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SMILING CAN MAKE YOU HAPPIER LEAP FORWARD WITH A LIFE COACH PRESERVING THE HARVEST
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DEPARTMENTS 7 news briefs 10 health briefs 12 global briefs 13 eco tip 18 green living 20 conscious eating 24 healing ways 26 healthy kids 28 fit body 30 inspiration 31 resource guide
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20 PRESERVING THE HARVEST
14 THINK YOURSELF HAPPY
Classic Ways to Store Garden Bounty All Year
Seven Ways to Change Your Mind and Be Happier
18 POLLINATORFRIENDLY YARDS Gardening for Wildlife and Native Plants
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24 UNLEASH YOUR POTENTIAL
Working with a Life Coach Can Help
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28 WATER SPORTS FOR A TOTAL BODY WORKOUT
Cool Ways to Stay Fit this Summer
30 SMILING CAN MAKE US HAPPIER
BACK-TO-SCHOOL WELLNESS Tips to Keep Kids Healthy
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letter from publisher A few months ago, I felt like I needed a little push to help me make some positive and lasting personal changes to move beyond the dastardly comfort zone and grow myself further. As the saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for.” So, I did something I rarely enjoy; I sought out, asked for help and hired a coach. The first question I was asked went something like, “Where do you fall on the happiness scale right now—rating one to 10 with 10 being uber joyful and happy and one being the direct opposite?” My reply of “five” was swift as I had already recognized that I was about midway on the Emotional Guidance Scale, as popularized by Abraham-Hicks, and living consistently in the realm of boredom. Falling right in the middle of the scale, personally, I find that boredom is an okay place to find oneself since there doesn’t seem to be much emotional energy from either a negative or positive perspective. Just sort of, eh. It’s easy to go one way or the other with a thought or two in either direction. What I hadn’t quite prepared myself for was the ripple effect of pushing into that growth zone. The operative word being push, I realized I had been pushing myself due to pain rather than allowing that force greater than me to pull me to the vision: The big picture of what it is that I desire to feel and experience. Luckily, the coach came prepared with a toolbox chock-full of tips, tricks and tools that help me identify those thoughts, words and actions that have become habits and how to change them. As I find myself perhaps in traffic, getting frustrated with another driver, my brain has begun to rapidly pick up on the frustration signal and redirect me to one of the tools that help me realign in real-time. The effect of this shift ultimately improves my mood and, likely, the quality of the next interaction I have with another human being. We’ve got some excellent resources for you this month on these same topics. Our feature article by Ronica O’Hara, “Think Yourself Happy, Seven Ways to Change Your Mind and Be Happier,” provides many simple and practical tips on how to increase our level of happiness without, what has come to be known as, toxic positivity. In the Healing Ways department, “Unleash Your True Potential - Working with a Life Coach Can Help,” writer Sandra Yeyati offers insights on some of the best reasons to step into your potential and explore working with a coach. Have a safe and happy day, today and every day! Peace,
Maisie
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news briefs
Boston GreenFest Returns In-Person
Boston GreenFest is back from noon to 6 p.m., August 20 to 22 for three phenomenal days in-person on the Rose Kennedy Greenway near Rings Fountain. This year’s theme is Environment Equality NOW which connects the need for immediate action to provide clean air, clean water, clean earth and basic necessities for all. By bringing innovation, music, dance, sustainable products, electric vehicles, activities, food and ideas to the forefront, the event seeks to excite and educate the community while inspiring action and caring for each other and the planet. The first day of Boston GreenFest opens with music, great exhibits, activities on the lawn at the EcoFunSpot (yoga, hula hoops, dance, scavenger hunt), robots, delicious food, eco-vendors, electric vehicles and more. The annual EcoFashion Show will be added to the lineup of events from 4 to 5 p.m., on Saturday, and Sunday will be filled with even more music, great exhibits and activities on the lawn. The event’s carbon footprint will be offset through Renewable Energy Credits and will aim to have minimal waste, with mostly recycled and composted streams. There will be minimal use of electricity. Visitors are encouraged to walk, bike and ride the T or train to come enjoy the festival or take part through the livestreaming option.
My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together. ~Desmond Tutu
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news briefs
Online Ayurvedic Health School Seeks Partner or Buyer
Owner Karyn Chabot is in search of a business partner or buyer of SAMA, her online Ayurveda health school. SAMA means balance in Sanskrit. Ayurveda is the sister science to yoga and a time-proven medical science from the East that advocates disease prevention, food as medicine, mindfulness and principles for living a balanced, happy life based on our individual constitutions. The school is doing extremely well, especially since the pandemic forced everyone to learn online. Also, since health and immunity have become a global focal point, enrollment has increased. The rapid growth at her school is forcing her to make some hard decisions about where to put her attention. “As I enter the last chapter of my life, living my passions and sizing down has become a priority for me,” she explains. “I am looking to eventually be a silent partner and sell SAMA after I am confident my new (prospective) partner has the skill set to succeed without me. This is an outstanding financial and spiritual opportunity for one lucky, talented person who embodies entrepreneurial qualities, Ayurvedic knowledge, website editing skills, financial savvy and the desire to own an amazing online school.” Interested individuals can contact Karyn Chabot at Karyn@ SacredStoneHealing.com. Ad on page 23 and Resource Guide on page 31.
Free August Family Adventures
Highland Street Foundation will host August Adventures, a series of free activities taking place during the month of August. Each day, there will be one museum, zoo, nature sanctuary or event offered with no admission fee in partnership with numerous amazing cultural institutions throughout Massachusetts. For safety reasons, many of the participating venues have limited capacity and are requiring advanced registration. Available spots are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The Highland Street Foundation is committed to addressing the most pressing needs and concerns for children and families in Massachusetts. It provides access and opportunities in education, housing, mentorship, health care, the environment and the arts. For more information and a downloadable calendar of events, visit HighlandStreet.org. 8
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news briefs
Greater Access to Improving Ocean Health on Land
Starting on August 1, curbside pickup of food scraps is available at an annual price of $99 (as compared with current price of $253) with Black Earth Compost, a new project partner to Healthy Soils Healthy Seas Rhode Island. With funding support from 11th Hour Racing, Clean Ocean Access and Black Earth Compost will provide a lower price residential composting service for Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, Jamestown and Bristol as part of the multi-year Healthy Soils Healthy Seas Rhode Island initiative to position the community as a leader for environmental stewardship. Black Earth Compost is a Massachusetts-based business with nearly 23,000 customers. With enthusiasm and commitment, owner Conor Miller states, “We are excited to bring our passion from the Bay State into the Ocean State and become a project partner within Healthy Soils Healthy Seas Rhode Island. All customers will receive excellent customer service and we look forward to working together to achieve the goal of 2,000 households diverting food scraps by the end of the year across the five communities of the project.” Clean Ocean Access Program Manager Eva Touhey reports, “Improving ocean health starts on land and composting is a transformational behavior change that we want to make possible for everyone. To date, the project has diverted 1,200 tons of food scraps from entering the landfill; however, Rhode Island puts more than 100,000 tons of food scraps into the landfill each year. Composting creates healthy soils which in turn creates healthy seas.”
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Amp Up Productivity with About the Journey Community Networking About the Journey will present Building Pathways: Community Networking from 11 a.m to noon, August 11, on Zoom. The featured presentation, entitled Productivity Can Be as Easy as Baking a Cake, is for heartcentered leaders looking to foster opportunities for collaboration. The agenda includes group introductions, breakout room connections and the featured presentation by Carol Williams, a certified executive coach. In it, she will share what so many business owners are doing out Carol Williams of order that is causing them time, money and angst; which critical milestones to hit on each cake layer; and the secret to it all: the icing as your why. Cost: Free with code AUG11GUEST. Location: Virtual Zoom event. Register at AboutTheJourney.com/event-4402993/Registration. Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in
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health briefs
People needing a push to eat more fruits and vegetables might be motivated by two new studies from Australia’s Edith Cowan University. Studying data from 8,600 Australians between the ages of 25 and 91, researchers found people that ate at least 470 grams (about two cups) of fruits and vegetables per day had 10 percent lower stress levels compared to those that ate less than half that amount. “Vegetables and fruits contain important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and carotenoids that can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and therefore improve mental well-being,” says lead author Simone Radavelli-Bagatini. In a second study based on 23 years of data on 50,000 Danes, researchers found that those that consumed one cup each day of the most nitrate-rich vegetables like leafy greens and beets had about a 2.5 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure and a 12 to 26 percent lower risk of peripheral artery disease, heart attacks, strokes and heart failure. Eating more than one cup daily didn’t increase the benefits, they found, and blending greens into smoothies (but not pulp-destroying juicing) is a good option for increasing intake.
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Eat Produce to Lower Stress and Heart Disease
Certain gut microbiota can predict possible causes of mortality, reports a new study from Finland’s University of Turku. Researchers collected stool samples from 7,055 Finnish adults around 50 years old and followed them for 15 years. They found that greater numbers of bacteria from the Enterobacteria family increase the risk of death from cancer, respiratory disorders and gastrointestinal disease. “Many bacterial strains that are known to be harmful were among the Enterobacteria predicting mortality, and our lifestyle choices can have an impact on their amount in the gut,” says study co-author Teemu Niiranen.
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Microbiome Linked to Risk of Death from Disease
Omega-3 fatty acids have previously been linked to better heart, brain, eye and joint health, and a new large-scale analysis published in Nature Communications suggests that omega-3s from oily fish may also extend lifespan. Researchers reviewed pooled data from 17 studies of 42,466 people that were followed an average of 16 years. Those that had the highest amount of fish-based omega-3s in their blood—at the 90th percentile—had a 13 percent lower risk for death than people with omega-3 levels in the 10th percentile. The risk of dying from cardiovascular disease was 15 percent lower and from cancer 11 percent lower. The blood levels of alpha-linolenic acid omega-3s obtained from plant-based sources like nuts and flaxseed did not show a conclusive link to lower mortality.
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Eat Oily Fish to Live Longer
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Avoid Air Pollutants to Protect Children’s Mental Health Exposure to even moderate levels of traffic-related air pollutants during childhood results in a greater risk of mental illness by age 18, Duke University researchers report in JAMA Network Open. In the study, the psychiatric health of 2,000 twins from England and Wales followed into adulthood was compared to recorded levels of air pollution in their neighborhoods. Twenty-two and 84 percent of the twins, respectively, were found to have had exposure to nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter that exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Higher levels produced the most symptoms, including depression and anxiety. The effect, although weak compared to family history, equals that of other neurotoxicants known to harm mental health, particularly childhood exposure to lead. Previous evidence suggests that air pollutant exposures can cause inflammation in the brain and may lead to difficulty regulating thoughts and emotions. WHO estimates that nine of 10 people worldwide are exposed to high levels of outdoor air pollutants emitted by vehicles, waste disposal, power plants, factories and other industrial processes. Studies show increased hospital admissions for many psychiatric illnesses during poor air quality days in China and India. “Because harmful exposures are so widespread around the world, outdoor air pollutants could be a significant contributor to the global burden of psychiatric disease,” says lead author Aaron Reuben.
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global briefs UN Methane Report Faults Big Meat and Big Dairy
The United Nations Environment Programme and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition have released a Global Methane Assessment of emissions from fossil fuels, agriculture and waste management. With livestock contributing 32 percent of the methane footprint, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) stresses the need to regulate and mitigate methane emissions from global meat and dairy companies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has also identified the factory farm system of hog and dairy operations with liquified manure lagoon systems as responsible for rising methane emissions related to agriculture. IATP European Director Shefali Sharma says, “Disappointingly, the assessment calls for more technological fixes such as feed additives and biodigesters to reduce agriculture’s methane footprint, rather than addressing the core of the problem. Untenable growth of animals in the food chain is spurred on by a powerful meat and dairy industry that bears no costs for this environmental debacle, but passes it on to farmers and consumers.” The report provides evidence that a new policy framework accounting for the factory farm system’s emissions and aiding a transition to more scale-appropriate agroecological systems of animal production that will be less harmful to people and the climate is needed, according to Ben Lilliston, IATP director of climate strategies.
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Animal Alert
Reversing Ruin
Superfund Mine-Polluted Stream Restorations See Success Large investments have been made to clean up acid drainage into streams and rivers polluted by toxic metals from abandoned mining sites. A new study published in Freshwater Science based on long-term monitoring data from four U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund sites in California, Colorado, Idaho and Montana shows that cleanup efforts can allow affected streams to recover to near natural conditions within 10 to 15 years after abatement work begins. David Herbst, a research scientist at UC Santa Cruz and co-author of the paper, says, “The good news from them all is that Superfund investments can restore the water quality and ecological health of the streams.” Researchers combined data from long-term monitoring during periods of 20 years or more using aquatic insects and other diverse invertebrate life such as flatworms and snails as indicators of the restoration of ecological health, with nearby unpolluted streams as standards for comparison. Much of the recovery occurred within the first few years of treatment. Herbst says that the promising results suggest that even daunting environmental problems can be remedied.
Thorny Problem
More than 30 percent of the world’s 1,500 or so cactus species are threatened with extinction, and criminal scavengers are primarily to blame. A 2020 seizure by authorities in Italy yielded more than 1,000 of some of the rarest cactuses in the world, valued at more than $1.2 million on the black market. Some were over 100 years old. President of the Association for Biodiversity and Conservation Andrea Cattabriga helps police identify specimens taken from tourists or intercepted in the mail. He says, “Here is an organism that has evolved over millions of years to be able to survive in the harshest conditions you can find on the planet, but that finishes its life in this way, just as an object to be sold.” Trafficking can take a serious toll because many species are highly localized and often extremely slow-growing, thus quite sensitive to over-harvesting. Cactuses and other succulents have become popular on social media, promoted by indoor plant influencers for their unusual appearance and minimal care requirements. The pandemic has increased their popularity, with shops unable to keep some species in stock. Sales of legally sourced plants could help offset illegal trade, with the proceeds going directly to communities living alongside the plants, creating an incentive to protect them. 12
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Cactus Poachers Are Denuding Deserts
eco tip
Bug Battle
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How to Keep Mosquitoes at Bay
It’s no fun fending off uninvited airborne guests at the family cookout, but bloodthirsty bugs are an inevitable part of summer. Mosquitoes aren’t just an annoyance; they can carry infectious diseases like West Nile and Zika viruses, so it’s important to know the best ways to keep them at bay. Sprays containing the chemical DEET—developed by the U.S. Army after World War II and made commercially available in 1957—have long been the go-to option for mosquito repellant. DEET sprays came under scrutiny after isolated reports of seizures; these were subsequently dismissed as involving “off label” applications such as ingesting DEET (it’s best not to drink bug juice). DEET can occasionally cause a rash or skin irritation; however, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have both deemed DEET sprays as generally safe and effective for both adults and kids as young as two months. DEET also breaks down quickly in the environment, posing minimal danger to wildlife. For outdoor lovers seeking a more natural bug repellant, one formula performs as well as DEET at stopping mosquitoes and even better at repelling ticks: products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus extract, which contains the naturally occurring compound para-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), a byproduct of the leaves of Corymbia citriodora tree. In a study published in the Journal of Insect Science in 2015, researchers from New Mexico State University found that it deterred mosquitoes for up to six hours, unlike largely ineffective candles, bracelets and ultrasonic devices. The PMD compound differs from lemon-eucalyptus essential oil, so look specifically for repellents containing PMD, found at most outdoors sports stores and major retailers. Lemon-eucalyptus essential oil itself is also sometimes touted as a natural mosquito deterrent, but like other essential oils like clove or citronella, the limited protection it offers is short-lived, as their volatile compounds evaporate quickly. While DIY insect repellents made from essential oils smell wonderful and are easy to make, they can also irritate the skin at higher concentrations and in some cases, such as clove oil, be toxic to pets. Products containing essential oils are also not registered by the EPA, and therefore not tested for efficacy. Products containing Picaridin, a chemical modeled on black pepper, also have proven to be as effective as DEET. Picaridin-based products are better at deterring mosquitoes from landing than DEET, and are less oily and strong-smelling. The percentage of DEET or Picaridin in a product determines how long it protects, with higher concentrations providing longer protection with fewer reapplications. Those benefits taper off at 30 percent DEET and 20 percent Picaridin. Covering up with long sleeves and spraying clothes, not just skin, with insect repellent will help keep skeeters at arm’s length and also help keep off ticks. Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in
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Think Yourself Happy Seven Ways to Change Your Mind and Be Happier by Ronica O’Hara
What is happiness? Aristotle pondered it, our country’s founders encouraged its pursuit, but only now— thanks to the thriving field of Positive Psychology—have we learned more precisely how to attain and sustain it. In thousands of studies in the last two decades, researchers have watched babies share crackers, put Tibetan monks in brain scanners, asked college students to do kind deeds and explored databases, among other strategies. A major finding has emerged: Happiness is, to a great degree, in our own hands—or more exactly, our own minds. “You get to choose,” says trailblazing researcher Barbara Fredrickson, author of Positivity and Love 2.0 and a professor at the University of North Carolina. “No matter where your river of emotions flows today, over time and with continued effort and attention, you can change its course and location to live a happier, more positive life.” Using advanced brain imaging technology, neuroscientists and psychologists have discovered that the brain is “plastic” and malleable. When we change our thinking and actions in positive ways, brain neurons start rewiring themselves to make newfound happiness settle in, especially if our practices are repetitive. “Interestingly, changes can start quite quickly,” says neuroscientist Andrew Newberg, who has authored 10 books on the brain, emotions and spirituality, including Words Can Change Your Brain. “For those changes to become more fully ingrained, it can take a few months, but it does not necessarily require hours a day for many years.” A change in thinking shifted the behavior and life of John Peterson, a sales manager at a major West Coast auto retailer and editor of SafeDriveGear.com. “I was unhappy and miserable, so I decided to give gratitude
a shot,” he recalls. “It was mechanical to start, but the reactions I got turned into a domino effect.” Instead of giving cursory thanks, he praised a co-worker’s kindness in handing him a daily cup of coffee; now they chat about their families. Instead of “keeping myself to myself,” he offered to help a neighbor he barely knew to clean gutters; now they’re “barbecue besties,” he says, adding, “I was kind of blown away at the incredible effect gratitude had on my life, both in improving my mental health and boosting my relationships. It was a real revelation to me!” Positive psychologists offer two major approaches: adopting habits that encourage happiness and clearing away the mental debris that blocks it. Many books and websites offer a wide range of theories, techniques and tips. “The most effective practices for you are the ones that you enjoy and are willing to do more often,” says Tchiki Davis, Ph.D., a Psychology Today blogger and founder of The Berkeley Well-Being Institute. The following are research-based methods to enhance happiness:
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Aim for a three-to-one ratio of positive to negative experiences
The difference between languishing and flourishing, says Fredrickson in her book Positivity, is constructing a life in which heartfelt positive experiences outnumber the negatives by three to one. Positive experiences that flow from feelings such as gratitude, serenity, hope, awe and love can be as simple as exchanging smiles with a passerby, patting a friend on the back, joking with a cashier, picking up something that someone has dropped or planting a kiss on a son’s head. She emphasizes that the experienc-
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es must be authentic and heartfelt: acting “Pollyanna-ish” out of habit or pasting on a smile can actually make us feel worse, and positivity can turn toxic if it’s relentlessly turned on 100 percent of the time. “True happiness is not rigid and unchanging,” she says. When it comes to marriage, five positive interactions for every negative one is the “magic ratio” that makes it happy and stable, according to studies by renowned relationship psychologist John Gottman, author of What Makes Love Last. “Successful long-term relationships are created through small words, small gestures and small acts,” he writes.
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Flip negativity by reframing experiences
Positive reframing involves shifting misery-making thinking to see the positive side of any situation. Canadian researchers reported in a 340-person survey at APA PsycNet that during the pandemic, reframing was the most effective mental health strategy; people practicing it gradually felt better, while people that vented, distracted themselves or disengaged from others fared worse. Reframing strategies include viewing a problem as a challenge, a learning opportunity or a way to help others; finding the higher purpose or divine order in a bad situation; exploring what the unexpected benefits might be; and finding humor in a situation.
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Defuse the inner critic with caring self-talk
sticus. “I’ll find myself responding to an inner thought like, ‘You look fat. Just how much weight have you gained over COVID?!’ with a recognition like, ‘Oh, Brutista, that wasn’t very nice. I may have some extra pounds, but this healthy body has gotten me through a freaking pandemic! Show a little respect, okay?’ This quiets her down because I’ve recognized her and addressed her, and I feel an inner sense of victory because I’ve brought a positive truth to bear. It’s a very empowering practice.”
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Clear away pain by questioning assumptions
Of our estimated 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day, about 80 percent are negative and 95 percent are repetitive, says the National Science Foundation. Those noisy mental loops dampen our spirits by repetitively telling us that something regretful should not have happened in the past or is going to happen to blight the future. Few worries have real credence: A Cornell University study found that 85 percent of what people worry about never happens. Of the 15 percent of worries that did happen, 79 percent of people found they handled the problem better than they had expected or that they learned a valuable lesson from it. Cognitive behavioral therapists help clients to examine those beliefs and assumptions, challenge the dysfunctional ones and try out different interpretations to uncover the truth. Victor Blue, a Tampa transportation engineer, examined his difficult relationship with a tyrannical father by asking himself two questions that spiritual teacher and author Byron Katie suggests applying to any painful thought: “Is it true? Can you absolutely know it’s true?” Self-inquiring deeply, Blue realized he had a distorted view: His father had in fact loved him, but had lacked the capacity to show it with warmth or tenderness. “My father started with very little and saw a tough world and treated everyone tough,” he says. “And I came to realize that yes, I am able to father myself.”
Berating ourselves for our shortcomings is a sure route to suffering, but applying self-compassion powerfully lowers the volume. It involves three elements: treating ourselves as kindly as we would a dear friend; realizing that making mistakes is intrinsically human so we’re not alone; and non-judgmentally facing our emotions without denying or indulging them, according to its major theorist, psychologist Kristin Neff, author of Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind. Numerous Open the heart by deepening gratitude studies show that people that practice self-compasPerhaps the most popular and direct approach to sion have less self-doubt and fewer negative thoughts, happiness is gratitude. Research shows that feeling and are less likely to feel anxious or depressed, enjoy better expressing thankfulness health and relationships significantly boosts and are more resilient and emotional well-being, motivated to change. makes us feel more Another way to handle connected and generous AuthenticHappiness.org: positive psychology news the inner critic is to transto others, and improves and self-tests Martin E.P. Seligman, a University of Pennform it by befriending and health and sleep quality. sylvania professor and bestselling author who coined the phrase chatting with it, a method “positive psychology” in 1998, designed this comprehensive web- In one study, writing a few used in voice dialogue sentences of gratitude therapy and in the Internal site that includes new research and dozens of self-questionnaires. once per week for 10 weeks Family Systems approach. Pursuit-of-Happiness.org: research and curricincreased optimism and Jackie Graybill, a Seattle ulums Resources offered by Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D., hope in participants; they songwriter and piano teachauthor of Positivity and Love 2.0, include an overview of even exercised more and er, calls her “mean girl” had fewer doctor visits research, online courses and curriculum suggestions. inner critic Brutista Dynathan those writing about
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Online Resources
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aggravations. Writing a thank-you letter to someone we haven’t appreciated enough in the past can induce a sense of well-being that lasts for at least six months, a University of Pennsylvania study found. Gratitude can be cultivated simply by daily journaling; writing a list every few days often works even better, research indicates. The more concrete the items are and the more freshly observed, the better: Rather than, “I’m grateful for my daughter,” it might be, “I’m grateful for my daughter because she made me laugh at breakfast by making a funny face.” Some people kick off their day by writing two thankyou emails; others find creative ways to fold gratitude into relationships. During the pandemic, Nadia Charif, a San Jose-based wellness and health advisor at Coffeeble.com, shared with her boyfriend a note-taking phone app in which they wrote the ways they appreciated each other during the day. “Somehow, no matter how frayed our nerves were, we remembered the last lovely entry and melted like ice to water,” she says. “It diffused many arguments before they escalated.”
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Quiet the noisy mind with meditation, prayer and mindfulness
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, Newberg and other neuroscientists studied meditating Buddhist monks, prayerful Catholic nuns and mindfulness meditators. They found that each practice has its own distinctive pattern of brain activity, yet all three deactivate the brain regions that underlie mind chatter. That “default mode network” is constantly ruminating, nagging and making sure we avoid trouble. Sustained spiritual practices gradually turn down its everyday volume, which may explain in part the well-documented link between spiritual practices and well-being. Even brief meditations can have a quieting effect, counsels New York City psychologist and mindfulness teacher Loch Kelly, author of Shift into Freedom. In a quiet moment, he suggests, “Ask yourself, ‘What is here right now if there is no problem to solve?’”
7
Lift up others with a positive outlook
The more we give with a full heart, the more happiness we experience, studies show—and the benefits radiate far beyond ourselves. Following nearly 5,000 people over 20 years, Harvard researchers found that one person’s happiness triggers a chain reaction up to three degrees away, lifting the spirits not only of friends, but friends’ friends, and their friends’ friends’ friends. Effects can last up to one year. It’s a vital way to help the world, says Fredrickson. “The happiness that you experience together with others has ripple effects, both biological and behavioral, that make whole communities healthier.” Health writer Ronica O’Hara can be reached at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.
Well-Being Basics Eat a happy-making diet A gut-wisdom axis may exist. People with a greater diversity of the gut microbiome—the mark of a healthy diet—had higher levels of wisdom, compassion and social support, and lower levels of loneliness than people with less diverse microbiomes, University of California San Diego scientists reported in Frontiers in Psychiatry. A study of 12,000 Australians found that the more they increased their fruit and vegetable intake over a seven-year period, the happier and more satisfied with life they became. Eating eight servings a day was as happiness-producing as going from being unemployed to employed. Exercise even a little Whether it’s lunges or sun salutations, movement lifts us up. In a review of 23 published studies involving half a million people published in The Journal of Happiness Studies, University of Michigan researchers found strong evidence that any kind of exercise increases happiness; even as little as 10 minutes a day raises spirits. People that exercise at least 30 minutes on most days are about 30 percent happier than those that don’t exercise. Go for the doze Surveys show that getting enough sleep is the most influential factor in how people rate their daily mood, with good sleepers more likely to rate their life as happier overall. A University of California, Berkeley, study found that inadequate sleep makes our brains 60 percent more reactive to negative stimuli; in other words, being tired makes us grouchy. Love a lot A landmark study that began in 1938 and followed 724 Harvard students and working-class Boston youth for 80 years found that fame and achievements didn’t make them truly happy—warm, loving relationships with their family, friends and community did. In a 2020 study, Pennsylvania State University researchers found that simply becoming aware of daily experiences of “felt love”, defined as “micro-moments when you experience resonance with someone,” increases those heartwarming episodes and improves well-being. Do good deeds Performing five acts of kindness one day a week, such as helping a friend with a task, writing a thank-you email or donating blood, had a more powerful and long-lasting effect on college students’ happiness than spreading five good deeds over a week, reports University of California, Riverside, researchers. A four-year study of 13,000 retirees found that those volunteering more than two hours per week were happier, more optimistic and less lonely and depressed than people that never volunteered. Be nurtured by nature After walking in a natural setting, people ruminated less and showed increased activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain that lowers depression and anxiety, Stanford researchers found. In one study, people watching five minutes of Planet Earth felt 46 percent more awe and 31 percent more gratitude than people watching the news or a comedy show. Biological diversity also matters: European scientists found that an additional 10 percent of bird species in an area increases residents’ life enjoyment as much as a 10 percent increase in their income.
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PollinatorFriendly Yards Gardening for Wildlife with Native Plants by Betsy S. Franz
For some people, perfectly mowed lawns without a trace of a weed or an insect makes them proud, but they may not realize that this method of gardening and landscaping could be harming the local ecosystem and the important pollinators that we rely on to keep food and flowers reproducing. Pollinators are the creatures that move pollen grains from the male anther of one plant to the female stigma of another, thereby helping plants to produce seeds for the next generation. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, these hard-working animals pollinate more than 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants and nearly 75 percent of our crops, including chocolate and coffee. Without pollinators, say biologists, neither the human race nor the Earth’s ecosystems would survive. Like many species, some pollinators are showing steady population declines, attributed in part to habitat loss and exposure to pesticides. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that grassy lawns occupy almost 2 percent of the total U.S. land mass, making grass the single largest irrigated crop in the country, which is why the way that people garden and 18
maintain their landscapes can either harm or help pollinators. Many people spending more time at home last year due to the pandemic did more gardening and maintaining of their own landscapes, often without realizing the significance and impact of their activities. “Now, for the first time in its history, gardening has taken on a role that transcends the needs of the gardener. Like it or not, gardeners have become important players in the management of our nation’s wildlife,” writes Douglas Tallamy, an agriculture and natural resources professor at the University of Delaware, in his book Bringing Nature Home. “Bees are what comes to mind when most people think of pollinators, but pollinators include many other species, including some flies, moths, butterflies, wasps and beetles, as well as bats, hummingbirds and even a few mammals,” says David Mizejewski, a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation. Fortunately, the same principles that make home landscapes more inviting to pollinators also make it safer and friendlier for a wide variety of wildlife.
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Rethink the Perfect Landscape “One of the main dangers for pollinators is loss of appropriate habitat,” says Andre Kessler, an ecology and evolutionary biology professor at Cornell University. “To help them, give up your idea of the perfect, manicured landscape and aim to restore their preferred habitat.” Kessler suggests leaving part of a landscape a bit untidy by including native plants and mowing less often. “An island of native vegetation usually provides flowering plants year-round and, similarly important, nesting sites for native bees,” he says. Tallamy advocates halving the total amount of space devoted to lawns in the continental U.S.— reducing water, pesticide and fertilizer use—and replacing grass with plants that sustain more animal life. Leave the leaves, sticks and debris, says Mizejewski. “Many species rely on leaf litter for food, shelter and nesting material. Many moth and butterfly caterpillars overwinter in fallen leaves before emerging in spring.”
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green living
Choose Appropriate Plantings
With so many different species of pollinators across the diverse terrain of America, few plants work for all locales. Most experts believe the best option is choosing native plants. The Pollinator Partnership (Pollinator.org) lists plants for each zone by ZIP code, as well as the pollinators they attract. There are also native plant societies in many areas that offer specific recommendations.
Eliminate the Chemicals
“Probably the most important thing the home gardener can do to overcome the pollinator and broader biodiversity crisis is to avoid using any pesticides,” says Kessler. “The uncontrolled use of insecticides and herbicides is the major reason for the dramatic loss of insect life in general and most other organisms depending on those insects.” “It is now within the power of individual gardeners to do something that we all dream of doing: to make a difference,” Tallamy writes. “In this case, the difference will be to the future of biodiversity, to the native plants and animals of North America, and the ecosystems that sustain them.” Betsy S. Franz is a freelance writer and photographer who seeks a loving, sustainable balance between the nature of our world and the inner nature of man.
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conscious eating
Preserving the Harvest Classic Ways to Store Garden Bounty All Year by Julie Peterson
Whether gardening, purchasing at farmers’ markets or ordering from a community supported agriculture farm, preservation techniques capture the bounty of the harvest and ensure availability of fresh flavors year-round.
Dehydrating “Dehydrating machines can be purchased for about $50, but an oven that goes down to a temperature of 150 or less will work,” says Brekke Bounds, educator at City Grange, a garden center in Chicago. Before dehydrating, consider the end use. Peaches or cherries can be cut into bite-size pieces. Roma or cherry tomatoes, sliced or cut in half and dried, can go in winter soups and stews. “Apple chips are super-easy,” Bounds says. “Core and slice with a mandoline, dunk in a lemon solution, sprinkle with cinnamon, dehydrate and store in an airtight jar.” Foods can be seasoned or marinated before drying. “We make zucchini bacon for vegan BLTs,” says Anthony Damiano, chef proprietor at Counter Culture restaurant, in Vero Beach, Florida. Dried herbs chopped in a food processor can be stored in airtight containers and used up to a year later as flavorful salad toppings or soup mixes.
Canning “One of my go-to methods is water bath canning,” says Emily Paster, author of The Joys of Jewish Preserving. “It’s a really safe and effective method of home preservation for high-acid foods. Certain kinds of microorganisms, most specifically botulism, can’t live in a high-acid environment.” Fruits that go into jams and jellies are typically acidic enough, but levels 20
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can be increased with lemon juice. Vegetable pickles become acidic through the addition of vinegar. Heat-sealed jars are shelf-stable if the seals remain intact. Paul Fehribach, chef and co-owner of Big Jones, a restaurant in Chicago, gives canning tips in The Big Jones Cookbook. For pickles and preserves, he recommends using a simple canning kit with a tool to lift jars in and out of boiling water, a jar rack that sits in the bottom of a stock pot and Mason jars with new canning lids to hold the food. Both Paster and Fehribach suggest using professionally tested recipes. “Go to a reliable source, whether it’s a cookbook or a website, because there are some food safety issues. Recipes have been calibrated to have the right ratio of water and vinegar to vegetables to ensure it’s acidic enough,” says Paster. “Pickles are a great place to begin because they’re really hard to mess up.”
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Refrigerator Pickling The pickling process can be done without water bath canning, but the jars must remain refrigerated. The fun is in the quickness and variability of the recipes. Beyond traditional cucumber pickles, excellent pickles can be made with green beans, carrots, onions, cauliflower and green tomatoes. Brine can be dill, spicy or sweet. Damiano makes refrigerator pickles with a variety of local organic produce, including radishes, okra and other vegetables. The pickles are great for eating and can be used in salads and recipes like plantbased tostadas.
Fermenting “Fermentation is an essential part of how people everywhere make effective use of food resources,” says Sandor Ellix Katz, fermentation revivalist in Liberty, Tennessee, and author of The Art of Fermentation. “Fermentation produces alcohol, helps preserve food by producing
‘Clean the Garden’ Kimchi This easy kimchi recipe turns common garden veggies into a spicy probiotic ferment that’s loaded with good bacteria and health benefits. yield: 32 servings 4 Tbsp sea salt and 4 cups water 1 lb Chinese cabbage (napa or bok choy preferred, but other cabbage will do) 1 daikon radish or a few red radishes 1 to 2 carrots 1 to 2 (minimum) onions (or shallots or leeks) 3 to 4 (minimum) cloves garlic 3 to 4 hot red chilies to taste (seeds removed, dried is fine, nothing with preservatives) 2 to 3 Tbsp (minimum) fresh grated ginger root Prepare brine in a nonreactive container such as a glass bowl or large measuring cup. Mix water and salt, and stir thoroughly to dissolve salt. Cut up cabbage, radishes and carrots. (Add in other vegetables as an option.) Mix vegetables together and move them into fermentation vessel. Cover vegetables with brine. Use a fermentation weight or plate with a heavy object to weigh the vegetables down and keep them below the brine. (Mix more brine if needed to make sure vegetables are completely submerged.) Put a cloth over the fermentation vessel and wait for vegetables to soften (a few hours or overnight). Drain the brine from the vegetables, reserving it. Give the vegetables a taste. They should be salty, but not too salty. Sprinkle on additional salt, if needed, and mix; rinse if too salty. Mix the onion, garlic, chilies and ginger into the drained vegetables and blend well. Pack the vegetable mix into the fermentation vessel. Use the fermentation weight or plate to press it down until the brine covers the kimchi-in-progress. Add a little brine back, if needed, to make sure the vegetables are completely covered. Cover the fermentation vessel with a cloth and leave it on the counter for about a week. Taste test to check the fermentation. When happy with the flavor, the kimchi is done. Store in the refrigerator in a glass container to stop the fermentation. Recipe by Laurie Neverman at CommonSenseHome.com.
Pickled Watermelon Radishes 1 to 2 watermelon radishes ¼ cup white wine vinegar ¼ cup rice wine vinegar ½ cup water 1 tsp pink Himalayan salt 1 tsp sugar 2 cloves garlic, peeled 1 tsp ginger, microplaned ½ tsp peppercorns, lightly crushed Wash and peel watermelon radishes. With a sharp knife or mandoline slicer, slice radishes into round discs. In a non-reactive saucepan, bring the water, white wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute or until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat and add the garlic, ginger and peppercorns. Pour the hot liquid including the garlic and peppercorns over the radishes. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. Recipe by Chef Anthony Damiano at Counter Culture, in Vero Beach, Florida.
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acids and makes foods more digestible, more nutritious, more delicious and sometimes less toxic.” Cultures around the world developed fermentation techniques as a practical method to prevent food decomposition. Studies show that fermented foods and beverages provide beneficial probiotics to the gut microbiome. Anyone can give fermentation a try with ordinary kitchen tools—a knife, cutting board, mixing bowl and a jar. “Certain ferments, such as yogurt or tempeh, require specific temperature ranges,” advises Katz.
Many fruits and vegetables freeze well, but a basement or backyard root cellar is a no-electricity, cold storage method. Items that store well in a root cellar include most root crops and firm fruits like apples and pears. “Root cellars use the natural, cool, moist conditions underground for fruit and vegetable storage. Earth-sheltered options work best for cooler climates where the ground temp is naturally cooler,” says Laurie Neverman in Denmark, Wisconsin, creator of CommonSenseHome.com. Those with no outdoor spot or cold basement room can still use cold storage. “Some crops like onions, garlic, potatoes, winter squash, apples and carrots keep well in dark, dry, cool room temperatures of about 55 degrees,” says Neverman. Food preservation methods extend the blessings of the harvest. A little preparation now will provide edible delights for months to come.
photo by Julie Peterson
Visit NA-GBRI.com for additional recipes including Pineapple Tepache and Zucchini Bacon.
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Cold Storage
Julie Peterson writes from rural Wisconsin. Reach out at Julie Peterson2222@gmail.com. 22
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healing ways
Unleash Your True Potential Working with a Life Coach Can Help by Sandra Yeyati
Hiring a life coach can be an empowering decision for people that want to understand themselves better and lead fulfilled lives. Coaches may specialize in distinct topics like business, parenting or weight loss, but, “It’s all life coaching,” says Patrick Williams, a master certified coach by the International Coach Federation, licensed psychologist and founder of the Institute for Life Coach Training. “If I hire a specialist like a wellness coach, I assume they’re going to know something about wellness, but I’m not hiring a consultant to tell me what I should do in diet and exercise. I want to be coached in living a more well life.” According to master certified coach Fran Fisher, with 30 years of experience, “Life coaching is a safe environment or sacred space of unconditional love and acceptance where learning, growth and transformation naturally occur. It’s a partnership of two experts. The client is the expert of the content: who they are, what’s important to them and what they believe, think and feel. The coach is the expert of the process. They’ve been specially trained to help the client access their deeper wisdom and make better choices that align with who they are.”
Martha Beck, Ph.D., a Harvardtrained sociologist, renowned coach and bestselling author of The Way of Integrity, says, “Most problems can be resolved by simply talking to someone who is willing to listen compassionately and deeply to whatever is going on in their lives and to give them good feedback. A coach will get you to high levels of happiness, self-fulfillment and self-expression. Unlike therapists, coaches don’t deal with the mentally ill. They deal with the mentally well who want to maximize their performance.” “A coach helps you think and say and dream of things you hadn’t thought before,” says Williams. “I can advise myself all day long, but 24
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Going for Gold
as soon as I have a conversation with a trained coach, I hear myself differently. I get new ideas, and that motivates me to make change. The value may come monetarily. It may improve someone’s business or money decisions, but it also may come in how you live your life. There may be value in having less stress, more time, more fun. Anybody who is motivated to make a change or maybe is in the midst of change and they don’t know what to do; that’s who benefits from coaching.”
Limiting Beliefs and Turtle Steps
According to Beck, one of the most common issues a coach must address is their clients’ limiting beliefs. “It’s about freeing yourself from beliefs that are preventing you from moving forward or convincing you that you can’t have what you want, so you never try,” says Beck. “There’s something in your behavior that’s not allowing you to move forward. Let’s find the behavior, figure out why you’re doing it and change that belief. It’s good old-fashioned problem solving in partnership with the client.” Beck’s favorite tool for making changes is what she calls one-degree turns, or turtle steps, defined as the smallest steps you can take toward a goal. “Research shows that large steps tend to get discouraging,” she notes. “We could do them at the beginning of a really passionate, goal-seeking time, but we almost never sustain it. If we go in tiny steps toward what we really believe and what we really want, we get there. The tortoise wins the race.”
Achieving Goals and Feeling Free
When it comes to setting and achieving goals, coaches have different approaches. Williams, for example, considers himself an accountability partner. “I won’t punish you if you don’t achieve your goals,” he says. “If you report progress, we celebrate and talk about what’s next. If you say, ‘I didn’t get it done,’ then we talk about what got in the way, what needs to change. We never make the client wrong. It’s what’s true for you.” For Beck, goals take a back seat. “My clients tend to give me goals that are culturally based on what they think they should do. People move forward much more rapidly when you don’t hold them to a goal. When they have permission to do whatever they want, they actually start doing the things that all the goal setting in the world won’t allow them to do. We have such a strong response to freedom. When we feel like we’re forcing ourselves to do something, we won’t do it because it’s not free. When we’re free, we do the things that are best for us.” For more information, visit DrPatWilliams.com, FranFisher Coach.com and MarthaBeck.com. Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com. See our Resource Guide on pages 31-32 for a variety of local life coaches. Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in
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healthy kids
Back-to-School Wellness Tips to Keep Kids Healthy by Ronica O’Hara
After a year dealing with the ups and downs of panHold a family sit-down demic-era schooling, many parents are anticipating Meet as a group to talk about schedules and logistics to their children’s return to school with mixed emotions. make sure everyone’s commitments will work together, “Families indeed have had a rough time in the pandemic, recommends Erika Beckles Camez, Ph.D., a licensed resulting in increased food insecurity, weakened sofamily therapist in Temecula, California. “Talk as a famcial skills, splintered attention spans due to constant ily about how everyone feels about going back to school multitasking and arguments over screen time, yet many and intentionally tell your student that throughout the families also feel that they grew closer together as they year if they are needing support or are feeling overcoped with the adversity,” says Jenifer Joy Madden, auwhelmed or concerned, they can always talk to you to thor of How To Be a Durable Human. work through the issue together,” As we wave our children off to she says. Children need healthy, classes, we can draw on those whole-food, nutritious snacks hard-won, deeper ties by taking Reset bedtime creep steps to ensure our children’s after school to fuel both their “During the summer, bedtime health and well-being. Here are tends to creep later and later. Two bodies and their brain. some suggested strategies: 26
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weeks before school starts, begin to reset bedtime by reversing the creep by 15 minutes every few nights,” suggests Amber Trueblood, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Culver City, California, and author of Stretch Marks. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children 6 to 12 years of age sleep nine to 12 hours a night and teenagers 13 to 18 sleep eight to 10 hours. Getting enough sleep, it advises, leads to “improved attention, behavior, learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, and mental and physical health.” Sleep experts recommend not allowing kids to be on device screens beginning an hour before bedtime, and perhaps storing devices in another room.
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Buoy them with breakfast According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, children that eat a complete breakfast have been shown to work faster, make fewer math mistakes and show improved concentration, alertness, comprehension and memory. “Get in the habit of a healthy breakfast that contains a mix of lean proteins, healthy fats and unrefined carbohydrates and fiber,” advises Amy Spindel, a functional holistic nutritionist in Plano, Texas. “That might be something like eggs scrambled with spinach in olive oil; a smoothie with greens, coconut milk, nut butter, cherries and steamed cauliflower; or a small bowl of steelcut oatmeal with berries and almond butter alongside some turkey sausage. These types of combinations help promote stable blood sugar until lunchtime, which means your child will be able to focus on learning and social interactions instead of their tummies.”
Satisfy them with healthy snacks There’s a metabolic reason students head straight for the fridge when they get home—but
it’s best if they can’t grab sweets. “Children need healthy, wholefood, nutritious snacks after school to fuel both their bodies and their brain,” says Uma Naidoo, M.D., a Harvard-based nutritional psychiatrist, professional chef and author of This Is Your Brain on Food. To support optimal brain development and help lower kids’ anxiety and hyperactivity levels, she suggests snacks rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, B12 and D, and iron and folate, such as: “Fries” cooked in an air fryer to crisp up zucchini, carrots or green beans Veggie dips or hummus made with chickpeas, carrots, beets or spinach Almond butter on celery sticks, or seed butter for dipping sweet peppers or apple slices Homemade fish sticks made by heating salmon pieces in an air fryer
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Take allergy precautions About one in 14 U.S. children has a food allergy. Anisha Angella, an early childhood specialist and author of Easing Allergy Anxiety in Children, recommends taking special precautions with an allergy-prone child, including frequent handwashing; carrying an EpiPen for sudden, severe reactions that require an epinephrine injection; and not sharing foods. “Connect with their teachers,” she advises. “They want to help in any way, too. When a child sees an adult that supports their allergy safety in all environments, they feel comfortable, and that lessens anxiety.” “Readjusting from the pandemic will take patience and perseverance on the part of parents,” says Madden. “Having the family start simple wellness habits can help.” Health writer Ronica O’Hara can be contacted at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.
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fit body
Water Sports for a Total Body Workout Cool Ways to Stay Fit this Summer by Marlaina Donato
Whether it’s adrenaline-fueled kiteboarding or peaceful paddle boarding, getting active in the water helps to improve bone density, elevates mood and engages major muscle groups without stressing the joints. The highlight of a vacation might be rafting down a river, surfing at sunset or waterskiing on a mountain lake. Whether done regularly or occasionally, water sports offer a good workout disguised as play. While some water sports require a 28
higher level of fitness, most are beginner-friendly and only require the willingness to try something new.
Core Adventures “Many lifelong skiers call waterskiing the fountain of youth. My friends who are in their 70s, 80s and even 90s that still ski are living proof,” says pro water skier Corey Vaughn, owner of Bum Pass Water Ski Club, in Bumpass, Virginia. “Waterskiing
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is one of the best total body workouts on the planet, yet you are having so much fun it never feels like a workout.” For Natali Zollinger, a raft guide, river surfer and whitewater stand up paddle boarder, it’s about trusting and working with the current: “Either rafting or paddling, our core has to engage way more than it would with other sports, and you’ll definitely notice the internal strength.” Based in Moab, Utah, Zollinger says that in only
one week, paddling and kayaking produce noticeably more tone in the triceps and biceps, adding, “If you row boats, you’ll see the traps, shoulders and back muscles develop.” Stand up paddle board (SUP) yoga on the water, although seemingly placid, challenges the abdominals and cultivates balance. Christy Naida Linson, yoga instructor and owner of Prana Yoga Center and Aligned Flow Floating Studio, in Denville, New Jersey, says, “Paddling is excellent exercise for the core, back, shoulders, arms and legs. Postures are done in relationship to the current of the water and recruit many of the smaller stabilizing muscles.”
best practices,” says Vaughn. A typical lesson lasts about 30 minutes, involves six to eight passes up and down the lake and includes technical guidance on body positions and timing. For optimal waterskiing, Vaughn prefers private lakes to avoid interruption in the rhythmic flow of skiing that can occur on busier lakes or bodies of saltwater due to boat traffic, winds, tides and currents. Vaughn marvels when everything comes together; “There is nothing quite like the smile of a first-time skier when they get up [on their
skis] and realize they are gliding across the water.” In the end, water sports are all about embracing possibilities.“It is a genuine joy to see people who may be new or doubt their ability come away feeling empowered,” says Linson. Zollinger passes on wisdom about time on the water. “The river continuously teaches me to be in the flow and appreciating the little things.” Marlaina Donato is an author and composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.
Getting the Feet Wet SUP yoga is accessible to both new and experienced students that can swim and are comfortable in the water. All postures can be modified to be done in positions lower to the board, such as kneeling, to make balancing easier. “A typical class is 90 minutes long and begins with instruction on land. We go through paddle strokes and safety, how to get onto the board kneeling, transition to standing when feeling stable, paddle and stop,” says Linson. “The worst thing that happens if you lose your balance is that you go for a little swim!” Fitness requirements for river rafting can vary, depending on the type of trip and location. “Usually a couple months of ‘stair-stepper’ and some squats and lunges will do the trick,” says Zollinger. When it comes to gear, commercial trips offer the most freedom, especially for beginners, she says. “Normally, commercial trips pack all the gear that you need for basic camping, and all you have to bring is your personal gear like clothes, toiletries, etc.” Waterskiing can be a challenge, but learning is easier with proper instruction, optimal equipment, an experienced, skilled boat driver and positive encouragement. “People tell me about Uncle Fred just throwing them behind the boat with a couple of old skis, telling them to hang on tight and then gunning the boat. This is not what I would consider
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inspiration
Coming Next Month
Smiling Can Make Us Happier
SEPTEMBER
Creativity for Health & Healing Plus:
National Yoga Awareness Month Integrative Pain Management The Power of Art for Kids
by Julie Peterson A smile makes the brain happy. As it turns out, it doesn’t matter if we smile at first because we’re genuinely happy or if we simply fake a smile. The brain doesn’t know the difference. When we are happy, we naturally smile. But research has shown that the act of smiling can also induce happiness. It happens because the muscles required to lift the mouth into the shape of a smile are connected to nerves that send signals to the brain. Once the brain gets the message that a smile is happening, it releases dopamine, endorphins and serotonin throughout the body. These feel-good chemicals make us feel less stressed, less pain and happier, which can effortlessly transform a fake smile into a genuine one. Platitudes through the ages have urged us to “Turn that frown upside down” and “Put on a happy face.” In 1872, Charles Darwin hypothesized that facial feedback could alter emotions and, ever since, the topic of smiling and mood has been a subject of discussion and research. Whether or not forced smiles can have a strong enough impact on our state of mind to effectively boost overall mental health is still being debated, with some research indicating that “false” smiles can lower mood if used continuously to avoid expressing certain feelings; however, there are several more positive aspects of smiling to take into consideration. Smiling is contagious. Seeing other people smile stimulates our mirror neurons, which discharge; they discharge similarly whether we’re doing an action or observing someone else do it. So, being around smiling people, seeing them smile, affects our brains as if we were doing the smiling. Smiling also provides the health benefits of reduced anxiety and lowers both blood pressure and heart rate. Over the long haul, these attributes add up to improved cardiovascular health and a measurable reduction in risk for stroke. Get more smile time by working these muscles at every opportunity. Fake it if you must until it comes naturally, watch funny shows, spend time with cheery people and when things are looking down, grin and bear it. You might just feel better right away, and better long-term health is certainly something to smile about.
Julie Peterson is a Random Acts of Kindness activist (RAKtivist.com) and an advisor for Kindness Bank, a nonprofit invested in improving community health and well-being. 30
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ADVANCED NEUROTHERAPY, PC
Kristine Jelstrup, CMFT, CBK, LMT 126 Prospect St, Ste 5, Cambridge, 02139 617-833-3407 Kristine@CentralSquareHealthAnd Wellness.com CentralSquareHealthAndWellness.com Through Muscle Response Testing Kristine is able to communicate with the nervous system and get to the root cause of your physical, emotional or chemical issues. Your body will indicate, through a binary feedback mechanism in the nervous system, which body systems are not functioning optimally and why. Is there an immune challenge, toxicity or does your body just need nutritional support? When you ask the body what it needs you can get clear answers and achieve optimal health.
Ayurveda Health Counselor Online Certification Course
Jolene Ross, PhD 781-444-9115 RetrainYourBrain.com
Specializing in Neurotherapy, an effective, drug-free treatment for: attention, behavior, emotional, and executive function problems, autistic spectrum, anxiety, depression, post-concussion, peak performance and more. See ad, page 7.
Cannibis Dispensary FULL HARVEST MOONZ
101 Plaistow Rd, Haverhill, MA 01830 978-702-4160 FullHarvestMoonz.com A woman-owned, adult-use Cannabis Dispensary in Haverhill, MA. At FHM, we use cannabis to clear and raise the vibration of the energy body to bridge wellness from within mentally, emotionally and spiritually. See ad on page 19.
SACRED STONE SCHOOL ONLINE 401-680-3934 Karyn@KarynChabot.com SacredStoneHealing.com
Chiropractic
Ayurveda is the time-proven, holistic science of longevity, self-healing from the East. We offer this ancient wisdom for modern times as a comprehensive form of life coaching certification including massage, nutrition, medical astrology, mantra, yoga and energy medicine. Discover your dosha and become a Certified Ayurveda Health Counselor. 7-mo and 12-mo programs. Financing available. Start anytime online. Self-paced. Put your health in your hands and become the healer you were meant to be. “The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.” –Thomas Edison. See ad on page 23.
NETWORK SPINAL ANALYSIS Patricia Hogan-Casey, DC Wholistic Chiropractic Center 215 Cottage St, Pawtucket, RI 401-725-4380 DrPatOnTheBack.com
Dr. Patricia Hogan-Casey, using Network Spinal Analysis, has witnessed profound effects on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels of her patients. The gentle precise touches to the spine initiate the removal of interference to the nervous system’s tension and function—essential cueing of the brain to develop new strategies to experience greater well-being. See ad on page 27.
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MCARDLE CHIROPRACTIC AND WELLNESS CENTER Catherine McArdle, DC Robert Sedlor, DC
2220 Plainfield Pike, Cranston, RI 02921 401-383-3400 McArdleChiropractic.com Family chiropractic practice offering holistic care to patients of all ages. Based on the initial evaluation, patients will be given a treatment plan which addresses ergonomics, exercise, stretching and nutrition in addition to their spinal alignment. See ad on page 9.
Coaching A CREATIVE HEALING PLACE Benjamin B. Blackett 401-855-2008 BBB3pips@gmail.com Facebook.com/BenjaminBBlackett TikTok: @benjaminblackett
Benjamin Blackett is a multi-certified, International Life Mastery Consultant and motivational speaker. He helps people pull their dreams into their lives. His clients experience better health, deeper and more meaningful relationships, more satisfying careers, and expanded time and money freedom. You are invited to get to know him through his livestream “mindset book studies” on his Facebook page, A Creative Healing Place, Mon-Fri, 9:05-9:25am. See ad on page 30.
JAMISON JACOBS COACHING Jamison@JamisonJacobs.com Linkedin.com/in/jamisonjacobs
I am a graduate of Accomplishment Coaching and I am currently a Program Coach, coaching other coaches, in New York City. I work with executives, leaders and those in career transition. See ad, page 11.
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LIFE COACH DAVID
David Scott Bartky, Law of Attraction Life Coach 973-444-7301 LifeCoachDavid.com Find out how to attract what you want, feel happier, and become the best version of yourself with Law of Attraction coaching. You have the ability; you just have to know how to use it.
TAKE THE LEAP COACHING
Kim Childs 1025 Mass Ave, Arlington, MA 02476 617-640-3813 Kim@KimChilds.com KimChilds.com Need help clarifying and realizing your desires? Asking “What’s next?” or “How do I get started?” Kim is a certified life and career coach specializing in Positive Psychology, creativity, and midlife transitions, to help clients create more personally fulfilling, meaningful and empowered lives. Initial consultations are free.
Colon Hydrotherapy INTERNAL WELLNESS CENTER Liz Marcano-Pucillo 150 Wood Rd, Ste 403 Braintree, MA 02184 781-228-6915 Liz@InternalWellnessCtr.com InternalWellnessCtr.com
Receive professional colon hydrotherapy by a national board-certified therapist using the Angel of Water system. The most comfortable and private system in the industry. See ad, page 23.
Compounding & Wellness Pharmacy BIRD’S HILL COMPOUNDING PHARMACY
401 Great Plain Ave, Needham, MA 02492 781-449-0550 Pharmacist@BirdsHillPharmacy.com BirdsHillPharmacy.com Familyowned and -operated since 1960, we have evolved from a traditional pharmacy to a worldwide compounding and nutritional resource. Our unique one-on-one patient consultations produce a full understanding of your health needs. You, your physician, and one of our compounding pharmacists work as partners to ensure that you will receive the best care possible.
DINNO HEALTH
Acton Pharmacy 563 Massachusetts Ave, Acton, MA 01721 978-263-3901 Keyes Drug 2090 Commonwealth Ave Newton, MA 02466 617-244-2794 Theatre Pharmacy 1784 Massachusetts Ave Lexington, MA 781.862.4480 West Concord Pharmacy 1212 Main St, Concord, MA 01742 978-369-3100 DinnoHealth.com For more than a quarter of a century, Dinno Health has been a trusted provider of pharmacy services and is committed to providing the highest quality of individualized care for each customer. At our four independent pharmacies, we offer prescriptions, compounded medications, medical supplies, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and vaccines. See ad, page 11.
JOHNSON COMPOUNDING AND WELLNESS
577 Main St, Waltham, MA 02452 781-893-3870 • Fax: 781-899-1172 John@NaturalCompounder.com NaturalCompounder.com JCW is the only sterile and non-sterile PCABaccredited pharmacy in Massachusetts. In addition to our compounding service, we offer a full range of nutritional supplements, natural products, homeopathic remedies and home health care equipment. See ad on page 22.
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Dentist DENTISTRY BY DR. DAVID Amparo M. David, DMD 563 Main St, Bolton, MA 978-779-2888 BoltonDental.com
We look beyond our patients’ teeth in order to improve both their smiles and their quality of life. Our practice offers full preventive services: biological, holistic, functional dentistry, ozone therapy, reconstructive dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, periodontics, endodontics, dental sleep medicine, implant dentistry, in addition to TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorders) therapy. See ad, page 7.
Frenectomy (Tongue/Lip Tie Release) DENTISTRY BY DR. DAVID Martin Kaplan, DDS 563 Main St, Bolton, MA 978-779-2888 BoltonDental.com
Specializing in pediatric dentistry, Dr. Kaplan uses the latest technology available to diagnose and treat infants as well as children and adults. In 2015, he was instrumental in developing the first-in-the-country “Infant Laser Frenectomy” training class through the continuing education department at Tufts Dental School and is an international leader in the field of dental laser surgery. See ad, page 7.
Functional Dietitian ALORA FREDERICK, RDN
Johnson Compounding & Wellness 781-893-3870 x 149 Alora@NaturalCompounder.com NaturalCompounder.com Integrative and Functional Registered Dietitian who strives to motivate individuals on their health journey. Alora loves to help people feel their best and has a special interest in GI health and mental health (depression & anxiety). See ad on page 22.
TAMARA LUCK, RDN, LDN
Johnson Compounding & Wellness 781-893-3870 x 104 Tamara@NaturalCompounder.com Tamara Luck, RDN, LDN, is excited to help you along your wellness journey. She uses a whole body and functional nutrition approach to help you reach your goals related to gut health, anti-inflammatory lifestyles, weight loss and optimizing your overall wellness. See ad on page 22.
Handmade Soaps & Skin Care
Homeopathy
Naturopathic Medicine
VANDANA PITKE
CHRYSANTHI KAZANTZIS, ND, MS
Om Homeopathy, It’s My Health Cumberland, RI 401-573-3757 OmHomeopathy.com With 16+ yrs experience in classical homeopathy, Vandana Pitke has helped many clients restore and achieve health. A certified classical homeopath, she looks at the clients from a holistic perspective focusing on mind, body and spirit. She also incorporates many other holistic modalities in her practice, which makes healing faster, better and from within when combined with homeopathy.
Integrative Veterinary Medical Care
NEW BEDFORD SOAP COMPANY NewBedfordSoapCompany.com
We have been making soap for over 10 yrs and have over 60 blends. We have scrubs, face, hand and foot creams, fragrance stones, along with perfume sticks, lip and cuticle balms. We also have dog shampoo and balms. Open M-F, 11am-4pm and Saturdays, 10am-2pm.
Health Food Store
MASH MAIN ST ANIMAL SERVICES OF HOPKINTON Margo Roman, DVM 72 W Main St, Hopkinton, MA 01748 508-435-4077 MASHVet.com
A full-service integrative veterinary clinic offering caring and healthful options and modalities like acupuncture, functional nutrition, homeopathy, chiropractic, herbs, ozone therapy, surgery and dentistry. See ad, page 29.
NATURE’S GOODNESS
510 East Main Rd, Middletown, RI 401-847-7480 Facebook.com/NaturesGoodness NaturesGoodnessRI.com
Mind-Body Medicine BODYMIND REPATTERNING
Since 1984 we have been providing the finest quality Natural & Organic Whole Foods including many gluten-free products, natural body care, athletic supplements & protein powders, incense, smudging supplies and candles made with essential oils. Natural pet care food & supplements. Open Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm. Visit website for more information.
Alison Shaw APRN, LMT, CEH 109 Massachusetts Ave Lexington, MA 02420 781-646-0686 Alison@BodymindRepatterning.com BodymindRepatterning.com An innovative blend of bodycentered counseling, integrative bodywork and energy medicine to uncover and release bodymind patterns that limit your life and health. See ad, page 23.
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Anasa Personalized Medicine 245 Waterman St., Suite 308 Providence, RI 02906 401-484-1882 AnasaMedicine.com
Owner and founder of Anasa Personalized Medicine, Licensed Naturopathic Physician, Clinical Nutritionist and Reiki Master. Specializing in digestive disorders, thyroid disorders, diabetes, Lyme disease and chronic pain. Addressing these conditions by treating the underlying cause through herbal medicine, supplements, homeopathy, clinical nutrition and lifestyle counseling. Book an appointment to start your journey to optimal health. See ad on page 8.
GARY KRACOFF, RPH & NMD
Johnson Compounding and Wellness 781-893-3870 Gary@NaturalCompounder.com Dr. Gary Kracoff provides guidance and in-depth consultative services to find the “why” to what is happening physically and mentally, working with individuals to restore balance in the body. Specializes in customizing medications to meet individualized needs of patients, and he suggests nutritional supplements, natural products and homeopathic remedies to aid in faster healing and recovery. See ad on page 22.
Organic Hair Care ELAYNE HEWITT
Master Colorist/Stylist Riverside, RI 401-273-7005 ElayneOrganic@gmail.com A full-service green salon that’s Certified Organic for hair color, straightening/relaxing and permanent wave. No ammonia, parabens, plastics or thioglycolates. Call today for an appointment. 50% off all new clients only.
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FLIPP SALON APOTHECARY 38 Transit St Providence, RI 02903 401-274-1981 FlippSalon.com
A small boutique salon promoting a holistic approach to beauty, herbalism, art and music. Offering a full range of hair services using organic, plantbased products, full apothecary of loose herbs, blends and organic self-care items and accessories. Herbalist on staff. Gallery walls featuring local artisans; all mediums welcome. Live music in semi-acoustic for Music Nights. We believe that all these mediums are symbiotic in promoting joy and wellness in the individual and the community.
Pain Reduction/ Elimination ESSENTIA WELLNESS
Laney DeFeo Harvard, MA & Amherst, NH 603-233-2887 EssentiaWellness.com Utilizing low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT), Laney uses this fast-growing technology for a variety of conditions to relieve pain, inflammation, stimulate healing and restore function. LLLT is FDA approved, safe and highly effective. Many see results in the first 1-3 sessions. See ad, page 11.
Pilates BODY DYNAMICS RI
Peggy Normandin 1099 Mendon Rd, Cumberland, RI 02864 401-333-8550 BodyDynamicsRI@icloud.com BodyDynamicsRI.com We are a small boutique studio specializing in Pilates-based classes for women and men. Our highly trained instructors offer personal attention to our students to help them meet their fitness goals and improve their ability to enjoy activities. Free 30-min consultation or lesson for new students. See ad, page 8.
Reiki
Spiritual Guidance
ANGELHAWK REIKI & DESIGNS OF RI
SOUL WISDOM HEALING
West Shore Wellness 459 Sandy Ln, Warwick, RI 02889 Additional locales 401-298-0306
As a Registered Nurse, I have a unique perspective on health and stress within the body. Stress equals illness and reiki decreases stress causing a relaxation response, therefore improving health. Put yourself first. Call today.
BOSTON REIKI MASTER
34 Lincoln St, Newton Highlands 617-633-3654 BostonReikiMaster.com Are you stressed from the pressure of your job, home life, kids or an illness? Do you want to feel calm and relaxed? Experience reiki. Certified Reiki Master/Teacher with over 20 years’ experience in energy medicine providing pure Usui Reiki healing/relaxation sessions.
Shamanic Practitioner ENERGY-N-ELEMENTS Paul A. DiSegna 401-736-6500 Energy-N-Elements.com
Are you feeling stuck, stressed or disconnected? I will assist you in releasing energy blocks and guide you to experience the comfort and peace that comes with power and soul retrieval. “My intention is to improve my client’s health and well-being.” Call for your appointment today.
Smoking Cessation ESSENTIA WELLNESS
Laney DeFeo Harvard, MA & Amherst, NH 603-233-2887 EssentiaWellness.com Quit smoking in 3 visits with a low-level laser therapy (LLLT) acupuncture program that is clinically proven, safe and highly effective. LLLT allows you to quit without unpleasant side effects and improves sleep, energy and stress levels. See ad, page 11.
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401-662-6642 SoulWisdomTarot.com
Virtual support for your holistic healing and wellness. Christine McCullough, MA, is a holistic counselor certified in many forms of holistic techniques. Personalize your healing journey. Offering customized support for mind, body and spirit through EFT, expressive arts, body talk and mindfulness-based, stress-reduction techniques. Call to set up your appointment by Zoom or Google Duo.
Spiritual HealingTeaching BE THE MEDICINE
Janet StraightArrow, Master Healer-Teacher 973-647-2500 Janet@BeTheMedicine.com BeTheMedicine.com Spiritual Life-Health Coach Guide, Master Healer. Training; Soul Shamanism, reiki all levels to Master, medical intuition. Get unstuck, discover true selfpurpose, home, business, land clearings, past-this life healing, astrology, Zoom and phone.
Tantra/Sacred Sexuality SACRED TEMPLE ARTS
Sacha L. Fossa, Masters Health Arts & Sciences, Certified Sex & Tantric Educator, Licensed Erotic Blueprint Coach, Healing Arts Practitioner 978-309-9399 SacredTempleArts.com Ready to have better sex and love your life more, partnered or not? Holistic, cutting-edge sex, intimacy and relationship coaching, energy and bodywork, for your sexual healing and empowerment. In-person and/or virtual sessions and programs. See ad, page 29.
Wellness Resources
IT’S MY HEALTH
Marie Bouvier-Newman 1099 Mendon Road, Cumberland, RI 401-305-3585 Its-My-Health.com
BETH GARDNER
Acton Pharmacy Keyes Drug West Concord Pharmacy BGardner@DinnoHealth.com 508-259-7851 Certified lifestyle educator and the director of health and wellness at Acton Pharmacy, Keyes Drug and West Concord Pharmacy. Beth Gardner works one-on-one with patients to help create ways to improve diet and overall health as a means for disease and illness prevention. See ad, page 11.
We provide much more than products, services and education. We provide the tools you need to optimize your health in a comfortable environment. We care. See ad on page 8.
Yoga CECILE RAYNOR
Certified Alexander Technique Teacher; Certified Thai Yoga Therapist 33A Harvard St, Brookline, MA 02445 617-359-7841 CecileRaynor.com
TIME FOR YOU YOGA
Maria Sichel, RYT, CSYT 2155 Diamond Hill Rd Cumberland, RI 02864 401-305-5319 Maria@TimeForYouYoga.com TimeForYouYoga.com Private Svaroopa® yoga therapy sessions are tailored to meet your needs. Specially trained in treating pain, including back pain and neck and shoulder issues. Yoga therapy is more powerful than weekly yoga classes and moves you more quickly toward health and well-being. Experience pain relief, greater mobility, improved sleep, easier breathing, deep relaxation, increased flexibility and a deep sense of peace.
Your yoga can release or create tension depending on the quality of your daily movements. Learn to let your postural mechanism work for you and notice excess body tension ease away on-and-off the mat.
classifieds BOOKS ........................................... MESSAGE FROM THE ALL – The Prophecy of God Today - Not the Word of the Bible Contents; The world talks about peace - Where is the Peace? God breathes back the Fall, The true life opens up and much more. Toll-free: 844-576-0937. Gabriele-Publishing-House.com.
BOSTON COMMUNITY
CALENDAR OF EVENTS All Calendar events for the September issue must be received by August 10 and adhere to our guidelines. Visit NA-GBRI.com for guidelines and to submit entries. For extended event descriptions and additional listings, visit NA-GBRI.com/calendar.
Please visit our website for calendar listings and be sure to confirm events prior to the date of the event. Submit events at:
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