Seasonal snacking, elixirs a biosensing headband

GO WITH THE FLOW

Meditation has long been practiced to decrease stress, enhance sleep, and improve mood, memory, and concentration. But with all the buzz and stimulation in today’s media- and tech-obsessed society, it can be di cult to tune out the distractions or know whether your mind is truly in a relaxed state. Flowtime, a lightweight and portable biosensing headband, helps its users stay accountable by tracking their brain waves and heart rate in real time for a deeper understanding of the mind while meditating. While compatible with apps such as Calm and Headspace, Flowtime also o ers its own professional guided and unguided meditations for users of all levels. Simply select a relaxing background sound, set a timer, and settle into Zen. $178; amazon.com —SARA SMOLA

MODERN ALCHEMY

> A visionary in the field of Quantum Alchemy and a pioneer in vibrational medicine and aromatherapeutic healing, Adora Winquist has more than 20 years of experience supporting others in their emotional, mental, and spiritual journeys. After experiencing personal health challenges in the 1990s, Winquist began to look beyond traditional methods, instead seeking out alternative practices that eventually led her to create her own original formulations that combined aromatherapy with energy healing.

The modern alchemist’s line of artisanal biodynamic essential oils and blends is intentionally infused with gem and flower essences with specific vibrational patterns designed for awakening, healing, and quantum shifts in consciousness. Launched in 2021, Winquist’s self-formulated Elixirs 4 Quantum Living (which includes Energy Elixir, Mood Elixir, and Sleep Elixir) is a groundbreaking, fast-absorbing, roll-on trio crafted with nanoparticle essential oil blends and nanoparticle CBD to alleviate the harsh impact of daily stressors while boosting energy, mood, and restful sleep. $44/each or $122/set of 3; adorawinquist.com

—S.S.

SNACK SMART

> For many, the holidays are a time to indulge—but for those who want to fit into their jeans come the new year, plant-rich meal purveyor Sakara has you covered with its new holiday collection, featuring clean versions of your favorite seasonal snacks. An updated take on classic popcorn tins, the Popcorn Trio ($45) is air-popped with coconut oil (rich in metabolism-boosting medium-chain fatty acids) and comes in three highly munchable flavors—sweet, salty, and “cheezy,” while the Holiday Granola ($16) is nutritionally designed to support digestion, mental clarity, and hydrated skin thanks to a delicious combination of pecans, omega-3-rich hazelnuts, and coconut. sakara.com —S.S.

ASK THE EXPERT

ALICIA TERANDO, MD

CHIEF OF BREAST, ENDOCRINE, AND SOFT TISSUE SURGERY

KECK MEDICINE OF USC

USC NORRIS COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER

What’s the top piece of advice you would give to any breast cancer patient?

Don’t be shy about asking questions! Coming in for a surgical consult—especially with a cancer diagnosis—can feel intimidating, but this truly is the time to ask anything. If you want to bring a notebook with questions you’ve thought of or a trusted friend who’s less shy, that’s fine too.

What questions do you recommend?

“How often do you care for conditions like mine?” “What is your training in caring for this?” Again, don’t be shy. You want to know your surgeon has solid training and experience.

What do you wish more patients knew?

Community providers are important, and they’re great for routine medical problems. But when it comes to cancer, you want a major academic medical center. That’s about more than access to the latest technology. Knowledge about cancer is changing so quickly—you want to know that you have providers who are actively performing research, who are on the leading edge of the field, and who already know the latest treatment paradigms. There are a lot of nuances and details that can make a big difference in outcomes and in your quality of life after treatment.

Your team at Keck Medicine’s USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center is often able to take on cases that other facilities categorize as unresectable. Why is that?

Again, you have the technological advantages of a major academic medical center. We have latest and best equipment. But you also have access to surgeons with not just specialty training, but subspecialty training. You’re able to work with surgeons who have a deep level of knowledge about your particular condition. You also have access to teams of specialists for complex cases. For a single complex breast cancer case, I might work with vascular, thoracic, and plastic and reconstructive surgeons. And with all of them, I know that these are specialists at the top of their fields. That multidisciplinary specialist care is crucial. The experience level is key as well. You don’t want to trust a complex cancer to someone who hasn’t seen a case like yours since they completed their residency. At USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, complex cases are what we do every day. That’s our routine. So your surgeons, your medical doctors, and your nursing and surgical support teams are ready to give you the specialized care you need.

Do patients have to travel to the main Keck Medicine campus to get that level of care?

Absolutely not! We have Keck Medicine and USC Norris providers at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, in Pasadena, in Arcadia, and we’re starting to provide services at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in the Santa Clarita Valley. Our goal is to be here for the entire community.

What about your practice at Keck are you most proud of?

I know I’m supposed to say something about our leadingedge technology or clinical trials, but honestly, it’s the level of personalized care we’re able to give. We try to provide a concierge level of care every day. We provide care that’s more than excellent; it’s compassionate.

Women’s Specialty Clinic

1516 San Pablo Street, Suite 3300 Los Angeles, CA 90033

Pasadena Clinic

625 South Fair Oaks Avenue, Suite 400 Pasadena, CA 91105

A HELPING HAND

PROFILING LOCAL NONPROFITS & CHARITIES

L.A. WORKS

L.A. Works is passionate about producing volunteer opportunities that create an equitable, diverse, and thriving Los Angeles. We believe service unites communities and inspires a culture of compassion. Through virtual opportunities, socially distanced in-person service, and online advocacy bootcamps, L.A. Works offers ways for Angelenos to volunteer their time and become advocates for change. L.A. Works was founded in 1991, the same year that Rodney King was brutally beaten by LAPD officers. One year later, racial tensions erupted following the police misconduct jury verdict announcement. Over the past 30 years, L.A. Works has recruited and led over 300,000 volunteers to provide millions of hours of service in support of nonprofit organizations uplifting Angelenos across the greater community. But the impact of our work goes beyond these simple stats. L.A. Works volunteers become knowledgeable about the challenges facing their neighbors – and as a result, are catalyzed to do more to build a more vibrant and equitable Los Angeles. But we know that our work is not over. It is time to take bolder steps to make Los Angeles a more compassionate and equitable city for everyone. As a leader in volunteer mobilization in Los Angeles, L.A. Works knows that volunteers are committed to making change in the community. We are investing significant volunteer power to combat the critical issues that have surfaced—the academic achievement gap, food insecurity, homelessness, and environmental justice—through volunteer acts of service as well as advocacy.

In addition to the socially distanced in-person volunteering, we continue to offer remote and virtual volunteer projects; turn-key business solutions for corporate social responsibility; projects specifi cally designed for families and adults over 55; and skilled volunteering opportunities. L.A. Works remains committed to using our volunteer power to help the most vulnerable in our community.

How will you make a difference?

570 West Avenue 26, Suite 400 Los Angeles, CA 90065 (323) 224-6510

laworks.com UPCOMING EVENTS

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OF SERVICE

Monday, January 17, 2022

Honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King through volunteerism! Join L.A. Works for Los Angeles’s largest volunteer event celebrating the national Martin Luther King Day of Service. With a focus on educational equity, this event will engage volunteers where they are most comfortable—at home, online, or in-person (limited depending on COVID case rates). LAUSD students have returned to the classroom after a year of remote learning, but it is estimated that students are currently between four and 12 months behind. Virtual @Home volunteers will participate in workshops and advocacy projects designed to decrease the academic achievement gap. For the second year in a row, Minecraft March volunteers will participate in a virtual re-enactment of the 1963 March on Washington. Volunteers will interact with NPCs (non-player characters) representing past and current-day activists, and have a chance to build their own monument to refl ect on their experience. Corporate teams looking to serve in-person can participate in the more traditional Martin Luther King Day of Service volunteer experience. Volunteers will partner with a local school for a beautifi cation project. NOTE: This inperson opportunity will be limited based on COVID case rates, and a reschedule date will be determined in advance if needed.

For more information, please visit laworks.com.

PASADENA HUMANE

Pasadena Humane is more than a shelter. We are a donor-supported, nonprofi t organization that provides animal care and services for companion and wild animals in the greater Los Angeles area. For nearly 120 years, we’ve promoted compassion and care for all animals through lifesaving programs and services to the community that support the human-animal bond and keep pets healthy and safe. At Pasadena Humane, we believe that pets belong with the people who love them. Whether you are looking to adopt your new best friend or need guidance from a trusted resource, we are here for all your animal needs. Every year, we help thousands of animals with programs like foster care, a pet food bank, affordable vaccines and microchips, a free behavior helpline, and so much more.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Giving Tuesday Tuesday, November 30 Online at pasadenahumane.org/givingtuesday

Giving Tuesday is a worldwide day of giving. Join this global generosity movement by making a donation to support the animals.

Home for the Holidays Donation Drive

December 1 through December 31, 2021 Online at pasadenahumane.org/wishlist

Help every animal fi nd comfort and joy this holiday season by donating an item from our wish list to a pet in need.

Pet Food Bank

Saturday, December 4, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Pasadena Humane

Free food and supplies for dog and cat owners in need. Appointment required.

MISSION

To lead the way toward a compassionate and caring community for all animals. 361 South Raymond Avenue Pasadena, CA 91105 (626) 792-7151

pasadenahumane.org

WHY DONATE

Every animal deserves a home for the holidays. Your support will help ensure that all pets have a safe and warm place to call home.

THE BAIL PROJECT

The Bail Project is a national nonprofi t on a mission to combat mass incarceration by transforming the pretrial system across the U.S. Our community-based teams work with local partners to pay bail for thousands of low-income people each year, reducing the human suffering caused by cash bail, restoring the presumption of innocence, and building on the work of grassroots movements for decarceration. In Los Angeles, we partner with the L.A. County Public Defender and UCLA Law’s criminal justice program to provide free bail assistance to low-income residents. In addition to paying bail for our clients, we provide them with court date reminders, transportation assistance, and referrals to social service partners. We also collect data and stories to support advocacy and systemic reform. Through these efforts, we seek to transform pretrial justice for generations of Americans to come, bringing us one step closer to ending mass incarceration and racial and economic disparities in the U.S. criminal legal system.

HOW TO SUPPORT

The Bail Project’s work is made possible thanks to the generous support of thousands of individual donors across the U.S. and around the world. This holiday season, you can give the gift of freedom. Visit bailproject.org/losangeles to become a donor today!

MISSION

To combat mass incarceration by disrupting the money bail system—one person at a time. PO Box 102592 Pasadena, CA 91189-2592 (323) 366-0799

bailproject.org

WHY DONATE

Every donation to our revolving bail fund can be recycled: once bail money is returned when a case closes, funds are reused to post bail for others.

SYCAMORES

Since 1902 Sycamores has served the Pasadena community, helping children, young adults, adults and families develop the tools and determination to create a better life. Today the agency has 10 locations throughout Los Angeles County and is a leader in behavioral health and child welfare, providing innovative and effective programs including residential treatment, foster care and adoption, transitional living assistance for young adults currently or at risk of experiencing homelessness and school-based mental health services in Pasadena Unifi ed School District and beyond.

MISSION

Cultivating hope and resilience to enrich the well-being of children, adults, families and communities. 100 West Walnut Street Suite 375 Pasadena, CA 91124 (626) 395-7100

sycamores.org

WHY DONATE

With your generosity, we are able to positively impact the lives of nearly 16,000 children, young adults and families each year — providing them with a better life.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Adopt-a-Family

Help bring joy to a family in need this holiday season. Your gifts of food, clothing, and toys will create holiday magic for the children and families we serve. Contact Melissa Pittson to adopt a family or host a toy drive:

(626) 395-7100 ext. 2018

or mpittson@sycamores.org.

Celebrating Children Spring Gala Saturday, March 26, 2022 Vibiana, downtown Los Angeles

Join us for an elegant evening celebrating Sycamores’ 120th Anniversary. Guests will enjoy a delicious dinner, live and silent auctions, and special musical performance by Broadway actor Davis Gaines. Contact Shannon Boalt: (626) 493-7757 or sboalt@sycamores.org for information.