Tuesday 18 November 2014

Attention Ontario! Don’t be SAD Winter’s here,
Get Yourself a Tropical Rainforest Paradise

Image: A sidewalk snowplow clears snow in Ottawa, Ont., on November 17, 2014. (Errol McGihon/QMI Agency)

Yesterday saw Ontario get hit with the first real blast of winter with anywhere from 5 to 10cm of snow falling in some areas. The wet blanket of slushy snow made for havoc on the streets and the morning commute.

Video: Slick road conditions this morning as snow sweeps through GTA 


Today, in Toronto we are facing temperatures of -7 degrees Celsius with a wind-chill of -18! Yes, winter is here and it’s already messin’ with us!

Worst still, the Farmer’s Almanac is forecasting a worse-than-average winter—even worse than last year. And just to jog your memory, last year included intense ice storms and deep freezes.
“Winter temperatures and precipitation will be below normal, with the coldest periods in mid-December, early and mid-January, and early to mid-February. Snowfall will be below normal in Southwest Ontario and above normal elsewhere, with the snowiest periods in December and mid- to late March.”
~ Old Farmer’s Almanac 2015

Image: 2015 The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Remember what that felt like? Maybe this will help jog your memory…

Image: People walk past fallen ice-covered tree limbs along a road following an ice storm in Toronto in 2013
Credit: MARK BLINCH / REUTERS

Now, instead of all that, many minds turn to thoughts of summer, tropical getaways, all-inclusive holidays, cruises, etc. And we admit: it’s nice to get away from it all. Realistically, not many of use can get away for four months at a time, December to March.

PeapodLife can offer a practical, viable alternative to help combat what is for most “the winter blah’s” and what can be for some a very real and potentially debilitating condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.

According to WebMD, people with SAD exhibit many of the warning signs of depression. These can include:
  • Less energy.
  • Trouble concentrating.
  • Fatigue.
  • Greater appetite.
  • Increased desire to be alone.
  • Greater need for sleep.
  • Weight gain.
Source: http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/seasonal-affective-disorder

A number of clinical treatments exist for SAD, including light therapy. This involves shining full spectrum light indirectly into your eyes. Other recommendations include exercise, getting outdoors, eating a balanced diet, etc.

Image: Symptoms and Treatments of SAD 

What isn’t listed as a therapy for SAD is an indoor ecosystem (of course, because there has been no clinical research done in this area yet). All PeapodLife ecosystems make extensive use of full spectrum lighting. It follows that what’s allows rainforest ecosystems to survive and thrive in what is otherwise a dark and toxic environment for them will be good for us, too.

Then there’s the fresh air and vitality we experience when sharing the electromagnetic field of a high order ecosystem. It’s not only like being outside, it’s like being in a beautiful clearing of a tropical rainforest…your very own indoor paradise, right in your own home or office. No need for expensive flights and lengthy holidays. Every day can be lived in paradise when you live the PeapodLife.

Image: Winter be damned! Everyday can be like living in a tropical rainforest paradise with PeapodLife.

So why wait any longer? Don’t let winter to continue messing with you and your emotional health. Stick it to Old Man Winter and the Old Farmer’s Almanac and start living the PeapodLife.

Visit www.peapodlife.com to learn more.


Thursday 13 November 2014

Ecosystem in Senior’s Residence Thrives

Image: PeapodLife Ecosystem at Fitch Street Senior’s Residence

Last week we paid a visit to Birchwood Place, Niagara Regional Housing’s affordable retirement residence located at 235 Fitch St. East in Welland, Ontario.

Image: Birchwood Place 

We checked-in on the ecosystem we installed there, and the photos tell the story of how well this very basic ecosystem is doing.


Image: Orchids blooming in PeapodLife Ecosystem.

The moss is coming along nicely, taking hold and thriving. The orchids are blooming, with more on the way, and some flowers have even matured and produced seed-pods. 

We re-seeded the living wall with the seeds, we will have to wait and see if they can grab a foothold. As you can see from the photos, the wall is quite lush, and new seedlings will have an uphill battle for light given how well all the other plants are doing. 

Image: Ecosystem Thriving.

Even the fish are doing well. Some of the species laid eggs, a few of them hatched. This is a little unusual, since most fish are bred to be infertile. They were a bit too small to photograph without a macro lens.

As you can tell, an ecosystem is not a static thing. They grow, change, adapts and in the case of PeapodLife Rainforest Ecosystems, they thrive. Owning an ecosystem is an adventure. Generally, change happens at a slow pace, but sometimes leads to dramatic developments overnight (like a new orchid reaching full bloom, or new fish being born).

The point is, there’s always new life, new colour, new movement and new things to see and wonder at. Your ecosystem is full of life, and it’s precisely that energy and vitality that PeapodLife ecosystems bring to your life.


Tuesday 4 November 2014

Dancing KINGS & the PEACOCK Life
Men: “Get Down and COLOURFUL” to “Get it On” the Natural Way

Video: At 0.15” these miniscule jumping spiders are nature’s tiny talents.
Source: YouTube – Peacock Spider 7 
“You can dance if you want to,
you can leave your friends behind.
‘Cause your friends don’t dance
and if they don’t dance,
Well that’s no friend of mine.”
~ Men Without Hats, Safety Dance
The natural world is filled with flamboyant, elaborate and beautiful displays by male species courting their female counterparts.

The above ritual by the tiny Peacock Spider, native to Australia, is one such dancing display, complete with colourful abdomen flap which raises just like a peacock’s feathers—hence the name. But these small spiders are by no means the only ones “putting the moves on” their ladies.

It’s no secret that male birds are often more colourful than females, and that they must woo partners using all types of behaviours. But Papua New Guinea’s Birds of Paradise are legendary not only for their elaborate ritual/mating dance, but their beautiful plumage. 

Video: Birds of Paradise

Now let’s face it: the human animal likewise performs its own mating rituals, whether we admit to it or not. And the proliferation of beauty, fashion & lifestyle magazines for women and health, fashion and lifestyle magazines for men are proof of this. Such publications often offer both sexes ways to gain an “advantage” over rivals when it comes to “attracting and/or keeping a mate.”

Image Collage: The “Peacock life” by PeapodLife.

Then there’s “the nest.” Some birds woo a mate by building an elaborate nest which prospective mates come and examine. If the nest is to their liking and meets with their approval, the courtship is successful and mating can proceed.

Video: “The Bachelor Pad” in Nature

This also has its correspondence in the human animal. The “swinging bachelor pad” is but one example of how men attempt to make a good impression on prospective partners, by showcasing their success, cleanliness, organization, likes and interests, tastes in food, design & music, and much more. 

Now, imagine if your “bachelor pad” had one of PeapodLife’s high-order rainforest ecosystems…

Image: PeapodLife Rainforest Ecosystem turns any Bachelor Pad into a sanctuary for new “lovebirds” to become “empty nesters.”

The colours, vivacity, freshness, vitality and life-affirming energy of our indoor rainforest ecosystems will surely turn any bachelor pad into a sanctuary where “lovebirds” can meet, mate and perhaps even become “empty nesters.” But not just any old nest…a nest of MUTUAL HARMONY & SYMBIOSIS, as embodied by one of our high-order ecosystems. The essence of balanced, sustainable beauty. 

In other words, while what starts off appearing as “The Peacock Life” in time reveals itself to create The PeapodLife. And who doesn’t want a relationship of mutual harmony and symbiosis? Contact PeapodLife today and get to work on your “Nest of Paradise.”