Breakfast Cookie

Packed with protein and healthy carbs with the option to be sugar free, this is the perfect grab-and-go breakfast, hiking snack or post-workout treat. Each cookie boasts less than 200 calories, 10 grams of protein, and healthy fat and carbs to keep you satiated and fueled-up. Oh yeah, and there's chocolate in it.

Post-Run Protein Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Work Time: 30 min

Total Time: 3.5 hours

Makes 15 palm-sized cookies

1 cup almond flour

¼ cup xylitol (or Truvia, Splenda, or granulated sweetener of choice)

½ cup protein powder (we used plain pea protein)

1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt (or applesauce to make it dairy-free)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla

20 drops stevia (or 2 to 3 packets to taste)

4 egg whites

½ cup water

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Mix together all dry ingredients except for oats. Add in wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Fold in rolled oats, then fold in chocolate chips. Refrigerate for 3 hours to let dough set. Roll into 15 balls on lined or lightly sprayed cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until cookies begin to brown on top. Let cool and store in the fridge in airtight container.

Enjoy!

Getting Rid of Fleas Naturally

We all love our furry friends here at Azuma. Part of having a pet is basic pet care, and sometimes that includes dealing with pests like fleas. Fortunately there's a way to rid your home of pests, with your vacuum and your washer and dryer as the key weapons in your arsenal! Here's how to do it.

Clean Your Pet
At the first sight of fleas on your pet, give him a good bath. You don't necessarily have to use a flea shampoo, and for cats you definitely shouldn't use pesticides. Normal dish soap is enough to kill the fleas. Peppermint or citrus scented soaps are especially irritating to bugs if you choose to use them. Start by wetting the neck down and your pet's backside. These are the first places fleas move to when they sense water. Massage in the soap deeply in these areas before lathering up the rest of your pet. Use your fingers or a flea comb to make sure the water penetrates all the way to the skin. Fleas cling to the skin and not to the hair, and can survive in air pockets in your pet's fur. Soap up the rest of your pet and let sit for 2 to 5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and towel dry.

Wash All Fabric
Especially blankets, pillows or beds your pet lays in. Wash on the highest heat setting you can and dry on the highest heat that's safe for the fabric. If it's a pillow or bed that can't be thrown in the wash, put it in the dryer for at least 30 minutes to kill any eggs or fleas. You can also put some peppermint oil on an old sock or handkerchief and throw it in the dryer. The oil will evaporate and irritate any adult bugs.

Vacuum
Vacuuming is your greatest weapon next to washing! Vacuum all upholstery and floors, taking care to get in corners and dark places. Flea eggs are about the size of a grain of sand and difficult to notice unless on a dark surface. Once eggs hatch, larva emerge, feed on any dead skin or flea poop on the ground and then spin a cocoon before becoming an adult. Usually only 10% of your flea population will be on your pet. The rest are laying in wait in your couches and carpet. So vacuum thoroughly and vacuum often. This will get 95% of the fleas on the ground. Throw away the contents of the vacuum and take the garbage bag outside after vacuuming.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
DE is finely ground silicates found naturally in the earth. Farmers add it to rice and other grain to keep it dry and fresh and keep bugs out. You can use it to keep the bugs out of your home, too! DE is too finely ground for it to be harmful to us, but for a bug it scratches up their shell and dries them out until they die. Use a bulb duster or just sprinkle it around your home by hand. You can put it in your carpets, but it's best used in those hard to reach places like underneath couch cushions, in cracks and along baseboards where bugs like to hide. You can even rub it into your pet's fur to kill off any bugs that are  still on him. DE is totally safe and even edible. Just be sure to wash it off your pet after no more than 8 to 12 hours (it dries out your skin!) and purchase ONLY the food grade kind of DE. If you plan on leaving it in cracks and carpets, it's best to allow 24 to 48 hours for it to kill off the bugs.

Maintain
The most important step: you must do all these things listed and do them often! The flea life cycle spans about 10 to 18 days. So once you find fleas in your home, you must be diligent about cleanliness for at least two weeks. Vacuum daily or every other day, wash bedding 3 to 5 times per week and regularly clean your pet, ideally picking fleas off with a flea comb every day. Remain patient and diligent and eventually all the fleas will be gone.

Until next time, keep it clean!

Is TV Holding Your Children Back?

The way we consume media is way different now than it was even just 10 years ago. We communicate constantly through phones, text, social networks, chat, tablets, apps, and gaming consoles. It's essential to use computers at work and school, and we use them to decompress on our down time. We watch more TV and movies than ever. Spending a huge chunk of time with a screen in front of you has become a way of life. If you choose not to participate, you risk not connecting as much with friends and family and missing out on topics and discussions that are relevant today. Kids are curious and smart, and pick up on using these new technologies quickly, which puts them in the precarious position of being caught up in a cacophony of media and advertisements. But how do you avoid letting them get consumed by what they're consuming? Below, we've offered up some ideas on putting things back into perspective.

The Impact on Self-Esteem
Unless you're a white boy, if you watch a lot of television as a child, chances are you're not going to come out thinking too highly of yourself. Girls and African-Americans come away from TV viewing feeling like they're lacking the position, skills and worth required to obtain the success that white males seem to hold with ease. More than 90% of protagonists in TV and movies are white men, and minorities and women are usually relegated to the background, practically used as props. This can make your children feel that their inherent value is based on what other people think of them or how they look.

Even if your child is "fortunate" enough to be white and male, consider this: if other children are struggling with their place of importance, what does that say about the child that's always put at center stage? Your child may discover "privileges" he feels he's entitled to. He may view other people less as human beings with drive, flaws, talents and dimension, and think more about how they make him look and feel great. He may miss out on rich, strong relationships because he doesn't know how to recognize all of the great things everyone has to offer.

Put things in perspective.
Talking to your children is the most powerful counterpoint to messages in media you can provide. Rather than banning media from your children altogether, watch TV with your children, and ask them lots of questions. Ask them how they feel about the different scenarios they're watching, ask who they would want to be friends with on the show and why. Ask them if they were in charge of the situation, what would they do? Talk to them about how in stories, things are exaggerated and simplified to make things easy to understand and entertaining, and how in real life things take time to happen and develop. Ask them how they want to be treated, and how they would earn the respect of their friends in healthy ways.

Cultivate and encourage other hobbies.
Children are going to be interested in tons of different things throughout their childhood and young adulthood, because everything is a new discovery. It's okay to try a bunch of different things, but encourage and steer your child to find something they love and stick with it. Discuss with her how when you love something, it's not always easy and fun. Sometimes she will struggle with getting better at what she wants to do, and it will probably take a very long time. But if she's consistent and works on it regularly, she will feel like she accomplished something great. She will have something cool about herself she can share to impress her friends, sure. But more rewarding is knowing that she has strength in herself to do great things. She won't need other people to validate her strength because she already knows it for herself!

Create a Sense of Community
Surround yourself with people who will support how you want to raise your children, and give them role models. If your daughter is learning electric guitar, find a great female guitarist to teach her, and introduce her to bands with female leads and strong female members. Make sure your family understands the kind of positive language and goals you want to encourage in your kids. Connect with other parents who want to raise their children the same way, and attend church functions with a congregation that fosters positive parenting. The more people that your child can connect with in the real world who represent who they want to become, the more they'll know they can aspire to and meet those goals. If they feel like they are people of value and know what it looks like when others love and respect them, they won't seek validation from people in unhealthy ways.

Choose your media wisely.
Rather than just finding something G rated and plopping your kid in front of it, seek out and consume those shows that have strong role models that match what your child is aspiring to. Shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Adventure Time have lots of strong female characters. Avatar the Last Airbender features lots leading characters of different races and strong female characters. TV shows like Community for young adults feature men and women of different races and age groups interacting as friends rather than getting caught up in romantic entanglements. There are more options out there that feature life more realistically than ever before.

The bottom line is, the more involved you are with shaping your children's experience and expectations, the less likely they are to give in to believing stereotypes and diminishing their self-worth. Get interested in what your children are interested in, and you'll discover amazing realms of potential within them. Until next time, keep it clean!

How to Keep Your Cat from Waking You Up

Most cat owners have experienced their cat pouncing on their face at 5AM. It's an irritating experience, especially on a Sunday morning! Contrary to popular belief, cats can be trained. Here are a few tips for how to get your cat on your sleep schedule.


Listen to Your Cat
When a cat is "misbehaving", it's usually for a reason. This includes pouncing on your face in the morning. If your cat is exhibiting unusual behavior, it may mean that something in his environment has been interrupted (like a new cat in the neighborhood) or that he may be sick. Training a cat or any pet means teaching it to live alongside you within your rules, but within reason. Remember that animals, much like small children, can't communicate to us except with noises and gestures. Just like with a child, check to see that their basic needs are met first and then try and figure out if something is wrong beyond that.

Fulfill the Basics
Most cats are very territorial and like to feel that their territory stays a particular way. If you feed your cat and clean its box sporadically, this can make it feel insecure, resulting in weird behaviors to get your attention. Clean the box at LEAST once a week on the same day, completely change the litter once a month, and have specified times that you feed your cat, always giving fresh water. The easiest schedule is once before you go to work and once before you go to bed. If they feel their needs are not being met, most cats will do whatever it takes to get your attention, even if it's negative-- like scratching the furniture or knocking things off the shelf.

Keep Your Cat Entertained
Cats are nocturnal and naturally like to explore at night. But if they get their "hunting" out during the day, they're less likely to need to do it while you're snoozing. If you're away most of the day, leave them puzzles, balls and toys to play with. Cats get bored just like people, so try and keep most of their toys hidden away and then give them one or two in the morning. An old toy will feel new and exciting again if they haven't seen it in a while. Be sure to interact with your cat, too. Playing with a fishing toy or a piece of yarn, or even playing fetch are all great games that will help you bond with your cat and wear him out, too.

Make a Bedtime Routine Your Cat Understands
To help your cat wind down and be ready to sleep when you are, before you go to bed remember to Play, Feed and Groom. If your cat goes outside, let him roam his territory for a couple hours and call him in at the same time each night. (If you consistently give your cat treats for responding, just like a dog he will come when you call.) If your cat is an indoor cat, play with him to wear him out. Feed your cat after playing. Once he's done, brush him to finish calming him down. These are all natural things cats do before sleeping: hunt, eat, clean themselves up and nap.

Avoid the Signals
Cats are keen to notice sights and sounds that signify morning. Keep the shades closed so the sun doesn't pour in, use a fan or a white noise machine at night to drown out the sounds outside. The more consistent you can keep your sleeping area, the better.

Resist Fighting Back
If your cat is annoying you, it's hard to fight the urge to think they're just doing it to torture or spite you. Reacting in any way is giving your cat attention and going to reinforce bad habits. It may take several days for your cat to learn to sleep at night. Be strong! Try not to acknowledge your cat when he wakes you up in the morning, not even locking him out of the room or pushing him off the bed. Eventually he'll understand that you will get up and feed him and play with him if he waits.

Creating Fresh Air Inside Your Home

Did you know that the inside of your house can be more polluted than the outside? With modern innovations and people spending more and more time indoors, it's important to reassess how you keep your home clean to be sure you and your family are as healthy as you can be. There are a few easy and eco-friendly ways to do this. Here's how.

Chemical Cleansers
Cleansers you use on yourself, your countertops and floors can leave traces of harmful inhalants behind, and can even release chemicals into the air when you're not using them. Eliminate the chemicals you use on yourself and in your home. Most cleaning jobs can be completed as well as or better than standard cleaners with castille soap, vinegar and baking soda. If you like nice fresh scents, you can add a few drops of essential oils like eucalyptus, peppermint or lemon balm to the mix. Check out our previous posts on homemade cleansers and recipes for simple cleansers here, here, and here.

Air Purifiers
This is probably the most straightforward way to clean up the air quality in your home. Make sure you use a high quality air filter on your air vents inside your home and change the filter once every 3 months. Air purifiers filter out mold, microbes, dust, dust mites, smoke, pollen and chemicals from the air. Even if you're not using your air conditioner or heater, having the fan on to keep air moving through your house can prevent stale air and moisture buildup which can lead to mold in your home. If you don't have central air in your home, consider getting a tower fan that holds an air filter.

Paints and Plastics
Paints and plastic products like electronics, office supplies, toys, shower curtains and water bottles can release compounds into the air and into your body that are harmful for your health. Try to use natural materials, like plant-based fabrics, wood, ceramic and glass as much as possible. Low-toxicity and low-VOC paints are available at most craft and home improvement stores. Look into BPA's (Bisphenol-A) and VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) to learn more.

Moisture Buildup
Whether you cook a lot or just love hot showers, regular condensation in your house can be a real concern for air quality. Germs and insects love damp places, so to prevent too much moisture in at-risk areas of your house like the kitchen or bathroom, be sure to use proper ventilation. Open a window or use your oven hood's fan while cooking and turn on the ventilation fan in the bathroom when you shower. Be sure to check regularly for signs of moisture buildup. If you see discolored spots on your ceiling or walls or sagging plaster, you may want to get your walls checked out by a professional for mold.

Plants
NASA recently released a popular study on houseplants and their effect on indoor air quality. Houseplants are a great way to reduce carbon dioxide, increase oxygen and filter out toxins from your house. Some plants can even absorb and negate the chemicals released from plastics and paints in your home! Check out the list and add a plant to each of your rooms.

Follow these tips and you're on your way to a healthier, allergen-free home! Until next time, keep it clean!

Smart Budgeting

While we're beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, many of us have taken a beating financially from the recent economic crisis. Job losses, underemployment, student debt and credit card debt undertaken from investing in what would hopefully eventually be beneficial are crushing millions of us. But there's plenty we can do to make the day-to-day easier. We're all already familiar with cutting back. Here are a few tips on using your budget to get the most from your paycheck for your future.

Keep Investing
Paying off debt or keeping afloat may be your highest priority. However, if you can afford it, keep putting aside a percentage of your paycheck towards investments and retirement, especially if your employer offers a matching investments. Spending one year not putting aside money can result in spending hundreds more a month later down the road to make up for it.

Pay More than the Minimum
Paying the minimum balance on credit cards and loans is a good way to barely keep your head above water. There are plenty of online calculators to determine how much your monthly payment needs to be to pay off your cards completely in your chosen number of years. Try to aim for paying off your debts in 5 years or less. Balance your payments by how large the debt is. Let's say you have $200 a month you can put towards credit cards, and you have one card with a balance of $1000 and another with a balance of $3000. 25% of your debt is on the lower card. So pay $50 (25% of your monthly payment budget) to the lower card and $150 to the higher card. It will get paid down a lot faster and you can avoid hefty interest fees by paying more. Of course, the higher the interest, the faster you want to try to pay down that card.

Make Smart Purchases
This may seem obvious, but be discerning when allocating your money to extra expenditures. You may be able to live with a beat up old couch. But a leaky drain can turn into a flooded house, and a toothache can turn into a root canal. If you must spend extra money, be sure you're investing in something you really need. And especially spend on things that can turn into a problem later. It's better to nip it in the bud.

Buy Secondhand and Fix What You Have
You can get tons of good quality items if you give yourself a little extra time and keep a discerning eye out. We didn't have anywhere to sit in our living room and were in the market for a couch. We had the option of buying a new discount couch for $800 at a wholesale warehouse, but didn't really have the budget for it. We found a nice worn-in leather couch at a second-hand store for $300 and spent $100 and a few hours of elbow grease to restore the leather. That's half the price for a nicer couch! Same principle applies to clothes. Nice quality slacks and jeans that may just need to be dry-cleaned, dyed, patched or hemmed get dropped off at Goodwill because the last person didn't want to bother with it. Look for consignment shops in nicer neighborhoods for the best quality deals. Keep an open mind and see what you can find. If something you already have is wearing out and you don't know how to fix it, take it to a tailor or a dry cleaner to get it like new again for just a few bucks.

Keep an Eye on Your Credit Score
Make sure you always pay your bills on time, and if you can't, call and see what kind of deals you can make. Many loans and credit cards offer deferred payment programs, especially if you're unemployed. Try to avoid opening any new accounts and if you must have a card, keep the one you've had the longest for the most positive effect on your credit. If you can, pay your full debt instead of negotiating down. A chargeoff can really hurt your credit and be much worse for you in the future than just being in debt.

It's OK to Rent!
A lot of people think that purchasing is the soundest decision you can make, but purchasing an item new can devalue it instantly, just like driving a new car off the lot. That's a big dent in your investment. An even bigger dent comes from maintenance. Avoid the headaches of repairs by letting someone else do the work for you. Azuma covers all maintenance and installation at no charge for refrigerator and washer and dryer rentals, giving you one less thing to worry about.

Don't Get Caught Up in the Little Things
Oftentimes financial advisers will tell you to cut back on little stuff, like the fancy coffees or basic cable. It's true that these things add up, however sometimes that cup of coffee is the only thing keeping you sane through your workday. You know what you spend the most money on. Eating at home, using a prepaid phone instead of a smartphone and re-watching a DVD instead of going out to the theater are all things we already know save money. You still have to live your life, so don't tear your hair out over the small stuff. Sometimes having that small reward that you earned at the end of the week, like a cup of coffee, is what reminds you that you're working towards long term goals and are still doing okay.

Hopefully these tips will help you all continue to be wise with your money. Until next time, keep it clean!

Quick One-Pot Ratatouille

This recipe is an old stand-by for me. Though it's entirely fruit and veggie, it's incredibly filling and satisfying. I use it on nights that I'm not really in the mood for cooking but we all need a really good meal. This can either be made on the stovetop or baked in the oven if you're not partial to watching the pot.

Quick Ratatouille
1 eggplant
1 large onion
2 red peppers
1 yellow squash
1 zucchini
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 to 2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup red wine (optional)
1 cup cheese for baking (optional)
2 tablespoons spicy pasta seasoning
(I use a mix of red pepper, oregano, bay leaves, basil and garlic)
Dash salt
Coconut oil for sauteeing

If baking as a casserole, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large stock pot, heat about a tablespoon of coconut oil on medium-high. Throw in roughly-chopped onion and salt and give it a quick stir. Let the oil and onion sit in the pot for 3-5 minutes to caramelize. While onions are caramelizing, cut the eggplant, peppers,
zucchini and yellow squash into cubes. Throw veggies into the pot with the can of diced tomatoes and stir to mix. Add spices and mix again. At this point, you can either transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish or leave in the pot. Once the mixture is in your preferred container, add wine and just enough vegetable broth to cover. If baking, sprinkle cheese on top if preferred and pop in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until the top is bubbly and browned. If leaving in the stock pot, cover and lower heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

This recipe freezes great too if you're into making meals in advance. It pairs great with a big caesar salad and a glass of red wine! Until next time, keep it clean!

The Value of Keeping Health Simple

When navigating the health world, there are all sorts of suggestions, plans, programs and pitfalls. A simple journey to living a healthier lifestyle can become a mind-numbing mess of gadgets, apps, calorie counting, restrictions, 5AM trips to the gym and endless label-scrutinizing that would send any person back to bed to avoid all the work. It's no fun being healthy when you're constantly monitoring every thing you do! Here are a few absolutes that every expert can agree on to help you simplify things.

Enjoy life and the body you were given to live it in.
It's fine to set goals for yourself and have things to aspire to, but focusing too much on the end product will often result in endlessly beating yourself up if you don't get there and frustration. One Ayurvedic lesson is to treat your body like your friend. If your friend was sick or struggling, or if something was clearly wrong, you wouldn't belittle her or get angry at her for not being perfect. Listen to your body and identify what you struggle with and try to work with that. And celebrate and work on improving your inherent strengths.

There isn't one single life plan for everyone.
There are certainly things that will universally help your health and make you look better in the process, but remember too that each body is a unique biological organism. Real lasting change takes a lot of time. Depending on your habits, medical history, genetics and what you've been eating all your life, your metabolism could function completely differently from the next person. What works for one person may not necessarily work for you. What one person enjoys eating or doing may not be what makes you passionate about being healthy. You may look great at 140 pounds while someone else does better carrying 110. That is completely normal and okay.

Eat your vegetables.
Even if you eat vegetables at every meal, you could probably still eat more of them. Everyone agrees and the science overwhelmingly backs it: there is nothing more super and more nutritious for your health than veggies! Eating fruit or a multivitamin or a "superfood" is NOT a substitute! Avoid peas, corn and potatoes and go for nutritional powerhouses, especially leafy greens like spinach and collards, and cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli and cauliflower. Eat huge salads for lunch, wilt spinach in your breakfast scramble, throw a few handfuls of raw spinach into your smoothie. They will make you feel full, boost your energy and keep you young. No pill, powder or any amount of exercise can replace that.

Don't go crazy with supplements.
There isn't any herb or pill that you can take that will alter your health more than being active and eating well. Some things certainly help. If you're a vegetarian, it's probably a good idea to take a B-complex. To boost your metabolism, you may want to consider drinking more green and herbal teas. Coconut and flax oil is certainly good for you, but there's no reason to go out of your way to eat a tablespoon of it every day if you're already preparing your meals with it. Anything a superfood or supplement has can probably already be found in the foods you're eating daily. What you should do is probably what you already know: Avoid packaged and sugary foods and eat a natural diet of vegetables, lean protein, fruit, nuts and seeds to get your nutrition. Focus on the food and staying active and save your money for better things.

Strength is not complicated.
There's no such thing as "muscle confusion" or shrinking your muscle mass to look long and lean. Your muscle size is determined mostly by genetics and how much weight you lift. That's pretty much it. Doing 100 crunches a day or complex reverse interval training will not give you abs. Do exercises you like to stay active, like yoga, swimming, riding your bike, playing with your kids, taking walks with your significant other, or playing sports. Make sure you  move around regularly instead of sitting at your desk or on your couch all day. If you really want to build muscle, look into doing deep muscle training twice a week (slow, heavy reverse weight lifting until your body can't lift anymore). But beyond that, you don't have to do anything weird to stay fit. Your body doesn't know the difference, and your brain will appreciate the break.

Keeping things simple gives you more time to focus on what matters to you. Instead of making your health the center of your life when life is already short, use that time to enjoy who you are, build your relationships and your talents, and have fun! Until next time, keep it clean!

Removing Pit Stains

There are few things quite as embarrassing and clothing-ruining as pit stains. If you like wearing fresh white shirts or wear a lot of undershirts to work daily, the dinginess of a pit stain is pretty pervasive. Often enough, failure to remove these hard-to-clean stains will result in the premature purchase of new shirts when the shirt could have still been in its prime. Fear not! They can be removed!

Stain Prevention

A lot of people assume that the protein, salt and bacteria in your sweat building up on the shirt over time cause these stains. The stains look pretty gross so we assume it's a natural occurrence. Actually, it's a chemical reaction between your sweat and your deodorant. If you use any basic store-bought deodorant, chances are it contains aluminum, the real culprit of the weird color. (You guys who use body spray may have noticed that your pit stains extend to your chest and neck area, right?) The best way to avoid the stains is to switch to a natural deodorant. Spreading on coconut oil and/or rubbing a salt stick where you sweat the most work amazingly well at getting rid of odor-causing bacteria. If you sweat a lot, you might want to consider trimming back your chest or armpit hair a little so it doesn't hold so much water against your shirt. You'll still smell lovely, I promise.

Don't Bleach the Stain

This would seem like the most obvious thing to do, but the chemicals in bleach will react with the stain and make it worse. There are easier and more natural alternatives. If you bleach some of your whites, like towels, do a separate load without bleach for stained shirts.

Lemon Juice

Have you ever put lemon juice on your hair before going to the beach to lighten your locks? Same principle here. Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice on the effected area and hang to dry in the sun for a day. Voila!

Hydrogen Peroxide

That same stuff that's great for disinfecting cuts is also wonderful for pit stains, and is often safe on dyed fabrics too (be sure to test a hidden spot on your colored shirt first). Spray on the area and let it sit for 15 minutes or even respray and let sit over several hours for more pernicious stains. Throw in the wash and it will come out stain-free.

Oxygenating Detergent

Some powdered detergents like OxyClean create hydrogen peroxide when combined with water, which helps to lift stains. You can also pre-soak clothing in the detergent for really tough stains. Detergent is usually more formulated for colorfastness than straight hydrogen peroxide, so if you have blue or patterned dress shirts this may be your best bet.

Use these tips to extend the life of all your clothes and keep looking so fresh and so clean! Until next time!

Homemade Healthy Chocolate Bars

One of my vices when it comes to eating a healthy diet, and I'm sure I'm not alone on this, is having lots and lots of chocolate. The good news is that the cocoa bean chocolate is made from is extremely healthy for you! The bad news is that the dairy and loads of sugar used to make the cocoa taste good usually trumps the benefits the cocoa has. Plus, high quality dark chocolate can be really expensive, especially in the quantities I like to eat it. Here's a quick, simple recipe to making gourmet-tasting chocolate at home without the fillers.

Homemade Chocolate Bars
Tools
Rubber spatula
Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
OR
Muffin tin lined with cupcake liners
OR
Silicone ice cube tray or chocolate mold (if you want to get fancy)

Ingredients
1/8 cup Coconut oil
1/8 cup Cocoa Butter (optional - use same amount of coconut oil if you opt out)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 to 2 packets powdered Stevia
1 to 3 tsp Xylitol to taste (optional)
scant 1/2 cup Cocoa powder
pinch of salt
pinch of instant coffee or ground espresso (optional)

Add-Ins
1/2 tsp Mint extract
Almonds
Peanuts
Cacao Nibs
Dried fruit
Peanut butter
Crushed sugar-free hard candy

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat your coconut oil and cocoa butter 1 to 2 minutes or until thoroughly melted. Cocoa butter takes a while to melt, so if after 2 minutes you still have lumps, just whisk the oil with a fork until the lumps disappear. Add in vanilla, salt, coffee, extract (if using) and sweeteners and whisk thoroughly with a fork. Add in cocoa powder and mix with rubber spatula until smooth, making sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl. If your add ins are hard (like almonds) place them evenly in your mold or baking sheet and pour the chocolate over them. Put it in the fridge to solidify, about 1 hour. Break off a piece and enjoy!

For Peanut Butter Cups:
Use the muffin tin and cupcake liners. Pour a small amount of chocolate into the bottom of each cup and pop in the freezer for 5 minutes. Heat about a 1/4 cup of peanut butter in the microwave for 20 seconds to soften. Place a dollop of softened peanut butter in each muffin cup and pour remaining chocolate over the top. Refrigerate for an hour, then enjoy!

For dipped fruit:
Dip fresh fruit in your chocolate before placing on parchment paper, then refrigerate for one hour before eating. You may need to dip your fruit 2 to 3 times depending on how chocolatey you want it to be. Best to enjoy the fruit within 1 to 2 days of dipping. Bonus: Sprinkle nuts on the outside of your fruit after 10 minutes of refrigeration and press into the chocolate for an extra treat.

The xylitol, cocoa butter and espresso all make for a richer and sweeter chocolate experience, but if you're short on ingredients or just prefer to keep it simple you can leave them out. Store your finished chocolate in the fridge to prevent melting, especially if you're skipping the cocoa butter. Enjoy indulging your sweet tooth, and until next time, keep it clean!

A Quicker, Healthier Oatmeal

Not everyone has time for a hearty hot breakfast in the mornings. But breakfast is the first thing that fuels your body after (hopefully!) 8 hours of rest. It's what kick starts your day and judges, in some ways, how energetic you're going to be. Oatmeal and porridge are pretty common breakfast foods world-wide. Unfortunately, they take a long time to make, can be messy to make even when they're instant, and because they're heavy on grains don't give your metabolism a boost in the morning.

Instead of oats, you can buy large bags of ground flax seed or whole chia seed either online or at your local natural grocer. Chia and flax are nutrient rich, high in omega fatty acids and because of their texture make you feel fuller longer. Here's how to make a delicious bowl of hot cereal out of either of them.

Seed Oatmeal
1/2 cup seed (ground flax or chia)
1/2 - 3/4 cup water or almond milk
packet of stevia or other natural sweetener
vanilla extract
cinnamon or pumpkin spice

Place your seed and water in a microwave-safe bowl and stir thoroughly, making sure all the seed has gotten wet. Let sit for a couple minutes while you make your morning tea or brush your teeth. Come back and stir the mixture again. By now the seed will have absorbed most of the water, making a sticky, oatmeal-like texture. Add your sweetener and vanilla and spices and stir again. Pop in the microwave for 30 seconds to make it warm. Dress it like normal oatmeal with nuts, raisins and milk. Enjoy!

Pumping Up Your Meals with Nutrition

Last week we talked about amping up your nutrition by filling out your meals with vegetables on the side. But what about those of us with family, significant others or children who think vegetables are kind of icky? Here's a few creative ways to get extra servings in painlessly, sometimes without them ever knowing!

Burgers and Meatballs

Whether you use ground meat or a meatless protein for your meatballs, it's easy to hide a few extra servings of veggies in these. Use a food processor to grind up onions and whole tomatoes to a fine paste, and swap some of the meat for ground up zucchini, yellow squash or even cauliflower. Mushrooms will make your meat even more savory. Mix these in with your meat and spices, form into balls and cook as usual. This meat mixture also works great in lasagna, and leftover "burgers" are good to put on a nice plain bed of lettuce with dressing for those who usually pick out everything but the meat.

Soups

Add extra nutrition to your broth by adding steamed and pureed vegetables like carrots, butternut squash and eggplant. The blended veggies will add a creamy texture and loads of extra fiber.

Baking

Swap out some or all of your flour in cookie and cracker recipes with almond flour, brown rice protein, pea protein, coconut flour or cashew flour. If you make your own nut milk, you can dry the leftover ground nuts you strain from the milk in the oven and use it in place of flour. You can also buy flours in bulk online or at your local market (though online is usually cheaper).

Batter

Lots of veggies are great breaded and baked or fried, my favorites being zucchini and broccoli. To eschew the eggs in the batter, combine one tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons cold water for every egg you need to replace and stir. Let this mixture sit and stir occasionally while you're preparing the rest of your food, and in a few minutes you'll have a gel with the same texture and binding qualities of an egg. Use coconut or cashew flour in place of wheat flour in your recipe and you have a much more nutritious meal.

Smoothies

Adding an avocado or fresh coconut to the base of your smoothie instead of a banana makes for a creamy and rich start to your day (or after meal dessert!). A couple handfuls of fresh sweet romaine lettuce or spinach, or even steamed vegetables like carrots or cauliflower will bulk up a smoothie while still leaving it tasting fruity.

Chips

Baked vegetables seasoned just right will come out crispy and delicious like chips. For kale, remove the middle stem and break into chip-sized pieces. For zucchini or squash, slice thinly. For a simple chip, marinate the "chips" lightly in coconut or olive oil, place evenly on a cookie sheet, dust with your favorite seasonings and bake. For more robust chips, marinate in salad dressings like tahini and soy sauce, lemon and orange, salt and vinegar, or even a cheesy dressing. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes or until crispy. And remember to flip them!

Dips

For creamy dips like ranch or yogurt, squash and cucumbers blend nicely and add a crisp fresh flavor. For salsas, try something with more crunch like celery or bell peppers.

Adding in and replacing your traditional ingredients with veggies, fruit, nuts and seeds will help immensely in making you and your family healthier. After they eat it and see how delicious it is, teach them about what ingredients you're using next time they cook with you. Trying new colorful fruits and vegetables will be much easier for them to swallow. And until next time, keep it clean!

A Weekly Date... with Yourself!

Things can get hectic in day to day life. Everyone has different demands and responsibilities, which can get overwhelming. Myself, I keep a strict diet, exercise every day, and lately have been spending any time not working or staying healthy by renovating my home. Add in stressors like taking care of kids or relatives, keeping up friendships, going to school, moving, second jobs or projects, and there's no end in sight to the work.

Sometimes because of all the endless activity that I seem to be doing for very little result (everything takes time), I get worn out not just physically but mentally and emotionally. What's the point of working so hard when you can't enjoy what you reap from it? Sometimes working towards a goal is reward enough in itself, but it's also important to take a moment to reflect on other things.

My husband and I often work 6 days a week, and usually very long hours. So every Sunday morning we set aside some "us" time. It's informal and no pressure, we just go where we want to go and do what we want to do. There's no set schedule or itinerary. Often we'll have breakfast or lunch away from the house and sit and have a long chat, sometimes we'll see a movie, go to church, take a walk in a park, go to a museum, visit family or go to the beach. On these days I don't think about my diet or exercise, I don't work on any projects (unless I just really take joy in it that day). Fulfilling or thought-provoking conversation and a good meal recharge my batteries, but it could be anything that makes you feel great and fulfilled.

The point of taking the time out is to give your mind and your body a reprieve. There are some days where I'd rather not take the day off so I'll give myself just a couple of hours. But it's the refreshment of having a long thoughtful discussion and not obsessing over anything I need to do and allowing myself not to take things so seriously that gets me through the week. You don't need a significant other to have your weekly date. You can spend the time with a friend or family member, or even take joy in being alone with yourself. But always knowing that I have my quiet Sunday mornings keeps me sane and balanced, even on a Wednesday when the weekend feels far away and I would much rather have a peanut butter cup than another plate of grilled veggies. Knowing that I'm blessed enough to be able to take a couple hours to myself each week is plenty for me to be grateful for.

Find a day that works with your schedule and commit it to being your time to yourself. Know that no matter what crazy things happen you will always have that time. Until next time, keep it clean!

Quick Tips to De-Stress

We've all had those days when everything rubs you the wrong way, everyone is annoying and everything seems to go wrong. But a lot of our anger and annoyance is commanded by ourselves and how we choose to react to it. Figuring out how to view your surroundings can determine how your whole day goes! Here are a few quick tips to de-stress on those especially tough days.

Herbal Relief

Lemon balm, lavender, chamomile, passionflower and reishi are just a few herbs that naturally calm your mind and body. All of them can be made into a nice cup of calming tea, or can be found in scented candles to keep at your desk.

Deep breaths

This may sound obvious, but when you're upset your heartbeat tends to quicken and your breath becomes more shallow. Studies show that just a few minutes of slow deep breaths, taking 10 to 15 seconds per breath, can slow your heart and focus your mind, making you more alert and rational. Set a timer for 5 minutes and practice breathing in through your nose for 5 seconds, then out through your mouth for 5 seconds. It helps to pretend you're breathing through a straw. You may be surprised at how quickly you've been inhaling.

Meditate

Sometimes clearing your mind is all you need to start fresh. Take a 5 minute break, set a timer, and then sit and try to think of nothing. Thoughts will come in, you will acknowledge they are there, and then let them pass and clear your mind again. The simple act of practicing letting all of the little annoyances and overwhelming tasks pass is often enough to gain the perspective you need to get through the day.

Think about a happy memory

Remember something really good that happened and reflect on it for a few minutes: how it made you feel, what you were doing, who you were with, what the weather was like that day. Bonus points if you think about doing something good for someone else as this will make you feel twice as good!

Find out what's making you angry

Write down what's making you mad, even the little dumb or unreasonable things, like running out of milk to put in your morning coffee, or a co-worker forgetting to thank you when they've borrowed something. Then write down why it made you angry and how it made you feel. Reflect on each of these things. Is there a pattern? Are you feeling under-appreciated  or is something else making you upset about unrelated things? Sometimes just understanding why you're stressed puts things into perspective.

Let it go

Only you have the power to decide how you feel about something. If you stub your toe on a door, the door didn't make you angry. The door is not at fault. And neither are you. Accidents happen. There is no reason to be upset. It hurt, and being upset is natural at first, but once it's passed it is what it is. Now try imagining a person stepped on your toe instead. It is the same thing. It is natural to be upset at first, but even if it wasn't an accident, you have the power to decide. Are you going to waste your energy wishing the other person bad luck and causing more and more pain, or are you going to let it go and enjoy your day?

One of my favorite quotes is, "Resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die." Being stressed, anxious, angry and upset only causes harm to yourself. It's not always easy to remain calm, especially when your patience is continually tried. Your stress may manifest as anger, worry, or depression. But in all of these cases, ruminating does nothing to solve the problem. Allow yourself a moment to try one of these activities, then resolve to do better next time and move forward. Until next time, keep it clean!

New Year's Resolutions

The New Year is right around the corner! If you haven't already rethought the way you were living your life when the world was rumored to end, then you're probably busy making a resolution list.

The winter solstice has come and gone and the days are beginning to get longer again. The symbolic change from the old year to new is a great time for reflection and for looking ahead to what will be. The tradition of resolution-making is thousands of years old. The types of resolutions have changed over the years, but often focus on some kind of self-improvement.

The problem with setting resolutions is that people often think of their future self as a separate person, often vastly different than their present self. This future self is more attractive, more organized, more generous, has more time and less bad habits. This future self is someone who has it together and will pick up the slack that you left behind. Planning ahead is a great practice, and it's fun to think about being fabulously charming, giving and successful, but we tend to be far too optimistic and goal-focused rather than thinking about the journey we must take to become that future person.

This year, write down everything you want to do and then pick out your number one goal. What drives you to  do this one thing? Is it fulfilling, life-changing? Are you doing it to look good for other people, or is it something that will help you be a better person? How can other people help you with your goal? Can you read a book or take a class, or is there a community group that can support and guide you? If no community exists, can you commit to creating one? How much time each week can you dedicate to your goal? Each day? What prevented you from achieving your goal last year?

Here are a few things to focus on that make you more likely to achieve your goal. Keep these in mind when picking out your resolution and creating your plan for the new year.

• Mix it up by doing new and unusual things. If exercise is your goal, don't run around your block every day. Try throwing in runs for charity, group classes, going to a park, planning a hiking trip, etc.
• Get a support group. Find people who are genuinely interested in what you're doing and have been doing it for a while. Close friends are great, but meeting new people is great motivation too because you want to impress them! Having a role model or mentor to guide you is even better.
• Make it easy for yourself. If you have other things that always seem to interfere, try streamlining them or getting them out of the way at the beginning of the week so you can focus on your resolution. If that's too hard, delegate the tasks in the way to someone else.
• Pick something close to your core values. You're more likely to do something and feel fulfilled doing it if it's meaningful to you. If you're trying to eat healthier and are also passionate about protecting the environment, try adopting a vegetarian diet.
• Take note of your pitfalls. Don't focus on failing, but do take note of when you're making excuses for yourself. If you make it to the end of the day and find you're no closer to doing what you intended, think back on what you reasoned was more important than your goal. This will help you plan ahead to succeed.

Resolutions are often surface-level changes, like losing weight or improving your wardrobe. When you think about what it will take to achieve your goal, and the different options available to achieve it, you may rethink what it is that you really want and why you're doing it. Take the time to look inside, and then put that good person on the inside to work on the outside. You may know that you're a good person, but good thoughts are no good to anyone else unless you do something with them! Until next time, keep it clean!

Exercising Backwards

If you don't have a lot of time to work out, or just aren't very motivated to do it, there's a way to squeeze in a full body workout in 10 minutes once or twice per week. It's actually just as effective as running 30 minutes a day and more effective than regular daily workouts to help you lose weight and get toned. It's called Eccentric Exercising. Most exercise, like lifting weights, is concentric exercise. This means that the work out focuses on contracting or shortening the muscles. Eccentric exercises focus on lengthening the muscle. So for example, rather than working on lifting the weight, you're working on lowering it down after you lift it. The idea is that lengthening the muscle requires more force which requires more effort for your body. More effort means that you're working every layer of muscle tissue, not just the superficial layers. In turn you build and repair more muscle more quickly and boost your metabolism by having denser muscle mass. Here are a few simple exercises to get started, based on the compiled research of Jonathan Bailor.

Negative Pull-Ups
Start by raising yourself on a chin-up bar so that your chin is level with the bar. You can use a chair to get up there if needed. Slowly lower yourself from the bar for a full 10 seconds. Repeat until you've done this 6 times.

Negative Push-Ups
Start in a fully extended push-up position or "plank" pose. Bend your elbows slowly for ten full counts until your nose touches the ground. You may start on your knees if you can't hold yourself up that long. Perform exercise 6 times.

Negative Squats
Stand next to a bar, railing, or anything firmly anchored that is about waist-height.  Place a chair behind you. Hold on to the rail and lean back until your arms are fully extended. Put your weight on one leg and slowly lower yourself 10 seconds until your butt touches the chair. Perform 6 times for each leg. Be sure that your knees don't extend past your toes. Use your other leg to support you if you cannot lower for a full 10 counts.

These exercises are short but very difficult, and you will feel sore for several days after completing them. If you feel sore, you're doing it right! Enjoy the time you save, and until next time, keep it clean!

The History of Hanukkah

It’s the season of celebrations, and, for many people, Hanukkah is at hand! This traditional Jewish holiday, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by millions around the world, and it’s a great way to teach your child about celebrations in other cultures.

Like Christmas, Hanukkah celebrates and commemorates events which happened a long time ago in Jerusalem. Around 200 BCE, Jews in the land of Israel were under the rule of the Syrian king, but were still allowed to follow their own religious beliefs. However, a new king named Antiochus IV came to power. Antiochus forbade the Jews from practicing their religion, killed many of them, and desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem by placing an altar to the Greek god Zeus inside it.
Mattathias, a Jewish priest, objected to the cruel edicts of Antiochus, and along with his five sons Jochanan, Simeon, Eleazar, Jonathan, and Judah, he decided to fight back. Led by Judah (known as “The Hammer”), they led the Jewish people in a revolt, using clever strategy and guerrilla-style warfare to defeat Antiochus’ much larger army.
Flush with victory, the Jews returned to find their Temple dirty and desecrated, with pots of consecrated olive oil broken everywhere. Working together, they cleaned and rededicated the Temple (“Hanukkah” means “dedication” in Hebrew). They lit the holy fire in the Temple menorah (a many-branched candelabrum and symbol of Judaism). However, although the flame was supposed to burn continuously, they were dismayed to find that there was only enough oil to fuel the flame for one day! Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight full days, and gave the Jews time to properly prepare more oil. This is often referred to as the miracle of Hanukkah.
Since then, Jews the world over have celebrated this occasion by lighting the Hanukkah candles in a menorah over the course of eight days. Starting with one candle on the first night, and ending with eight on the eighth, the ceremony involves the saying or singing of a blessing while the candles are lit by the helper candle, or “shamash.” Traditionally, the illuminated menorah is placed in windows so that passerby may be reminded of the Hanukkah story.
Since the holiday is, in some way, a celebration of oil, the practice of eating food fried in oil, such as potato latkes and jelly donuts, is a major part of the holiday. Also included in the festivities is the traditional game of dreidel and the giving of “gelt,” or money, to children.
No matter what holidays you and your family celebrate, there’s always room for learning. So introduce your child to new customs and cultures this holiday season by frying up a few latkes, spinning the dreidel, or just talking and learning  about the meaning behind the holiday! Until next time, keep it clean! :)

Dia de los Muertos

Today is the start of the Dia de los Muertos holiday. Dia de los Muertos is a traditionally Mexican holiday to pay homage to family and ancestors who have died. Many historians date the celebration back almost 3,000 years. Though the holiday used to be celebrated in August, it has been moved to coincide with All Saints Day on the Catholic calendar. November the First is often dedicated to children who have passed, while November the Second is usually extended to adults.

During the celebration, families come together and clean and decorate the graves of those who have passed with flowers and offerings, called ofrendas. Altars are often set up in the home for the souls of the dead to participate in the celebration. Families will find and leave small gifts they think those who have passed would have enjoyed in life, such as their favorite candy. Toys are left for children and infants, while drinks such as tequila are often left for adults. Food is also set out for the dead to enjoy. Pillows and blankets are sometimes left for the souls to rest after their journey.

The most distinguishing symbol of Dia de los Muertos are the calaveras or calacas, the decorated skulls and sugar skulls.   The skulls are often brightly colored and feature flowers around the eyes. Calaveras appear on candy, bread, figurines and are sometimes painted on the faces of the people who participate in street festivals. The street festivals are an Austin staple, with many to choose from this year.

The changing season from Fall to Winter holds in many cultures the symbolic passing from mid-life to old age, or from life to death. Even if you do not traditionally recognize Dia de los Muertos, it seems a fitting time of the year for remembrance and reflection on those who have brought us here, where we have come from and where we are going. Take time today to remember a loved one and be grateful for the life that you have. And until next time, keep it clean!

Breakfast is for Champions

Many Americans usually skip breakfast or have something small like a cup of coffee, a cup of juice or a piece of toast first thing in the morning. We then have a medium sized meal at lunch and a huge dinner. However, this routine has a way of unbalancing your appetite and your energy throughout the day. Studies show that people who eat breakfast regularly are at much lower risk for obesity. Dieters who take up the habit of eating breakfast keep weight off for the long term. What makes breakfast so essential?

When you think about it, when you've first woken up is the longest time you've gone without eating (the word "breakfast" is short for "breaking the fast", or eating after abstaining from food for a long period). There are usually 6 to 12 hours that have passed between dinner and when you first wake up in the morning. You may not be initially very hungry because you are not fully awake or because you are dehydrated. But by mid-morning you start snacking. This also sets you up to make unhealthy lunch choices and overeat at dinner. Having a heavy meal late at night makes it difficult to sleep soundly. A bad night's sleep leaves you with less energy throughout the next day, making you eat sweet foods or drink caffeine to keep your energy up.

It seems like we've got it all backwards. Rather than skipping breakfast and then continually increasing our food intake throughout the day, having a hearty, nutrient rich breakfast sets you up for success. A decent sized breakfast keeps you full, awake and focused, helps you choose a healthier midday lunch, and then at dinner a small meal keeps you satiated while you wind down for a deep sleep.

Of course, what you eat also has a lot to do with how well changing your meal sizes works for you. But doctors and nutritionists agree that some breakfast, even sugary cereal or a pastry, is better than no breakfast at all. But it's best to eat a high volume of nutrient rich foods. 50% or more of your meal should be fruit or vegetables and the remaining portion should be protein, whole grain or a combination of the two. Some good meal ideas are:

• Peanut butter on gluten free waffle with a banana
• Warmed up plums with real maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and oatmeal
• Smoothie made with frozen strawberries and OJ or milk
• Half of a whole grain bagel with egg, arugula and a slice of cheese
• Make quick soup by reheating leftover brown rice, frozen spinach and vegetable broth
• Granola over non-dairy yogurt with blueberries
• Sliced fruit with milk, walnuts, almonds and a sprinkle of cinnamon and honey
• Leftover steamed veggies with eggs or tofu, spoonful of salsa in a whole grain wrap

Try it out for a week and feel the difference in your day. Until next time, keep it clean!

Roller Derby: A History!

     Here at Azuma, we don't just support healthy living, being active, and laundry - we also support all things local! Roller Derby was brought back to life by a group of ladies in Austin. I personally, have a newfound obsession with Roller Derby and want to get involved, so I felt the need to post about it today! Here goes :) 

     Roller Derby history beings in the 1880s, though the official term "roller derby" wasn't used until 1922, when the Chicago Tribune used the term to describe flat-track roller skating races held at Chicago's Broadway Armory. "Roller Derby" became trademarked by Leo Seltzer, the man credited with revolutionizing roller derby and securing its place as a legitimate sport.

     Although roller skating and roller skating races were taking place well before Leo Seltzer came onto the scene, he took a sport with fledgling popularity and turned it into a nationwide phenomenon. In 1935 Seltzer, the owner of several Oregon cinemas, was tired of losing business to dance marathons, which were quite popular at the time. Reading an article that stated that 93% of Americans had tried roller skating, he created the Transcontinental Roller Derby, which featured teams racing the equivalent of the distance from New York to California, or 3,000 miles-all over a flat track. Roller derby history demonstrates that each team had to have at least on member on the track at all times. Following the success of his first race, Seltzer took the troupe on the road and eventually selected teams that would compete in Chicago, Miami, Louisville and Detroit.

     It was at one of these races in roller derby history, in Miami, that sportswriter Damon Runyon saw the marketing potential in the large collisions and other physical contact that occurred as teams tried to pass each other. He approached Seltzer and suggested he change the rules of the game to maximize the physical contact between the skaters, which included elbowing, "whipping" and slamming each other into the track's outer rail. Though Seltzer resisted the idea at first, he decided to experiment with the changes and found that the fans loved them.

     Seltzer trademarked the name Roller Derby and took his troupe on the road. After a brief lull in popularity during World War II when many competitors joined the Armed Forces and the fans had other things on their mind, Roller Derby received a huge boost when it began being broadcast on CBS. Roller Derby saw many highs and lows over the next 30 years, but by the mid-1970s, it had collapsed. Roller Derby history then underwent several professional, on-and-off TV revivals which were spearheaded by veteran skaters, including a 10-year International Roller Skating League (IRSL), and a few short-lived, TV-only spectacles.

     Today Roller Derby has been revived by a group of women who have returned the sport to its original athletic roots. In 2001 Bad Girl Good Woman Productions (BGGW) was formed and creates the first all-girl roller derby game of the new generation. Founders form four teams and, a year later, stage their first bout during the summer of 2002 in Austin, Texas. Shortly after, the league later suffers a split over business plans. In 2002 The Texas Rollergirls are formed from members of the first BGGW teams. The BGGW league (also known as the Lonestar Rollergirls or Texas Roller Derby) go on to skate banked-track roller derby, while the new Texas Rollergirls embrace the flat-track format. It is now an international sport that provides equal amounts of entertainment and athleticism to its viewers. Until next time, keep it clean! :)