Balancing Iodine in Your Body Too much or too little can be an issue

Balancing Iodine in Your Body

Too much or too little can be an issue

BY ABBIE GELLMAN

IIodine is a micronutrient used by the thyroid to support the creation of thyroid hormones. It does this by adding iodine to the amino acid tyrosine. Its only function in the body is for thyroid hormone synthesis.

Thyroid hormones are required to keep our bodies functioning and help us with a variety of processes, such as how to utilize energy properly. The thyroid gland supports the function of the brain, heart, muscles and other organs. The trick here is balance. Either too much or too little iodine could be an issue. An iodine deficiency may lead to hypothyroidism (low iodine is not the only cause of this, though) or eventually an enlarged thyroid gland, commonly referred to as a goiter. If someone consumes too much iodine, it may inhibit thyroid gland synthesis. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 150 micrograms with a maximum level of 1,000 micrograms. Iodine is most often found in iodized table salt, seafood (including shellfish, fish and seaweed), whole grains, vegetables and dairy. Generally speaking, iodine deficiency has been rare in the U.S. due to the addition of iodine to table salt. However, the increased use of non-iodized salt, such as Himalayan pink salt, kosher salt, sea salt, etc., may affect those individuals who do not use iodized salt and are not regularly eating enough iodine-containing foods . If someone follows a vegan diet and does not use iodized salt, they may still be reaching their daily needs with a diet rich in vegetables, seaweed and whole grains. There is one point to mention, though, regarding goitrogens. Goitrogens are foods that release goitrin when broken down, which may interfere with iodine metabolism and thyroid function. Overconsumption of cruciferous vegetables (brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, etc), soy products and millet may be an issue. However, I would like to note that only people low in iodine seem to have an issue with goitrogens. If you follow a vegan diet and eat many cruciferous vegetables, then using an iodized salt or a possible iodine supplement may be a good addition to your routine.

“Beauty is our heart opener that will make us fall in love with the planet in order to protect it.” “The soul is a window into a living universe that makes us celebrate life.” “If you go into nature’s wonders, you are in a temple that will open your heart instantly.” Louis Schwartzberg, a director, producer and cinematographer, has uttered these pearls of wisdom. He connects audiences to the intimate glimpses of his cinematography to a world we can experience in no other way. The stunning images that Schwartzberg creates through his cinematography and time-lapse photography are intimate, exquisite and transcendent. He reminds us of the essential nature of beauty, and the intrinsic beauty of nature. Schwartzberg is an evocative storyteller who immediately engages with audiences reminding us that beauty connects us to each other and the world around us. His work defies words. He artfully demonstrates the imperceptible beauty that unfolds around us, reminding each of us to embrace the world we live in with gratitude, wonder and awe. “When people see my images, a lot of times they will say, 'Oh my God.' Have you ever wondered what that meant?” Schwartzberg says. “The 'Oh' means it caught your attention. It makes you present; it makes you mindful. The 'My' means it connects with something deep inside your soul. It creates a gateway for your inner voice to rise up and be heard. And God, 'God' is that personal journey we all want to be on, to be inspired, to feel like we are connected to a universe that celebrates life.” Schwartzberg captures life through the power of his lens. He is recognized as a pioneer in high-end time-lapse photography and shares his discoveries in such a way, focusing on the connection between humans and the subtleties of nature and the environment. “What is life? What is this universe made up of? Those are the big questions that intrigue me,” Schwartzberg said. “If I can see things from the point of view of a flower, imagine the insight that we have. By being able to see what a rose sees, you will be able to see what a hummingbird sees and understand a hummingbird’s point of view or a mountain’s point of view – it's been here for millions of years. “[Through time-lapse photography] you get a glimpse of that. So that is a heart opener, I believe,” Schwartzberg continues. “And each step of the way, I'm asking again, that bigger question, ‘What is it that makes life work?’ I'm not doing it purely as an environmental message. I'm trying to make sure we don't let this relationship unravel. It's a beautiful story. It's a love affair.” Schwartzberg is an astute observer of the patterns of nature and likes to figure out how things work and asks, “Why?” Schwartzberg grew up in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were Jewish Holocaust survivors, and he says, they never really taught him about nature, but they did teach him a lot about gratitude. “I'm an environmentalist because I grew up in nature. My parents were Holocaust survivors and I'm against any form of genocide, or anything becoming extinct. Mother Earth, I want to protect her. This whole idea of appreciating the little things in life - that's what I learned. That's why I have a deep feeling about gratitude. And it's the little things that make the world go around,” Schwartzberg said. Schwartzberg graduated in the 1970s from UCLA Film School with an MFA. He chaired and served as executive director of the Action! Vote Coalition and served on the board of the Earth Communications Office and the Environmental Media Association. He is a member of both the Directors Guild of America and the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences. He created a series for Netflix called Moving Art encompassing six topics: Flowers, forests, oceans, deserts, underwater and waterfalls. The seventh topic is about mushrooms – “Fantastic Fungi,” which launched as a video-on-demand. It has been number one on Apple, Amazon Prime and has appeared on Netflix this past summer. Schwartzberg took the film one step further and produced the Fungi Global Summit, which included a lineup of 50 leading experts and had over 160,000 people register for the event. “I'm fascinated with unveiling the mystery of life. And so the films I make are part of the sense of wonder and all in curiosity. Before ‘Fantastic Fungi,’ I did ‘Wings of Life,’

Photos courtesy of Louis Schwartzberg

which was about pollinators and narrated by Meryl Streep, being the voice of the flower” Schwartzberg explained. “It's the intersection of the foundation of life. The plant world gives us healthy food, nuts, fruits and vegetables that we need to eat. But then you say, ‘Well, if that's critical for our survival, what plants need is soil, and most people don't understand where soil comes from. “When I did the deeper dive into the world of fungi – because I knew some things about fungi, like bioremediation [which is the introduction of microorganisms or other forms of life to consume and break down environmental pollutants in order to clean up a polluted site],” he added. “I really didn't understand that it could be the greatest natural solution to climate change and didn't really quite understand that it makes soil and it breaks down organic matter – even rock – it's amazing. You can talk to a lot of educated people and ask the most basic question, ‘Where does soil come from?’ And people don't know the answer.” “Bees and the microorganisms in the soil that make soil, are the foundation of life, '' Schwartzberg said. “It’s more important than the top of the food chain, which is where we are. If we go, that's okay. If you lose soil, all plants go, all animals go. I don't know what's left of life on our planet. Think about it. If you lose the foundation to the house, you lose the whole thing. If you lose the roof, you could fix it.” Schwartzberg discussed many of the topics that he learned from working with Dr. Andrew Weil and Paul Stamets on the film, “Fantastic Fungi.” From Dr. Weil, he learned about the Lion’s Mane mushroom and how it could be helpful treating Alzheimer’s. “There needs to be more research and more studies, but it definitely can be helpful in eliminating the amyloid plaque that builds up in the brain in people that have Alzheimer’s,” Schwartzberg stated. “With Stamets, there's a lot. His story from cleaning up toxic oil spills with bioremediation and the [spectrum] of mushrooms - it's pretty mind-blowing.” Schwartzberg says he is fascinated by Suzanne Simard, a professor of Forest Ecology at the University of British Columbia and the author of “Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest.” Simard is a pioneer on the frontier of plant communication and intelligence. She has been hailed as a scientist who ‘conveys complex, technical ideas in a way that is dazzling and profound.’ Her work has influenced James Cameron’s depiction of the “Tree of Souls” in the movie Avatar. “I really, really was inspired by her because I understand her struggle as a woman trying to have this crazy idea about the mother tree and the resistance she got, especially in a male-dominated field called science, but especially in forestry, which is really all about cutting down trees. She is a champion – being really a courageous voice – when nobody would listen. She's definitely at the top of my list.” While Simard is on the top of Schwartzberg’s list, he, on the other hand, is on the top of many other people’s lists. Audiences have watched “Fantastic Fungi” numerous times, along with his other films. “There are so many levels to experience the film. There's the beauty which is really nature's secret language that turns you on, for life to go forward. But there's also the science, and then there's the storytelling. There's so many different ways to engage. It's hard to absorb all of it in one viewing. I've seen it hundreds of times, and I will admit that I will always learn something new, there's always something to be discovered,” Schwartzberg said. While the “Fantastic Fungi” continues to evolve with audiences, Schwartzberg is now working on a new film, “Gratitude Revealed,” which should be released this spring. It features excerpts from Deepak Chopra, Jack Kornfield, Lynn Twist and other experts; but mostly it is about wisdom from ordinary people. Discussed are the virtues found in gratitude about courage, compassion, patience, curiosity, creativity and connections. “Gratitude is the perfect antidote,” he said. Schwartzberg’s films are evergreen and are a metaphor of life itself. He says that nature has invented reproduction as a mechanism for life to move forward. Reproduction is a life force that passes right through us and makes us a link in the evolution of life. “I want to be able to share that sense of wonder with the audience because I don't know where I'm going to be going. I don't know where the end is. And that's life, correct?” Schwartzberg says. “It's just to have that sense of joy – you're on this journey – because, if you know the answer, then you're just a tourist. You need to be a real traveler.” Visit www.fantasticfungi.com and www.movingart.com for more information about Louis Schwartzberg and the "Fantastic Fungi.”

Louis Schwartzberg

The Fantastic Fungi A Mycelial Connection

BY CAROL KAHN

FFor billions of years, mycelium has grown beneath our feet and served as an ecological connective tissue. A sprawling, infinitely renewable, interlaced web, it threads through soil and along river beds to break down organic matter and provide nutrients to plants and trees.

Mushrooms are the fruit of mycelium. Much like the branches and vines that grow apples or grapes, mycelium functions like these twisting, branching supports just below the surface. “The Fantastic Fungi,” a 2019 award-winning documentary directed and filmed by cinematographer Louis Schwartzberg, explores a journey about the magical, mysterious and medicinal world of fungi and their power to heal, sustain and contribute to the regeneration of life on Earth. Schwartzberg captured this journey through time-lapse photography and breathtaking imagery. The Fantastic Fungi is a consciousshifting film about the mycelium network – an underground network that can heal and save our planet. Through the eyes of renowned scientists and mycologists such as Paul Stamets, best-selling authors such as Michael Pollan, Eugenia Bone, Andrew Weil and others, we become aware of the beauty, intelligence and solutions that the fungi kingdom offers in response to some of our most pressing medical, therapeutic and environmental challenges. Few of us are versed in the complex, nutritional and lifesupporting powers of the mushroom, let alone the vast array of mushrooms that grow wild in our forests, parks and even around our homes. According to Paul Stamets,“Mushroom Mycelium represents rebirth, rejuvenation, regeneration. Fungi generate soil that gives life. The task that we face today is to understand the language of Nature. My mission is to discover the language of the fungal networks that communicate with the ecosystem. I believe that Nature is intelligent.” Stamets believes that we are heading in a very precarious and dangerous direction for ourselves and for the planet. From desertization, water shortages, food shortages, bee colony collapse, nuclear waste storage and disasters, oil spills, plastic pollution, global warming – we stand at a precipice. We are challenged to find solutions to longstanding problems that we have not yet faced. Stamets adds, “Mushrooms can heal you. They can feed you. They can even kill you. They support life. They convert life. The bulk of the organism is grown underground and the mycelium shares the same intricate design as the Internet.” “If we don’t get our act together and come in commonality and understanding with the organisms that sustain us today, not only will we destroy those organisms, but we will destroy ourselves. We need to have a paradigm shift in our consciousness. What will it take to achieve that?” Stamets warned. “If I die trying but I’m inadequate to the task to make a course change in the evolution of this planet…okay I tried. The fact is I tried,” Stamets added. “How many people are not trying? If you knew that every breath you took could save hundreds of lives into the future had you walked down this path of knowledge, wouldn’t you run down this path of knowledge as fast as you could?” The fact of the matter is that through Stamet’s discoveries as well as those of other scientists, businesses are now cropping up everywhere that involve the cultivation, consumption and integration of mushrooms into products including faux leather, shoes, packaging and other items. The mushroom revolution has begun and can be found in leather designs by couture fashion designer Stella McCartney, Lululemon and Adidas. These companies have secured exclusive access to Mylo – a unique material made from infinitely renewable mycelium which looks and feels like leather. While companies are searching for new ways to create a sustainable future, Schwarzberg is no stranger to many of

these discoveries. He speaks at length about his experience in 15 years of research and filming time-lapse mushrooms in our Green Living feature, “The Shroom Boom,” he added, "the timing is perfect. We are just at the tip of discovery." Schwartzberg has been producing time-lapse films for more than 40 years. However, he began talking to experts about the mushroom phenomena more than 15 years ago - way ahead of this "shroom-boom." “But the timing was perfect,” Schwartzberg said. “When I finally finished it in 2019, Denver had just decriminalized magic mushrooms. Oregon had it on the ballot to have it be decriminalized. Voters approved the proposition; then Santa Cruz and Oakland, California. It's just a wave that keeps on growing. “Sixty academic institutions are currently doing clinical trials. We are involved in the clinical trial here in Santa Monica with the Pacific Neuroscience Institute, where participants watch my video about the patterns and rhythms of nature as they take a dose of psilocybin to treat alcohol addiction,” he added. “And the results I think are going to be extraordinary,”. We are moving into a regenerative movement. Mushrooms provide a vast array of potential medicinal compounds. Many mushrooms such as portobello, oyster, reishi and maitake are well known for these properties, but the lion's mane mushroom, in particular, has drawn the attention of researchers for its notable nerve-regenerative properties. Other discoveries are on the forefront. “Fantastic Fungi” provides thought-provoking and meaningful conversation. It is now evident that as something decomposes, a series of fungi will sprout above the soil; and at the same time underground, a vast network of mycelium has already spread - regenerating, rejuvenating and creating new life. For more information about “Fantastic Fungi” visit www.fantasticfungi.com

Canyon Ranch The Many Ways to Wellness BY DAVID M. BROWN

FFor more than 40 years, Canyon Ranch in Tucson has helped people attain a “well way of life” by providing innovative evidence-based services that are reliable and effective.

In 1978, founder Mel Zuckerman transformed his sedentary lifestyle into a wellness-focused one. After two weeks of healthy living, he wanted to guide others on the same journey. A year later, he opened Canyon Ranch, located about 30 miles from downtown Tucson. As the first-of-its-kind integrative wellness resort, Canyon Ranch combines holistic methods, treatments and evidence-based methodologies from western and eastern sources to address well-being of mind, body and spirit. The 150-acre resort can accommodate up to 240 guests in the hotel as well as at Canyon Ranch Living® private residences. You can book a day treatment, stay for a night or a week, depending on your time, budget and intent. Since Canyon Ranch opened, thousands of guests have changed their lives by scheduling a treatment or a longer stay. Three additional locations are in Lenox, Massachusetts; Woodside, California; and Las Vegas, Nevada. Activities and programs popularized at Canyon Ranch, including yoga, meditation, plant-based diets and integrative medicine, are now mainstream; and owner John Goff, CEO Jeff Kuster and their team of wellness experts continue to offer innovative wellness guidance. The Canyon Ranch experience is completely driven by you. Personalized services begin from the moment you book your stay. A personal wellness team assists you, including a guide, who conducts a one-on-one consultation to determine your intentions for visiting, even before you arrive on property. You must provide proof of full vaccination upon arrival or proof of a negative FDA-approved PCR or antigen COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival. Using the information you provide at registration, the team provides guidance to optimize your stay. Their goal is

Photos courtesy Canyon Ranch

for you to return home feeling empowered to continue on your wellness path, and with the tools needed for longterm success. Canyon Ranch’s 1,500-plus expert-led services are embedded in five wellness pillars: health and performance, fitness and movement, mind and spirit, nutrition and food, and spa and beauty. Nutrition and diet includes crafting a wholesome diet, but that doesn’t require food-lovers to abandon culinary enjoyment. Executive Chef Shayne Spradlin started as an intern at Canyon Ranch, and has been an employee there for nearly 17 years. Certified by the Arizona Culinary Institute, Spradlin is passionate about cooking and food. His attention to detail, high-quality ingredients, presentation and customer service is well known. He loves inspiring guests on their journeys to optimize health, wellness and vitality through nutritious meals. He says, “You only get out what you’re willing to put in.” Similar to the other departments, the spa experience is very intentional, including services and products. Canyon Ranch believes each experience should be inspired by you, and the resort empowers its experts to use their creativity and intuition to offer custom services, whether you have a chronic condition that needs attention, or are simply seeking relaxation. EIGHT PATHWAYS Canyon Ranch offers bundled experiences called “pathways.” These pathways are collections of curated services designed to help you achieve a specific goal, such as reconnecting with joy. Book these for three-, five- and seven-night stays. Pathways include: Live your Healthy Weight — Pursue whole health and wellness while you reach and learn to maintain your ideal weight for life.

Lifestyle Reset — Reimagine your way of life and emerge on a new path toward greater energy, purpose and health. Optimal Health Exploration — Address any existing health concerns, make a solid plan to prevent future ones and learn how to live younger longer. Reconnect With Joy — Recover from loss or trauma, find renewed strength and rediscover joy as a vital nutrient for your lifelong well-being. Transition Purposely — Put career, relationship and life transitions into perspective and set the stage for your successful next phase. Outdoor Escape — Celebrate the beauty of the outdoors. Rediscover how the power of nature strengthens the power of you. Personal Discovery — Forge your own path to selfdiscovery with a wellness journey designed for you, by you. Just Be Here — Explore wellness at your own pace with a flexible schedule and one all-inclusive rate.

SOME HEALTH & WELLNESS TIPS Two associates of Canyon Ranch offer some tips. First, Stephanie Miezen, director of nutrition, on Health and Wellness, says: • It’s important to adopt the perspective that change for great health has to be a long-term play. • It’s important to keep improving skills needed to make healthy eating enjoyable and sustainable. Some of the best skills to do this are cooking- and food-literacy skills. • Gain a foundational understanding of how foods fuel us.

Learn how to prepare them to be delicious and success will be so much more attainable. • Excellent well-being can realistically be achieved only if great nutrition is practiced. Amy Hawthorne, life management director, talks about Health and Healing: • Be curious with yourself around the life you’re living and the life you want to live while also being very aware of the judgmental narrative that could arise. Healthy self-confrontation, couched in self-compassion, can be a wonderful catalyst for change. • Set realistic and attainable goals. Ask yourself: Is this what I would expect from someone I love and care about? • If you want to live your highest life in the fullest expression of yourself, you must start with attending to your thoughts and the relationship with yourself. For more information or to schedule a visit, go to www.canyonranch.com or call 520-749-9655.

22 New Year’s Resolutions to Stick With in 2022

BY SARAH MCLEAN

WWhy do we make resolutions? I know I make them hoping to get closer to or fulfill what I feel is my purpose in life. When I resolve to do something or change my perspective, I imagine it will lead me to happiness. Isn’t that what everyone wants in one way or another – to be happy? One way to find happiness is to practice self care, or what I call soul care. Here are 22 resolutions that I make on a regular basis that help me to do that.

When you wake up each morning, imagine what you want to put attention on for the day. What matters to you? What do you want to enliven in your life? Maybe you want to keep an eye (or an ear) out for beauty, or intuition. It could be to remember to love yourself, or practice being a good listener, or bring your attention to the present moment, experience joy, notice coincidences and so on. What you put your attention on is enlivened in your awareness. You can decide what you want to focus on each day. Discover a new practice to nourish your mind and body. Use your imagination. You might learn a new way of cooking, eating, or exercising; learn meditation, nurture or express yourself artistically through painting, yoga, dance, public speaking, etc. Try it, even if what you imagine scares you. Slow down every once in a while. Life is delicious, but we can miss it when we race around. No matter what you are doing, whether you are eating, showering, talking, driving, exercising, walking, reading, working, or giving a gift, savor the moments. Don’t rush or blow yourself off. Give yourself the gift of the present. Get outside every day. And this does not mean getting into your car and driving to work. Put your feet on the ground. Smell the air. Look at the sky and the stars. Notice the wind. Take a 10- to 30-minute walk in nature every day – without talking on your cell phone. And while you walk, give yourself a smile and at least 10 full, deep breaths. Give your time to people over the age of 70 and under the age of 20. Or if you are over 70 or under 20, choose to be with generations other than your own.

Sit in silence and meditate for at least 15 minutes each day; it clears the channels of communication between you and your source. Prayer is also a nourishing practice. Literally listen to those around you. Assume they are telling you what they mean, and believe them. Don’t be a mind reader. Listen to your own intuition or wisdom. Ask yourself: What do I really want? How can I best love myself? How can I use my talents in the world? Sit in the silence and simply listen. The answers will come. Promise. As my friend Byron Katie says, “The answer always meets the question. It just may not be according to your schedule.” Say what you mean. Be authentic. It’s a challenge at first, especially for those of us who are really concerned about what other people think of them. Say “yes” when you mean “yes,” and “no” when you mean “no.” You’ll make it easy on yourself and everyone else this way. And you’ll save a lot of time and trouble. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat fewer foods that are manufactured in plants. Remember the source of your food. Drink plenty of water, and not out of plastic bottles.

Reduce, reuse and recycle – even more than last year. It’s a sweet thing to do, as we are all sharing this planet. And add rethink, repurpose, remember… refuse – especially anything with too much plastic. Give away anything you don’t find useful, beautiful, or joyful. Clear the extra stuff from your house, your car, your desk, your computer, your relationships and make room for new energy into your world. Fix those little things that drive you crazy, day after day. Don’t contaminate your body with toxins: whether they are toxic food or drink, toxic emotions, environments, or toxic relationships. Choose nourishing experiences for yourself. You know what they are. Share your time and talents freely to others, and practice receiving what the universe provides. Whether you realize it or not, the universe is always on your side. You don’t have to win every argument, or have the last word. Even though we all want to be right, let yourself agree to disagree, or see what happens when you remain silent. A friend of mine sometimes says in the midst of differing viewpoints, “You could be right,” and this usually makes everyone happy. This moment, this one right now, is the only moment that you can really experience. Get used to putting your attention right here and now. This is where the action is. You know your attention isn’t in the present when you feel depressed, ashamed, or anxious. Train your awareness through mindfulness practices or meditation. Listen to your body’s wisdom and its sensations of comfort and discomfort. When making a choice – whether ordering off a menu or deciding who to spend time with, ask yourself, “How do I feel about this?” and pay attention to your body. It really all boils down to either a “yum” or a “yuck”. Your body doesn’t lie. It is always in the present moment, and that is where wisdom can be found. Don’t compare or judge your life or others’ lives. Who really knows what is happening here. You have no idea what their path in life is all about. As ancient wisdom states, ”Karma is unfathomable.” Become more self-referral, more independent. Give up your need for the agreement or approval of others as you walk your own path. You are the wise one. Listen to your intuition. You usually do know best. Know that the world “out there” reflects your reality “in here.” The people you react most strongly to, whether with love or hate, are projections of your inner world. You can learn from those who drive you crazy, or whom you admire. They are there for us to become more self aware. What you most hate is what you most deny in yourself. What you most love is what you most wish for in yourself. Each night before you go to bed, take a moment to be grateful, you could find three things, or let the list go on and on. Or simply say, “Thank You.”

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Just 1-2 ounces a day can help survive the hangovers of the holidays whether it's an over indulgence of sweets or too much of Mama's stuffing. A shot of beet juice will get your gut back on track. www.gardengoddessferments.com

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Our Room for Two Dopp Kit is the perfect gift for her and/or him! This versatile bag is so roomy, you won't have to leave anything behind when you travel because it's handcrafted with natural cork. It's also extremely lightweight. This product is handmade in Portugal from sustainably sourced cork, ethically produced, PETA approved vegan, cruelty free and eco-friendly. Check Tiradia's collection at www.tiradia.com & use promo code GREENLIVING15 for 15% off.

Rose Quartz For Love

Rose quartz is the stone of unconditional love. Place the stone in the south-west direction in the bedroom to invite happy energies of romance. Spiritually Bold has unique finds and gifts - crystals, candles, jewelry, apparel, water bottles and more. Lots of gifts for Valentine’s Day.www.spirituallybold.com

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