MANTRA WELLNESS VOLUME 22 by THRIVE. ORIGIN + MANTRA Magazines

Nourishing Self-care Essentials

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Stress Guide

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Our Words Are a Powerful Creative Force. How Being Busy Is Just Another Form of Laziness.

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Denise Austin on Workouts for Working Moms, the Best Advice She Ever Received, Staying Healthy at 61 and Practicing Yoga for the Last 20 Years Essential Tools for Handling Stressful Situations in 3 Minutes or Less The Stress–Health Connection. How Stress is Wrecking Your Health How Do I Turn My Brain Off? Why Self-compassion Is a Better Motivator Than Self-criticism. Find Focus, Calm and Joy How to Slow Down Your Breath & Quiet Your Mind, the Sixteen-second Breath Clean Beauty Discoveries, Superfoods and His 100-Pound Weight Loss Wellness Journey Clean Beauty Secrets, Avoiding Breakdowns with Good Self-Care and Transforming Your Wellness Routine 4 Tips for “Spot-Clean” Eating Blackberry Acai & Baobab Smoothie Bowl. Raspberry & Vanilla Chia Yogurt Ice Pops

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Disrupt Your 9 Hungers with 1 Simple Mindfulness Tip 6 Steps to Rest & Refresh Your Senses Mantra Vision Board! Using Collage to Connect to Your Inner Artist in 5 Easy Steps

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Spring is the perfect time to clear all of the clutter out of our lives and our minds, press refresh and do a gentle restart. We are celebrating self-care and deep nourishment this issue. I see so many amazing women living with their hearts wide open, dedicated to their passions, but they’re exhausted and tweaked out with stress. We have devoted so much of these pages to cultivating calm and creating presence in our lives, with more peace at work and joy in our homes. We’re proud to have so many experts and teachers show us how to transform our anxiety. Remember to love yourself up this month with essential oils, meditation and movement, and deliberately and intentionally create the life and feelings you want to experience. We want to give so much goodness and love to the world, and we have to start with ourselves. Tell us what you would like to read more of. Next issue we are launching our Mantra Manual + Journal, offering tips and tools to transform every single area of your life, and an interactive journal to write your process and reflect. What is your dream, the big dream? Let’s find steps to get you there. What would it take for you to change your life right now and feel the way you want to feel? What would you need? We’ll help you every step of the way, with actionable steps to celebrate every area of your life. Make sure to check out our Instagram stories, featuring daily quotes and inspiration to keep you positive and inspired throughout your day. @mantramagazine

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Maranda Pleasant: Any tips on slimming down for working moms? What are a few ways we can incorporate movement and fitness into our busy everyday lives? Denise Austin: Motherhood is one of the most rewarding and challenging jobs a woman can have, and a lot of women today have full-time jobs that they need to tend to as well, which makes it seem extremely difficult to have a consistent workout routineâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but I am telling you that you can! The minimum daily requirement to keep muscles in tip-top shape is 10 minutes. Every morning, I get up 10 minutes early and do a few sets of targeted exercises to get my blood flowing and wake those muscles up and bring more oxygen into my body, which gives me more energy. You are your own architect of your body, and posture is an essential element of your health. Work on being present and aware of your posture wherever you are. If you are commuting to work or sitting at your desk, tighten your tummy for 10 seconds and then release. This simple action is equivalent to one sit-up. Another thing that I do to sneak exercise into my busy work schedule is to have a set of three-pound weights at my desk and while I am on the phone I will do shoulder rolls, tricep and bicep curls throughout the day.

Invest in a standing desk at the office. Standing burns twice as many calories as sitting and is great for your circulation, prevents varicose veins and improves your posture. An alternative to the standing desk is to replace your office chair with an exercise ball that will have you focus on your posture and activate your abs while doing your work. MP: How do you keep your center in the middle of chaos? Do you have a daily routine? DA: Fitness is one of the best ways to counteract the stresses and anxiety of life. One of my go-to practices is yoga. I have been practicing yoga for 20 years and it has helped me stay grounded and centered through the chaotic events that have been put in front of me. Whether it be running from the office or a meeting to shoot a live segment for television, or having a large, unexpected group of friends show up at the house, I have learned to take everything in stride, keep calm and keep moving forward. I attribute my ability to keep myself centered to fitness and a true foundation of knowing who I am. Exercise releases endorphins that are the happy hormones that make you feel good after a workout and help you focus at your task rather than being swept up into the chaos. MP: What have been some of your biggest lessons so far in life? DA: While I was growing up, my father taught me that the harder you work the luckier you get, and that is one of the best pieces of advice I have received and believe in. MP: What truth do you know for sure? DA: A healthy lifestyle that consists of exercise, eating right, a positive attitude and outlook on life, and cherishing the people around you keeps you young. I feel great at 61.

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T h e N e c e s s i t y of G r e a t S e l f - Ca r e Mona Dan LAc., MTOM, Herbalist, Acupuncturist and Founder of Vie Healing Acupuncture Instagram:

@viehealing | viehealing.com

Daily self-care has become my go-to to get myself centered and balanced. Depending on the day, there are certain rituals I like to do to remind myself of why I work in wellness. Working full time, developing a brand, being a mama to a precious little two-year-old and also a wife can really take you away from yourself, and before you know it, you’ve become a totally different person and have no idea why. This is exactly what happened to me and what made me make sure that I don’t let myself get lost in the mix.

» D a i ly :

» 2 - 3 T i m e s W e e k ly :

Teas, adaptogen supplements, my afternoon cup of coffee and bath. These are rituals I stick to religiously. I look forward to enjoying each one with a little extra time to just ground myself and chill. Every morning and evening, I enjoy a blend of organic tea. My favorite is a light green tea base with added herbs to either boost my energy or calm me down. The adaptogen supplements I take build blood, give me energy and assist me with responding to the stressors around me. They build on themselves and teach the body how to relax and respond to stress better. My afternoon coffee is the highlight of my day, every single day. Aside from the antioxidants in coffee, it just brings a sense of happiness. And finally, my nightly bath/shower cleanses my body from all I did and interacted with in the day and brings me back to myself. It’s a nice way to take a few minutes to just enjoy the warmth, wash away the day and reset for my night. Hot water on the body assists with shifting the body to process mode and away from our fight/flight responses.

Facial love. I love doing this at night before I fall asleep right after a shower or bath. I put a mix of some of my favorite oils—pomegranate, jojoba, walnut, orange—on my face and do five minutes of facial cupping. After the cupping, I gua shua for a minute and end off with jade rolling. We have 43 facial muscles, and because of that we hold a lot of tension in our face. Using a gentle facial cup to avoid any capillaries, I massage my face from the bigger muscles to the small ones and relieve all the stressors I’m holding in them. The best part is, this assists lymph glands with waste release, boosts blood flow, enhances elastin and collagen, and gives an extra glow to the face.

»Once a Week: Aside from my weekly acupuncture sessions that help reset my nervous system, I also have a weekly reset during one of the days of the weekend. I unplug from the rest of the world to be fully present with my family. I enjoy this so much, because I truly feel this is what resets me and gives me a sense of when the week starts and finishes. Being present from breakfast, lunch and dinner and all those little moments in between makes the day move slower and with so much meaning. Altogether, I have found that adding these little rituals brings a smile to my face and reminds me of who I am and what I love.

Mona is an herbalist, acupuncturist and founder of Vie Healing acupuncture, a holistic MEDSPA in Beverly Hills, specializing in Chinese Traditional Healing, acupuncture, massage, cupping, moxa, reiki and self-care products, with a second location in West Hollywood opening soon.

Mariam Gates Author of This Moment Is Your Life: A Fun and Easy Guide to Mindfulness, Meditation and Yoga Instagram:

@mariam.gates | mariamgates.com

Photo of Mariam: Junneen Lee McCombs

We all experience stress. Some stressors we can plan for, like a presentation or negotiating a raise, while others, like a cancelled flight or our child’s restaurant meltdown, catch us completely by surprise. Whether we choose them or not, stressful situations are a part of life. We can’t control the fact that difficulties happen, but we can get more skillful at meeting them when they do. Stress is both a mental and physical experience. When we find ourselves facing a problem, we have our thoughts and feelings about what is happening (what we see as the issue or threat) but we also often find our breathing gets shallow, our chest gets tight and our muscles tense. We can even feel hot or dizzy like we’re stuck on a merry-go-round on hyper-speed. This is due to that evolutionary reaction: The the fight-or-flight response. When under a perceived “attack” our body goes into a protective mode that releases hormones into our system and prepares us to defend or retreat. Unfortunately, while we do want to be ready to flee if there is an actual tiger, this is often not the best response to our more common stresses like a difficult conversation or looking for parking when we’re already late. The challenge of our biology is that while the acute stress response has been crucial for survival, it doesn’t utilize the parts of our brain in charge of

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the more subtle experiences of life. Our system is not designed to know the difference between real and perceived threats, so while we need to use our best and most calm thinking in times of stress, we often don’t have access to it. Since stress is a mind-body issue, it requires a mindbody solution. Thankfully, there are simple mindfulness tools and breathing techniques to turn to the next time life sends you spinning. The best thing to do once you realize you’re in a stressful situation is to stay there. It sounds counterintuitive, but unless your safety is an issue, there is no need to run away from your experience. The first tool is to notice your reaction and be where you are. You’ll make a lot more progress by bringing your awareness right into the moment. If you’re getting a ticket, you can still pause and notice that your heart is racing, your face is flush and your thoughts are going a mile a minute. The key is to focus on what is happening without rushing to change it. It is often our reactions to our stress that make us do and say things that make the situation worse. By using mindfulness techniques, you will find yourself naturally moving from fight-or-flight to rest-and-renew in minutes. This simple act of being present will help you make the best choices and respond rather than react to whatever is in front of you.

Connecting to This Moment: Start by bringing your attention to your breath. Take a deep breath in and feel your body fill all the way into your abdomen (you can place a hand there if it is helpful). Let a long breath out. Take two more breaths and notice the temperature of the air as you inhale and exhale and feel the rise and fall of your chest and stomach on each breath. Now, notice every place where your body makes contact with the chair or whatever you are sitting on. Where are your feet? Are they resting on something or planted on the ground? Next, start to pay attention to your neck and shoulders. Notice whether you are holding any tension. Bring your awareness to your arms, your upper back, your lower back. Where do you feel tight and where do you feel loose? Just notice what it is like to be in this moment. Breathe. We tend to think of these harder moments as an indication that we are veering off track or having bad luck, rather than what they actually are, which is just part of being human. No one wants to feel nervous about a job review or shocked by a home repair bill, but the next time that happens, remember that if you can breathe and be, you’ll be better equipped to take care of it, and yourself.

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M antra W ellness

How Ca l m Yo u r M i n d C ult i vat e M o r e P r e s e n ce Daniel l e M cKe e I NSTAGRAM:

@liveadayinthelight | liveadayinthelight.com

et me introduce you to the human mind, a tricky, deceptive little devil, chattering away with no mercy. When was the last time you stopped and listened to the stampede of rambling thoughts stomping through the halls of your brain? It never ends. This sounds terribly depressing and hopeless, but let me put that busy

mind at ease. There is hope. There is a way to keep the incessant, unpleasant thoughts at bay, or at least weed your way through with some sense of navigation. We have two ways of perceiving things—perception via the thinking mind (often referred to as the “monkey mind”) and perception via the observing mind. Which serves you better? I’ll let you be the judge. Here is a layout, or map if you will, of what the thinking mind looks like versus the observing mind. This list will help you to determine when your thinking mind is at work and will assist you in shifting gears to the observing mind.

C h a ract erist ics Observin g Mind : 1. 2. 3. 4.

Nonjudgmental Objective Accepting Present

The observing mind is much easier to describe. The observing mind is nonjudgmental and nonlabeling. It recognizes without judgement and accepts what is. The observing mind lives in the present moment; it doesn’t focus on what was or what will be; it lives in the here and now, watching with acceptance. It is present, nonreactive, calm and objective. This particular mind generates thoughts like “I accept,” “all is well,” “I am calm” and “I am open.”

“

The key in all of this is to observe your thoughts in a nonjudgmental manner and recognize unhelpful, ‘thinking mind’-driven thoughts. 14

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The key in all of this is to observe your thoughts in a nonjudgmental manner and recognize unhelpful, “thinking mind”-driven thoughts. Just recognizing and classifying the thinking mind thoughts is half the battle. Once you can recognize and classify, it takes the power away from a negative thought entirely. Remember, it’s okay, it happens to all of us. It is all about watching, recognizing, classifying and OBSERVING. This is a great starting point for incorporating meditation into your life. ***Meditation tip using the observing mind: Close your eyes, take some deep breaths, and when the thoughts start swirling, picture them as clouds in the sky passing you by, or floating by you in a river. Picture the thoughts outside of your body and watch them pass by, observing them in a nonjudgmental manner. Use the mantra “all is well in my life.”

5. Labeling:

C ha rac teri st ics Th ink in g M in d :

Categorizing or putting a negative label on others or yourself. “I’m a failure, I’m a loser, he’s crazy, she’s weird.”

1 . C o n f u s i n g t h e pa s t & f u t u r e : The thinking mind does not live in the present—it lives in either the future or the past, which most of the time are both out of our control.

6. Over-generalizing: Assuming you know someone or a situation based on a single factor. “She was impatient with me last week, so she must be a mean person.”

2. All-or-nothing thinking: A good example of this is “I can’t miss a single yoga class or I am a failure.” Not everything is black and white; there is typically always a middle ground.

8. Disqualifying the positive:

Only recognizing the negative and not acknowledging the positives. In your yoga practice, this could be criticizing yourself for not being able to hold a particular pose, but not recognizing your progress in another.

3 . M e n t a l f i lt e r : Discrediting valid evidence and choosing to pay attention to the bad, rather than the good.

9. Living in absolutes or blowing things out of proportion: “I had a bad day, so my entire life sucks.” “We got into a fight, so we’ll never be friends again.”

7. E m o t i o n a l r e a s o n i n g : Associating a feeling with a fact or reality. “I feel scared, so all of life is scary.”

1 0 . S h o u l d s , O u g h t - t o ’s , Musts: Words that are used typically to incite blame or guilt in ourselves or others. “He should get a better job.” “You ought to follow a specific diet.” “I must accomplish ______ in order to feel worthy.”

11. Inappropriate blame: Shifting blame from others to yourself or vice versa. Blame is useless and is typically used to deflect negative attention.

4. Jumping to conclusions: Assuming you know what is going to happen or know what someone is thinking, when in reality, this is very unlikely. MANTRAMAG.COM

Happy

W ise

Well

Let’s Talk About Stress and How it is Wrecking Your Health T h e S t re ss– H e a lt h C o n n e ct ion Farzana Rahman, MD, & Farhana Rahman, MD,

Founders of happywisewell.com @happywisewell_doctors happywisewell.com

Instagram:

We were at a meeting with a leading psychiatrist and health leader when she made a shocking statement. She said it in a matter of fact way; the truth and facts speak for themselves. Of the 550 million working days lost annually in the U.S., approximately half are stress-related. It seemed obvious once she had said it, but until then the dots had not connected. Have we all come into contact with people who talked about how stressed they were? Of course, it’s the common thread that bonds all work colleagues— without it, after-work drinks would be awkward, silent gatherings. Did we know that stress affects

health? Yes. Nearly every branch of medicine has disease processes that are caused or exacerbated by stress.

+ Another study found work-related stress was related to sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep deprivation and daytime fatigue.

In fact, stress is such a common term in our everyday vernacular that it has two emojis (happiness, sadness and anger only have one each).

+ Chronic stress can contribute to obesity through its effect on stress hormones. This results in increased food intake and abdominal fat gain.

Yet we realized that we had never quite put two and two together to see that the cumulative effect of all this individual stress could translate into a public health crisis.

At this point, health professionals are often asked a variation of the following question: “This is interesting, but why is understanding the science so important?” It is important because although most of us know that stress is not good, very few of us are aware of the specific physical effects of prolonged stress.

Maybe it’s because stress is sometimes worn as a badge of honor, par for the course of success. Perhaps it’s because as a society we see stress as something we have to manage alone. Of course, there is an element of truth in this— we each have our own personal triggers and coping mechanisms. However, if we really want to tackle the problem, we have to start openly talking about and understanding it. When it comes to stress, one of the biggest problems we face is acknowledging and grasping that it can lead to real health problems. Stress has proven links to poor health outcomes:

+ One study found stress-inducing activities such as exams led to impaired immunity due to a reduction in immune-boosting white blood cells. + Work-related stress is associated with an

increased risk of cardiovascular disease. A study of male white-collar workers found work-related stress led to increased blood pressure. Interestingly, this did not just occur during working hours.

We need to start tackling stress in the way that we have dealt with previous public health issues such as smoking. Education in schools, resources in healthcare and company-wide initiatives can go a long way to help tackle the problem. Investing in activities such as yoga and meditation can reap real financial benefits, as can adjusting work and home environments. Like all public health initiatives, the biggest challenge will be to open up the conversation and remove stigma. Until we can openly acknowledge that asking for help in dealing with stress is not a sign of weakness, it will continue to cause physical and financial damage.

Farzana Rahman, MD, and Farhana Rahman, MD, are sisters and founders of happywisewell.com. As medically trained doctors, they have over 20 years of healthcare experience. They are passionate about approaching health holistically.

Happy

W ise

Well

Farzana Rahman, MD, & Farhana Rahman, MD, Founders of happywisewell.com Instagram:

ne of the earliest things you learn in medical school is to use all the information available to predict outcomes and worst-case scenarios.

I remember finding this task impossible as a med student. It wasn’t the information gathering part, but using that information to predict the future. My brain didn’t work in that way. I found it difficult to think that far ahead. Cut to nearly 20 years later and it’s a completely different story. My problem now is that I can’t stop thinking ahead. In medical terms, “anxiety disorders” is a general term for disorders that can cause nervousness, fear, apprehension and worrying. Of course, a degree of anxiety is a normal part of the human experience, but when these thoughts and feelings become pervasive and all-encompassing, it can be crippling. I don’t have an anxiety disorder, but I certainly have moments where I am nervous, apprehensive and worried. It was during one of these anxious periods, as I was lying in bed at 2 a.m. worrying about whether I had waited too long to buy rather than rent a house, that I started wondering why my brain had decided this was a good time to evaluate my

@happywisewell_doctors | happywisewell.com

life choices. I wasn’t sure why these thoughts had popped into my head, but now that they had, my tired, sleep-deprived brain started scanning through all the possible outcomes that could result from my poor life decision-making. Maybe I would be forever destined to live in a tiny apartment with no parking. Perhaps my future unborn children would have to sleep in the bathtub. Maybe we should get rid of the bathtub altogether and convert the bathroom to a bedroom. But then where would the bathroom go? And so on. And then it hit me. My brain was just doing what it had been programmed to do over years of medical training: process information, assess possible outcomes and evaluate worst-case scenarios. I talked to friends and realized I wasn’t alone. In fact, an increasing number of us are up at night, ruminating, thinking and feeling nervous. And perhaps it’s not surprising. Of course, we have the usual culprits feeding our anxiety— social media, technology, having your head in a stranger’s armpit on a subway commute to work. But maybe it’s also because many of us work in jobs where we run through the nearinfinite combination of permutations that could result from any single decision.

We could argue this has always been the way. People have always had jobs where they had to predict the impact of their decisions. But I would argue that we now have an ever-increasing volume of information to inform choice in all aspects of our lives. The mere act of picking what to watch on Netflix or ordering take-out can be overwhelming. So what can we do? Recognizing and observing that incessant inner dialogue without judgment is the first step. Understanding how to destress and worry less is a lifelong journey for most of us. Meditation, exercise and journaling are all recognized tools to help anxiety, so consider taking steps and mechanisms to help. Finally, always remember, everything looks better in the morning once you have had some sleep. So try to put those fears to one side and you can address them in the light of day.

M antra W ellness

Most people think that getting healthy requires a massive lifestyle overhaul. But improving your health doesn’t require monumental effort or change. There are plenty of small, easy things you can do to detox and drastically impact your health. Think of it as spring cleaning for your body. One of the most impactful things you can do to get healthy is reduce your toxic load. When unaddressed, the ongoing sources of toxins in your body can prevent you from reaching your health goals. My new book delves into the little-known causes of life-threatening illnesses like breast cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and offers guidelines for preventing disease and maintaining health. An important

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takeaway from the book: All disease comes down to having too much oxidative stress in your body. Oxidation is a normal component of the body’s healthy metabolic activity, but thanks to our highly toxic lifestyle, a state of highly increased oxidative stress is becoming the norm. All toxins are “pro-oxidants,” meaning they promote oxidation by removing electrons from the molecules they oxidize. Understanding the increased oxidative stress (IOS) paradigm as it relates to toxins and wellness is crucial to reclaiming your health. Your goal should be to decrease your levels of oxidative stress as much as possible. Decreasing your toxic load is a powerful way to do that—and it’s far simpler than you might imagine.

If you’re ready to regain your optimal health (or maintain it!), here are some tips for decreasing your toxic load.

viewed with a diagnostic test called 3D cone beam imaging. Once identified, you should work with your dentist and physician to treat these infections.

Detoxification is also retoxification; any detoxification effort mobilizes toxins in the body. Freeing too many toxins can be dangerous, as reassimilation and reabsorption can cause a renewed toxic effect and could cause severe damage to the immune system. Therefore, all detoxification should be done at a clinically controlled rate and under the guidance of an integrated physician. If you have a chronic illness, detox should occur when you are feeling generally well. Further, your physician should monitor your blood work throughout the process to make sure your C-reactive protein level—an inflammation marker—doesn’t rise too high.

Poor digestion can be a source of ongoing toxins. Healthy people should have one or two bowel movements a day. When this doesn’t happen, the stasis of the gut causes putrefaction that proliferates the same type of anaerobic pathogens found in a toxic mouth. But you can improve your digestion by following a few easy guidelines:

» Minimize your liquid intake with your food. » Take digestive enzyme supple-

ments to aid in digestion. As people grow older and become more toxic, they may become deficient in their synthesis of digestive enzymes.

» Avoid milk. You should avoid milk Most people are shocked to learn that many life-threatening health problems begin in the mouth. Silent, symptom-free infections in the teeth, gums and tonsils are the sources of ongoing toxins in the body and lead to diseases like cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and ailments like arthritis, hypertension, chest pain and headaches. The scariest part: Asymptomatic tooth infections are prevalent in most of the population. These infections don’t show up on a regular X-ray, but they can be

not only because of its calcium load, but also because it slows down and inhibits digestion of the other foods it is taken with.

» Practice proper food combining

methods. Eating the wrong types of foods together promotes stasis in the gut and increases the propensity for constipation and toxin production. For this reason, you should always eat fruit at the beginning of a meal and avoid consuming proteins with starches in the same sitting.

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Seek out an organic and gluten-free diet that avoids processed foods. Why? Because these foods don’t contain added iron. For over 70 years, this country has had a preoccupation with iron deficiency. Now, virtually every processed food has iron added to it, which makes it toxic to consume. In fact, manufacturers enrich cereal with iron by adding actual iron filings to their cereal flakes.

Once you’ve got a good baseline of supplementation in place, it’s important to support your micronutrient levels. This is crucial, because so many people eat such a poor diet that there’s still a wide range of nutrients they need in small amounts—and they need them badly. I recommend using a NutriBullet or another high-speed blender to pulverize organic fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains into smoothies. Adding in organic pumpkin, sesame and chia seeds goes a long way toward giving you the micronutrient support you need.

Antioxidants are your best repairer and sustainer of good health. They often come in the form of nutrients, because any quality nutrient that has a clearly beneficial effect on the body and the metabolism has that effect because it ultimately metabolizes down to antioxidant molecules that can donate electrons, thus decreasing oxidative stress. In general, everybody should supplement to get enough antioxidants. You basically can’t get enough from your food alone. The big four nutrients you should supplement with are magnesium, vitamin K, vitamin D, and vitamin C. I consider vitamin C to be the most important nutrient you can take and the primary fuel on which the body runs. Most people should supplement between 6,000 and 12,000 milligrams of vitamin C a day; some will need more and some will need less depending on their health needs.

Calcium, iron and copper are all toxic nutrients. They are essential for life in minimal amounts, but cause illness in increased amounts. Supplementing calcium for bone health promotes toxicity that is directly linked to IOS inside the cells and is a primary cause of cancer and carcinogenesis. Copper and iron also cause IOS inside the cells. I advise avoiding calcium and copper supplementation and advise supplementing with iron only for limited durations when your physician has documented an iron deficiency anemia. Once you achieve normal blood count, stop all iron supplementation immediately.

When your sex hormones—estrogen for women and testosterone for men—are abnormally low or when your thyroid levels are even slightly low, it increases IOS throughout your body. Make sure your sex hormones are adjusted into the mid-normal range and ensure that your thyroid is functioning normally. This is vital for keeping any sources of infections or toxins from spreading and metastasizing throughout the body.

One of the best and least toxic ways to remove toxins from the body is through nutrient chelators. I recommend supplementing with inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), which binds to iron, calcium and other toxins, and removes them safely from the body. (Remember to always take it on an empty stomach; otherwise, it will just bind to your food.) Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is another good supporter of detoxification. Other options include any chelator that supports glutathione levels, like N-acetyl cysteine, liposome-encapsulated glutathione and N-acetyl carnitine.

Visiting a far infrared sauna is the easiest way to remove toxins from your body in a non-toxic fashion. Studies show that a far infrared sauna heats your tissues and induces sweat at a lower temperature than hotter steam saunas. If you’re a frequent far infrared sauna user, remember that sweating removes the good stuff as well as the bad stuff. It’s a good thing to excrete toxins like iron, but take care not to deplete yourself too much of the good things like sodium, potassium or magnesium.

One more thing to keep in mind as you decrease your toxic load: You get to decide how long and how often you do any detoxification protocol, because you know your body better than anyone. Periodically assess how you feel— you should feel generally well throughout the detox—and refer to your follow-up blood work to see your progress. When you’re doing the right things for your body, any previously abnormal blood test should at least show a tendency to normalize or improve. These detox strategies are very easy to put into practice and yet they can deliver impressive results. That’s good news for you and your health. You don’t have to suffer through a lifetime of health conditions that leave you depleted, depressed, sick or in pain. You can feel better and reclaim your health, starting right now.

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Practical Ways to F i n d F o c u s , C a l m a n d J o y

Mindful leaders hip expert and author, Laurie J. Cameron I NSTAGRA M: @lauriejcameron lauriejcameron.com ver stop to think about how much of the stress and anxiety we feel comes from within? How that voice in our head can make life miserable— and how we can free ourselves from it?

“

Many of us can be quite tough on ourselves, believing it is necessary to grow, im prove or simply execute our lengthy to-do lists.

Many of us can be quite tough on ourselves, believing it is necessary to grow, improve or simply execute our lengthy to-do lists. But research suggests that selfcriticism can lead to lowered self-worth, anxiety and depression. The good news is there is another way. Self-compassion, recognizing a difficult moment or situation and treating yourself with kindness, as you would a friend, has been found to be empowering and motivating.

”

In our culture, the unwritten message is that being hard on yourself is the price you have to pay to get things done and meet the often impossible expectations, standards and ideals we sometimes hold for ourselves. People may resist a self-compassionate approach, seeing it as “soft” or believing it leads us to avoid problems, stay unmotivated or become passive about our own or others’ missteps. But researchers have found the opposite to be true. A 2012 study at the University of California, Berkeley, found that selfcompassion is more effective than self-criticism and more effective than a self-esteem boost, not only in helping you cope with a setback, but also in encouraging you to move forward. Self-compassion creates self-confidence, because you learn to face challenges, disappointments and failures with acceptance and kindness. From this place, you have the ability to choose effective and skillful actions.

Mindful leadership expert Laurie J. Cameron is author of The Mindful Day: Practical Ways to Find Focus, Calm, and Joy from Morning to Evening and founder and CEO of PurposeBlue.

H e r e a r e 3 K ey s to Ta m e Y o u r I n n e r C r iti c .

Make friends wit h the voice in your head.

Realize that the worrying, scolding voice is trying to help you, keep you out of trouble and be sure you’re okay. Greet the voice with “Thank you. I know you are trying to help. I am okay. I’ve got this.”

Realize that you are n ot alone. It is part of our common experience to struggle or have hard times. Realizing that you are not the only one to fail, experience job loss, drop the ball, hurt others or make mistakes helps you see that all of this is part of being human.

Deepen your self-awareness. Pay attention to the language you use to talk to yourself. Would you say that to a friend? Practice talking to yourself as a kind mentor or close friend would talk to you. If self-compassion feels counterintuitive, know that you can shift how you see and relate to the voice in your head.

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We all use the power of the word to express how we feel, what we want and what we don’t want. It’s often hard to remember that our word can be one of the most effective tools to create the lives we really want—not the lives we construct with daily routine and to-do lists. How do you start? By opening your mouth. You are a creative power on this planet. You are a center of creation itself. And language is one of your super powers. The question is: Do you honor the incredible power you have access to? Scripturally, it is said that “life and death live in the power of your tongue.” Here are a few ways I hear people most commonly give away their power: I am so busy. I am exhausted. I can’t. I have eliminated the word “busy” from my vocabulary. Because being “busy” is just another form of laziness. Being busy keeps you from doing the things you love. Being busy keeps you from being connected. Being busy masks your life with excuses. What’s true for me is that I live a full life. I am a creative presence on the planet, and I am 100 percent responsible for the life that I lead.

Try on the word “busy,” and then try on the word “full.” What do you notice in your body when you try them on? I find that “busy” leaves me feeling like a victim to my calendar, whereas “full” raises me up into an empowered experience of my day. Despite my rigorous practice to word choice, I recently stumbled upon evidence that I have not completely eliminated the experience of “busy” from my life. While speaking at the Fear Paradox Summit in Chicago, a participant shouted out, “When is your book coming out?” and I said, “When I have time to write it!” It’s not an untrue statement. I will write my book when I have time. And yet, so long as I wait for time to magically show up, I can be sure it never will. If we look at all of the hours in the day, we can fill every single one— hence the nine-to-five paradigm. But that doesn’t mean you are being productive or working toward your goal in the allotted time given. Because if you are given a whole day to “do stuff,” you’ll fill the time, whether it’s with work or time wasters (such as errands, chores, social media, web browsing, news watching, information overload, etc.).

concepts and goals that take you somewhere— instead of keeping you in the same busy pattern of tasks completed on a list. I could feel the moment I responded to that question that I was at the fate of my schedule. In my body (which I am highly attuned to), I could feel the victim mode creeping in. My word is a powerful creative force. I can use it for life or death. It can raise up my dreams, visions, desires and relationships, or it can kill off, tear down, diminish, emasculate or defend that which is before me. We always get to choose how we use our word—and our time. Be clear, because your word is your wand. Point it wisely. Lola Wright is the Spiritual Director at Bodhi Spiritual Center, a preeminent mindfulness-based community organization in Chicago. A wife, mom, coach, speaker, teacher and hip-hop enthusiast, Lola’s fresh and upcoming voice reminds us of our shared humanity.

What are your time wasters? What do you spend the most time doing that takes you away from your goals? And when do you actually use your time for things that mean something to you? It’s all about priorities. And that’s where you should fill your real time: with ideas,

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Finding Your Way Back to Balance in a Stressed Out World How to Slow Down Your Breath & Quiet Your Mind, the Sixteen-second Breath Pam Butler, author Return to Life Instagram:

@pambutlermeditation

Let’s Talk About Anxiety A lot of depression lies in thoughts from the past—the “shoulda, coulda, woulda” thoughts. A lot of anxiety lies in thoughts of the future, the unknown or fear of what might happen. Focusing on your breath makes it so you can’t live in any moment other than the present one. And if you’re completely focused on the present, it’s going to be pretty hard to feel anxious or depressed. Breathing techniques are a great place to start when you’re having a hard time and know you need to find a way out of it. They are all quick and easy so that anyone can do them, no matter what’s happening in their lives, no matter how much stress and pressure they’re under, no matter how short they are on time. They are a great way to hijack or disrupt destructive patterns in your mind or body and reset yourself—all for doing something you already do every day, all day, but this time with just a bit more focus and intention.

This technique can help anyone learn how to slow down their breath and quiet their mind. It’s a sixteen-second breath, with four counts for each stroke, as follows:

With your mouth closed, inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4-3-2-1.

2} Hold the breath for a count of 4-3-2-1. 3}

With your mouth closed, exhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4-3-2-1.

4} Hold the breath for a count of 4-3-2-1.

Repeat this sixteen-second breath as many times as you want until you feel your mind and body start to settle down. When you’ve finished, you might want to ask yourself: Was I able to think about anything in the past or anything coming up in the future? The answer will almost surely be no.

If you’ve been breathing quick, shallow breaths all your life, it might take some time before these techniques start to feel right to you. But just like with playing an instrument, or anything else you’re learning to do, the more you practice, the easier it will be. And the easier it becomes, the more satisfaction you will gain from it.

Sweet Sixteen Breath This is a super easy starter that you can use in everyday life whenever you’re feeling stressed or anxious. When we are mindful of our breathing and counting our breath, we can’t be worried or stressed about anything else at the same time. A person can experience stressful feelings at any age, so it’s never too early to start learning ways to manage them.

Pam Butler is a certified Chopra Primordial Sound Meditation instructor, a yoga teacher and a Creative Insight Journey transformational coach. Return to Life by Pam Butler can be found at amazon.com.

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Clean Beauty Discoveries, S u p e r f o o d s a n d H i s 1 0 0 - Po u n d W e i g h t L o s s W e l l n e s s Jo u r n e y S hifting From “Foods That Will Feed Me” to “Foods th a t Will Heal Me”

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Nic k Joly Instagram: @inspiredbynick inspiredbynick.com

Nick Joly, of Inspired by Nick, Recently Left the Corporate 9-to-5 in Pursuit of Health and Wellness. His Blog’s Motto Is #begoodtoyourbody, and His Channels Focus on Content That Inspires Holistic Living.

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Any ways someone could start transforming their health or wellness routine? I would say the best way to start is by shifting one’s mindset from “foods that will feed me” to “foods that will heal me.” When I went through my whole weight-loss journey, I saw my learning curve start to take off, too. At first I googled things like “how to lose weight fast” and “foods that burn fat.” But as I progressed, I knew I had to shift my mindset, and I began searching things like “health benefits of XYZ food” or “foods that help fight disease.” Every meal and every item we put into our bodies has the potential to heal or harm us (and the environment). It’s just a matter of attaining the knowledge and being as mindful as we can be when consuming. Anything you’d like to say about personal insecurities? We all have them. We. All. Have. Them. Accepting and overcoming them will enlighten your life on a more meaningful level. A big ol’ struggle you’ve worked through? I think I may have an addictive personality, and when I see the results/benefits of something, I tend to obsess. My struggle was (and is) learning to find a balance and appreciate the journey.

Your fav clean eating hacks? Any ingredients that you lerve? Wheatgrass powder! I am a big proponent of healing from the inside out. Once I learned the health benefits of wheatgrass, like fighting free radicals, significantly reducing the aging process and neutralizing toxins in the body, it a was a no-brainer to start integrating it into my diet. Your fav beauty discoveries and ingredients? Coconut oil! It’s so versatile and has so many health benefits. From food to face and skin masks, to personal lubricant, to teeth whitening, oil pulling, expelling toxins, the options are endless. It’s truly remarkable the things we can do with items that come from the earth. Natural home items that you are into right now? Yes! I have a set of organic bamboo sheets, which are free from toxins, chemicals and other harmful products typically used to dye traditional cotton sheets. I never knew of any of the harmful effects of traditionally dyed cotton sheets before. These bamboo ones feel like silk, but are of course plant-based and cruelty-free. Natural deodorant. Did you know of all the toxins in mainstream ones?! Yikes!

Vegan

M a c a P o w d e r Pa n c a k e s 1¼ cups unsweetened almond milk 2 tbsp maca powder 2 tbsp coconut sugar 2 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt 1¼ cups organic all-purpose flour 1 tsp vanilla 1 tbsp olive oil In a large bowl, sift flour and mix dry ingredients together. Make

a small hole in the center of your bowl, and pour in wet ingredients. Whisk ingredients together until there are little to no lumps. Ladle on griddle, flip, serve and enjoy! Add any toppings you desire. Pictured here are fresh cranberries, coconut flakes, hemp seeds and maple syrup!

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Vegan

Mandarin-Turmeric Cheesecake Bars

Do you cleanse? What’s your process? My whole life feels likes a cleanse! Which has its ups and downs, for sure. But more often than not, I’m trying to find new superfoods and foods that can heal, which I can incorporate into my daily life.

N i c k Jo ly

BASE 1 cup mixed nuts (I used almonds and walnuts) 1¼ cups pitted dates ¼ cup raw organic cocoa powder ¼ cup water FILLING 2 cups cashews, soaked overnight ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk ¹⁄³ cup coconut oil ¹⁄³ cup maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla Juice of 1 lemon 2 tsp lemon zest TOPPING 2 cups (approx 8 individual) Sunkist Gold Nugget mandarins 2 tbsp maple syrup ¼ tsp turmeric powder BASE Mix all ingredients into a food processor until you have a doughlike consistency. Line a 9"x9" tray with parchment paper, and line the bottom with your base using your

hands or a spatula. Set aside in fridge to firm up. FILLING Mix all ingredients into a food processor until you achieve a consistent liquid filling. A few lumps are okay! Using a spatula, add this layer to your base and set aside back in the fridge. TOPPING In a shallow bowl, peel your mandarins and begin to chop them down into little pieces. With a fork, press down on them for the juice and fillings to extract until you get one consistency. On a stovetop at medium heat, add your pressed mandarins with your maple syrup and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring every so often. Add this final layer to your tray and spread evenly over the top. Freeze for

Ingredients you can’t live without? An ingredient that I will deeply love until the day I die is garlic. My heartmate always says I use too much in the kitchen, but for me, when it comes to garlic, the limit does not exist! My life would be incomplete without it (and him too, I suppose!).

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Fay Kazzi Registered Dietitian. BS and MS in Nutrition and Dietetics. PhD candidate. Loves food and photography. Plans to publish a cookbook and pursue culinary and photography arts in the future. Instagram:

@theearthycanvas theearthycanvas.com

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Wa y s T o S tar t Tr a n s f o r m in g Y o u r H ealth or Wel l n es s R ou tin e »

The Best Way to Begin, is to Begin

In the behavioral change process, the most difficult and important step is starting. It’s important to pace yourself and set realistic goals. As you achieve them, it will build confidence to pursue greater ones. If your goal is to get to a healthier weight in order to improve your wholeness, I’d recommend starting by adding healthier foods to your diet and eating them first. Notice what I did there? You’re not necessarily removing anything. If there’s any room left, you can eat what you like; however, because healthier and cleaner foods (like fruits and vegetables) are high in fiber, you might end up being too full to eat much after. It’s a great way to not feel restricted and trapped, which is what forces people to give up. For example, before eating the food you’re craving, try eating an apple or two. Or maybe munch on some carrots and hummus. This will easily help you limit portion sizes of less healthy foods. And don’t worry about the calories—not a lot of people can eat up five apples, but calorie-wise five apples equal one slice of pizza!

Natural Beauty Discoveries and Ingredients I Love »

Cle an Be au ty Lover

One of my favorite natural beauty ingredients is activated charcoal. I use it on my teeth, in facial masks and in detox drinks. Activated charcoal is a powerful natural treatment that traps toxins and chemicals found on the outside and inside of your body. I’m also a huge fan of good quality black castor oil, which I use to strengthen and thicken my eyebrows and lashes. Also, I absolutely love creating my own sugar scrubs. I’ll add ingredients like essential oils, vitamin E, coconut oil and vanilla extract. It leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft and hydrated, and smells incredible!

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I ng r ed ient s I C an t Li v e W it ho u t! Ge tti n ' Th os e Macro - and Mic r o nu tri e n ts Re quirements

Raw nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans), natural peanut butter, apples, bananas, Tuscan kale, frozen fruit, avocados and almond milk. If I had nothing else but these foods to eat, I’d be a happy camper! It also helps to note that these foods are pretty much everything I would need to meet my macro- and micronutrients requirements. You can never underestimate the beauty and balance of nature presented in a sliced apple with a generous dollop of your favorite nut butter. So yummy, healthy, satisfying and nutrient-dense!

Fay Kazzi 36

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Crust 2 cups flour ¾ cup warm water 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt ¼ oz yeast ½ tsp thyme Vegan Cheese ½ cup raw cashew, soaked one hour 1½ cups water 3½ tbsp tapioca 2 tbsp nutritional yeast 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp salt Few dashes of black pepper Sauce Pizza sauce Veggie toppings White onion Cherry tomatoes Cremini mushrooms Fresh basil In a bowl, place the warm water, sprinkle yeast and leave until foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk

sugar, oil and salt into your mixture and then add the flour and stir using your hands until a sticky dough forms. Transfer to another bowl that has been lightly oiled, then lightly oil the top of the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for one hour. While your dough is rising, prepare your vegan cheese. Place all the ingredients in a Vitamix or high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a small pot and place over mediumhigh heat. Mix until thickened and sticky, about 10 minutes. Cover with lid. Once dough has risen, split into two pieces (one for each pizza), dust flour onto a clean surface and begin to knead and roll out your dough until the desired thickness of the pizza dough is created. Add flour as you go if it’s too sticky. Dust some cornmeal and a little flour onto a pan or baking stone and form your pizza crust on it. Spread sauce on the surface. Using a spoon, dollop your vegan cheese until partially covering the surface, then top with veggies. Set oven to 400°F. Bake your pizza for 10-15 minutes until crust is golden brown on the edges. Remove from oven, serve hot, enjoy!

Use a 10 ' diameter pie pan Crust 1 pack graham crackers ¾ cup flour ¼ cup crushed pecans ¼ cup water 3 tbsp coconut oil ¼ tsp salt Fruit 20 oz mixed berries, frozen 2½ tbsp tapioca powder ½ cup grape juice or apple juice ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup water 1½ tsp Champagne vinegar ¼ tsp rose water Throw graham crackers and pecans in a food processor until fine. In a bowl, mix with flour, then add vegetable shortening, oil and salt. Use your hands to work in the ingredients until well incorporated. Add a little more water if it’s too dry and crumbly. Form and press into your pie pan. Place mixed fruit in a small pot on medium heat. Pour apple juice, water and tapioca powder into a mason jar, close with lid and shake until well mixed. Add to the pot. Add the sugar, Champagne vinegar and rose water, and mix. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens, mixing occasionally. Turn off heat. Pour fruit mix into your pie crust, then bake for about 30-35 minutes at 350°F. Once done, set aside to cool, then chill in the fridge for an hour or so. Slice and serve with your favorite cashew ice cream. Enjoy! MANTRAMAG.COM

Se l f -ca r e is E ss ent ia l »

Watc h th e S i gns

Last year and the year before were perhaps the highest-stress periods of my life. I was working three jobs, taking courses for my PhD, starting a serious relationship, leading a year-long clinical trial, planning a wedding (without a wedding planner!), and moving into a new place. I should have paid attention to the signs, but I had a breakdown during clinic that left me gasping for air in the bathroom and crying intense tears. I was almost always fatigued and didn’t find much enjoyment in anything. In the middle of last year, I was told that I was suffering from depression while getting a checkup at my doctor’s office. That was a wakeup call. I had failed miserably in my personal self-care and continued accepting more responsibilities. I was addicted to work and it took a while for me to accept slowing down. But I needed to recover. Though I’m immensely grateful for all the things that came together and for how productive I was, it wasn’t worth the toll it took on my wholeness. I decided to cut back on my workload and finished my course work. Hot yoga also played a big part in my recovery, specifically power vinyasa. I started a few months ago. It was challenging at first, but soon I noticed it was making a big difference in the quality of my life and energy. It helped to improve my breathing and release anxiety and stress harbored in different parts of my body and mind that I couldn’t reach with any other type of exercise. It’s one thing to know about the incredible bodymind interaction, and it’s another thing to put it into practice. Even though I’m not there yet, I’ve begun to understand how important it is to have a self-care regime, even if it’s only an hour a day. I need it, and so do you!

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Th e Ha ppiest I ve Ev er Been »

The T r u t h I kno w F o r Su r e

The truth that I know for sure is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life wasn’t when I was on the receiving end, but when I was on the giving end. It seems strange when you think about it, since we’re conditioned to believe the more we get the happier we will be. But it’s actually the opposite! I am convinced that we are wired to experience the purest form of happiness by giving a little part of ourselves to those around us, whether it’s our time, creativity, means, thoughts or even just a piece of advice. Happiness is the one thing everyone is looking for, and it’s interesting that it’s the one thing we all have the ability to experience simply because we all have the ability to give.

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Tips for “S p o t C l e a n” Eating Heidi Schauster MS, RDN, CEDRD-S Author of Nourish: How to Heal Your Relationship with Food, Body and Self @nourishingwords anourishingword.com

Instagram:

Everyone is talking about “Clean Eating.” I’m all for a let’s-get-back-to-recognizing-our-food way of life. I appreciate shorter ingredients lists—ones where I can find whole foods listed and not chemicals. I like shopping at farmers markets, eating seasonally and locally. I believe that our bodies and the planet benefit when we eat more whole food and more plants. But as a nutrition therapist and eating-disorders specialist, I worry about us taking clean eating too far.

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L i st e n t o W hat Feels B es t f or Yo u r Bo dy. Now, you might say, isn’t it clear that some foods are really more healthful than others? Remember, I’m not talking about unconscious eating here. I truly believe that when we make conscious choices, thinking about our own innate preferences (this sometimes takes trial and error), we end up eating in a balanced, healthy way most of the time.

Black and white is out. Gray is in.

“

When you find yourself frustrated w i t h a lt e r n a t i n g between eating “good” a n d “ b a d ,” t r y t o g i v e up the struggle. No “Shoulds” or “Shouldn’ts.” Just choices. “Shoulds” get in the way of actually tuning in to what feels best in our bodies. Sometimes the foods we say we “shouldn’t” eat become more attractive just because they are forbidden. If I set up a “should eat” situation (that the rebellious part of me might want to undo), then I am using my mind and not my body to decide what to eat. The eating experience is bound to be less satisfying when I apply “shoulds” than if I am making choices from my own body wisdom, learning and self-care.

You are the Guru. There is a flurry of conflicting nutritional advice on the internet. How can someone who doesn’t know my body and lifestyle tell me how to eat? Personally, I learned over many years the kinds of meals and snacks that “work” for me. And, in the process, I have maintained enough flexibility so that I can enjoy so many different kinds of foods in different settings. Every once in a while, I discover something that doesn’t feel great in my body. If I trust the latest advice from a nutritional guru on the internet, I might bypass the wisdom that my own body affords me every time I pay attention when I eat.

Heidi Schauster, MS, RDN, CEDRD-S, is a nutrition therapist, writer and the founder of Nourishing Words Nutrition Therapy in the Greater Boston area.

”

My client Elizabeth has been working hard on finding gray areas in her life. She shared an instance where she found the gray regarding house cleaning. She read in a housekeeping magazine that she was supposed to wash her bathroom floors weekly. She has had that task on her to-do list for a long time, but realized that it was often not getting done. And she was really beating herself up about it, particularly when time would go by and she really didn’t like the way the floors looked. Black-and-white thinking kept her stuck. She either cleaned the bathroom entirely, moving all the furnishings and making the floors gleam—or she let it go and had to live with floors that were messier than she liked. It never occurred to her— until recently—that she could spot-clean the floors in between. Instead of thorough weekly cleaning, she could clean the floors well monthly and then spot-clean in between, picking up the things that collect on the bathroom floor without the whole procedure. So, what does this have to do with food? It parallels some of Elizabeth’s struggles with eating. She goes back and forth between eating “perfectly” and “cleanly”—following all of the rules of the blogs that she follows—or she rebels and starts eating, in her words, “… like crap.” She knows that neither feels good, although the “cleaner” eating has the illusion of feeling great at first; it’s just never been sustainable. The spot-cleaning of her house gave her more freedom and rest to pursue other passions, and spot-clean eating shifted her challenging relationship with food. Instead of eating a large plate of just vegetables or a whole box of plain buttered pasta (one virtuous, in her mind, and one not), she started combining the vegetables and noodles and made a middle-of-the-extremes dish that was satisfying and felt good. So, the next time you are out and you don’t know if the yummy meal you are being served is as “clean” as the one you eat at home… please don’t panic, don’t starve, don’t ruminate over the ingredients! Make an informed choice whether to eat it or not, based on your knowledge of what feels good in your body. When you find yourself frustrated with alternating between eating “good” and “bad,” try to give up the struggle. I propose Spot-Clean (versus Clean) Eating, which allows flexibility, pleasure, ease and space for the rest of the joys of living. MANTRAMAG.COM

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ÂťIngredients You Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Live Without? Lemons! I literally use them in everything I cook or bake.

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@lemonswiththyme

»Best Advice You are stronger than you think.

Blackberry, Acai & Baobab

I N G REDIE N T S 1 cup frozen blackberries ¼ cup frozen acai ¼ cup frozen blueberries ½ frozen banana ¼ cup frozen mango ½ cup organic almond milk 1 tbsp chia seeds 1 tbsp plant-based protein powder 1 tsp supergreen powder 1 tsp baobab powder 1 tsp elderberry syrup

M ET H O D Use a powerful blender to blend together the first 11 ingredients until really smooth.

Yogurt Pattern 3 tbsp almond milk plain yogurt

Make 3 lines on one half of your smoothie bowl.

Toppings Blackberries Blueberries Banana Dried coconut Chia seeds Raw pumpkin seeds

Start at one side and take a toothpick to draw a line through all 3 yogurt lines.

Pour into bowl. Place 3 tablespoons of yogurt in a small ziplock bag. Cut a small hole at the tip to squeeze out yogurt.

Draw one line up and the next down to give the effect I have in the picture. Add the rest of your toppings.

»Gratitude, Balance and Wellness To me, wellness means taking care of myself—body, mind and spirit. You can’t separate them. If you neglect one of them, all three are out of balance. Gratitude is the best medicine.

»Healing Your Gut Lacto-fermented food is a miracle worker and one of the best ways to heal your gut. Another secret I swear by is a kitchen filled with people you love, cooking and being together.

Raspberry & Vanilla Chia Yogurt ice pops yields:

»What hashtags do you use to find inspiration + food? #stomachhalfempty #thrivemags #deliciouslyhealthysweets #ahealthynut

6-8 ice pops

I N G REDIE N T S Layer 1 1 cup unsweetened vanilla yogurt (I used cashew milk yogurt) 2 tbsp maple syrup

Layer 2 1 cup vanilla yogurt 1½ tbsp raspberry jam ¼ cup frozen raspberries 1 tbsp chia seeds Layer 3 1 cup unsweetened vanilla yogurt 2 tbsp raspberry jam ½ cup frozen raspberries 1 tbsp chia seeds

M ET H O D Layer 1 Mix ingredients together. Fill each ice pop mold about ¹⁄³ of the way.

Layer 2 Blend all ingredients together till smooth. Pour on top of first layer. Fill halfway to the top. Layer 3 Blend all ingredients together till smooth. Add last layer to the top of mold. Add ice pop sticks and place in fridge for 5-6 hours or until frozen.

»Food Discovery Baobab powder. The baobab tree is found in Africa and is often called the “tree of life,” because it stores life-sustaining water inside its trunk and branches. It is a rich source of vitamin C, has almost 50 percent fiber and has a high antioxidant content. It is also used for skin and hair treatments. I love using it in my smoothies or mixing it into oats.

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Disrupt Your Nine Hungers

One Simple Mindfulness Tip with

H e a t h e r S e ar s h eather-sears.c o m

M Mindfulness is the number one food trend that will shape 2018, according to Forbes. Being mindful at mealtimes and throughout the day is more than paying attention to the food we choose, prepare and eat. It’s learning to recognize hunger in its various forms. It is being able to eat without being impacted by external influences and noticing—and respecting—fullness. It’s eating for enjoyment while nourishing our bodies. Many of us have forgotten what true hunger feels like. Experts across the fields of mindfulness and behavioral sciences talk about several types of hunger. See if you recognize them in yourself.

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Mindfulness can help us identify these and choose the best way to satisfy them. When I want to ground myself in mindful presence, in the here and now, I do what I call an ABC checkin. It is a simple, effective method for identifying your hunger type. This is how you do it:

Attention:

Focus your awareness on the present moment.

B r e a t h e : Take a few deep, conscious breaths

See if you recognize these in yourself:

to center the mind and move from your mental narrative to calmly and directly experience life as it is.

V i s u a l H u n g e r . We all have the natural

C u r i o s i t y : Become actively curious about

desire or urge to look at food. Seeing craveworthy food, physical or virtual (e.g., food porn), can make us want to eat, now!

Nose Hunger.

Our sense of smell is linked with taste. Smelling the cookies in the oven, or rotisserie chicken in the store, can trigger this hunger.

Ear Hunger.

The sounds of meal preparation can kick-start salivary glands—like the sound of bacon sizzling in the frying pan.

M o u t h H u n g e r . Food can taste good! And as one craving for flavor is satisfied, our mouth hunger can perk back up if we switch to new tastes.

S t o m a c h H u n g e r . When our tummy rumbles, it could mean there’s an absence of food there, but a growl can occur at any time on an empty or full stomach. The rumbling is from the muscular activity in the stomach and intestines and from gas moving around.

C e l l u l a r H u n g e r . When our bodies need particular nutrients, there may be physical manifestations like a headache, fatigue or irritability. Understanding this takes sensitivity and inner wisdom.

Mind Hunger.

Our minds are busy (and maybe stressed) thinking 60,000 thoughts per day! Learning to calm our minds helps quiet the mental chatter and allows us to tune in to what our bodies need and want.

M i n d l e s s H u n g e r . This is when we eat out of habit or are distracted and eat on autopilot: in front of a computer or phone screen, in front of the big screen at a movie or maybe even outside at a ballpark.

Emotional Hunger.

Often, eating is linked to emotions. We may associate foods with treats from our past or think of them as offering a sense of relief from unpleasantness. We may have unmet emotional needs. At these times, we may turn to food for comfort and even develop habit loops around the cycle of discomfort and eating.

what is happening in your body, heart and surroundings. Being an engaged, nonjudgmental observer of what you are experiencing, like a scientist gathering data, will increase your perceptiveness. ABC check-ins are a powerful way to become aware of your hunger and intentionally decide how to satisfy it. For example, noticing which emotion you’re experiencing can help identify alternate activities if what’s hungry is your heart, not your body. True hunger builds slowly and can be satisfied by healthy choices like apples and carrots. If your desire for food comes on quickly and only a pint of ice cream will do, you are likely not experiencing physiological hunger. Personally, much of my hunger used to be mindless, before I became mindful of consumption of tech, media and food. Try an ABC check-in next time you feel like eating. This will connect your mind and body to make you conscious of what is driving your hunger. You may be surprised at what you discover!

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Steps to Rest & Refresh Yo u r Senses Suzan Colón Author of Yoga Mind Instagram: @suzanacolon suzancolon.net

e’re always saying we want more downtime, that we need to unplug, destress and relax. But even when we’re not working at our jobs or around the house, what do we do? We bingewatch 13 episodes of a show in one weekend, we go out, we log on to Facebook. There’s nothing wrong with doing any of these things, if we give ourselves time to do nothing, to completely relax and let our senses rest and recharge. But we usually don’t, because ours is a culture where busyness is regarded as a sign of success. We’re also being bombarded with information. We’ve been trained by our phones to check our email and social media constantly. Many of us work on computers, where alerts routinely derail our trains of thought. There are screens in elevators, the backs of cabs, even embedded in the mirrors over restroom sinks. It’s overwhelming, and it’s burning out our senses and brains. But there is a solution to this modernday sensory overwhelm—one that’s thousands of years old. Pratyahara is one of many spiritual tools of yoga that people rarely hear about in the average yoga class. Pratyahara means “sense withdrawal”— closing the eyes, blocking the ears and reducing all external input as much as possible. This allows you to experience true stillness, to go deep within and find balance and calm. Do this regularly, and you’ll feel less exhausted and more readily able to find your own sense of balance and peace.

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Yo u c a n d o y o u r o w n P r a t ya h a r a s e s s i o n at h o m e with t h e s e s i m p l e s t e p s :

{1} Choose a time and place where you won’t be disturbed for 15–20 minutes. You can set the timer on your phone, choosing a gentle tone, and mute all other notifications.

{3}

After you’ve let your body settle, begin Deergha Swasam threepart breathing practice: Exhale gently, then breathe in by expanding the abdomen, bringing the breath to the lower ribs and then upper chest. Exhale from upper chest, relax the lower ribs and gently pull in the abdomen. The breath should not be too full or the lungs too empty; it feels something like a sigh of relief. Do a few rounds and then let your breathing return to its natural pattern.

{4} Allow your thoughts to fade to the background. There’s no need to become involved with them right now, though after a while of not being distracted by external input, you may find solutions to problems or be able to release troubling thoughts.

{5}

{2} Put a blanket or a few towels on top of your yoga mat to create a soft surface to lie on. Place a rolled blanket or towel under your knees to relax your lower back, and a folded blanket or towel under your head. Place an eye pillow or hand towel over your eyes. If there’s noise filtering in from outside, use earplugs.

At first, you may feel as though you’re “not doing anything.” That’s the point! Pratyahara is a time to rest the senses. Bring your gentle focus to relaxing your eyes… your ears… your sense of taste and touch. Know that by giving your senses this quiet time, you are allowing them, and the mind that processes the input, a chance to rest and recharge.

{6} When your alarm sounds, give yourself a luxurious stretch, remove the eye pillow and, if using, the earplugs. If you like, continue some of your Pratyahara session by taking a break from social media and email for a few more hours.

Suzan Colón is the author of Yoga Mind: Journey Beyond the Physical, 30 Days to Enhance Your Practice and Revolutionize Your Life from the Inside. A former senior editor of O, the Oprah Magazine, Suzan has been studying yoga for 25 years and teaching since 2002. MANTRAMAG.COM MANTRAMAG.COM

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Using Collage to Connect to J o c e ly n F i t zg e r a l d , L M F T, ATR - B C Ar t T he r a p i s t , L ove r o f C o lla g e + Wat e rc ol or, Gr a t e f u l Wo r ld Tr a ve le r

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{ I’ve }

experienced several long and rainy winters as an art therapist in the Pacific Northwest. One of my favorite activities on a rainy day is to sit with a cup of tea, soft music, candles and a basketful of beautiful magazines, finding images and words that I’m drawn to in order to create my playful collages. The improvisational nature of creating collage helps to strengthen intuition and connect you to your spirit. Art-making helps to find ways to lessen the grip on attachment and needing to be perfect. Collage offers the opportunity to play in an exploration without mistakes. Making a collage should be a celebration of yourself and a time for deep self-care. Pulling out a magazine with beautiful images and instructing yourself to follow your heart and find what feels right is a fun exercise in play, creativity and connecting to your deeper self. What I love about art is how it reflects life and how working through these uncomfortable feelings can often not only create beautiful works of art, but also answer questions that connect to our unconscious.

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How to Collage in 5 Easy Steps

P repare :

Collect several of your favorite magazines, old picture books from thrift stores, music sheets, old wallpaper, photos or copies of old photos. Remember, this doesn’t have to be done in one sitting. I keep a file on my desk filled with images that I might later use. You can also keep a shoebox full of photos that you might use later. Before you know it, you’ll have a collection of images to draw from.

G ather Y o u r I ngredients :

Old books, magazines, glue stick, heavy paper, scissors, Mod Podge for a final touch, soft instrumental music. In the beginning stages, it might be helpful if you have the time to sit and meditate; center yourself before starting your collage.

S et the S tage :

Find a time when it’s quiet and you won’t be interrupted. It can also be meditative to sit and cut out images even when people are watching TV or listening to music or with a group of friends. Maybe find a question that you want to ask to help guide you through the process. Is there something that you’re struggling with and need to find answers? Or maybe you just want to see

what arises in the present moment. Remember, there are no rules, just enjoy the exploration! C reate : The third step will be your process step. This will be where you’re going to rip or cut out images and words that you’re drawn to. Try not to second-guess or judge the images that you’re drawn to; just collect. Let that inner wisdom guide you and trust it. Once you have a pile of images and words, start organizing and putting together your composition. Don’t worry about creating a masterpiece; this is for your eyes only. It is your personal prayer or meditation, your self-exploration. This art piece should be about understanding yourself on a deeper level. This step should be fun and relaxed.

F ind M eaning :

When you’re done, step back and admire. Try turning your art around and looking at it from four different angles. Notice what feelings arise for what you have done. Notice what your eyes jump to first and what stands out as being the prominent element. Look for patterns in images, colors and movements. Take a moment to journal about your art piece. It may take time to see the meaning in your art; for that reason I recommend placing this where you can see it on a daily basis. You’ll be amazed at what will emerge in the images and the meaning for your life. Go wild... the sky’s the limit!

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5 Ways to Destress

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An Energy Healer’s Guide to Summer Magik Citrus Lovers! From Lemons to Oranges, Grapefruit to Clementines, Citrus Does a Body Good. Here are a Few Benefits from These Gorgeous Pulpy Fruits Travel is Good for the Soul. Living in the Moment & Loving Where You Are Freedom from Body Shame, Society’s Standards, Diet Culture, Self-Limiting Dialogue by Dana Falsetti Happy. Wise. Well. How Can We Optimize Sleep? The Language of Flowers: A Healing Code Some Have Forgotten Finding Zen Amidst the Corporate Chaos Live Your Purpose + Reclaim your Sanity. 3 Ways Your Body Can Make You Better at Work It’s a Superfood Kind of Summer! 6 Health Benefits of Elderberry Sarah Sapora: A Day of Loving Myself in Real Life How Poetry & Artistic Expression Will Help You Find Your Purpose Letting Go of Your Inheritance. The Life-Changing Practice of Evaluating and Rewriting Your Stories

Create Your Sanctuary

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Circlework: A Commitment to Kindness, Peace and Global Sisterhood 3 Steps for Showing Up as the Real You Healing from Postpartum Depression Just Breathe: Manhattan’s New Salt Sanctuary Major Lessons Every Woman Can Learn From by Chelsea Xeron Detox Tips for Vibrant Health and a Safer Home We are They

Love is just a relentless showing up. 2

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—G l e n n o n D o y l e

Happy

W i se

Well

Socialize less This feels controversial and counterintuitive. There is a large body of evidence showing that wellbeing and happiness are linked to social support networks. So why would we socialize less? Well, it is not about quantity but quality. It is important to weigh up our social commitments and be truly honest about the ones that add value to our lives versus those that are obligations. Catching up with a good friend at your favourite restaurant is a great way to spend an evening. Spending your Saturday at your neighbor’s sister’s baby’s first birthday because you couldn’t say no—not so much. We’re not telling you to be a hermit or be rude, but don’t be afraid to skip the odd event or night out if it’s going to leave you more drained than excited.

Ways to Destress Cultivating a More Calm, Relaxed, Renewed Mind Farzana Rahman, MD, & Farhana Rahman, MD, Founders of happywisewell.com @happywisewell_doctors happywisewell.com

Instagram:

I hated the first yoga class that I went to. It was the early 2000s, Madonna was doing bendy dance moves in her videos and every feature about Gwyneth Paltrow referenced her macrobiotic diet. Cut to 15 years later, and I’m a yoga convert. I find that focusing on postures and breathing helps clear my mind. Yoga, tai chi and meditation are now pretty mainstream ways of destressing, but by no means are they the only ways. Here are small steps that we can incorporate every day:

Reduce choices The overwhelming amount of choice we now have courtesy of the internet is amazing, but it can be hugely stressful. There’s a great scene in Master of None where the characters decide to eat tacos but then spend so long researching where to go that it’s shut by the time they get there. Fear of missing out (FOMO) is now so endemic that I find myself googling everything to check that there isn’t a better option. This is where reducing choices can help. Societally, we emphasize new experiences, but sometimes it’s okay to be repetitive. Eating the same dinner might be more convenient than losing three hours reading reviews about the latest beach-themed pop-up serving organic tofu.

Use eating as an opportunity to destress

●

Both Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine stress the importance of focusing on our food to help absorption. However, we can also look at eating as an opportunity to still the mind. Take a few moments before a meal to be fully present and avoid multitasking while eating. Spend at least some of the time tasting the flavors and texture of your food. Of course, it can be difficult to do this for the entire duration of a meal. Sitting in silence while pondering the flavors of your food on a first date could make things awkward— know your context.

Set time aside to plan your day Many of us find it difficult to relax as we’re running through all the things that we have to do. Setting aside a few minutes each day to make a task list can help us curb the habit of incessant list-making. Make the list manageable— aiming too high and failing to complete everything is not going to make you feel better.

Take a break from your phone

●

This is neither original nor new. Every article about stress talks about the addiction we have to our phones. Just because it is obvious does not make it less valid. We are all trying to get there, and it can be difficult, but leave it in a different room or on airplane mode every now and again.

Farzana Rahman and Farhana Rahman are sisters and founders of happywisewell.com. As medically trained doctors, they have over 20 years of healthcare experience. They are passionate about approaching health holistically.

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- Kelsey J Patel Instagram:

@kelseyjpatel @magikvibes kelseyjpatel.com

As the seasons change, so do many different elements around us and inside of us. Summer can be a great time to open the mind and body and allow new versions of self-care that coincide with the heat and fire vibration that summer brings us. I love adopting these practices into my summer self-care routine, and allowing both my body and mind to embrace the longer hours of sunlight, to detox the emotional, mental or physical weight I’ve carried from the prior months by opening up to the warmer temperatures and the different foods, and taking time to notice and embrace the shifts in my mind and body that come with the summer season.

M o r n i n g M e d i tat i o n / M o v e m e n t P r ac t i c e With the brighter sunshine of summer, I love waking up a bit earlier and welcoming my mind and body into the day as the sun begins to warm the day around me. Often, I’ll open my windows or even go sit outside for this morning meditation. Hearing the birds, feeling the wind softly blowing and simply integrating myself into the summer day is an amazing way to wake up my body and receive the bright energy for my day. If I have extra time, I’ll make my morning elixir before I meditate, so I can have a few sips and just listen and breathe in the day before starting my practice. A morning meditation can be as long or as short as you like. Anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes is great. I love closing my morning practice by thanking all of the elements around me, setting my intentions for the day and asking for the vibrant energy of the sun and summer day to nourish, energize and assist me. I’ll then roll out my yoga mat, or use the grass or carpet in my room, and do some simple stretching and opening of my body so I can begin to feel the energy of the day inside and open up to all possibility.

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E at S u m m e r Fo o d s In many different ancient practices, like Ayurveda, it is believed that as the seasons change so should the food we eat. Our bodies, just like our environment, change as the seasons shift. Being aware of this shift can support your overall health and energy levels. In the wintertime, it is likely your body may crave more warming, root-based winter foods. In the summer, it is amazing to care for yourself by eating foods that feel cooling, lighter in their density and energizing to give you and your body the ability to move through the day together with ease. I love making smoothies for breakfast in the summertime, drinking tons of good water and eating more salads for lunch and steamed vegetables for dinner. Of course, it’s important to tune in to your body and what you feel it is asking for in order to have a healthy, nourishing and healing relationship with your body’s fuel.

E x f o l i at e yo u r M e n ta l + P h y s i ca l E n e r g y During the summertime, I love using my dry brush a few times a week and different Ayurvedic scrubs for my body to help my body release any dead skin and excess weight. I also use breathwork techniques for my mind to help shift any lingering internal stagnation or emotional weight. Try dry brushing before your next bath or shower or make a simple summertime Ayurvedic scrub at home to use in your shower. For breathwork, try a few different pranayama breathwork exercises and set an intention before starting for the breath to help you release any weight or stagnation in the body.

Kelsey Patel is one of Hollywood’s leading wellness and reiki experts. She is a sought-after spiritual empowerment coach, reiki healer and meditation teacher, and a multi-faceted entrepreneur. Kelsey recently launched the MagikVibes Box, a quarterly subscription box containing all the tools you need for relaxation, selfcare, manifestation and intention setting.

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Citrus Lovers!

Essential Oils For Spring + Vibrant Health for Body, Mind and Home

The Healing Power of

Plants

From lemons to oranges, grapefruit to clementines, citrus does a body good. Here are a few benefits from these gorgeous pulpy fruits

1. Cleansing Essential Oils Citrus essential oils provide great cleansing benefits to the skin as well as some anti-inflammatory ones, which make them extremely beneficial for healing blemishes or even cuts. These oils not only clean, they can also refresh and deodorize. Oils like lime and lemon help inhibit odor-producing bacteria. Rub a little under your pits on important days or pre-workout.

2. Mood Therapy

3. Fight Infections

Our fav mood-boosting aromatherapy, citrus oils such as bergamot, petitgrain, mandarin and grapefruit are incredibly aromatic and uplifting when used in mists, diffusers and natural candles. They help relieve signs of stress and fatigue, and promote relaxation and elevated mood. For a stress-free unwinding experience, soak in a bath of Epsom salt + essential oils, which benefits your senses and your skin.

W e l l ness

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Want clear, glowing and blemish-free skin? Make citrus fruits a part of your daily diet and beauty routine. Rich in natural sources of vitamin C, they help destroy free radicals in your body while nourishing your skin from the inside out.

emons

apefruit

5 . Brighten Your Skin

nge

Start your day with hot lemon water. First thing when you wake up, squeeze half a lemon with hot water, adding a bit of turmeric, another powerful antioxidant. Lemons are rich in vitamin C and potassium, which is an excellent fighter against colds that also stimulates brain and nerve functions. Lemons also aid in digestion and clean toxins from the blood, which keeps the skin clean.

4. Improve Your Immune System and Digestion

M antra

Grapefruit seed extract can be used to fight infections and rid the body of unhealthy bacteria. Citrus fruits are packed with folic acid, a type of vitamin B that can aid in preventing kidney disease. Good kidney health helps the body filter blood, remove waste and regulate the balance of electrolytes.

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Living in the Moment & Loving Where You Are Isabell Ries Location: Heidelberg, Germany Instagram: @issys_happiness

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Meet Isabell, a creative soul, who loves animals and spends nearly all of her money traveling around the world exploring. When she’s not on the road, she’s cooking and bringing that vacation feeling to her home.

Some of your fav places in Marrakech? The Riad Jardin Secret is a wonderful and peaceful place. Its pink rooftop offers a great view and serves vegan and vegetarian meals with the finest organic ingredients from local farmers. Another special place is the Medina, the old town of Marrakech. You just have to put down the map and get wonderfully lost in 1001 nights. You should definitely get up early one day and have a walk through the streets to see how the city wakes up. Any advice for travelers to Morocco? When you leave your hotel, you should keep your short clothing in your bag and put on some loose, light clothing that will cover your shoulders and knees. This will not only respect the local culture but also prepare you for the Moroccan heat. So think about exploring the city in the morning or late afternoon and enjoy one of the many lovely cafes or riads at noon. Your favorite place for inspiration? I get the most inspiration by traveling through different countries and cultures. One of the most inspiring places I found during traveling was Bali. It was food heaven for all vegan and plant-based food lovers, so I got a lot of recipes and ideas from there. Its unique culture, spirit and wild nature have also taken my heart. Your life intentions? I want to show all wonderful souls out there how to make the best of your everyday life and inspire others to live every day to the fullest. I’m no blogger, I don’t have thousands of followers and I’m not sponsored. BUT I love traveling and visiting wonderful places and sharing my experiences. It doesn’t take a big budget to live a healthy life full of wonderful moments. I have a weakness for good food and new cuisines. It’s a matter of living in the moment and making the best of everything. What is some of the best advice you have ever received? The best advice was to live every day like it’s your last. It might sound a little bit cheesy, I know, but it’s true. Make every moment count. It’s up to you to see the beauty of everyday things. When you’re happy with what you have, you have everything you need. Any secrets for capturing great images? I love early mornings when it feels like the rest of the world is still asleep. In my opinion, everyone has to find their own style and you don’t have to try to emulate someone. Be authentic in the pictures you take—show what you love and not what others want to see.

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MANTRA LI G H T N I N G R O U N D 1. The place you feel most yourself? Every place where I can free my mind. 2. Your spirit animal? Manatee! They eat and chill all day long. 3. If you had to design a room in one color, what would it be? Green (urban jungle) 4. What hashtags do you use to find awesome design on instagram? #urbanjungle #veganrecipes 5. One of your favorite quotes? “There is no time to be bored in a world as wonderful as this.” 6. Your dream destination? Philippines (maybe next year)

Any wellness secrets or hacks that you swear by? For me, it’s important to drink enough. I love water infused with some fresh fruits, herbs or ginger. It’s absolutely refreshing. Another factor to feel good is sports, especially outdoor sports, no matter the temperature outside. The last “secret” would be nutrition. I attach importance to regional and organic products. In addition to this, I use many herbs and spices (like turmeric) and only a little salt in my dishes, which is good for my body.

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Any natural beauty ingredients or hacks you love? My skin is really sensitive, and therefore I can only use a handful of natural products without any perfumes. So I swear by mother nature. Usually I take some aloe vera or cucumber to refresh my stressed skin.

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Any secrets for capturing great images? I love early mornings when it feels like the rest of the world is still asleep. In my opinion everyone has to find its own style and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to try to emulate someone. Be authentic in the pictures you take and show what you love and not what others want to see.

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Self-care also doesn’t have to be expensive. It doesn’t have to be inaccessible. It doesn’t have to look like a spa day.

Self-Care is Freedom

”

Freedom from Body Shame, Society’s Standards, Diet Culture, SelfLimiting Dialogue Da n a Fal s e tti writer, yoga teacher, educator, speaker + advocate Instagram: @nolatrees danafalsetti.com

ver the last few years, we’ve all watched wellness and self-care move from the back burner to trendy and fully commodified. It’s always a bit of a double-edged sword when this happens. The good news is these important issues are now on our minds and we are paying closer attention to how we take care of ourselves. That’s a win, because now we can begin to think critically about our collective needs and how to better serve them. The downside is that diet culture is often hiding just behind the tempting face of wellness, and self-care has turned into purchasable, beautifully packaged products and PDF downloads that can end up leaving people sidelined. When the public begins to care, brands and influencers waste no time in finding ways to profit. Something that should be attainable and accessible to all is placed on a pedestal only some can reach. And let’s not disregard the power of marketing, imagery and internal narratives that have been cycling for years, all reinforced by this kind of commodified wellness. It’s easy to forget that we are all deserving of healing—and there are ways to seek it that don’t cost a thing. Diet culture is so insidious that it’s often right in front of us, but we can’t sense it—crash dieting reinvented as restrictive “clean” eating, movement for wellness (but often really weight loss), and conversations about health that miss the mark on how dynamic it truly is. We have an obsession with food and the truth is that no matter the intention, that obsession can lead

Nourish

to mental health challenges and disordered eating. What can start as a means of wellness can land us right back where we started or, even more precarious, thinking we’ve healed ourselves only to realize the demon has taken on a new name. It is essential that we heighten our awareness of these issues and where they may be hiding in our own lives, in our own narrative in what we absorb and internalize, and remember that true self-care is freedom—freedom from body shame, society’s standards, diet culture, self-limiting dialogue, the burden of eating and what we consume, ableist approaches, and a one-sizefits-all image of health.

Self-care also doesn’t have to be expensive. It doesn’t have to be inaccessible. It doesn’t have to look like a spa day. It doesn’t have to look like a purchasable 30-day program. It doesn’t have to look like what you can take part in to win the race to the self-care finish line. Self-care definitely doesn’t just look like thin white women drinking green juice in trendy yoga gear. It doesn’t have to look like privilege. These are all tactics that often funnel diet culture to those who have the narrative and the means to care, while leaving out so many people who are equally in need of this kind of freedom. Where do fat bodies belong in these wellness spaces? Where do people of color belong? Where do people with very limited resources belong? Is self-care for them, too? Let’s not lose sight of the fact that most of what we buy and spend our resources

consuming wouldn’t exist at all if we were truly at peace with who we are or had the tools to seek out that peace. And even if we wanted those things, not everybody can afford or access them. If we really had the toolbox of self-manifested and contained resources to bring us back to our humanity, so many of these products couldn’t exist. Consumerism tells us we need more purchasable things to be enough, or to be less of ourselves, and neither is true. The truth is that self-care and self-love can be available to all of us, and they are already within us.

I see self-care as coming home to who you are and nourishing that person’s needs. It’s selfawareness. It often looks like the mundane list of chores we’ve been avoiding: Doing the dishes. Moving our bodies for a few minutes each day. Putting time and energy into getting through all the things that are causing us stress. Giving ourselves space and permission to take up our own. Taking the time to breathe and invite mindfulness into our lives. Getting present. Setting boundaries. Standing in power. Protecting our energetic resources. Self-care is sustainable, accessible, and it’s free(dom). The next time you feel overwhelmed by what you need, try turning inward instead of looking outward for the quick fix or for the answers. You are autonomous. Awareness and selfinquiry bring us to ask the right questions, and from there we can truly understand our needs and know we are worthy of fulfilling them. Cheers.

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This is perhaps the most important tip. When you’re lying in bed awake at 4 a.m., thinking about being exhausted can induce extreme anxiety. In sleep clinics, you are taught to let go of any expectations, to stop counting the number of hours you’ve been awake and how many hours of sleep you aim to get. It is important to remember that we are resilient creatures and that if we miss a night’s sleep, we will re-adjust and make up for it later. The better you can relax, the better you will sleep.

Devices can interfere with our circadian rhythms due to the blue spectrum light that they contain. This blue light disrupts the production of melatonin, a hormone produced in the brain that regulates our natural rhythms. We can help regulate sleep by dimming the lights in our homes in the evening. This harks back to pre-electricity days when homes were lit by candles (and a trip to the outside bathroom could result in getting eaten by a wolf— not all progress is bad).

hen it comes to sleep, the conversation is shifting. Gone are the days of CEOs boasting about how they sleep less than five hours a night. Nowadays, we have Arianna Huffington writing books about sleep.

This seems counter-intuitive in some ways. It’s obvious that necking espresso martinis will not help you sleep, but what about red wine? Surely that’s good, and isn’t it a sedative? Plus, don’t the French drink a lot of red wine and aren’t we all supposed to be more like the French? The short answer is no. Although alcohol can make you sleepy, it shortens REM sleep, which is needed for a restful night’s sleep. Both red and white wine do contain melatonin, but the effects of alcohol on REM sleep outweigh these effects.

Yet, why does sleep still feel like an inconvenient indulgence we partake in on special occasions? Frankly, most of us have jam-packed days where we’re running short on time. By the time we’re ready to hit the hay, we find ourselves lying awake, ironically remembering an article about the importance of sleep.

This can be a helpful reminder to go to bed earlier. I tried this for a month and it worked for me. The aim was to remind me to start winding down and stop watching cat videos on YouTube. After a week, I found that I naturally started to slow down and no longer needed the alarm. I also realized that I was as predictable as a Pavlovian dog.

The humble carbohydrate has been much maligned over the last few years, and advice about its effect is mixed. Some advocate avoiding simple carbohydrates before bed as they cause a blood sugar spike. However, one study found the opposite; complex carbs hastened sleep and boosted tryptophan and serotonin, chemicals involved in sleep. The best thing is to be aware of what works for you—when you have eaten a plate of pasta in the evening, do you feel like drifting off or just lie there tossing and turning?

So how can we practically improve the quality of our sleep? There is a deluge of information out there but here are the tips we find helpful:

hen I’m asked why it is that I appear so in love with flowers, I find it a curious question. While it is true that I do hold a fondness for their beauty, it is their history with us, their qualities nearly forgotten, their language (corrupted and dimmed) and the possibilities of reviving it that fascinate me. Botanical history and the true Language of Flowers are what I love.

A Healing Code Some Have Forgotten C heralyn Darc ey cheralyndarcey.com

Some Common Flowers & Some of Their Meanings: Sunflower (Helianthus annuus): get well, strength, happiness, confidence Red Rose (Rosa): love, courage, respect, passion, lust, relationship, beauty White Rose (Rosa): truth, honesty, purity, protection Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus): victory, support, vitality, independence Dahlia (Dahlia): encouragement, dignity, generosity, faith, resiliency Violet (Viola): faithfulness, answers within, subconscious, modesty Pink Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus): love, encouragement, gratitude Daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus): hope, inspiration, respect, renewal Red Tulip (Tulipa): desire, passion, declaration of love, belief Peony (Paeonia officinalis): happy marriage, honor, wealth, health, nobility Elder (Sambucus nigra): courage, fortitude, nurture, good luck, recovery

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Flowers want to be attractive to us because it is part of their job description set down by nature. Heady blossoms, bearing fragrances that delight and forms that intrigue, also trigger our memory centers. Flowers are the reproductive parts of plants in the seed-bearing group known as angiosperms or “flowering plants.” The job of blossoming flowers includes the attraction of pollinators, and it is thought also the attraction of humans. As bees get pollen for themselves while leaving enough to fertilize plants, so do we fulfill physical and sometimes emotional needs from plants while helping them grow. What better way could there be to ensure your survival than to be alluring to a species, particularly those whom you may help with your emotional energy gifts, and who may plant you, care for you and ensure your continuance? To understand the Language of Flowers was to survive. In our forager times, it was vital to know when fruits and vegetables, seeds, nuts and greens for food, medicine, shelter or other uses would be appearing on a plant, or which area in the environment this would be. Flowers would indicate not only the type of plant but also the ending and beginnings of particular cycles, and so flowers shared and still share this information by tapping into our emotions. They announce to us through their color, shape, form, fragrance and behavior that they are here and this is the time, and we remember because our emotions are triggered. The best of ancient foragers would have been those who read the Language of Flowers with clarity. The Language of Flowers is a dialect of emotions. We may not quickly “see” with our eyes what a plant holds within. Can it nourish? Is it dangerous? Can a medicine be created from it? Is this plant needed for others, or even the environment itself? We can decipher this language through the emotional response a flower imparts and so find an indication of possible usage. Sometimes, all that is needed is the energy of the message itself, for who has not smiled and felt a lightness of heart on experiencing the Language of Daisies? Playfulness, protection, peace of mind, happiness and calm. Flowers you may be attracted to could indicate something you need in your life as well. You could try having more of them around you in fresh form as cut flowers, in your garden, your perfumes and aromatherapy or flower essence creations, or in design, arts and crafts. Those that are edible could be delightfully added to nourishing treats and refreshments as well.

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Those capacity feel great pain are also those

I still get very high and very low in life. Daily. But I finally accepted the fact that sensitive is just how I was made. That I don , t have to hide it and I don , t have to fix it. I am not broken.

with

the capacity

feel deep joy.

Those who fall hard, rise gloriously.

You will be too much for some people. Those arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t your people.

inspiration If you wish to be a warrior, prepare to get broken. If you wish to be an explorer, prepare to get lost. If you wish to be a lover, prepare to be both.

Stop making parenthood harder by pretending it , s not hard.

These things will be hard, but you can do hard things.

f e e l

We are only envious of those already doing what we were made to do. Envy is a giant flashing arrow, pointing us toward our destination.

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Love is just a relentless showing up.

love Everything is dependent upon our ability to sit with discomfort and not numb it, and not reject it and not use it to hurt other people. Everything beautiful comes from there.

The only meaningful thing we can offer one another is love. Not advice, not questions about our choices, not suggestions for the future, just love.

Beauty

What screws us most in life is the picture in our head of how it is supposed to be.

My courage will come from knowing I can handle whatever I encounter. I was born to do this. I am a warrior.

oga and meditation have been used for centuries to promote self-improvement. But did you know that your practice may also positively impact your business leadership skills?

D r . J o d i A s h b ro o k @ j o d ia s h bro o k zenl ea d e r.o r g

I N S TAGR A M :

Whether you are presenting to management, dealing with a difficult negotiation or overcoming an uncomfortable business encounter, yoga can be harnessed as a powerful tool to guide you back to your place of stillness and renew inner strength and balance—in and out of the studio setting.

A f e w wa y s t h a t y o g a c a n h e l p y o u b e c o m e a Z EN LEADER i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e C ORPORATE C HAOS : Clarity «

Confidence «

Calm «

Creativity «

We’ve all woken up on the wrong side of the bed. It happens. But as a business leader, your negativity can be extremely contagious for your team. Movement and breathing naturally reduce your stress levels and help to provide clarity.

As a leader, bravery is a must-have quality to successfully drive a team of diverse people forward. Whether it’s performing at an important client meeting, or boosting company morale with an all-hands pep talk, you must have a confident mindset to achieve tangible results.

As a business leader, it’s essential to keep calm despite challenging day-to-day situations. It’s easy to sweat the small stuff and lose sight of what is important—which can decrease your overall efficiency and effectiveness.

This aforementioned ability to slow down your mind will also enable leaders to envision an array of fresh ideas and solutions to dayto-day problems, and leverage this creativity to become better business strategists.

By integrating yoga into your weekly regimen, you can find calm in your practice and actually relax, which will in turn slow down your thought process, rid your mind of worries and thus help you prioritize better to conquer each day.

Of course, it will take dedication and lots of practice to enjoy all of the benefits of yoga as a business tool. However, do keep in mind that without mindfulness, purpose and intention—it is impossible to be an outstanding leader.

To prevent spreading your own bad energy, give yourself enough time for a quick five- or 10-minute meditation first thing each morning to clear your head. Similarly, in hopes to “leave work at the door,” a short but meaningful meditation during your evening commute can help you recharge your battery, providing the clarity you need to be a strong, positive leader.

Both yoga and meditation can help you stay mindful with intention and purpose to channel your positivity rather than zoning in on negative thoughts, especially in difficult situations. By having the confidence to stay poised and visualize your ideal outcome, you can move past your own fear and anxiety and reach your goals.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

ost of us want calmer days. We want work days that are free of stress and conflict. While we can’t stop the people around us from acting out in response to stress or conflict, we can do something about our own stress levels. That one simple thing is to return our attention to the body. Focusing on your body during stressful moments is not only calming, it also helps you to be more mindful by directing your attention to the specific areas you choose. A good example of this is changing your work computer password to something like “breathe,” to be reminded of calming rituals each time you log in. A prompt like this one will help you remember to focus on the task at hand and not on other things. Here are some additional ways to return your attention to your body.

Leah Weiss, PhD, is a Stanford Graduate School of Business professor, consultant, researcher, and author of How We Work: Live Your Purpose, Reclaim your Sanity and Embrace the Daily Grind. She teaches courses on compassionate leadership and is principal teacher and founding faculty for Stanford’s Compassion Cultivation Program, conceived by the Dalai Lama.

Leah Weiss, PhD, Stanford Graduate School of Business Professor, Consultant, Researcher and Author instagram: @leahweissphd

leahweissphd.com

Focus on the sensation of your breath.

Focus on the sensation of your breath. Place your attention on your breath as you breathe in and out. Feel the air drift through your nostrils (feel it become cooler as you breathe in, become warmer as you breathe out) and contract your diaphragm. Try to hold on to your breath for a few minutes, allowing your stomach to fill up, creating a round belly. As you breathe out, imagine any anger, stress or other negative emotions drifting away with that breath. Repeat this process three times.

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Use your breath as 2} meditation. Your breath (the simple act of breathing in and out) can be a secret meditative solution to stress. To activate this stress-reduction tool, just concentrate on your breath as it moves in and out. Your mind will wander (this is completely natural), so gently and calmly focus on your breath once more. Your thoughts will settle as they will—no need to interject. Just focus on your breath.

Check in with your body.

How are you really feeling right now? Find out by concentrating on the top of your head and moving your attention slowly down your body across your face, jawline, neck, legs and feet. Make sure to feel every part of your body as you move your attention. Notice any tension or pain? What does that sensation feel like? Do you know what might have caused it or where it came from? Gather these details and really notice how your body feels. The more in tune we are with our bodies, the better work colleagues we become. If you take a moment to check in with yourself and note that you are feeling aware of any discomfort, you will be less likely to bottle up those feelings and allow them to escape in the form of snapping at someone, yelling, falsely blaming or otherwise lashing out. Simply by practicing these three body awareness techniques, we can learn to embrace our whole selves at work.

M antra W e l l ness

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H e a lt h Benefits of Elderberry

It ’s a S u p er fo o d K in d o f S u m m er

1. Sinus Infection Aid With elderberry’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it makes sense that it can help sinus issues. A sinus infection is a condition in which the cavities around the nasal passages become inflamed, and this antiviral herb serves as a natural remedy.

2 . L o w e r B l o o d S u ga r Both the flower and the berry have traditionally been used to treat diabetes. Research has confirmed that extracts of elderflower stimulate glucose metabolism and the secretion of insulin, lowering blood sugar levels.

3 . M a jo r C o l d + F l u R e l i e f Elderberries are an excellent immune system booster.The berries contain chemical compounds called anthocyanins, which are known to have immunostimulant effects. Elderberry extract has been shown to be a safe, efficient and cost-effective treatment for both cold and flu symptoms. Several studies have demonstrated that elder extract is highly effective in mitigating flu-like symptoms.

4 . N at u r a l D i u r e t i c

1 4 Way s t o C o n s u m e Elderberry: Elderberry can be purchased in many forms at your local health store or online. Tea Wine Juice Jelly and jam Syrup Ointment Astringent Infusion Spray Lozenge Pill Liquid Powder Capsule

» When it comes to colds, flu and upper respiratory issues, elderberry syrup is very popular.

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It has been shown to promote both urination and bowel movements. Studies have indicated that elderberry has natural diuretic effects. A diuretic is a substance that promotes the production of urine. Doctors prescribe diuretics when the body is retaining too much fluid.

5 . E n c o u r a g e H e a lt h y S k i n Elderberry has made its way into cosmetic products because its powerful bioflavonoids and antioxidants, along with its high vitamin A content, make it awesome for healthy skin.

6. Ease Allergies The flowers of the elder plant are known to be an effective herbal allergy remedy. Since allergies involve an overreaction of the immune system as well as inflammation, elderberry’s ability to improve the immune system and calm inflammation can help provide allergy relief. Some herbalists put black elderflower on the list of most effective herbs used for treating hay fever-like symptoms. It can be used for allergies on its own or in combination with other herbs. Elderflower is also said to act as a detoxification aid by enhancing liver function.

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“Love yourself!” the messages scream. But sometimes a bath bomb and scented candle just doesn’t do the trick. Sometimes we’re exhausted. Or stressed beyond belief. Our kids have diarrhea, or our partners are going through something painful. It’s “heavy flow day” or we’re down to the last hundred dollars in our bank account. How do we love ourselves then?

@sarahsapora sarahsapora.com PHOTO:

Erin Rochetto

How do we love ourselves when every fiber of self-preservation wants us to hide under the covers, eat a box of cookies, shop on the internet, numb ourselves with the fourth glass of wine before noon? I asked myself this on the way to my photoshoot. How was I going to do it? How was I going to be perfect? I didn’t want to let anyone down. As the car pulled in to park, I sat cooling my made-up face in front of the air conditioner. I didn’t want anyone to see I was struggling that day. As I yanked on the bralette that felt a size too small, and fluffed the hair that was lying flat, I felt like a decided failure. Worse than that… I felt like a fraud. How was I going to show people what self-love looked like when I felt so far from it myself? I stepped my bare feet onto the grass. I took a deep breath in and exhaled completely. I closed my eyes and looked up towards the sun, feeling the yellow on the inside of my eyelids. And then I stopped. I cut off the talk. I stopped the words. I flexed my fingers and wiggled my toes, and at that moment I knew in my heart… Self-love is letting go. Self-love is imperfections. Self-love is smiling even though you have under-boob sweat. Self-love is letting people see you as you are.

ne day, I woke up and I felt clunky and awful. My face hurt (I have no idea why) and I was grumpy before my feet even touched the floor getting out of bed. Then I groaned. Among the long list of things I needed to get done that day was also “take new pictures for social media.” For perspective, I’m a self-love mentor and a thought leader. That’s a fancy way of saying that I do stuff on the internet, showing women of all shapes and sizes how to love their body and create a happier and healthier life from the inside out. I also run a size-inclusive wellness workshop for women called the Body + Love Workshop. So sometimes my job requires taking pictures to use on Instagram and on my blog to help share my messages of body love and empowerment.

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Self-love is telling the truth and knowing it will be ok. Women follow me online to guide them. They look to me for inspiration and truth. I show up, always present and always real. So how could I stand in front of a camera and smile like a million bucks when I felt like a pile of poo? Ninety-eight percent of the time, the words I share flow from my brain like rushing, joyful water. And then there are days like the one I was having, where the last thing I felt I could do was embody the personification of self-love. People tell you that self-love is easy; it’s not. Actively loving ourselves in a society that does its hardest to tell us we need fixing is a major accomplishment. Saying “I’m worthy as I am” is pretty rebellious when every brand, every commercial you see wants you to believe you are too fat, too thin, too saggy, too perky, too old, too young, too grey or too vibrant to be whole.

Self-love is knowing that your “craptastic” days will ebb and flow, and that you will ride them out one at a time. Self-love is vulnerable. Self-love is flawed. Self-love just is. It is never performed. It exists even on the days when it slips through our fingers. It lives in us. And then I exhaled. PS. The picture you see here was taken on that day. This really happened. Under-boob sweat and all. And still loving myself…

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Explorations

e have all felt at some point or another this question emerge from the depths of our consciousness: “What is my purpose? Why am I here?” In a world of free will, we create our lives based upon our beliefs. A belief is merely a habitual thought that has circulated our minds so many times it has become engrained in who we are. Yet, in a world that is aching for authenticity and true meaning, we’re starting to question everything. Including our own identities. We’re questioning our very existence through our art. This is why we are seeing such a massive surge in creativity. Photographers, writers, dancers, acrobats, yogis, poets… everyone is on a journey of unearthing who they truly are, and the way to make sense of it is through the artistic expression of the soul. In a world of duality where there is so much tragedy and suffering, we are finding our way back to oneness. The most powerful tool for change is our voice. We must ask ourselves what it is we stand for and what truly matters in our hearts. Then we can take that fire and fuel our creative flames with it. To change the world, we cannot play small anymore. All of us are responsible for shining our light as bright as possible and spreading it to even the darkest corners of the earth. If your art is true, it will most likely shake some people up. In a world of seven billion people, we are not all supposed to see through the same lens, and that is a beautiful thing. It deepens and diversifies us as people. We are seeing this now in the rise of the feminine voice. Feminine energy is beginning to be valued again. As we reconnect to the earth and to our true selves, we will see a massive shift as a collective—one where neither the masculine nor feminine is dominant, but where they can work in synergy. If you are not sure what your purpose is, follow your artistic expression. Think about what you loved to do as a kid. Practice it to make your soul grow, and to question truth for yourself instead of being told what it is. This is what sparked me to write poetry again. I had to be curious enough to get to know deeper layers of myself, and courageous enough to express my vulnerabilities in the form of poetry. On the lunar eclipse, I released my first collection of poetry, Explorations of a Cosmic Soul. These poems contemplate the different layers of our consciousness in this world that is experiencing massive shifts. It explores the duality of what it means to be human, and why connection is essential to our experience. By connecting to the universal love within, we can alchemize the world throughout.

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Cosmic Soul

Alli e Mi ch e lle Instagram: @alliemichellel Podcast: “Your Own Magic”

}

A How-to Guide for Living Your Highest Dream We didn’t come into this life with a set of instructions. There are no maps, no guide book, no owner’s manual to help us navigate it. So... how do we let go of fear? Create our own dream? Find our own sacred destiny and live the life we were each meant to live? In The Heart of the Shaman: Stories and Practices of the Luminous Warrior, bestselling author Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D., shares what the shamans of the Andes call the sacred dream—the revelation of our mission in life and place in the cosmos. Through stories, practices, rites, and ceremonies, the book explores how to transform the “dreams” that keep us trapped in a nightmare, and opens up all of the possibilities of the future to us.

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Mantra Journal

Letting Go Inheritance

How to Shed the Stories We’re Told and Write New Beliefs. The Life-Changing Practice of Evaluating and Rewriting Your Stories

T e gan T r o vat o Instagram: @tegantrovato

brightarrowcoaching.com

hen we talk about inheritance, we are not talking about money. Your inheritance consists of the beliefs, fears, stereotypes and habits you were led to believe are yours.

We all inherit stories. We all come to believe and follow rules. We often ascribe to these and they go unchanged. While this is part of being human, if we don’t become conscious of and mindfully craft our belief system, we can buy into things that are not only untrue, but can prevent us from living a fully realized life. If you look at the landscape of your life, from childhood to now, can you identify areas where you’ve inherited a set of beliefs? These often revolve around the “big items” in life like: Success Spiritual Awareness Fun/Enjoyment Romantic Relationships & Sex Social Relationships Emotional & Mental Health

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Body/Health Money Career/Profession Family Parenting

Take a few minutes and write one or two sentences that you believe to be true about each of these.

What do you believe about spirituality?

What does success look like?

Continue in this manner until you’ve finished the list. Based on your answers, decide which “stories” you’d like to keep and which you’d like to shed. For those you want to shed, ask yourself how you inherited the rule, story or belief in the first place. Is what you believe really yours, or has it been passed down from your parents, your religion, your friends, your partners, advertising or even society in general? For each of these beliefs, identify the intention behind the belief. Example: My parents’ intention in passing this belief to me was to protect me. Example: My ex-partner and I co-created this story in our lives so that I felt small and she felt empowered to be in control.

What constitutes a healthy marriage?

How do you feel about money?

Once you understand the intention behind the belief, identify what you want to shed. Then, write a new rule, story or belief for each that is in your highest good and best serves you on your journey. Example to shed: In social relationships, I have to be positive all the time in order for people to like me and want to be around me. Example to rewrite: By being authentic (and sometimes vulnerable) in my social relationships, I also nurture myself. This model literally changed my entire path in life. (That isn’t an exaggeration.) Based on my upbringing, I shouldn’t be living this full, beautiful life I get to call my own. But I am. And this exercise was a first step in highlighting what was no longer serving me and writing a new story that allowed me to live my best life.

We all come to believe follow rules.

If you’ve never evaluated and rewritten your stories, give it a try. It will change your life.

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Jalaja Bonheim

Circlework:

A Commitment to K i n d n e s s , P e a c e and Global Sisterhood The Practice Women Around the World Are Using to Heal and Empower Themselves

Spirituality is a basic human need that often goes unmet. Traditionally, religion addressed spiritual hunger. But today many no longer follow an organized religion or their practice doesn’t provide the nourishment they crave. Consequently, they suffer from “spiritual famine,” causing symptoms ranging from anxiety and depression to addiction and violence. Spiritual famine can be overcome. For decades, women worldwide have followed a group practice called Circlework, where they co-create a spiritual community based not on beliefs or ideologies, but on commitment to kindness, peace and global sisterhood. And while I am passionate about healing and empowering women, Circlework is equally effective for men. Circlework, you might say, is a modernday way of tapping the circle’s potent spiritual medicine, using our bodies and intentions to co-create the sacred circle. Participants talk in a structured way that ensures deep listening and supports honest, authentic sharing. Circlework also includes nonverbal tools, including music, movement, touch, meditation and immersion in nature. Together, they evoke states of deep centeredness and profound peace. While you may never attend a circle, here’s a simple four-step process you can use to create wholeness, unity, centeredness, balance and integrity in your life:

1 . Confront Thought Addiction.

Do you think incessantly all day long? Try taking frequent opportunities throughout each day to let go of thought. Even a few seconds of inner stillness, of listening instead of thinking, can shift your entire energy field and change the course of your day. Breathe in, listen. Breathe out, listen— not just with your ears, but with your whole body, moving out of thoughts and into the mystery of the moment.

2 . Step Out. Circlework offers a

chance to step out of ordinary routines into a sanctuary where bodies and

minds can rest. No matter how busy you are, you can grant yourself moments of retreat. Here’s a simple visualization: Imagine sitting in a circle of light beings, loved ones or simply figures of light. Feel them holding you in a circle of acceptance and unconditional love. Give yourself permission to do nothing; simply rest your body and mind. Feel the sweet relief of being held in a circle of safety and sacredness.

3 . Touch and be Touched. Touch is a powerful healing tool. Here’s a simple Circlework practice that creates a strong sense of safety and comfort: Raise your hands and touch your face. Imagine how a loving mother would stroke her baby’s face; offer yourself the same tender touch.

4 . Reconnect with Love. We live in a world where we’re routinely judged by our looks, status and a million other things that have nothing to do with who we really are. Moreover, we’re often our own worst critics. To counteract all that judgment, turn to yourself and say: Dear one, I love you. It’s fine if you’re not perfect. You’re beautiful, nonetheless. You’re a child of God, and your life is sacred and valuable. If your mind starts to argue, don’t pay too much heed. Instead, place your hands on your chest and feel your heart. Invite it to relax, soften and open. Remind yourself you are safe and in the presence of love. Love is here, will always be, and has been knocking on your door since the beginning of time.

Jalaja Bonheim, PhD, is the founder of the Institute for Circlework. Her book, The Magic of Circlework: The Practice Women Around the World Are Using to Heal and Empower Themselves, reveals the concepts and tools that make Circlework a magical experience.

Jalaja Bonheim, PhD, founder of the Institute for Circlework Instagram:

@jalaja_bonheim magicofcirclework.com

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There’s a kind of realness we are all hungry for. We not only desire it from others, but we want to feel and show up real in our own lives as well. But in a world where “real” is relative and also not very accepting, how do we figure out what that means for us, when is it safe to do it, and why is it even important?

here’s a kind of realness we are all hungry for. We not only desire it from others, but we want to feel and show up real in our own lives as well. But in a world where “real” is relative and also not very accepting, how do we figure out what that means for us, when it is safe to do it and why it is even important? Here’s the deal—you being you is not only important, it’s vital to your health and happiness. Any form of suppression tends to rear its nasty head in the form of stress, or worse, sickness and disease. Not only that, but if we continue to think we need to show up as someone else due to others’ expectations, or our own expectations, we never actually attract the people or our “tribe” who are meant to be on our path. If you’ve ever looked around and wondered why you don’t feel very connected, have the tribe you want or feel whole in your relationships, chances are that you are denying massive parts of who you are. When you are not you, the right people can’t see you; they don’t know that you share the same struggles, experiences, inappropriate joke-telling, loathing of small-talk, nerdy hobbies, dry sense of humor or huge dreams for your life. We all do this for self-preservation, and I’m not going to ask you to bare your soul right away. But I am going to ask that you try on these three things so you can start to practice what it feels like to be fully you:

Before you get dressed in the morning, ask yourself what you would really be wearing if no one would judge you. Put at least one part of that outfit on (or go for the gold and wear the whole thing) and let the feelings of doubt that come up once you’re out in public be the “work” of leaning into the discomfort and seeing if you can love, accept and celebrate yourself for choosing you over opinions.

Start sharing every time you think something nice about someone in your head. Yes, you will question yourself after giving so many compliments in one day, because some people will be surprised or not know how to respond. Let that questioning of yourself be the “work” of loving that you are freely speaking your mind and choosing you over secondguessing yourself.

Stop apologizing for being you or saying how you feel. Stop yourself whenever you say an unnecessary “I’m sorry.” Try “thank you for listening” or “pardon me,” if it applies. You will want to apologize if it’s a habit, but let that uncomfortable feeling be the “work” of becoming proud of the person you are and the boundaries you hold in your life. These simple authenticity practices will lead to some pretty big, empowering shifts. Yes, being authentically you does have its risks—but you will gain a whole new respect for yourself and a tribe of ride-or-die friends that GET and support you because they actually know who you are. And THAT is how you achieve your bliss.

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M A N T R A M others

Mama Heart Healing

Po s t pa r t u m D e p r e s s i o n Li b b y Co x Instagram: @libbyyoga | twobirdsyogatraining.com

Photo of Libby by Kassie Patton

ust after my twins were born, I took a shower, shaky and sleep deprived. I moved with a narcotic bloodstream, staving off the pain of cesarean birth. This was my first time on narcotics, and my first time having surgery. We survived a full-term twin pregnancy. I was drenched in shock and soap, bleary-eyed. Then, some neural thing in me shifted. Seemingly, the 92 percent of my brain that isn't functional woke up. The shower became a cosmic telephone booth where I experienced collective, selective telepathy—as though standing with me, rubber ducky in hand, were friends in conversation. (Who needs a phone or Facebook when shower enlightenment happens?) Sleep deprivation is dangerous. So is birth. Call it what you will. My family and I choose to call my trauma a week of epiphany, others a Kundalini awakening, still others a psychotic break, a visit from goddess Kali. I became MA. I became a mother. The doors to the cosmos blasted open and I could see the big picture. I felt euphoric—had ideas for books, yoga, paintings. When “the” doors open that widely, anything can enter: from delusion to light. Later, possessed by forces invisible to me, I felt a wordless surge of energy blast my spine. I lay back, rearranging my bones into anatomical neutral, still, breathing the superhighway of information in my nervous system, as my body tried to make sense and to heal. What an episode. Since then, I have come to the realization that there is nothing wrong with me. I am healthy and whole, a delicately balanced body-mind.

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It took me years to admit I had PTSD and postpartum depression. I took antidepressant medication. And now? I eat well. I ask my circle of friends and family to check with me if I get sleep deprived as the parenting marathon continues, or if I’m freaking out about the state of the planet. Yoga is great. So is a vast and diverse network of healthcare professionals, Eastern and Western. My teaching life has evolved in ways that astound me. I share my story in small settings, where, in yoga training, I keep company with people over a period of months. And, we talk. People ask me about meditative experience. “Is what I'm experiencing ‘normal’?” If my story can help release any real or perceived divide between Anglophone yoga and Western medicine, I’ll share it. I think I’m still a decent yoga teacher even though I couldn’t breathe my way through a hormonal and chemical imbalance awakened by the birth of my children. I got expert care from medical doctors, from a former yogic monk, from my yoga philosophy teachers, from a psychologist who specializes in Kundalini Awakening experiences, from my mom and dad, from my husband. It takes a village. Don’t suffer in silence. Can you relate? Please, then, surround yourself with great company. Take medication when you need. Love yourself. And, love your life—in the words of my teacher’s teacher: “It’s the only teaching.” Libby Cox is an artist, a dancer and an educator whose love for the human form and movement brought her to yoga in 1999. She and her family live in Eugene, Oregon, where she is the director for her school, Two Birds Yoga Training.

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Why are quiet spaces needed so much right now? More and more research is coming in about the damaging effects of stress on the body and mind. To add to that, people are engaged constantly through the use of devices. For many people, regular, organic moments of quiet and calm have been completely eliminated from their daily lives. This has really created a need for quiet spaces and proactive strategies to induce a state of relaxation. That makes sense to open one in Manhattan! Obviously, no matter how much you love the hustle and bustle of a city, sometimes it can wear you down. BREATHE’s luxurious Himalayan salt rooms and beds are as tranquil as they are therapeutic. During your 25-minute session, the soothing atmosphere will envelop you, while the salty air will administer its natural healing with each deep, cleansing breath. Many people become so relaxed they will fall asleep. What are other benefits of these salt rooms? Dry Salt Therapy has many positive effects on our respiratory, skin and immune systems. It reduces bronchial inflammation, thins and removes mucous from the lungs, and improves lung capacity and functionality. It also reduces skin inflammation, improves cellular rejuvenation and decreases itching and irritated skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Dry Salt Therapy has also been very successful in reducing stress as well as enhancing our cardiovascular system. In addition, those who suffer from these conditions can greatly benefit from halotherapy.

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What is Halotherapy? Halotherapy, also known as Dry Salt Therapy, is a holistic approach that mimics the microclimate of a salt cave. Dry salt air is dispersed into an enclosed environment (room, bed, booth, cabin) through a unique process generated by a halogenerator. This type of treatment is a safe and effective way of using salt’s natural antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and super absorbent properties to provide relief for respiratory and skin conditions. When you heat salt, it becomes super dry and kinetically more active. This heated and dry pure sodium chloride is then crushed into micro-sized particles and dispersed into the air in an enclosed environment. When micro-particles of dry salt are inhaled into the respiratory system, they absorb and remove allergens, toxins and foreign substances in your lungs and throughout your respiratory tract. Salt also reduces any inflammation and opens airway passages to make it easier to breathe.

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- Chelsea Xeron a Kundalini Yoga & Meditation Teacher and Founder of the High Performance Society Instagram:

@chelseaxeron | highperformancesociety.com Drew Xeron Photography | @drewxeron

PHOTO OF CHELSEA:

It’s Okay to Walk Away

It’s Not Selfish to Put Yourself First

When Your Intuition Speaks, Listen

Know the Value of Your Time

I looked at myself in the mirror and didn’t recognize the person staring back at me. I didn’t feel like my vibrant, upbeat self. I felt like I was drowning. So I made a decision in my early 20s that didn’t make any sense to my friends and family. I left a long-term relationship with someone who everyone in my life at that time thought I would marry. He didn’t yell, he never cheated on me, and he was actually a good guy, but I just wasn’t happy. I tried to convince myself that this was how it was supposed to be, but the day came where I couldn’t hide the truth from myself any longer. I pulled the plug on a four-year relationship. I lost mutual friends, but I found myself. I learned that it doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. You have to be happy and it just has to feel right to you. If you have the courage to walk away from something that isn’t making you happy, then you’ll be led to something even better. In my case, it was my husband who I met a year later.

When I started doing kundalini yoga, the idea of waking up at 5 a.m. to do sadhana (daily practice) seemed impossible. I would set my alarm at night only to hit the snooze button 10 times every morning. One morning, I bravely pushed through and got up. I quietly rolled out my rug onto the cold floor. That hour of yoga and meditation was incredible. I experienced a deeper practice and my energy levels were higher throughout the day. I was more productive and calmer. I discovered that the deeper aspect of sadhana is your opportunity to spend time with yourself and to prepare yourself mentally, physically and energetically for your day. Yes, it’s brutal to get up early, but the uninterrupted time in the morning is my slice of heaven. Before I walk my dogs, check my email or make breakfast for my husband, I spend time filling myself up.

Has your intuition told you that you should do something but it didn’t make sense? I’ve been there thousands of times. Imagine telling your mom that you want to start a business in an industry that you have no experience in and you don’t plan on using the college degree that she’s working to pay for. That was me at 20. My intuition strongly directed me towards entrepreneurship. I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but I knew that I had to. After dabbling with a few business ideas, I found my passion and didn’t look back. Fast-forward nine years later to three successful businesses—all in industries not associated with my degree. When your intuition speaks, listen.

I don’t clean my apartment, do my own grocery shopping or run my own errands. I hire people to do those things. People often roll their eyes when I say this. It’s not that I can’t do my own grocery shopping, but I choose not to. My time is valuable. When I did everything myself, I was constantly exhausted. My to-do list was five pages long and I felt like I never got anything done. Costco is 10 minutes from my apartment. It would take me an hour to get through the store, 10 minutes on the way back, then 30 minutes unloading my car and putting everything away. That’s almost two hours! I could spend those two hours sending out proposals, or with my family, or relaxing! It’s worth it to me to spend a little more to get my time back. Sometimes, convenience is a necessity.

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Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Moving On

Watch Your Filter

Saddle Up!

We don’t see

I fling the past behind me like a robe... I have outgrown it.

things as they

Always do what you are afraid to do.

as we are.

———Ralph Waldo Emerson

are, we see them

———Ella Wheeler Wilcox

—Anais Nin

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Soul Mate

Ask

Acceptance

Far too many people are looking for the right person, instead of trying to be the right person.

People who need help sometimes look a lot like people who don,t need help.

You cannot save people, you can only love them. —Anais Nin

———Glennon Doyle

———Gloria Steinem

Day 7

Day 8

Everything You Need

Surrender

I have learned

Only by acceptance of the past, can you alter it.

those I like

———T.S. Eliot

that to be with is enough.

———Walt Whitman

Day 9

Transformation Anything I can

not transform into something marvelous, I let go.

Day 10

Soul Teachers If I know what love is, it is because of you.

———Hermann Hesse

—Anais Nin

Day 11

Intuition There is always one true inner voice. Trust it. ———Gloria Steinem

Mantra’s

Day 12

30 Days

Take Your Time

Inspiration

fertility.

Motivation

—Anais Nin

and

In chaos, there is

Instagram:

@mantramagazine

Day 13

New Worlds Ordinary life

does not

interest me. —Anais Nin

Day 14

Alone Time I need to sit with the quiet; I know that much. ———Glennon Doyle

Day 15

Full Throttle I have no brakes on... analysis is

for those who are paralyzed by life.

Day 16

Day 17

Think for Yourself

Deep Connection

Hear everything and judge for yourself.

I can only connect deeply or not at all.

—George Eliot

—Anais Nin

———Anais Nin

Day 18

Day 19

Spirit Dweller

Keep Your Fire

Within you there is a stillness and sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself. —Hermann Hesse

Never let

go of that fiery sadness called desire.

—Patti Smith

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Don’t Believe It

Don’t Rush

Oh, Here We Go!

Shame is the lie

What if in skipping the pain, I was missing my lessons?

someone told you about yourself. —Anais Nin

—Glennon Doyle

If you aren’t in over your head, how do

you know how

tall you are? —T.S. Eliot

Day 24

Day 23

Go Big

Get Excited

Life shrinks

or expands in proportion

Nothing great

was ever achieved

Day 25

Live for Pleasure Do anything, but let it produce joy. —Walt Whitman

courage.

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

—Anais Nin

Mantra’s

30 Days

Day 26

Day 27

True Belonging

Love Free

No price is

Inspiration

pay for the

It is beautiful to love, and to be free at the same time.

and

Motivation Instagram:

Day 28

Strong Hearts Some think that holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go. —Hermann Hesse

to one’s

without enthusiasm.

too high to

privilege of owning

yourself.

@mantramagazine

—Friedrich Nietzsche

Day 29

Day 30

Worth It I have met my self and I am going to care for her fiercely. —Glennon Doyle

Your Juicy Self I dote on myself— there is that

lot of me, and all so luscious. —Walt Whitman

—Anais Nin

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ENLIGHTENING SPEAKERS Doctors, dieticians, chefs, authors, social activists and other educators will share their knowledge and experience. “Summerfest is excellent! I can’t believe it’s taken me half my life to experience it.” - R.B. (NY)

Johnstown, PA

Scan the QR Code to learn more about Vegetarian Summerfest

44th Annual Conference of the North American Vegetarian Society

VegetarianSummerfest.org or call (518) 568-7970

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I n s ta g r a m :

hese revolutionary times are calling on each one of us to look out for our own health. While there is no place on earth that is 100 percent toxin-free (except maybe a cave in Nepal), there are many ways we can reduce our exposure. Here are a few of my top toxins to avoid, and what I use instead in my own home.

Av o i d C a n o l a O i l . This oil is way overprocessed, and over 90 percent of it produced in the US and Canada is GMO and is also used as a pesticide and machinery lubricant.

Av o i d P l a s t i c . From water to food, to what we store our food in, plastics are unavoidable. They pollute us with BPAs and phthalates via our air in their manufacturing, via our water and food that we store and package in them, and of course our waters are filled with plastic trash, choking our aquatic life and our food supply. Some simple ways to eliminate a significant amount of plastic waste? Never buy bottled waterâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;filter your own or drink from the tap. In NYC, our tap is cleaner than the bottled water in our drug stores! Next, carry your own reusable thermosâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;use it for your coffee, tea, fresh juice, etc., and say NO to straws. Bring your own reusable cloth bags to the farmers market or grocery store to buy and store your fresh fruits and veggies.

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Be Careful with Wi-Fi Equipment and Electronics. Our phones and the Wi-Fi we use in our homes generate RF waves. These have not been thoroughly studied, and in fact information has come through recently that we should not talk on our cell phones without earbuds plugged in or away from our head and on speaker, as there “may” be a cancer concern, according to cancer.org. That said, it has been proven that they do interfere with our sleep and in some cases the ability to concentrate. I had the RFs measured in my own home. The biggest offender? My cordless phones and the Wi-Fi router. In my home, we keep the router in a place away from where we sit for long periods of time. Electronics are stored far away from the bedrooms at night. If needed for an alarm when we travel, they are placed in airplane mode. Healthwise, staring at a screen for long periods of time is unhealthy for our body’s nervous system, and we limit our son’s screen time on iPads and phones to one hour or less. I don’t always win, but I am not willing to gamble his health for something so new and under-researched.

S a y N o t o Fa s t Fa s h i o n .

Do n ’t Buy Fla m e-r e ta r da n t Tr eate d I t e m s.

Not so toxic on the skin, but a huge contributor to the destruction of our environment. The manufacturing of a five-dollar tank top costs us so much more. Humans—usually women—are forced to work for pennies in horrific conditions, textile dyes are dumped into the waterways with no restrictions or repercussions, and cheap prices allow you to buy much more than you need. All the clothing that then gets thrown away every year gets dumped in third world countries or in huge piles of trash, or it’s resold to others, helping to put local clothes makers out of business. Buy less, buy used, buy from local artisans.

Our mattresses and couches are doused with carcinogenic chemicals called flame retardants. Thanks to the magnificent work of Arlene Blum, who has tirelessly worked to ban these chemicals since the ‘70s, we have an awareness of these silent killers, so we can choose to buy furniture without them. Don’t just look for organic, specifically ask if flame retardants were used. If so, say no. And don’t think you need to be uber-wealthy to afford one! Ikea has made a promise not to use harmful retardants on their mattresses and furniture. Many baby products like stuffed animals, clothing and blankets and pajamas are also sprayed with these retardants, so make sure to check those labels, too. MANTRAMAG.COM

author of As the weather warms, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no better time to throw open the windows and do a little cleaning and clearing. In her book on stylish, sustainable living, Give a Sh*t: Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet, eco-lifestyle expert and journalist Ashlee Piper shares her tips for easily greening your abode, one room at a time, starting with the space where you get between the sheets. This quick guide will have you sleeping sounder and more sustainably than ever in just a few simple steps.

PHOTO: Society of Wanderers @societyofwanderers, Cricket Ink @cricketstudio

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Cue the slow jams, everyone, because we’re talking about the sexiest room in the house. That’s right, it’s the (bow chicka wow wow) bedroom. As with all the areas in your home, let’s think about the purpose, shall we? In no particular order, bedrooms are for: sleeping, devouring a good book, spooning your pets against their will, convalescing when you’re sick, and hanky-pankying till the break of dawn. With those activities in mind, a bedroom really doesn’t require much equipment (looking at you, flat-screen TV), and that’s good because it’s supposed to be a restful space, and more stuff = less zen.

cheaper and more sustainable when they’re secondhand. Although a bed is a pretty essential element for a bedroom, how you frame that bed is up to you. The hardcore collegiate among us have been known to rock a mattress on the floor, while others have a four-poster California king with two box springs. There’s a happy medium somewhere in there, and that’s kind of up to you, but here are some tips for furnishing your bedroom for restful elegance without a lot of fuss:

Keep it simple: A room where you’re mostly passed out doesn’t need a lot of furniture. A bed frame, side table, light source and dresser are all you really need. Any extra items just require more clutter, cleaning and money.

Skip the box spring: Nothing strikes fear in the hearts of friends asked to help you move like a box spring and a fourth-floor walk-up. They’re difficult to maneuver, even harder to dispose of, and aren’t even really necessary. Opt for a bed frame like a platform bed that doesn’t require a box spring.

Buy secondhand: Even if you’re squeamish about getting softer surfaces resale, bed frames, night tables, lamps and other solid furnishings are

Use curtains: Window shades and curtains effectively block sleepdisrupting light while also offering eco-friendly climate control (and privacy for your gettin’ down).

No TV: I’m going to seem very uptight for suggesting this, but Americans already watch about 35-plus hours of television per week. Why would you want to sacrifice reparative, restful sleep time for an energy-guzzling device that allows advertisers and disturbing images to invade your dreams? Need more convincing? According to one study, couples who had a TV in the bedroom apparently had sex half as often as those who didn’t. You hear that? That’s the sound of every man in America throwing his television out the window.

In addition to spending 90 percent of our time indoors, we spend 25 percent of our lives catching ZZZs. So it makes sense that we’d want to ensure that our bed, the place where we’re facedown roughly 56 hours each week, is cozy, safe and as sustainable as possible.

PHOTOS: (Top Left) Jo Brittles @labohemehouseofthewishingtrees, Photo by @daphneheathphotography | (Top Right) Art directed by Julia Green @greenhouseinteriors Photography by @armellehabib, Styled by @the.design.space, @harriehighpants, @laura.gstyling, MANTRAMAG.COM @thenorthcotestylist, @beaandcostyle | (Bottom Left) Society of Wanderers @societyofwanderers, Cricket Ink @cricketstudio

Mattresses are some of the most difficult items to off-load. Not a weekend goes by that I don’t see those saggy, suspiciously stained bastards out on the curb. So be extra thoughtful about (1) whether you need a new one and (2) the next one you buy. Moreover, you can easily extend the life of your existing mattress with a few easy fixes: *Vacuum and flip it regularly to keep dust mites to a minimum and prevent one-sided wear. *Invest in a low-toxicity cover to prevent your cooties from seeping into the mattress. *Shore up a sagging foundation with a reclaimed wood board. *Add an eco-friendly topper if you need extra squishiness in your slumber. And if you must bid your bed adieu, give it a proper send-off and avoid the alley. Many charities and folks on Craigslist and Freecycle will gladly take it, and responsible mattress recycling services are available for a small fee. The average mattress can contain a toxic cocktail of petrochemicals, known carcinogens and flame-retardants that can cause health issues and are never able to be safely assimilated back into the environment. Moreover, even if you sleep on your mattress solo, you’re never really alone. WUT? Yeah, your mattress, which houses your shed skin flakes, sweat and oil over time, is a fave hangout for hundreds of eight-legged darlings known as dust mites. This isn’t abnormal (we all shed skin, and that’s a mite’s fave meal), unique

to traditional mattresses (eco-beds get dust mites too), or dangerous (they can cause allergies for some but aren’t going to harm you), but after ten years those suckers can really add up, signaling that it might be the time to invest in a new, eco-friendly version. And while you’re at it, consider your pillows as well, as they can fall prey to the same buggy fate. Luckily, the eco-mattress and pillow game is booming and brimming with options. Keep an eye out for materials like 100 percent natural latex (which is safer than latex blends that often contain petroleum-based polyurethane) and organic and pesticide-free cotton, which can be gentler on the environment and safer for your health. Because few of us are textile experts, it’s important to keep your eyes peeled for some heavy-hitter certifications so you can feel more confident that what you’re buying is devoid of toxic garbage and is truly sustainably produced:

GOTS and GOLS, Global Organic Textile/Latex Standards (GOTS and GOLS, respectively): The gold standards for soft materials, these certify that at least 95 percent of an item is made of certified organic materials and that certain chemistries are prohibited entirely (even for that other 5 percent), including polyurethane foam and fire retardants. Moreover, businesses must adhere to environmentally friendly practices, including shipping, waste disposal and printing.

Oeko-Tex Standard 100: Sets limits

such as formaldehyde, and prohibits the use of dangerous flame retardants and dyes.

Oeko-Tex Standard 1000: Mandates that companies meet strict specifications regarding wastewater treatment and waste air emissions; use eco-friendly technologies, energy and materials; demonstrate workplace hygiene and safety; and comply with prohibitions on child and forced labor, livable wages and regulated work hours.

USDA Certified Biobased: Certifies that a product or package contains a verified amount of renewable biological ingredients. Formaldehyde Free UL: Through audits and sample testing, validates that a product does not contain formaldehyde or precursors. OCS100 Organic Content Standard: Ensures proper tracking of organic material from its source to the finished product.

Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC)/Rainforest Alliance Chain of Custody: Ensures that natural latex meets rigorous environmental, social and economic criteria designed to protect lands, ecosystems and workers.

Made Safe: Certifies that a product has been made with ingredients not known or suspected to cause harm to human health.

for volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions, PHOTO: (Top Right) Society of Wanderers @societyofwanderers, Cricket Ink @cricketstudio

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I’m an ethical vegan, so I don’t wear or use animal products on principle. I’m also constantly chilly and live in a turn-of-the-century apartment in Chicago. Although down and wool are natural materials popularly used in cold-weather clothes and bedding, the methods by which they are harvested cause serious suffering for innocent animals. Contrary to what we’re led to believe, sheep shearing and feather plucking aren’t gentle processes.They’re traumatic, causing pain and sometimes death, and even if the animals survive one or repeated harvests, they’re slaughtered once their wool- and feather-bearing prime has passed. Thankfully, innovative sustainable materials exist that are durable, warm as heck, and spare our fine fleecy and feathered friends from unnecessary harm. Look for widely available down alternatives, cotton flannel, polyester fleece, wool-like felt made from recycled materials, and even upcycled options when selecting toasty textiles. And if you must buy down or wool, consider doing so secondhand.

Some of the same standards apply to bedding, but you needn’t run out and buy all new sheets to give a shit. Assess what you have, and if you need to bring some additions into the mix, consider the following options: Bed linens made from natural, breathable materials like organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, wood pulp (also called Lyocell, Tencel and Legna), and, my personal favorite, linen (which is sustainable as hell, lasts for years and prevents night sweats while still keeping you cozy all year round). Consider secondhand blankets and afghans, which are often restored to their grandma-cozy glory with a hearty hot-water wash. Keep things simple by only having two sets of sheets per bed, following the one-in-use, one-instorage philosophy. Reprinted with permission from GIVE A SH*T © 2018 by Ashlee Piper, Running Press Ashlee Piper is a political strategist turned eco-lifestyle journalist, TV personality and author whose new book on stylish, sustainable living totally rocks. She holds a BA from Brown University and an MSc from the University of Oxford, UK. She lives in Chicago with her shelter dog, Banjo. M A N| Photography TRAMAG.C M 55 PHOTO: Styled by Julia Green @greenhouseinteriors byO@annetteobrien

W e a ll s ta rt o u r d ay t h e s a m e way—wa k e u p, g e t o u t o f b e d, wa l k to t h e b at h ro o m a n d g e t r e a dy. O u r b at h ro o m s a n d c lo s e ts a r e t h e fir s t s pac e s w e e n t e r e ac h m o r n i n g, a n d t h e way t h e s e s pac e s m a k e u s f e e l s e ts t h e to n e f o r t h e r e s t o f o u r d ay. D id yo u k n ow t h at c lu t t e r c a n a ff e c t yo u r s t r e s s a n d a n xi e t y l ev e l s? I t i s t im e to ta k e c o n t ro l o f t h e s e s pac e s a n d c r e at e t h e s a n c t ua ry yo u d e s e rv e.

R í a S a ff o rd f o u n d e r o f R í Org a n i z e, a m o d e r n o rg a n i z at i o n c o m pa n y o ff e ri n g f u ll - s e rv i c e lu x u ry o rg a n i z at i o n, d e s i g n a n d s pac e p l a n n i n g Instagram:

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C r e a t in g sys t e m s t ha t h e l p y o u s t r e a m lin e y o u r d aily p r o c e ss is crucial for a peaceful and s t r es s - f r e e s t a r t t o e ach m o r nin g .

”

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Creating Systems

Creating systems that help you streamline your daily process is crucial for a peaceful and stress-free start to each morning, so it makes sense to start with the bathroom. Counter clutter needs to be minimized if you are unable to remove your toiletries completely. If there are items you must keep on the counter, use some form of containment to keep things in place. An acrylic makeup organizer or tray for perfumes and bottles is a good example of how to contain items in a clean and simple way. It is important to have your essentials within arm’s reach. It should not take any time to look for something, because all of your items should have a home near you. Drawer organizers are key to containing the smaller items like cotton swabs or hair ties—these organizers allow you to designate a space for each of your items. The last area to tackle in your bathroom is the dreaded under-sink. Most people are surprised at how valuable that space can really be to store your daily items while still keeping them accessible. Deep drawers and/or divided turntables are great solutions for this area.

Now the Closet Before getting this space to what it could and should be, it is crucial that you take a real evaluation of your inventory. Be ruthless with your items— have you worn it in the last six months, does it fit, do you even like it? These are examples of the types of questions you need to ask yourself. Your closet should only be filled with the items you love to wear. Find your style and stick to it.

Get in the Zone

Invest in Your Happiness

Once the purge is complete, it is on to the new organization solutions. Your closet should be “zoned” into sections that make the most sense for your lifestyle. Some zones may be work, yoga, casual, formal, etc. Make the most accessible zones the items you are wearing and needing often.

When it comes to your closet, make the investment of time (and money, if necessary) to create a space that brings you pure happiness. One way to keep things tidy and looking neat is to file-fold just about everything. By tri-folding your shirts and standing them up vertically with the crease facing up, you will quickly find the item you are looking for without making a mess. Don’t be afraid to take things to the next level—hat stands for displaying your favorite headpiece, acrylic jewelry stands, clear, open-front shoe boxes. There are so many ways to turn your space into a sanctuary that represents you. Every morning you should be so excited to start your day by shopping your own closet.

s o l u t i o ns

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W e are

They Mark Nepo

was born in Brooklyn, New York, six years after World War II, after the defeat of Hitler and fascism, six years after the Holocaust, in which some of my family perished. As a child, I was frightened by images of the atomic bomb’s obliteration of Hiroshima. In grade school, we practiced hiding under our desks, as if that would keep us from being incinerated. I came of age in the ’60s, part of a hopeful generation who questioned the war in Vietnam. I later saw the Berlin Wall come down, and, in time, witnessed the first African American president sworn in on the steps of a White House built by slaves. During my lifetime, there has been a slow, steady awakening of community that has upheld America as the land of the free. Through all this, I have grown to understand that, different as we are in what we believe, there is no “they.” We are they. And so I try to stay true to what I know while listening to the opposite views of others. Listening this way, I’ve come to see that the underpinnings of our current divisions as a nation fall below politics, below Democrat or Republican. More and more citizens are losing themselves in a world built on fear and hate, where tolerance for difference is tissue paper thin, and their understanding of security is based on striking out against others. As I witness the racism, sexism, xenophobia and unprocessed anger that is being unleashed, I fear that our isolation and self-interest, as a government and a people, have poked and stirred the darker angels of our nature. Now, we are forced to take our turn in facing the ever-present challenge: to give in to fear or to empower each other to be brave enough to love, brave enough to discover and accept that we are each other. It seems the need to reanimate a true sense of community is more important than ever. Under all our differences, our capacity to behold, hold and repair what we have in common is part of a

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kinship that goes back to prehistoric clans that survived the elements by caring for each other. We need to recover and extend that kinship of care and reawaken our common humanity and our common capacity.

“We can give in to fear or empower each other to be brave enough to love, brave enough to discover and accept that we are each other.” In the Hindu Upanishads, there’s a passage that speaks to how those who become wise lose their names in the Great Oneness, the way rivers lose their names when they flow into the sea. In this transformation from the solitary to the communal, there’s a mysterious physics that each generation has to relearn regarding what is possible when we can work together. Time and again, we discover, through love and suffering, that we are at heart the same. It is my hope that, by understanding authentic moments of community, we can affirm that community is real and possible—beyond any illusion or deception. For no one can hide the truth of our failings or dismantle our better selves. I believe that by rediscovering how to work together, with respect and love, we can build a better world, and that, despite the hardships always present, we are more together than alone.

W e are T hey

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e are empowering our girls to lean in, have a voice, be heard. But let’s not forget our boys. Build a strong support system for boys, and they will grow up to become thoughtful, nurturing and empowered—the qualities our world needs in men. As his mother, you are the most important person in your son’s universe. Yes, during the tween and teenage years your son pulls away to develop his own sense of self, but you still have a tremendous influence. Your continued healthy relationship with your son is vital to his sense of self-worth and self-esteem. Your son will see himself as you see him. What you say to him, how you say it, your tone, these all have the ability to build your son up or tear him down. You model to your son how to love or how to close the doors to love. You are your son’s first teacher, showing him that it is safe to love. From you he will learn that his feelings are valuable assets to his empowerment. This internalized wisdom will stay with him throughout his life, enabling him to experience intimacy, connection and honesty.

In a nutshell, boys want to be understood. Boys want direction and reasonable consequence. Boys want to be seen, heard and loved for who they are. Boys want to learn how to care for others, because sometimes they simply can’t remember how to do this. I am the mother of an 18-year-old son. The foundation that helped me build my son into a conscious, connected, compassionate, empowered young man hasn’t made me a perfect mom, but it has given me a strong and truthful connection with my son. Follow these tips, and you’ll find it’s easier and easier to stay connected, soul to soul, heart to heart, with your son as he grows into manhood. All of these tips—to listen without judgment, engage, be present and love unconditionally— work with anyone. At our core, this is what we all want. As moms, we tend to worry that if we don’t fix the problem right now, it will turn into something bigger. The reality is, consistent conscious parenting will help you and your son grow together, stay connected through the hard times and enjoy one another.

p a ge 6 0

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Spend quality one-on-one time with your son. Yes, we have careers and a lot to juggle. Find 20 minutes a day to be just with him. No distractions, just quality time where you’re fully present. This will assure his growing self-image that you feel he is the most important person in the entire world. Give this to your son once a day and he will forever cherish the gift of true connection.

Listen to him. Without judgment. Sons, as they get older, stop talking to us. Ask simple questions to engage your son: “Heard any good jokes?” “I see you’re wearing red stripes today. How does that make you feel?” Keep it light. But be specific. Try to stay away from general questions. Then, with care, “I notice you’re scowling. How is your heart doing today?” A question like this will help your son stay in touch with the feelings he wants to escape from. Never try to fix his feelings. Simply acknowledge his feelings by answering, “I hear you’re feeling . I am so sorry; that really sucks.”

Let your son know he’s enough. Boys are hard on themselves, competitive, and always watching to see how they measure up. Give your son lots of praise. Growing boys need adoration and praise to build a healthy sense of self. Your son will feel empowered by your energy and enthusiasm. And no matter what your son does, do not shame him, tease him or put him down. This will only shut down his ability to learn to be compassionate. Remember, you want your son to grow up to be conscious and aware, so as mothers we have to be conscious and aware.

Just by acknowledging his feelings, you have given him a huge relief to know he doesn’t have to shoulder his feelings alone. He won’t have to stuff his sadness and disappointment down into his shadow to later become anger and rage. If your son doesn’t want to answer your questions, give him space. Offer to make him a treat or a special dinner. With my son, I learned that when I stopped nagging and gave him breathing room he shared his feelings later. Do this and you build an environment for your son to learn how to process his inner life.

If your son gets emotional and doesn’t want to talk, pull back. Let him know you’re there when he’s ready. Give your son space as he needs it. When he’s ready, he’ll come to you because you’ve given him space. Then be fully present when he does express his feelings. This will show him that expressing feelings from his vulnerability is power. Ask him if he would like to hear some of your thoughts on the issue. (Try not to use the word advice; you’ll just get pushback.) If he doesn’t want your thoughts, say, “That’s okay.” Don’t take this personally. Don’t get emotional because he is keeping his privacy. Boys don’t innately know how to navigate emotions the way girls do. As a mom, part of your service to your son is to guide him through the emotional world. Your wise support lets him know it’s safe and rewarding for him to feel.

Don’t be the warrior with your son. You are a warrior in life. You can let your son see this strong side of you. This will give him confidence. But if you become the warrior to your son to get him to do what you want, he will see you as an adversary to defeat. He will shut down and go to war with you. A power struggle will ensue.

Teach your son what a healthy boundary is. No means no to unacceptable behavior. Model how you set boundaries for yourself. If he is mean, tell him how much this hurts your heart. Be honest. Refrain from overacting. Inform him in a neutral tone that, as a powerful young man, when he says or does hurtful things to another, his words and actions have a powerful effect. Say, “I hear that you’re frustrated, angry, sad… and when you say hurtful words or act out it makes me and others want to pull away from you. I don’t think that’s what you really want. I think you really want me to pay more attention to you and you want to be liked and included by your friends.” Showing your honesty and vulnerability this way will allow your son to get in touch with his own vulnerability. Then he will feel safe again to be in touch with his heart. This will model to your son that value, virtue and loving are the greatest powers he can possess.

Deirdre Hade is a mystic, spiritual guide, author and mom to a 24-year-old daughter and an 18-yearold son.

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MANTRA WELLNESS VOLUME 22

Articles inside

3 Ways Your Body Can Make You Better at Work

Finding Zen Amidst the Corporate Chaos

The Language of Flowers

How Can We Optimize Sleep?

Self-Care is Freedom

Travel is Good for the Soul

Citrus Lovers! The Healing Power of Plants

Using Collage to Connect to Your Inner Artist

6 Steps to Rest & Refresh Your Senses

Disrupt Your Nine Hungers with One Simple Mindfulness Tip

4 Tips for "Spot-Clean" Eating

Berry Delicious Vegan Pie

Cheesy No-Cheese Veggie Pizza

Clean Beauty Discoveries, Superfoods and His 100-Pound Weight Loss Wellness Journey

Finding Your Way Back to Balance in a Stressed Out World

Your Word is Your Wand

Why Self-Compassion is a Better Motivation than Self-Criticism

How to Stay Healthy in the Age of Hidden Epidemics

How Do I Turn My Brain Off?

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