Why are consumers willing to pay almost double for food labeled organic? The average consumer probably believes that the USDA Organic label issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture implies the food comes from small local farms that use production techniques that are environmentally friendly and result in food that is better for human health. The Washington Post published an article recently about an organic farm that does not seem to be consistent with such perceptions. The High Plains dairy complex in Colorado, the main facility of Aurora Organic Dairy, has over 15,000 cows. In the organic dairy industry 87 percent of farms have less than 100 cows, but farms with 100 or more cows produce almost half of organic dairy products.

The Post article argues that these large dairy operations may be violating the USDAs regulations for organic milk. Though Aurora officials maintain that they meet all the requirements for the USDA Organic label, the article contends that satellite images, visual inspections by Post reporters, and tests of milk from High Plains all indicate that the company may not be complying with the natural grazing standards of the organic regulations.

But the Post article misses the important point that even if Aurora were in technical compliance with the grazing regulation, the label does not convey any information about health and environmental benefits. As then-secretary of agriculture Dan Glickman stated at the release of the final standards for organic foods in 2002:

Let me be clear about one thing: the organic label is a marketing tool. It is not a statement about food safety. Nor is organic a value judgment about nutrition or quality.

John Cohrssen and Henry Miller, in the spring 2016 issue of Regulation, argue that on average, organic foods are neither safer nor better for human health than non-organic foods. And the USDA has located the National Organic Program in the departments Agricultural Marketing Service, a service that is exempted from environmental analysis because its programs and activities have been found to have no individual or cumulative effect on the human environment. In fact, organic farms may cause more harm to the environment because they require the use of more land and water than conventional farming.

Though the touted benefits of organic foods may be non-existent, federal spending on organic agriculture under the 2014 Farm Act was over $160 million dollars and customer perceptions of organic food safety and quality persist. As Cohrssen and Miller note, a 2014 Academics Review analysis concluded that because of the USDA Organic label, the American taxpayer-funded national organic program is playing an ongoing role in misleading consumers into spending billions of dollars in organic purchasing decisions based on false and misleading health, safety, and quality claims.

Whether or not Aurora has been following the standards of organic labeling or organic foods live up to their supposed benefits, the organic label itself has been very useful for farmers. But should government aid producers at the expense of consumers and taxpayers?

The rest is here:

Should Taxpayers Back the 'Organic' Label? - Cato Institute (blog)

Friday, May 5, 2017 at 9:55 a.m.

The standard Gobox filled with organic produce from Grower's Organic.

Mark Antonation

Grower's Organic co-founder Brian Freeman has been working in the organic produce business long enough that he remembers when people would tell him that organic farming was just a fad that wouldn't last. But that was before Grower's Organic launched in 2005 as a wholesale company focused on supplying local grocery stores and restaurants with quality fruits, vegetables and herbs. And this spring, Freeman has launched a new program to sell directly to consumers: Gobox weekly produce boxes.

Community Supported Agriculture programs, or CSAs, are nothing new; customers fork over a few hundred dollars before the growing season begins to ensure the farmer has cash flow to get things growing; in return, weekly boxes of whatever the farm is growing are delivered to those who have contributed. It's a great way to support local farms while supplementing your grocery purchases with healthy vegetables. But the process has a few shortcomings that most CSA members are willing to overlook. Early-season boxes tend to be underwhelming in terms of variety, and even at the peak of growing season, deliveries can be dominated by whichever crop is biggest at the time. That's fine for items like tomatoes or cherries that can be preserved, but what to do with all that zucchini?

The Pretty Ugly box is great for shoppers who prize flavor over beauty.

Mark Antonation

Gobox solves those problems by utilizing produce from the entire network of farms in the Grower's Organic network. Freeman works closely with organic Colorado farms to bring in the best of everything in season, but he also looks to California, Mexico and elsewhere to broaden his selection (for example, watermelon are at their peak in Baja, Mexico, right now, but won't be ready for several months in Colorado). That means the Goboxes will always be filled with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. To critics of shipping organic produce long distances, Freeman points out that conventionally grown produce is often so dependent on petroleum products for heavy machinery, fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides that organic food trucked in from Mexico or California still has a smaller carbon footprint than non-organic Colorado produce, all while increasing the scope of organic farming around the world.

The Goboxes come in several configurations and price points. The small, standard package (pictured above) is meant for one or two people for a week and costs $22; there's a large size for three or four people for $32. The Pretty Ugly box comprises the less-than-perfect fruits and vegetables that are often discarded by grocery stores or that end up being processed into canned or frozen products because they don't meet most shoppers' standards of beauty. The produce is still tasty and edible Freeman says some of them are actually better because of concentrated sugars but may appear wrinkled, spotted or misshapen. The Pretty Ugly box comes in the small size only and costs $17, with $1 of each purchase going toward We Don't Waste, a nonprofit organization that redistributes unused foods from restaurants and other food-service facilities.

Grower's Organic will also soon launch a Foodie box (June 16) with more exotic items like white asparagus and fava-bean pods, and the Native box (July), which will be filled with Colorado-grown produce, both at a slightly higher price point.

Whichever box customers choose, there's no membership required. You can start and stop at any point, so you're not committed to spending hundreds of dollars. Just sign up on the Grower's Organic websiteby noon Thursday on a given week for pickup on Friday or Saturday (you choose the day and time), then head over to Grower's Organic at 6400 Broadway.

Scott Callender shows off lettuces grown in his shipping-container vertical farm.

Mark Antonation

The Gobox program isn't the only thing new at Grower's Organic. Out back, a shipping container has been converted into a vertical vegetable garden by Scott Callender, owner of Callender Farms. Callender grows lettuces, herbs, peppers and other vegetables on vertical strips suspended from the ceiling of the container. Lighting, water and carbon dioxide levels are all controlled to give the plants the best growing environment while limiting the use of resources.

Callender says his setup uses 90 percent less water than conventional farming, and he can grow as much produce in 320 square feet of space as he could on 1.6 acres of land. Salanova lettuce is one of his biggest crops, but chives, a zippy wasabi arugula and even root vegetables are part of the output. Callender sells to restaurants through Grower's Organic, so you may have already eaten something from the vertical farm without realizing it.

Organically grown wasabi arugula from the Callender Farms vertical farm.

Mark Antonation

Link:

The New Gobox from Grower's Organic Provides Fresh Alternative to CSAs - Westword

Theres no doubt thatGisele Bndchenis a busy woman, but thanks to hertranscendental meditation routine, the legendary supermodel is able to juggle all aspects of her hectic life.

Speaking with PEOPLE, the 36-year-oldreveals how the natural technique has changed the way she handles the stresses of her life and what works best for her.

Meditation has been a greattool for me in my life. It helps to quiet my mind and helps me see things more clearly. It brings a sense of peace to my day. Meditation provides me space to rebalance and refocus when things are at their busiest, she tells PEOPLE in this weeks issue.

When I started practicing Yoga in my early 20s,I also started practicing meditation, Bndchen adds. I am very fortunate to have learned at an early age.

Transcendental meditation, which is a natural, effortless technique that is practiced sitting comfortably in a chair with the eyes close for 15-20 minutes (twice a day), is just one form of meditation thatBndchen practices on her own.

Gisele had been meditating and doing other forms of mediation for a while, Bndchens meditation coach, Bob Roth, tells PEOPLE. A few years ago she heard about TM and she loved it. She also loves the work of the David Lynch Foundation, so I think thats how she came to it.

For Bndchen, who is mom to daughter Vivian Lake, 4, and son Benjamin Rein, 7, she knows exactly what time works best for her and finds it easy to practice just about anywhere.

I prefer to practice early in the am, before the kids are up. Probably because that is when things are silent. I feelabigdifference in my mood when I practice regularly. Meditation brings so much clarity for me. I love it! she admits. I can practice in most places. Sitting in my bed is probably my favorite though. But on an airplane,in a hotel when traveling or in the passenger seat on the way to workreally anywhere!Meditation is a trip you take inward.

Like anyone else,Bndchen experiences her fair share of stress, but being able tomeditate helps her refocus and deal with her day to day responsibilities.

The busy life we lead today generates a lot of stress.We are overloaded withinformation andovercommittedto so many tasks in our homes, jobs, causes I think meditation is a wonderful tool to deal with stress, she admits.

Her profession and her career is so outward directed. There are so many demands and challenges whether it be her business, modeling, family or whatever, adds Roth. Mediation twice a day allows her to settle down inside and reconnect with her own true self. It helps her handle the stress, the demands and the pressures like nothing else.

It also allows her to enjoy her life even more, he adds. Its not just the question about managing the stresses, but getting to actually enjoy her life and her beautiful family and the opportunities that she has. She speaks with eloquently about reconnecting and keeping that connection with her self.

She says it allows her to stay at the top of her game, Roth continues. I think shes like other people at the top of their game who stayed at the top for a long time. They all say mediation helps them get to the top and stay at the top.

For more on the David Lynch Foundation and transcendental meditation click here.

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How Transcendental Meditation Keeps Gisele Bndchen at the Top of Her Game - PEOPLE.com

Ten minutes of mindful meditation per day can be enough to help people prone to anxious thoughts focus more effectively on tasks in the present moment, according to new research.

Practicing mindful meditation on a daily basis can help anxious individuals focus on tasks in the present moment, reducing the likelihood of repetitive off-topic thoughts, a hallmark of anxiety, according to researchers from Canadas University of Waterloo.

Researchers studied 82 students who experience anxiety.

They were asked to carry out a computer-based task while being interrupted several times to assess their ability to stay focused on the task at hand.

Participants were then split into two groups at random. Before being reassessed, a control group was asked to listen to an audio story while the other group took part in a short meditation exercise.

The researchers saw a reduction in off-task thoughts in the meditators, who were also better able to stay focused on the task at hand.

Mind wandering accounts for nearly half of any persons daily stream of consciousness. For people with anxiety, repetitive off-task thoughts can negatively affect their ability to learn, to complete tasks, or even function safely, explains Mengran Xu, a researcher and PhD candidate at Waterloo.

Another benefit of meditation was that it appeared to help anxious people shift their attention from their own internal worries to the external world and the present moment.

For beginners taking up meditation, the aim is to concentrate attention solely on breathing throughout the 10-minute session, without setting any specific goals.

Follow the flow of air by taking a deep breath in then a long breath out, before marking the short, natural pause before taking the next breath in.

Just focus on your breathing.

Systematically bringing thoughts and attention back to breathing keeps the mind focused on the present moment. The next step is to become mindfully conscious of all parts of the body in contact with the floor or the chair on which you are sitting.

The study is published in the journal Consciousness and Cognition. AFP Relaxnews

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Do this meditation daily to improve your mental focus - Star2.com

HARTFORD Escape from the stresses of daily life with an hour of light yoga and meditation from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, May 6, at the Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower, 435 Confluence Drive.

This free event will feature certified yoga instructors Theresa Franklin and Gail Herzog from Be Well Now in Alton. They will bring their meditation and yoga skills to Davis Plaza in celebration of National Garden Meditation Day. A few yoga mats will be available to use, but there is limited availability, so it is recommended people bring their own mats. Although this is a free event, there is a charge to tour the tower.

After the class, be sure to take a tour to see the impact local flooding has had on the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers from 50, 100 and 150 feet above ground.

The tower is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for veterans and active military and senior citizens, $4 for children 12 and younger and children 2 and younger are free. Group rates are available for 12 or more people and reservations can be made by calling the Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau at (618) 465-6676.

Yoga at the Tower is sponsored by SMS Engineering. For information, call (618) 251-9101.

ConfluenceTower.com

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Hartford event to mark National Garden Meditation Day - AdVantage News

Niia's debut album, I, is an excercise in control, both maintaining and relinquishing it altogether.

Born in Boston to an English major father and pianist mother, the 28-year-old singer/songwriter was raised in private education, diligently honing her craft as a musician and eventually studying in the New School's competitive jazz conservatoryamong the country's most demanding, intimate programs.

Related |Women in Power-Pop: 50 Musicians Taking Over

Like most industrious perfectionists, Niia continued on to a practical career in music, crooning jingles for commercialsa job that paid the bills in NYC's Lower East Side, but failed to foster Niia's underexplored artist. After being discovered by Wyclef Jean, who was recording in the same studio as her one day, Niia's voice became part of his viral 2009 single, "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)," and ultimately pushed her head first onto the path of becoming a star.

Photography: Jimmy Fontaine

But before Niia could fully enter the spotlight as a solo musician, she needed to learn to be vulnerable with her worka process of renouncing the control and privacy that defined her life growing up. Her 2014 breakout EP, Generation Blue, saw Niia defining her signature modern-classic sound, but hiding behind guarded lyrics about everyone but herself. Now on Ian appropriate album titlethe rising artist finds strength in vulnerability, reflecting on her own experiences with loveboth pained and empowered.

On the album's lead single, "Hurt You First," Niia reflects on the anxiety of a freshly developing relationship, as she warns a lover she'll "be the one to make him cry." Here, Niia's brutally honest, but her innate desire for control is still apparent, with flawless, fine-tuned vocals and a lyrical power-trip. "Sideline" is when the artist fully lets her guard down, delivering a chorus that edges closer to crying than singing: "I'm sick of all this trying, while I watch you drift further away," she wails, ultimately admitting defeat.

We recently sat down with Niia in NYC to discuss her debut album, I, out today. Listen to the full LP and learn more about the singer/songwriter's jazz-pop breakout, below.

OUT: Youre originally an East Coaster. Howd you decide to move to Los Angeles?

Niia: The industry is out in LA, and there were a lot of writers and producers I wanted to work with, so I put all my shit in storage and I was like, Oh Ill go for five months. Then I went and never came back. Ive lived there for four years, which is crazy. I think I was a little done with New York, needed a change and wanted to take my career to the next level.

How has California influenced your music?

I was a little hesitant about being in California because Im such an East Coaster and its such a whole new experienceyoure writing with palm trees outside and pomegranate trees. Theres a whole change of being an artist in completely different environments, and on top of that, I fell in love so hard and so fast that everything was hitting me at once. I wanted my album to be this really bad ass strong feminist thing and it ended up being about me being a crazy girlfriend and dealing with all my issues. Ironically, I think I did achieve being this strong female voice, but in a way I wasnt expecting. Being so transparent wasnt what I thought would happen.

I'd argue your music finds strength in being so transparent...

I was sick of the sad girl and wanted to be a positive influence to young girls, like, yeah, it sucks when you fall in love and they cheat on you, but you have to have some self-irony. Talking about it is important. Honestly, it just all came out. Im not a very public personI dont like talking about myself. I usually hide being my lyrics, so its funny that Im talking about myself and whats going on with me.

How doesIcompare to your breakout EP,Generation Blue?

Sonically, its still similar because I worked with the same producer, Robin Hannibal, for both. I love his production because he has this nostalgic old sensibility, but also these modern elements that make it feel fresh and timeless. Content-wise and vocally, I wanted to take a couple risksI get compared to Sade a lot, and I love her and love her voice, but I also grew up singing torch songs, like Shirley BasseysBondthemes. I wanted to showcase my voice a bit more and my range.

Generation Blue is the whole irony of sad girl problemswere all depressed, but we dont have any real reason to be. I explored that, but I think my outlook is sarcastic and not glass half-empty. Im a very pensive person, so I was like, I fell in love and it hit me on the head. It definitely took on a more personal narrative, whereas on Generation Blue, I was talking about what everyone else in my world was going through. This new album is like, Oh, Im being a little selfish here.

"Hurt You First" was the lead single off I. Why was this a proper first introduction?

Hurt You First is kind of like chapter one before a relationship, where its like, "This going really well, what the fucks your deal? Something is going to go wrong, so Im going to sabotage it first." This is the first thing I felt when I fell in love, like this is too good to be true. I have to blow it up.

You released "Sideline" next...

Sideline kept going with the same narrative as Hurt You First, where she thinks shes doing the right shit to protect herself, but shes totally not. Sideline is me getting a lit more like, Dude whats the deal? Im not going to wait around and I'm pissed off. sometimes when I hear that song, I cant believe I wrote it. Its a bratty little diva moment. I wrote the chorus with Mikky Ekko and wanted it to be a modern-day jazz standard.

Related |Premiere: Niia Performs 'Sideline' Live on Mulholland Drive

What was the process like for developing your sound?

Its still evolving, but love old music. I come from jazz, classical and soul music. Its hard to find ways to pay tribute to that or write that way when thats not really whats going on in todays music. Even singer/songwriter musicjust piano and voicethe way you write a song is so different than how people used to do it. So its a challenge of finding that balance, where it wont just feel just retro. I think its important to hybrid genresa combination of influences and references. I love cinematic movies and scores, so I think strings and giving it this overwhelming score-like feeling in some moments was really important to me. It was challenging to the find the production that matches my vocal style, because my voice doesn't really sound like its from now.

Like your music, your visuals are also very cinematic.

My moms from Italy, so I grew up watching really inappropriate Italian movies way too young, and Italian directors man they go to the jugular with visualsso extreme, so dramatic and so violent. I think it really shaped how important visuals are to me. My visual is a bit more stark, severe and modern, but I think that helps the overall music feel more fresh. I love clean lines, sci-fi films and old romance novelskind of this weird hybrid of the future meets the past.

I didnt want to be in any visuals at first. Im a very shy person, but all my favorite female artists,Annie Lennox, Sade, Fiona Apple, Carly Simonyou can see them when you think of them. This is my coming out of my shell to be honest with my fans and talk more about who I am and what Im going through. Im sharing who I am, because I didnt want to nor did I think anyone really cared.

Have you always been shy?

When I was younger, I was really shy and have horrible stage fright, so Id sing with my back to my family and hide what was inside. I went to a really rigid private school that had arts, but it wasnt the focus. My family is all musiciansthey come from the craft side, not the showmanship side. They were like, Work on your craft. Get better on skill and technique. Its not about performance.

I remember coming to New York and going to the New School and kids had green hair and were smoking in front of their moms I was like, Whoa, where am I? I was like, This is so cool. I can be my weird art nerd self. I went to New School to the jazz conservatory, but I got placed in the Parsons dorms, so all my best friends are fashion snobs.

Your first big break was through a song with Wyclef Jean, calledSweetest Girl (Dollar Bill).Whats the story behind that collaboration?

I moonlighted as a jingle singer, singing silly songs for commercials. Right place, right time, I was in the same studio as Wyclef Jean and the guy who was supposed to do my session blew me off. Wyclef finally came out and was like, What are you here for? This is my studio. Why dont you come check out my session? It was the first time I had been in a real beautiful huge mainstream studio. I played him a little song on the piano and sang and he explained to me, You could do this for your jobyou can make your own songs and be a star.

The whole concept of being a star didnt make any sense to me, so I was really lucky he let me sing a little piece on one of his big songs. I got to tour with him and see what being a star is like without it having to be about me. I was like, I want to try and do this. Its taken me a long time to jump in because it was a little overwhelming being on a big song so quickly and having all these labels be like, Whos this big girl on the radio? What is she about? I didnt know what I was about yet and had to take time to get stoned with my friends and start living. It took a long time.

When you listen to I in full,what do you hope it sounds like?

I want it to be like, youre a little tipsy on the beach at night and theres a warm breeze and the sun sets and it gets a little darker, stranger, and weirder, but still very romantic. Theres some bitchy moments on the album, which is cool, but youre still at the party and nothing has taken the turn for the worse, reallyyoure just starting to notice whos in the crowd.

See the article here:

Niia Lets Her Guard Down on Jazz-Pop Debut - Out Magazine

Alice Coltrane She never compromised her music. Ever. Photograph: Courtesy of the Sai Anantam Ashram

Alice Coltranes ashram can still be found at the end of a winding road, in the California town of Agoura Hills. The Sai Anantam Ashram a spiritual retreat and monastery, of sorts is spread over dozens of wooded acres that are dotted with small buildings. At its center is a surreal sight that seems to emerge fully formed from the verdant landscape, like a desert apparition: a striking white building where services are held.

Coltrane who took on the name Swamini Turiyasangitananda after her spiritual transformation died in 2007, and the property that the ashram is on may be sold soon. But in the white building, for right now at least, services still take place, and the ashram is still filled with her old friends and disciples. Inside the white building, adorned with flowing gold curtains and bright blue carpet, beatific images of her are laden in flower garlands, nestled near portraits of the Indian spiritual leader Satya Sai Baba. Members of the ashram, many of them African-American, and wearing saris and other traditional Indian clothes, still gather to sing bhajans traditional Hindu devotional songs, in arrangements written by Coltrane.

A new reissue of her devotional recordings from the 80s and 90s, World Spiritual Classics: Volume I: The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda, is being released by Luaka Bop, the label established by David Byrne and best known for re-releasing William Onyeabors Nigerian electro-funk. It collects devotional music from the ashram albums that were issued on cassette tape via the Avatar Book Institute in the 80s and 90s recordings that were previously known only to ashram denizens and serious Alice Coltrane aficionados.

In the music, you can hear traces of Coltranes Detroit roots she grew up there, as Alice McLeod, playing in churches and shows steeped in gospel, blues, and jazz, before moving briefly to Paris and then New York. She fell in love with John Coltrane in 1963 and they married in Mexico in 1965; he died of liver cancer, at age 40, in 1967.

She was very upset, says the musician Vishnu Wood, who befriended her early on in Detroit. I had been following this guru Satchidananda and I took her to meet him. They got along very well and he reached out to her, and next thing I knew we were doing an album, Journey in Satchidananda. (Wood plays oud on the album, released in 1970.)

For those whose knowledge of Coltrane centers mainly on her classic albums for Impulse and Warner albums such as Journey in Satchidananda with Pharoah Sanders and Universal Consciousness the ashram tapes come as a bit of a surprise. They involve synthesizers and voice, elements lacking in her classic 1970s work, with their lush arrangements of harp, woodwinds and other acoustic instruments. She sings on many of the ashram recordings her voice a sweetly husky, low alto and she plays a big 1980s synthesizer, the Oberheim OB-8, in addition to organ and other instruments. Several members of the ashram join in too, on voice and on additional instruments.

The synthesizer on the ashram recordings was her daughter Michelle Coltranes idea. Her daughter Michelle said Lets look at synthesizers, mom, you might like it, and she found the Oberheim OB-8, which was easy to use, and she applied that rather liberally to her music, says Baker Bigsby, the audio engineer who worked with Alice Coltrane as well as Sun Ra and Ornette Coleman.

Michelle Coltrane remembers that her mother generally shied away from technology; she even shunned using appliances like microwave ovens. She was happy having a grand piano, a big Steinway grand, and she did love the organ she had one at the ashram and one at her home, says Coltrane. I said, Mom, you gotta check out Roland and Korg and all these products that are coming out, that have arpeggiators and all these things that she might find attractive, and that are easy to transport as well the next thing you know, were on that Oberheim.

When looking through the spiritual eye, or the third eye encased within the human mind, one can see vividly beyond the ken of human eyesight, beyond the material atom, and into the future, thereby transcending the limitations of time and space, she wrote in her book Monument Eternal, published in 1977 after shed become a swamini herself. Through it all, she continued making music. In the 1980s and 1990s, she shied away from major labels, choosing instead to release material on private press cassettes.

Now theres a movement to reintroduce Coltrane. As well as the reissue of her ashram tapes, theres also an upcoming film by director and sound artist Vincent Moon is in the works, and numerous tributes, including the closing concert of this years Red Bulls New York festival, featuring her son Ravi Coltrane (her grand-nephew is Steven Ellison AKA Flying Lotus). Meanwhile, with these newly rediscovered tapes from the 1980s and 1990s, perceptions of Coltranes body of work are changing, too demonstrating that she was a tremendous musician whose work did not end with her legendary 1970s run of records.

On a recent Sunday at the ashram, the musician Surya Botofasina played some of these bhajans on keyboards rousing and jazzy renditions, imbued with gospel and blues while everyone sang along. I was one of a number of kids who grew up on the ashram, what we call our ashram family, Botofasina says. To this day it still remains home sweet home for the heart, because of the tremendous spiritual energy that swamini put into it on every level, including the bhajans we were fortunate enough to sing every Sunday.

World Spiritual Classics: Volume I: The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda is out now on Luaka Bop; The Ecstatic World of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda will take place in New York on 21 May

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Higher state of consciousness: how Alice Coltrane finally got her ... - The Guardian

Finals week can be filled with stress, sleepless nights and heavy caffeine, but there are many healthy efficient ways to destress such as reading, music and exercise.

Reading a book

Reading for 30 minutes a day can distract the mind and reduce stress by over 68 percent, according to an August 18, 2016 Mercola article.

Reading can relax the body and mind to improve focus and is a great way to spend some free time. Senior psychology major Emily Adams said she uses reading and writing to distract herself from overworking.

I like to use it to live in a different world, Adams said. It gives me a break from reality.

Listening to Music

Music is another popular way to destress and many students use music as an escape and distraction.

Music absorbs the attention of the listener and allows the body to relax, according to the Psychcentral.com homepage. Music can also slow the heart rate, lower blood pressure and decrease stress hormones.

Bree Arend, sophomore special education major, said music gives her a break and helps her find her happy place.

I mainly listen to alternative and metal music to destress, Arend said. Since I have anxiety, it calms me down.

Different types of music have different effects on the listeners, according to Psych Central. Calm music is the best type to listen to, but it all depends on the individual.

Exercise

Exercise is one of the best stress relievers and can be as simple as a short walk, according to Mayoclinic.com. Staying healthy during finals is key to keeping the mind sharp, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Eating good meals, exercising for30 minutes and avoiding caffeine is important to keeping the body healthy and stress free. Exercise releases endorphins that can later help improve memory and relax the mind, according to a November 29, 2016 article on Harvard.com.

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Students destress with relaxing activities - Northern Star Online

Beijings spring is exciting, not only because its short, but also because this is when the food and beverage industry come out of their winterhibernation. Sureo, the Mediterranean restaurant in the sunken garden of The Opposite House, is no different, having just launched their all-new weekend brunch put together using the Mediterranean influences of fresh and seasonal ingredients under the lead of Chef Talib Hudda, previously of The Georg.

The brunch kicks off with a bread basket, which has four varities two whole grain breads, a small croissant, and a chocolate pastry, paired with homemade raspberry jam and butter. Meanwhile, you can head to the buffet table inside for a refreshing starter. Unlike the stereotypical hotel buffet, Sureo offers a vast series of appetizers. Among the best of those starters are: cheese and cold cuts, salmon, oysters, different salads (such as duck leg and lentil salad; spinach and strawberry; chickpearl,pearl barley, and lentil), grilled vegetables, yogurt, and our favorite; the cold steamed cod with cauliflower and almonds. We loved it not only forits artisanal look, but also for the tenderness of the cod, the seasoning, and the crisp slices of almonds.

As for the main, you can pick one from the list;egg-lovers eggs Benedict, scrambled egg (with a choice of soffritto onion, pepper, celery, or salmon with spinach), country style omelette (mushroom or white cheddar); or shakshuka, chicken leg (with potato rsti and barigoule pure), beef cheek, zarzuela (a traditional Spanish stew ofcuttlefish, squid, sea bass, green peas, and broccoli), duck cavatelli, and smoked carrot agnolotti.

The shakshuka (pictured above), was served in a shiny pot, garnished with cilantro, and also had two slices of whole grain bread. The acidic tomatoes shone through the feta cheese, onion, and pearl barley, without stealing the thunder ofthe poached egg on top or the heat of the spices. The surprisingpart was that the chef popped the pearl barley first, which gave the dish a little more texture.

Our favorite was the beef cheek, which was served with buttery potato pure, charred leek, and cumin butter. The juicy beef cheek melted in my mouth thanks to its tenderness. Even thoughit was quite lean, the cheek glittered as a result of the sauce,with some bites of leek adding to the dish'sartistic side.

You can also choose one of five desserts to cleanse the palate, including chocolate and raspberry tart, million layer tiramisu crpe cake, nectarine tatin, roasted cocoa withvanilla ice cream, and a fruit plate. The nectarine tatin was tasty. Its caramelized sugar and thick sliced nectarine on top added sweet and fruity dimensions to this already pleasurable, buttery, rich tart. We only wish we could'veswapped the whipped cream with ice cream.

The alluring ambiance only added to the meal: relaxing music, a nice breeze, and a gastronomic experience in an al fresco dining area, still hidden from the hustle and bustle of the Sanlitun crowds. If you are a fan of the outdoors then enjoy your brunch in the beautiful sunken garden, surrounded by lush bamboo greenery, or stayindoors and watch the chefs live in action as they prepare your food, says Mark Passmore, General Manager of The Opposite House.

The brunch is available on weekends, at 11am-3pm, costing RMB 298 net. Aselection of free-flow wines is RMB 150 (including Paxton The Guesser red, Pierre Chainier 1749 rose, and Royal Tokaji late harvest), or free-flow champagne is an additional RMB 200 (Duval Leroy brut)*. Make a reservation by emailing info@surenorestaurant.com or calling 6410 5240.

*Does not include VAT and service charge, which makes the brunch cost a total of RMB 348.

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Email:tracywang@thebeijinger.com Twitter:@flyingfigure Instagram:@flyingfigure

Photos: Tracy Wang,Sureo

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Sureo's New Weekend Brunch is Worthy of Your Weekend - The Beijinger (blog)

TumbleSeed is a game where you guide your character forward on a seesaw-esque swing on a journey to scale a hazardous mountain. We play the first twenty minutes in this Kotaku Plays.

TumbleSeed has two sides. On the one hand, it offers a friendly world of cute monster pals and relaxing music. On the other, it gives you tricky explorations. To move, you tilt a small seesaw-like contraption to slide across the screen. Its both intuitive and difficult to gain a grasp of. As a core mechanic, the idea is really cool and makes a lot of sense; getting your muscles to obey is another thing altogether.

Theres some charming stuff to be had here though. Random hazards keep your on your toes and the mood is remarkably subdued. Im eager to sit down and play more. I just imagine it will take a while for me to stop tilting and tumbling all over.

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Tumbleseed Is An Adventure You Tilt Your Character Through - Kotaku