We’ve got some good news for our listeners in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Starting this weekend on FM 107.1 you can tune in to The Kathleen Show at our new time on Sundays from Noon to 2 p.m.
Of course if you’re not in the Twin Cities, you can catch the show at its normal time on our other stations, online and via podcast after the show airs, or by live streaming very soon. Stay tuned…
A lot of you have been commenting and asking about our new show music....well here’s the line-up of songs that get Kathleen into the swing of things during the show. (And like our program, it's all indie.)
Shelley Kramer set out to uncover the causes of cancer in our environment and got no further than her medicine cabinet. Shelley, a cancer survivor herself who’s had tumors removed from her eyelid and lip, researched toxic ingredients in shampoos and cosmetics and has since made it her life’s mission to educate the public on carcinogens found in products we use on our skin every day.
In this interview, Shelley, who is the Director of the LA Cancer Prevention Coalition, tells us why the toxic chemicals in personal hygiene products are so dangerous, which ingredients in particular to avoid, and how to find safe alternatives. With no new laws established since 1938 (yet thousands of new chemicals in the marketplace), there is practically no regulation to protect consumers—and all of us are at risk.
Get out the trash bag. This interview will leave you thinking long and hard about what's under your sink, in your make-up bag, in your shower...
He's one of the most recognized and respected doctors in the world, and next week we’re pretty darned excited that Dr. Andrew Weil will be our guest on The Kathleen Show.
Dr. Weil is a leading advocate for natural and preventative medicine, but more importantly, he practices what he preaches (and we like that!). With his incredible background (10 books that have sold over 10 million copies and the cover of TIME Magazine…twice) along with a vast expertise on health topics of every kind, we can’t wait to see where this interview goes. An hour seems way too short...
Don’t miss Dr. Andrew Weil on The Kathleen ShowSaturday, January 16 and Sunday, January 17 in these cities across the country.
Of course, we’ll also be sharing the interview with all of you here at the blog, via podcast and on our Website after the show airs.
There was an interesting point here about the health insurance industry taking on the food industry because of the hit to the insurers' bottom line under a new bill where folks cannot be dropped or denied due to pre-existing conditions. It might turn into a war of industries though...because pharma makes a heck of a lot of money from us eating crap.
Side note: The first time I hit play on this video, a McDonald's ad played first. Ha!
(And if you're new to the show and this blog, here is my interview with Michael Pollan. One of our most popular ever.)
I have been flirting with the idea of adding more tea to my life for a long time. I wanted the proven health benefits. And I needed to find an alternative to 5 cups of coffee per day and the jitters and the stomach issues that come with too much java. But I didn’t want the soggy bags. Laying everywhere. On the saucer, on my counter, in the sink. And I was uninspired by the taste. Drinking tea felt like a necessary, but not exactly pleasant, part of my day.
Little did I know that there was an entire world lying outside of those bags—or should I say inside them? I got turned on to and fired up about the world of loose leaf tea. No bags. Beautiful, dancing leaves. Rich, flavors…both bold and subtle that tease your tongue and play with your mind. A ritual to be reckoned with.
And I never thought I’d say this, but tea has become my most anticipated time of the day.
Here’s how it happened…
I had a business meeting with Rishi Tea. Our goal was to discuss a partnership between their company and our show. I was there because Rishi met every criteria I have for potential sponsors. I had gone through my checklist twice:
Are they organic? Check. (USDA certified.) Are they passionate about producing an excellent product? Check. (Eleven 1st place awards at the 2009 World Tea Championship. And the Founder spends more time in the fields than the office. Because he loves it.) Does it benefit my audience to know about them? Check. (Jammed with antioxidants.) Are they enhancing our lives and health and planet? Check, check, check. (Rishi has a strong focus on sustainable production and Fair Trade—protecting workers and the earth where the tea originates.)
We approached Rishi Tea because of all of the above. But something unexpected happened during that meeting. They made me a cup of tea. Loose leaf tea. During the meeting. Right in front of me. And I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
It was more than the cup of tea itself. It was the ritual that struck me. In the midst of this ‘business’ meeting, watching the action of the tea being prepared—the smelling (like you’d smell a bottle of wine), the steeping (the gorgeous leaves swirling in a glass pot), the serving, and the drinking—I realized something: I needed this. This mental time out...to stop the racing of my day and of my mind. I felt relaxed and clear in a way that I haven’t felt mid-afternoon of a work day. Ever.
And so…
Steeping a pot of tea has become my twice a day ritual. Once in the afternoon, which brings back a sense of calm (or should I say sanity?), focus, and creativity to my work day. And then at night as Steve and I explore (and sometimes arm wrestle over) new flavors—although both of us can enthusiastically settle on the Cinnamon Plum. (For the record Steve, my husband, is a football-loving, tool belt-wearing dude—not exactly someone who conjures up images of teatime.)
Needless to say we became partners with Rishi Tea. And I’m going on a tea journey. Learning more about the health benefits, the art of the production, the places of origin, and organic and Fair Trade methods. I’ll be sharing what I learn and hope that you can join me by reading, listening, watching, commenting… and enjoying the bliss of a daily cup of tea.
Here’s what I can recommend to start. A canister of Cinnamon Plum. A glass pot with a tea light warmer. (I like glass because I like to see the tea dance). And find some cups that speak your language. You’re good to go.
Let the journey begin with this gorgeous video...
Some fun facts about Rishi:
The company donates 25 percent of profits from Cinnamon Plum to the Clean Water Fund. One fine example of their dedication to corporate responsibility.
They are based in Milwaukee, WI. (I never would have guessed this.)
Those eleven 1st place awards at the World Tea Championships were more than any other tea producer.
Their organic loose leaf tea is purchased directly from tea growers at origin.
This entry has been posted as part of Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday.
I'm a filmmaker, writer, and talk radio host. After a decade of schlepping drugs for big pharma, I finally got the ovaries to walk away from my career as a pill pusher and share what I knew on the big screen. I wrote and directed the feature film Side Effects (starring Katherine Heigl) as well as...(Read full bio)
The making of Side Effects starring Katherine Heigl
