1) Breath, by James Nestor, will likely make my yearly Top Ten Books list. In it, Nestor, an engaging science and travel writer, goes around the world investigating breathing techniques of various cultures, making some surprising observations and connections along the way. It turns out the way you breathe affects your mood, health, sleep, teeth, weight, and energy and stress levels far more than what you eat or how you exercise. Nestor includes instructions on the techniques he highlights (in the book as well as on his website) and recommends further reading from experts in the field. Now I notice people with disordered breathing and immediately want to evangelize about this book. I don’t say “life-changing” lightly, but Breath just might be.
2) Melfor is a mild but delicious vinegar from the Alsace region of France. It’s great to have on hand for changing up the only true and living salad dressing recipe. A couple of years ago, a French friend of our son’s who had been living in the States for a while was visiting us. She saw me making our usual vinaigrette and started dancing around and squealing, “Melfor! Vous avez du Melfor! Incroyable!” She adopted us on the spot. You can find it online pretty easily. (I try to avoid linking to the Bezos behemoth, but I recognize that sometimes it’s the only option for people. No judgment.)
3) I mentioned trying Kashi Dark Cocoa Karma in my cereal article a few weeks ago. Since then, it’s become a bit of an obsession. I’ve always loved O.G. unsweetened Shredded Wheat with a bit of sugar sprinkled on top; the frosted variety is just too sweet for me. But the Kashi is perfectly chocolatey and rich with just a touch of cinnamon. I love it with fresh raspberries or blueberries mixed in. It’s fiberrific, if you care about that sort of thing. Plus, it’s heartier than your average cold cereal, so it works well as a meal as opposed to a snack.
4) We watched The Social Dilemma with the kids last week, and I recommend it to anyone who has a smart phone or social media accounts of any kind. The documentary features many ex-Silicon Valley creators who discuss the unintended consequences of free online services. Socially, psychologically, and politically, it turns out that social media is even more insidious than you may have read or imagined. If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product—and it’s not so much about your data as it is about your attention. It’s sobering, important information.
5) Speaking of sobering and important, the versatile, bell-voiced Rhiannon Giddens has released a new version of her 2015 protest song “Cry No More,” this time in collaboration with composer Michael Abels (who scored the film Get Out) and members of the Metropolitan Opera Chorus and the Nashville Ballet. It’s a stirring call to action, and Tahirah Whittington’s cello solo is phenomenal. “The power of your anger has to carry past next week,” Giddens sings. Timely words in the era of media overwhelm and attention-deficit outrage culture.
That’s it for this week! Until next time, my friends. Be well.
Breath is atop my list this year. Incredible.