Lauren Sanders-Magazine Art Direction

lauren sanders Maga zine Art Direction

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80 body + soul

good wish tree

1. Collect a dozen fallen branches on winter hikes; look for ones about 3 feet long. Arrange in a vase in a hallway or foyer.

2. Using ribbon scraps, hang small cards with holiday wishes written on one side from the branches. (See number 11 for creative card ideas.)

eco-holiday

ideas

for under $10

Trim the tree, wrap the gifts, and decorate your home beautifully—and cheaply—

with easy, natural crafts and embellishments Say goodbye to the blinking lights, plastic silver balls, and larger-than-life inflated Santas that have come to mark the holidays. Instead, go back to nature to find your homedecorating inspiration and celebrate the season from its roots. We’ve come up with a dozen creative, incredibly inexpensive, and easy-to-make ornaments, gift-wraps, and decorations sparked by the scents, shapes, and ingredients of this festive time of year. You’ll already have most of the items you need to create these projects on hand in your spice rack, closet, or backyard. So skip the superstore this year and save your money—each idea costs less than $10 and most are even cheaper—and the planet by putting a little more green into your holidays.

By lauren sanders photography by björn wallander h o w - t o p h o t o g r a p h y b y j o h n n y m i l body l e r+ soul 81

tree

trimming

LED Lights

Brighten your tree—and lighten your bills—by stringing LED lights this year. They consume up to 90 percent less energy than incandescent models and burn up to 10 times longer. Find them online and at many retail stores for around $20 to $35.

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Ax-Free Tree

This year, purchase a live potted tree instead of a cut one, an option many tree farms oΩer. Some farms, such as San Diego’s Adopt a Christmas Tree Foundation, take back trees for planting in pre-dug holes or for reforesting land that wildfires damaged.

Inquire at your local nursery or check the National Christmas Tree Association (christmastree.org ) for programs in your area.

5

7

spice stars and drops

6

citrus slices

8

Stars: 1. Arrange 3 cinnamon sticks into a star shape.

2. Crisscross 1-mm-thick hemp twine 3 times around the center, and tie end into a loop. Drops: 1. Nestle 3 anise pods in a row and secure with nontoxic glue.

2. Wrap twine around the center of each pod, weaving around each “petal,” and tie the end into a loop.

1. Cut four unpeeled oranges into rounds about ¼-inch thick. (Each fruit yields about six to eight slices.) 2. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 175 degrees for 4 hours. 3. Poke a hole near one edge with a needle and thread doubled twine through to make a loop (see photo).

snowy

sugar pinecones

1. Collect 20 to 30 pinecones from the woods.

2. Mix the whites of two eggs in a bowl (enough for 36 pinecones). 3. Drizzle pinecones with egg whites using a pastry brush. 4. Sprinkle with crystal sugar. Let dry for 4 hours. 5. Tie string around bottom, leaving a loop for hanging.

dough shapes

1. In bowl, mix 2 cups flour, 2 cups salt, and 1 cup water. 2. Stir, then knead into a ball. 3. Roll out dough to a ¼-inch thickness. 4. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters, and poke a hole through the tops with a pencil. 5. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 20 minutes or until hard. 6. Loop a body+ soul 85 ribbon through hole and tie a knot. body+ soul 85

gift

wrapping

3

stamping on recycled

shopping bags

1. Cut an open paper shopping bag along one fold and scissor out the bottom of the bag. 2. Wrap your gift in it. 3. Recycle a wine cork and use it as a stamping device by dipping one end of it into ink or a dark fruit or beet juice. 4. Apply to the surface of the bag in patterns inspired by the season.

(b) (a)

2

recycled chip bags

1. Cut open an empty potato-chip bag along its seam to reveal the shiny white or silver inside of the bag. 2. Flatten the bag, wash it with soap and water, and air dry. 3. Wrap a present and adorn it with ribbons and homemade cards.

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4

reused

button sack

1. Sew first button (a) 4½ inches from the top of one side of a small paper bag. 2. Fold top over twice (about 1-inch folds), toward the button side.

3. Align second button (b) with first on the second fold. 4. Unfold to sew second button. 5. Refold, and wrap twine in a figure 8 around both buttons.

home

decorating

10

9 +

1. With a pencil, draw a pattern on an orange. Try family members’ initials or seasonal symbols such as stars. 2. Pierce the fruit along your lines with a needle, spacing the holes about a clove’s width apart. (Erase any visible lines left on the fruit’s skin.)

3. Insert cloves into each hole. 4. Arrange pomanders in a bowl and place on a table or your mantle.

rosemary trees

Use scraps of festive fabric to wrap the pots of herb plants you’ve grown over the year or purchased—turning them into decorations or holiday gifts that keep giving (as cooking herbs), long after the holidays end.

B+S Online Want to start a new

seasonal tradition with your family?

Get inspired at wholeliving.com/ article/favorite-holiday-traditions.

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spiced pomanders

11

recycled paper good wish cards

1. Cut recycled holiday cards or cereal boxes into small rectangles. 2. Punch a hole in one end. 3. If both sides are blank, stamp one side with a holiday print. 4. For the other side, invite guests and family to write notes of thanks and hope. 5. Hang on branches displayed in a vase (see number 1).

12

winter walk

nature specimens

1. Gather sprigs from pine or fir trees, fallen bark from birches, or holly berries and leaves from the woods and yard. 2. Display the native treasures in glass jars on your mantle for up close observation and appreciation.

prop styling by allison liebman craft styling by elizabeth maclennan

body+ soul 87

rutabaga

turnip kohlrabi

edible weeds

tomatillo

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other

the season’s

Admit it. Whenever you stroll through the farmers’ market or delve into

your CSA delivery, one or two vegetables make you scratch your head. You’ve heard about them, maybe even tried them

at a restaurant, but cook with them?

This summer, we challenge you to think

outside the (produce) box and put these

oft-neglected veggies to good use

by H i ll a ry G e r o n e m u s r e c i p e s by K r i s t e n E va n s p h oto g r a p h S b y K a n a Ok a d a

body+ soul 81

To get you started, we’ve created freshfrom-the-farmers’-market recipes that feature five of our favorite “other veggies.” Read on to learn more about their health benefits and how to incorporate them into your food repertoire.

kohlrabi This turnip relative carries cancer-fighting phytochemicals, including indoles, sulforaphane, and isothiocyanates, as well as fiber, iron, and vitamin C.

turnip Like kohlrabi, the root of the

turnip harbors fiber, iron, and vitamin C. The real heroes, though, are the greens, which are loaded with vitamins and minerals.

rutabaga A cross between a cab-

bage and a turnip, this root vegetable belongs to the cruciferous family and contains some fiber and potassium along with vitamin C.

tomatillo A staple in Latin cuisine,

tomatillos bear plenty of lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids most often credited with protecting eyes from agerelated macular degeneration. They also contain iron and vitamin K.

edible weeds Once thought of as

pesky intruders, many edible weeds like dandelion, lamb’s quarters, sheep’s sorrel, chickweed, purslane, and stinging nettle now garner praise for their health benefits. Dandelion contains hefty doses of calcium, potassium, betacarotene, and vitamins A and K, while purslane has a considerable amount of omega-3 fatty acids.

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kohlrabi and turnip slaw Serves 4 P r e p T i m e : 15 m i n u t e s Tota l T i m e : 30 m i n u t e s

These two cabbage cousins oΩer an interesting twist to the traditional cole slaw. Kohlrabi makes a great addition to stir-fries, while turnips, when pureed with a little butter, serve as an excellent side dish. For the greens, sauté them as you would kale or spinach.

1 pound kohlrabi (about 2 small heads, leaves included) 1 medium turnip (about 8 ounces), peeled and quartered 3 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon peanut oil 2 teaspoons honey 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil Coarse salt and ground pepper 2 scallions, thinly sliced

1. Separate stems from kohlrabi bulb,

trim, and discard tough bottoms of stems. Half leaves lengthwise then thinly shred crosswise. Trim root end from bulb and peel away tough outer layer; halve lengthwise.

2. Fit a food processor with a shredding blade (or use a box grater) and shred kohlrabi bulb and turnip.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, peanut oil, honey, and sesame oil; season with salt and pepper.

Add scallions, kohlrabi leaves and bulb, and turnip to bowl; toss to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes. per serving: 99 calories; 3 g protein; 5 g fat; 14 g carb; 5 g fiber.

rutabaga and potato salad Serves 6 P r e p T i m e : 10 m i n u t e s Tota l T i m e : 25 m i n u t e s

Peel away the tough exterior of a rutabaga to discover a hearty, firm flesh that’s tasty and filling. In addition to this light potato salad, add rutabagas to rustic vegetable soups, or roast them along with other root vegetables like carrots, turnips, and parsnips.

1 rutabaga (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into chunks 1 pound red new potatoes, scrubbed, halved or quartered (the same size as cut rutabaga) 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Coarse salt and ground pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 ribs celery, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise plus 1/4 cup coarsely chopped celery leaves

1. Set a steamer basket in a large

saucepan. Fill with enough water to come just below basket. Bring to a boil; place rutabaga in basket, and reduce heat to medium. Cover and steam 5 minutes. Add potatoes, cover, and steam until vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together vinegar and Dijon; season with salt and pepper. When potatoes are cooked, transfer to bowl with vinegar mixture. Toss to combine; let cool, tossing occasionally.

3. When potato mixture is cool, mix in oil, celery, and celery leaves; season with salt and pepper. per serving: 90 calories; 2 g protein; 4 g fat; 14 g carb; 2 g fiber.

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grilled chicken with tomatillo-tomato salsa Serves 4 P r e p T i m e : 20 m i n u t e s Tota l T i m e : 40 m i n u t e s

Spanish for “little tomatoes,” these veggies are most delicious in their green state. Rinse the tomatillos after you peel away the husks to remove any sticky coating.

Olive oil, for grill 5 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 garlic cloves, minced Coarse salt and ground pepper 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each) 1/2

small red onion, quartered

1/2

j alapeño pepper, ribs and seeds removed, roughly chopped

8 ounces tomatillos (about 4), peeled, rinsed, cored, and quartered 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large 1/2

cup whole cilantro leaves

1. Heat grill to medium; lightly oil

grates. In a shallow dish, stir together 2 tablespoons lime juice and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Add chicken and coat. Let sit 15 minutes.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse onion and jalapeño until finely chopped. Add tomatillos and pulse once or twice. Fold in tomatoes, cilantro, and remaining lime juice; season with salt and pepper.

3. Grill chicken, covered, until opaque throughout, about 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent with aluminum foil; let rest 5 minutes.

Serve chicken with salsa. per serving: 178 calories; 28 g protein; 4 g fat; 8 g carb; 2 g fiber.

+

B+S Online Find out more about

CSAs at wholeliving.com/article/

the-small-farm-comeback.

84 body + soul

free-form lasagna with edible weeds Serves 4 P r e p T i m e : 45 m i n u t e s Tota l T i m e : 45 m i n u t e s

Use just one or any combination of edible weeds for this take on lasagna, or make a quick salad of lamb’s quarters, sheep’s sorrel, and chickweed.

Coarse salt and ground pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 8 square fresh lasagna noodles (each about 5 inches) 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 12 ounces edible weeds, thick stems removed and large leaves roughly chopped (about 9 ounces trimmed) 1/4

cup golden raisins

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to

a boil; add 1 tablespoon oil. In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, tarragon, and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper.

2. A few at a time, cook lasagna noodles until al dente. Using tongs, transfer to a baking sheet, laying each square flat. Cover with plastic wrap. Empty water and reserve pot.

3. In pasta pot, heat remaining oil over

medium-high. Add garlic and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add weeds; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in raisins and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.

4. On each of four serving plates, top one lasagna noodle with about ¼ cup weed mixture and 2 tablespoons ricotta mixture. Top with another noodle, ¼ cup weeds, and 2 tablespoons ricotta. Drizzle with oil, if desired, and serve immediately. per serving: 340 calories; 15 g protein; 13 g fat; 43 g carb; 5 g fiber. vegetarian: no meat products vegan: no animal derivatives special diet: no dairy, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, eggs, peanuts, or tree nuts

food styling by margarette adams p r o p s t y l i n g b y d aw n s i n ko w s k i

body+ soul 85

The

MAGIC

of MISTAKES

By Terri Trespicio

RUSHED decisions, OFFHAND COMMENTS, careless OVERSIGHTS. WHAT IF THE THINGS you did WRONG WERE THE MOST important ONES OF ALL? Photographs by Johnny Miller

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THE MOMENT she hit “SEND,” Frances REALIZED that the e-mail she thought SHE’D FORWARDED to a fellow editor had actually gone back to the writer. It featured a single syllable: “Yikes.” Frances had wanted to share the writer’s response to some editorial suggestions—along with the news that the writer might not make her deadline (hence the “yikes”). But she caught her mistake too late.

“Once I realized who I’d sent it to, I immediately followed up with an apology, explaining that the response wasn’t intended for her and that I was embarrassed about the error,” Frances recalls. She then promptly forgot about the whole transaction, until later that night when she checked her e-mail and found an angry retort. “It was as if flames were bursting out of my computer. The writer took my email as an indictment of our working relationship. It was horrible.” Frances wrote another prostrate e-mail, but apologies got her nowhere, and she hasn’t spoken to the writer since.

We’ve all made mistakes like this— instantly regrettable oversights, slip-ups, and lapses of judgment. The ensuing cringe-worthy drama only reinforces what we learned early on, as children confronted with a page bleeding with a teacher’s red ink: Mistakes are supremely undesirable. We avoid them almost at all costs, and when they do happen, as in Frances’s case, the “if onlys” take over. The whole catastrophe could have been avoided, we reason, if only we hadn’t done X, Y, or Z.

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Of course, exactly what defines a mistake is tricky. It could be the finan­ cial risk you agreed to against your better judgment, or the one you had a good feeling about and lived to regret.

It’s the decision to trust a person when you knew better, or the betrayal you never saw coming. Basically, it comes down to making what you perceive as a “wrong” choice—one that incites a range of knee-jerk responses, whether it’s wallowing in regret, turning the blame on others, or wearing shame like a weight around your neck, unable to get out from under it.

Ideally, though, we’d do none of these things. It’s hard to see it in the moment, but mistakes can oΩer a kind of insight and perspective that nothing else does. Indeed, we owe it to ourselves to look all of our decisions dead in the eye, no matter how humbling they turn out to be, says New York Times syndicated business ethics columnist JeΩrey Seglin. After all, we don’t learn quite as much from a right decision as we do from a wrong one.

“If we gave up every time we made a mistake, we wouldn’t do anything,” says Seglin. “Anyone who’s put together something from Ikea knows that.”

Truth is, these small errors (even ones with not-so-small results) provide an amazing, invaluable opportunity to look at ourselves and our decisions in a new light, and grow from them.

Whether they arise as we assemble a bookshelf or feel out the politics at work, mistakes are par for the course.

So what would happen if, rather than focus on avoiding them, we embraced each decision, good or bad, as an op-

portunity to learn? If we were able to see our errors not as dead ends, but as part of the road itself?

The key to mining insight from errors is busting through some mental roadblocks—the things we tell ourselves pre- and postblunder. We’ve identified three of these “mistake mantras,” plus strategies for getting some mileage out of your flubs. Apply them to your own life, and you’ll cull fresh wisdom from your choices, even the ones you’d rather not have made. “We’re all in search of something greater. The only way we can get there is by making mistakes,” says Seglin. “It’s just part of the process.”

Here’s how to spin goof-ups into gold.

No.

1

MISTAKE MANTRA

“I’m just no good.”

We can never learn from our mishaps if we think they signify inherent, castin-stone personal flaws. “Mistakes are central to our humanity,” says Carol Tavris, Ph.D., coauthor of Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me). “It’s how we learn. It’s important to keep what we did separate from who we are, rather than see it as a global indictment of ourselves (I made a stupid mistake, therefore I am stupid).”

The diΩerence between people who grow from their mistakes and those who don’t stems from how they perceive them. Those who tend to see intelligence as fixed have a much harder time acknowledging and dealing with mistakes, says Joseph Hallinan, author

of Why We Make Mistakes. “They see it as a chink in their intellectual armor.”

On the other hand, he says, the more open and forgiving you are with regard to your missteps, the less likely you’ll feel doomed or defined by them.

Luckily, Frances ultimately came to see her e-mail debacle for what it was: a slip of the keyboard. As a result, she gleaned a few lessons—beyond the importance of double-checking the “to” box. “That experience was a tipping point for me,” she says. “I had been in a pattern of endlessly apologizing for everything, whether it was my fault or it wasn’t. I’d apologize if it was snowing! But there’s a point when you have to stop saying I’m sorry, and realize that sometimes you’ve done all you can.” She thought of sending yet another note to the angry writer to heal things over, but reconsidered. If one sincere apology didn’t work, neither would three. “At some point,” she says, “you just have to let it go.”

➺ TRY IT Go easy on yourself

Forgiveness has two faces, says Michael McCullough, Ph.D., leading forgiveness researcher and author of Beyond Revenge: a social side and a private side. The social one involves acknowledging any wrongdoing and oΩering a heartfelt apology to the person you may have hurt. But the more personal component is just as vital. It means embracing your own humanness and flaws—something we often can’t do.

“Our standards for ourselves are too high,” says McCullough. “We need to cultivate some compassion for ourselves and for our limitations.”

So the next time you do or say something you later regret, by all means, take steps to make amends. But don’t stop there. Also wish that person well and give yourself permission to heal and move on. Beating yourself up endlessly will only leave you feeling guilty and wounded—and there’s nothing to be gained from that.

No.

2

MISTAKE MANTRA

“It wasn’t my fault.”

It’s never easy to see—much less acknowledge—that you’ve made a lessthan-enlightened choice. But if you avoid owning up at all costs, you might find that small glitch snowballs into a much bigger problem.

Gina, a publishing executive, discovered this firsthand when she let her impulsiveness get in the way of coming to terms with an unfortunate decision.

She’d recently started dating Mark, one of her coworkers. During touchy hiring negotiations in the o≈ce, Gina convinced Mark not to hire a certain contractor. Against his better judgment, Mark relented to her pressure— and later regretted it. When he got laid oΩ a few months later, his unpopular decision (and subsequent burned bridges) greatly limited his job search.

While Mark admits that in the end it was his call, there’s no question that Gina’s insistence played a role. She’ll readily admit that now, but it took a while. “I was so fired up initially, so sure I was right, that I wouldn’t hear it any other way,” Gina recalls. “But I body+ soul 85

felt bad afterward because he suΩered the fallout, not me.” She finally acknowledged to Mark that she bore some of the blame by pushing him to make a choice he just wasn’t comfortable with. The issue still rears its head from time to time in their personal relationship. “I’ve made it a point to support him,” says Gina, “and to put more thought into my own decisions. I’m now trying to consider all the people involved in a given scenario, rather than react so emotionally.”

As the old saw goes, “Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan.”

It’s human nature to avoid blame, whether we’re talking about who overloaded the washing machine or who caused the collapse of the economy.

But refusing to accept responsibility stands squarely in the way of your growth, and ultimately, your happiness.

“The best thing you can do is acknowledge what you’ve done, and the worst is to try to hide it,” says Seglin. Ducking behind excuses may get you out of the hot seat for a time, but it also keeps you from learning the valuable lessons a mistake has to oΩer.

➺ TRY IT Own up

Next time things go south (a failed business pitch, a wrong turn on a road trip), step up and own the part that’s yours. Ask yourself, what role did I play in this situation? Is it possible that, to some degree, I might have let my own best interests get in the way of a better decision? Then come clean. Speak face-to-face with the person if possible, write a heartfelt and honest letter, or pick up the phone and accept re86 body + soul

sponsibility for the role you played.

Also share what you’ve learned from the experience (“Next time, I think I’ll let you drive.”). You may be surprised by a compassionate and equally accountable response. If not, then at least you’ll know you did your part.

No.

3

MISTAKE MANTRA

“I should have known.”

Riley already knew her fiancé was a cheater—and not only had he cheated, but he’d suΩered the consequences.

A past infidelity with another woman ruined his reputation in the tight-knit community where he lived. And yet, Riley married him anyway. “Given that he’d suΩered so dearly for his mistake, I thought he had more incentive than anyone not to do it again,” she says. Besides, she told herself, weren’t chances just as good that a diΩerent man could do the same?

Three years into their marriage, his cheating ways hadn’t ceased, and Riley divorced him. At times, she feels bad for staying with a partner she knew couldn’t commit. But then she remembers the valuable lesson.

“It’s easy, in hindsight, to say I shouldn’t have done this or that. But we never really know what will happen until we do it. Decisions aren’t right or wrong in and of themselves. All you can do is choose what seems right at the time.

In the end, I have no regrets.”

For the rest of us, the fear of doing the wrong thing can be downright paralyzing. But to spend your life tip-

toeing through a minefield is no way to live—and will hold you back from making the bigger, braver decisions that could change you for the better (or at least teach you something valuable). “If you avoided every possible mistake, you’d be very boring,” says Seglin. “And that choice, to make it your sole purpose to avoid making mistakes, would in itself be a mistake.”

➺ TRY IT See things in a

completely new light

Shift the way you view a “mistake.” It’s a natural part of the journey—a patch of rough and uneven terrain that will ultimately help get you where you most need to go.

“It’s an attitude that you take,” says Seglin. “Embrace life as a process of trial and error, with error getting you further toward where you want to go.” This means easing your fear-driven response (“If I do that, it will surely set me in the wrong direction—forever!”) and focusing instead on decisions that get you from point A to point B. Need evidence that you won’t ruin your whole life with a single choice?

Think about some of the past decisions you’ve made that led you to opportunities you never would have discovered otherwise. Any action, good or bad, moves you in a new direction, whether or not you realize it at this time. When you start seeing things this way, you’ll not only be no worse for the wear, but you may even find that you’re far more open to what life has to oΩer, and freer than you ever imagined.

Prop styling by Julie Ho

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It’s easy to feel good when everything’s going right. But what about when the tough times hit? Here’s our guide to staying afloat and soaring through setbacks.

by frances lefkowitz illustrations by nomoco

hard times offer a priceless reminder of a basic truth about happiness:

Mythologist Michael Meade likes to tell the one about the woman in the cave weaving the world into existence. Each time she gets up to stir the stew she’s got cooking on the fire, her dog pounces on the weaving, unraveling it. When the woman returns to her loom, “she stands meditatively above the chaotic mess and despairs,” says Meade, author of The World Behind the World. “Then she picks up an end and starts weaving again, this time to create an even more beautiful design.”

It’s a story that speaks of creating and undoing, of hope that comes from despair, of picking up the pieces and carrying on—and it couldn’t be more relevant in our world right now. “We’re living through one of those times when things seem to be dark and unraveling.

But from a mythic point of view, we’re in a time of re-creation,” says Meade.

“All creation emerges from darkness.

The great myths are about getting lost in darkness and then finding the surprising way out.”

For those personally affected by the recent economic upheaval, this prospect of reinvention is often the only thing keeping despair from taking over. But even in flush times, when foreclosures, massive layoffs,

108 body + soul

and bankruptcies aren’t constantly dominating the news, it’s a pertinent message. Why? Along with its joys and pleasures, life is famously rife with disappointment—and not to mine our low points for insight only holds us back. “If you make meaning out of your suffering,” affirms life coach MJ Ryan, author of AdaptAbility, “you can turn surviving into thriving.”

The key to spinning gold from straw?

Adaptability, not alchemy. Brilliant adaptors have an innate ability to shake off adversity with a “that was that, now what?” attitude, according to Ryan.

With unasked-for change, “there’s always a death involved—the death of a dream, a belief, or an idea of how we thought it was going to be,” she says. Successfully adapting to adversity means moving, when the time is right, from mourning and regretting to focusing on the options and opportunities opening up before us.

Among those opportunities is the discovery of our own resilience. “Trouble makes people go deeper into themselves and find hidden resources,” says Meade. Recent studies on “post-traumatic growth” suggest that the rewards of meeting challenges include an improved sense of personal strength, an increased appreciation for life, a sense of new possibilities, and improved relationships. “I haven’t met one person in my entire life who hasn’t gone through a hard time without gaining something—courage, tenacity, patience, independence—that they simply wouldn’t have gotten any other way,” says Ryan.

Hard times also offer a priceless reminder of the most fundamental truth about happiness: It comes from inside, rather than out. “Our lasting happiness can and needs to be independent of our circumstances,” says inspirational speaker Marci Shimoff, author of Happy for No Reason. It’s not some spike of emotions or a temporary kind of pleasure that comes when everything is finally perfect and we have all we’ve ever wanted. “It’s an inner state of peace and well-being that you carry with you wherever you go.” Sometimes, it takes a setback to realize this distinction, and to start developing happiness as a skill and an attitude, rather than a goal.

Change is good, the saying goes.

But as for the change that knocks us down and beats us up, it’s possible to find some good even there—though it may take some time, dedication, and creativity. “The soul awakens as things seem to fall apart,” says Meade.

In other words, we don’t ask for crisis, but we can take advantage of it when it arises, and find the surprising way out of the dark.

it comes from the inside, rather than out. It’s a state of being you carry with you.

ways to rebound from a setback

First focus on the body. “Changing

Lisa Nichols, author of No Matter

your posture can change your mood,”

What!, learned valuable lessons from

says Shimoff, who offers this sim-

living with, and extricating herself

ple exercise: Take a wide stance with

from, an abusive fiancé. After mourn-

your arms stretched out from your

ing the failed relationship (“You

sides, so you’re as large and open

can’t skip this step,” she says), she

as possible, and stay there for five

asked herself what gifts this trau-

deep breaths. The open position of

matic experience could possibly

Facing fear and anxiety head-on is

your body can make you feel ex-

have given her. “I made a long list,”

the first step in handling a setback.

panded inside as well.

she says, a tally that included pa-

1 Worry well “The goal isn’t to get rid of your

Next, expand your thinking to see

tience, diligence, focus, and negotia-

worry, but to make it work for you,”

all the options. Because we naturally

tion skills. She also learned that she

says psychotherapist Jerilyn Ross,

put up protective emotional walls

can handle anything that’s thrown at

coauthor of One Less Thing to Worry

in times of crisis, it helps to method-

her—a good thing to know when she

About. She has clients distinguish

ically walk yourself through the

faces adversity in the future.

productive worries (which spark ac-

process. To that end, Ryan suggests

tion) from destructive ones (which

brainstorming seven possible re-

find meaning in a given life event,

trigger an endless loop of catastroph-

sponses whenever you feel cornered

ask the hard questions. Shimoff sug-

ic thinking). Challenge doomsday

by misfortune; after listing these

gests, “If this were happening for a

ruminations with knowledge and per-

options, cross out the ridiculous and

higher purpose, what would it be?”

spective, she says, and write down

unacceptable choices and focus

Ryan likes to ask, “What could be

your arguments in a journal. Is getting

on the ones that sound feasible and

right about this?” Nichols suggests,

a roommate to help pay the rent re-

positive. Ryan also believes in the

“What did I learn?” and “How am I

ally the worst thing possible? Hasn’t

power of gratitude to open up our

stronger now?” However you phrase

the stock market always bounced

mind to abundance rather than

it, these questions will help unearth

back? Isn’t it true that you have other

scarcity. “Our real wealth lies in our

what really matters to you, and what

ways to earn money while you search

talents and experiences, our connec-

you really want to do with your life.

for your dream job?

tions to other people,” she explains.

If you’re stumped when trying to

Counting these blessings helps us

4 Develop resilience

feel happy, and “happiness puts us

Dwelling endlessly in anger and re-

When bad news hits, our first re-

in touch with the resources we need

sentment at the unfairness of it all

sponse is often to tighten up, saying,

to pull through.”

creates emotional turmoil. Addition-

2 Practice expansion “No, this can’t happen.” Learning

ally, lab studies show that anger

to stay expanded rather than contract-

3 Look for the lesson

ed, in mind and body, allows us to

“There’s always a lesson, often one

which can reduce our brain’s ability

better accept what’s unfolding, pay

we’ve avoided or won’t learn any oth-

to think clearly and creatively so we

attention to the sensations of the

er way,” says Shimoff. So practice

can find solutions. How can you

moment, and transform paralysis into

what positive psychologists call “cre-

productive action.

ative construing,” or finding some-

triggers our fight-or-flight response,

thing meaningful or useful in a bad situation. “Bounceback” specialist

body+ soul 109

difficult times give us the rare opportunity to discover our own resilience.

break that cycle? Breathe your way

So when downtime unexpectedly

you, if you just tell them how.” In

through. “Meditation is one of the

comes along (from a job loss or the

her case, she asked to be taken out

most powerful tools for creating the

ending of a relationship that used

to dinner, to get nourished through

mental resilience and clarity neces-

to take up all your time), use it to do

food and company. Her friends

sary to make good decisions and

those things you’ve been meaning

obliged, and she eventually made

weather bad times,” says Kamal

to get to for years. Write that novel;

her way through.

Sarma, author of Mental Resilience.

learn to knit; check out the classics

“If we can drop our thoughts for a

from the library and finally read Pride

7 Help someone else

brief period of time, we can get that

and Prejudice or Anna Karenina;

Remember that connection goes

mental rest we so desperately need.”

paint your bedroom a different color;

both ways. Sometimes it’s supporting

Integrating meditation into your

visit tourist attractions in your area

others that can best pull you out

busy life doesn’t have to be compli-

that you’ve never seen. As English

of your despair. That’s how Azim

cated, he says. At the office, close

professor Willard Spiegelman, Ph.D.,

Khamisa, coauthor of The Secrets

your eyes and sit still for five minutes,

author of Seven Pleasures: Essays

of the Bulletproof Spirit, turned

focusing on the tip of your nose as

on Ordinary Happiness, puts it, “A

his personal tragedy into something

you slowly inhale and exhale. Your

world of simple and not-so-simple

deeply meaningful. After he lost

mind will naturally wander, but keep

pleasures awaits anyone with good

his son Tariq to murder, he used the

gently bringing your attention back

eyes and ears, a library card, and a

crisis to redefine his priorities and

to your breath. Instead of racing to

pair of walking shoes.”

redirect his life: Khamisa founded the

beat traffic as you cross the street,

nonprofit Tariq Khamisa Foundation,

stop at the curb and notice how

6 Tap your resources

you’re standing and breathing; then,

In the best of times, a strong social

lence. “I’m a better person now,

carry this awareness of your pos-

life increases our health, happiness,

concerned with the community. I’m

ture and breath as you start walking

and longevity; in the worst of times,

making a difference in children’s

again. At lunch, eat a piece of fruit

that network acts as a crucial stress-

lives,” says the former investment

as slowly as you can, taking at least

buster, helping us to process our

banker. Of course, to get to this

five minutes, savoring the sensation,

emotions, get perspective, and have

point, he had to grieve for a full three

smell, and texture.

fun. While meditation and action

and a half years. But he also had to

plans work to develop your inner

do something. “Take your energy and

resources, it’s equally important to

put it into action,” he advises to oth-

turn to what Ryan calls your “outer

ers who find themselves in similarly

“The modern world moves too fast

resources”: your friends and confi-

devastating situations. “Look at hard

for the soul,” says Meade, “and there

dants. After all, when things get

hits as God giving you a clue to find

are things trying to catch up with

hard, people need help. For instance,

your real purpose in life.”

you, like books you haven’t read or

when Ryan was getting divorced

people you want to spend time with.”

several years ago, she wrote a letter

5 Take advantage

of downtime

to all her friends, telling them what she was going through and what she needed from them. “People were so happy to know what to do,” she explains. “Your friends want to support

110 body + soul

dedicated to countering youth vio-

Contributing editor Frances Lefkowitz is the author of To Have Not, a forthcoming memoir on bouncing back from a childhood of poverty.

body+ soul 111

26 almonds

3 oranges

the truth about

4 red peppers

+ Each of these portions is about 200 calories.

2 ounces of spaghetti

calori e s

By cheryl redmond photographs by johnny miller

Once mere conjecture, the relationship between our state of mind and our health is now the subject of rigorous science. To maximize your body’s disease-fighting powers and increase your odds of living a long life, put mood-boosting at the top of your list.

By f ran ces l ef ko w itz il lustr atio n s by vivienne flesher

body+ soul 97

96 body + soul

ngie Cherrette was one of those kids who got sick all the time: colds, flus, ear infections. She also suΩered from anxiety and depression. Years later, when she enrolled in a holistic health program that included group therapy, nutrition classes, and bodywork, she began to see the connection between her physical symptoms and her emotional state. “I started dealing with the trauma in my background, and working on my depression and fear, learning to release them. From there, my physical health improved immensely.”

Now 23, Cherrette rarely gets sick, has no more trouble with her ears, and feels more energetic than ever before; she’s also dropped from 180 to 145 pounds. “I consider the emotional steps I’ve taken to be directly related to all these physical improvements,” she says.

It’s not just a figment of Cherrette’s imagination; as a new wave of scientific research is confirming, our state of mind can powerfully aΩect our health. It’s no secret that negative moods, over time, spell trouble for bodily wellbeing. Indeed, depression, chronic stress, and anxiety can wear down our reserves and potentially contribute to conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. But now researchers are looking at it from the other side: Can happiness improve our health? Though not definitive, the evidence is promising. It’s not simply the absence of negative emotions but the presence of positive ones that makes a diΩerence—for everything from cardiovascular health to diabetes risk to everyday immunity.

“Happiness is not an end; it’s a means,” says David Spiegel, M.D., medical director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the Stanford School of Medicine. The best part? You can shift your emotional balance from downbeat to upbeat, even if cheerfulness isn’t your strong suit. This does more than put a smile on your face. It can protect your health and potentially extend your life.

The Chemistry of Emotion In one respect, it’s just common sense that our emotions aΩect our health. When we feel dejected, hopeless, or alone, we tend to not take care of ourselves. “A lot of bad health behavior can be linked to bad emotional management,” says Spiegel. People who are overwhelmed with worry or pessimism are likely to eat badly, fail to exercise, or continue to smoke. When you’re worried, you also don’t sleep as well— and sleep, like diet and exercise, helps the body function properly and resist disease. On the flip side, realistic positive 98 body + soul

thinkers are more likely to follow their doctor’s orders and stick with medical regimens that lead to quicker recoveries as well as longer survival rates.

But the latest evidence shows that the mind-body connection isn’t just about our behavior; it’s also about our chemistry and physiology. “Emotions are a mind-body event,” explains Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D., a professor at the University of North Carolina and author of Positivity. By this, she means that the “biochemical stew” released in our brains when we feel good or bad starts chain reactions in our bodies, sparking physical responses in the central nervous, immune, and cardiovascular systems.

To see how this all works, let’s look at the established research on the ways that negative emotions aΩect our health. The body interprets feelings such as fear, sadness, anger, guilt, contempt, and shame as stress. Accordingly, the central nervous system releases neurotransmitters such as cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. When we feel threatened or upset, these chemicals do things like tell the cardiovascular system to redistribute blood toward the large muscles so that we can defend ourselves or run away—the fight-or-flight response.

Though crucial in the face of physical danger and useful for occasional high-pressure situations, this stress response can harm our health when it gets switched on too often or for too long. Chronic stress takes a tangible toll on our bodies, weakening our immune, nervous, digestive, and reproductive systems and making us more susceptible to everything from heart disease and hypertension to viral infections. And while stress cannot be said to cause cancer, research shows that it can make it progress. Certain tumor cells, for instance, have receptors for stress hormones, suggesting that stress can encourage cancer to grow.

On the spectrum of “bad” emotions, depression and loneliness appear especially damaging. Depression aΩects cortisol levels and has been shown to worsen outcomes in people with cancer and heart disease. As for loneliness, “being isolated is as bad for your health as smoking and high serum-cholesterol levels,” says Spiegel. Loneliness and social isolation, in fact, have been linked to weakened immune systems, high blood pressure, and even a faster progression of Alzheimer’s disease. University of Chicago psychologist John Cacioppo, Ph.D., found that lonely people tend to have more “micro-awakenings” during the night rather than getting a full night of sound, health-replenishing sleep.

And now for the good news. Just as negative emotions spell trouble for your health, positive ones can improve it—

5 ways to get happy

Not sure how to shift your mood, and thereby help your health? Try these surefire tips from our experts.

Do something for someone else.

With happiness, it’s better to give than receive. Studies show that nurturing others mitigates stress. Volunteering, lending an ear, or helping a neighbor can make us feel needed and connected—which encourages a positive mind-set.

Meditate. As a health

booster and de-stressor, meditation is simple and effective. Try it: Sit or lie down for 10 minutes, focusing on the sensation of your breath. Pay attention to each inhalation and exhalation, noticing your abdomen rise and fall. When you realize that your attention has drifted, bring it back to the breath without any judgment. If your attention wanders 100 times in10 minutes, patiently bring it back 100 times.

Move more. Research Get friendly. Spending

quality time with others boosts positive emotions by letting us express feelings, share burdens, and feel connected and appreciated. Have friends over for lunch or join a club, class, or cause. Set up date nights with friends and family. Call faraway friends you’ve lost touch with.

shows that working out can benefit your mood. You don’t have to be an extreme athlete: Even mild exercise releases feel-good hormones. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-paced walking three times a week.

Change your way of thinking. Sometimes we

need some outside support to help shift our mood. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques are based on the principle that how we think affects how we feel. A psychotherapist trained in these techniques can teach you how to interrupt negative thought patterns and replace them with constructive thoughts instead. For help finding a CBT therapist, ask your doctor for a referral or search online at nacbt.org.

body+ soul 99

dramatically. Recent studies suggest that feeling uplifted can potentially help fend oΩ cardiovascular disease. Other findings indicate people who tend to experience feelings like relaxation and hope have lower rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, and viral infections like the common cold. And those with HIV/AIDS who experience positive emotions appear to live longer than their counterparts who don’t.

Again, it’s about chemistry. Positive emotions help the brain release progesterone, oxytocin, and dopamine, which help the body buΩer the eΩects of stress.

A close-up look at the heart illustrates how “feel-good” brain chemicals can benefit our health. Researchers have

Don’t Just PuT on A Happy Face The best news of all may be that the positive emotions do not start and end with happiness. The elusive sense that was described as “happy, happy, joy, joy” by Duke University professor Owen Flanagan, Ph.D., is not the only feeling that’s been shown to boost the beneficial brain chemicals. A whole range of constructive emotions can help, including gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, curiosity, amusement, inspiration, awe, and love. In other words, pleasure has many entry points, so even if you’re not a naturally cheerful person, you can access the health benefits that come with positive states of mind.

The best news of all may be that the positive emotions don’t start and end with happiness. A whole range of constructive emotions can help, including gratitude, serenity, inspiration, awe, and love. discovered that oxytocin and progesterone can mitigate increases in blood pressure and quell spikes in heart rate.

Fredrickson calls these the “bond-related” biochemicals, because they seem to be triggered when we feel socially connected. And it’s not just intimacy or romantic love that activate them, but also “a heartfelt conversation with a friend or even a stranger,” she says. So making friends, discussing your feelings, and communicating all seem to support the heart—in more ways than one.

Two other types of brain chemicals, dopamine and the opioids, increase when we feel gratified and decrease when we’re depressed. Both of these aΩect desire and motivation. Dopamine is associated with wanting things and feeling driven to start activities and pursue goals, while opioids seem to help us feel pleasure once we’ve undertaken an activity. So they can help us pursue healthy behaviors, like playing tennis, dancing, or getting absorbed in a favorite hobby. In addition, the opioids, released both when we exercise and when we laugh, may help to reduce physical pain.

Lest we think the mind-body connection is a purely chemical one, Fredrickson reminds us that it’s also “happening on a psychological and behavioral level.” Positive feelings help us maintain an open attitude, so we try diΩerent things, thus building an array of physical and mental abilities, experiences, and resources. These resources, in turn, help us avoid stress by bringing more creativity to our problemsolving. “A wider range of activities seems attractive to us when we’re feeling positive,” she explains, “so we can choose the right thing at the right time.”

100 body + soul

For instance, feeling peaceful, accepting, or “in the moment”—being so involved in an activity that you lose awareness of the outside world—has been shown to spark a constructive chemical chain reaction from brain to body.

According to Spiegel, it’s more important to feel what you genuinely feel than to fake a joy that’s not there. “The prison of positive thinking,” he says, sometimes makes people think they have to put on a “happy face” even when they’re not in the mood. But false cheerfulness diΩers from genuine happiness. What’s more, notes Spiegel, “suppressing sadness actually prevents happiness.”

Spiegel’s studies of patients who have terminal cancer found that those who join support groups—and therefore have an opportunity to talk about their genuine feelings (as well as cry, complain, and grieve)—reduce their levels of stress and anxiety and may even live longer than those who have no such outlet for self-expression. “You make a devil’s bargain when you try to suppress negative emotions: You suppress all emotions,” he explains. “Experiencing the full range of emotions is what’s healthy.” And true happiness— and healthfulness—comes when we face, rather than flee, our feelings, whatever they may be.

All of this adds up to yet another good reason to follow our passions, relax with friends, tell jokes, and otherwise enjoy ourselves. You might say it’s doctor’s orders.

Contributing writer frances lefkowitz is happy to announce that her memoir, To Have Not, will be published this coming February. She lives in northern California.

body+ soul 101

r ec i p e s by s ar a h c ar e y p h oto g r a p h s by d i t t e i s ag e r

94 body + soul

prop styling by Christine Rudolph

Healthy ways to fulfill every gut impulse— creamy and crunchy, in the kitchen and on the go.

in the kitche n > >

1 / banana, berry, and

buttermilk Popsicles

(opposite page) Purée 1½ cups low-fat buttermilk, 1 banana, 1½ cups fresh or frozen berries, and ¼ cup honey or agave syrup in a blender until smooth. Pour mixture into Popsicle molds and freeze. Makes 10 pops (75 calories each).

2 / pickles and cheese

Combine 1 ounce cheddar cheese and 2 pickles, or 1 ounce cheddar cheese and 2 teaspoons jam on crackers. Try aged cheddar with golden plum, apricot, or peach jam. Serves 1 (cheddar and pickles, 160 calories; cheddar and jam, 146, plus crackers).

prep and go > >

Tip: Look to your leftovers for satisfying snacks, but watch the portion sizes. That means 1 ounce cheese; 2 to 3 ounces meat or fish; 3 or 4 pieces dried fruit; or 1/4 cup, give or take, of nuts.

1 / savory yogurt dip

1

2

Season ¼ cup low-fat yogurt with salt, pepper, ½ teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (dill, basil, cilantro) or a few pinches of dried oregano, and ¼ teaspoon lemon zest. Serve with raw vegetables. Serves 1 (40 calories, plus veggies).

2 / tropical fruit parfait

In a small jar, layer ½ cup fruit cut into ½-inch cubes (kiwis, mangos, and pineapples are nice) with ¼ cup plain low-fat yogurt. Top with 1 tablespoon toasted sliced almonds. Serves 1 (100 calories).

In a food processor, pulse together 1 cup cooked chickpeas with salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil until roughly combined.

Pulse in 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro and serve with crackers. Makes 1 cup; serves 4 (131 calories each, plus crackers).

3 / chickpea dip

3

4

4 / split-pea crisps

Soak 1 cup dried yellow split peas in 3 cups water for 4½ hours. Drain and pat dry. Over medium-high heat, coat a large skillet with oil. Add half the peas; cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and crunchy, 6 to 10 minutes. Season with salt. Repeat with remaining peas. Serves 12 (55 calories each).

96 body + soul

5 / the perfect hard-

boiled egg Cover eggs

with cold water by 1 inch.

Bring water to a boil. Cover and remove from heat.

Let stand 13 minutes. Drain and run under cold water.

(To spice it up, cut the egg in half and top with a dash of salt mixed with paprika; pepper and lemon zest; or chili flakes.) 1 large egg is 1 serving (78 calories).

body+ soul 97

snacks on toas t > >

1 / greek yogurt, cinna-

mon, and honey Spoon Âź cup nonfat Greek yogurt over whole-wheat bread.

Drizzle with 1 teaspoon honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Serves 1 (120 calories).

Tip: Snack on a mix of complex carbs and protein— a combo that metabolizes slowly, giving you more energy over time.

98 body + soul

2 / pear and almond

butter Spread 1 slice whole-

grain bread with 4 teaspoons almond butter (pears and ­a lmonds are a classic combo, but peanut butter also works).

Top with thinly sliced pear.

Serves 1 (217 calories).

3 / ricotta, herbs, and cucumber Stir 1 table-

spoon chopped fresh basil, parsley, or dill into Âź cup low-fat ricotta cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Spread on toast; top with cucumber.

Serves 1 (136 calories).

Tip: Even if you’re pressed for time, you can still snack smart. Skip vending-machine fare and pick wasabi peas, dehydrated soybeans, or carrot sticks with hummus, baba ghanoush, or caponata.

2 / avocado and lime

2

3

Halve or quarter a small avocado and remove pit.

Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of your highest-quality olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and fresh pepper to taste. Spark with a squeeze of fresh lime. Serves 1 (361 calories).

3 / cherry tomato and feta salad Halve 3 ounces

of cherry tomatoes and mix with 1 ounce crumbled low-fat feta cheese. Dress with 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon ­olive oil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with fresh oregano.

Serves 1 (108 calories).

4 / mustard chicken

4

5

with apples Serve 3 ounces cooked chicken breast (turkey or lean pork work well, too) with ½ small Granny Smith apple and 2 teaspoons good whole-grain mustard.

Serves 1 (185 calories).

5 / tuna and white beans

Mix 2 ounces drained, water-packed tuna with 3 tablespoons cooked white beans. Top with a simple dressing of 1 teaspoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon coarse salt, pepper, and 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice.

Serves 1 (172 calories).

All calories are approximate.

body+ soul 101

in the kitche n > >

1 / savory sweet potato

Prepare a dipping sauce with 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sambal oelek (a spicy Asian chilibased sauce). Serve with a baked sweet potato.

Serves 1 (100 calories).

+

B+S Online For 30 more healthy snack recipes, go to wholeliving .com/power-snacks.

You can make a significant, positive difference in your well-being. Find out what to do in each decade of your life to fend off cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, and more with advice from top integrative doctors.

by e r i n o ’ d o n n e l l p h oto g r a p h s by m a n u e l r o d r i g u e z

body+ soul 85

84 body + soul

20s

+

our experts We interviewed some of the top integrative practitioners to guide you through the decades of your health.

Keith Block, M.D., medical-scientific director at the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment in Evanston, Illinois, and author of Life Over Cancer.

Mimi Guarneri, M.D., medical director of the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, San Diego, and author of The Heart Speaks.

Evangeline Lausier, M.D., director of clinical services at Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, North Carolina.

Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., director of the Fellowship at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine in Tucson, Arizona, and lead author of Women’s Health in Complementary and Integrative Medicine.

Sharon Plank, M.D., an integrative medicine physician and medical acupuncturist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Marcia Prenguber, N.D., director of integrative care at the Center for Cancer Care at Goshen Health System in Goshen, Indiana.

Birgit Rakel, M.D., a lead physician at the Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and coeditor of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Older Adults.

Melinda Ring, M.D., medical director of the Center for Integrative Medicine and Wellness at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

86 body + soul

30s

You’re young and busy, and illnesses like heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis don’t cross your mind. But experts agree: This is the time to put disease-fighting strategies in place. Start with an anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, and healthy omega-3 (wild salmon, walnuts, flax) and monounsaturated (olive oil) fats. Limit or eliminate processed foods and sugar, and don’t eat red meat more than twice a week (when you do, choose lean cuts). Rack up 30 to 40 minutes of exercise most days of the week and develop a regular stress-relieving practice, such as meditation or yoga. Also, learn the details of your family’s medical history to get a clearer picture of your health risks.

>

Build Bone, Pronto

What’s important now At this age, most of us take our skeletons for granted—but that’s a big mistake. “You can improve bone density until around 30,” says Sharon Plank, M.D., “but that’s your last chance.” From that point, we tend to lose more bone than our bodies can build. Conscious efforts now can lower your risk of fractures as you age.

What you should be doing Exercise is essential, says Birgit Rakel, M.D. Resistance training and weight-bearing exercise (running and jumping, not biking or swimming) stimulate bone growth, so include them several times a week. Calcium and vitamin D are also critical for sturdy bones. Aim for 1,000 mg of calcium daily from a combination of foods such as low-fat dairy and leafy greens and supplements (calcium citrate is easiest to absorb). To get enough D, take a supplement that contains 1,000 IU of vitamin D3, and spend 15 minutes outside (no sunscreen) daily during summer months.

Consider this Scientists recently gave twentysomethings a daily dose of 1,000 IU of vitamin D during the winter months; by winter’s end, 100 percent of the women still had insufficient levels of vitamin D.

>

Sexual Health

What’s important now An estimated one in four women between 14 and 59 are infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), a mostly symptomless sexually transmitted disease. HPV causes cervical dysplasia, which is characterized by precancerous cell changes that can progress to cervical cancer. “But if you catch it early, you can prevent it from moving forward,” says Marcia Prenguber, a naturopathic physician who specializes in cancer care.

What you should be doing While they help, condoms provide only partial protection; HPV can spread through contact with skin near the genitals. Get an annual Pap smear, and talk to your doctor about an HPVspecific test. “HPV is relatively common in younger women, and many times it goes away,” says Tieraona Low Dog, M.D. So some doctors run the test in twentysomething women only if a pap smear shows abnormal cells. However, after a woman turns 30, most doctors run the test routinely. “Women over 30 have likely had HPV longer and are at greater risk for developing cervical cancer,” explains Low Dog. Since studies suggest that cigarette smoke interacts with HPV to increase cervical cancer risk, limit your exposure to secondhand smoke, and if you smoke, quit.

A diet packed with colorful produce, which offers beneficial nutrients such as carotenoids and folic acid, may help reverse mild cervical dysplasia, Prenguber says. She also recommends a multivitamin or B-complex

+ HEALTHY AT EVERY AGE

that provides 400 to 800 mcg of folic acid, especially if you take oral contraceptives.

Some studies have shown a relationship between the pill and diminished folate levels, which may leave you more vulnerable to cervical dysplasia.

Consider this At some point in their lives, at least 50 percent of sexually active women become infected with HPV.

>

Thwart the “Big Two”

What’s important now Heart disease and cancer rank as the top two killers of women.

The habits you form now will help cut your risk for both diseases in the future.

What you should be doing Cancer specialist Keith Block, M.D., and cardiologist Mimi Guarneri, M.D., agree: Adopt an antiinflammatory diet (as mentioned at left), because abnormal inflammation can spark both diseases. Broccoli, leafy greens, and cabbage are especially important cancer foes, Block says; they convert procancer estrogens in your body to more protective forms of these hormones. What you drink matters, too. It’s a good time to rethink your cocktail consumption if you drink alcohol regularly. Researchers recently found that even one drink a day can slightly increase a woman’s risk for certain cancers. Although red wine has a heart-protective reputation, Guarneri warns against drinking more than four to five ounces (a small glass) daily.

Not only does it fuel inflammation, but it’s also “too much sugar, so it’s fattening,” she says. Any excess weight puts you at greater risk for both of the big two.

Consider this An assessment of 12 studies showed that sticking to a Mediterranean diet can decrease the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by nine percent and from cancer by six percent.

>

Beat IBS

What’s important now If you regularly experience symptoms such as crampy abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea, you’ve got company. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is shockingly common; nearly a quarter of women in the United States suffer from this digestive disorder. The average age of onset: 29.

What you should be doing Confirm the diagnosis with a physician, says Rakel.

Other diseases—ulcerative colitis and celiac disease, for example—have similar symptoms but require different treatments. Try an elimination diet to identify irritants, suggests Rakel, who cites dairy and gluten as two common culprits. Keep a food diary for clues to what bothers you, then remove suspect foods one at a time for a week to see if your symptoms improve.

She recommends taking a daily probiotic to repopulate your bowels with beneficial bacteria (buy a supplement with at least a billion of a variety of organisms), and she also suggests stirring a tablespoon or two of ground flaxseeds into your cereal or smoothie each day. These tiny seeds contain soluble fiber, which, in time, eases both constipation and diarrhea. Enteric-coated peppermint oil may help as well; take one or two capsules containing 0.2 ml of peppermint oil three times a day between meals.

Additionally, chill out with mind-body practices; scientists continue to discover strong links between stress and digestion.

Plank recommends this calming breath anytime you feel tense: Breathe in through your nose for four counts, and then exhale for six. Repeat six times.

Consider this IBS is the second most common reason Americans miss work, after the common cold.

KEY TESTS Make these tests a must, and discuss them with your doctor, who may recommend additional screenings depending on your individual risk factors. type of test

f r e q u e n cy

Dental cleaning and exam

Every six months

Eye exam

Annually

Pelvic exam and Pap smear

Annually for pelvic; every one to three years for Pap; more after an abnormal Pap

HPV test

Every three years beginning at 30

STD test

After sexually active; frequency according to risk

Clinical breast exam

Every three years

Self breast exam

Monthly

Cholesterol test*

Every five years starting at 20

Blood pressure

Annually

Self skin exam to check for changing moles or freckles

Monthly

Clinical skin exam

Annually (as part of a regular checkup)

Thyroid test

Every five years beginning at 35

Vitamin D

Every one to three years

* Total cholesterol, LDLs and HDLs, and triglycerides

body+ soul 87

40s 50s As you age, you need to work harder to keep your body healthy, says Keith Block, M.D. A woman generates more inflammatory chemicals as she grows older, he says, setting the stage for heart disease and cancer. Over time, we also accumulate more oxidative damage to our DNA, further raising our risk of cancer. Increase your odds of staying illness-free by sticking with an antiinflammatory, Mediterranean diet, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, and healthy omega-3 (wild salmon, walnuts, flax) and monounsaturated (olive oil) fats. Processed foods and sugar should be limited or eliminated, and red meat should show up no more than twice a week on your plate (be sure it’s lean). Aim for 30 to 40 minutes of exercise most days of the week, and develop a regular stress-relieving practice, such as meditation or yoga.

>

Meet Menopause Head-on

What’s important now Estrogen levels drop through your forties until you reach menopause (marked by the absence of a period for a year), often in your early fifties.

For some women, this dwindling hormone supply triggers symptoms such as hot flashes and sleep problems.

What you should be doing Try the simplest solutions first. One daily serving of whole soy foods, such as tempeh and edamame, may help cool hot flashes, says Birgit Rakel, M.D. (Women with breast cancer or who’ve had breast cancer should not eat soy so often.) For some women, a standardized form of the herb black cohosh helps calm hot flashes. A typical dose would be 20 mg twice a day, says Melinda Ring, M.D., but she recommends working with your doctor due to potential side effects.

For sleep problems, Rakel suggests mela88 body + soul

tonin (start with 0.5 mg before bed; if this doesn’t help after a week, raise your dose to 1 mg, increasing to a maximum of 6 mg over time) or valerian (start with 400 mg before bed; if this doesn’t help after a week, raise to 800 mg). Cautionary advice: Don’t combine these remedies or take them for more than six weeks at a time.

If none of these options help, some women consider a short course of hormone replacement therapy. You should make this highly personal decision with your doctor, based on individual risk factors, family history, and your own health history.

Consider this About 6,000 U.S. women reach menopause every day. The average age of onset: 51.

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Love Your Heart

What’s important now Beginning at menopause, more women die of cardiovascular disease than any other cause. Your heart attack risk rises—and that’s not all. A 2007 study found that women 45 to 54 were twice as likely to suffer a stroke as men were. Make protecting your heart and blood vessels one of your main priorities.

What you should be doing Continue to get regular cardiovascular screenings. The high-sensitivity test for C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker for abnormal inflammation, is especially important. “For women, the marker for inflammation appears to be the most sensitive predictor of a future heart attack,” says Mimi Guarneri, M.D. Because inflammation often lies at the root of heart disease, follow an anti-inflammatory diet. A healthy diet and regular exercise also helps prevent type 2 diabetes, which greatly raises a woman’s risk of heart disease.

Heart attack symptoms in women differ from those in men, so learn the signs. “If all of

a sudden you have unexplained fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, tightness between your shoulder blades, or discomfort in your left arm, neck, or chest that comes with exertion, go to the emergency room,” Guarneri says—the sooner, the better. “We have a little expression in cardiology: Time is tissue. The more time you waste, the more potential damage to your heart muscle.”

Consider this Eating a couple squares of dark chocolate each week can reduce your levels of C-reactive protein, decreasing your risk for cardiovascular disease.

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Look Out for Cancer

What’s important now Your risk of many types of cancers—including breast, colon, and ovarian cancer—rises as you age. Go on the defensive now.

What you should be doing Be conscientious about cancer screenings. Catching the disease early may save your life, Block says. But keep in mind that while mammograms and other screenings spot existing cancer, they can’t stop a cancer from developing. Block recommends other tests that “give you ways of seeing what’s going on before cancer becomes a full-blown, diagnosable disease,” he says. These include high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (to check for inflammation) and a glucose test (to check for insulin resistance), because inflammation and excess insulin can set the stage for cancer. If patients have a CRP level of 2.7 mg/l or higher, for example, Block helps them design an aggressive regimen to quell inflammation. Regular exercise, along with an optimal diet, may be the most important insurance against breast cancer deaths, Block adds. A recent study of women over 50 shows that those who exercised the

+ HEALTHY AT EVERY AGE

most reduced breast cancer risk by up to a third. This protection may come from the fact that aerobic exercise can convert estrogens from a cancer-stimulating form to a version that may help prevent cancer.

In a study of women being treated for cancer, those who walked three to five hours per week (26 to 43 minutes daily) cut their risk of death in half.

Consider this Behaviors such as smoking, physical inactivity, and bad eating habits account for as many as 50 to 75 percent of U.S. cancer deaths, estimate scientists.

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Review Bone Status

What’s important now In the first five years after menopause, the drop in estrogen can trigger dramatic declines in bone mass. Making a big effort now can help you slow those declines.

What you should be doing Rakel advises that patients undergo a DEXA scan to check bone density at menopause, once their period has ceased for a year. This first DEXA provides a baseline so you can track any future declines, Rakel says.

Some women may need a scan in their forties, including those with digestive disorders like celiac disease (which limits nutrient absorption) and those on medications that compromise bone, like corticosteroids.

Diet and exercise play key roles in maintaining bone density. All of our experts recommend that women have their vitamin D levels tested regularly; deficiencies of this bone-building vitamin are common, especially in northern latitudes, where sunlight is weak. Take 1,000 IU of D3 daily, and spend 15 minutes outside every day in summer months before applying sunscreen; this allows your body to synthesize vitamin D in your skin. Consume 1,000 mg of calcium

daily from a combination of foods (such as low-fat dairy and leafy greens) and supplements (calcium citrate is easiest to absorb).

After menopause, increase your intake to 1,200 mg. And be diligent about making weight-bearing activities (such as jumping rope and jogging) and weight lifting part of your exercise routine.

Consider this Women can lose 20 percent or more of their bone density during the five to seven years following menopause.

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Mind Your Midlife Weight

What’s important now “Most women gain 10 pounds with menopause,” says Guarneri.

Excess weight is a powerful risk factor for heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

What you should be doing Muscle burns calories, so rev a slowing metabolism by working out with weights three times a week.

And keep in mind that as your metabolism slows after menopause, your calorie needs decrease slightly. “We may continue to eat out of habit, however, not listening to our hunger levels,” says Sharon Plank, M.D. To counteract mindless eating, she recommends a food diary. For several weeks, write down everything you eat. Record other details, too, such as hunger levels and mood states when eating, energy levels after eating, and calorie counts. “Once you’re aware, you eat less,” Plank says. “It’s also nice to review diaries over time to focus on how foods make you feel and whether they give you energy or take it away.” Guarneri recommends cutting calories by decreasing or eliminating soft drinks, beer, and wine.

Consider this A large study that followed women 42 to 52 for three years found that those who maintained a high level of physical activity—or began to exercise more—didn’t gain midlife weight.

KEY TESTS Make these tests a must, and discuss them with your doctor, who may recommend additional screenings depending on your individual risk factors. type of test

f r e q u e n cy

Dental cleaning and exam

Every six months

Eye exam

Annually

Self breast exam

Monthly

Mammogram and clinical breast exam

Annually starting at 40

Pap smear and pelvic exam

Every one to three years; more after an abnormal Pap

Full cholesterol panel*

Every five years

Blood pressure

Annually

Thyroid test

Every five years

Glucose tolerance test (to screen for diabetes)

Every three years starting at 45

Fecal occult blood test (to check for blood in stool)

Annually starting at 50

Flexible sigmoidoscopy

Every five years starting at 50

Colonoscopy

Every 10 years starting at 50

Bone density (DEXA)

Every two years beginning at menopause

Self skin exam to check for changing moles or freckles

Monthly

Clinical skin exam

Annually (as part of a regular checkup)

Vitamin D

Every one to three years

* Total cholesterol, LDLs and HDLs, triglycerides, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein

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60s + It’s best to have healthy habits in place by now, but if you don’t, “it’s not too late to start,” says Keith Block, M.D. Population studies of older people, for instance, show they can reduce their cancer risk by one third with lifestyle and nutrition changes.

The same advice from previous decades still holds true: Adopt an anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, and healthy omega-3 (wild salmon, walnuts, flax) and monounsaturated (olive oil) fats. Limit or eliminate processed foods and sugar, and don’t eat red meat more than twice a week. (When you do, be sure to choose lean cuts.) Get 30 to 40 minutes of exercise most days, and adopt a regular stress-relieving practice, such as meditation.

>

Keep an Eye on Cancer

What’s important now You’re more likely to get a cancer diagnosis now than at any other time of your life. The median ages of breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer diagnoses are 61, 71, and 71 years old.

What you should be doing Keep up with screenings. Catching the disease early can make treatment easier, says Block. But because the immune system grows less effective with age, in part due to declining attention to nutrition, Block urges even more diligence about other anticancer habits, like eating an anti-inflammatory diet, and suggests cutting back on fat. Postmenopausal women who limited their fat intake to 20 percent or less of total daily calories experienced a 24 percent drop in breast cancer recurrence rates. “That’s profound,” says Block. “There aren’t many drugs on the planet that could provide that significant a decline in risk of recurrence.” Cut way back on red meat, chicken, full-fat dairy, and pro90 body + soul

cessed snack foods, and eat more omega-3 fats (wild salmon, trout, walnuts) and omega9s (olives, avocados). These changes reduce your overall fat intake while providing more of the healthy fats that help prevent and fight cancer. In addition, emphasize plant-based proteins and whole grains, and up your intake of vegetables.

Block also recommends a daily dose of ground flaxseeds (two tablespoons), which provide omega-3s along with lignans, plant chemicals that have anti-estrogenic properties and protect against breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers. A small study of postmenopausal nuns found that eating flax reduced their levels of two types of estrogen that may increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Grind the seeds in a food processor or coffee grinder and stir into your cereal or yogurt. (The ground seeds spoil quickly, so grind small amounts and store them in the refrigerator or freezer.)

Consider this A study of more than 14,000 women who were living in New York City found that those with the highest meat consumption had nearly twice the likelihood of developing breast cancer.

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Bone Up on Osteoporosis

What’s important now Your risk of osteoporosis keeps rising with age. Small-framed women with a family history of osteoporosis face particular risk, but all postmenopausal women should be attentive. The stakes are high: One in five patients who break a hip require long-term care, and about a quarter of older people with a hip fracture die within a year of the break.

What you should be doing Continue to exercise. In addition to weight-bearing cardio (like walking) and strength training, add a balance component to your workout to help

ensure against stumbles, says Sharon Plank, M.D. Consider a tai chi class, for example; studies show that this system of traditional Chinese movement can help lessen falls. If DEXA scans confirm that you have osteoporosis, work with a personal trainer or yoga teacher who understands the disease and can design a workout that protects your skeleton, Plank adds. Another important probone habit: Consume up to 1,200 mg of calcium daily, getting a combination from supplements (calcium citrate is easiest to absorb) and food (such as low-fat dairy and leafy greens), says Birgit Rakel, M.D. Vitamin D also appears to be crucial for bone health; take 1,000 IU of D3 daily, and ask your doctor to test your levels.

Consider this A study of women over age 65 showed a nine-week Iyengar yoga class improved their balance, stability, and gait.

>

Stay on Heart Health

What’s important now Cardiovascular disease remains the number-one killer of women in this phase of life. The average age of first heart attacks: 70.

What you should be doing The basic strategies for protecting your heart and blood vessels remain the same: Eat an antiinflammatory diet, exercise most days of the week, and drink no more than one alcoholic drink a day. Consider your emotional state; researchers continue to link depression and stress with heart disease risk. To counteract their effects, develop positive coping skills, such as exercise and meditation, and reach out to friends or a therapist. “Research shows that even if you’re depressed, if you have support, you have better health outcomes,” says Mimi Guarneri, M.D. And be sure to monitor your own health if you’re caring for an ill spouse or parent. “It’s a

+ HEALTHY AT EVERY AGE

wonderful thing to be a caregiver, but the research shows that if you don’t take care of yourself, it’s very much associated with getting sick,” she says. A 2008 study found that people who were the primary caregivers to loved ones who’d suffered a cardiac event had increased heart disease risk factors themselves. Be diligent about eating well, getting enough sleep, and taking time for yourself, including breaks for mind-body practices like yoga.

Consider this In one study, people with elevated C-reactive protein lowered their levels by 34 percent by taking daily doses of vitamin C; the reduction compared favorably to those achieved in studies of statins.

>

Stimulate Your Brain

What’s important now So-called “senior moments” are often a normal symptom of getting older, says Evangeline Lausier, M.D. But take note if you become especially forgetful: One new case of Alzheimer’s develops every 70 seconds in this country, reports the Alzheimer’s Association.

What you should be doing “First get tested to make sure you’re not dealing with some medical illness that’s causing dementia,” Lausier says. Memory trouble can stem from treatable disorders, including thyroid problems or vitamin B12 deficiency. Because age-related memory declines are linked to inflammation, Lausier recommends eating an anti-inflammatory diet, including several servings of cold-water fish (such as salmon or trout) each week. And get active: A number of studies show that regular activity improves brain function. Finally, stimulate your brain to keep it working well. Plank recommends playing cards, chess, or computer games or learning a new language.

Consider this A study found older people

with mild memory problems who exercised 150 minutes per week earned higher scores

on thinking and memory tests.

>

Boost Digestion

What’s important now Aging can be tough on your digestive health. Your stomach produces less hydrochloric acid, making digestion less efficient and triggering bloating and indigestion in some people, says Lausier. Long-term digestive troubles can lead to more serious problems. Constipation also plagues older women, especially those who don’t exercise. Putting on extra pounds, as many women do after menopause, also boosts your risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

What you should be doing The loss of stomach acid allows bad gut bacteria to thrive, so Lausier recommends eating eight ounces of a probiotic-rich yogurt daily to boost good bacteria and ease symptoms such as bloating. Plant-based digestive enzymes can also perk up sluggish digestion; chew one or two tablets before meals. Both Lausier and Rakel recommend flaxseeds to ease constipation. Grind them in a food processor (or buy them already ground) and stir a teaspoon or two into cereal or smoothies. Follow with a glass or two of water for best results, and refrigerate or freeze any seeds you don’t use (they spoil quickly).

For acid reflux, Rakel recommends taking two deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) tablets before meals to neutralize acid.

Consider this Findings from the Nurses’ Health Study show that GERD symptoms increase progressively as a woman gains weight. Conversely, symptoms decrease in women who shed pounds.

KEY TESTS Make these tests a must, and discuss them with your doctor, who may recommend additional screenings depending on your individual risk factors. type of test

f r e q u e n cy

Dental cleaning and exam

Every six months

Eye exam

Annually

Self breast exam

Monthly

Mammogram and clinical breast exam

Annually

Pap smear and pelvic exam

Every one to three years; more after an abnormal Pap

Full cholesterol panel*

Every five years

Blood pressure

Annually

Thyroid tests

Every five years

Glucose tolerance test (to screen for diabetes)

Every three years

Fecal occult blood test (to check for blood in stool)

Annually

Flexible sigmoidoscopy

Every five years

Colonoscopy

Every 10 years

Bone density (DEXA)

Every two years

Self skin exam to check for changing moles or freckles

Monthly

Clinical skin exam

Annually (as part of a regular checkup)

Vitamin D

Every one to three years

* Total cholesterol, LDLs and HDLs, triglycerides, and

produced by Erika Preuss

high sensitivity C-reactive protein

body+ soul 91

1.

Sip oolong tea. Research suggests that people with mild eczema who drink oolong tea three times a day may show improvement in itching and other symptoms. Compounds in the tea called polyphenols appear to be responsible.

Thought staying healthy was complicated? It can be as easy as sipping tea and taking your vitamin D. Learn how to tame tension, boost memory, ease indigestion, and more.

BY JESSICA CERRETANI PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHNNY MILLER

Some health advice is universal: Eating well, exercising, and reducing stress go a long way toward boosting wellness and preventing chronic disease. But what about those individual health issues—headaches, cramps, indigestion—that we often feel we just have to live with? As it turns out, treating day-to-day ailments is easier than you think. To discover the 50 best home remedies for common health issues, we consulted Andrew Weil, M.D., integrative physician and author of Why Our Health Matters; Daphne Miller, M.D., author of The Jungle Effect; and James Nicolai, M.D., medical director of the Franciscan Center for Integrative Health in Indianapolis. As always, talk to your health-care practitioner about new herbs and supplements you’re interested in taking.

2.

4.

Go herbal. For varicose veins, try horse chestnut, an herbal extract that’s been shown in studies to strengthen veins and reduce swelling. The herb is also available in topical creams, though there’s not as much evidence for these.

Enjoy ginger. The volatile oils in ginger have long made it a useful herbal remedy for nasal and chest congestion.

Pour two cups of boiling water over a one-inch piece of peeled, grated ginger, steep for 10 minutes, and strain.

Add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper to the water and drink as needed.

3.

Rub your temples. Tame tension headaches by rubbing peppermint oil, Tiger Balm, or white flower oil into your temples. All three remedies contain menthol, which has analgesic properties.

5.

Get a good pair of sneakers. Is your energy lagging? Though it may be the last thing you feel like doing when you’re tired, exercise—even a brisk walk—can be more effective than a nap or cup of coffee at fighting fatigue.

SNIFF ROSEMARY. According to some research, catching a whiff of this aromatic herb may increase alertness and improve memory. To stay sharp, try smelling fresh rosemary or inhaling the scent of rosemary essential oil before a test or meeting.

B+S ONLINE Find more

tips to help you feel your best at wholeliving.com/ photogallery/feel-your-best.

Peppermint oil may relax blood vessels, which leads to pain relief.

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50 Simple Health Tips 7.

Embrace bitters. Combat a yen for sugar by following a Chinese medicine approach: Eat foods like endive, radicchio, cooked greens, and olives.

8.

From left to right: radiccio, endive, mustard greens, green olives

Go fish. If you suffer from dry eyes, up your seafood intake. Salmon, sardines, and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids, which the body uses to produce tears, among other things.

Research suggests that people who consume higher amounts of these fats are less likely to have dry eyes.

9.

In bowls, clockwise from top: kimchi, miso paste, and yogurt .

Pop a probiotic. To keep yeast infections at bay, head for the vitamin aisle. Supplementing with “good� bacteria (for example, Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium) may help restore the balance the of bacteria living in the female genital tract and inhibit the growth of yeast in women with recurrent infections. Foods such as naturally fermented sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir, as well as yogurt with active cultures, also contain these bacteria.

10.

Benefit from bilberry. Studies are mixed, but some have found that bilberry, a relative of the blueberry, may improve night vision. During World War II, fighter pilots reported better night vision after eating bilberry jam. Take 25 to 50 mg of bilberry extract; expect best results within the first few hours.

11.

Eat bananas. People whose diets are rich in potassium may be less prone to high blood pressure. Besides reducing sodium and taking other heart-healthy steps, eat potassium-packed picks like bananas, cantaloupe, and oranges.

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15.

18.

Go for garlic. Adding raw or lightly cooked garlic and onions to your meals may help keep you healthy this winter.

Both foods appear to possess antiviral and antibacterial properties and are believed to boost immunity.

Eat avocados. For dry skin, incorporate more avocados into your diet.

They’re rich in monounsaturated fat and vitamin E , both of which promote healthy skin. Try them on salads and sandwiches, and even in smoothies.

16.

Try tea tree oil. For athlete’s foot, reach for tea tree oil, an extract of the leaves of an Australian tree. It appears to have antiseptic properties and may work as well as or better than over-thecounter antifungal products. Apply a light coating of the oil to affected areas two to three times a day; continue for a week or two after symptoms disappear.

17.

LOVE LAVENDER.

To ease stress and prepare for bed, soak in a hot bath spiked with a few drops of lavender essential oil. Play soothing music while you bathe to unwind further.

Take tulsi. Research suggests that this Ayurvedic herb, also called holy basil, may help manage levels of the stress hormone cortisol, helping to boost your mood. Look for teas and supplements in health-food stores and follow package directions.

For a moisturizing mask , apply mashed avocado to your face for 10 minutes.

19.

Keep echinacea close. If you feel a cold coming on, consider reaching for this age-old remedy. A 2007 metaanalysis showed that the herb can reduce cold symptoms. Aim for three grams daily in tincture or capsule form, starting at the first sign of symptoms.

13.

Keep capsaicin cream on hand.

For sore muscles and joints, apply a cream or ointment that contains capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers, two or three times a day.

The heat from the peppers has been shown to help relieve pain.

14.

Get a massage. Certain trigger points—spots of tension in musculoskeletal tissue—can cause back pain.

Ask a massage therapist or other bodyworker who specializes in myofascial release or neuromuscular therapy to focus on these points during a massage.

Tulsi makes a delicious mood-boosting tea.

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50 Simple Health Tips 22.

27.

Make small talk. Engaging in casual conversation with others may help keep you as sharp as doing a word puzzle, according to some studies. Just 10 minutes of daily chatter appears to improve mental function and preserve memory.

Eat Japanese food. In addition to following good dental hygiene, you can help prevent cavities by adding more shiitake mushrooms and wasabi to your diet. Both foods contain compounds that help fight the bacteria that cause plaque and cavities.

23.

20.

Invest in a neti pot. Plagued with sinus problems? Rinse your nasal passages twice a day to flush out pollen and other irritants. Put saline solution (a quarter teaspoon salt and one cup warm water) in a plastic squirt bottle or a neti pot, a spouted container that allows you to pour water directly into your nose. The solution should fill your nasal cavity and spill out the other nostril. Gently blow your nose afterward.

21.

Try Triphala. Avoid constipation and stay regular with Triphala, an Ayurvedic blend of three fruits that is believed to help tone the gastrointestinal tract.

Look for capsules of Triphala and follow package directions.

Befriend a bottle. For heel and arch pain, try stretching your foot by rolling it over a rolling pin or a bottle.

24.

Arm yourself with arnica. Homeopathic creams, gels, and ointments that contain arnica, a flower similar to the daisy, have long been used to relieve swelling and bruising. Rub into the affected area, but stop using if you develop skin irritation.

To harness wasabi’s mouth-cleaning powers, be sure it contains Wasabia japonica.

25.

28.

Go for GLA. If you’ve ruled out other causes of hair loss, such as stress, overuse of hair-care products, and certain medications and diseases such as hypothyroidism, consider supplementing with evening primrose oil. It’s a good source of gamma-linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid that’s needed for hair growth and is hard to get from your diet. Experts recommend taking 500 mg twice a day; expect to wait eight weeks to see results.

Consider black cohosh. Evidence is mixed, but several studies have found that women who take the herb black cohosh during menopause may experience fewer and milder hot flashes. Talk to your doctor about whether it’s right for you; if so, choose a wellstudied brand such as Remifemin.

26.

Go natural. Avoid products that can damage or dry out your fingernails, such as formaldehyde-containing polishes and acetone-filled removers.

29.

Hydrate. To treat an acute migraine, drink a full glass of water—dehydration can trigger headaches. Even if you need to take a medication for the pain, try wrapping your head with an Ace bandage so that it covers your eyes, then lie down and breathe deeply. This often helps the pain pass more quickly.

TRY ACUPRESSURE.

Calm a queasy stomach with this quick acupressure trick: Use your index and middle fingers to press down on the groove between the tendons that run from the base of your palm to your wrist. Wristbands that apply pressure to this spot are available at drugstores and online.

80 body + soul

31.

Watch your carbs. Trying to reduce belly fat? Pay attention to your carbohydrate intake and avoid artificial sweeteners. Sugary snacks and other refined carbs spike blood sugar and cause pounds to settle in your midsection. Choose whole grains, beans, and vegetables instead.

32.

Use calendula products. To ease acne, forgo benzoyl peroxide for lotion or soap made from calendula flowers, which may have antiseptic effects.

33.

Cayenne pepper. To warm up cold feet, sprinkle a bit of cayenne pepper into your socks. This folk remedy may help warm your toes by increasing circulation and improving blood flow.

34.

Use licorice. Treat canker sores, painful spots on the inside of the mouth, with deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), which appears to soothe mucous membranes. Buy in powder form and mix with a little water to make a paste; apply it to the sore as needed.

35.

Call a friend. Keeping your social networks alive and well may help benefit your ticker over the long term.

Social support has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, and people who do have heart attacks fare better if they are socially connected.

Licorice root, shown in powder and whole form, is extremely versatile.

36.

Drink cranberry juice. Cranberries contain a substance that appears to keep bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract and has been shown to help prevent UTIs. Because cranberry cocktail is high in sugar, drink unsweetened juice diluted with water or take capsules of powdered cranberry extract. body+ soul 81

50 Simple Health Tips 40.

43.

Try a tongue scraper. To combat bad breath, consider investing in this inexpensive plastic or metal device to remove bacteria from the back of your tongue. Some studies suggest that adding tongue scraping to your regimen may be slightly more effective at eliminating breath odor than just brushing your teeth.

Wash up. To fend off colds, washing your hands well and often is the best step you can take. Use plain soap and water and scrub for as long as it takes to sing “Happy Birthday to You” twice.

41.

37.

Swab your soles. Are you tired of having stinky feet? Kill odor-causing bacteria quickly by soaking a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and wiping your soles as needed.

38.

Drink mint tea. Ease occasional indigestion by sipping a cup of peppermint tea after your meal. Peppermint improves the flow of bile, which moves food through the digestive tract more quickly. Use peppermint with caution if you have acid reflux; it can make that problem worse.

GET YOUR DAILY D. Get your vitamin D level checked with a simple blood test. D is as least as important as calcium for strong bones, and most Americans don’t get enough. Get a minimum of 1,000 IU a day through supplements and food.

82 body + soul

Find friendly fungi. The medicinal mushroom cordyceps has traditionally been used to promote lung strength, and some studies show that it may improve symptoms of respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis. Look for capsules or tinctures of cordyceps; follow package directions.

42.

Break out the duct tape. Stick it to warts with this unusual remedy.

Some research found that applying the tape over problem areas for about a week helped clear up warts as well as conventional treatment. Duct tape may work by irritating the skin, triggering an immune reaction that fights the infection typically responsible for warts.

44.

Try a tincture. For that most unpleasant of stomach upsets, diarrhea, blackberry root tincture can help.

This herb contains tannins, substances that have astringent effects on the intestinal lining. Look for the tincture at health-food stores or online (try herb-pharm.com) and take one teaspoon of it in water every two to four hours until symptoms subside.

Clockwise from top left: Oily fish, eggs, fortified breakfast cereal, and supplements provide bone-building vitamin D.

45.

Fennel can help relieve gas and bloating by relaxing the digestive tract.

Chew some fennel seeds. Fennel seeds are considered a carminative, a substance that helps relieve gas.

Chew and then swallow about half a teaspoon of the seeds after meals.

46.

Have some honey. Research suggests that honey may be more effective than over-the-counter cough syrup at quelling nighttime coughing.

Use a medicinal-grade variety such as manuka honey and take up to two teaspoonfuls at bedtime.

47.

Eat broccoli. For healthy gums, put this green vegetable on your grocery list. It’s an excellent source of vitamin C and provides calcium as well, both of which have been linked to lower rates of periodontal disease.

48.

Bone up on calcium. Studies have found that supplementing with 500 to 1,200 mg of calcium daily may ease premenstrual symptoms. Other research suggests that getting calcium from foods (low-fat dairy, whole grains, cruciferous vegetables, spinach, and beans) may also ease PMS .

49.

Slippery elm lozenges are derived from the inner bark of the red elm tree.

Seek out slippery elm. To soothe a sore throat, try slippery elm, which can help ease pain by coating irritated tissue. Look for slippery elm lozenges and suck on them as needed.

50.

Drink green tea. Hot or iced, green tea can help rev up your workout. Its catechins, antioxidants, and caffeine help increase the metabolic generation of heat. Drink a cup about 10 minutes before exercising. food styling by Ashley Ristau, prop styling

by Elizabeth Adler and Megan Hedgpeth body+ soul 83

86 body + soul

>> Get a jump on Total Mind and body wellness with

our four-week plan.

WEEK 1 PURIFY + ASSESS >> game plan:

detox your diet

+

gauge your fitness level

+

start a journal

The first week of the Action Plan is about creating a clean slate: You’ll ease into a four-day detox to supercharge your health. The mostly liquid meal plan delivers nutrients “in a fuel-injected way” that’s less taxing on the body than solid foods, says Clean author Alejandro Junger, M.D., creator of our detox program. “When the digestive system is working less rigorously, your body can focus on detoxification,” Junger explains.

Driving out toxins, he adds, can help you start to feel revitalized from head to toe. > Prepare to cleanse

In the three days before your detox, focus on whole grains, vegetables, fruit, and fish and chicken; avoid sugar, dairy, and fried foods. (For a full Detox Food List with items to include and exclude, visit wholeliving.com/action-plan.

For an abbreviated list, see page 89.) Drink plenty of water, and ease up on the caffeine: Try green tea over black tea or coffee. (People with certain health conditions shouldn’t detox; if you’re not sure, check with your doctor.)

> measure Fitness

During this pre-detox period, assess your fitness with the four simple tests on the next page, developed by Kent Burden, mind-body program director at the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa. Record the results so you can track your prog-

ress. “If you aren’t happy with your fitness test results,” says Bob Harper, trainer on The Biggest Loser and author of Are You Ready!, “remember this is just a starting point on your way to becoming stronger and healthier.”

b y e l i z a b e t h b a r k e r p h oto g r a p h y b y a n n a w i l l i a m s

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WEEK 1 PURIFY + ASSESS > Start detoxing

During your four-day detox, stick to liquid meals (fresh juices, smoothies, and soups) for breakfast and dinner and a solid meal at lunch. If you don’t have a juicer, grab a smoothie or visit an organic juice bar. For snacks, try raw veggies, fresh berries, or raw almonds along with herbal tea. Keep drinking lots of water, flavoring it with lemon or mint if you want. And for optimal cleansing, leave at least 12 hours between dinner and breakfast.

You’ll find recipes for all the soups, smoothies, and juices—plus detox tips—at wholeliving.com/action-plan. > Day 1 Breakfast: mango smoothie and herbal tea (or hot water with lemon)

Lunch: steamed bass with fennel, parsley, and capers* Dinner: chilled cucumber soup with mint > Day 2 Breakfast: carrot, beet, cabbage, and watercress juice and herbal tea (or hot water with lemon) Lunch: stir-fry vegetables with buckwheat noodles Dinner: fennel/apple juice > Day 3 Breakfast: energy smoothie with almond butter and cardamom Lunch: plain roast chicken and green salad Dinner: mango smoothie > Day 4 Breakfast: pineapple and avocado gazpacho Lunch: steamed salmon and steamed vegetables Dinner: green juice

*For lunch, feel free to create a meal from any of the items in the Include column on the Detox Food List, opposite. Aim for variety, and take care not to supersize your portions. For example, a lunch salad might include four ounces of protein, ½ cup of grains, greens, a cup or two of vegetables, a tablespoon of oil, and several herbs and spices. > Move and rest

Devote half an hour daily to gentle exercise (yoga, stretching, or leisurely walking) to rev up your circulation. Your energy levels may fluctuate during the detox, so rest when you’re tired instead of struggling through.

And be sure to get eight hours of sleep each night.

> Journal Throughout the Action Plan, take time each day to keep a journal about the experience. The journal is a way to set your goals for better health, to begin paying attention to what you’re eating and why, and to figure out what’s really stressing you. At the end of the Action Plan, it’ll be a record of your results. > Transition Once your detox is done, ease back in to eating normally (but healthfully). If reintroducing a certain food alters your mood or energy level, note it in your journal. Keep your caffeine intake light, and drink plenty of water.

> Fitness assessment

1

2

>> Cardiovascular

Endurance

1. For three minutes, step on

and oΩ a 1-foot-high bench (or a similarly sized stair or sturdy box) at a steady pace.

2. When the three minutes are up, sit down and immediately take your pulse for one minute.

3. Compare your heart rate results with the chart below. If your results aren’t what you’d like, use that as motivation to work on your endurance.

Age

good

18-25

>85

26-35

>88

112-119 127-138

36-45

>90

111-118 130-140

46-55+ >94

116-120 130-135

88 body + soul

avg.

poor

109-117 127-140

3

>> Arm Strength 1. Start in a modified push-up

position: get down on all fours with hands just outside shoulder width and slightly in front of your shoulders. Align your knees directly with your hips.

Keep your abdomen tight and your spine straight.

2. Lower body until elbows are at a 90-degree angle and your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Return to start position.

3. Keep going until you reach muscle exhaustion.

4. Compare your results with those in the chart below. avg.

poor

18-25

Age

good >35

11-20

2-5

26-35

>36

12-22

2-6

36-45

>37

10-21

1-4

46-55+

>31

8-17

1-3

>> Core Strength 1. Get into the plank position

(balancing on your elbows and toes, body lifted parallel to the floor) and hold 60 seconds.

2. Lift your right arm oΩ the floor, hold 15 seconds, then return to start position. Repeat with your left arm.

3. Lift your right leg oΩ the floor, hold 15 seconds, then return to start position. Repeat with your left leg.

4. Lift your left leg and right arm oΩ the floor, hold 15 seconds, then return to start position. Repeat with your right leg and left arm; return to start position. Hold for 30 seconds.

RESULTS: If you can com-

plete the test, you have good or excellent core strength. If not, don’t worry: You’ll get there.

4

>> Flexibility 1. If you need to, warm up

with a few minutes of cardio.

2. Sit with legs extended, feet

slightly apart.

3. Place one hand on the other,

then slowly reach forward.

4. Hold the stretch a couple of seconds, then use a ruler to measure how far you’ve reached beyond the base of your feet.

If you didn’t reach your feet, use a negative measurement to mark the distance between your stopping point and the base of your feet.

5. Compare your results to the description below.

RESULTS: Good job if you reached 4.5 inches. Anything from 0.5 inch to 4 inches is average, and if you were in the negative ranges (especially below -3), keep trying.

Juice up

Nutrient-rich liquid meals will keep your digestion running smoothly during the detox. You’ll find recipes at wholeliving.com/action-plan.

energy smoothie

mango smoothie

Detox Food List

For a full list of foods to include and exclude, see wholeliving.com/action-plan.

green juice

Include Dairy substitutes (e.g. rice milk) Non-gluten grains (e.g. quinoa) Lean protein Fruits and vegetables

Exclude Dairy and eggs Butter, mayonnaise Alcohol and caffeine Refined sugar

Fennel/Apple juice

carrot, beet, cabbage, and watercress juice

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veg out

a plant-based diet—with plenty of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains—is essential for maintaining weight and overall health. as you’ll see here, a primarily vegetarian menu doesn’t have to leave you hungry or deprived.

satisFy your sweet tooth with in-season Fruits.

a hanDFul oF nuts makes a Filling snack.

lentils anD beans are PackeD with lean Protein.

aDD richness with Plant-baseD Fats like 90 body + soul avocaDo anD olive oil.

whole grains keeP your blooD sugar stable.

Fresh herbs anD sPices aDD Flavor anD antioxiDants.

WEEK 2 DIVE IN >> game plan:

eat your veggies

+

observe your eating patterns

+

get moving

+

breathe

With your system cleansed and your mind and body reenergized, it’s time to dive into the heart of the Action Plan. As you set out on a healthier approach to nutrition, use your journal to jot down everything you eat: A food diary can help you identify challenges (whether it’s managing portion sizes or coping with cravings). For sample meal plans, see the Nutrition Action Plan on page 96 . This week you’ll also intensify your exercise program and begin exploring a simple destressing technique. > Nutrition

> Mindful Eating

> Fitness

> Stress Relief

This week, you’ll aim for at least seven daily servings of veggies and fruit. Choose fresh (or frozen) produce over canned goods packed with preservatives. “The trick is to get a wide variety of color,” notes Kathie Swift, R.D., lead nutritionist for the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. “If you shoot for one serving of purple cabbage, another serving of mango, and so on through the whole checklist of colors, you’ll end up with a daily dose of different phytochemicals that have been shown to help protect against disease.”

At the end of each day, take a few minutes to journal about your eating habits.

If you’re a beginner...

While it’s impossible to con­ trol what stresses you, you can control how you react to it. Slowing your breath is one of the simplest ways to stop anxiety from overpowering your brain and body, according to Frank Lipman, M.D., holistic physician and author of Revive, who suggests the exercise below.

Go veggie for main dishes.

Instead of animal protein, turn to legumes (such as beans and lentils) and soy foods (including tofu and tempeh) for at least two meals a day: Fix yourself a Buddha Bowl (description on page 96) for lunch, then cook up a lentil dish for dinner. (See the Nutrition Action Plan on page 96 for more menu ideas.)

Stick to whole grains. Aim

for three to six daily servings of high-fiber, nutrient-rich whole grains (such as quinoa, barley, bulgur, oats, and brown rice), and pass on the white bread, rice, or pasta.

Note how food makes you feel. Tune in to how you feel

before eating, and whether you’re stressed or depleted.

Also track how you feel— both physically and emotionally—after a meal or snack.

Home in on your habits. Pay

attention to how you eat: Do you usually work through your lunch or switch on the TV at dinnertime? Do you take time to chew thoroughly? Do you put your fork down between bites, or plow through a meal without stop­ ping? After you’re done eating, record your observations in your journal. “Writing all this down raises awareness of your behaviors,” says Susan Albers, Psy.D., author of Eating Mindfully. “Simply watching yourself more closely can inspire you to improve the way you eat.”

>

WEiGHT-LOSS Tip

Instead of serving food “family style”—which can encourage multiple helpings, just because the food is on the table—portion out servings directly from the stove onto your plate.

Start by sizing up your schedule and pinpointing pockets of time you’ll be able to devote to working out. Aim for 30 minutes of walking each day this week, even if it means squeezing in three 10-minute workouts: in the morning, on your lunch break, and at the end of the workday. “The main goal for now should be establishing a routine that you’ll be able to stick with,” says Harper. “Once you get going and start to feel better on a daily basis, you’ll be motivated to make your workouts longer and more intense.”

If you’re more advanced...

Take your workout to the next level. Choose from one of the cardio options on the Fitness Action Plan on page 95, then incorporate intervals of intense activity followed by per­iods of lighter movement. Try alternating three-minute bursts of walking and jogging, for instance, or switching between three-minute intervals of tough pedaling and leisurely cycling on your bike. Interval training boosts cardiovascular fitness and burns more calories.

>> try this: Take five minutes to practice this breathing technique: 1. Find a quiet space, sit in a chair (preferably one with a straight back), and close your eyes.

2. Inhale through your nose, drawing your breath from deep in your belly.

3. As you exhale, try to relieve the tension in your muscles, one group at a time.

4. If your mind starts to wander to stressful thoughts, turn your attention back to your breath.

Take one or two breath breaks throughout the day.

Each night, set aside a few minutes to write in your journal about what’s stressing you out: Unburdening your brain before bedtime may bring more restful sleep. To finish up your journaling session, list the people, things, or events for which you feel grateful.

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WEEK 3 AMP IT UP >> game plan:

make healthy food switches

+

savor your meals

+

pump iron

+

meditate

Your top goal for the third week of the Action Plan is shaking off the bad habits and taking on healthy ones. You’ll learn nutritious substitutions for food indulgences, incorporate strength training into your fitness routine, and get new strategies for pumping up your everyday activity level. You’ll also pick up a few mindful-eating and meditation techniques for your whole-body makeover and continue to record your food intake and monitor your stress in your journal. > Nutrition

> Mindful Eating

> Fitness

> Stress Relief

Look over last week’s journal and suss out the trouble spots in your diet, then take a cue from these hints for smarter eating. Keep using the Nutrition Action Plan on page 96 for meal ideas.

Now that you’ve become more aware of how you eat, pay attention to your hunger and really savor your food.

Each time you eat, practice these techniques:

Keep up your cardio routine, and add weights to the mix.

If taking up a meditation practice seems daunting, start with the beginnerfriendly technique on the opposite page. “Meditation teaches us focused concentration—and the more you do it, the easier it gets,” says Lipman.

Rate your hunger. Before, Shun saturated fats

(often found in processed foods and full-fat dairy) in favor of the healthy fats in olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, and oily fish like salmon.

Try to satisfy your sweet tooth with fruit. Snack on

in-season goodies like clementines or kiwis, or savor the natural sweetness of a few dried apricots. If your sugar cravings are fierce, try a teaspoon of raw honey.

To curb salt cravings, turn

up your food’s flavor with fresh herbs and spices. Add cilantro to soups, spice up stir-fries with garlic and chili peppers, and season your salads with basil.

during, and after your meal or snack, assess your hunger on a scale of 1 to 10. Try to stop eating once your hunger hits 7, so your brain will have time to realize it’s full. If there’s still food on your plate, scale back next time.

Slow down. Concentrate on chewing slowly and relishing each bite. Aim to make each meal last at least 20 minutes. “Pay close attention to all your senses,” Albers advises. “Use your tongue to feel your food’s texture and gauge its temperature.

Breathe in the aroma. Ask yourself, ‘How does this really taste? Does it truly satis­fy my taste buds?’”

Sit at a table and turn your

To survive a midafternoon slump without guzzling

coffee or soda, brew up a cup of chai or green tea.

Opt for cooking methods

(like stir-frying and steaming) that help preserve nutrients by working quickly and requiring little water.

92 body + soul

full attention to your food each time you eat. Research shows that people who work while eating tend to take in more calories than those who focus only on their plate.

Pump iron. You’ll introduce a short strength-training session to your workout two days this week. Strength training not only builds muscle, it increases bone density, helps you achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and shields your joints from injury as you age. Select eight moves from the Fitness Action Plan on page 95, making sure to work arms, chest, core, and legs. (Warm up first with at least 10 minutes of cardio.)

Make it a habit. Meditate every day this week, devoting 15 minutes to each session. Once you’re in the swing of it, deepen your practice with additional techniques from the Stress Relief Action Plan at whole living.com/action-plan.

Get moving. Try to work more

Keep journaling. Continue

physical activity into your everyday life. “There are all sorts of ways you can move more frequently throughout the day, if you just get cre­ ative,” Harper says. If you can, consider walking to work a couple of days each week or using your bike to run errands rather than driving. Even small changes— doing lunges or knee bends while making phone calls, or taking a quick lap around the office every hour—can give you a burst of energy and rev up your cardiovascular fitness.

Does your increased activity boost your mood or energy? Note it in your journal.

writing at night to dispel daily stress and recognize gratitude, and note the moments when you feel most at peace throughout the day. How can you find more of those calming influences?

>

weight-loss tip

Since we tend to load up on calorie-rich starches, changing the landscape of your plate can help you rein in portions. Aim to fill half your dish with vegetables, a quarter with whole grains, and a quarter with a healthy lean protein.

> meditation for beginners 1. Sit in a chair and allow your body to settle.

2. Slowly scan your body from toe to head, noticing where you feel tight.

3. Bring your attention to your breathing, inhaling and exhaling through the nose but never forcing your breath.

Keep your mouth softly closed, your jaw relaxed.

4. Become more and more sensitive to your breath, in tune with where your body moves (and doesn’t move) on the inhale and exhale.

5. Allow your awareness of your breath to bring ease to your entire body. Imagine your body moving toward the earth, fully supported.

6. Continue observing your breath moving in and out of your body.

7. At the end of the 15 minutes, breathe deeply three times, allowing the inhale to move down to your toes and the exhale to move up and out of the tops of your shoulders. Pause and then open your eyes.

For more stress-relief techniques, see the Stress Relief Action Plan at wholeliving.com/action-plan.

body+ soul 93

WEEK 4 CREATE LASTING CHANGE >> game plan:

eat for the planet

+

expand your menus + get flexible + find joy

Reflect on all the positive changes you’ve made so far—and zero in on any areas where you’d like to see more progress. While you keep nurturing your new healthy habits, pay especially close attention to the areas where you need improvement, using your journal to uncover any reasons why you might be struggling. Before you wrap up the Action Plan, go back to your journal entries from the first week to reaffirm your intentions and set new goals for healthier living in 2010. > Nutrition

> Mindful Eating

> Fitness

> Stress Relief

This week, think about the big picture: How can you choose lower-toxin foods?

“Being aware of environmental-nutrition issues— and choosing the cleanest food available to you—is a key element of healthy eating,” Swift says.

Work on bringing mindfulness to your food choices.

Round out your workout regimen with a stretching routine: Stretching improves your range of motion and keeps you agile as you get older; it can also ease muscle tension and help release everyday stress.

Now that you’ve begun practicing breathing and meditation, try other stress-reducing techniques at wholeliving .com/action-plan. Experiment to find what calms you most.

Be a conscious consumer.

Go organic when possible; consult the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides (food news.org) to learn which produce has the highest pesticide load. To find fish high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids but low in mercury and other contam­ inants, check the Environmental Defense Fund’s Seafood Selector (edf.org).

And to cut back on chemicals found in certain plastics that may disrupt hormonal function, invest in a reusable, stainless-steel water bottle.

Stay the course. As you

strive to make healthy eating a long-term habit, think about how you can stay on course even when life gets in the way. When you’re dining out, stick with veggieloaded meals that offer lean protein and few starches or unhealthy fats. For help in keeping up your new plan, seek support from friends and family who are also trying to build better health.

94 body + soul

Indulge wisely. Rather than dipping into the office dough­ nuts, save your splurge for a bar of premium chocolate.

Expand your diet. Instead

of focusing only on what you need to cut from your diet, try adding seasonal fruits and veggies, new grains, and other good-for-you foods that you haven’t eaten before. “Mindful eaters tend to focus on expanding their diets rather than restricting them,” Albers says.

Get limber. At the end of

each workout session, take a few minutes to work toward increasing your flexibility in each major muscle group, using the moves on the Fitness Action Plan, right, as a guide. Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds, breathing deeply and slowly throughout each move.

Reflect. Look back at your

journal entries and note when you overcame an obstacle to mindful eating— or slipped up in your efforts.

>

WEiGHT-LOSS tip

To keep your metabolism humming, try the following strategies: + Eat four to five small meals a day, rather than three large ones. + Sip two or three cups of green tea per day. + Keep up with strength training; muscle burns more calories than fat.

Keep it up. Moving forward, shoot for at least 30 continu-

ous minutes of exercise at least five days a week, gradually increasing the duration and/or intensity. If you’re trying to lose weight, train for about an hour four to six times a week—but make sure to take one day off each week to rest, replenish, and stave off fatigue. “On those days when you don’t have the strength or stamina to get moving,” Harper says, “honor that feeling and know that you have the power to get back on track again once your energy is restored.”

Reassess your habit. Try

the fitness assessment tests again, and note any progress you’ve made.

Find your flow. Listening to

soothing music, connecting with nature, exploring your creative side, and connecting with friends can also help restore your energy and leave you better equipped to cope with stress in the long run.

“Whatever you can do to get out of your head for a bit— even if it’s just dancing around the room—is going to be really helpful in taking the edge off,” Lipman says. These activities can not only help ease tension but infuse your day with happy moments and, in turn, nourish your spirit.

Make time for yourself.

Carve out a few hours each week just for pursuing pleasures. Whether they’re simple (rereading a beloved book) or luxurious (getting a massage), these little pockets of time are key to creating a more joyful life—the perfect antidote to everyday stress. >>Want to keep the momentum going? Tune in each issue to our Whole Life Action Plan­—in our pages and at wholeliving.com—where our experts will offer fresh suggestions for building on the progress you started here.

FITNESS ACTION PLAN The optimal workout includes cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises.You’ll find instructions for the strength and flexibility exercises at wholeliving.com/action-plan. >Movement menu Cardio (30-minute session)

*Calories based on a 140-pound person > walking 127 calories > jogging 223 calories > cycling 159 calories > swimming 191 calories > hiking 191 calories > climbing stairs 191 calories > rowing 223 calories > step aerobics 191 calories > dancing 175 calories > jumping rope 255 calories

> elliptical training 175 calories > snowshoeing 235 calories > cross-country skiing 255 calories > in-line skating 223 calories Strength Training > Arms

push-ups bicep curls lateral raises front raises tricep extensions > Chest

chest presses chest flies > Core

horizontal wood chop classic plank crunches (variations:

weighted, ab crunch on balance ball, standing crunch) dead lifts > Legs

squats lunges mountain climbers Flexibility

warrior one warrior two triangle pose hamstring stretch quad stretch seated-pike stretch calf stretch single-leg pike butterfly glute stretch seated dancer stretch downward dog upward dog lotus

body+ soul 95

NUTRITION ACTION PLAN

Overwhelmed with menu planning? Let us do the work: Mix and match from these healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. breakfast

LUNCH

> 1 poached egg with 1 cup sweet potato hash (sweet potato, shiitake mushrooms, onion, garlic) Calories: 260

> 1 cup raw veggies with ¼ cup bean spread or hummus Calories: 140 > 4 kelp crackers Calories: 25

> Sliced banana or apple with 1 tablespoon nut butter; add a

> Handful of nuts and/or seeds Calories: 170

sprinkle of ground flaxseed or rice bran for more fiber Calories: 220 > 1 cup organic yogurt with

1 cup fresh, seasonal fruit (or frozen berries) and 1 tablespoon mixture of chopped raw nuts and seeds Calories: 260

> 1 cup miso soup with ½ cup tofu and edamame Calories: 220 > 1 piece sprouted-grain toast with 1 tablespoon nut

butter and fresh fruit Calories: 240

> Buddha Bowl

> Green salad with salmon

> Energy bar (based on whole foods like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits) Calories: 210

> Antipasto salad with beans

> 5 endive leaves spread with

(1 cup white beans or garbanzo beans), 4 hearts of palm, ½ cup artichoke hearts, 5 olives, 3 slices roasted red pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil Calories: 660 > 2 cups green salad with ½ cup baked tofu or tempeh, or 3 ounces grilled chicken or salmon; dressing made from 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon freshchopped herbs Calories: 350

¼ cup olive tapenade Calories: 100

> Snap peas dipped in R cup

hummus Calories: 180

DINNER > 3 ounces grilled fish or chicken with medium sweet potato, 1 cup steamed broccoli, salad Calories: 310 > 4 ounces tofu and 2 cups veggie stir-fry over 1 cup buckwheat noodles (with fresh lime juice and wheatfree tamari for sauce) Calories: 360 > Sprouted-corn tortilla with ½ cup black beans, 1 cup veggies, salsa, red onion, and ¼ avocado Calories: 320 > 1 cup of minestrone, black bean, or lentil soup with seasonal veggies Calories: 350

> 6 ounces veggie juice Calories: 38 > Handful of black bean chips with salsa Calories: 180

treats

> Hempseed or pumpkinseed wrap at least 1 inch thick with veggies (grated carrots, cucumber, red pepper), protein (white bean spread, canned wild salmon), and healthy fat (avocado, olive oil) Calories: 680

> Homemade hot cocoa

> Buddha Bowl: grain (½ cup

> Coconut-rolled dates Calories: 200

steamed quinoa, millet, brown rice), 3 ounces tofu or ½ cup beans, 1 cup vegetables, herbs and spices (bay leaf or turmeric), 2 teaspoons organic sesame oil, and a splash of wheat-free tamari Calories: 350

96 body + soul

SNACKS

> Coconut chai Calories: 120

(high-quality cocoa powder, almond milk, honey) Calories: 130

> Homemade mu≈ns made with whole-grain flour, blackstrap molasses, apple, and cinnamon Calories: 170

> Ve≠ie stir-∫y All calories are approximate.

Prop styling by Julie Ho, wardrobe styling by Lulu Chen, hair and makeup

by Gigi Gommers, food styling by Jee Levin

’Tis the season to overeat. Rev up your metabolism now, and your body will help you burn those excess calories

Before the party season arrives, kick your metabolism into high gear by building muscle and intensifying your workout. Your body will be better equipped to handle any extra helpings. More tk here to fill How? It works like this: Lean muscle tissue burns more calories— even at rest—than fatty tissue. “For every pound of muscle you have, you burn an extra seven to 10 calories per day,” says Carla Sottovia, Ph.D., assistant fitness director at the Cooper Fitness Center in Dallas.

Add intensity—getting your heart rate up and allowing yourself little rest between movements—and the metabolic effects become even more dramatic. “Because you’re forcing your muscles to work harder, you burn more calories,” says Sottovia. More tk here to fill tk in the future.

To boost your metabolism, we created a challenging yet empowering routine of total-body, strength-training exercises interspersed with by kate hanley

photographs by sergio kuharac

body+ soul 3

lunge with rotation

THE ROUTINE

Start with one total-body exercise, then follow with a high-intensity cardio interval for 20 to 60 seconds. Rest for 15 to 20 seconds, and repeat this sequence until you’ve exercised for 30 minutes.

Total Body Exercises

Practice these moves in any order. Do each for 12 reps, and use eight- to 10pound weights when required.

What it does Works the glutes, quads, hamstrings, shoulders, back, and core How to do it Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding one dumbbell horizontally with both hands close to your body at chest level. Step the right foot forward into a lunge (don’t extend your knee beyond your toe); as you do, extend your arms straight out at chest height. At the bottom of your lunge, turn your torso and arms to the right, keeping your arms at chest height and your spine vertical. Return to face front, then step your right foot back to meet the left and bring the weight back in to your chest. Repeat on the left to complete one rep.

squat, curl, and press What it does Strengthens

quads, glutes, hamstrings, shoulders, core, and biceps How to do it Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight in each hand with your arms by your sides and palms facing your thighs.

Keeping hands where they are, engage your abs and glutes, and bend both knees to come into a squat. Return to a standing position. Once you’re fully standing, bend your elbows and curl the weights up to chest level, palms facing you. Then press the weights straight up until arms are fully extended, palms facing away.

Slowly lower weights back down to chest level. Return to starting position to complete one rep.

Tip tk here in the future to explain more about the moves tk here tk in the future

step one

CARDIO INTERVAL SUGGESTIONS Cardio Spurts

Focus on one or two of these exercises, do the whole range, or come up with your own moves. Just make sure you keep the intensity high for the full interval.

Jumping Jacks

Do at a quickened pace to boost your heart rate.

Nordic Track Jumping Jacks

step two

Keeping arms straight and legs slightly bent, alternate jumping one foot forward and one foot back, swinging the arms in opposition to the legs.

High-Energy Jog in Place

Lift your knees up to your chest or kick your butt to maximize intensity.

Jump Rope

If you don’t have a rope, pretend that you do. Alternate between hopping on both feet at once and jumping on one foot at a time.

Squat Jumps

side plank with twist What it does Builds core muscles; targets the shoulders, back, and glutes How to do it Lie on your right side, feet flexed and stacked on top of one

another. Lift your torso and bring your right elbow to the floor under your right shoulder, with your forearm pointing straight in front of you. Engage your core and lift up your hips so your body is on an even incline and only the outer edge of your right foot and right forearm are on the floor. Reach your left arm straight up; this is the starting position. From here, curl your left arm under your right side, rotating your torso so you’re almost parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position. Do 12 reps on each side. To make it a little easier, bring the inner edge of your left foot to the floor a couple inches in front of the right foot.

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips. Squat and jump straight up. Land with knees bent deeply, and hold the squat for three to five seconds before jumping again.

body+ soul 5

step one

step two

push-up to star position What it does Strengthens the chest, triceps, shoulders, and core How to do it Lie on your stomach, feet about eight inches apart. Place

your palms on the floor slightly wider than your chest with your thumbs pointing toward your body at chest level. Straighten your arms to come to the top of a push-up. Do 12 push-ups, moving slowly to keep the intensity high. (Bring knees to the floor if completing 12 push-ups is too challenging.) Or, if you’re more advanced, come to the top of the push-up, then lift your left arm straight up, rotating your torso so it’s perpendicular to the floor.

Bring your arm down and return to the starting position to complete one rep. Do 12 reps, alternating the direction of your star position each time for a total of six rotations on each side.

6 body + soul

B+S Online Want to shed some pounds? Discover foods that can jump-start weight loss at wholeliving.com/photogallery/ weight-loss-power-food-recipes.

pliĂŠs with diagonal lift What it does Targets the core, shoulders, and back; strengthens the glutes, quads, and calves How to do it Start with feet wide, about three to four feet apart, toes turned out in a pliĂŠ stance. Hold one weight, turned horizontally, with both hands in front of your navel.

Shift your weight to the left as you bend the left knee and straighten your right leg; at the same time, bring the weight down to the inside of your left knee. Now transfer weight to your right leg, bending your right knee and straightening your left leg; at the same time, move the weight across your body, keeping arms straight, and up to shoulder height on the right. Shift back and forth, moving the weight from your left knee up to right shoulder

Tip tk here in the future to explain more about the moves tk here tk in the future

GeT More

Love

In Your LIfe When you look at this all-powerful emotion as more than a temporal feeling, you find freedom— and become your best self

By terri trespicio i l l u s t r at i o n s By trisha krauss

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We all want more love. Between seeking it, courting it, and nurturing it, we spend the better part of a lifetime engaged in an all-out quest for aΩection. We yearn for partners who adore us, kids who worship us, friends and colleagues who celebrate us, even a cat who chooses to curl up on our side of the bed. Taught to see love as something that happens when we’re good and deserving, we’re utterly lost without it.

The search leaves us at the mercy of circumstance. If we’re connected to the source of our longing, we’re “in” love. When the connection is broken, we’re “out.” We don’t think of love as existing on its own—but it does. Love transcends the people and things that pass through our lives as well as the ups and downs of

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relationships. It’s an entity in itself, an enduring, unwavering presence. When we choose to live—and love—unconditionally, embracing ourselves, other people, even the world at large, we find freedom. We feel at once more rooted and grounded, confident and buoyant, less vulnerable to stress, fear, anxiety, disappointment, and jealousy. In a word, we become our optimal selves.

With an eye on Valentine’s Day, we asked a former Fulbright Scholar, a prize-winning novelist, a celebrated journalist, a pop-culture diva, and The New York Times “Modern Love”–column editor to share their thoughts on love. They look at the phenomenon from their personal perspectives, peeling back the wrapping to expose the gift itself.

What you’ll find in their moving stories is that love plays a far greater role than any single moment or person can contain.

Rather, it’s a force that piques our curiosity, tests our instincts, and surprises us—even when we have known it all our lives.

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At Home in the Land of the Beautiful { by emily rapp }

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efore i moved to los Angeles, I had none of the following: a personal trainer, a nutritionist, an acupuncturist, a psychiatrist, a massage therapist, a celebrity hairstylist, an astrologer.

But within weeks of moving into my Santa Monica apartment, I’d hired one of each. After two years of living in artists’ colonies and university towns on the East Coast, I arrived in LA with a job but no friends. I was soon overcome with powerful envy of the women here with their tanned, taut flesh, their trendy hair, their casually hip designer clothes. Life in LA as a 31-yearold divorced woman with an artificial leg (my foot was removed when I was four due to a congenital defect) suddenly felt like a recipe for social isolation.

How would I make friends if I didn’t look right? How would I date? How would I compete?

I quickly assembled a team of professionals to get me into more acceptable shape. Seeing my body as a project was nothing new. As a child, there were trips to the prosthetist for fittings of my wooden leg; as a teenager, the all-consuming maintenance of an abstemious lifestyle; as an adult, highintensity fitness training. But what I realized now as I shu√ed oΩ to see my trainer, nutritionist, and hairstylist was that the lobbies and salons brimmed with other women who felt just as I did—like imposters in this land of the beautiful.

After conversations with a few of them (some of whom have since become friends), I realized something surprising: We all thought we could somehow make ourselves perfect, which was why we all waited our turn in the stylist’s chair, on the therapist’s couch, on the acupuncturist’s table.

We hoped to trim and talk and poke ourselves into a perfect state, one we might never quite achieve, even with a lifetime’s worth of appointments. It was the insecurity, not my body, that was the real problem.

I decided to keep the trainer and the psychiatrist and drop the rest. On most days, I feel fit, active, and sometimes euphoric. Oddly enough, I feel more at home in Los Angeles than I have in any place I’ve ever lived before. My hair looks fine; my qi feels well-distributed; the planets continue to spin. I’ve built a life replete with friends, work, colleagues, art, intellect—and, yes, even dates. I walk along the palm-tree-lined streets of Santa Monica or past the flashy high-rise buildings on Wilshire or through the mosaic-filled parks of East Los Angeles and think: This body is mine, and it’s alive in this city. And I’m overwhelmed by a sense of gratitude that feels a lot like love. emily rapp is a core faculty member in

the M.F.A. in Creative Writing program at Antioch University Los Angeles. She is the author of the recently published Poster Child: A Memoir.

Love on a Leash

{ by liesel litzenburger }

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hirty and single, i moved back to Michigan, where I grew up. A loop of questions played over and over in my mind, and they all seemed to begin with “why”: Why wasn’t I more settled? Why didn’t my life look more like I expected it to look? Why wasn’t I in a serious rela-

tionship? My friend Camille’s advice was simple. “Get a dog,” she said.

A dog!? I couldn’t have a dog. I didn’t have a yard. My job required that I travel, stay out late, move. A dog? I didn’t own a house. I liked my freedom. A dog? Maybe when I had kids—not now. A dog was number four or five in the life plan, not one. But

Camille was insistent. “You need a dog.

Then you can worry about the house, the guy, the kids, whatever you want in life. But first, the dog. Trust me.”

Camille hadn’t wanted a dog either.

One day, though, a man she barely knew approached her in a park with his beautiful golden retriever. He was dying of cancer. “I know you’ll love her just as much as I do,” he said, gently placing the leash in her hand. Camille accepted and grew to love Roxie as much as anyone has ever loved a dog.

A few weeks later, I pushed past my fears and adopted a dirty, half-starved puppy from the local animal shelter.

Found abandoned in a parking lot, she’d been scheduled for euthanasia the day before, but the worker who put down unwanted animals called in sick. The dog melted into my shoulder as I carried her away. Outside, free at last from her cage, she took huge happy breaths, rolled on the grass, stared up at the sky.

I named her Flora.

Years later, I love her more than I can explain. Some days I rest my forehead against her warm dog forehead and send her my best thoughts. She does the same. Love is always there; Flora reminded me of this. I bought a house so Flora could have a yard.

Later, I met a wonderful man and fell in love. There’s more, of course—all of it out of my preconceived life order.

“Try to love the questions themselves,” the poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote.

Camille was right. Love the parts of life that have no answers. And get a dog. liesel litzenburger wrote The Widow-

er, her acclaimed debut novel. Her latest work of fiction, Now You Love Me, is due out in February. body+ soul 105

Barb and Me

{ by peggy orenstein }

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met my true love at age 10 on the ski slopes of eastern Minnesota. We were the two most hopeless cases in our Snow Bunnies class. Kismet works in mysterious ways: Three years later, we landed in the same seventh-grade home-ec class.

The scarf she made for a final project came out shaped like a rhombus. I reknit it for her, and we were tied together as buddies for life.

When we think about love, we think about the melding of intimacy and passion. This isn’t that story. What Barb is, what she’s been for more than 30 years, is my best friend—my anchor, not my rocket ship. Ours is the template I’ve brought to all subsequent relationships—with men, with other women friends. Perhaps because of that, I’ve gone through life with few confidants, and that’s fine by me.

It’s rare to find someone else who measures up.

Barb has borne witness to every big event of my life. It was Barb who celebrated the publication of my first article and the birth, so hard won, of my only child. It was Barb who sent Hershey’s Kisses when I was recuperating from a broken heart and coloring books when I was recuperating from breast cancer. And it’s Barb, I swear to you, who’s calling as I write this sentence, because she always knows when I’m thinking of her.

Though I’m grateful that she’d risk our friendship rather than lie, I cringe whenever she asks, “Do you really want to know what I think?” Once, after she demanded I leave a destructive relationship, I didn’t speak to her for months, not until I was ready to admit she was right. She never said, “I told you so.”

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After that, I looked for a lover who’d treat me as well as she did. In my husband, that’s what I eventually found.

But as much as I love him, I’m a practical gal. I’ve read the stats: Women almost always outlive their mates. So when the menfolk go, Barb and I have a plan: We’ll spend our golden years together in the Jewish little old ladies’

home back in Minneapolis. That will be us in the corner of the cafeteria, playing mah-jongg and giggling over the cute male orderlies. That will be us, still acting like 13-year-olds after all these years. peggy orenstein is a contributing writer to

The New York Times Magazine.

M a k e Lov e a P raC T i C e

“All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.” ~Leo Tolstoy

The State of Connecting { by sally horchow }

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ove may be a “manysplendored thing,” but it’s also a many-misunderstood one. “Don’t worry,” people intoned during the lonely years before I met my husband. Skeptically, I listened as they sang their choruses of “It’ll happen!”—or worse, “When you least expect it, expect it.” I was never standing by, not expecting it.

I looked and yearned and hoped for it. When it came, it was because I had worked for it. When it came, I was ready.

That’s the real lesson of love, I think: It’s not something you wait for the world to bestow upon you. It’s something you work toward. But not as you would the gold ring (or, in my aforementioned search, a diamond one)—rather, as in a kind of meditation. Love exists in a constant state of practice. Love is life’s work, a state of mind you strive for, not attain.

As I eventually found out, the process of finding love is not unlike

finding a friend. You listen, you express yourself, you follow up. And you keep an open mind. I’ve found friends in shy wallflowers, mean professors, and complete opposites of my other friends. They’ve appeared in crowded airports, at the frozen food section, and in jobs I hated. I made these friends because I live in a constant state of connecting. The thing is, we all do.

We’re human. But it’s when we make a conscious eΩ­ort to render these encounters meaningful that we begin to practice connection as an art.

When I finally did meet my husband, he was someone I had great conversations with, someone I could depend on, someone who liked me—warts and all. He was and is a really cute, funny, sweet, smart, well, friend. That’s a part of love I never expected. sally horchow, a popular lifestyle and

trend expert, coauthored The Art of Friendship: 70 Simple Rules for Making Meaningful Connections.

From experts in the school of life, six steps to getting good at love L o v e yo u r s e L f f i r s t “Love always begins with generosity toward yourself.

It has to: You can only give what you have.

When you can enjoy authentic self-love, you have enough for the whole world.”

–don miguel ruiz, author of The Four Agreements and The Mastery of Love s tay p o s i t i v e “Where we put our attention is what we attract. To bring more love into your life, don’t linger on fear or lack; surround your desires with positive energy and intention. And do it every day.”

–margaret mccraw, ph.d., author of Tune Into Love C u Lt i v at e a L L t y p e s “You probably have more love in your life than you realize. When we become overly focused on finding an ideal mate, we miss opportunities for enjoying degrees of intimacy with other people. Ultimately, one person can’t give you everything. Look for love in new places.” –e. kay trimberger, sociologist and author of The New Single Woman M a k e i t s u s ta i n a b L e “The ecology of the planet is a powerful metaphor for the state of our hearts and souls. When we don’t practice love toward others and ourselves, we allow damage to accumulate over time. Create a more loving atmosphere by cultivating kindness, not only with strangers, but with the people in your life.”

–wendy strgar, love/sex columnist and founder of Good Clean Love, Inc. e x p e r i e n C e g r at i t u d e “Love rises spontaneously in a person who’s grateful.

Start validating love’s presence in your life by thanking it; it wants to be thanked.

Thank the sun, your home, your cat. Thank everything you come into contact with.

We don’t need to remain victims, waiting for love to come from outside. We can set ourselves free by the quality of attention we bring to our experience right now.”

–richard moss, m.d., author of The Mandala of Being p r a C t i C e C o n s i s t e n C y “The challenge of love is not unlike that of yoga— to love the practice itself, even when you don’t feel like doing it. This is the foundation of love, and the definition of commitment.” –judith hanson lasater, ph.d., p.t., author of A Year of Living Your Yoga: Daily Practices to Shape Your Life

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“Love has its own instinct, finding the way to the heart, as the feeblest insect finds the way to its flower, with a will which nothing can dismay nor turn aside.” ~Honoré De Balzac

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Curious Love { by daniel jones }

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s the editor of the New York Times “Modern Love” column, I’ve read thousands of accounts of people’s tireless search for love. They find it and lose it, face death and divorce, go on dates with whackos and dreamboats. Some lead seemingly ideal lives, while others face constant heartbreak and turmoil. But among these stories, one constant shines through. The people who lead lives of love aren’t necessarily those who marry soul mates or have the exact number of children they want. They are, instead, those who approach the mess of life with curiosity and a hunger to understand, learn, and embrace.

A friend of mine discovered this in retrospect, after he’d agonized for years about whether or not he and his wife should have children. Would being a father bring more love into his life, or simply more obligation? Would it free him or suΩocate him? He tried desperately to figure out the answer, but of course it’s impossible (even with the help of sophisticated spreadsheet software) to quantify the intangibles of a life experience you haven’t yet had. Ultimately he and his wife did have children, two of them, and discovered a kind of love that he couldn’t have imagined or predicted.

The lesson so intrigued him that he went on to conduct a full-fledged study of other men who had wrestled with the same decision. His conclusion? Those who tried to determine, as he had, whether becoming a parent would be a plus or a minus tended to struggle. But those who approached fatherhood—and everything else— with a powerful curiosity were most likely to be happy with their decision, and ultimately, their lives.

Obvious, right? But it’s also profound in what it says to me about the nature of love. Not only is it unquantifiable and unpredictable, but in order to have more of it, you need to greet it with a curious mind and an open heart.

Rather than try to calculate which actions will yield more love, you embrace the choices you make and the unexpected things that happen to you for what they are. And while an open heart won’t shield you from pain (in fact, quite the opposite), it will bring you in direct and frequent contact with the force of love in your life—and all the richness that comes with it. + daniel jones is the editor of The Bastard

on the Couch: 27 Men Try Really Hard to Explain Their Feelings About Love, Loss, Fatherhood, and Freedom, an anthology of

essays on contemporary relationships.

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melt

Our targeted plan reduces chronic tension and boosts energy in just minutes each day. Get ready to sail through

your week with a cool head and an open heart Each day of the week has its own particular flavor: Monday is a mind-swirling blur, Tuesday sees a spike in stress levels, Wednesday requires a Herculean eΩort just to get out the door. With a schedule as packed as yours, how can you create some bona fide breathing room?

The answer lies in a few targeted yoga moves that you can do right at home. In 5 to 10 minutes each day, you can use slow, quiet, restorative yoga poses to nip stress in the bud. Unlike a power yoga class or invigorating Vinyasa flow, this practice works its magic through stillness. By relaxing in these restful postures, your body and mind have an opportunity to renew and revitalize. “When you stay in a pose without exerting muscular eΩort, the fascia and ligaments, or connective tissues of your body, get a rare chance to stretch,” explains Noel Schroeder, a Boston-area yoga teacher and cocreator of the DVD Notice Your Experience. What’s more, stretching these supportive tis-

sues also opens pathways of vital energy (also known as “nadis” in the yogic tradition, or meridians in Chinese medicine) that run throughout the body. “This helps release chronic tension, increase the flow of energy, and reinvigorate mind and body,” she adds.

We’ve worked with Schroeder to design the following pose-a-day yoga plan to suit even the busiest of schedules. When paired with simple household props, such as a pillow or blanket, these easy-to-do moves provide a powerful antidote to life’s daily stressors, whether you use them to ease into your day or to undo tension in the evening—or both.

By K at e h a n l e y

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photography by buff strickland

monday

take a deep breath One minute, you’re enjoying your Sunday coffee, lounging on the sofa.

The next, it’s Monday morning and your alarm’s going off. The weekend has come to a screeching halt, but the transition doesn’t have to feel like whiplash. This posture helps you greet your week head on, with a clearer, calmer perspective.

Seal Pose What it does Stretches the belly and aids digestion; restores the curve in the lower back. “The curves in your spine are shock absorbers,” says Schroeder. “Keeping them pliable helps you stay resilient during stressful times, and it’s one of the best things you can do to counter long hours of sitting.”

How to do it Lie on your stomach with your legs and feet relaxed.

Then, reaching your arms forward along the floor, straighten them just enough to lift your torso into a gentle backbend. Do not strain or force; this should be a very passive and subtle stretch. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths, then release. Repeat for 1 to 5 minutes.

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tuesday

think clearly You can feel the stress mounting.

Remember to take things slowly and stay loose as you find your rhythm.

Use this gentle stretch to help undo back and leg tension and keep you grounded and steady.

Supported Seated Forward Bend Stretches hamstrings and inner thighs; releases tension along the spine. Quiets the mind and promotes focus; stimulates the sixth chakra, which activates intuition and wisdom.

How to do it Sit on a cushion on the floor with your legs extended on either side of a chair. Fold for足ward at the hips and rest your fore足head and arms on the seat of the chair. Take deep, slow breaths through your nose and hold for 3 to 5 minutes.

What it does

wednesday

get grounded If a midweek slump has left you out of steam, get back on track by carving out a moment of calm. This easy reclining pose does just that, with an ultra-relaxing stretch that helps you get out of your head.

Supported Goddess Releases tight hips, stretching the groin muscles; connects you to the grounding energy of the root chakra, located at the base of your spine.

How to do it Lie on your back with the bottoms of your feet touching and knees splayed to the sides, resting on pillows or rolled blankets.

Feel your spine on the floor. Place your palms on your belly or rest your arms out to the sides, palms up. Let your belly slowly rise and fall with each breath. Remain here for 3 to 5 minutes, or however long you like.

What it does

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thursday

clear out the gunk What if I don’t get this done in time?

Why hasn’t she called? Worries have been accumulating—and they’re cluttering your head. Left unchecked, even the tiniest stressors will inhibit your best ideas from coming through.

Treat yourself to a few moments of stillness with this pose, and watch your inspiration reemerge.

Supported Pigeon Opens the hips and groin. Quiets the mind and promotes emotional release. “When we sit all day, our hips get congested,” says Schroeder. “This pose helps us let go of stress and pent-up emotions that build up in the body.”

How to do it Sitting cross-legged on the floor, swing your left leg around, extending it straight out behind you, tops of the feet and toes against the floor. Fold forward at the hips. For added support, put a folded blanket or pillow under the right hip. Rest your forehead on a cushion or blanket and relax into the pose for 2 to 5 minutes. Repeat with the other leg.

What it does

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friday

soothe frazzled nerves As another hectic workweek slows to a close, it’s time to downshift— and ramp up your self-care. Friday’s pose quiets your mind and nervous system, restoring your inner resources so that you can fully enjoy the weekend ahead.

Supported Child’s Pose Releases the muscles in the back; gently opens the hips; boosts your energy.

How to do it Sit back on your heels with your legs folded under you and the tops of your feet on the floor. Open the knees wide and bend for­ward at the hips. Rest your forehead (or your chest) on a pillow or blanket and keep your arms slightly bent. If your buttocks don’t reach your heels, place a blanket under your thighs. Relax and breathe deeply for 3 to 5 minutes.

What it does

saturday

loosen up The sun’s out and the day’s wide open. Savor your Saturday by twisting away any residual tension in your back. It’s a delicious way to wake up—or even wind down after running around town.

Supported Reclined Twist Helps the whole body (including the hips, spine, digestive system, nervous system, shoulders, and chest) unwind; promotes digestion and detoxification.

How to do it Lie on your back, dropping your left knee across your body to rest on a pillow or blanket. Shift your hips right to avoid over-twisting the lower back. Rest your arms, elbows soft, on the floor over your head. Turn your head in whichever direction feels most comfortable and breathe into this gentle stretch for 3 to 5 minutes on each side.

What it does

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sunday

beat the blues You can see next week’s deadlines and responsibilities building up like a wave about to crest. Take a few moments of silence to coil your energy before you dive into another week. This pose helps ward off the Monday-morning blues, inviting energy into your body and mind.

Supported Fish Stretches the shoulders, neck, and chest; improves posture and deepens breathing, countering a forward hunch. Opens the heart and the throat chakras, bolstering courage and encouraging authentic expression.

How to do it Roll up a thin blanket and lie on your back, resting your shoulder blades on the blanket. If your head doesn’t comfortably reach the floor, place another blanket or small pillow underneath. Let your breath rise and fall naturally, and stay here for 3 to 5 minutes, or as long as you like.

What it does

prop styling by allison liebman w a r d r o b e s t y l i n g b y c at e s h e e h y h a i r a n d m a k e u p b y s h e r i d a r ly n t e r r y

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the body+soul challenge

35todays a new you! want to feel more vibrant, healthier, and stronger than ever be-

fore? The Body+Soul Challenge, a five-week mind-body makeover, will transform your life. We’ll show you, in easy, daily steps, how to improve your diet, exercise smarter, manage stress, and boost your energy. And you won’t be going it alone: On our Web site, wholeliving.com, join thousands of fellow Challengers sharing their struggles and triumphs along the way. Sign up for our online interactive workshop, and each week, you’ll find bonus content, including related recipes, meal ideas, workouts, tools, shopping lists, quizzes, and expert advice. Make this the year you commit to a healthier life for today and beyond. To get started, just turn the page.

by d o n n a c o c o , ta n i a h a n n a n + j a n i c e o ’ l e a ry photography by deborah jaffe

wholeliving.com

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our five-week transformation starts with an out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new detox.

“In a perfect world, we wouldn’t have to detox,” says The Inside-Out Diet author Cathy Wong, N.D., who helped us design this cleansing week. But less-than-wholesome elements can bog down digestion and drain energy, undermining your best eΩorts to stay healthy.

Detoxing gives your liver, the body’s main natural detoxification organ, a break. Plus, it helps you start the year with a clean slate, boosting your odds of making changes that really stick during the coming weeks.

Don’t worry—we won’t ask you to fast or subsist for a week on maple syrup and cayenne. Instead, you’ll ease into the program.

Throughout the week, you’ll boost your eΩorts with exercise to “get blood moving through your organs more quickly and sweat out your toxins,” as Wong explains.

An equally important above-the-shoulders media diet (no television, Web surfing) builds reflective downtime into your day.

Perhaps most important, you’ll devote time to consider what, exactly, you want to take away from the Body+Soul Challenge. Daily writing exercises will help you explore and personalize its themes: nutrition, exercise, stress relief, and energy. By the end of the week, you’ll be in a great position to iden­ti­fy your goals. So take a deep breath and get ready—a new you is just five weeks away.

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check out the challenge online.

For a purifying bath, foot soak, and other detox treatments, go to wholeliving.com/ body-and-soul-challenge.

monday scale back Caffeine and sugar send your energy levels on a roller-coaster ride, so ease up on your intake. A cup of tea a day is fine, but if you drink more caffeine than that, cut your intake by a third. Drink six to eight glasses of room-temperature water over the course of the day; if the taste turns you off, squeeze in some lemon or lime. Ease up on baked goods, sugary cereals, and sweets, and abstain from alcohol. get organized Stock up on the supplies you’ll need for the cleanse (see “What to Eat,” right). Enlist the support of family and friends; tell them you’ll be eating differently and modifying your activities. reflect Carve out 20 minutes today to write honestly about your diet. Without judging yourself, answer the following questions: What are the healthiest—and least healthy—aspects of your diet? Do you have particular weaknesses? What, if anything, would you like to change about your food choices?

tuesday scale back Cut your caffeine intake by another third, and keep up the water.

Replace cow’s milk with rice or almond milk (they’re easier on your system), eat fruit instead of sugary treats, and choose a handful of nuts for a snack. tune out As much as possible, curtail your Web surfing, TV watching, e-mailing, and newspaper reading. Continue this media fast throughout the week. reflect Write for 20 minutes about the way you approach food. Without judgment, answer the following questions: Do you eat in response to stress or emotions? What types of foods do you crave? What, if anything, would you like to change about why or how you eat?

wednesday detox your diet Begin the eating plan (see “What to Eat,” right). “Try to stop before you’re full, but don’t let yourself be hungry all the time,” says Wong. To aid digestion, chew food thoroughly. get moving Spend a half-hour exercising—brisk walking, bike riding, dancing.

reflect Write for 20 minutes about your exercise habits. Without judgment, answer the following questions: Do you have an exercise routine? If not, what are your main obstacles? How do you feel when you exercise? How much time do you sit each day? What, if anything, would you like to change about your approach to exercise?

thursday stay on track Continue with the detox meal plan, varying the grains, legumes, and veggies if you like. Exercise for a half-hour, and stick to the media detox. reflect Take 20 minutes to write about how stress affects you. Without judgment, answer the following ques­ tions: What are your main day-to-day stressors? On a scale of one to 10, how stressed do you feel? What are your methods for dealing with stress? Do you feel these methods are healthy or unhealthy? What, if anything, would you like to change about how you react to and deal with stress?

friday stay on track Continue with the detox meal plan, varying the grains, legumes, and veggies if you like. Exercise for a half-hour, and stick to the media detox. reflect Spend 20 minutes writing about your energy levels. Without judgment, answer the following questions: In general, are you satisfied with the level of energy you have each day? How do you feel when you wake up and go to sleep? What feeds your energy? What drains it? Do certain aspects of your lifestyle (exercise, sleep routine) affect your vitality positively or negatively?

What would you do with more energy?

saturday stay on track Continue with the detox meal plan, varying the grains, legumes, and veggies if you like. Exercise for a half-hour, and stick to the media detox. reflect Set aside 20 minutes to review your journal entries from the past five days. Which habits make sense? Which don’t? Use a highlighter or a pen to cir-

what to eat wake-up Drink a cup of warm water with the juice of ¼ lemon, which stim­ ulates the liver and helps release di­ gestive enzymes. breakfast Have a cup of hot oatmeal with a cup of fruit and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon. Drink a cup of green or black tea, if you wish. midmorning snack If you’re hungry, eat an organic apple or pear and 10 unsalted raw almonds. lunch Eat a cup of legumes (lentils, split peas, beans, chickpeas), a cup of cooked brown rice or quinoa, and a cup of steamed vegetables (include members of the Brassica family, such as broccoli). For flavor, sauté onion, garlic, ginger, and turmeric in a tea­ spoon of olive oil and add to food, but avoid salt. Drink a cup of diges­ tion-boosting ginger or spice tea. midafternoon snack If you’re hun­ gry, eat celery and carrot sticks with 2 tablespoons of hummus. dinner Steam 2 cups of mixed vege­ tables; eat with a cup of brown rice.

Use the same flavorings as lunch.

Drink a cup of ginger tea. before bed Drink a cup of warm wa­ ter with lemon. Be in bed by 10 p.m.

cle the problems that resonate with you and that you’d like to fix.

sunday ease back in Today you transition from the detox diet back to a more general plan for healthy eating. Try to stick with plant-based meals, such as vegetable soups, salads, and stir-fries; if you include a nonplant protein, choose fish or chicken. Limit your intake of sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, and keep drinking the water and ginger tea. create your goals Go to wholeliving .com and print the “Body+Soul Challenge Goals” PDF. Sit down this evening with your journal. Look at the items you circled, and make a list of what you want to accomplish this month. Post this new list on your fridge.

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food plays a central role in our lives.

Clearly, on the most basic level, it feeds our hunger and keeps us alive. But it also functions on social and emotional levels, so to fully address nutrition, you need to consider food from all angles.

This week, you shift to a whole-foods diet for maximum health benefits. Whole foods deliver the vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients (like flavonoids and carotenoids), and fiber you need to feel your best. “We are designed to eat whole foods,” says Kathie Swift, R.D., nutrition director at the UltraWellness Center and nutritionist at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine. “Their nutrients work to­gether to protect our health.”

Processed foods, on the other hand, typically lack nutrients, which can get lost in processing. Plus they often contain preservatives and high sodium levels. The poor nutritional quality of these foods harms our health, and the preservatives that manufacturers add can make matters worse, says Swift. “Genetically, our bodies don’t know how to deal with these changes,” she says. In fact, she notes our increase in processed-food consumption has directly coincided with the rise of chronic diseases in our society.

Focusing on whole foods helps your body prevent and fight diseases and increases your energy levels. It may even prompt weight loss, because you feel fuller longer and experience fewer cravings. In each day of our plan, we’ll share easy ways to incorporate more whole foods into your diet, from fruits and veggies to healthy spices to tips for dining out.

Beyond what you eat, you’ll also explore your relationship to food. Journal writing will help you uncover diet patterns that may be sabotaging your best intentions, and daily conscious-eating exercises will help you take control of how you relate to food. “The journey to mindfulness takes practice,” notes Swift, “and it all starts with self-awareness.”

What we won’t tell you is exactly how much to eat. Too many variables aΩect this, from your sex and height to age and activity level. (To get a personalized plan for balancing your calorie intake, refer to the USDA’s mypyramid.gov, which takes into account many of these factors.) Our focus here is on eating right. And remember, the lessons for each day build on each other. So once you’ve adopted a new healthy habit, keep it up! By the end of the week, you’ll be on your way to better eating for life.

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check out the challenge online.

For delicious daily meal ideas, a printable food diary, and helpful tools like a nutritional-needs calculator, go to wholeliving .com/body-and-soul-challenge.

monday fruits and veggies add You know you need them, so start making fruits and vegetables part of every meal. For breakfast, top cereal or yogurt with berries. Slice apple or banana onto whole-grain toast with your favorite spread. Mix leafy greens and chopped tomatoes into egg scrambles.

At lunch, create a salad bursting with raw veggies (skip the fatty dressings).

Make a wrap instead of a sandwich and stuff it with sliced veggies; enjoy some sweet slices of pineapple for dessert. Finish the day with two or more servings of veggies at dinner.

Experiment—each week, try at least two new vegetables. subtract Avoid canned fruits with sugary syrups, vegetable mixes with high-fat and -sodium sauces, and canned veggies with sodium. start your journal In a portable notebook, write down everything you eat along with the time, as well as any emotions that you may feel (I’m bored; I’m angry; I’m just hungry). Bring your notebook wherever you go, and be diligent about keeping track. eat consciously Slow down and chew your food. Eating too fast can stress your digestive system—plus you tend to pack in more. Strive to eat at least one meal a day in a peaceful environment at a leisurely pace.

tuesday whole grains add Are most of the “grains” in your diet white breads and white rice? Get out of the grain rut. Pledge to switch to as many whole-grain foods as possible and try at least one new grain (amaranth, barley, bulgur, farro, quinoa, wheat berries, wild rice) each week.

Instead of a white bagel, for example, toast some chewy, fiber-rich bread for breakfast—an easy whole-grain switch. One day a week, make a hot cereal using quinoa. For lunch, choose a whole-grain wrap instead of pita

for your sandwich. Once a week, bring a barley soup. At dinner, switch to wholewheat pasta. At night, experiment with a new grain for a side dish.

subtract Move away from processed foods made with white flour, like most baked goods. Limit your intake of white rice; go for a color instead—brown, black, red—or choose a wild blend. keep up Stick with your food journal.

eat consciously Listen to your body: Give yourself permission to eat when you’re hungry, but check in first to make sure it’s truly hunger calling and not an emotion (frustration, the blahs). Then sit, eat, and listen: When your body says it’s had enough, stop.

wednesday better proteins add Fish, legumes, tofu and tempeh, and nuts and seeds serve as excellent sources of protein, but we tend to overlook them come mealtime. For at least one meal each day, highlight an alternative protein. For breakfast, stir some ground flaxseed or nuts into your oatmeal. At lunch, opt for the baked salmon sandwich or try a tofu stir-fry. Make a rich lentil stew for dinner, and sprinkle sunflower seeds on your side salad. subtract Limit your intake of proteins high in saturated fat, such as many cheeses and red meats, to a couple of servings a week.

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eat right eat consciously Family not excited about your efforts to eat better? Talk to them—but ease into the conversation.

Explain your motives, let them respond, and then ask for support. Perhaps they can get their own breakfast, for instance, if they don’t like yours, or you can plan healthy dinner choices together. If they keep thwarting your efforts, speak up.

thursday oils, herbs, and spices add Herbs and spices promote good health and enhance flavors, so use them liberally (except for salt). Oils rich in monounsaturated and omega-3 fats help your body fight off diseases. For breakfast, drizzle walnut oil on hot cereal and sprinkle with cinnamon. At lunch, mix tuna with olive oil and vinegar and season with oregano or dill. Come dinnertime, serve protein with marinades rich in herbs and spices; drizzle flax oil on vegetables and season with herbs. When frying, use olive oil with moderate heat and organic canola oil with high heat. subtract Ease up on foods high in saturated fat, like butter and cream cheese, and trans fat (or “partially hydrogenated”), such as those in certain margarines and processed foods. Limit your use of vegetable oils (corn, soybean) and buy only organic brands. keep up Stick with your food journal.

eat consciously Curb overeating: Learn about serving sizes (go to wholeliving .com and do a search for “portion sizing”).

Cook only enough food for the meal at hand, unless you know you’ll pack the leftovers for lunch. Rather than serve food family-style, create a plate at the stove. You’ll be less likely to overeat.

friday beverages add Calories come from beverages as well as foods, but if you choose wisely, so can nutrients. Maximize your liquids by going with good-for-you picks. Serve

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green, black, or herbal tea; they’re low in calories and benefit your health. If you’re a coffee drinker, feel free to sip an occasional cup—if you can drink it without tons of cream and sugar. If you crave soda with lunch, try mineral water instead, and add a splash of juice for flavor. Wine lovers can pour a glass of red (but not more than one) with dinner; it may even help your heart. And, of course, drink water throughout the day.

subtract Avoid regular and diet soda and other drinks with high-fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. Limit juice to one or two servings a day due to its high, albeit natural, sugar content. keep up Stick with your food journal.

eat consciously Learn to appreciate food’s sensory pleasures. Swift offers this exercise: Before you eat—regardless of where you are—take three deep, relaxing breaths. Smell the food. Then, while you’re eating, put down your fork and rest your hands on your lap at least three more times, taking another three relaxing breaths on each occasion. When you connect with food on a more sensory level, you get more out of it, says Swift, and will be satisfied with less.

saturday snacks add “Healthy snack” isn’t an oxymoron.

But to avoid bad snacking—and the vending machines—takes some prep.

When writing a grocery list, think about snacks along with your meals. Craving something crunchy-chewy? Go for nuts and dried fruit. Veggies and hummus satisfy a desire for savory. Buy a bar of dark chocolate (70% cacao) and snack on a few squares. Want salty-sweet?

Melt the dark chocolate, buy some spelt pretzels, and dip them for a decadent high-fiber snack. subtract Resist choosing processed snacks high in sugar and sodium or those made with white flour. Your body powers through them so quickly that, before long, you will be craving more. keep up Stick with your food journal.

eat consciously Preempt strong cravings by planning your snacks. Look at your food diary to figure out when you head for the cookie jar, then plan to eat a healthy snack about a half-hour earlier.

sunday eating out add Dining out presents a huge challenge for the mindful eater. The array of options makes choosing wisely extra hard. Try these tips: At breakfast, go for the omelet. Most places offer vegetable add-ins. Order a salad for lunch that features a lean protein, such as beans or tuna (sans mayo); dress it with a little olive oil and vinegar. Or consider the soup and half a sandwich; a broth-based soup can help fill you up, and you’ll get half the bread. For dinner, choose lean proteins, such as salmon, and steamed vegetables with a lemon wedge. subtract Skip the bread, whether it’s toast with eggs, breadsticks with soup, or rolls with dinner. Forgo the sauceheavy dishes, or get sauce on the side and use sparingly. Hold the butter, too. review your food journal Look for positive points (hey, I ate five servings of veggies every day!) and negatives (oh, I eat chips whenever I’m stressed). Give yourself kudos for the good, and tackle the habits that you need to change. eat consciously Eat a healthy snack before going out; if you’re not famished, you’ll have more willpower. Order appetizers for smaller portions, or share entrées and desserts. Stay conscious—eat slowly, and pay attention to your senses. If you feel full, put down the fork. If some­ thing doesn’t taste good, don’t eat it.

strawberry photo by Johnny Miller

keep up Stick with your food journal.

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it’s hard to overstate the importance of exercise, both cardio and strength-training. It builds energy, helps fend oΩ diseases, reduces stress, and promotes sleep—not to mention melts pounds. “Exercise builds self-confidence, too,” says Mary Tedesco, owner of Body Fit Personal Training Studio in Cross River, New York, and Martha Stewart’s trainer. “I see the transformation in people when they make the change in their lives.”

But what if you know the benefits of exercise and still can’t seem to make it a regular habit? In Week 3, we help you get on track.

In addition to getting more cardio into your routine, we turn to Tedesco for targeted strengthening moves that will tone you from head to toe. You’ll also personalize your exercise approach, thinking about those activities you actually enjoy. This is key to maintaining motivation going forward, especially when it comes to the aerobic fitness that best suits you (see “Optimize Your Workout,” page 86).

We’ll even help you carve out time in your hectic schedule to work out, paving the way for you to become the fit, strong, energized person you know you can be.

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check out the challenge online.

Go to wholeliving.com/body-and-soulchallenge for how-to photos, tools such as a calorie-burner calculator, and motivational advice to help you succeed.

stay fit optimize your workout Answer the following questions: 1. Do you prefer exercising alone, with a friend, or in a class?

2. Do you prefer doing high- or low-impact activities?

3. Are you coordinated?

4. How’s your stamina?

5. Do you like outdoor activities, indoor, or both?

6. Do you have any physical limitations to consider?

Write down the various types of cardio exercises you engage in— or don’t, but would like to. How can you build on your current exercise successes and integrate new good habits? Do you like to run but often hit “snooze” in the morning? Joining a running club may motivate you. Do high-impact moves make you feel uncomfortable? Make a low-impact activity like biking or walking your go-to routine.

At the beginning of each week, schedule time for exercise in your calendar or PDA. Also make a list of steps that will help you exercise more, like asking a friend to join you for a walk. On hectic days, break your workout into smaller intervals, such as 10-minute power walks in the morning, noon, and evening.

It counts just as much.

monday cardio Warm up. Do 30 minutes of cardio (walk, run, bike, swim, power yoga), then stretch for five minutes.

tuesday interval cardio Boost cardio intensity with an interval workout. Choose a form of cardio for which you can easily alternate the intensity, such as walking. Warm up for five minutes. On a scale of one to 10, work out at level four or five for

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five minutes, then up your intensity to six or seven for three minutes. Repeat the cycle two more times. Cool down, then stretch for five minutes.

at level four or five for five minutes, then up your intensity to six or seven for three minutes. Repeat the cycle two times.

Cool down, then stretch for five minutes.

wednesday

saturday

strength training (beginners use fivepound weights; go to the Challenge online for instructional photos)

strength training (beginners use fivepound weights; go to the Challenge online for instructional photos)

plié with bicep curls Stand with legs about three feet apart, toes pointed out 45 degrees, pelvis tucked in; hold two weights, arms by your sides, palms facing forward. As you lower yourself toward the floor into a plié, curl the weights up, then lower the weights as you bring yourself back up to the starting position.

Don’t extend your knees beyond your toes. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

one-legged hold with rows Stand with feet slightly apart, a weight in each hand, palms facing your body, weights resting on your thighs. Shift your balance to your right leg, bending your knee to lower yourself into a half-squat, and lift your left foot about six inches off the ground. This is the starting position. Now lift the two weights to slightly above chest level into an upright row, elbows extending to the sides. Repeat for 10 to 15 rows, then switch legs and repeat.

lunge with dumbbell twist Stand with feet hip-width apart. Step forward with your right leg into a lunge, knee bent slightly, and left leg behind you, weight on your toes. Hold a weight in front of you using both hands (stacked), keeping your elbows by your sides. This is the starting position. Lower yourself further into the lunge, simultaneously twisting your torso and looking to the right, then return to start as you come back up. Do 10 to 15 reps; switch to the other side. plank with leg lift Lie facedown on the floor with your arms bent and close to your sides. Now elevate onto your elbows and toes, keeping your elbows under your shoulders, into plank pose.

Lift your right leg about eight inches, and hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Lower the leg, then your body, to the floor. Rest for 15 seconds, and repeat on the other side, lifting the left leg. Alternate for 10 to 15 reps on each side.

squat with overhead raise Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms by your sides, weights in hands. As you lower into a squat, bend your arms at the elbows, bringing the weights up for a bicep curl.

As you raise up from the squat into a standing position, push the weights up and over your head, bringing the ends together. Lower the weights down in front of your body, elbows slightly bent, then bring them back to your sides. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

cardio Warm up. Do 30 minutes of cardio, then stretch for five minutes.

side plank with lift Lie on your right side on the floor, feet stacked on top of one another, head resting on your straightened arm (stretched above your head). Come up onto your right elbow (it should be directly under your shoulder), and now lift your hips off the floor so your body forms a straight line. Hold for 15 to 45 seconds, then slowly lower your hips; repeat 10 to 15 times. For a more advanced move, instead of holding, lower right hip toward the floor and lift up again; repeat 10 to 15 times. Flip over; repeat sequence on the left side.

friday

sunday

interval cardio Warm up for five minutes. On a scale of one to 10, work out

cardio Warm up. Do 30 minutes of cardio, then stretch for five minutes.

thursday

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just as a whole-foods diet and exercise can boost your health, good stress strategies can help safeguard your overall wellbeing. Scientists estimate that chronic stress contributes to 80 percent of illnesses, and studies link it to a suppressed immune system, heart disease, obesity, even aging itself. So no healthy-habits makeover would be complete without time devoted to taming tension.

The goal isn’t to eliminate stress but to get better at managing it. Though your body naturally responds to stressors with a rush of hormones, your mind can help bring them under control. “It’s not the stress itself so much that matters, but how you perceive and cope with it,” says Woodson Merrell, M.D., an integrative physician and author of The Source: Unleash Your Natural Energy, Power Up Your Health, and Feel 10 Years Younger.

Over the next seven days, we’ll show you how to bring a centering force back into your life. With an easy relaxation practice, you’ll tap into your body’s natural stress-fighting powers. We also provide coping strategies to help you take charge of your outlook. By the end of the week, you’ll be equipped to handle even the most di≈cult situations.

monday get centered Find balance with this simple meditation. Before starting your day, sit comfortably in a quiet place.

Keeping your spine straight and chest back, close your eyes and relax your shoulders and chest muscles. Inhale deeply through your nose (with your mouth closed), expanding your abdomen, for a count of four. Now exhale slowly through your nose, allowing your stomach to fall, for a count of six. Focus on the sound your breath makes as it enters and leaves your body. If thoughts come up, bring your focus back to the breath.

Continue for three to four minutes.

or two of the more pressing tasks and figure out how to accomplish them. You’ll feel in control and more productive— and you’ll be recasting your attention to the things in life that really matter to you.

thursday get centered Meditate for six minutes. stress strategy Schedule time with people you care about. Connecting with others helps us let go of everyday stress.

Plan a monthly night out with the gang, or commit to a weekly phone date. “We get energy from people who have faith in us,” says Blanke.

stress strategy Start a stress log. Carry a notebook, jotting down events that get your blood boiling. Simply write what happened and how you reacted. Each night, circle the three most stressful moments. Do this consistently, and you’ll see patterns—ones you’ll better address with the benefit of self-awareness.

stress strategy Start saying no. Try it today, turning down one invitation, responsibility, or request. You’ll free up precious time and energy for what counts.

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saturday

get centered Meditate for four minutes.

get centered Meditate for eight minutes.

stress strategy Make a joy list. Anything goes, from losing yourself in a great novel to laughing with friends. Whenever you feel the pressure mounting, pull it out for an instant reminder of the things in life that bring you pleasure. “We are what we think about,” says life coach and best-selling author Gail Blanke. “Add up the good, and embrace it.”

stress strategy Get a hearty dose of the natural world. It helps diffuse stress, says Merrell, by making you feel a part of something beautiful and much bigger than yourself.

wednesday get centered Meditate for six minutes. stress strategy Learn to prioritize. At the start of your day, make a list of what you’d like to accomplish. Then select one

friday get centered Meditate for eight minutes.

sunday get centered Meditate for 10 minutes. stress strategy Tap your creative side.

“Creativity relieves stress by taking us outside of ourselves and allowing us to be expressive,” says Merrell. Spend time today cooking, painting, knitting—whatever you enjoy but rarely schedule. Commit to making it a priority in the future.

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check out the challenge online.

See what life coach Cheryl Richardson and others say about stress at wholeliving .com/body-and-soul-challenge.

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this is it, the last week of the Challenge.

By now, you’ve taken steps toward better eating, regular exercise, and daily stress management. With these healthy changes, you may have picked up some newfound vitality—and that’s great. But to really ensure that you feel your very best going forward, you need an energy plan. We’ll show you how to spot the day-to-day habits that steal your energy— and tell you how to get it back.

Topping the list of fixes: better sleep habits.

“Sleep is critically important to energy,” says integrative physician Woodson Merrell, M.D. During the night, the body clears toxins and regulates hormones, and the mind consolidates memory. Get too little sleep consistently, and you put your health at risk (not to mention feel exhausted). Our tips will set you up for a good night’s rest.

You’ll also plug energy drains—emotional and physical—with the help of Merrell and Gail Blanke, life coach, motivational speaker, and author of Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life. That way, you ensure that you get the most out of each day.

To wrap up the Challenge, you’ll celebrate your successes. At the same time, we want you to think about the future: The Challenge may be over, but your new, healthier life has just begun. So you’ll adopt some tools to keep your motivation strong going forward.

Ready? You’re seven days from the finish!

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check out the challenge online.

Find energy-boosting recipes, revitalizing herbs, and a sleep-inducing tea at whole living.com/body-and-soul-challenge.

p r o p s t y l i n g b y d aw n s i n ko w s k i wa r d r o b e s t y l i n g b y s a r a h p a r lo w h a i r a n d m a k e u p b y s h e r i d a r ly n t e r r y

monday energizer Take a breather—literally.

Most of us don’t breathe deeply, says Merrell, and that can impair energy metabolism and leave us feeling fatigued.

As often as you can, inhale slowly for a four count, expanding the abdomen and listening to your breath. Pause, then exhale slowly for a six count, deflating the abdomen. Pause; repeat four times. better sleep Routine can do wonders for your slumber. Commit to going to bed and waking up at the same time every day; this helps maintain your circadian rhythms, which govern sleep.

tuesday energizer Eliminate emotional drains.

For starters, let go of always being right.

Someone cut you off in traffic? Even when the other party is at fault, let it go.

Negative thinking drains energy, says Blanke, so we remain stuck in the past, ignoring the possibilities of the present. better sleep Make sure your bedroom is dark enough for good sleep. Darkness prompts the pineal gland to produce melatonin, which increases sleepiness.

Likewise, when you wake, get some daylight. It will help suppress the production of melatonin, so you’ll feel less tired.

tea photo by Food Collection, GettyImages

wednesday energizer Most people can, and should, get their nutrients from whole foods. But if you still feel sluggish after revamping your diet, try a multivitamin and mineral supplement. Merrell recommends certain adaptogenic herbs, which can help your body not only increase its energy levels but also maintain them. “People respond differently to the various herbs,” he notes, “but a good general-purpose one that I usually start with is ashwaganda. If you’re really stressed and suffering from adrenal fatigue, I’d suggest cordyceps.” If you have a medical condition or take any medications, consult a practitioner before taking any herbs, he cautions. better sleep Start a new nighttime ritual: An hour before bed, take your activi-

ties down a notch. That means no more paying bills or watching TV (its swiftly shifting images stimulate the brain). Instead, sip a relaxing herbal tea, such as chamomile, and do a quiet activity.

thursday energizer Energy often plummets in the late afternoon. Pump it up with a short burst of movement. “Exercise can provide an immediate access to energy,” says Merrell. Dash up and down the stairwell, or simply hop for two minutes. better sleep Put your alarm clock where you can reach it but not see it; the electromagnetic fields from the LED can disrupt your z’s. Also, if you tend to wake in the middle of the night, you’ll be less likely to panic—and more likely to return to sleep—if you don’t see the time.

friday energizer Take today to identify and eliminate major sources of chemical toxins in your home. Besides causing allergies and increasing your risk of serious disease, they may be draining your energy. “It takes a significant amount of energy for the body to flush out toxins and detoxify itself,” says Merrell. “You might not feel the effects of eliminating toxins right away, but you will feel the difference over the long term.” Start here: + Plastics Steer clear of number 7 plastics, used for products such as baby and hard-water bottles. They contain bisphenol A, a hormone disrupter, according to studies. Number 3 plastics (also known as vinyl or PVC) are considered toxic, too, so avoid using them. + Household cleaners Toss products that contain chlorine bleach, ammonia, acids, fragrance, DEA, and TEA. + Cosmetics Ditch items with phthalates (often a component of fragrance), parabens, triclosan, and coal tar. better sleep Starting tonight, designate your bedroom for sleeping (and sex)— not entertainment or work. That means no TV or computers. Think of this space as a quiet, comforting haven.

saturday energizer Skip the coffee when that late-day lethargy hits. Instead, chug an eight-ounce glass of water. Dehydration can drain energy, says Merrell, especially if most of your beverages contain caffeine, a diuretic. By midafternoon, you may be parched, even if you don’t feel it. better sleep Check your thermostat.

The ideal temperature for sleeping is about 65 degrees, according to the Better Sleep Council.

sunday Congratulations! You did it, and you deserve more than a pat on the back. Reward yourself with tickets to a show, a weekend away, a massage—and thank yourself for five weeks of hard work.

Also take time to reflect on your progress. Review your goals, noting highlights and lapses, and set new ones that keep you moving forward. To help you stick with the changes you’ve already made, follow this advice from Blanke: + Visualize Motivate yourself to continue good habits by imagining yourself still feeling and looking great in the future.

For instance, Blanke pictures herself running along the beach with her future grandchildren, and that vision motivates her to run every morning. + Be positive It may sound clichéd, but many of us fail because of negative assumptions we make about ourselves.

Maybe you think you’re “not the type” to stick to a diet or daily exercise. Let that old type go, says Blanke. “You can decide at any given moment who you are and what you’re about.”

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visit us online at wholeliving.com for links, resources + more ideas j u ly + a u g u s t 2 0 0 9

Whole Living

photograph by Johnny Miller; food styling by Sarah Carey

Quick tips + fresh ideas for living a balanced, healthy life

Keep Cool Don’t sweat the rising temperatures. Just drop one of these ice cubes infused with fruits, veggies, and herbs into a tall glass of water, and watch the heat melt away.

C uc umb e r B a sil P ur e e Combine 1 cup water, 1 cucumber (peeled and seeded), ¼ cup torn basil, and a pinch of coarse salt in a blender and freeze in an ice-cube tray. O r a n g e L ime M i x Place 1½ cups orange juice, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 1 teaspoon lime zest in a bowl and freeze as above.

L e mo n a d e R a sp b e r ry Dissolve 2 tablespoons sugar in 1 cup warm water. Stir in 1⁄ 3 cup lemon juice. Divide 6 ounces of fresh raspberries into an ice-cube tray. Place a sprig of mint in each cube. Add lemonade and freeze.

wholeliving.com

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whole living Have you Heard?

>> To find drop-off locations, visit preserveproducts.com.

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Filter This Don’t chuck that used Brita filter. Now you can recycle it, along with any other hard-to-recycle #5 plastics, through Preserve’s Gimme 5 program. Drop them off at participating Whole Foods stores or mail them directly to the folks at Preserve, who will use the plastic casing in their line of cups, plates, cutting boards, and food storage containers. What about the filter’s insides? The activated carbon and resin will be converted into energy.

My Garden Is Your Garden It’s a classic scenario. When you have a garden, you never seem to get out there and use it; when you don’t, you pine for a plot of your own. Enter backyard sharing, a growing movement that connects green-thumbed urbanites with those sitting on underutilized yards. In this win-win situation, yard-seekers get to grow their own food, while landowners can enjoy part of the bounty without doing all the bending, digging, and lifting. A new Web site, sharingbackyards.com, offers tips on getting started and connects the two sides in 10 cities, including Washington, D.C., Cleveland, and Portland, Oregon. If you’re not in any of these communities, get one started at the Web site, or form your own informal partnership. “It’s best to have clear agreements up front, good boundaries, and good communication,” says Christopher Hawkins, project manager of Sharing Backyards. In other words, figure out who’s paying for seeds, how the harvest will be split, and if it’s okay for the gardener to turn up unannounced. Make the partnership even more fruitful and agree to donate extra produce to local food banks.

photographs from top to bottom: Lisa Hubbard, Johnny Miller

The Empire State Building recently announced it was going green, hoping to reduce its energy use by 38 percent. The building’s carbon hogs: lighting, cooling, and heating. + Climate crusader and former VP Al Gore champions a movement to create .eco web domains on par with .com and .org for green organizations to use. + According to the National Gardening Association, 37 percent of all U.S. households, about 43 million families, plan to grow vegetables, fruits, or herbs in 2009, up 19 percent from last year. + Pop star Justin Timberlake plans to climb Mount Kilimanjaro this fall to raise money and awareness for the global water crisis.

whole living experts talk back

What do you eat for breakfast?

There’s no question about it—breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So what do the nation’s top health gurus eat to start their morning off right? We found out.

“Usually a bowl of matcha tea and some berries. I also love eating a Japanese breakfast—steamed rice, miso soup, grilled salmon, pickles, cooked vegetables, sea vegetables, and green tea.”

alice domar, ph.d.

“Most of the time, I have whole-grain cereal (usually Toasted Mini Wheats) with two kinds of fruit (berries and/or bananas) and nonfat milk.”

donnie yance c.n., m.h., r.h.*

“ A medicinal smoothie that includes whey protein, a fattyacid supplement, super greens, coconut powder, wild berry concentrate, goat milk kefir, and frozen açai fruit.”

christiane northrup, m.d.

“ Acouple organic eggs with some fresh fruit, organic oatmeal, or yogurt with berries. Sometimes herbal tea, sometimes decaf coΩee.”

A NICE GESTURE

“

I can’t end hunger, but I can donate cans to a food bank. I can’t fix needy schools, but I can give them my kids’ old books. I can’t end the war, but I

can send a phone card so a soldier can be comforted by calling home. ­­

–Do One Nice Thing by debbie tenzer

Ss is for sarsaparilla

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”

Cleansing herbs tend to be downthe-hatch kind of remedies, but Indian sarsaparilla is worth sipping slowly.

Long used to flavor beverages, such as root beer, this vanilla-flavored root helps treat conditions ranging from psoriasis to slow digestion. Incorporating sarsaparilla into your routine can also help strengthen your energy and immunity. To make a tea, blend 1 teaspoon sarsaprilla with ½ teaspoon dandelion root, ½ teaspoon birch bark, and a little honey to taste. Simmer with 8 ounces of water for 20 minutes and strain.

Must-See Movies Julie & Julia Expect laughs, revelations—who knew Julia Child was once a WWII-era spy?— and a little crying over spilled milk in Julie & Julia. The film pairs Meryl Streep and Amy Adams in a dramedy about a harried New Yorker (Adams) who learns life lessons while cooking her way through one of Child’s famous French cookbooks. (August 7) Paper Heart A hybrid documentary, Paper Heart follows the anti-romantic Charlyne Yi on her trek to understand the concept of love. Yi interviews people (newlyweds, divorcees, kids) while real-life boyfriend Michael Cera plays himself in a funny, poignant twist. (August 7) (500) Days of Summer Hollywood’s standard romantic-comedy formula is upended in the winsome (500) Days of Summer. In this nonlinear look at modern love, director Marc Webb uses a light, nimble touch to examine the thrilling uncertainty of new relationships. (July 17) bottom photograph by Johnny Miller; prop styling by Dawn Sinkowski * certified nutritionist, master herbalist, and registered herbalist

andrew weil, m.d.

photographs clockwise from top left: Jonathan Pozniak, Johnny Miller, Raymond Hom; prop styling for bottom photograph by Elizabeth Adler

TEST DRIVE

Natural Mascaras

Mainstream lash lengtheners often contain irritants. Natural formulas don’t— but they can clump or smear easily. To find the best healthy versions, we tested 22 mineral- and plant-based mascaras. These four opened our eyes.

Volume Mascara by Dr. Hauschka Available in black, aubergine, and golden green, this mascara plumps up and strengthens lashes with rose and candelilla waxes and neem leaf extract. >> $29.95, drhauschka.com Mascara by Josie Maran A full, contoured brush delivers dramatic, feathery results. With a lightweight, even consistency, it stays put on lashes even for those prone to eye rubbing. >> $22, josiemarancosmetics.com Organic Mascara by Nvey Eco Try it in brown to subtly enhance eyes, in black for an ultra-inky look, or—for a splash of electric color—in blue. >> $24, econveybeauty.com

Great Grease It wasn’t enough for Marshall Dostal to salvage grease from restaurants and convert it into biofuel, which would then power his vintage Mercedes. The Los Angeles resident and his wife, Megan, also wanted to do something with the glycerin, a byproduct of the ecofriendly fuel. Looking to close the loop, the couple transformed trash into treasure by creating Further, a biodegradable hand soap made with a blend of essential oils of bergamot, olive, and exotic grasses. In addition to sharing Further with the masses, the couple also gives the soap back to the restaurants that supplied the grease in the first place (thereby completing the cycle) and hopefully inspiring others to wash—and live—more responsibly. >> $18.50 for 8 ounces, furthersoap.com

Lengthening & Conditioning Mascara by 100% Pure Pigments derived from teas, berries, and herbs provide a fresh boost of color with a slightly fruity scent—all in a pretty, sleek silver tube. >> $27.50, qvc.com

the body+soul green dream bedroom makeover contest!

Tell us your favorite—and most creative— green tip (beyond the lightbulb switch) and you can have a shot at winning a super-stylish eco bedroom designed by green home consultant Maggie Wood.

(Don’t forget to send in a photo of your current sleeping quarters, too.) The winner will be featured in an upcoming issue of Body+Soul. For full official rules and how to enter, visit wholeliving.com/article/ green-bedroom-contest.

wholeliving.com

body+ soul 27

whole living Big Idea

Lisa Nichols

Transformational Coach

You may remember Lisa Nichols from The Secret, where she explains how to use the “law of attraction” to garner love, wealth, and more. But Nichols, 43, author of No Matter What!, believes that the real secret to achieving happiness is learning to bounce back. She should know. Through battles with

depression and abuse, she has risen to international success.

Known for her intimate approach, this “wounded healer”

shares what she’s discovered about overcoming obstacles. + What is the hardest challenge that you’ve ever had to bounce back from?

The one that took me into the deepest spiral was the abuse I experienced at the hands of a man I almost married. Because my son was also in danger, there was a lot of shame, guilt, and fear involved. As for the longest, most painful journey, it would be my battle with weight, something I still struggle with. My loneliest time was when I was suicidal as a teen.

I’m very proud for coming through all of these episodes intact. These experiences felt like hell while I was in them, but they’re all defining moments. Each one gave me the ability to do the work that I do now, teaching about how to use your life experiences as a reason for living, rather than as a reason not to live. They showed me my strengths, and taught me focus, empathy, and determination.

+ Were there any specific qualities you learned in dealing with your challenges?

When I gained 80 pounds, I realized I had to be more honest with myself and others. I needed to stop denying that I

was morbidly obese and learn to ask for help from the most vulnerable and broken place. Now that I’m 60 pounds lighter, I still have the gift of knowing how to ask for help when I need it and the ability to be genuinely honest about it.

What really had an impact was the lesson I learned when I was suicidal. While it was the darkest period of my life, I learned compassion. I now know that people who think about taking their life don’t want to die; they just want the pain to end.

+ When faced with a major life setback, what’s the very first step we should take?

Recognize that it’s temporary and begin to visualize what life will look like when you have passed through this moment.

+ What’s the biggest obstacle to our happiness and success?

We tend to believe the lies that we tell ourselves: “I’m not good enough,” or “If I lose my job, it’s over for me.” I like to write down this negative self-talk, and then take a red pen, cross it out, and instead write the truth (whether I believe it or not). So the lie about losing your job becomes,

“There’s something else waiting for me, and I’m being released to find it.” I used to always tell myself I was ugly; now I tell myself, “I’m uniquely designed; no one has my look, and it’s perfect for me.”

+ Do you have any advice for surviving the setbacks affecting so many of us right now?

Don’t let the circumstance define your entire existence. You’re not the job lost or the home foreclosed; you are a powerful individual going through one moment in time. And you have to make sure that when you get through the hard time (and you will), you can turn around and very clearly define the character strengths you developed because of this situation.

By going through trying circumstances, you can develop compassion or a resourcefulness that you didn’t have before.

To do that, remember this is temporary.

Rather than ask, “Why me?” come up with questions such as, “What am I learning now?” and, “What part of me is getting stronger because of this?” >> For more information on Lisa Nichols, visit lisa-nichols.com.

text by Sarah Carey, Sarah Forrest, Hillary Geronemus, Tania Hannan, Valerie Howes, Scott Jolley, Frances Lefkowitz, and Jill Russell 28 body + soul

wholeliving.com

your health | wellness

the power of positive thinking

Remembering the upside of everyday happenings can be a struggle for people suΩering from clinical depression. But by learning how to tune in to the positive, depressed people may strengthen their mental health, a new Ohio State University study suggests. Even if you’re not depressed, training your mind to focus on the positive can boost your mood, says Altamonte Springs, Florida-based psychologist Alan Keck. By staying mindful of the positive elements of daily events— and even documenting each day’s happiest moments in a journal—you may also lower your stress levels, explains Keck. “Positive emotions build resilience to stress, in addition to having an undoing eΩect on depression.”

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tip Wondering about your risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis? Check out yourdiseaserisk.wustl.edu.

photographs from left to right: James Worrell, David Meredith

Surrounding yourself with natural beauty can help keep negative thoughts at bay.

Frankincense to fight bladder cancer?

Frankincense oil shows promise for halting the growth of bladder cancer, according to a new study in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. In tests on human cell cultures, an extract of the herb targeted and killed bladder cancer cells but left healthy bladder cells unharmed.

It’s too soon to tell whether frankincense, long used for inflammatory diseases, might make an effective complement to cancer treatment, says K. Simon Yeung, clinical coordinator at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Integrative Medicine Service. “We need to understand more about how it’s absorbed and metabolized when taken as a supplement, rather than administered directly to bladder cells as in the study,” he says.

To lower your risk of bladder cancer—the fifth most common cancer in the country—cut your exposure to toxic chemicals and cigarette smoke, drink plenty of water daily, and follow a diet rich in antioxidants.

your health | fitness

Walk Against Weight Gain Sticking with a walking routine could keep you from packing on the pounds as you age, a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows. Sizing up 15 years of data on nearly 5,000 adults, scientists found that walking in particular helped ward off weight gain among heavier women (a group that gained nearly 18 fewer pounds compared with women who didn’t walk in their leisure time).

To walk your way to a healthy weight, take these three steps suggested by Mark Fenton, author of The Complete Guide To Walking.

1

Hit the pavement, trail, or treadmill every day. “The notion that you need a day off isn’t so appropriate with a moderate-intensity workout,” says Fenton. On time-crunched days, squeeze in a few quick strolls whenever possible.

2

Move more, live well Working out leads to a better quality of life—even if you’re not shedding pounds. In a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, 430 postmenopausal women either followed a no-exercise plan or took up a fitness routine (totaling 74 to 184 minutes of weekly activity) for six months. Study results showed that the more time the women spent working out, the greater their gains in energy, mental well-being, and overall health perception—regardless of how much weight they lost.

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Frequent exercise becomes more vital as you get older, says Linda Ojeda, Ph.D., author of Menopause Without Medicine. “So many of the everyday problems that accompany aging— whether it’s joint pain or a slip in mental acuity—have to do with not maintaining our bodies as well as we should,” she explains. For head-to-toe health, Ojeda suggests combining cardio, strength-training, and stretching.

“And don’t forget that some activities, such as yoga, can help with both flexibility and building strength,” she notes.

3

Boost your workout’s intensity by picking up the pace and walking on hills or inclines. Bending your arms as you walk can help you move faster and more efficiently, Fenton notes.

did you know?

Regular aerobic exercise may help to slow the progression of earlystage Alzheimer’s disease.

photograph by John-Francis Bourke

To fend oΩ flare-ups from back pain, keep up your workout schedule. In a new report, researchers found that exercise helped prevent back-pain episodes better than other popular methods.

Besides getting regular aerobic activity, which boosts circulation to the spine, strengthen your core with crunches or Pilates.

Exercise eases aching backs

Once you’ve adapted to walking daily, increase your workout time to an hour. To make those longer walks more enticing, join a walking group or hike through a nearby scenic spot.

nutrition | your health

Cheaper Food for Slimmer Waistlines Slashing prices on good-for-you foods could bring down obesity rates across the country, suggests a new report from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Reviewing past research on food pricing and weight outcomes, the study’s authors determined that reducing the cost of healthy foods (such as fruits and vegetables) is linked to lower body weight for consumers and a lesser likelihood of obesity. + In the current economic climate, Americans are probably more likely to see new taxes on unhealthy grub (like sugary soda and fast food) than lowered prices on healthy eats, notes coauthor Lisa Powell, Ph.D. “If governments impose significant taxes—such as New York’s recently proposed 18 percent tax on sugar-sweetened drinks—there could be considerable changes in behavior and, in turn, weight outcomes,” she says. “We need bold actions to create change.”

photographs from top to bottom: Getty Images, Chris Court

Blueberries bolster heart health A diet that’s bursting with blueberries could help reduce a number of risk factors for heart disease, suggests new research presented at the Experimental Biology convention in April. In a preliminary study, University of Michigan scientists discovered that a low-fat, blueberry-enriched diet helped decrease belly fat, total body weight, and levels of blood fats and cholesterol— all of which protects your heart. Prior research shows that the antioxidants in blueberries can help stop fat from building up in your blood.

To bolster your blueberry quotient, add them—fresh or frozen—to summer salads, yogurt parfaits, breakfast cereal, and whole-grain pancakes.

text by Elizabeth Barker wholeliving.com

body+ soul 33

marc h 2 010 beauty from the inside out

Rejuvenate scalp SOS

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Does your head need a facial?

Most of us go to great lengths to care for our faces. But the scalp? Not so much. “We don’t think about the scalp unless something goes very, very wrong,”says Paradi M ­ irmirani, M.D., assistant clinical p ­ rofessor of dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco. But out of sight shouldn’t mean out of mind.

For one thing, the scalp gives you clues about how to care for your hair. If it’s dry, your hair is probably dry, too, and more likely to break. An oily scalp pretty much guarantees that your roots will fall flat by midday. The skin under your hair is much like that on your face: It can get acne, flake, and react to irritants with rashy redness, says David H. ­Kingsley, Ph.D., a trichologist (that’s a scalp and hair doctor) based in New York City. “You’ll find that your T-zone and scalp behave similarly from day to

photograph by Paul Vozdic

n ot s u r e i f t h i s i s t h e c o r r e c t i m ag e

day,” he says. So pay a little attention to the top of your head.

Get the right products You’ll need a shampoo that matches your scalp type and a conditioner for your ends, whether they’re fine, curly, colored, dry, or damaged, Kingsley says; ends usually need more moisture. Apply conditioner a few inches from your scalp and work down. “You don’t want it on the skin because even after rinsing, some oils, waxes, or silicones will stay behind, and that moist environment can lead to fungal overgrowth,” says Zoe Diana Draelos, M.D., consulting professor in the department of dermatology at Duke University School of Medicine in ­Durham, North Carolina. Itchiness and oily-looking flakes are clues. An anti­dandruff shampoo should help; try using one every other day for two weeks.

Suds up A stellar scalp starts with the right washing technique. “Most people don’t

s­ hampoo thoroughly,” says New York City salon owner and hair stylist Valery Joseph. Often, he says, we skim lather over our hair’s roots but don’t actually clean the scalp itself. So oils, dirt, and styling products keep building up, causing oiliness, dullness, and itching. ­Joseph advises dedicating three minutes to lathering up. Consider it a mini-­massage.

Give it a rub Speaking of massage, it’s one of the most gratifying things you can do for your scalp. Besides being a tension-buster, it exfoliates the surface and leaves hair fuller and shinier, says Marc Zollicoffer, a global educator for Aveda. Using the pads of your fingers and medium to firm pressure, move the skin in circular motions (the way you’d rub a sore muscle) as you shampoo. Work from the front hairline up to the crown, then repeat on the sides and back, also kneading upward to the crown. “It starts the day on a good note,” Zollicoffer says. Maybe even a good-hair note. —mary rose almasi

What’s Your Scalp Type?

Oi ly?

+ The center of your face (T-zone) gets

greasy by midday.

+ Even with volumizing products, your

roots limp out before the day is over.

+ You notice large, waxy flakes.

Nor mal?

+ Seasonal changes make your facial skin

more oily or dry, but generally it’s somewhere in between. + Your hair doesn’t look greasy or dry if you skip shampoo for a day. + Styling products or hair treatments don’t tend to irritate your scalp.

Dry?

+ Your face is dry and so is your hair, from

roots to ends.

+ Your scalp’s itchy and might have

­powdery-fine white flakes.

+ It tingles uncomfortably when you apply

certain products and hair color.

A Head Start

nor mal dry

photographs by Raymond Hom, prop styling by Megan Hedgpeth

Oi ly

Tips and products that get to the root of the problem.

THE Strategy

the TOOLs

1. Shampoo and massage

Nature’s Gate Tea Tree calm-

your scalp daily, Zollicoffer says.

2. An oily scalp can become prone to folliculitis (breakouts) near your period. Lather up twice in the shower during that week.

3. If you have dandruff, use an antidandruff shampoo.

1. When seasons change, adjust

ing ­Shampoo ,

$9; naturesgate .com. Phyto PhytocÉdrat Sebo-regulating Shampoo , $24; beauty.com. R e n e Fu rte re r Cu r b icia Pu r i fyi ng Clay ­s hampoo , $23; spalook.com.

Gar n i e r Fr uctis Fortifyi ng

your shampoo.

2. Try a monthly massage with pure jojoba oil to balance skin: Leave on 10 minutes, then wash.

3. If you see powdery-fine flakes but don’t itch, get rid of the product buildup with a weekly clarifier.

Dai ly Car e Sham poo , $4; drugstore.com. Joh n Maste rs

1. The detergents in shampoo can

Aveeno Nourish+Soothe Sham-

be drying, so shampoo every two or three days only.

2. Massage a few drops of jojoba oil onto your scalp before bed.

3. Use a humidifier in cooler months or a dry climate.

Organics Herbal Cider Hair Clarifier & Color Sealer ,

$17; johnmasters.com. Jason Rose-

water & ­Chamomile Normalizing

­Shampoo, $9; jason-natural.com.

poo , $7; drugstore.com. Aub r ey Organics Primrose & Lavender

Scalp- Soothing Shampoo , $10;

aubrey-organics.com. Bain de

Terre Sugar & Fig Scalp Massage Scrub ,

$18; baindeterre.com. ­

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body+ soul 33

rejuvenate meet the pro

Tammy Fender A botanical aesthetician on how plants can make us whole and beautiful

+ When did skin care become your passion? When I was in my 20s, I lived in Europe and became interested in the different way Europeans approach it.

They have a really ritualized and yet simplistic sense of skin care—everyone has his or her own daily routine, and proper skin care is just as common as brushing your teeth. Even children know how to clean and moisturize their faces! + How did you realize that plants can heal the skin? When I returned from Europe, I started researching botanicals and taking classes with aromatherapists, herbalists, and traditional medicinal practitioners. During this time, my husband and I were living in the B ­ ahamas, and one day we went for a hike. He cut his leg, and the wound wouldn’t stop bleeding.

I saw a geranium plant, remembered something I had learned in class, made a salve with the oil, placed it on the wound, and the bleeding slowed. I began to use other plants around the island as ointments when we got burns and bites.

+ You practice now in Palm Beach, not on an isolated island. How is herbal skin care relevant there?

There’s so much elective plastic surgery in this town, and women have these procedures and don’t realize they’re going to need to heal for six months. They come to me for plant remedies like h ­ elichyrsum— which is the key botanical in my Intensive Repair Balm—to speed that process up. Once they’re better, they ’re hooked on the botanical formulas. + What are your secrets for great skin? Choosing simple plant-based products, like ones with tea tree and thyme for oily skin or lavender and chamomile for sensitive. What goes into the body feeds and nourishes the skin, so it’s important to eat well and consume natural foods; I love juicing for this reason. So many skin conditions are caused by stress, and it’s crucial to take time to meditate, be still, and breathe. And I always say to laugh every day—laughter has a high vibrational energy that you can see reflected in your skin.

te st- d r ive

Even if the rest of you is au naturel, a little mascara helps you put on a game face.

But who can test ­every single variety?

Well, we did.

Magic Wands Evening: YSL Mascara Singulier, $30;

yslbeautyus.com

Thickening: Mineral Fusion Mascara, $16;

Whole Foods Markets

Extending: Kevyn Aucoin The Mascara, $25; kevynaucoin direct.com Volumizing: Almay Intense i-Color Light Interplay Technology Mascara, $7; drugstore.com Everyday: Origins Fringe Benefits, $14; origins.com

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photographs by Raymond Hom, prop styling by Megan Hedgpeth; portrait courtesy of Tammy Fender

Mascara

rejuvenate + Payot Design Lift Riche is

made with calcium and a rice extract to fight deep wrinkles. $89; 3graces.com hot trend

Calcium

Calcium is important not only for strong bones but for healthy skin: It’s an essential skin mineral that we lose as we age. Applying micronized calcium topically strengthens and protects the skin’s barrier.

+ Lancôme Platinéum Hydroxy(a)-Calcium Extra Riche contains ginseng

+ L’Oréal Ideal Skin Genesis Complexion Equalizer fea-

tures calcium and pink tourmaline to balance skin tone. $20; drugstores

and purified yeast to restore moisture and skin density. $125; lancome.com

Bar Basics

proble m solver

oil SpaRitual CutiCocktail Nail & Cuticle Oil, $15; skinstore.com

Nail It Winter wreaks all kinds of havoc on our skin, right down to the cuticles: “One of the biggest cuticle destroyers is constantly taking gloves on and off,” says Diane Madfes, M.D., a clinical dermatologist in New York City. “That physical trauma builds up over time and leads to cracked and dried-out cuticles.” Dry

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i­ ndoor heat and cold winter winds don’t help either, so right now your fingertips could probably use a little spa treatment.

“Moisturize cuticles every eight hours and keep nails short,” Madfes says. Long nails catch on things, which lifts the nail off the nail bed and weakens it, so keep yours trimmed for optimal strength.

balm Grounded in Nature Moisturizing Cuticle Cream, $5; dionissoap.com

Gel Sally Hansen Massaging Cuticle Treatment, $10; drugstores

photographs by Raymond Hom, prop styling by Megan Hedgpeth

Use a bar soap? On your face? Stay with us here: Facial soaps have a reputation for being harsh and drying, but the new generation is just as softening as liquid cleansers. “Bar soap got a bad rap when liquids became popular, but you can just as easily put moisturizers into a bar as into a liquid,” says Jeannette Graf, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. Bars also have a smaller ecological footprint than liquids: They have simpler packaging and are lighter in weight (so they’re easier to ship).

Try (top to bottom): Wonderbar, $40; wonderbarusa.com. Clarins Gentle Beauty Soap, $15; clarins.com. MD Skincare Botanical Cleansing Bar, $24; mdskincare.com.

visit us online at wholeliving.com for links, resources + more ideas

september 2009

photograph by Raymond Hom, prop styling by Julie Ho

Your Health

Coffee Cures?

Coffee’s moment has arrived. New health reports abound, touting the beverage’s tremendous benefits, from lessening the risk of type 2 diabetes and gallstones to helping to prevent cirrhosis and cancer of the liver. According to a recent Finnish report, regular consumption may even stave off dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

“Coffee contains a rich set of compounds that seem to be good for human consumption,” says David Jacobs, a nutri-

tional epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota who studies the beverage.

Jacobs cowrote a 2006 study that showed a strong association between regular coffee consumption and a reduced risk of death from heart disease, cancer, and other inflammatory conditions.

With all these studies coming out about coffee’s benefits, you’d think we should all start pounding the stuff. But certain health risks associated with the world’s most popular stimulant remain. It can trigger or worsen anxiety, insomnia, and acid reflux. It also may interfere with iron absorption, and regular consumption may increase the risk of miscarriage in pregnant women. And if you’re one of the many who depend on those first few sips to formulate complete sentences, you know it generates dependence.

The contradictions in research leave many health-minded coffee drinkers baffled. Should we stop feeling guilty about our habit—or try to cut back?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, it turns out. Coffee tolerance—and whether the pros outweigh the cons—is encoded in our genes, says Mark Hyman, M.D., medical director at the UltraWellness Center in Lenox, Massachusetts. “Some people can drink an espresso before bed, and others have a cup of weak diner coffee and they’re up for three days,” he says. The reason? We all have different detoxification genes—unique pathways for excreting chemicals. “Some people have superhighways, and some have single-lane dirt paths in the woods,” explains Hyman, who drinks coffee only occasionally, when he needs a boost of energy. >>

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your health as polyphenols (which help protect against heart disease and some forms of cancer) and melanoidins (known for their antibacterial properties). So to harness coffee’s long-term health perks—without getting the jitters and heart palpitations—choose decaf. If you’re concerned about the solvents used in the decaffeinating process, look for labels indicating that manufacturers used the Swiss water process or the natural C02 method. Note that even decaf can provoke acid reflux.

Since both decaf and regular coffee may interfere with iron absorption, try to drink it an hour before an iron-rich meal.

Remember, too, that not all coffee is created equal. Frappuccinos and other sugar-laden coffee drinks may be an occasional treat, but they’re “not medicinal and not healthy,” says Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Traditional Medicine in Portland, Oregon. So stick with straight-up coffee­(decaf or regular), drink it in moderation, and if you feel better when you don’t drink it, listen to your body.

—Hannah Wallace

my health secrets

present in what’s happening, even though we’re in a city.” Tuning in to the seasons gives Ryding cues about how to live her life. “Plants do different things at different times of year, and so should we.” Since it’s late summer, Ryding says, she’s slowing down to appreciate her “harvest”: family and friends, food from her garden. “It’s a sweet time of year.” —Tania Hannan

Body+Soul Reader Margaret Ryding

As an acupuncturist in Arlington, Massachusetts, Margaret Ryding, 55, advises clients on staying balanced.

As you’ll see from her keys to health, she practices what she preaches. + A traditional diet “That old adage, ‘Make food your medicine and medicine your food’ is so important,” says Ryding. Eating a whole-foods, seasonal diet is a given, but her diet has changed over the years. Once a vegetarian who avoided milk, she’s realized that she feels best when she includes dairy and some meat, “the way my ancestors ate.” + morning exercise “Everyone has different exercise needs,” says Ryding. “I need a lot, physically and mentally.” She starts her days with an hour of activity, incorporating walking, yoga, or bike riding into her routine. + The natural world Though her yard is tiny, its abundant flowers and medicinal herbs keep her “aware and

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Ryding relaxes while visiting her son in Hawaii.

Share your health secrets

E-mail your top three tips to health secrets@bodyandsoulmag.com.

Cc

+

calendula

Homeopathy in cancer care Conventional cancer treatments can set off a number of side effects: Radiotherapy may cause fatigue and soreness, for instance, while chemotherapy can lead to nausea and digestive problems. But using homeopathic medicine might help, suggests a new research review from the Cochrane Library.

Looking at eight studies with a total of 664 participants, researchers found that an ointment made from calendula (a flower known to possess skin-healing properties) could prevent radiotherapy-related dermatitis. They also found that Traumeel S (a homeopathic mouth rinse) eased a common mouth infection that’s induced by chemotherapy. None of the remedies appeared to cause participants harm or interact with their cancer treatment.

Taking a “like cures like” approach to healing, homeopaths work with dilute doses of substances that trigger symptoms.

Since remedies should be tailored to a patient’s specific needs, it’s best to consult with a formally trained practitioner rather than self-treat, says Lucille Marchand, M.D., clinical director of integrative oncology at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center.

“With the right remedy, benefits can go far beyond relief of side effects,” she says. “You can get to a deeper level of healing when you treat the whole person instead of just their symptoms.”

—Elizabeth Barker

top photograph by Johnny Miller, prop styling by Allison Liebman; bottom photograph by Jonathan Barkan

Ultimately, many experts concur that a six-ounce cup or two of coffee a day won’t harm most people, and may confer some benefits. But Hyman doesn’t recommend even modest consumption for those prone to anxiety, insomnia, or acid reflux, anyone with inflammatory bowel syndrome, and pregnant women.

Controversy also remains over the oftrepeated claim that regular consumption can lead to so-called “adrenal fatigue.”

According to nurse practitioner Marcelle Pick, who owns the Women to Women clinic in Yarmouth, Maine, coffee does not cause adrenal fatigue, but it can give people with low adrenal function a false sense of how much energy they have, leading them to push their tapped-out systems beyond the breaking point.

But if you drink coffee solely for the flavor and not the buzz, you may be in luck: Though caffeine seems to be responsible for coffee’s ability to boost brain power, it’s not behind many of the beverage’s most powerful health benefits. Roasted coffee beans contain beneficial antioxidants such

your health natural remedies

good sources of folate (clockwise from bottom right): broccoli, asparagus, oranges, kidney beans, collard greens, blackeyed peas, spinach, avocado, and lentils.

photograph by Raymond Hom, prop styling by Julie Ho

Fight Fall Allergies If allergens like ragweed and mold leave you sneezing and wheezing each autumn, look at your folate intake.

A new study from the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology shows that the B vitamin may keep allergic reactions in check and ease the severity of symptoms.

Reviewing the medical records of more than 8,000 people, researchers found that those with higher levels of folate had fewer allergy symptoms and a lower risk of asthma and wheezing. Study members with

higher levels also had fewer IgE antibodies, or immune-system proteins found at elevated levels in people with allergies.

In both asthma and allergies, the immune system has an exaggerated response to foreign substances such as dust and pollen, which in turn triggers respiratory troubles. But folic acid may help regulate that response, as well as dampen the airway inflammation at the heart of these conditions. To get your recommended 400 mcg of folate daily, boost your intake

of the folate-rich foods shown above, plus fortified cereals and pasta.

Include other allergy-easing foods in your diet, too. “Many nutrients that drive down inflammation and promote immune function should help,� says Kenneth Shane Broughton, Ph.D., University of Wyoming associate professor of human nutrition. Chief among these nutrients are omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, so get regular servings of fish, walnuts, fruits, and vegetables. —E.B.

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your health

A Brighter Smile

Reforming Health care

Q+A

with ANDREW WEIL, M.D.

Nearly 15 years ago, Andrew Weil, M.D., introduced readers to what was then a new concept: integrative medicine, the combination of conventional and alternative approaches to promote healing.

Now the Tucson, Arizona-based physician has turned his sights to health-care reform. In February 2009, he joined physicians Mark Hyman, Mehmet Oz, and Dean Ornish in testifying before Congress on the role that integrative medicine can play. In his new book, Why Our Health Matters, Weil advocates a transformation in how we pay for health care and in what that care consists of.

Here, he tells us why—and how—the system must change.

What prompted you to write this book?

I think it’s a logical conclusion of the work I’ve been doing for the past 30 years in terms of supporting patients and promoting integrative medicine.

Health care and medicine are in a desperate condition, and no one seems to be addressing the root problems or taking the right steps needed for change.

“ Integrative medicine uses low-tech, ‘hightouch’ approaches to treatment. More importantly, it helps teach people how to not get sick in the first place.”

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Like everyone else, I’m frustrated. I want to inspire people to realize that things can change.

You cite surprising myths in your book, including that the U.S. has the world’s best health care. Why do these myths exist?

I think they help us feel comfortable and avoid facing the ugly truths about health care in this country. But the reality is, we don’t have the best care in the world. We actually rank 37th out of 40, about the same as Slovenia.

But we have such amazing technology at our fingertips. Shouldn’t that improve care?

We tend to be dazzled by new technology—and medical technology is no different. But it doesn’t necessarily result in better care. Take MRI and CT scans: They can help diagnose some conditions, but too often they fail to reveal anything, and the radiation exposure and expense are not justifiable. Yet they’re recommended for everything from knee pain to headaches. Another reason these types of tests are overused? Money. Insurance companies tend to reimburse for expensive tests, but not always for preventive measures.

What role does prevention play in reform?

A huge role. I believe integrative medicine is the only practical way to contain health-care costs. It uses low-tech, “high-touch” approaches to treatment.

More importantly, it helps teach people how to not get sick in the first place.

What do you hope your readers learn?

I hope it makes them angry, if they aren’t already. And I hope it inspires them to fight for change. I list action steps in the book—things anyone can do, from writing to legislators to starting grassroots organizations. I feel very passionate about this issue, and I want my readers to feel that way, too.

— Jessica Cerretani

Whitening your teeth with at-home bleaching kits could wear down your tooth enamel, a recent Ohio State University study shows. After testing five brand-name tooth-whiteners, scientists found that the products weakened enamel and reduced the tooth’s resilience to applied force. Tested products included whitening strips as well as trays filled with whitening gel.

Bleach works by attacking pigment molecules in the enamel. For pearly whites without the bleach, try these teeth-whitening techniques recommended by Terecita Dean, D.D.S., holistic dentist at the Wellness Center of Alameda, in California. + Clean out your mouth immediately after sipping notorious teeth-stainers like coffee, tea, red wine, and soda. If you can’t brush right away, drink water to rinse your teeth. + Cut back on acid-forming foods, such as meat, dairy products, and sweets. “Acidity promotes plaque buildup,” explains Dean. “Once that plaque has accumulated, it’s easier for food and beverages to stick and stain your teeth.” Increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can also keep your system in balance. + Choose a toothpaste made with naturally whitening baking soda, or simply sprinkle baking soda onto your brush before cleaning your teeth. + Once daily, follow up your brushing by rinsing your mouth with a halfcup of water mixed with a tablespoon of three percent hydrogen-peroxide solution. A natural tooth-whitener, hydrogen peroxide can also knock out plaque-causing bacteria. Just be careful not to swallow the peroxide. —E .B.

your health natural remedies

Get in the Mood For help firing up a flagging libido, consider these all-natural aphrodisiacs recommended by Cathy Wong, N.D., author of The Inside-Out Diet. Always talk to your doctor about herbs you’re interested in taking.

Remedy: chili peppers

How it works These red-hot wonders

photographs on this page by Raymond Hom, prop styling by Julie Ho

Salt Attack Smothered in sauce or drowning in dressing, a single restaurant meal can deliver more than four days’ worth of your recommended sodium intake. After investigating 17 national chains, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) calculated that 85 out of 102 meals contained more than a day’s worth of salt: Olive Garden, Chili’s, and Red Lobster, for instance, all offer entrees that pack more than 6,000 mg of sodium per plate—dangerously higher than the 2,300 mg daily limit set by the American Heart Association.

A major risk factor for high blood pressure, excess salt ups your odds of cardiovascular and kidney disease. In fact, research shows that cutting sodium consumption by 25 to 35 percent could lead to a 25 percent decrease in heart disease and stroke risk.

Besides minimizing processed foods, a top source of salt, be mindful when you’re eating out, suggests Roseville, California-based dietitian Jeannie Gazzaniga-Moloo, Ph.D. For starters, “Stick with low-sodium items for the rest of your meals that day,” she says.

Here’s how to ease up on the salt once it’s time to dine: + Skip foods served smoked or in a sauce or broth. + Ask your server to have your meal prepared without added salt. + Request that any sauces or dressings be presented on the side. For salads, use a light drizzle of dressing or olive oil and vinegar. + Nix the salt and season your meal with a squirt of lemon juice. “It helps you get over missing the salt and can go a long way in enhancing the flavor of your food,” says Gazzaniga-Moloo. To read the full CSPI report, visit cspinet .org/salt. —E.B.

are bursting with capsaicin, a chemical that helps speed up blood flow and spur an endorphin release similar to what the body experiences when aroused.

What to do Chili peppers can kick up your sex drive right away, so include jalapeño, cayenne, or habanero peppers whenever you need to heat things up. (extracted from the leaves of a shrub native to Mexico) How it works Certain compounds may offer libido-boosting effects much like those of progesterone, a female hormone involved in regulating sex drive.

What to do Take 500 to 1,000 mg in supplement form twice daily. Damiana may decrease blood sugar and deliver low levels of cyanide-like compounds, so “it’s to best to avoid high doses and stick with short-term use until we know more about damiana’s safety,” notes Wong.

Remedy: damiana

Remedy: dark chocolate

How it works Cocoa contains antioxi-

dants shown to increase levels of nitric oxide, a chemical compound thought to promote sexual function in both men and women.

What to do Each day, eat about an ounce of dark chocolate with at least 60 percent cocoa content. The sweet stuff may also lower your blood pressure and keep inflammation in check, according to past studies. (extracted from a Brazilian rain forest tree) How it works Said to stimulate production of testosterone, muira puama may also elevate your levels of mood-regulating brain chemicals such as serotonin.

What to do Taking 1.5 grams of muira puama extract once daily should be safe in the short term. Since the supplement could increase blood pressure, consult with your doctor before using muira puama on a regular basis. —E.B. Remedy: muira puama

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NOVE M BER 2 0 0 9 Quick tips + fresh ideas for living a balanced, healthy life

Whole Living SIGN UP HERE AT:

oldschoolpe.com

photo by Johnny Miller, prop styling by Elizabeth Adler

Kick Ball, Anyone?

Ever long for those carefree days on the playground? You’re not alone. Adults across the country are rethinking their workouts with some good, old-fashioned recess. Members of the club Old School P.E (oldschoolpe.com) flock to rec centers from New Hampshire to Oregon for fast-paced sessions of sack races, kickball, and tug-of-war. Similar in concept, the Portland-based fitness company Urban Recess (urbanrecess. com) offers an eight-week program full of cardio-pumping jumping jacks, relay races, and elbow tag. But it’s not all fun and games. “Schoolyard-inspired play offers the perfect break from our overstructured lives and the world of gym mirrors,” says Carol Torgan Ph.D., a spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine. “It burns calories, improves range of motion, and reduces stress. Because it’s fun, you’re more likely to stick with it.” If you don’t have a recess group nearby, you can still get in on the trend with something as simple as hopscotch, tetherball, or a hula-hoop.

“The goal is to get off the couch, engage your senses, and, most of all, laugh,” says Torgan. — Caroline McKenzie

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whole living | beauty TEST DRIVE

healthier hair

green web favorite

When it comes to grooming products, it’s hard to let your hardworking old standbys go—even if you want to choose more natural options. Thankfully, more and more top mainstream hair care lines now offer better-for-you shampoos, conditioners, and more. These picks, while not totally pure, are a step in the right direction. All include botanically derived ingredients and eliminate known irritants and toxins, such as sulfates or parabens. — Jill Russell WHAT

Nexxus Botanoil Shampoo and Conditioner, $9.27 shampoo, $14.99 conditioner, nexxus.com

Rusk Sensories Calm Shampoo, $15, rusk1.com

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KEY BENEFICIAL INGREDIENTS

FREE OF

rose hip, sunflower seed, and grape seed oils, amaranth; green bonus: 20% recycled material bottles

parabens sulfates animal byproduct dyes synthetic fragrance phthaltes silicone

guarana, ginger

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Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Moisture Balance Shampoo and Conditioner, $4.99 each, pantene.com

cassia, ginger, calendula, aloe vera

parabens sulfates animal byproduct dyes synthetic fragrance phthaltes silicone

Fekkai Au Naturel Shampoo and Conditioner, $23 each, fekkai.com

orange, vitamin C and B, potassium, zinc, phosphorus; green bonus: 40% recycled material bottles

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Kiehl’s Sunflower Color Preserving Shampoo and Conditioner, $18, shampoo, $19, conditioner, kiehls.com

sunflower and apricot oils, vitamins B3, B5, and B6, and E

parabens sulfates animal byproduct dyes synthetic fragrance phthaltes silicone

L’Oreal EverPure Volume Shampoo and Conditioner, $6.99 each, lorealparisusa. com

rosemary, juniper, vitamin E

parabens sulfates animal byproduct dyes synthetic fragrance phthaltes silicone

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The Elegant Evite Think Aunt Edna will cringe if you send email invites to your wedding or kid’s first birthday party? Maybe not. A new generation of virtual invitations is just as classy as the paper version, but a lot less wasteful. The most formal of the bunch, Paperless Post (paperlesspost.com), lets users custom design an invitation using a variety of fonts, graphics, and “paper” textures.

Purchase e-stamps ($5 for 60) and then “mail” the invite to guests in an animated envelope. Another company, Cocodot (cocodot.com), was launched recently by former MySpace exec and his photographer wife. It offers bold, bright invitations and card designs tktkttkktkt. An annual subscription ($29.95) and a small fee per event invitation ($12.95) will get you unlimited e-greetings. Can’t decide if you want to go virtual or not?

Pingg (pingg.com) offers the option to send invites via e-mail, snail mail, text message, Twitter, Facebook—you

whole living Have Stress, Will Travel!

From traffic jams to lost luggage, holiday travel can leave you frazzled. This year, arrive at your final destination composed and energized—and get the holidays off to a stress-free start— by following these simple tips from Kate Hanley, author of The Anywhere, Anytime Chill Guide.

Stretch It Out

Where stress starts, tight muscles follow. Ease the strain of hours sitting in the sky or on the road with a simple, seated stretch Hanley calls “The Numbe Four”: Place an ankle over the opposite knee (making the shape of a four) then lean forward and rest your elbow on your shin.

Apply Pressure

If icy roads or midflight turbulence leave you with a pounding heart and racing thoughts, Hanley recommends pressing your ring finger into your palm. The subtle acurpressure move lessens anxiety by slowing down the heart and, in turn, quieting the mind.

— Caroline McKenzie Better Breakfast The folks behind Bear Naked are at it again. Adding to their expansive line of all-natural granolas, they’ve recently introduced two new cereals: Banana Nut and Cranberry Raisin. We’re partial to the latter—it’s loaded with pumpkin and sunflower seeds, dried apples, raisins, and cranberries, and oat flakes and clusters.

Crunchy, sweet (but not in the sugary way), and most of all satisfying—it kept us feeling strong all

Movie review

Say It Out Loud

“The very act of traveling requires surrender,” says Hanley. When plans go awry (a delayed flight, bumper-tobumper traffic), slowly repeat the mantra “I’ll get there when I get there” to stay mindful of what’s out your control.San vendipis amet aute min hent aciliquis aliscinci blam Wish them Well

“The trick to not losing your cool,” says Hanley, “is to develop compassion.”

Instead of flying off the handle at that impatient driver or curt customer service rep, try a kindness meditation. Hold an image of them in your mind and put yourself in their shoes with an empathetic thought: “I’m sure he’s anxious to see his family” or “I bet she’s had a long day.” Illutat.

Ut at lorper suscil inissim veros alisi blan vel in ut ipsusto do od digniat. Duisi.uis exer accum zzrit,

Not Your Ordinary Chick Flick Two-time Oscar-winner Hilary Swank takes to the skies this month in Amelia, a soul-stirring biography of legendary aviatrix Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across both the country and the Atlantic Ocean. Acclaimed director Mira Nair tracks Earhart’s groundbreaking career—from her thrilling first flights in the early 1920s to a daring but ill-fated flight around the globe—as Swank effortlessly channels Earhart’s soaring spirit. +Want more true stories from inspiring heroines? These biopics are worth Netflixing. + The lushly romantic Out of Africa (1985) follows Danish writer Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep) as she makes a new life in colonial Kenya. + While Elizabeth (1998) may have played fast and loose with actual events, Cate Blanchett’s fiery portrait of England’s Virgin Queen will leave you spellbound. + Sally Field scored her first best-actress Oscar for

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whole living garden.com) hand-makes pantry specialties like jam, preserves, pickles, and chutney, each imbued with traditional flavor. Havre’s belief in sustainability extends to her mail-order practice as well; she uses recycled cardboard boxes and biodegradable cornstarch packing “chips” that dissolve under running water. Her nutty-tasting Calimyrna fig jam seasoned with garden thyme and Meyer lemon works wonders on a leftover turkey sandwiches.

made to order If you can’t make it to a family gathering this season, do the next best thing. Send an edible gift that tastes good from companies that do good.

For the past 27 years, Zingerman’s (zingermans.com), based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, has set the bar high in regards to authentic food and philanthropic efforts. The first for-profit business to launch a food bank, the company espouses an “act local” philosophy that fosters a relationship with the community as well as the small, independent producers who provide their ingredients. Zingerman’s has also never veered from their original pledge of creating full-flavored foods made the old-fashioned way.

Their pecan pie, made with unrefined Mauritan brown sugar and real creamery butter, ships tktktktk. Turn the page for more.

{Pastry Perfect} One of the earliest contenders to rise to the challenge of fine baking with organic ingredients, Miette’s Megan Ryan (miette.com) invests in her neighbors by buying locally milled flour, milk from certified-organic Strauss Family Creamery, and seasonal fruit from San Francisco’s Ferry Building Farmer’s Market (just steps from her retail outlet). Her careful but whimsical creations—including a cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg-laced gingerbread—prove that organic is beautiful.

Have you heard?

Broadway welcomes Henry Miller’s Theatre, the first green theater, this month. At least 85 percent of its construction and demolition debris was diverted from landfill, and recycled materials were used throughout. + Washington State University had canceled plans to give incoming freshmen a copy of Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, citing a tight budget.

But rumor had it that the school wanted to avoid upsetting its Big Agriculture financial backers.

One blogosphere backlash (and a private donation) later, the institution will distribute the book after all. + Already on its way to becoming the world’s largest buyer of fair-trade coffee, Starbucks launches the Small Farmer Sustainability Initiative, a $20 million program aimed at distributing loans and technical assistance to small coffee growers throughout Africa, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. + Entourage star Adrian Grenier paired with developer Big in Japan to introduce ecohero, an iPhone and Google Android app that instantly assesses products’ eco and health impacts. Other features include a carbon calculator, a green encyclopedia, and suggestions for offsetting any

{Irresistibly Vegan}

{Not the Garden Variety} Using produce grown mostly on her Northern California farm—some varieties from heirloom seeds—Casey Havre of Lou Lou’s Garden (loulous-

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If ever there was a baker with a mission, it’s Erin McKenna at Babycakes (babycakes.com), New York City’s—and soon Los Angeles—vegan sweet shop.

It’s almost hard to believe that the tender cupcakes, moist cookie sandwiches, and crumbly cornbread are sweetened primarily with organic raw agave nectar and free of common allergens like wheat, gluten, dairy, casein, and even eggs. But that’s the delicious

Web Watch Ever wonder if your shampoo is free of harmful ingredients?

Find out before you buy at GoodGuide.com. The site (and iPhone app) calls on the experts using scientific assessment to review the environmental, social, and health performance of over 70,000 toys, food items, and household and personal-care

BODY+SOUL INTERVIEW

whole living

+

Alicia Silverstone vegan queen

When it comes to knowing about the food we consume, Alicia Silverstone is anything but clueless. An on-again, offagain vegetarian for most of her childhood, Silverstone took things up a notch at 18 when she became a full-fledged, card-carrying vegan. Her love of animals led her in a no meat, dairy, or egg direction, but she was pleasantly surprised by how good she felt just a few weeks in.

Now, the actor shares the love with her new book, The Kind Diet. It explains all the benefits of cutting back on animalbased food (clearer skin, more energy, sharper mind, weight loss, less impact on the planet) and offers with recipes to tempt even the most die-hard meat-eaters—all with a simple message. “There are many ways to be ‘kind’ and there is no such thing as being ‘perfect’,” says Silverstone. Currently rehearsing for the Broadway show Time Stands Still (costarring with Laura Linney), Silverstone shares a few insights on celebrity status, hidden talents, and guerilla conservation.

Food that you miss the most ... As a kid, my favorite food was ribs. But ever since making this life-changing connection to real food and realizing what my body needs to feel good, I’ve never looked back. Though I do wish eggs were a vegetable sometimes!

Secret indulgence ... I make the most delicious crispy peanut butter treats with chocolate chips that are perfect for when I’m running late, have skipped a

meal, or just want a dessert that won’t bring me down.

Best part of being a celebrity ...

Having the opportunity to share my passion with such a wide range of people.

Biggest inspiration ... Mother nature (and all her beauty) and all animal creatures, especially my beloved dog (and best friend), Sampson, who sadly passed away.

Hidden talent ... I am an ankle and toe-cracking champion. Is there a national competition out there for this? If not, there should be!

Key to a healthy relationship ... Be truthful, communicate, and take care of yourself.

Most embarrassing moment ... It’s hard to chose just one. My friends and family would tell you that I embarrass myself at least once a week. But they seem to still love me, so it’s all good.

Something your best friend doesn’t even know about you ... I often walk around the neighborhood ringing doorbells to suggest using lighting timers. I can’t believe some people leave their

“ I found my purpos when I created the foundation to help with the support of the cause for rese arch for breast cancer and others.”

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whole living experts talk back

f re

e!

what’s the one item of clothing you can’t live without?

Even with a closet full of clothes, we all tend to reach for same pieces over and over. What wardrobe staples do the top sustainable designers rely on? We found out.

My slate-colored Lara Miller leggings. They work with everything, and more importantly, they’re made from a buttery-soft soy and organic cotton stretch jersey.”

me

My black Diane von Furstenberg medium-weight, ¾-length sleeve jacket. I have managed to get away with wearing it for a good three years now, through all seasons. It’s sustainable in the sense that it’s had such a long and full life. It continues to inspire my design work and makes every outfit I pair it with anna cohen. designer, anna cohen

A medicinal smoothie that includes whey protein, a fattyacid supplement, super greens, coconut powder, wild berry concentrate, goat milk kefir, and frozen açai fruit.”Ro od dio etummod oloboreet adion utpat volore tisit vendiam, vel er”Lum velendit ero odionsecte tionseq uamcor sum alit nostie stewart and brown, designer, stewart and brown, inc.

Cardigans! They layer perfectly with any outfit, especially textured versions in neutral colors and natural fabrics, such as an eco-pebble jacquard or undyed alpaca. You can pair them with skinny pants, or wear them as outerwear for a modern look. eileen fisher, founder and chief creative officer, eileen fisher

Cardigans! They layer perfectly with any outfit, especially textured versions in neutral colors and natural fabrics, such as an eco-pebble jacquard or undyed alpaca. You can pair them with skinny pants, or wear them as outerwear for a modern look.

%

WASH THAT BAG! When was the last time you gave that reusable bag a bath? A new study commissioned

by Canada’s Environment and Plastics Industry Council found that 64 percent of reusable bags tested (about 16 of 25 that were randomly sampled from

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rc u

A Light-Bulb Moment

anna cohen. designer, anna cohen

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bahar shahpar, designer and creative director, the four hundred

Twice as efficient as compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and 10 times more powerful than incandescents, the LED bulb is already the go-to choice for emergency exit signs, street lamps, traffic signals, cellphones, and all kinds of electronic devices. So what’s stopping this mercury-free alternative to CFLs from making its way into our homes? In a word, price. C.Crane’s Geobulb II, which produces the light of a 60-watt incandescent bulb, can cost almost $115. That’s a sticker price too high for most buyers to bear, even

+ TIP

They clean your clothes, but they can’t clean themselves. Washing machines can get musty or mildewy, despite the constant stream of detergent. Give your machine a good once-over, the old fashioned way.

Fill with hot water, add about a cup of distilled white vinegar, and let it run through the cycle.

And always leave the door open after a washing to let it dry out.

whole living

book review

Good Reads

going with the flow For something so natural, there’s a whole lot of stigma attached to getting your period. Or should we call it “Aunt Flo,” “the Red Sox Have a Home Game,” “Riding the Crimson Tide,” “The English Have Arrived” (as they say in France), or our favorite, Denmark’s “There are Communists in the Funhouse.” While fun to analyze, the many names given to the monthly biological occurrence belie the sad reality of a taboo topic. Elissa Stein and Susan Kim, tired of hiding behind the euphemisms, said enough is enough. The duo collaborated to produce Flow: The History of Menstruation (Griffin Original), a witty, historical look at “the nuisance” that attempts to take the ew-factor out of something that we have been made to believe is, well, gross. fill here some more text here andBeyond pointing the finger at those who make us feel unhygienic at times, Flow serves as an educational tool for woman of all ages. Who hasn’t wondered why we get a period, what woman did before the invention of the tampon—let alone the pad—and how exactly does the “Cup” work? Flow explains all. For example, did you know that in the tkcentury women were encouraged to use a bleach douche between cycles to stay dainty? Or that it was once common belief that a menstruating woman could poison the food that she prepared? Or that the term “taboo” actually came from a word used to refer to menstruation? Accompanying a wealth of fascinating details is a hilarious collection of vintage feminine care advertisements that defi-

Too Much Unhappiness (Knopf) might seem like an ironic title for a collection of stories about people living in the wake of loss—divorce, the death of children, etc.

But short story master Alice Munro is just as interested in how we pick up the pieces after everything has broken apart. + You expect lots of vegetarian recipes from a Moosewood cookbook, and their new Cooking for Health (Simon & Schuster) is no exception. What’s new: an emphasis on the health benefits of a plant-based diet. + Mary Karr sparked a memoir revival with The Liar’s Club—now she’s back with Lit (Harper) to describe how she turned those early troubles into literary gold. + What if the place you’d grown to love was in danger of disappearing from rising ocean levels? That’s the story Peter Rudiak-Gold has to tell about his year on the Marshall Islands in his engaging memoir Surviving Paradise (Sterling). + Five body tips, five soul tips. What else could you need? Find them in Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul: How to Create New You (Harmony), by Deepak Chopra. + People around the world go hungry, not because we don’t have enough food, but because we’re wasting so much of what we have. So explains Tristam Stuart in his provocative new book Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal (Norton).

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body+soul 2010 redesign

body+soul

take years off your skin: the new naturals

6

proven ways to lower your cholesterol

stop sneezing! allergy cures that really work

spend wisely: A budget thAt fits your vAlues

april 2010

WHole liVing

H e a lt H y V e g e ta r i a n g u i d e | S t o p S t r e S S i n g | a l l e r g y c u r e S | e a r t H d ay t u r n S 4 0

a MartHa SteWart puBlication

a fresh start!

spring cleaning made easy stress less, live more

the healthiest diet for your body and the planet

earth day turns 40 10 ways to make a real difference every day

number 45

april 2010

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whole life action plan

a p r i l 2 0 10

lIghteN up!

thIs MoNth’s goal Shed some of what’s been holding you back.

2 3

aim to accomplish any or all of these changes: You’ll feel better—and lighter—as a result.

boDy

loSE 4 lBS in 4 wEEKS > coMMIt to 45 MINutes of carDIo

three to four times a week; ramp up the intensity by 10 percent if you’re already there. (Moderate rope-jumping for 10 minutes can burn about 150 calories!) > lay off the lIquID sugar by cutting out soda and sports drinks, which average 200 calories a serving. “Aim to cut 500 calories a day by eating less and burning more, and you’ll be on track to lose a pound a week,” says nutritionist Keri Glassman, author of The O2 Diet. > aDD three vegetables a week in place of three starches. (Try broccoli rabe instead of pasta.)

make it happen

chaNge for gooD What’s your goal? run a 10K? Find more energy? Be more mindful? Join our community at Wholeliving.com and get support from readers with similar plans.

You’ll find strategies from fitness and health experts, plus ideas for keeping you motivated while you achieve your aim.

2 / wholelIvINg.coM

april 2010

1

MIND

Unload and Unwind

your clutter for two hours each week for the next month.

Break the time up into half-hour chunks, or do it all at once. Prime for tossing: books, DVDs, and unworn or rarely used clothing. > reaD or watch something that makes you laugh for at least 15 minutes a day. May we suggest our faves: awkwardfamilyphotos .com and improveverywhere.com. > say No to a project, meeting, or obligation each week—and do something for yourself. > tackle

soul

UnBURdEn YoURSElF and SHaRE THE wEalTH

your gently worn shoes to soles4souls.org, a Nashville-based charity that collects them from footwear companies and closets (check the Web site for locations near you) and distributes them free of charge to people in need. > support humor research. Rxlaughter.org serves seriously ill children and adults in support groups and clinics around the world through therapy, education, and research. > DoNate

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contents

features

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The meaning of cleaning

We tear through the laundry so we can finish it already and get on with our real life. But in a way, laundry is our real life. What if, instead of zoning out when we did our routine chores, we really woke up? One haphazard housekeeper tries to turn cleaning into a meditative practice. by amy maclin

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elemenTal beauTy

Once found mainly in health food stores, mineral makeup—made from pulverized rocks like mica, titanium dioxide, and silica—has acquired a modern polish, with updated, skin-friendly formulas. by olessa pindak

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sTop sTressing, sTarT living

photograph by Raymond Hom, food styling by Sarah Carey, prop styling by Tanya Graff

We can’t avoid life’s pressures, but we can outsmart them. Here’s the surprising new research about how we can decode our body’s natural stress responses and get started on the path to contentment. by terri trespicio

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how To be a healThy vegeTarian

The meat-eating author learns that you can be a happy herbivore, and finds out what green eating can do for the planet. by jenny rosenstrach

c over photograph by

Johnny Miller

on the cover lower Your cholesterol

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spring cleaning

allergy cures that work

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stress less, live more 96

take Years off Your skin 50 earth Day turns 40

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the healthiest Diet

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spend wisely

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styling by

Cindy Diprima

april 2010 wholeliving.com / 5

contents

a p r i l 2 0 10

28

50

59 DePARTmenTS in every issue Action Plan on the web openings chat Product guide

2 8 10 16

Whole living

19

121

nest

news + trends

The ultimate umbrella, treehouse hotels, turning a T-shirt into jewelry, mac ’n’ cheese for adults, the green way to clean, and more.

68 everything is illuminated 47 news + trends Skin soothers, the best dry shampoos, DiY face masks, and how to dye your hair without dying of fume inhalation.

26 living it priscilla Woolworth brings her family’s general-store savvy to the Web—and gives it an eco-friendly spin.

50 super naturals 54 up in the air Sometimes a shift in perspective is all you need to build confidence, and to see yourself in a whole new way.

Whole health

31

news + trends

liquid supplements and vitamins, why you should play nice in a fight, eco-sex tips, and Dr. Woodson Merrell on vitamin D.

38 Breathe easy if allergies are the bane of your spring, get a jump start on managing the misery.

40 talking dirty it’s time to call a truce with germs.

6 / wholeliving.com

april 2010

reflect

74 does earth day matter?

Here’s a very short answer: Only if we want it to.

The latest botanical skin care is anything but garden-variety.

28 spring in your step Whether you’re headed to the farmers’ market or the office, these shoes will keep you looking sweet and feeling sensible.

Eco-friendly lighting has come a long way from ugly coiled bulbs and ghoulish colors. These lamp-and-bulb pairings get our glowing recommendations.

Whole beauty

nourish

soul food

114 culture Natalie Merchant sets poetry to music, books on family, and must-see movies.

118 what’s it worth? all things considered, buying local and organic may be less costly than you think.

59 what do i do with an …

artichoke?

Three ways to prepare the prickly vegetable.

64 going granola For the best you’ve ever tasted, think outside the box.

animal nature

122 words to save your

dog’s life

The commands that can keep your dog out of danger.

photographs clockwise from far right: Raymond Hom, prop styling by Julie Ho (2); Johnny Miller, prop styling by Tanya Graff; Johnny Miller, prop styling by Manuel Norena

68

photograph and styling by Matthew Axe

s e e / m a k e / t a s t e / t ry / g o / b e

HERB EXCHANGE You love your windowsill herb

garden, but the basil is taking over, and sometimes you need a smidge of dill. So coordinate an herb exchange with your friends and neighbors: Each person grows a couple of plants and shares the excess.

Less waste, more taste. april 2010 wholeliving.com / 19

w hol e l i vi ng

how to store clipped herbs once you collect a little of this and a little of that, follow these guidelines to keep your herbs in mint condition.

+

KEEP WET Trim ends of basil stems, stand in water, and cover leaves with a thin plastic bag. Wrap stems of parsley and cilantro with a damp paper towel and keep in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge.

>> basil

mass media

>> cilantro

Frustrated that he couldn’t easily find organic produce in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, art student Joe Wirtheim sounded a call to arms in 2007 by creating propagandastyle screen-printed posters with an environmental bent (victorygarden oftomorrow.com). Wirtheim is now based in the eco-haven of portland, Oregon, and his latest prints encourage everything from raising chickens to composting—and are just $12. now go grow a victory garden! — hillary gerOnemuS

<< parsley

+

KEEP DRY Rosemary, chives, thyme, and other perennials stay freshest in the fridge.

Stack with layers of paper towels between them in a sealed plastic bag or an airtight container.

<< rosemary

>> chives << thyme

—Sarah engler

PaNTRY dOCTOR

tomato and thyme

mac ’n’ cheese makeover

1. On a baking sheet, drizzle cherry tomatoes with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and sprigs of thyme.

2. roast at 425º until the tomatoes have partially collapsed (30 minutes).

3. prepare the cheese sauce and mix with pasta. Stir in tomatoes and top with thyme.

elevate the old standby with these crowd-pleasing, healthy twists. start with

annie’s shells & white cheddar (or similar)

For either ingredient combination to the right, enhance the cheese sauce before adding it. mix included pouch and ½ cup milk and bring to a boil. add 1 cup grated cheddar cheese and stir until melted.

20 / wholeliving.com

april 2010

or

mushroom mac 1. Sauté sliced mushrooms in olive oil.

2. prepare the cheese sauce and stir in a teaspoon or so of grainy mustard.

Toss with the pasta.

3. add in the mushrooms and chopped parsley.

all photographs by Raymond Hom, prop styling by Julie Ho, food styling by Sarah Carey, except for poster courtesy of victorygardenoftomorrow.com

GReen WantS you!

33

more keepers

million

umbrellas are bought from big-name retailers in the United States each year >> peTrooli by marimekko, $40; umbrellas.neT

AnAtomy of ...

The LifeLong UmbreLLa

1

So many umbrellas feel utterly flimsy and sadly disposable. We asked Boston inventor Steve Hollinger, who’s spent years dissecting them to devise the perfect design, for his piece-bypiece shopping guidelines. He hopes to sell his high-tech line in 2011, but until then, these picks follow (most of) his rules.

2

1. Canopy Bigger is not better. Ideally

>> meTro by gusTbusTer, $40; luggage .com

>> full size by Tray 6, $49; Tray6.com

you want a canopy about 40 inches in diameter. Choose breathable woven nylon instead of vinyl. 2. Ribbing The umbrella will bounce back from inevitable blowouts if it has fiberglass ribs with few moving parts. 3. Shaft Sturdiness is key. Lightweight and resilient fiberglass will last the longest. 4. Handle A curved one lets you use the leverage of your forearm to battle the wind. If you go with a straight handle, it should be covered with rubber or foam to ease pressure on your wrist when you squeeze. —Se

3 4

>> auTo open sTick

by ToTes, $18; ToTes.com

>> loTus by frankford umbrellas, $29; umbrellasusa.com

Upcycled find

bag of Tricks

Crafter Alice Saunders has always had a thing for old flea-market fabrics.

The former history major loves details that show signs from the past—a soldier’s name on a canvas bag from World War II, or a hand-sewn repair made decades ago on a seaman’s net. “I want to make these pieces tangible again by transforming them into useful everyday objects,” she says. Her beautiful one-of-a-kind bags combine the cloth she collects with recycled and vintage hardware (from $50, etsy.com/shop/forestbound). —Se april 2010 wholeliving.com / 23

w hol e l i vi ng

rEcyclEd craft

Econundrums

THE T-SHIRT NECKLACE

Ask Mindy

WhAt you need Soft cotton T-shirt, ruler, scissors or rotary cutter

1 Lay the shirt on a flat surface; cut off the hem and discard. Then cut the body of the shirt horizontally into strips approximately ¾ of an inch long. (They will actually be loops.)

2 One at a time, pull the loops open and stretch until the fabric starts to curl. Stack the loops on top of one another so that all the T-shirt side seams are in the same spot.

3 Once you have the

thickness you desire, wrap the seams with a scrap piece of fabric (about 6 inches long) from the same shirt.

Tuck the end of the scrap under itself. —se

Q Can clothes really get clean in cold water?

—diane brickwell, duluth, mn A Yes, really! Cold water will clean your laundry as well as hot most of the time. Plus your laundry area will be cooler, and you’ll use 90 percent less energy. But there are exceptions. Unsanitary items, such as diapers, should be cleaned in hot water; so should bedding, to kill allergenic dust mites.

For other heavily soiled items, try warm water; it still saves energy compared with hot.

Q do i need to wash out my bottles and containers before putting them in the recycle bins?

—ellen harper, atlanta, ga

A Yes, but gently: Think degunked rather than pristine clean. Plastics, glass, and cans will be sorted, cleaned, and broken down at the recycling center.

All we need to do is prep them for their journey, the way we scrape dishes before loading them into the dishwasher.

B+s online For the answers to more

questions, or to submit one of your own, go to wholeliving.com/ask-mindy

wE triEd it

leAner CleAner Just four pumps of Method’s concentrated plant-based laundry detergent is enough for a whole load. No more hauling home ginormous jugs.

(Plus the bottle is recycled.)

24 / Wholeliving.CoM

aPriL 2010

photographs by Raymond Hom, styling by Julie Ho; except Mindy Pennybacker portrait courtesy of the author

The last time you made a necklace, it probably involved macaroni.

Here’s an idea inspired by a project on the blog Cucumbersome.com: Turn an old shirt into a piece of wearable art that’s quite grown-up.

Mindy Pennybacker, author of Do One Green Thing and editor of the site Greenerpenny.com, solves our environmental dilemmas.

whole living

my whole life

age 47 hometown Los Angeles Day job Online entrepreneur Biggest inspirations My daughters, animals, my French grandmother, volunteers environmental bible The Better World Shopping Guide. It showed me how much power each of us has through what we buy.

WHEN PRISCILLA WooLWoRtH

the merchant of greenness

Priscilla woolworth brings her family’s general-store

savvy to the Web—and gives it an eco-friendly spin.

By Christie matheson

26 / wholeliving.com

april 2010

gets out of bed, she can’t wait to dive back in and savor a cup of English breakfast tea and the newspaper. “It’s my moment of indulgence,” says the Los Angeles–based founder of priscillawoolworth.com, an earthfriendly online general store lauded for its no-nonsense practicality and whimsical design sensibility. She burrows in until her French bulldog, Leroy, is ready for his walk, then heads to her office (right down the hall) and gets to work bringing green and fair-trade goods to the masses.

Woolworth’s eco-awareness began when she had kids. “I felt very protective of my girls [Arielle and Lucie, now 20 and 18] and wanted to learn how to make their surroundings as healthy as I could,” she says. And the desire to sell useful items is in her DNA—she’s four generations removed from one of the founders of the famed Woolworth chain.

With priscillawoolworth.com, she’s created her own version of her family’s trusted neighborhood store, “with healthy, positive products.”

Launched in January 2009, priscilla woolworth.com carries a carefully curated selection of items that Woolworth either tested or designed

this page: photograph by John Dolan, hair and makeup by Dale Johnson, wardrobe by Zoe Glassner. Priscilla is wearing Enza Costa sheer white long-sleeve tees (2) layered, Joe’s trouser jeans, Rachel Pally ivory oversize long jersey cardigan, Banana Republic shoes. Accessories are her own. opposite page, clockwise from top left: photographs by John Dolan (2); courtesy of Le Prince Jardinier; Raymond Hom (3)

vital statistics

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Above: Woolworthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dining room feels a bit like Provenceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;maybe because she grew up in France.

Right: Her home is sprinkled with objects sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collected on hikes.

herselfâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from bamboo hangers and baby-food mills to fair-trade cat toys handmade by a cooperative of women in Guatemala. In its first year, her site grew from 50 to 350 products.

She describes her office as â&#x20AC;&#x153;one huge vision board,â&#x20AC;? covered with inspiring images: Moroccan women dyeing fabric in a pot, Pablo Picasso holding a giant palm leaf, old French men contemplating a game of boules, photos sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taken of family and friends.

Occasionally, Woolworthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest in all things natural takes her to extremes; sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been known to freeze large dead bugs she finds and show

them off at dinner parties. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It never fails to enliven the conversation!â&#x20AC;? she says. Arielle and Lucie occasionally poke fun at her earth mother bent, but they do love the perksâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;like homemade (and homegrown) organic dinners every night when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re home, always eaten by candlelight.

Although her daughters donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t plan to take over the family store (Lucie wants to be a photographer; Arielle, a literary agent), Woolworth says she couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have created her business without them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through my girls, I have learned a capacity to love that goes beyond them and grows into my work.â&#x20AC;?

sustainingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and sustainable Woolworth shares her four must-haves.

gARdenIng Tools

â&#x20AC;&#x153;le Prince Jardinier makes a utilitarian and stylish line.â&#x20AC;?

From $44, artedona.com

exTRA-vIRgIn olIve oIl

â&#x20AC;&#x153;newmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own organics tastes the best.â&#x20AC;?

$13 for 17oz., newmansown organics.com

PRoduce bAg

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re made from recycled chicken-feed bags.â&#x20AC;? $10,

priscillawool worth.com

Ok, so we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t actually date back to the Garden of Eden. But we were using â&#x20AC;&#x153;botanicsâ&#x20AC;? back when people called them plants.

Today, our Natural Apothecary line is one of the very few brands deemed worthy of certification by the Natural Products Association. You see, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always thought nature was beautiful.

And some things never change.

the man who planted trees

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jean gionoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story about helping nature inspired me when I first read it as a kid.â&#x20AC;?

$10, barnesand noble.com

I\opm\g ndi^` ,313) <i_ r\t ojj nop]]jmi oj ^c\ib`)

whole living

wear it we l l

1

2

3

4

5

trade in the flip-flops for a pair of these stylish upgrades, and even a weekend running errands will feel elevated.

6

1 MacadaMia by born

(in pewter), $85; bornshoes.com 2 SeaSpray Slide

by Sebago,

$60; sebago.com 3 anna by teva,

$70; teva.com

Spring In Your Step

Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re headed to the farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; market or the office, these shoes will keep you looking sweet and feeling sensible.

28 / wholeliving.com

april 2010

4 earthkeeperS kennebunk ring ankle thong by tiMberland,

$90; timberland.com 5 Salida by naya,

$110; nordstrom.com 6 Sparta by birkenStock

7

(in Twilight Blue), $80; birkenstock.com

7 aSter by Merrell,

$80; merrell.com

photographs by Johnny Miller; produced by Laurie Trott; prop styling by Manuel Norena

made for walking

s t r e ng t h e n / b a l a n c e / r e s tor e / h e a l

Drinkable Doses Liquid vitamins and supple-

photograph by Raymond Hom, prop styling by Julie Ho

ments are often the wallflowers of the health food store. But for certain key nutrients, or for people who have trouble swallowing pills, liquid varieties (like B 12 and iron, shown here from left) may be a good choice.

month april 2010 wholeliving.com / 31

who l e h e a l t h

For iron Floradix Iron + Herbs can increase iron absorption ments often get short shrift in faby 50 percent for anemia and vor of easy-to-pop pills, but these low-iron sufferers. $26 for 8.5 oz., viscous formulas may be worth a second look. “If you’re deficient shopping.florahealth.com in water-soluble nutrients like For vitamin C ChildLife Liquid the B vitamins, iron, or other minVitamin C has 250 milligrams erals, quality liquid supplements per teaspoon of the immuneare thought to be better absorbed,” boosting liquid. $8 for 4 oz., says Sheila Kingsbury, N.D., natvitacost.com uropathic physician and chair of the Department of Botanical For CalCium Trace Minerals ReMedicine at Bastyr University. search Cal/Mag/Zinc Liquimins “They’re also an especially good has a balanced, potentially boneoption if you have a history of building formula. $32 for 32 oz., digestive issues or have trouble vitaminshoppe.com swallowing pills.”

For a multi Nature’s Answer Here are her five top picks: Platinum Liquid Multiple Vitamin & Mineral is an effective option For B12 Nature’s Answer Liquid for those who have trouble swalVitamin B 12 may support lowing or stomaching pills. $18.50 red blood cells and boost neural for 16 oz., iherb.com connections. $25 for 2 oz., —MiCHeLLe HeRReRA MuLLigAn evitamins.com

people can lower their risk of diabetes by

25 pErCENT

by drinking three to four cups of coffee or tea per day, according to a recent review of 18 studies.

attention to prevention

6 StepS to Reduce choleSteRol

Over 42 percent of American women older than 20 have borderline high cholesterol (more than 200 milligrams per deciliter), according to 2008 data from the American Heart Association.

1 Start your day with a warm bowl of oatmeal,

adding plenty of roasted almonds and a little flax. in individual studies, the combination of cholesterolblocking soluble fibers and inflammation-busting omega-3’s brought total cholesterol, lDl, and triglycerides down 10 to 30 percent.

2 Take the stairs. a study found that one to five two-minute dashes up the stairs daily over eight weeks lowered lDl cholesterol by almost 8 percent.

3 Make time for yoga and meditation. in one review of studies, men who regularly practiced stress-melting yoga showed a 6 to 25 percent decrease in total cholesterol numbers.

4 Laugh your head off. a study compared two groups of diabetic patients who were getting standard drug therapy: One group spent half an hour watching a funny show every day; the other just took the drugs. at the end of a year, 26 percent of participants who watched the show had higher levels of HDl (“good” cholesterol), compared with only 3 percent of the other group.

5 Have a glass of red wine. Studies have found the combo of HDl-boosting ethanol and antioxidant resveratrol may help protect your heart.

6 Supplement with plant sterols. Sure, that doesn’t sound exciting, but these phytochemicals, found in high amounts in plants like wheat germ, reduced total cholesterol and lDl by 10 to 14 percent in studies. —M.H.M.

should i or shouldn’t i?

is it ok to go on a birth control pill that erases my period entirely? a “Studies don’t appear to show any greater risks in taking hormonal pills continuously when compared to cyclic birth control pills [that give you a period],” says Lissa Rankin, M.D., an integrative gynecologist in Mill Valley, California. There’s nothing natural about the “period” you get while you’re on a 21-day oral contraceptive anyway, Rankin says; it’s just hormone withdrawal: “Manufacturers created birth control pill packs with a week of placebos in the belief that women preferred to have a period, even if it was artificially created.” —M.H.M. 32 / wholeliving.com

april 2010

photograph by Raymond Hom, prop styling by Julie Ho

Liquid vitamins and supple-

who l e h e a l t h

Q&A with wooDson merrell, m.D.

Chairman of the Department of Integrative Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center, and coauthor of Power Up: Unleash Your Natural Energy, Power Up Your Health, and Feel 10 Years Younger

Q Do i need to take a vitamin D supplement?

A It’s likely—70 to 75 percent of women are deficient in vitamin D. To know for sure, request a simple blood test (called 25-hydroxy-vitamin D) from your doctor; your levels should be between 40 and 100. Vitamin D is critical: Its deficiency is linked to osteoporosis, low immunity, and coronary artery disease. It’s also an important nutrient in the prevention of several cancers (including breast and prostate). So many people are deficient because the only way that our bodies can produce vitamin D is by exposure to the sun. But if you live north of the 35th parallel (which runs from southern California through North Carolina), the sun’s rays are not strong enough during the winter months for vitamin

D production, and even below that latitude, it takes much longer in the winter to get the amount you need. During the summer, we necessarily wear sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, but this also prohibits vitamin D production. For people who are deficient, I start them off at 2,000 units a day, and often two days of the week I give them 20,000 units. Once they’re back up to the optimal range, I recommend a minimum daily supplement of 1,000 units, which is the equivalent of 10 to 15 minutes of exposure to strong sunlight.

Note: People with calcium and kidney stone problems need to be taking extra vitamin D, and it’s always important to clear any new supplement with your doctor before taking it.

Q i eat a lot of canned beans. how worried should i be about BpA in the lining of food cans?

A The FDa has now recognized that BPa (or bisphenol a, a chemical commonly found in plastics) in the food supply is a potential health hazard, but there’s no regulatory structure set up to enforce a ban. Canned food is one of the many places (along with some baby bottles, water bottles, and reusable plastic containers) that you find BPa. My recommendation is to strictly limit canned foods for children, whose developing bodies are most susceptible to the hazards of BPa. For adults, try to reduce your consumption to one or two cans per week, and when possible, rinse off food. To avoid cans, consider buying uncooked beans and preparing them in a pressure cooker.

B+s online For answers to more

questions, or to ask your own, go to wholeliving.com/doctor-merrell

herb 1-2 -3

soothing gingER tEA

The gnarled ginger root packs a punch—for not only your palate but your health. Try a cup or two of hot ginger tea for everyday complaints like an upset stomach, menstrual cramps, or congestion. Here’s how to brew it up. —TaNIa HaNNaN

remove the skin from an inch of fresh ginger using a paring knife. Chop the ginger and measure a tablespoon per cup of tea.

STEP 1

34 / wholeliving.com

april 2010

add ginger to a saucepan with water, 8 oz. per cup.

Bring it to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. pour into a teapot.

STEP 2

remove the strainer from the teapot and discard the ginger. add honey if desired. Tea can be refrigerated for up to a day; warm to serve.

STEP 3

environmentally friendly

sex tip for eco-lovers “Look for organic lubricants, like Firefly ($19, organiclubricant .com), that don’t contain glycerin or parabens,” says Stefanie Iris Weiss, author of EcoSex: Go Green Between the Sheets and Make Your Love Life Sustainable. “Glycerin can cause irritation (which can promote the transmission of STDs), and parabens may have estrogenic effects.” Not sexy. —M.H.M.

photographs clockwise from top: courtesy of Woodson Merrell; courtesy of Eco-Sex; Raymond Hom, prop styling by Julie Ho, food styling by Sarah Carey (4)

integrations

nourish

what do i do with an ...

aRtichoKe? packed with vitamins, fiber, and folate, these spring veggies arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as prickly to prepare as they seem.

photographs by Johnny Miller, food styling by Charlyne Mattox, prop styling by Tanya Graff

by AmAndA Gold Recipes by chARlyne mAttox

april 2010 wholeliving.com / 59

n ou r i s h

w h a t do i do w i t h . . .

Serve it raw Shaved artichoke Salad with ParSley and ParmeSan SERVES 4

For this fresh and nutty springtime salad, we sliced the artichoke hearts with a mandolin. (See below for instructions on removing the hearts; as you work, transfer hearts to a large bowl of water with juice of one lemon to prevent discoloration.) You can also slice thinly with a sharp knife; use a vegetable peeler to shave the Parmesan.

2 artichoke hearts 2½ tsp. lemon juice ½ oz. Parmesan cheese, shaved 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil kosher salt and ground black pepper ¼ c. toasted hazelnuts or raw whole almonds, coarsely chopped 3 tbsp. parsley leaves, torn if large 1. Halve each artichoke heart

lengthwise.

2. Thinly slice the hearts, tossing with 1½ tsp. lemon juice as you slice

(to avoid discoloration).

3. Arrange on a platter, top with Parmesan, and drizzle with olive oil and remaining lemon juice. Season with ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper to taste.

4. Sprinkle nuts and parsley over the top, and serve immediately.

Nutritional info per serving: 124 calories; 12 g fat.

the heart of the matter How to trim an artichoke for our raw and braised preparations

60 / wholeliving.com

1 Cut off top of artichoke. Pluck small leaves from bottom.

april 2010

2 With a paring knife,

3 Trim outside

4 Using a melon

remove all leaves from artichoke.

of stem down to light green.

baller, remove the choke.

nourish

solutions

Going Granola

For the best you’ve ever tasted, think outside the box. This do-it-yourself mix can be customized with whatever nuts, seeds, and dried fruit sound good to you. (We’ve included some of our favorite combinations.)

RECiPEs BY CHARlYnE MAttoX

Granola BaSE 6 c. old-fashioned oats 1¼ c. nuts, such as almonds, pistachios, walnuts, etc., coarsely chopped ¼ c. seeds, such as sunflower, pepitas, etc.

1| 3 c.

flaxseed meal, wheat germ, or a mixture of the two

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon 3 large egg whites ¾ tsp. kosher salt ¾ c. sweetener, such as honey, agave syrup, or molasses 1| 3 c.

extra-virgin olive oil

1 c. dried fruit, such as sour cherries, cranberries, currants, raisins, apricots, figs, or pineapple, coarsely chopped

flax and/or wheat germ, and cinnamon in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and the salt until frothy. Whisk in the sweetener and the olive oil. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and stir until the oats are evenly coated.

3. Transfer mixture to two rimmed baking sheets and spread flat.

4. Bake for 20 minutes, then gently flip with a spatula, moving granola from the outer edges to the center of the sheet. Continue to cook until golden, about 10 minutes more.

(If the granola starts to brown too much at the edges, gently stir those parts into the middle.)

5. Cool completely on pan, then transfer to a bowl and gently stir in the dried fruit.

Nutritional info per serving: 190 calories; 8 g fat * *all nutritional info is approximate.

64 / wholElivinG.com

april 2010

photographs by Johnny Miller, prop styling by Tanya Graff

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Combine the oats, nuts, seeds,

a little fruity, a little nutty

Three delicious blends, each with its own winning texture and taste, to get you started.

sweet + tart

u to n s a w s e te e d te c ne o d c , o n u

s d c ri h e e d r r ie

p

is

ta

c

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io

s s un e f ed l s ow

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e

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Use pistachios and sunflower seeds in the base. After baking, stir in dried cherries and ½ cup unsweetened coconut.

crunchy

ts d c ri u e r d r a n

c r ri ic s e py

p

e

p

it

a

s

s a li lm c e o d n d s

Use sliced almonds and pepitas in the base. Stir in ½ cup crispy rice cereal and dried currants after baking.

u to n s a w s e te e d te c ne o d c , o n u

d e c g ry in s g ta e l r l

o m

d p ri in e e d a p p

es s la

s

er g in g

le

iz

ia m a m n a u ca ts d

Use macadamia nuts in the base and ¾ teaspoon dried ginger. Add molasses as the sweetener.

After baking, stir in ¾ cup pineapple, ¼ cup ginger, and ½ cup coconut.

t

tropical

tips + variations chunky If you prefer a loose granola, simply stir instead of flipping during cooking.

vegan Leave out the egg whites.

The granola won’t be quite as crunchy, but it will still be very tasty.

freeze it Finished batches can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months.

april 2010 wholeliving.com / 65

soul food

t he b i g i de A

The price we pay

What’s It Worth?

When we try to align our spending with our personal values, the equation can become complicated.

by M. P. dunleAvey

Last faLL I broke through an internal spending barrier— the ingrained rule that cheaper is better—and shelled out $15 for a certified-organic, free-range, blessed-by-virgins chicken. It cost about three times what a supermarket bird might cost, and I found myself thinking, My mother would never do this. Like most women of her generation, my mother shopped for value: 118 / wholeliving.com

april 2010

She tried to get the most for her money, especially when it came to food.

She clipped coupons, took advantage of sales, bought in bulk, and could wring at least four meals from a single (non-organic) chicken.

Although I grew up admiring my mother’s thrift, emulating it in my 21stcentury life is another story. These days, the old cheaper-is-better equation doesn’t necessarily compute, as the traditional notion of value comes into conflict with a raft of more personal values that influence how and why we spend. The impact of chemicals on our health and the environment, worries about overseas manufacturing standards, dietary sensitivities, the push to buy local—these and many other factors influence how we evaluate the products we purchase. Price is only part of it, which makes doing the math a more nuanced, and annoying, proposition.

I’ve found myself standing in a local toy store (local, good!), poring over the label of a Thomas the Tank Engine train (made in China, bad?), and deciding that paying the (likely) higher price at the local shop outweighs going elsewhere (more driving = more gas) to find either an American-made toy (do they exist?) or a cheaper one. Sigh.

Whether you’re weighing the cost of sunglasses or solar panels, economists consider the above an exercise in socalled full-cost accounting, a method that assesses immediate and future outlays as well as short- and long-term advantages. Full- or true-cost accounting is one of the ways that scientists are rethinking some of the supply-anddemand equations that still, in large part, govern our ideas of what things should cost. If manufacturers can make cheaper sneakers in factories abroad and people prefer to buy cheaper

photograph by James Wojick

All things considered, buying local and organic may be less costly than you think.

the whole truth

PERSOnAL PHILOSOPHy ... “And

we are put on earth a little space / That we may learn to bear the beams of love.” —William Blake I fEEL HEALTHy wHEn I ... Don’t eat sugar or white flour.

I unwInD By ... Reading gossip magazines (see above) while eating carrot cake frosting (see above).

PROuDEST mOmEnT In my CAREER ... Making the Modern

Library 100 Best Nonfiction books of all time for Operating Instructions. my fATHER ALwAyS TOLD mE ... To remember what Auden said— read The New Yorker, trust in God, and take short views. my mOTHER wAS RIgHT ABOuT ...

Yorkshire pudding and George McGovern. my mOTHER wAS wROng ABOuT ...

Appearances being all-important.

The spiritual essayist (Traveling Mercies, Plan B, Operating Instructions) and novelist (Crooked Little Heart, Blue Shoe, and this month’s Imperfect Birds) reveals her personal pleasures and wise words to live by.

AS TOLD TO LORI LEIBOVICH

B+S online Miss the inspiring

thoughts from our old back page?

Get them online —or submit your own —at wholeliving.com/10thoughts.

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april 2010

prayers of gratitude, then greeting the dogs and the cat, who are all on the bed.

If I COuLD SAy OnE THIng TO mySELf 20 yEARS AgO ... The

single least important thing in life is how your thighs look.

THE LESSOn I kEEP LEARnIng OVER AnD OVER ... All of my

suffering is mental.

The thought of something bad happening to my grown son. nO OnE knOwS I ... Buy new gossip magazines every Friday— People, US Weekly, even the National Enquirer—and bingeread them. unHEALTHIEST mEAL ... Carrot cake frosting. wHAT SCARES mE mOST ...

THE mOVIE I wATCH wHEn I wAnT TO LAugH IS ... The Big Lebowski.

I ALwAyS fEEL SAnER wHEn I ...

Take a long walk; go to church; call one of my two best friends and tell them how crazy I feel and how profoundly annoying I am finding the whole world and most people right at that moment, then letting them love and accept me as I am, and letting them help me (against all odds) get my sense of humor back.

HOmE mEAnS ... My couch and my study, where I write and read and meditate (daily, if poorly). wHOLE LIVIng mEAnS ... God, walks, dogs, cat, reading, friends, radical self-care.

photograph by Penni Gladstone/Corbis Outline

ANNE LAMOTT

my fAVORITE mOmEnT Of THE DAy IS ... Waking up, saying

We tear through the laundry so we can finish it already and get on with our real life. But in a way, laundry is our real life.

What if, instead of zoning out when we did our routine chores, we really woke up? One haphazard housekeeper tries to turn cleaning into a meditative practice. by a m y m a c l i n p h oto g r a p h y by m a r i a r o b l e do

the

m e a n i ng o f c l e ani ng

wholeliving.com / 85

The idea is that we should find meaning in ordinary tasks, because true clarity is fleeting enough—and when it’s over, somebody still has to clean the crisper.

I clean house the way I’d kill a rattlesnake—fast and furious, like the dirt’s about to bite back. My white towels are in shreds because I just hurl the bleach on top, and I’ve lost many glasses in senseless dishwashing incidents. One day, enraged by the calcified dill clinging to my refrigerator’s crisper, I jerked the thing out and it cracked right down the middle. In the rush to take care of all my worldly goods, I was destroying them.

Cleanliness may be a worthwhile goal, but the time it takes to get there feels like an insult. What happened to my meaningful, art-filled life, the one I should be having instead of moping at the end of a mop that smells of “Sunlit Meadow”?

Thich Nhat Hanh once wrote that he washes dishes with as much care as if he were bathing the newborn Buddha: “If I am incapable of washing dishes joyfully, if I want to finish them quickly so I can go and have a cup of tea, then I will be incapable of drinking the tea joyfully.” Well, sing my life with your words, brother. I can’t say that after I’ve ripped through all those chores, I am doing much joyful tea drinking. For one thing, I’ve chipped all the nice cups.

What if I were able to slow down and treat housework as if it mattered? I’m thinking of that Zen proverb: “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” The idea is that we should find meaning in ordinary tasks, because true clarity is fleeting enough—and when it’s over, somebody still has to clean the crisper.

If housework were no more than drudgery, would it be part of so many religious traditions? Twenty-four verses of the biblical book of Leviticus are devoted to the fight against mildew. The Japanese religion Ittoen is centered around the humble practice of scrubbing other people’s toilets. Every week before the Sabbath, observant Jews are meant to clean their houses in preparation; Passover cannot properly happen unless every crumb of leavened bread is gone from the car, the cabinets, the carpets.

“That massive cleaning effort is a metaphor for cleaning out your soul,” says Rabbi Sherre Hirsch, author of We Plan, God Laughs. “When your physical surroundings are cluttered, your emotional and spiritual self is cluttered. If your space is clean, then your mind is open and you can let God in.” One reason I hate cleaning is that I feel like I’m waiting for some invisible guy with a clipboard to come by and evaluate my progress.

Maybe I’d be more motivated if I thought God might show up. “you’ve absolutely horrified me,” says Kathleen

Norris, a Benedictine oblate and author of The Cloister Walk, when I tell her how I treat my towels. “It’s going to take me a while to recover.” This conversation feels like it’s happening in a confessional: Norris has such passionate feelings about the divinity in laundry that she once delivered a lecture (later published as the book The Quotidian Mysteries: Laundry, Liturgy and “Women’s Work”) illuminating the ways that laundry can seem moral almost, the miracle of making dirty things clean.

See, I think doing laundry is more like shoveling coals in hell.

Bending over, dumping in, bending over, hauling out. Which brings me to another thing I hate about housework: It never stays done. Cycles, cycles, cycles. Doesn’t Norris—no matter how much she loves the smell of line-dried clothes—ever mind the endless repetition? “You’ll have to wake up tomorrow just like you did today,” she says. “If you despise repetition, what you’re really saying is that you despise life itself.”

For the Benedictines, work and prayer are one and the same.

“I think one of the reasons the order is still here after 1,500 years is that no one is excused from kitchen duty,” Norris says.

“They try to honor work as part of just being human.” She tells me about one young novice she met who made a meditative 86 / wholeliving.com

Elisha Goldstein, coauthor of The MindfulnessBased Stress Reduction Workbook (out in March), tells us how to make peace with cleaning.

1. Imagine you’re doing this chore for the first time. In your mind, it’s just a sinkful of dirty dishes. Look for the bubbles instead.

2. Use your five senses, focusing on one at a time. Appreciate the warmth of the water, the scent of the lemon cleanser.

3. Consider it a neural workout. Incorporating mindfulness-based techniques into everyday life can make you calmer and your brain more adaptive.

4. Don’t think of housework as punishment. Goldstein says, “You’re cultivating kindness toward yourself.”

practice out of running the commercial cleaner, again and again, in circles over the hallway’s hardwood floors.

On a more earthly plane, floor cleaning is the therapy of choice for Alexis Stewart, Martha’s daughter and cohost of Whatever, Martha! on the Fine Living Network, who was recently quoted in this magazine on cleaning’s stress-relieving benefits. “You don’t have to do it,” she says. “But the result is fun. I never liked cleaning out the chicken coop when I was a kid, but I sure liked the result.” (I bet her crisper is spotless.)

This is the kind of old-fashioned pragmatism that women adopted in the days when we were better at wringing meaning out of chores. Take The American Woman’s Home, written in 1869 by Harriet Beecher Stowe and her sister Catharine E. Beecher; it’s a complete compendium of how a woman should manage her household’s physical and spiritual ecosystem, from prayers to healthy beverages, dusting to moral foundations.

There are three chapters on how to ventilate the house: Homemaking is not about managing the moisture emitted by your furnace; it’s about putting the very air in your family’s lungs.

In her new memoir, Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions

for an Ordinary Life, Karen Maezen Miller tells the story of how her life changed when she started doing her own housework.

Of course, she also renounced a deflated marriage and an inflated ego and shaved her head to become a Zen priest, so maybe her epiphanies weren’t all about color-safe bleach. Still, I’m dismayed when she says, “There is no meaning in chores.

The expectation of meaning is what robs life of greater meaning.” I had not expected such a Luke-and-Yoda moment.

I was thinking of transformation yesterday, how Kathleen Norris was right about life as repetition. Am I the only person who keeps having the same disagreements, the same gripes, the same bad habits? I was in that slough of despond where it wasn’t the bathroom sink but my life that was covered in toothpaste sludge and someone else’s beard hair. I set out to clean the thing with attention and enfold my day in dignity.

At first all I noticed was the usual simmering irritation. Then I saw the thin layer of funk on my drain (not much dignity there). But as I worked the cloth around the spigots—focusing on the doing, not the getting done—it started to feel pleasantly personal, like giving someone a bath. Not the newborn Buddha, but some cranky elderly relative. Because the sink had been entrusted to me, and because it deserved to be clean, and because I was the one to do it. I scrubbed at that film of filth on the drain, which I’d never noticed all the times I’d spit into it, and there actually was a shiny circle underneath.

The cleaning seemed different when I wasn’t doing it for the guy with the clipboard anymore. That guy had been me anyway. In some way, I was starting over again. What was that quote from the Bible that my mother kept on our spotless refrigerator? Behold, I make all things new.

I’ll never love it, but I can say this: Cleaning changes things.

So much in life is uncertain—you take vitamins and get sick, love people who disappoint you, pour your heart into a job and lose it at the end of the fiscal year. But if you take a rag to a piece of soap scum, it will go away. From that point of view—the pure continuum of cause and effect—cleaning stops seeming futile. It starts to look like the only thing worth doing.

“Here’s the magic soap: Your own attention is what spiritualizes things. Attention to the meal you cook, the clothes you wash. Attention is love. And that’s transformative.”

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prop and wardrobe styling by Quy Nguyen

mindful housekeeping

“When we expect things to be more than they are, or when we value them as less than they are, that keeps us at arm’s length from our own life,” Miller says. “We think we’re supposed to follow our bliss, but when we’re really present in every moment, even when we’re vacuuming, we can begin to chip away at the feeling of inadequacy. And little by little, our lives are transformed.” Miller thinks the way we work can tell us something about who we are—the way we tenderly fold our children’s clean pajamas or rage over our husband’s towels in dank trails on the floor—and so it is a spiritual practice of sorts. Plus, “the rituals of daily work just enfold your day in dignity. They make life tasty.” Uh-huh.

She says, “If you think you need some voodoo …” I do. Why else would I call a Zen priest about my housework? “Well, here’s the magic soap,” she says. “Your own attention is what spiritualizes things. Attention to the meal you cook, the clothes you wash. Attention is love. And that’s transformative.”

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elemental beauty Once found mainly in health food stores, mineral makeupâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;made from pulverized rocks like mica, titanium dioxide, and silicaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; has acquired a modern polish, with updated, skin-friendly formulas.

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by ole s s a p i n d a k

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p h oto g r a p h y by c h r i s top h e r b a k e r

foundation

It’s not just loose powder anymore. Cream and pressed powder formulas give mineral lovers a wide range of options.

(1) MAC Mineralize

Foundation SPF 15 $30; maccosmetics.com (2) Becca Cosmetics Mineral Powder Foundation $38; beccacosmetics.com (3) Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Powder Foundation $14; drugstore.com (4) Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Illuminating Powder Duo $14; cvs.com (5) Arcona Sunsations Mineral Makeup SPF 25 $45; arcona.com (6) Aubrey Organics Silken Earth Translucent Base $24; aubrey-organics.com

>> Laura Kepshire, our model, is a complementarymedicine practitioner at Brennan Healing Science in New York City, where she uses therapeutic touch and integrative healing techniques. “I’ve always been attracted to minerals,” she says. “As a child in Anchorage, Alaska, I would gather rocks and minerals and keep them in my pockets. I don’t wear much makeup, so I love how light and natural the makeup feels on my skin.”

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It was in 1970s San Francisco that mineral makeup first became available, in sawdust-strewn health food stores. The timing was no coincidence: “1976 was the year makeup companies were required to print ingredients on their labels,” says Diane Ranger, who created Bare Escentuals, then developed a new line, Colorescience. “It forced women to really look at what was in their makeup and spurred an interest in natural options.” As a result, pioneering companies stripped makeup of unnecessary talc, fillers, and preservatives. “What was left were the mineral pigments,” Ranger says.

Today, mineral makeup is big business. Cosmetics giant Shiseido recently bought Bare Escentuals (whose CEO, Leslie Blodgett, is widely credited with launching mineral madness on QVC) for a reported $1.7 billion. The range of formulas has also exploded: No longer limited to loose powder foundations, minerals can be found in everything from foundation creams to pressed powders, lip glosses to eye shadows, cheek colors to mascaras. Why go mineral?

Fans cite the bright pigments (iron oxides are commonly incorporated for their wide range of shades), light-reflecting properties (minerals like mica give skin luminosity), and mattifying benefits. If you’ve dismissed mineral makeup in the past, it might be time for a second look. “Formulas used to be heavy, but new technology has allowed us to refine the way the minerals are processed, so they’re smaller and lighter, and feel smooth on the skin,” Ranger says.

“My patients are interested in mineral makeup because it sounds natural,” says Manhattan dermatologist Francesca Fusco, M.D. “It can be helpful for acne-prone skin, because it usually contains zinc, which can help breakouts,” she explains. (But it’s not a cure-all for sensitive skin. Fusco cautions, “You can be sensitive to anything, minerals included.”) The higher the mineral content, Ranger says, the greater the skin-soothing benefits. Look for labels that list iron oxides, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or mica.

“I’ve seen a lot of women have that ‘Aha’ moment when they realize that makeup can be healthy,” says Jane Iredale, owner of the eponymous mineral line. “They often then begin to clean out the rest of their lives, changing things like their lotions and cleaning products. Makeup is just the first step.” >> The Mineral Method

Spin

Tap

Press

“One of the biggest complaints about loose mineral powder is that it’s messy,” says Colorescience’s Diane Ranger. “The reason this technique works so well is that it gets the minerals into the brush head and not all over the place.”

Put a small amount of makeup into the cap and spin your brush.

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Tap the brush against the side of Working in small circles, press the the cap to knock off loose minerals. powder into your skin.

lips & cheeks

Look for mineral lip products in the formula you like bestâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; from glosses and balms to lipsticks. Blush and bronzer come in loose powders, pressed powders, and even small rocks that you can run a brush across or apply directly to your cheeks.

(1) Jane Iredale Lip Fixation Lip

Stain/Gloss in Fascination $29; janeiredale-direct.com (2) La Bella Donna Mineral Light Lip Colour in Pink Sand $23; labelladonna.com (3) E.L.F. Mineral Lipstick in Nicely Nude $5; eyeslipsface.com (4) Emani Minerals Hydrating Mineral Lip Color in Drama Queen $16; emani.com (5) CoverGirl TruBlend Micro Minerals Blush in Natural Rose $11; drugstore.com (6) PĂźr Minerals Hot Rocks $24; purminerals.com (7) Philosophy You Make Me Blush in Sunny/Bright $25; philosophy.com

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eyes

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The range of mineral shades—from subtle to intense—can be customized by how many layers you apply. Try a sheer wash of color, or brush on a few coats for a brighter payoff.

(1) GloMinerals

gloEye Shadow in Mermaid $15; gloskincare.com (2) GloMinerals gloLoose Eye Shadow in Charming $15; gloskincare.com (3) Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals Glimmer in Azure $13; sephora.com (4) MyChelle Eye Shimmer in Spring $13; mychelle.com (5) Mineral Fusion Eye Shadow in Element $17; dermstore.com (6) Avon Smooth Minerals Eyeshadow in Enchanted Lilac $9; avon.com (7) Avon Smooth Minerals Eyeshadow in Pixie Dust $19; avon.com (8) Afterglow Cosmetics Organic Pencil Eye Liner in Planet $22; afterglow cosmetics.com (9) The Body Shop Nature’s Minerals Eye Colour in Platinum Shimmer $13; thebodyshop-usa.com

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Foundation Be careful not to overapply. When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re dealing with mineral pigments, less is more.

Eyes Mineral eye shadows can be used in two ways: swept onto the eyelid, or as a liner with a brush dipped in water.

>> The Palette To keep the look natural, employ these sleightof-hand application tricks.

hair and makeup by Shawnelle Prestidge, prop styling by Ayesha Patel; illustrations by Harry Bates

Lips For full color coverage, swipe the lipstick across your lips. For a more subtle shade, dab on to lips with your fingertip.

Cheeks Mineral pigments are intense, so start with a sweep across the apples of your cheeks, and add more depending on how deep you want the color.

>> Special thanks to the American Museum of Natural History, Astrogallery.com, and Ruzzettiandgow.com for their generous mineral loans.

wholeliving.com / 95

spring vegetable ragout

How to be a

Healthy Vegetarian Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no question that a mainly plant-based diet is better for us and for the planet. But it presents so many herbivoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dilemmas: Am I getting enough protein? Plenty of nutrients? And what do I make for dinner? Here are the strategies, recipes, and cookbooks that will help you eat right. t e x t by J e nn y R os e n st r ac h r e c i p e s by s a r a h c ar e y p h oto g r a p h s by r ay m o n d h o m

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spicy cauliflower

About 15 years ago, I was chatting with two women at a cocktail party when one of them noted she was a vegetarian.

Other than feeling a flash of pity—poor thing can’t eat a steak—

THE PRICE OF MEAT

Cows expel methane, a greenhouse gas that is

23

times more potent than CO².

77

%

of u. s . so ybe an s and 46 pe rc e n t of u. s . c or n feed far m an i mal s. that’s a lot of l and.

GOING VEGAN SAVES

tons of CO2 eq, compared to the average American diet.

I didn’t think much about it until she wandered away to get a Pinot refill. At that point, the other woman whispered, “Well, that’s a pretty good sign that she’s not a lot of fun!” We snickered and shoved a few more pigs in blankets down the hatch.

I’ve thought about this conversation a lot in the past few years. When I replay it and think of my glib response, it feels like watching a pregnant Betty Draper in Mad Men throwing back a martini: How could she not know? How could I have dismissed this woman when it was likely that some major soulsearching had gone into her decision to stop eating meat? How could I not have known?

Maybe it was because that cocktail party was about eight years before Eric Schlosser’s book Fast Food Nation described the disturbing conditions of the slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants feeding the country’s fast-food system. And before Michael Pollan asked us in The Omnivore’s Dilemma to question everything on our plates and how it got there. It was way before investment bankers were leaving Wall Street to start organic chicken farms and before new dad and literary darling Jonathan Safran Foer proclaimed in his 2009 vegetarian manifesto, Eating Animals, “We are equally responsible for what we don’t do. In the case of animal slaughter, to throw your hands in the air is to wrap your fingers around a knife handle.” the meat of our problem

Today, anyone interested in food or the environment (or anyone who reads the newspaper) knows how hard it is to ignore the evidence mounting against factory-farmed meat, which, according to an analysis of USDA and EPA data by the advocacy group Farm Forward, is 99 percent of the beef, pork, and poultry sold in this country. Raising livestock for food is one of the largest contributors to global warming, accounting for 20 percent of man-made greenhouse gases emitted each year.

The Meatless Monday movement, an initiative in association with the Bloomberg Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, states that if all Americans skipped their daily eight ounces of meat one day per week, we could save more emissions over the course of a year than if we gave up traveling by cars, trains, planes, and ships combined. There are

the health benefits, too, of course. People who consume a plant-based diet weigh less, have lower incidence of heart disease, diabetes, and many cancers, and on average live longer than meat eaters.

So why aren’t we all vegetarians? Why can’t I— enlightened Me, post-Pollan, post-Schlosser, post-Iknow-the-provenance-of-the-food-on-my-plate Me—become a vegetarian?

Anthony Bourdain, meat’s most vocal cheerleader, will tell you the answer is “bacon,” as he did on Larry King Live last fall. But our attachment goes beyond sheer pleasure. Tara Austen Weaver (who was raised a vegetarian, developed thyroid issues, and was advised to eat meat by an acupuncturist— a journey she chronicles in her new memoir The Butcher & the Vegetarian) claims there’s no other food with which Americans are so emotionally connected. “People give up things all the time,” she says. “Look at how many people are on gluten-free diets right now—but it’s not this personal affront.

What is this love affair with meat?”

For me, the love affair was this: Growing up, I sat down at 7 p.m. every single night to a meat-vegstarch dinner. To give up one third of that equation would feel like giving up one third of my family history. But it goes beyond that. I love to cook. As I write, the smell of a roasting chicken permeates my house; in my freezer, I have about eight pounds of organic pork products. For me it came down to: Meat Eating=Fun, therefore Vegetarian=Boring.

But last year I was forced to rethink that formula.

Not only was the chorus of pro-vegetarian heavy hitters getting too loud to ignore, but my husband was diagnosed with high cholesterol as well. So I started down the path toward significantly reducing our family’s meat consumption—and I found it led to some surprising places. a trip around the world

On a bleak, leafless day in December, I was in my neighbor’s kitchen sampling Sichuan peppercorns that he had briefly pan roasted and then smashed into a paste with his mortar and pestle.

He hadn’t eaten meat in 15 years; plus his teenage son was a newly converted vegan. He had been enthusiastically exploring the spices and flavors of Asian cuisines, which, he explained, are traditionally wholeliving.com / 105

mushroom, spinach, and scallion tart

cold peanut noodles SERVES 4

Cook ½ lb. whole-wheat spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water.

Whisk together ½ cup natural creamy peanut butter, 2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil, 1½ tsp. chile garlic paste, 1½ tsp. grated ginger, 1 tsp. grated or minced garlic, and ½ tsp. sugar. Thin with 1| 3 cup water. When noodles are done, drain and rinse under cold water.

Toss sauce with pasta, and thin with more water if needed. Serve topped with a salad of shredded bok choy and carrots dressed with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a little toasted sesame oil. Season with salt.

FOR MORE RECIPES, SEE PAGES 111–112.

wholeliving.com / 107

vegetable-based. The peppercorns were a revelation—smoky and rich, spicy but in a beautiful, lingering way. He pulled out Fuchsia Dunlop’s Sichuan cookbook The Land of Plenty and began pointing out his favorite recipes. Next to that cookbook was David Thompson’s 688-page Thai Food, which had worked my neighbor into a frenzy of dog-earring.

Try this relish. Read this recipe. Go to this town for this sauce.

There was clearly no lack of fun in his kitchen.

He sent me home with a stack of Southeast Asian cookbooks and directions to a nearby Asian superstore. I’d probably driven past it 800 times in the six years I’d been living in the neighborhood but had never once noticed it. Some of my new recipes called for ingredients that sounded like what you’d find at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—pumpkin tendrils and bird’s-eye peppers—but all of them were available right here. I left with tamarind water, a peppery hot sauce called mala, and a can of mandarin juice. At home I stared at my bounty, and the ensuing endorphin rush ignited a cooking frenzy.

Later that week I had a bag of gram flour procured from the local Indian market (3.2 miles away) for a recipe from Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian: chickpea flour “French fries” served with a fresh tomato sauce. The next week I was introducing my kids to Korean pa jun (scallion pancakes). How fun was this?

VEGAN TILL DINNER Food journalist and New York Times columnist Mark Bittman is a “lessmeatatarian”: Before 6 p.m., he eats only fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes; after six, he has whatever he pleases.

reimagining dinner (and lunch, and breakfast ...)

B+S: When did you notice results?

MB: After a few months, my cholesterol went down, and I lost about 35 pounds.

The more I talked to chefs, cookbook authors, lifelong vegetarians, “flexitarians,” and hard-core vegans, the more I learned how, for almost all of them, refusing meat was never a limiting proposition. If you approach it the right way, everyone kept saying, it’s the opposite; it can be a world-expanding adventure. Kim O’Donnel, the former “A Mighty Appetite” online columnist for The Washington Post, who took a Meatless Monday pledge with her readers, says this attitude can be a smarter way in than the save-the-planet angle. “You don’t have to label yourself something different,” she says. “This is not a sacrifice—it’s a celebration. My incremental approach is more about diversifying diet than it is pushing anyone toward an ism.”

While I’m not yet a wholesale vegetarian, this revelation has thrown my dinner strategizing into a tailspin. My process used to go something like this: I have some pork chops. What farmer’s-market bounty might I surround them with? Did I have it all backward? Does every one of us majorly carnivorous Americans have it backward? Shouldn’t it instead be: I have kabocha squash. What meat should I have as a side dish? Or: I have this huge bag of masoor dal. Maybe tonight’s the night I debut a curried red lentil soup with yogurt.

I have also taken the Meatless Monday pledge, which I’ve noticed has rather insidiously begun to morph into Meatless Morning and Meatless Afternoon pledges. How far will I take it? I can’t say for sure, but at this point, I’d be crazy not to keep my options open.

B+S: What prompted you to change your diet?

MB: I noticed that the quality of the food most people were eating was getting worse, animals were being treated worse, the environment was suffering, and people—myself included—were getting fatter and less healthy. My goal was to encourage people to eat more consciously overall.

B+S: What do you eat?

MB: Today I had cooked multigrain cereal with maple syrup for breakfast, and I’m going to a vegetarian restaurant for lunch. If I were home, I’d probably eat rice and beans or a stir-fry over some grain.

B+S: Has eating less meat changed the way you cook?

MB: I like tofu more. But I still don’t like tempeh (and I’m not sure anyone else does either).

B+S: The diet must be cheaper.

MB: It’s absolutely cheaper.

Forty dollars’ worth of grains and vegetables is a ton of food. Forty dollars for fish and meat and cheese won’t go nearly as far.

—SARAH KARNASIEWICZ

B+S Online To swap recipes and ideas with other veggie-minded folks, visit wholeliving.com/veggie-lovers

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times more fossil fuels are needed to create one steak than to produce a plate of broccoli, eggplant, cauliflower, and rice.

28% of t h e wor l d ’s

assessed fishery stocks are “overexploited or depleted,” according to a 2008 estimate from the Food and Agriculture Organization.

tomato soup with poached eggs

Vegging Out: A Strategy Guide Recalibrate psychologically. It’s not about denial—it’s about bounty and adventure. Seek out ethnic grocery stores: Their aisles are filled with inspiration. (Can you say Chinese Forbidden Rice?) Pick up vegetables you’ve never tried before: ivory eggplants, Tuscan kale, Jerusalem artichokes. about

pou nd s of b e ef,

poun d s of pork, and

pound s of chicken ar e prod uc e d for e ac h Ame r ican annually. r e p or t e d

by K at h ar i n e m i e s z k ows k i

Don’t do anything radical. “You can’t just say, ‘I’m not going to eat meat anymore,’” says author Kim O’Donnel, who embraced the Meatless Monday pledge. “Institute change in baby steps.” Her book Licking Your Chops, coming out later this year, will offer 52 meat-free menus.

Build your meals around a vegetable or flavorful ingredient like ginger or coconut milk instead of a piece of meat. In most cuisines, meat is served as a side dish.

The vegetables and grains get equal real estate.

Eat out at ethnic restaurants (Mexican, Thai, Chinese, Indian) where vegetarian dishes are standard. At American restaurants, vegetarian dishes can often feel more like something “done special,” says Tal Ronnen, author of The Conscious Cook, “like a bunch of side dishes thrown together, which means you leave feeling unsatisfied.”

Consider transitioning with meat substitutes. Look for products made without additives, like Gardein. Ronnen, who worked on the development of Gardein products, says, “You’re more likely to succeed with your family if you replicate their favorite chicken pot pie instead of just springing a quinoa pilaf on them out of the blue.”

Don’t call yourself a vegetarian. Cornell nutritionist

T. Colin Campbell says, “That term is so loaded,” and it

can sometimes set you back. (He prefers calling it “a plant-based, whole foods” diet.) Ideologically, you take some of the pressure off by ignoring the politics and just concentrating on the extraordinary health benefits.

Make sure your meals have a stick-to-your-ribs quality. As author Tara Weaver says, “Make hearty food using beans and grains and other ingredients that will stay with you, especially in winter. Don’t subsist on lettuce and carrot sticks.”

Use strong flavors. Says Weaver: “You never want to feel your dinner is a paler version of what it once was.”

She recommends experimenting with flavors that replicate meat sensations. “So many people don’t know about smoked paprika!” she says. “It’s not super spicy and has this wonderful smoky flavor that people who like ham and bacon are used to.” And caramelized onions, she says, “are the bacon of the vegetarian world,” adding a viscosity and a “sort of greasiness” that meat eaters can sometimes miss when they switch. —j.r.

Meatless Proteins “People don’t know you can get all your protein from a good mixture of reasonably intact grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables,” says T. Colin Campbell, professor emeritus of nutritional biochemistry at Cornell University. We require about half a gram of protein for each pound of body weight. —J.R. FOR VEGETARIANS WHO EAT EGGS AND DAIRY (lacto-ovo vegetarians) 1 percent milk (1 c.)

Yogurt (6 oz.)

Large boiled egg Cheddar cheese (1 oz.)

For strict vegetarians who eat no animal byproducts (vegans) Lentils (1 c. cooked) 18 g Black beans (1 c. cooked) 15 g Veggie burger about 13 g Chickpeas (1 c. cooked) 12 g Quinoa (1 c. cooked) 8g Peanut butter (2 Tbsp.)

8g Almonds (1 oz.)

6g Soy milk (1 c.)

8g Bulgur (1 c. cooked) 5.5 g Wheat bread (2 slices) 7g Cooked spinach (1 c.)

5g Cooked broccoli (1 c.)

4g Tempeh (4 oz.)

41 g Seitan (3 oz.)

31 g

The Vegetarian Bookshelf + Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

by Deborah Madison + How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman + World Vegetarian

by Madhur Jaffrey + Super Natural Cooking

by Heidi Swanson 110 / wholeliving.com

+ Vegan Soul Kitchen

by Bryant Terry + The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

by Mollie Katzen + The Conscious Cook

by Tal Ronnen + Moosewood Cookbook

by Mollie Katzen

8g 6g 7.5 g 7g

+ Licking Your Chops

by Kim O’Donnel

+ Hot Sour Salty Sweet

by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid + Chez Panisse Vegetables

by Alice Waters

shallot-marinated tofu with miso dipping sauce SERVES 3 to 4

prop styling by Tanya Graff

1. Slice one container extra-firm tofu into ½-inch pieces. Place a double layer of paper towels on a baking sheet, and arrange tofu on towels. Top with double layer of paper towels and a baking sheet. Weight down with a few cans for 20 minutes.

2. Whisk together 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1½ tsp. grated lemon zest, 3 Tbsp. orange juice, 3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil, 3 thinly sliced shallots, 2 Tbsp. finely shredded cilantro, and 1 tsp. Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Transfer tofu to a baking dish, and pour marinade over top. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

4. Remove tofu, scraping off excess

B+S Online For 30 more of our

favorite meatless meals, visit wholeliving.com/vegetarian-recipes

marinade, and set marinade aside.

Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add tofu in a single layer and cook until crisp, about 6 minutes.

Turn and cook the other side, 3 minutes more. Remove from pan.

5. Add shallots and remaining marinade to the pan. Simmer until shallots are tender, about 6 minutes. Spoon over tofu and serve immediately with miso dipping sauce.

miso dipping sauce

Whisk together ¼ cup orange juice, 1 Tbsp. miso, 2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil, 1 tsp. grated ginger, 1 tsp. grated garlic, 1 tsp. rice vinegar, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt.