James E.'s Profile
"Growing a Green Business"
Member since October, 2006
User stats
47 reviews
28 useful ratings
33 listings added
17 friends
Location
Berkeley, California
My affiliations
SustainLane
Last great book or movie
Blessed Unrest
My blog or website
My Dream Product
Transporter
How we'll get around in 20 years...
100% Electric cars
Offline, find me...
Hiking at Tilden Park
My heroes
Peter Drucker, MLK, Elli Albek
My non-green guilty pleasure
Late night Arnold re-runs on cable
The Bottom Line on Chelation....it works!
There is a lot of confusion and mis-information around chelation therapy. There are doctors from top medical schools that are saying that chelation therapy is going to be the miracle cure of the 21st century. There's definitely a lot of hype out there. There are also doctors from the top medical schools that say chelation therapy is quackery. I can tell you I spent 2 years researching this, and there is some excellent, credible research out there on this topic. Before signing up for this myself, I talked with people who have been doing it safely for years, and I visited the clinic on several occasions and talked with the people in the treatment room. I also read a few books. This book, and another one, Bypassing Bypass Surgery, were the two best books on the topic. If you read these books, you'll get a good idea of the track record of the major forms of oral and intravenous chelation therapies. Don't listen to all the rumors, it's a big decision to inject yourself with something. After doing the research, I went ahead with the therapy, and I am very glad that I did. You can read my other reviews on the topic, but start with the research yourself. Take a read through this book, and you'll be amazed at what this simple protocol and treatment plan can do for you. You'll have to pay for it out of pocket, as health insurance isn't on board yet, but the case studies listed in this book will amaze you. If you know anyone with heart disease issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chest pains, or anyone you know that wonders about their mercury or lead levels, this book is for them.
keywords: edta, dmps, dmsa, chelation therapy, autism, mental disorders, nerves, aging, heart health, bypassDid you think this review was helpful?
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Eco Travel City Risen From The Ashes
Around 20 years ago the small city of Kaikoura, located on the beautiful east coast of the South Island of New Zealand was in ruins.
For over a century their waters were home to the lucrative whaling industry. After whaling was outlawed in the region, the city of Kaikoura was left financially depressed, and the decaying buildings and declining local population foreshadowed the end of this coastal town. What happened next was amazing. Several of the local Maori people (New Zealand's indigenous population) had an idea to reinvent the town with their cultural philosophy of sustainability and living in accordance with natural systems.
Instead of killing the whales, the Maori had the idea of teaching visitors to the small town about sustaining the marine population. And not just the whales, but the amazing and rare Albatross, the Dusky Dolphins, Fur Seals and more. Several Maori families mortgaged their homes and began to build businesses around the town that were all about respecting the beauty around them. The town began to prosper, and they in turn developed more programs.
Today, you can come to Kaikoura, swim with dolphins, help replant indigenous forests, and be surrounded by people who understand that they owe their city's rebirth to the values they placed on maintaining and renewing the natural beauty around them.
Kaikoura is one of those places on the planet that remind you of how lucky we are to be here. If you find yourself on vacation in NZ or Australia, a stop by this coastal city will not disappoint. Bring your carbon offsets though, it's about a 12-hour flight from the west coast of California!
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Bamboo Clothing from Hemptown feels like silk, cleans-up like cotton, lasts like hemp
I have two bamboo t-shirts from Hemptown, and they are a blend of 70% bamboo, 30% cotton. They are indestructible, except for the moth that ate a hole in one of them (I guess it tastes good?). I wash these shirts and toss them in the dryer when I don't have time to line-dry them, and they don't shrink or bleed. These shirts are so comfortable, that I wear them under my dress shirts for comfort, as they are cool in warm months, and warm in cool months.
They are not that much more expensive than a lot of junk clothing out there, and I'm learning that it makes sense to pay a bit more for a quality item that I can keep for years, rather than replace things every season. Hemptown is a cool company too, doing the right things for the environment and also support fair human rights for its workers. Definitely a business I like supporting!
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Ice cream without corn syrup!
Three Twins organic ice cream is incredible. We buy it at the local farmer's market in Berkeley, and it reminds me of how Ben and Jerry's used to taste many years ago before they were sold to Unilever and they began to change some of the flavors to include corn syrup (can the rest of their line be far behind?). Three twins organic ice cream is the best tasting ice cream I've ever had (try their mint confetti with chocolate specks - yum!), and they don't use GMOs in their ingredients either. Three Twins go beyond serving up a great tasting, organic product, they also produce their product in a sustainable way, and they participate in 1% for the planet. It's nice to know that it IS possible to operate a sustainable business, create a superior product, and make money. Thank you Three Twins!
keywords: organic milk, ice cream, dessert, chocolate, mint, sustainable business, sweet, treat, kidsDid you think this review was helpful?
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Elegant Vegetarian Dining
My disclaimer here is that I am most definitely an omnivore, and the extent of my vegetable experience growing up on the east coast was french fries and a burger garnish. Living now in California has given me access to some of the yummiest, farm fresh vegetables around, and many of them make their way to Millennium. This classic dining spot in the theater district of San Fran is totally organic, sustainable, and earth friendly. Their attention to detail in food preparation can be seen in the beauty as well as the taste of their extensive and creative menu. I was also impressed by their outstanding wine list, with lots of organic and biodynamic picks, and they had some great food/wine pairings that were exceptional in flavor and fun! I also happened to notice on the way out that they do monthly events, like wine tastings, cooking classes, and even an aphrodisiac night on the Sunday nearest the full moon, in connection with the Savoy hotel next door...presumably, their food and wine choices for that evening are stellar :-). Added dining bonus - the service was great, with knowledgeable and friendly staff that explained all the dishes for a veggie novice like myself. Bring your platinum Amex card though, this restaurant is for the well-heeled. I look forward to the day when organic and sustainable food is priced in restaurants so it can be enjoyed every night. For now, you wouldn't be disappointed to spend your special occasion evening at Millennium.
keywords: savoy hotel, millennium, dinner, wine, vegan, vegetarian, organic, sustainable, romanticDid you think this review was helpful?
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Old World Family Doctor with New World Skills
I can be a harsh critic sometimes of the western medical establishment. My biggest gripe is that many times I experience doctors as closed-minded and unaware of the many, many successful healing techniques that abound in the world, and in particular, those healing techniques of indigenous people. Dr. Paul Lynn has that "house call" doctor feel about him. He runs the Preventive Medical Group in San Francisco, and promotes a philosophy that espouses the natural healing abilities of the body, while providing assistance in the form of therapies, herbs, and supplements to get your body back on track. He diagnoses with detailed blood tests, and takes time, literally hours, to explain to his patients what is going on and how to correct it. I think in the last 15 years, I've spent a total of about an hour with all my previous doctors combined, and none ever took the time to have a conversation with me about my body or to answer questions I had about something I read in a health journal or on the web. Dr. Lynn not only does that, but he takes xerox copies of articles that his patients bring him from wherever, and researches them to better understand if there is any validity to the thesis. He has helped me lower both my blood pressure and cholesterol significantly, without medication, and has improved my moods and sense of well-being with high-quality supplements that he researches and provides right at his clinic, saving me the bewildering trips to the local vitamin store wondering about different brands and their efficacy. Plus, he is just such a nice guy, who is constantly reading about the latest in nutritional and natural therapies, that you'll find yourself entranced in discovering holistic treatments that work quickly and sometimes dramatically. If you are in the SF area and are looking for a doctor who can help you to help yourself, no matter what your conditions are, you wouldn't be disappointed with a consultation from Dr. Lynn. I am so grateful to know the man.
keywords: heart, supplements, naturopath, preventive, hormone, EDTA, chelation, skin, mood, diet, cleansingDid you think this review was helpful?
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Sandals That Will Rock You
My chiropractor recommended these MBT shoes to me for my lower back pain and improve my posture. Turns out we're built to walk around on all-fours according to him, and going bipedal tends to wreck our backs. Anyway, these sandal's soles are curved, so they actually rock back and forth while you stand up straight. The motion strengthens your leg and back muscles, while supporting your arches (and develops your balance!). Walking in them is like walking on the sand at the beach...it takes a bit of practice, and tires you out quickly. The first time I wore them, the guy in the shop told me not to wear them for more than 15 minutes at a time. After walking around for about 2 hours, I took them off, and could barely move without feeling the soreness in my calf muscles (unfortunately, I'm an experiential learner). I got the hang of these MBT sandals pretty quickly though, and now I just love them. It is a bit of a workout wearing them, but I can feel my legs getting stronger, and my back problems are at bay. I highly recommend the MBT style shoes, they get to be super-comfortable, and they are great for your feet, back, hips, and legs. Don't give up on them right away, they take a bit of getting used to, but they're amongst my favorite shoes now. I can see my posture improving as well!
keywords: MBT, sandals, shoes, orthopedic, masai, back pain, hip pain, fitness, feet, legs, postureDid you think this review was helpful?
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User Comments:
Cris B. says:
So James, now that you've been wearing your MBT shoes for a few months, do they stick rock you? cris - morizongreen more »
90% of cancers get their start in your intestines
This being national breast cancer month got me thinking about my grandmother, who died of breast cancer. Cancer runs in my family...my dad died of it, and my sister is a cancer survivor. But I guess today with 1 out of every three people getting some form of cancer in their lives (according the the NIH), cancer must run in a lot of people's families. I got turned on to the whole detox thing by my dad, who had some articles by a guy named Bernard Jensen (google him for more info). Turns out he is one of the pioneers in writing about colon cleansing, and he often said that 90% of all cancers begin in your intestines. A few years ago I decided to do a colon and liver cleanse in a 10-day retreat facility. It was astounding to me what came out of my body. Most notably, there was this thick, black tar-like substance. The therapist working with me told me this was pre-cancerous toxic sludge, that had most likely been inside of me for over 20 years. Yuck! This was really mostly a painless procedure, and after having done it, I have some sense of comfort knowing that I've taken some action around being proactive in my own desire to avoid the fate of my grandmother and father. My own personal belief is that cancer is part genetics, part lifestyle, and part environment. I don't score too well on the first 2, and on the last one, I think we are all losing these days. If you are interested in ways to strengthen your body's own immune system, and potentially remove some of the intestinal junk that may lead to cancer, I'd highly recommend looking into a colon/liver cleanse, I sure am glad that I found those articles by Bernard Jensen, they may have changed my life.
keywords: cancer, bernard jensen, colon, liver, toxins, detox, parasites, mucoid plaque, immune systemDid you think this review was helpful?
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Beyond Pop and Pray
Daniel Karan, hands down, is the best chiropractor I have ever been to. I started out as a non-believer in this stuff, but after visiting a chiro on a lark when I was visiting Hawaii, I was amazed at how beneficial this work can be. When I got back to the states, I tried out several, but realized pretty quickly these folks vary widely...then I found Daniel. He's been practicing for something like 30 years, and he's done many modalities of chiro, before he arrived at his current method. He doesn't grab your neck and twist it so it crackles and pops. Rather, he does a series of movement tests to find the alignment issues, and uses that little staple gun-like thing to snap your bones back into place. I had an incredibly painful lower back issue recently that Daniel fixed for me in just a few visits...if you are in neck, back, shoulder, or leg pain, and you've tried chiropractic before without great or lasting results, give Daniel Karan a try, you'll be amazed.
keywords: back pain, spine, chiro, chiropractic, body work, massage, injury, neck pain, leg painDid you think this review was helpful?
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Roots! Organic and Sustainable Food Near Union Square
I work in the Flood Building in San Francisco, and much to my dismay, I rarely can find anywhere local that serves up a great hot lunch without all the chemicals. I've been meaning to try out Roots for some time now, and finally took a walk this afternoon to see what this place was about. I was blown away! I had the organic tomato cream soup, and a killer beat salad made with Mache (I had to look this up when I got back from lunch..it's an arugla-like lettuce leaf, very tasty and nutritious!). I glanced at the wine list, and although I wanted to, I didn't indulge in the over 40 (!) organic and biodynamic wines on their list! I did go for a dessert (of course), and if you can only eat one thing when you go there, get the black forest sundae chocolate cherry thing...mmmm (just keep telling yourself it is organic!). Service was outstanding from Adriene and her new trainee Laura :-). They also have an awesome happy hour with interesting (and organic) cocktails. Great spot and fair prices.
keywords: organic food, free range, organic beer, wine, happy hour, sustainable fish, seafood, grass fedDid you think this review was helpful?
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User Comments:
Eliza G. says:
Do you happen to remember whether you got the "Brittania" or the "Basic" bamboo t-shirt? The one is a little heavier. I'm wondering which comes closest to a standard weight cotton. Bamboo is an amazing fabric, I'm... more »
James E. says:
I've got one of each Eliza. The Britannia is dressy, like you can wear it under a blazer and it looks great. The Basic is the best t-shirt I own for relaxed comfort. It is great to see more and more bamboo hitting the... more »
James E. says:
I contacted Hemptown today about where their bamboo is sourced, this is what a rep told me: "The bamboo used for clothing is moso bamboo which is also used in cane furniture industry. It is a different species than... more »