Food, Fitness and Well Being

On the East Coast, being fit is becoming the latest trend. (Thanks to the uncanny power of the internet) The average consumer is now more aware of the effects fast careless living. Well… day 1 on the West Coast has taught me that they (L.A. in particular) are way ahead of us. There is a beautiful balance here. For every In and Out Burger or Carl Jr. there is a local café that serves fresh healthful food.


If you were to ask someone, “why don’t you exercise?” A common responsible will be, “because I don’t have money for an expensive gym membership. Once again nature has provided a remedy: walking, running, and hiking. On our first morning in L.A. we found an oasis of sorts in the middle of Hollywood called the Runyon Canyon. At any given time hundreds of Californians and their beloved pets are out climbing these steep hills. People of all races, ages, and walks of life are united in the pursuit of good health.

Stress…. It’s a killer. For many us city dwellers, our pursuit of happiness has gotten in the way of our happiness. We work long hours, sit in traffic, watch mindless reality TV, and then lather, rinse, repeat everyday. There is no need to stress about being stressed because yoga is the cure. People have been praising yoga for years. Most of us think of it as some weird cult like ritual. Wrong! My first yoga session was the most intense, strenuous and relaxing ordeal I have ever encountered. As sweat poured from every inch of body, the exquisitely fit 42 year old mother of two talked me through some of the more difficult poses. She believes it is the secret to staying young and from the sight of her, I am inclined to agree. A mix of endured stretching, constant fluid movement, and deliberate breathing put you on a sure path to enlightenment. It is an experience that I will never forget and that I am eager to do again.