Eating right does not have to be time consuming or expensive, actually I think it is cheaper to eat healthy than it is to eat processed food. When you eat healthy, you are more healthy, thus lowering medical costs in the future. I’m proud of the eating choices I make when I open up my cupboards and fridge and hardly anything has the words “high fructose corn syrup” on them. We also don’t believe in artificial sweeteners; studies have shown that when you use them you are more likely to gain weight then lose weight. How about you just eat normal things in moderation? Or sweeten things with natural sugars from fruits? I know I’m doing a good job when my son gets excited about broccoli!

What book or books have had a huge impact on your life?

Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh is a great guide to mindfulness in everyday happenings. Included in this book are anecdotes, meditations, commentaries, and stories from the author’s experiences as a teacher and peace activist. Thich Nhat Hanh gives lessons on how to meditate and breathe properly throughout your day in order to foster a more peaceful take on life.

Peace is Every Step was introduced to me by a holistic health teacher at San Francisco State University while I was getting my bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts there. Basically, if I did not learn anything else in that class I learned the art of being mindful while partaking in everyday activities. Prior to reading this book my thoughts on meditation included the false fact that one can only meditate while sitting cross-legged in a quiet area, preferably nature. This book helped me understand that I could incorporate meditation while doing the dishes or eating a peach or while walking. I learned how to properly breathe and focus on the now, not the future or past. I love the meditation lines one should say while breathing; this is something can be done while driving, waiting in line, sitting in class, or teaching a class! I have found myself during breaks throughout my day sitting at my desk and just practicing breathing. I truly believe this is what helped me keep my sanity during some of the craziest teaching days, but also keeping me healthy. Of course this book has made it to my Tea Drinking Readers category for obvious reasons. What makes a better picture than reading a book on peace while sipping on a nice hot cup of tea?!

The Tao of Teaching by Greta Nagel is a compilation of three classroom teachers’ stories and how they provide examples of Taoist wisdom and “student-centered” progressive educational methods. The Tao of Teaching is a great tool for both the educator and parent; the examples of how to integrate Taoism with teaching and everyday dealings with children are enlightening.

I am an elementary school educator and I found The Tao of Teaching invaluable in the classroom. Each chapter is titled as one of the eighty-one teachings of Tao and follows with an example from the classroom of how the teacher incorporated the teaching into everyday classroom situations. I gained a lot of knowledge on how to be mindful throughout the teaching day and seize moments as teachable life experiences for both myself and my students.

I would read this book while on recess, during quiet lunch breaks, after school let out, or at home curled up on the couch with my favorite cup of hot tea. For this reason The Tao of Teaching has made it to my Tea Drinking Readers category! If you are a Tea Drinking Reader like myself then you should check out all the great tea products on my Tea Drinking Reader page!