Ep. 045 Shinrin Yoku (Forest Bathing): An Ancient Healing Technique Supported by Modern Research

Welcome to Episode:   Shinrin Yoku (Forest Bathing):  An Ancient Healing Technique supported by Modern Breathing

Brainy Thing: 18:27     Redwood Curtain:  33:43

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting (and Luceting):

Ta Dah!  Catherine finished her Garden Arbor Shawl  by Kira K Designs, a  kit she got from The Natural Fiber Fair in 2015. The yarn is the Sky colorway in Bamboo from Be Sweet Yarns.
garden arbor close
garden arbor
Margaret made a lucet bracelet that was a modification of the pattern that Jennifer Hansen, from Stitch Diva offered as a bonus after completing her free 7-Day Llucet braceletucet Challenge.  https://app.convertkit.com/landing_pages/38006.  She used Magnetic clasps. She also tested out the KonMari method http://tidyingup.com/ of organizing all her knitting, crocheting and lucet supplies.

Brainy Thing:  Shinrin Yoku (Forest Breathing)

Catherine introduces us to Shinrin Yoku the Japanese codification of a worldwide ancient custom of Forest Breathing. 0315305F-155D-4519-3EB2071A3180CA23-smallThe phenomenon of the healing from forest is getting a lot of research interest and an American study shows that walks in nature can help children with ADD and ADHD.  Some resources:
The Little Handbook of shinrin yoku   http://www.shinrin-yoku.org/
The Association of Forest Therapy:   http://www.natureandforesttherapy.org/
On ADD and ADHD:   Andrea Faber Taylor and Frances E. Kuo  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1448497/

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

ascreen-1

Breaking news (at least relatively from us) — Redwood trees are  best at fixing oxygen– converting Carbon Dioxide into Oxygen in the process of photosynthesis therefore they can be helpful resources in battling Global Warming.
Teaching Your Brain to Knit Podcast:  https://teachingyourbraintoknit.com/
Teaching Your Brain to Knit Podcast group on Ravelry:  http://www.ravelry.com/groups/teaching-your-brain-to-knit

Ep. 043 Feeding Your Brain

Welcome to Episode 43:  Feeding Your Brain

Brainy Thing:  18:45      Behind the Redwood Curtain:  33:15

What Our Knitting and Crochet is Teaching Us:

Margaret crocheted the Boteh Scarf   http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/boteh-scarfin by Kathy Merrick out of nearly three balls of Bella Lino  58% Linen, 26% viscose, and 16% cotton  http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/classic-elite-yarns-bella-lino .
It looks like since Bella Lino is not part of Classic elites yarns’ verde collection — like Sprout in chunky or Seedling in worsted/aran, it is not organic.  But it’s pretty anyway.
boteh scarf curledboteh scarf front yard
Catherine is working on the Garden Arbor shawl  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garden-arbor-shawl by Kira K Designs in the Be Sweet Bamboo http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/be-sweet-bamboo
Garden Arbor lace
garden arbor progress

Brainy Thing:  Feeding Your Brain

Margaret introduces the relationships between our diets, inflammation, and our brains.  Some of her sources include:
Also check out Lee Bernstein’s (a member of our Ravelry Group and with her own Ravelry Group)  http://knittingisglutenfree.com

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

Catherine tells us all about the blues associated with the grey California Coastal Marine Layer
a8f8fcd792702457f1e54c61d5f7c3ce

Knitting Tip:

Knittybarb of the Two Knit Lit Chicks podcast http://www.ravelry.com/groups/2-knit-lit-chicks-podcast offers a tip about how to wrangle your beads when knitting (or crocheting) with beads.

A Little Podcast Business:

There is an ongoing incentive for joining our Ravelry Group and another one for posting a tip on our Knitting Tips thread.
ETA 8/3/16

Ep. 042 Brain Freeze Research Could Pave Way for Migraine Relief

Welcome to Episode 42:  Brain Freeze Research May Pave Way for Migraine Relief

Brainy Thing:    22:56               Behind the Redwood Curtain:  32:23

What We’ve Learned from Our Knitting:

Catherine recently bought a skein of Be sweet yarn, African Bead Ball, to celebrate Knitting in Public Day.     http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/be-sweet-african-bead-ball.  She started knitting Kira K Designs’  Garden Arbor shawl (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garden-arbor-shawl) out of another  Be Sweet yarn, Bamboo.
beginning of Garden Arbor lucet challenge
Margaret learned a new skill through the 7 day lucet challenge.  Check out  Jennifer Hansen’s Stitch Diva  http://www.stitchdiva.com/blog/lucet-challenge/.

Brainy Thing

Scientists are researching the common Brain Freeze   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522095335.htm  to see if it could reveal secrets that might help treat migraines.
ice-cream-cones-m-1

Behind the Redwood Curtain

Margaret shares some cool facts about the sand dollar.  The best source she found the best source on sand dollars was http://echinoblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/sand-dollars-are-sea-urchins-please.html
Sand dollars

Knitting Tips

Catherine tells us that part of creating gauge is where on the knitting needle you work your stitches.