The Fruits of Peace

We all want peace. We want to feel whole, healthy, calm, and easeful, and we want that for others as well. However, the modern world challenges our ability to truly feel peaceful. 

The Squeeze of Stress

Stress. Even the word itself can evoke a nervous system shift, an ancient response designed to protect us from potential invaders to our well-being. The thing about stress is that it feeds on itself. Like a snowball, the body's responses to stressful influences can easily grow and compound, and it can feel like everything is going downhill. This downward spiral makes you feel squeezed from all sides, amps up our hypothalamus into overdrive, and causes hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline to flood throughout our body. For the short term, these hormones can be very helpful in escaping from real danger. But in the modern world, we are suspended in a mid-stress loop--a low-level but constant feeling of potential danger. This loop is generated largely because we are inundated with bad news from all of our media sources. We are forever bathed in varying levels of stress hormones. 

Medical research is clear: long-term stress causes a whole host of pathological effects, such as high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, headaches, obesity, anxiety, and depression. Fortunately, in the same way that stress can compound, it can also be reversed. Practices such as mindfulness, compassion, walking, proper rest, and whole foods nutrition activate our parasympathetic nervous system and bring us back into balance. 

Walk for Peace

On October 25, 2025, 25 Theravada monks left their Dhammacetiya monastery in Fort Worth, Texas. They traversed 2,300 miles on foot and, 108 days after they departed from Fort Worth, they arrived in Washington, D.C. on February 10, 2026. They were a steady, stalwart line of orange snaking through multicolored cities and crowds, treelined suburbs, and snow-covered rural roads. Along the way, they met all kinds of adversity, from rabble-rousing spectators to illness to subzero temperatures and snowstorms. And yet, their mission and countenance of peace were unwavering.

Their message was simple: "Make today your peaceful day." They embodied this message in every mindful step, walking for miles each day until it was time to eat and rest, and then walking again. They practiced mindfulness as they walked, ate, and engaged with large numbers of people, inviting everyone to join them. At their once-daily mealtime, they used their bowls (shown hanging in the picture above) to receive offerings of nutritious foods. And every evening, their leader Bikkhu Pannakara gave a dharma talk about the importance of coming back to your true peaceful nature.

Orange: The Color of Peace

The robes worn by Theravada monks are a vibrant orange hue. There is a practical reason for this: in the very early days of Buddhism, turmeric and saffron were the most available sources of dyes. Historically, orange also represented the fire of the Buddha's teachings, as it was warm enough to burn away delusion and ignorance. It also represents brightness along a dark path and protection from factors that could dissuade monks from pursuing this path. Ultimately, the orange robes of the monks are powerful symbols of lovingkindness and peace.

Orange: The Fruit of Peace

The message of the Walk for Peace was clear: practice peace every day, and this wounded world will begin to heal. The daily grounded presence of the monks for over 108 days on social media and throughout ten states showed us how to do it. These ways of naturally showing peace--rather than just preaching it--are often referred to as the "fruits" of mindfulness practice. We can be told something over and over again, but when someone sees the effects of peace in action, it has the greatest impact.

Speaking of fruits, a very common snack that the monks were offered on their journey was the orange. Easy to eat, transportable, and packed with immune-  and mood-promoting qualities, the oranges that the monks enjoyed throughout their long autumn- and winter journey gave them on-the-go energy in an organic package that perfectly matched their vibrant orange robes.

Taking Peace Forward

 

Now that the Walk for Peace has ended, many have asked how to continue their own journey of peace and well-being, especially in the face of troubled times. Consider joining a mindfulness meditation group, connecting with the Walk for Peace Facebook page, and taking steps towards creating a more nurturing environment for yourself and your family. Carve out more time for self-care, including rest, moderate exercise, enough sleep, and whole foods. Eat an orange every day to keep your spirits up and your immune system strong, and let the orange color of the fruit remind you of the monks' robes. Give oranges and citrus fruits to others to keep up the practice of generosity and nurturing. Gifts of citrus fruits are also a wonderful way to open the doors of communication, allowing us to both hear and be heard when we need it most. 

May the fruits of peace, love, and kindness ripen for the whole world. May today be your peaceful day,

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037

https://dhammacetiya.com/walk-for-peace/

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/astrology/others/the-sacred-hue-why-monks-often-wear-orange/articleshow/112225324.cms

Of Love and Oranges

 Ahhh, February. As the final month of winter keeps us cozy and indoors for a few more weeks, love, romance, and warm fuzzies are on everyone's mind. Valentine's Day seems designed to align with the natural rhythms of nature, but its origins were not very romantic. In Roman times, the day was indeed all about finding someone to love, but the approach was the opposite of flowers and chocolate. Thank goodness for citrus, which continues to evolve the rituals of love into a more elegant form.

The Early Days

It's believed that the holiday we now recognize as St. Valentine's Day originated with the Feast of Lupercalia in ancient Rome. This annual, three-day feast was in celebration of Lupercus, the god of fertility. It was the epitome of a bacchanalia, replete with animal sacrifices (usually goats, which were then cooked for the feast), "matchmaking" rituals such as lightly beating people with whips to make them more fertile, and drinking to the point of dangerous intoxication before picking a mate from a lottery of names in a jar. Remarkably, the entire affair was supported by the church and facilitated by priests, who--along with everyone else--were mostly naked. The feast itself was set with goat meat, milk, figs, breads, and wines. However, citrus was not a regional fruit variety and thus was not on the menu. It became significant in the centuries to follow as Valentine's Day became more refined. 

Lupercalia

Interesting fact: While Saint Valentine was recognized by some Roman Catholic churches as the patron saint of lovers, beekeepers, and people with epilepsy, he was never unilaterally accepted by the church as a true saint.  What is known, however, is that two men by the name of Valentine were summarily executed on different years in the third century by Emperor Claudius II--both on different years on February 14--during the Feast of Lupercalia. It is believed that these men were secretly marrying couples in love outside of the approval of the Emperor, and thus there are two Saint Valentines! 

The Evolution of The Day of Love

By the fifth century, the Catholic Church began to put the brakes on the rowdy, drunken qualities of Lupercalia, requiring instead a more romantic, fully clothed approach to promoting fertility, courting, coupling, and thus propagating the species. This approach sweetened over the centuries, and in the fourteenth century, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a poem called "The Parliament of Fowls" which directly related the late winter courtship of birds with a February 14th Valentine's Day:

“For this was on seynt Valentynes day,
Whan every fowl cometh there to chese his make.”

By the eighteenth century, February 14th was all about romance, but the fertility theme that originated with the Feast of Lupercalia persisted through the centuries, even to the present day. Rare and sweet foods such as chocolate and oranges became significant symbols of love and conception. Gift baskets containing citrus and sweets were popular offerings to give to someone in courtship. But do citrus fruits like oranges really work as aphrodisiacs? Science has confirmed that the answer is, unequivocally, yes. 

Of Love and Oranges (and Grapefruit)

We all know that citrus fruits are rich in Vitamin C, making them great allies for fighting off colds during the winter flu season. Vitamin C also promotes sperm health, improves egg quality and ovulation, and helps the adrenal glands balance hormones, thereby supporting the body for conception. For older adults, these same effects can help quell the hormone swings that can kill the "mood." Grapefruit also has higher levels of nitric oxide, which can dilate blood vessels and thus increase the libido at any adult age.

Salvador Dali well knew about the amorous effects of citrus, and regularly enjoyed a "Casanova Cocktail" made of campari bitters, ginger, cayenne, brandy, and a generous amount of freshly squeezed orange juice. Juice that is freshly squeezed has the most active romance-inducing compounds, after all.

Pomander

Pomanders were also a regular part of Valentine's Day gift giving. By studding oranges and tangerines with cloves, they literally added spice to one's existing or potential love life. If romance is not your main focus right now, though, pomanders also double as wonderful winter decorations and aromatherapy for the home, car, and office spaces.

From all of us at Florida Fruit Shippers: Happy Valentine's Day!

Sources:

https://www.npr.org/2011/02/14/133693152/the-dark-origins-of-valentines-day

https://theamericanmag.com/food-of-love/

https://theenlightenmentjourney.com/the-lupercalia-festival-ancient-roman-celebration/

https://potw.org/archive/potw313.html

https://fertility-nest.com/2025/02/12/boost-fertility-naturally-with-vitamin-c/

https://www.mammarancia.com/did-you-know-that-orange-is-an-aphrodisiac-fruit/

Oranges or Orange Juice?

Those of us "of a certain age" probably remember ubiquitous television commercials by 1960's singer Anita Bryant touting the many benefits of Florida orange juice with her famous line: "Breakfast without orange juice is like a day without sunshine!" Here is a classic one from the late 1960s, in which she strolls through a Florida orange grove in high heels (without a single drop of sweat, mind you) and effortlessly picks an orange despite her very long nails. The orange "magically" turns into the Florida Orange Bird, which became a Disney World character and the mascot for the Florida Citrus Commission through the 1980's.

In this ad, Ms. Bryant referred to orange trees as "The Florida Sunshine Tree." In the late 1970's, she very much fell out of favor due to her staunch and unfortunate vocal anti-LGBTQ+ stance. In response, Florida oranges and orange juice from Florida were boycotted as a statement against Ms. Bryant's outspoken, archaic opinions, as her name and "The Florida Sunshine Tree" had become synonymous. In 1977, she successfully campaigned to repeal an anti-discrimination law in Miami that protected LGBTQ+ citizens. This law was not reinstated until 1998. The Florida Citrus Commission, now called the Florida Department of Citrus, parted ways with Ms. Bryant due to the controversy.

Nonetheless, the marketing machine had done its work on us, and through several decades between the fifties and the eighties, the messaging was clear: drink lots of orange juice! 

 

Note that all of these ads heartily promote the incredible health benefits of drinking orange juice, from its high Vitamin C content to "vitamins, minerals, and vigor, maintaining alkaline reserves, hydration, increasing appetite, and stimulating digestion." During times of inflation, the message that orange juice will help you nourish your whole family for pennies per cup was a-peeling (pun intended).

The Orange Juice Myth

The assumption here was that since oranges are so good for you, orange juice must be even better, right? After all, it concentrates all of the benefits of oranges into a drinkable, packaged form, like Vitamin C in a carton. This branding-induced standard is still commonly held by households today, with orange juice being the go-to breakfast drink of choice or what people drink in larger quantities when they're sick. 

Upon closer examination, however, there are some health concerns associated with drinking a lot of orange juice, especially if you are managing your weight or at risk of diabetes. The sugar content of an eight-ounce glass of juice has a whopping 26 grams of carbs, 21 grams of which are pure sugar. While the sugar type is fructose, or fruit sugar, it still has a moderate to high glycemic index and affects the body the same way as table sugar. The higher the glycemic index, the greater potential for a blood sugar spike, and this is bad news for your heart, weight, and overall health. To boot, processed juices are all but devoid of the fiber that makes citrus fruits so good for you.

By contrast, an orange is considered a low-glycemic food with only 9 grams of fruit sugar per fruit, and is loaded with fiber.

Oranges or Orange Juice?

While it is fine and perfectly refreshing to enjoy a glass of orange juice now and again, the whole orange is the healthiest choice for daily consumption. While they both contain high levels of Vitamin C, only the whole fruit will keep your blood sugar and weight from spiking. The high fiber content in oranges--lacking in processed orange juice--also helps with hydration and weight management. Check labels and ingredients, and go for one hundred percent orange. Believe it or not, many brands add extra sugar to their juices. Better yet, squeeze your own! Freshly squeezed juice retains more fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients than factory-processed pasteurized brands, even if the label reads "one hundred percent juice."

With 2026 and the determination to stick to our wellness resolutions underway, adding an orange to your daily diet and drinking lots of water is a great idea. Orange juice, while it seems like a shortcut to health and hydration, is no substitute. 

Happy Healthy New Year from all of us here at Florida Fruit Shippers!

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgemH9WAjaQ
https://makinggayhistory.org/podcast/chapter-five-thank-you-anita/
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=711464344804863
https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/02/us/2-decades-on-miami-endorses-gay-rights.html
https://ufsasc.domains.uflib.ufl.edu/come-to-the-florida-sunshine-tree/
https://meandthemouse.com/the-orange-bird-walt-disney-world/
https://www.floridacitrus.org/grower/fdoc-citrus-411/faqs-100-oj-and-sugar
https://www.delish.com/food-news/a64431762/is-it-healthy-to-drink-orange-juice-every-day
https://www.naturopathy-uk.com/news/news-cnm-blog/blog/2020/03/19/is-orange-juice-good-for-you/