To celebrate World Oceans Day, we’ve created an ocean-themed cocktail. This Ocean Breeze Cocktail is light, refreshing and slightly salty like an ocean breeze. Oceans have a huge impact on us and the planet, so we want to honour them in the best way we know how, with a beverage, of course! This recipe is made with Healthy Hooch Turmeric Sunshine Kombucha. Check out the full recipe below then keep on reading for 10 ways to help save the oceans.

Oceans are intertwined in every aspect of our lives. We seek them for vacations, adventures or choose to live near them so we can marvel at their vast beauty. Oceans enrich our lives, but they contribute so much more than we can see. We depend on them for the air we breathe, climate regulation, transportation, food and the economy.

The oceans we love and rely on are being threatened due to global warming because of human impact. We often assume that because the world is covered with oceans, there is an abundance of them, but that isn’t the case. They are not immune to the actions of humans. That is why today is dedicated to World Oceans Day. The purpose of World Oceans Day is to educate and inform us on how we can sustainably take care of our oceans. They are Earth’s life support system and ours, after all.

Optional:

Add a touch of natural blue food colouring to the second layer. We used homemade red cabbage food colouring. Note, it does turn purple when it hits the second layer.

Instructions

1. Blend 2 oz of Healthy Hooch Turmeric Sunshine Kombucha with ice, 1 oz lime juice, 1 ½ oz tequila, 1 oz orange juice, a pinch of salt and 1 Tbsp agave.
2. Layer into a martini glass about ½ full.
3. Blend the blueberries, ½ ounce triple sec, ice and 3 oz Healthy Hooch Turmeric Sunshine Kombucha. You can optionally add some natural blue food colouring if you would like it to turn out blue. (it will be purple if not).
4. Fill the glass the rest of the way and garnish it with an orange slice.
5. Enjoy!

10 Ways to Help Save the Oceans

1. Reduce Plastic Use

You may have heard of the great pacific garbage patch. It refers to an accumulation of marine debris, mostly made up of plastic, that sits in the North Pacific Ocean. No one knows exactly how much trash makes up the patch, but expeditions found that it covers 1.6 million square kilometres, and there is an estimated 80,000 metric tons of waste. To put that in perspective, it would take 67 ships one year to clean up less than 1% of trash in the pacific ocean.

The problem with plastic is it doesn’t biodegrade. Instead, it breaks down into smaller pieces or microplastics, which wreak havoc on the oceans, harming marine life. That is why it is vital to stop plastic from entering the ocean in the first place.

80% of plastic in the oceans comes from land sources. Human actions like throwing plastic in the bin when it could be recycled, littering or disposing of plastics down the drain are why plastic ends up in the oceans. The first step to ensure plastic stays out of the oceans is to reduce our plastic use. Small changes like bringing a reusable bag when grocery shopping, avoiding single-use plastics like straws and water bottles and purchasing bulk items are a great place to start.

2. Reduce Carbon Footprint

Greenhouse gases and global warming are making our oceans more acidic. What this means is that the PH of the ocean is dropping. If the Ph gets too low, it will begin to dissolve shells and skeletons, affecting coral and shellfish, which are part of the much more extensive food chain we depend on.

Some ways to reduce your carbon footprint include driving less, flying less, eating less meat, wasting less, conserving energy in your home or office, recycling, shopping sustainably and eating organic.

3. Shop Sustainably

Avoid purchasing products that harm the oceans and marine life. Many commercial products harm endangered or threatened species because of ingredients they contain or harmful business practices on the companies part. Support brands that have ethical business practices. Before making a purchase, ensure they are doing their part to minimize waste, pollution, and environmental impact.

4. Choose Sustainable Seafood

Overfishing is one of the most significant issues affecting our oceans. Choosing sustainable seafood helps ensure the species has a long-term future and helps keep the oceans healthy. Some brands have the bluefish sustainable seafood label, or you can check out the Ocean Wise sustainable seafood recommendations.

5. Be Respectful

When you visit the beach or explore the ocean, leave no trace. Take all of your belongings with you, and don’t take anything that belongs there. Removing shells from the beach can damage ecosystems and organisms that rely on them for survival. Be especially careful when visiting reefs. Coral is fragile, and touching, standing on or kicking it can cause damage or even kill them.

6. Join an Ocean Clean Up

Volunteer to join your local ocean clean-up efforts or help clean up the beaches while you’re on vacation. If you don’t live close to the ocean, cleaning up rivers, lakes, channels, and ditches also helps. Trash can make its way into the ocean from other water sources.

7. Travel Responsibly

Never touch or ride wildlife. Many marine species, like manta rays, have a protective layer on their skin, and when it is touched by a human hand, it can cause contamination. This then leads to infection and can cause death. Be sure to book with reputable companies that have the oceans and marine animal’s welfare in mind.

8. Use Reef-safe Sunscreen

Sunscreen contains the chemical oxybenzone, which is what helps protect skin from UV damage. The problem is that it has the opposite effect on coral. It has a bleaching effect on the coral and disrupts its growth cycle. When you enter the water with sunscreen on, those chemicals are left behind. Instead, opt for reef-safe sunscreens that are made with natural UV protectants.

9. Educate Yourself and Others

Continue to educate yourself on issues affecting the oceans. Then take what you learn and tell others. If everyone makes small changes every day, it has a huge impact.

10. Explore the Oceans

Explore the oceans and all of the beauty they have to offer. It will make you feel more connected and better understand why we truly can’t live without them.

7% of North Americans have an autoimmune disorder but we wouldn’t be shocked if it was much higher. At least 20% of our team suffer from autoimmune issues or diseases, IBS, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and eosinophilic esophagitis to name a few, and we all have close family members with autoimmune diseases. It’s prevalent, undiagnosed in many cases and not talked about enough. So let’s talk about it!

May 20th is dedicated to Autoimmune Arthritis Day. A yearly event focused on raising awareness for autoimmune diseases that involve some form of arthritis. 50% of people with an autoimmune disease are often misdiagnosed or go undiagnosed. That is why awareness and education are critical because they can help lead to earlier detection, improving health care and quality of life for affected individuals. Education also allows friends and family to understand the disease and its impact on their loved ones.

What is an Autoimmune Disorder?

Before we are even born our immune system starts developing. We inherit our immunity from our mothers in utero and at birth. Then over time it adapts and changes as we are exposed to the outside world. Every time we are exposed and able to fight a new virus or bacteria, our immune system stores a record of it. When we are reexposed to a similar bacteria or virus, our body is then better equipped to fight it. With some viruses, like chickenpox or mono we may only ever get sick once and it is stored for life. And when it comes to deadly diseases, vaccines have been another way to add to our immunity storage. As we grow whether, with the help of science or our own complex system, we keep building and strengthening our immunity with every exposure. So what does this have to do with autoimmune disorders? Well, everything. Our immune system is built to protect us but for some people, it turns on them. It begins to malfunction and they develop what’s called an autoimmune disorder or disease. This means that the body cannot distinguish between healthy cells and foreign bodies. The immune system then becomes overactive and attacks healthy cells causing inflammation and damage to different areas of the body.

What is Autoimmune Arthritis?

Autoimmune arthritis is an inflammatory disease that affects the body’s joints, causing pain, swelling and stiffness. The condition can also affect other areas of the body like organs, skin and eyes. There are several types of autoimmune arthritis diseases, rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis being the most common.

Risk Factors

Genetics, family history, age and gender increase your risk for developing an autoimmune arthritis disease. However, environmental factors like smoking, second-hand smoke and obesity can also contribute to the development of the disease.

Lifestyle Changes that can Help

Treatment will vary from person to person based on the symptoms they develop, but it will often involve medication and lifestyle changes. Here’s a list of six lifestyle changes that could help improve symptoms.

1. Exercise

Movement improves the range of motion in joints and strengthens muscles. Light exercise like walking, swimming, yoga, tai chi or resistance bands can be beneficial.

2. Healthy Diet

Maintaining a healthy weight will put less pressure on the body’s joints. Diet also has a significant impact on inflammation. Eating foods rich in antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties can help ease symptoms. Some examples of inflammation-fighting foods are berries, fatty fish, broccoli, avocados, green tea, peppers, mushroom, grapes, tomato, cherries and cocoa. It is also recommended to avoid processed foods, high salt, oil, butter, sugar and animal byproducts because they can worsen inflammation.

3. Quiting Smoking

Smoking can make autoimmune arthritis worse, and your chance of developing a heart or lung disease is increased.

4. Sleep

Not getting the adequate 8 hours of sleep a night can make symptoms of the disease worse, increasing joint pain and stiffness.

5. Probiotics

Taking probiotic supplements or consuming foods rich in probiotics may help improve symptoms. Fermented foods, like Healthy Hooch Kombucha, are rich in probiotics and digestive enzymes. Autoimmune arthritis alters gut microbiota causing an imbalance in good bacteria. Probiotics help restore balance while improving inflammation. In one study, participants were given probiotic supplements for eight weeks. They saw a decrease in inflammation and disease activity.

6. Herbal Supplements

Certain herbs like turmeric, ginger, thyme, cinnamon, garlic, and black pepper, have anti-inflammatory properties. There are multiple studies on the anti-inflammatory effects of turmeric and the active ingredient in it, curcumin. Turmeric is often recommended to people with arthritis to help ease their symptoms. In one study, participants suffering from rheumatoid arthritis were given turmeric extract for 8-12 weeks. They saw an improvement in pain and inflammation symptoms. The effects of turmeric were even comparable to ibuprofen (Advil).

*** Disclaimer: The content on this website (Healthy Hooch Kombucha) is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended or suitable in place of advice from your health care practitioner or licensed physician. The information and products on this website should not be used for diagnosing, treating, curing or preventing a health problem, you should always consult a health care provider or licensed physician for advice. ***

References:

1. https://www.aiarthritis.org/
2. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322975
3. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2017.00052/full
4. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/7/10/336
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0899900713004395
6. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/jmf.2016.3705