It’s been a while since I last posted—some longtime readers even reached out to ask if I was okay, which I really appreciate.
All is well. I’ve just been busy wearing other hats. Much of my time now goes to providing tech support for bloggers, and I’ve been building Healthy Ads, an online advertising network I launched to connect genuinely healthful companies with health-focused bloggers and readers. Those product ads you see below my photo? That’s Healthy Ads in action.
I’ve also had a couple of personal distractions lately: we adopted Molly, a wonderful dog, in November, and we’re getting solar panels installed on our home. I’ll share more about both in future posts.
There’s a strange dynamic to blogging—if you stop for a while, the next post can feel like it must be spectacular. That pressure to create something extraordinary can be paralyzing and it becomes a self-fulfilling spiral. I also tend to feel a little worn out every year after October Unprocessed. Still, a small, meaningful moment is often enough to nudge me back into writing.
Last weekend I attended Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California—the major trade show for the natural products industry. The event feels enormous: roughly 5,000 exhibitors fill every inch of the convention center—six massive halls, the adjacent stadium, the lobbies—everything packed tight.
This was my third year at the show. Three days barely scratched the surface. I went for two main reasons: to spot new trends in natural and health foods (watch for baobab and mulberries appearing more often), and to find outstanding advertisers for Healthy Ads.
I walked the show floor with Suzanne Elizondo, my campaign manager. You may remember Suzanne from our October Unprocessed hangouts and the October Unprocessed Facebook group—she’s also helping with Healthy Ads. On Saturday we spent most of the day in Hall E, the concrete bunker: walking under artificial lights past booth after booth of vitality drinks, energy bars, and popped chips.
Many vendors at Expo West don’t fit the definition of truly “healthful” or even genuinely “natural.” Our task was to find the companies that actually make products that promote health. I’d estimate only about ten percent of the exhibitors met that bar—but ten percent of 5,000 still yields a good number of genuinely good companies.
By the end of the day we were exhausted. As we walked the last aisle, we found a standout right against the back wall in the middle of the row: Grower Pete’s.
Their booth was remarkably simple—just two walls of lettuce. That’s it: two large racks of living lettuce. Behind the racks you could see the roots sitting in little cups of water. The lettuce was literally alive.
As we approached, something unexpected happened: both Suzanne and I felt a noticeable, physical shift in our bodies. It was subtle but unmistakable—surprising and energizing at the same time.
We were drawn in. In a sea of processed products, we had found actual produce.
The lettuce looked so vibrant I assumed they’d set up full-spectrum lights. When I returned on Sunday I realized they hadn’t—they practically glowed even under the harsh exhibit-hall lighting.
We spent a few minutes talking with Vince, whose energy matched the greens. I immediately started pitching Healthy Ads—what a natural fit. He explained they sell living butter lettuce and watercress with the roots still attached; you even wash off some dirt. It doesn’t get much fresher unless you harvest it yourself.
Driving home that evening it took a few hours for the experience to register. I’m not typically a touchy-feely person—I prefer science and numbers—but my body reacted to the life in those greens. It felt like “listen to your body” in a new, very literal way.
The next time I go grocery shopping, I’ll be looking for Grower Pete’s living lettuce.
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Have you ever had a similar experience? Share your story in the comments below!