old test-tube with a dried up dead frog in it and frog stickers on the tube. The tube was inside a wooden box with tissue paper and other padding to protect the test tube. The award created fierce competition to score highest on each test. The winner kept the award until the next test and brought her class and herself so much glory! Because Mr. J had taught at the school for so long (even when I went there), students in my class had parents and aunts and uncles who had also been students of his and they would always ask us how Mr. Jester was and if he was still giving the frog test tube award or if he was still telling a particular joke. Mr. J created a tradition of dedication to learning biology that spanned across generations!

I wish that I could say that Mr. Jester inspired me to become a biology teacher, but he did not. What he did do, however, was convince me that science is the most important and most interesting subject to study, and when I went to college I majored in Biology. I knew that I wanted to study science, but I wasn't sure what kind of job I would train for. I figured that doctors use a lot of biology, so I should be pre-med. It never occurred to me that there were other career fields that were available and worthwhile. And, it certainly never occurred to me that I could be a science teacher! As an undergrad, I took a field ecology course and discovered that research science could be really fun and interesting and applied to graduate school instead of medical school. In graduate school (studying marine science), I had my first real teaching opportunities; I taught a microbiology lab and two general chemistry labs and then went on to volunteer to teach a marine science course for the WISE program at Stony Brook. These experiences opened my eyes to the joys of teaching. It was actually fun and rewarding! And it is a good thing that I liked it, because shortly after graduating, I moved to Albuquerque where there is no marine science to be done. I found a teaching job in a private school, teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade science and have since learned much more about what it means to be a teacher.

I would love to think that I am as inspiring as Mr. Jester, but I know I have a long way to go. Mr. Jester  has been teaching for decades and I am only in my second year. I suspect that he was not quite as dynamic and charismatic his first year teaching. I also know that middle school teachers are not as influential in a students life. I barely remember the names of my middle school science teachers let alone what I learned from them. I honestly cannot remember a single thing I learned in 7th grade science. But, I do hope that I bring the same enthusiasm towards science that Mr. Jester brought and I hope that, if I stay in teaching, that someday I am as influential and inspirational as Mr. Jester. I would like to be "That Teacher" for at least a couple students.

What concerns me, is that teaching is not seen as a particularly respectable career field in the US. Teachers make rather pathetic salaries and are not revered the way pedagogues in history were. There is of course the saying "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." Even Mr. Jester joked about this and poked fun at himself as a teacher. I often feel like I have not reached my full potential because I am teaching instead of pursuing a PhD. I absolutely know that this is not true for all teachers, but I think it is at least common among science teachers. My 10th grade chemistry teacher, for example, was a chiropractor who broke his hand in a car accident and had to leave his practice. He hated teaching and he took it out on us.

I think that it is important that intelligent and capable people feel like teaching is a worthwhile career choice rather than a fall-back option. In order for this to happen though, our attitude towards teachers must shift and people and the government must be willing to compensate teachers more fairly. If we want to have good teachers, we must make good teachers want to teach.  And, I think this may start with the teachers that are teaching now. Even if we don't feel appreciated, we should have an attitude that what we are doing matters so that our students consider teaching as a career as they move forward, and we should encourage that choice. If a student excels in science class, why not be hope to be a science teacher when they grow up? While I look up to Mr. J in every way, I hope to be different only in that I would like to inspire the next generation of teachers as well as scientists.

Clear Broth Soup: The new comfort food

When I received my Yoga Journal this month, it was during winter break, so I was able to sit down and read it cover to cover, for the first time I think. The food section, "Eating Wisely," was actually quite wise and very applicable after gorging during the holidays. The article points out that most of the foods we refer to as "comfort foods" generally make us feel terrible. When feeling sad many indulge in french fries, fired vegetables, ice cream, or heavy cheesy pasta. When we are done eating, rather than feeling comforted, we feel bloated, gassy, and guilty. It just so happened that I listened to "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me's" food special that same day and one of the guests was Paula Dean, who gushed over deep fried mac and cheese. With the image of Paula Dean's special mac n cheese in my mind and snacking on breaded, deep fried pickles Jamie brought me, I read this article, and the validity of the central theme became abundantly apparent.

The tradition of eating "comfort foods" does not need to continue as is. When we eat these foods, it is so habitual that we barely even taste the food, we don't notice how much we eat, it does not inspire good memories, and the experience is almost numbing. But there are definitely other, better choices we can make; there are so many things that when eaten, actually make us feel better. I know that when I have a lightly dressed salad of fresh greens, avocado, carrots, tomatoes, onions, and garlic, I actually feel refreshed and nourished afterwards. It comforts me. The author of the article, Tamar Adler, suggests a redefining of comfort foods as foods that make us feel better after we eat them than we did before. For her, comfort foods are very simply prepared dishes that remind her of things that she loves. Very salty, clear broth soups remind her of the sea and by adding eggs and fresh greens, she makes them very nourishing. Her lyrical description of these soups cannot be matched, I have to quote it:

"Many of my most comforting meals rely on the quiet tranquility of eggs. It's easy to keep eggs from pastured chickens in the house, and each time I cook one, I know I am supporting good environmental stewardship. They also pair well with the terrestrial solidity of beans, good bread, or rice. 

I'm drawn, too, to olive-oily, garlicky cooked collard greens or kale, as well as a handful of raw roughly chopped parsley or cilantro. Greens remind me that soil exists, which is grounding. I also know how kind I am being to my liver and my bones.

 I like there to be a few contrasting textures. I prefer highly seasoned broths because liquid reminds me of the sea, and strong seasoning evokes an unkempt sea, and both are true and good."

 I read this excerpt out loud when I was reading the article, and Jamie and I laughed a bit. We are not generally people that describe greens as "grounding" or broth as "true and good," but the article spoke to me, the recipes looked delicious, and Jamie was coming down with a cold, so it seemed it was the perfect time to evoke the sea and make some soup. There were two recipes, Rice and Lettuce Soup and Garlic Soup with Poached Egg, and we had the ingredients for rice and lettuce soup, so that is what I made first.

First, I cooked two small chopped onions in olive oil over medium heat. When they had softened I added 4 cups of vegetable broth, 4 cups of water, 1 vegan boullion cube, some epazote, and 2 cups of white basmati rice. I allowed the mixture to reach a boil and then lowered it to a simmer and held it there for about 30 minutes (until the rice was very soft), while stirring occasionally. I sliced the red head-lettuce into ribbons and added them to the soup, allowing them to wilt. I mounded the rice and lettuce in the middle of each bowl and poured the broth over top. I finished by drizzling olive oil and sprinkling black pepper over the rice and lettuce. The bowls of soup looked fancy and gourmet and the soup was perfectly delicious. After taking my first bite, I couldn't help but reflect that the Yoga Journal chef was right about the ocean in the soup. Maybe it was only because it had been suggested, but my memory went to swimming at my home beach and having my sinuses filled with salt water from the crashing waves. We had this soup for lunch and dinner and there were no left-overs for the next day. I know that no left-overs mean that the dish was delicious, but when there are not left-overs, it is always when I want there to be left-overs the most.

For the garlic soup with poached eggs, I poured 4 cups of vegetable broth into a medium sized pot, sprinkled in Italian Seasoning, dried thyme, torn fresh sage, and 2 bay leaves. I brought the broth a boil and lowered to a strong simmer for a couple minutes. Next, I used a slotted spoon to remove as much of the spices as I could (I learned this is important or else the spices will stick to the poached eggs). I then added 5 cloves of sliced garlic and quite a bit of salt, and let the soup continue to simmer for about 15 minutes. While the soup was simmering, I cut collard greens into strips and sauteed them with olive oil over medium heat. I had bought a pain paisano loaf from Sage Bakery (the best in ABQ) earlier in the week, and I sliced it thickly and rubbed the slices with chopped garlic. I placed a slice of the thick fancy bread at the bottom of two bowls. To poach the eggs, I added a teaspoon of vinegar to the soup before breaking two eggs into individual teacups and carefully pouring them into the simmering broth. I allowed the eggs to cook until the yolk was just beginning to firm. The cooked collard greens were heaped onto the garlic bread in the bowls and then a poached egg was placed on top of the greens. The broth was poured around the eggs and greens, olive oil was drizzled over the egg, and ground black pepper was sprinkled on the egg as a finishing touch. 

This soup was very impressive. The eggs and the greens with the garlic and saltiness of the soup, along with the soaked garlic bread brought such a full variety of flavors and textures. It reminded me of enjoying french onion soup when I was a kid, but without the overpowering cheeses. Bringing me back to those memories, particularly of eating at La Fondue in Manhattan with my mom before seeing Broadway shows, was extremely comforting, yet upon finishing this meal, I did not feel over stuffed and I did not have a belly-ache. It was perfect. Reading this article and making these recipes will hopefully make me think twice before ordering deep fried foods on the weekends. Comfort food does not have to mean guilty pleasures and I can find more comfort and nourishment in healthy foods that I can eat thoughtfully.