Healthy Chick Melodies - Broken Social Scene

The past few months have been ridiculous as far as good music goes. I've had to refrain myself from writing a few reviews on some new albums and remind myself that this blog is for health and wellness...music is only allowed here and there! But I'm just as passionate about my love for music as I am for my love of food, health and yoga, so it all works out, right?!

Without going into details, Local Native's latest album, Gorilla Manor, has completely rocked my world. By far the best album of 2010 thus far. Can't say enough about it. The Morning Bender's, Big Echo, another amazing album that I get excited about each time it comes up on my playlist. MGMT's, Congratulations, has me completely googly-eyed in love. Those boys have totally blown me away with this album. I was not expecting their sophomore album to be this good! The National also just released their new album, High Violet. I'm excited to give it a listen!

Anyway, I have anxiously been awaiting another Broken Social Scene album, and it's finally here! Just as I had hoped, its as amazing as ever.

What this Healthy Chick is listening to...NOW!:
Broken Social Scene's NEW album, Forgiveness Rock Record. Broken Social Scene is my favorite multi-member indie collective band. There are 6 band members with some superstar guest contributors (what makes BSS soooo great!) on this go-round! And more exciting news, BSS just announced that they will be releasing EP (8 tracks!) for this album called Lo-Fi for the Dividing Nights in May. Yay!!!

A few months back my girlfriend and I were able to score tickets for us to see Broken Social Scene in May. They will be playing at Webster Hall next week. We are SO excited and hoping that some of their guests will make some appearances!!! Tonight I'll be seeing Frightened Rabbit (they also just released a new album which is ridiculous) as well as Yeasayer next week!!! So many great shows and its only Spring!

A few of the yummy songs on this album that I'm loving this very moment are "Sweetest Kill," "All to All," "Texico Bitches," " Forced to Love," and "World Sick." If you want a song from Forgiveness Rock Record, shoot me an email @ lauren@centeryourhealth.net with the subject: Send me BSS! and I will surprise you with a song or two!!

What are you listening to right now? I'd love to hear, please share below!

Keep it fresh!
- Lauren

I am a Doula

Last week I spent 3 days training with film maker, author and doula Debra Pascali-Bonaro and 21 amazing women from Northern Jersey and CT for my DONA training. I have been trying to figure out how to put this experience into words...and it isn't easy. I am a doula, a 'woman's servant' a trained professional who brings emotional and physical support to a birthing woman. I am her personal advocate and her stability.

I would love to come up with my own words for this experience but I still can't wrap my brain around it. The best I can do for now is repost a beautiful entry by Nicole Deelah from Bellies and Babies.

"I don’t practice medicine; I don’t do medical exams or perform medical tasks. I am in the business of support, education, and natural, normal birth.

I believe that childbirth is a natural and normal event. Variations in birth do occur; but, with proper support and advocacy, even those variations can be looked upon as satisfying and empowering events. I am an advocate of natural childbirth, but work to empower women to make their own educated decisions regarding labor and birth. I firmly practice the advocacy of informed choice.

Pregnancy and childbirth is a time when women can be motivated or de-motivated to fulfilling their roles as strong, capable and competent individuals, which then translates into their mothering roles after birth. The difference often lies in how they are treated during their pregnancy and birthing time.

Empowering women with options and support enables them to take ownership for their healthcare and their bodies, which, later, gives them the confidence to take responsibility as mothers. A doula-relationship allows for that mental and emotional wellbeing while also freeing the medical professional to focus solely on the physical wellbeing. This holistic approach to pregnancy and birth has been proven to be the safest and most satisfactory approach for all involved.

I believe that a doula can help a woman to reclaim the beauty, strength, and humble respect of the rite of passage to motherhood called childbirth."

I couldn't have found better words...not yet anyway. I have wanted to take the DONA training for many years, I knew that it was the perfect addition to my health coaching and my yoga training...yet I wasn't sure if I actually wanted to be a doula. Now I know that my instinct was right. I needed this training to round out my training, experience and vision of where I am going. Being a doula will be one aspect of my practice and it will bring so much more to my coaching and teaching.

I can't begin to express the gratitude I have for Debra and my fellow trainees for reminding me of this light and inner power.

Keep it Fresh!

~Terra

Welcome Home!!

Welcome home to Lauren who just got home from 10 days at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in Paradise Island, Bahamas. We can't wait to hear all about your trip!!!

xoxoxo

Terra & Jill