Healthy Living March 2016

Observer

PALM COAST | ORMOND BEACH MARCH 2016

HEALTHY LIVING

WHY WORRY? Stress is not your friend.

Find out the science of stress and how you can beat it.

Cover photo of Fortunato Park, in Ormond Beach, by Hugh Driscoll

How to relax, and why

Stay within the lines

New mom stress guide

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What do the doctors say about stress? What do the surveys say?

Want to feel small again?

Try adult coloring books.

But don’t forget to stay inside the lines!

If she must choose between folding the laundry or going to bed an hour early, she chooses sleep.

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or a long time, I was never able to laugh at myself.

I had this image of the kind of person I wanted to be: confident, liked and put together. Someone, let’s say, you’d never see wearing a collared shirt that somehow is both inside out and backward, or walking around all day with a large streak of blue ink in her hair. But those kinds of incidents happened to me all the time. And I couldn’t figure out why.

Eventually, I stopped being ashamed of my so-called bad luck. I embraced the stained shirts and bruised knees, and took it all as a part of being human. Chasing perfection was getting me nowhere but stressed, so I let it go.

Unfortunately, I’m still

QUICKEST WAY TO STRESS OUT Take it from my personal experience: Say you’ll get something done in the next five minutes when you really mean three hours.

learning this lesson. Every single day. Like right now, as I’m trying to get my cluttered thoughts into sentences you can actually understand.

We struggle with this idea of what our lives are supposed to look like. We’re told to dream big, never settle and strive for more. And while having goals is necessary for growth, spending all of our time chasing after the future will result in nothing but lost time and a headache.

The truth is, we’ll never have the future. Just like the past, it’s something that only exists in your head. But we still give it so much power in our lives that we can’t enjoy the only thing we do have: the present.

Stress is what happens when your ideals don’t match up with reality. So, what’s the quickest way to combat stress?

Accept your reality. Embrace it, fall in love with it and cherish it for all the chaos that it is.

All you have is this moment, don’t waste it being stressed.

Take time to enjoy the only thing you have: the present.

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3. Visit a graveyard.

Morbid, right? But according to Huffington Post, visiting a graveyard can help you reframe a stressful situation. Ask yourself, “Would I want to be worrying about this on my deathbed?”

It’s also helpful to consider the choice you would have wished you made at the end of your life.

that will make you

4. Force a smile.

less stressed

A study published in Psychological Science showed that people who smile more deal with stressful activities with lower heart rates and lower self-reported stress levels. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, just smile. Even if it feels creepy.

These super easy hacks will have you relaxed in no time.

5. Do a small act of kindness.

1. Deep breathing.

EMILY BLACKWOOD COMMUNITY EDITOR

T

hink back to a recent time when you felt super stressed. Work was piling up, your to-do list was out of control, and you felt like there was no way to get on top of things. You knew you were stressed out and needed to take some time to clear you head. But did you?

Probably not. Chances are, you were too busy.

Most days, there just isn’t enough time to sneak away to an hour-long yoga class or even leave work for your lunch break. So instead of giving yourself room to breathe, you power through the rest of the day. Because that’s just how life is sometimes — or so we’ve been told.

In reality, ignoring your stress is just causing you more problems down the road. You’re more likely to make mistakes at work, not think through big decisions and forget important tasks.

So instead of creating more work for yourself in the future, try these 10 simple hacks the next time you feel like squeezing a stress ball:

Breathing has more power than we think. Find some place you can be alone for a few minutes, clear your mind and focus only on your breath.

2. Spend 15 minutes doing something that distracts you.

This may seem counterproductive at first, but it’s simply another way to clear your head. Options include watching funny YouTube videos, doodling or having a fun conversation with someone.

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7. Jump up and down.

Or sprint down the sidewalk or do 20 pushups. Movement and exercises are proven to help relax your brain and keep you focused.

8. Turn your phone on airplane mode.

Distractions from our phone are a constant, and when we’re stressed, they seem to never stop coming. If you have a big task in front of you, there is no harm in turning off the noise for an hour or two. Just make sure the people that need to reach you (wife, kids, etc.) know you’re going off the grid.

9. Sniff a citrus.

There’s no doubt that a lot of our stress is self-inflicted and stems from worry about our own future or wellbeing. One of the quickest ways to de-stress and get happy is to help someone else. So hold open a door for a stranger or send a random email compliment to a coworker— you’ll feel much better.

6. Worry with a purpose.

According to Thrillist, telling your brain not to do something just encourages it more. So instead of telling yourself not to be stressed, write down a list of all the things you’re currently stressed about. Chances are, you’ll get bored thinking about it.

Research has shown that citrus oils. like blood orange, tangerine and mandarin orange, are nature’s antidepressants. Find a citrus candle to burn or drop some citrus essential oil on your wrists, temples and the inside edges of your eyebrows to reduce stress.

10. Put your butt against a wall.

This restorative yoga pose will have you relaxed in no time. Lie down flat on your back, with your arms relaxed and your butt against the wall. Extra points if you give yourself a pillow and turn off the lights.

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SOURCES OF STRESS A survey from the American Psychological Association found that in 2014: 64% of Americans said they were most stressed out by money, compared to 73% in 2007.

60% were stressed out by work, compared to 74% in 2007.

47% were stressed out by family responsibilities, compared to 60% in 2007.

46% were stressed out by health concerns, compared to 55% in 2007.

Relax:

It’s good for you Professionals from both Eastern and Western medicine fields agree that neglecting your stress levels will only cause more problems.

EMILY BLACKWOOD COMMUNITY EDITOR

M

aybe it’s a tightening in your chest. Maybe your stomach does flip flops.

Maybe you get a headache. No matter what your typical symptoms may be, the root cause is always stress.

Such a short word with such an overwhelmingly vague Webster’s definition: a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. Sure, it’s easy to say that stress is just one of the difficult parts of life that you have to deal with. But what if most of our stress is triggered by things that don’t actually

need a chemical stress response?

According to Psychology Today, stress activates primitive regions in the brain that switch on nerve circuits that then ignite the body’s fight-or-flight response — something that’s useful when there is a life-threatening danger.

But if you think about the things that are currently stressing you out (a job, money, relationships, etc.), your life really isn’t in that much danger, is it?

Still, studies have shown that the responses we used to have when faced with a sabertooth tiger are the same ones we feel when a work deadline is approaching and you’re nowhere near ready.

Feel insane yet?

A survey done by the American Psychological Association in 2015 stated that 75% of Americans reported experiencing at least one symptom of stress in the past month. So instead of spending the rest of our days slowly pulling our hair out, let’s hear from experts on both ends of the medical field as to what stress is and how it affects our health.

Dr. Hezi Cohen, doctor of family medicine at Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center: Stress has been no stranger to Dr. Cohen in his 15 years of practice. Every day he works with patients dealing with poor sleep patterns, high blood pressure and episodes of depression and anxiety. He says stress makes it more

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likely for these and other underlying medical conditions to develop.

“People constantly have to juggle 26 hours of work into 24 hours of day,” he said. “Eventually it starts to affect their psychosocial relationships, in terms of family.’”

Studies have even shown that patients who are more stressed can have poorer responses to treatments for cancer or other longterm diseases. And treating stressed-out patients is more common for Cohen nowadays, then it was when he first started practicing.

“We as individuals place a great deal of pressure on ourselves to succeed,” he said. “I think there is a high degree of pressure from society for each of us to be able to accomplish everything we set our eyes on. And also do it very well.

That causes a great deal stress for people.”

He said he treats patients who come in specifically for stress, and patients who come in for something else, but stress is really the underlying problem.

“Stress needs to be addressed or you will not fix the problem,” he said.

Cohen’s treatment for stress varies from patient to patient, but always starts out with a frank and open conversation. Anything from recommending therapists to medication can be used to help the patient.

“It’s all about having tools in your toolbox,” he said. “When you need a screwdriver, it’s nice to have it in the toolbox. It doesn’t mean you automatically pull the screwdriver out, when the wrench is what you need to do the job.”

Jean Caron, doctor of oriental medicine and acupuncture physician at Four Winds Acupuncture: Bringing everything back into

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THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016

STRESS STILL KEEPS US FROM OUR HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE GOALS

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A survey found that 32% of Americans are prevented from living a healthy lifestyle because of their finances or lack of money.

One in five Americans say that they have either considered skipping or skipped going to the doctor in the past year when they needed health care because of financial concerns.

Those living in lower-income households are almost twice as likely as those in higher-income households to say that their financial situation or lack of money prevents them from living a healthy lifestyle.

Nearly three in 10 lower-income Americans have either considered skipping or actually skipped necessary doctors’ visits due to their finances.

balance is what Caron does best.

When your body is out of balance, he says, stress can manifest from that — especially when it comes to problems with your liver network.

Different emotions can effect different networks in the body.

“Everyone needs to have a small amount of stress for fight-orflight reaction to protect yourself,” he said. “It becomes a disorder when it starts to control your life.”

As in Western medicine, Caron also believes that stress can be the underlying issue of something else. And if it goes untreated, it can cause things like strokes or hemorrhages. In Chinese medi-

cine, stress is usually associated with the blood of the liver, which is why stress can cause high blood pressure.

Caron says managing your stress is important because the body is in problem-solving mode when it’s relaxed.

“Everybody is treated on an individual basis,” he said. “For some people, they get a needle between their eyes and they feel like they’ve had a full nights sleep.

A lot of people want an on and off switch for stress, but if you just want a quick fix and you’re not addressing the imbalance than you’re going to miss the whole point.”

The number of Americans saying that stress has a very strong or strong impact on their physical (25% in 2014 vs. 37% in 2011) or mental health (28% in 2014 vs. 35% in 2011) appears to be declining.

The most commonly reported symptoms of stress in the past month include: feeling irritable/angry, being nervous/anxious, having a lack of interest/motivation, feeling fatigued, feeling overwhelmed and being depressed/sad.

42% of Americans lie awake at night because of stress.

33% eat too much or eat unhealthy foods because of stress.

Of those who have tried to make a lifestyle change in the past five years, many are still trying to lose weight (58%), reduce stress (53%), eat a healthier diet (49%), get more sleep (47%) and exercise more (45%).

Will power is the most commonly cited barrier to making lifestyle changes. Thirty-two percent of Americans say that a lack of will power prevented them from making a change. More than 10% say that they are too stressed to make a desired change.

In addition, 29% say that in the last month, stress has gotten in the way of exercising.

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Relieve stress

(but stay inside the lines) Adult coloring has exploded in popularity this year, promising reduced stress and more mindfulness.

EMILY BLACKWOOD COMMUNITY EDITOR

A

s adults, we give up a lot of our former childhood pastimes in exchange for hobbies people can take seriously. Dressing up as princesses and searching for buried treasure may not be coming back anytime soon, but one familiar form of play is gaining popularity from those looking for a simple kind of stress relief.

Colorin — but for adults. That means less “Winnie the Pooh” and more intricate floral designs pretty enough that you could hang them on your wall. If you stay inside the lines, that is.

The science behind the latest stress management tool is still being researched, and experts have yet to give it the same weight as they do art therapy. In fact, according to an article in USA Today, the American Art Therapy Association does not consider coloring as a replacement for art therapy itself.

But art therapy can come with its own challenges, like when we decide to be our own art critics and miss out on the benefits all together.

Creativity can be intimidating,

especially for those who don’t consider themselves to be creative. That’s one of the reasons why artist Johanna Basford told Gizmodo that her books have become so wildly popular.

Her first, “Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book” made it to No. 2 on Amazon’s Top 100 and has sold over 1.4 million copies.

“A blank sheet of paper or an empty canvas can be daunting, but a coloring book acts as a bit of a buffer in this situation,” she told the blog.

From a mental health standpoint, coloring has long been used by therapists to calm to mind and bring it focus. According to Psychology Today, the four following things can happen when you break out the colored pencils: 1. Your overthinking stops.

Coloring helps us to focus on the present moment, rather than overwhelm ourselves with thoughts about the past or future.

2. Your production of adrenaline is reduced. Though the act isn’t passive, the choices we have to make — color choices, etc., — are far less stressful than the ones we make in our daily lives.

This relaxation lowers heart rate, frantic breathing and blood flow

to the digestive system.

3. You get connected to emotions. Different colors align with different traits, personal experiences and cultural identities.

Coloring can be a great way to get in touch with yourself and can even reflect your mood.

4. You feel small, in a good way.

Being brought back to your childhood can feel comforting and reassuring. Making time for real play can help you enjoy your life more.

So maybe instead of being a “real adult” and relaxing with a bath and glass of wine, why not get cozy and curl up with some pencils and a coloring book? You might find the process a little more fun.

And sure, you can still have wine.

PROFESSIONAL COLOR PENCIL ARTIST WEIGHS IN Bill Shoemaker, vice president of the local chapter of the Colored Pencil Society of America, uses colored pencils on a daily basis. Sure, his therapy is done with a blank canvas and a lot of creativity, but he says the benefits of colored pencil art and coloring are somewhat similar.

“It’s great for relaxation, like a zen Bill Shoemaker type thing,” he said. “The hours go by fast because you’re absorbed. You’re into what your doing, and you lose track of time. It’s a nice thing in this day in age.”

Colored pencils as a medium have grown in the last 10 years.

When the local CPSA chapter — which is located in St. Augustine, but includes members in Palm Coast and Ormond Beach — started in 2005, they had only nine people. Today, they have 33.

“It’s easy, portable, you can do it in the waiting room,” Shoemaker said. “And it’s entirely inexpensive too. Once you have pencil and good paper, there’s not much more to it.”

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STRESSED? Lie on the floor You don’t have to contort your body to get the stress-relieving benefits of yoga.

EMILY BLACKWOOD COMMUNITY EDITOR

The idea of attending a yoga class might seem intimidating for those who have never tried it. But We Are Yoga Co-Founder Will Jones says you get the scientifically proven relaxing benefits from just lying on your back.

Savasana, also known as corpse pose, is a restorative pose that only requires a quiet space, a comfortable surface to lie on and a couple of props. Typically done at the end of a yoga class, this pose can offer intense relaxation and a break from a chaotic day.

“Get out of your chair and lay on your back for just a few minutes,” he said. “When you get back up, you’ll feel so rejuvenated.”

According to Yoga Art and Science, Savasana is perhaps the most important part of a yoga practice because of the following relaxation benefits: - a decrease in heart rate and the rate of respiration.

- a decrease in blood pressure.

- a decrease in muscle tension.

- a decrease in metabolic rate and the consumption of oxygen.

- a reduction in general anxiety.

- a reduction in the number and frequency of panic attacks.

- an increase in energy levels and in general productivity.

- an improvement in concentration and in memory.

- an increase in focus.

- a decrease in fatigue, coupled with deeper and sounder sleep.

- improved self-confidence.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016

Don’t think, just

breathe

Just a few minutes of mindful meditation can lower your levels of cortisol.

EMILY BLACKWOOD COMMUNITY EDITOR

Courtesy photo

Will Jones of We Are Yoga, 138 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach

EVEN YOGA TEACHERS GET STRESSED Don’t let them fool you. Being a yoga teacher doesn’t mean zen is a 24/7 thing. Will Jones, We Are Yoga co-founder, recently had to combat stress after his beard hair started falling out.

“I noticed some hair loss in my beard,” he chuckled. “I started researching it, and learned it was autoimmune and caused by stress. All the weird things that happen in our body are usually caused by stress.”

Though he wasn’t obviously stressed — doing yoga, eating well, generally happy with his life — he realized he had stopped doing the things that helped him relax. In other words, his own yoga practice.

“We all just get day-to-day stress from living,” he said. “We already know what we need to do.

Everyone knows how to relieve stress, we just have to do. Do what works. Hit the gym. Do some yoga. Go for a walk. Get back out there, and get back in the game.”

HOW TO DO SAVASANA, FROM YOGA JOURNAL What you’ll need: a support for your head, such as a small pillow or folded blanket, and a rolled blanket or large pillow to support the backs of your knees. For extra relaxation, a soft cover for your eyes and another blanket to keep you warm is recommended. You can also wear socks. n Step 1. Lie down on your back. Place the small pillow or folded blanket underneath your head so the neck is well supported and the chin drops below the level of the forehead.

Take a moment to relax the legs and let them fall open. With the palms facing up, spread the arms away from your body so the upper arms do not touch the sides of your rib cage. n Step 2. Set your timer for 15 or 20 minutes, cover your eyes, and lie back. n Step 3. Take up to 20 steady, even breaths, gradually increasing the inhalations and exhalations. Then completely let go; release any controlled breathing, allow your body to drop into the floor, and observe your thoughts without reacting to them, as if they were clouds drifting past you in the sky. n Step 4. When you hear the timer, exhale and bend your knees to your chest. Roll to one side, letting the eye cover fall off by itself, and use your arms to sit up slowly.

When we have a problem, the solution usually requires action.

We fix, we repair and we restore things that are not up to par, or are causing problems in our lives. So it only makes sense that if there’s a problem with our mind, we want to take action and fix it.

But what if the most effective solution is to do nothing? Seems counterproductive, right?

Research shows that Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction or mindful meditation, can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. A 2013 study in the journal Healthy Psychology was the first to find a direct relation between an increase in mindful meditation and a decrease in the hormone.

Remaining in the present moment through techniques such as breathing, meditation is essentially a training tool to help you become aware of your thoughts.

So instead of becoming overwhelmed by an emotional reaction, you can just acknowledge it and let it pass — meaning no more random outbursts on I-95.

According to the Mental Health Foundation, the practice has also been shown to increase activity in the area of the brain associated with positive emotion (the prefrontal cortex), which is generally less active in people suffering from depression. For people who have meditated regularly for five years or more, many studies have shown that the areas of the brain linked to emotional regulation are larger.

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a day. Try instilling these five elements from mindful.org into your practice: 1. Remember that it’s a practice, not a performance. There is no “good” or “bad” meditation.

2. Bring your heart into it.

Be aware that you’re practicing because you love yourself, and you know that this will also be a gift to those around you.

3. Forgive yourself. Anytime you lose yourself in your thoughts, or see yourself falling off course, be gentle and forgive.

4. Thank yourself. Possibly the most important part of the practice, acknowledge yourself for taking the time for your own well being when the time is up.

5. Find a buddy. You can do the four elements on your own, but it helps when we have people to do it with.

5 MEDITATION APPS FOR BEGINNERS

Not ready to sit in silence all alone just yet? Try one of these free, guided meditation apps: n Calm n Stop, Breathe & Think n Headspace n Omvana n Guided Mind Another place to look for free guided mediations is through YouTube and iTunes Podcasts.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016

MOSS salon offers natural alternatives to beauty care Amanda Noyes, owner of MOSS (Modern Organic Salon and Spa), wants a day at her business to be a customized experience.

JACQUE ESTES STAFF WRITER

One of the first things many notice as they walk into the MOSS salon and spa, at 6 Florida Park Drive, is what isn’t there – typical salon smells.

“All of our products are naturally derived and some are organic as well, so there’s no artificial fragrances,” owner Amanda Noyes said. “We try to keep it as clean as possible.”

The décor is crisp, clean and inviting to women and men. Noyes said the design is gender neutral and hopefully comfortable to all who come in, whether for a quick haircut, color, manicure, facial or massage.

Noyes is getting ready to celebrate her first year at the Palm Coast location. She moved the salon from Flagler Beach after five years.

It was her own health concerns that motivated Noyes to begin researching what natural products were available.

“I was researching about diet and exercise and about the chemicals we put in our bodies everyday,” she said. “I started to question the chemicals I was working with and how they were affecting my health.”

She found the Organic Color Systems blog, a company that didn’t claim to be completely chemical free, but offered a color line that is 95% natural and 65% organic.

There is an option for those who want a totally natural color treatment — henna.

“It’s not considered to be a professional color, but I feel it’s important to give people options,” Noyes said. “There are purists who don’t want the chemicals, but they don’t want to be gray either.”

Those opting for henna either return home for four hours with their head wrapped or they can stay in the salon for a facial, manicure, and pedicure.

“We do a lot of wedding parties.

We have very talented artists.”

Photo by Jacque Estes

Amanda Noyes stands by the ergonomic shampoo chairs at MOSS salon and spa. The chairs are more comfortable for the client with head rests and foot stools to keep the body aligned.

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“I have one woman who goes home and cleans her house and then comes back,” Noyes said.

Noyes has also installed ergonomic shampoo bowls, with neck supports in the bowl and foot rests to keep the body aligned and eliminate neck and back strain for the client. The stylist stands behind the chairs rather than reaching across the client to do the shampoo.

Having a mani-pedi is a calming time provided in a bright and airy private room.

“We use Zoya which is free of many chemicals,” Noyes said.

“We try to get products that have eliminated things that studies have shown to be harmful. We don’t use acrylics or gels.”

There are different types of massage therapies offered depending on the client’s needs.

The various treatments are listed on the salon website, modernorganicsalon.com.

Noyes has attended the “train the trainer” course on how to use and teach others how to use the natural products. In the near future MOSS will be a host salon, teaching classes to other stylists.

“The goal is to make this more of the norm and standard in our

industry instead of the exception,” she said. “At first I thought, ‘why would I want to create competition?’ but when you have something that is good I think the right thing is to share it.”

Community involvement is important to Noyes.

“Now that I have built an established team it frees me up to do things within the community,” Noyes said. “I am working with the United Way Women’s Initiative offering assistance to women who need some coaching. We will be offering seminars on how to blow dry your hair and working with a dietician on how diet and what you take in are related to your health and beauty, and how that affects who you are on the outside.”

Photo by Jacque Estes

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5. Massage – Be aware of posture, especially when working and take time to stretch.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016

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CREATING A MARKET TO IMPLEMENT A CHANGE:

THE WILD RABBIT CAFÉ The Wild Rabbit Café buys all local produce to create fresh meals that boost the local economy.

ANASTASIA PAGELLO STAFF WRITER

Located in the heart of the Fitness One Gym, on Old Kings Road in Palm Coast, is a thriving new restaurant that prides itself in providing the community with an extensive menu featuring meals made with fresh, locally grown ingredients. The Wild Rabbit Café & Health Bar is locally owned and operated by Laura and Steve Hannan. The café opened in early October 2015.

The specialty restaurant is the only one of its kind for miles. Its extensive menu offers vegan, gluten-free, organic and lactose-free snacks and dinner entrees.

The Hannans buys all of the café’s produce from local famers in an effort to fuel the local economy.

“Create the change you want to see. We need to create the market.”

LAURA HANNAN, owner of the Wild Rabbit Café & Health Bar

“We are a plant-based restaurant with a local minded focus,” Hannan said. “The community is built by you and me. Local residents have to put forth the effort to support each other, otherwise local chains will dominate, rather than small businesses run by the locals who care for each other.

The trend starts with us. We are working to reinvest dollars in our own community’s economy.”

On average in the United States, up to 60-70% of revenue made by a locally owned business is recirculated back into the community, whereas a chain restaurant may only recirculate 30%.

“At the Wild Rabbit Café we have a revenue recirculation rate as high as 60%,” Hannan said.

“Much of that money is reinvested into portion size, workers pay and donations to support local events and therefore continue to build up Flagler County.”

Every week the café buys over 200 pounds of produce from local farmers.

“This past week, to name a few, we acquired 50 pounds of hydroponically grown tomatoes from Cheryl Anderson, who has a greenhouse in Bunnell and a bushel of oranges from a no-spray grove in San Mateo. In order to break the cycle we have to stop

buying produce from contract growers.”

Hannan explained part of the reason restaurants and grocery stores resort to buying commercially grown produce is because farmers have not invested to grow in this region. Only a select few fruits and vegetables are grown in Florida, because the farmers have not previously had a solid market in this area.

“Create the change you want to see,” Hannan said. “We need to create the market. What I like about working with local farmers is that everyone has their own story,” Hannan reminisced. “They all weave together to make the fabric which is Flagler County.”

Hannan admits that buying from local growers is a method that is not always set in stone. If a grower experiences a bad week, and does not produce enough vegetables to supplement the Wild Rabbit Café, then Hannan explores other options.

“If a bad week comes we work with it,” Hannan said. “On occasion we will turn to a local business representative of a commercial farm to get our produce. In this way we are still supporting a Flagler County resident.”

The Wild Rabbit Café will be offering a cooking class at the

café from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 7. Those who attend will get to eat the healthy meal that they make. Visit the Wild Rabbit Café & Health Bar Facebook page or wildrabbictcafe.com for more information.

Photos by Anastasia Pagello

Owners of the Wild Rabbit Cafe & Health Bar, Laura and Steve Hannan, with their -2-yearold son Levi.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016

Photos by Emily Blackwood

“Make time for yourself, hang out with your friends, still be the person you were before — just in smaller doses”

Stressed out new moms: SLEEP, SLEEP AND SLEEP The key to Nicole Oliver’s calm and sunny demeanor is a solid eight hours of snooze.

hours, and I get it. But when she sleeps, you sleep. It will make everything better.”

Before she had her daughter, Oliver said she was a very independent person, like most people in her generation. Though letting go of some of that independence was difficult at first, she’s very happy that she did.

“Just because you can do everything on your own, doesn’t mean you should,” she said. “People want to help you.

“I can’t do everything I used to do, but I can still do pieces of it and it’s important to still do that,” she said. “I know what it’s like to be happy to help other people that I wish I would have let people help me in the beginning. But I figured it out. My mom folds my laundry every single Friday and I love her for it. It’s the best thing in the world.”

EMILY BLACKWOOD COMMUNITY EDITOR

Being a new mom is hard — because you’ve never done it before.

When Nicole Oliver had her daughter, Amelia, 11 months ago, she remembers the thing that stressed her out the most was something she could have easily resolved.

“We have a lot of really good people around us that want to support us,” she smiled. “The baby would be screaming and crying at a party, and people would want to take her from me, and I just felt a need to do it by myself.

But people are happy to help you.

If I could go back in time I would have accepted every single person that wanted to hold my kid.”

Now that she’s on the other side of it, she really understands how valuable outside help can be to new moms.

“If I see someone’s baby crying, I’m happy to take it from them for 20 minutes so they can finish their meal or their conversation,” she said. “Learning to accept the

“Getting eight hours of sleep ... it just changes the world.”

NICOLE OLIVER

Courtesy photo

Nicole Oliver with her daughter, Amelia, and fiancé, Sean O’Brien

help is important. I thought it was my responsibility, but learning to share that responsibility with people who love you is important.

I wished I would have learned that a year ago.”

Between balancing a new baby, a full-time job and planning a wedding, Oliver’s time is precious and needs to be prioritized. That’s why she says picking her battles is so important to keeping from getting too stressed. If she must choose between folding the laundry that just came out of the dryer or going to bed an hour early, she chooses sleep. Always.

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“A lot of people wish there were more than 24 hours in a day,” she said. “But I think the big trick is that there isn’t. So prioritize and try to get what needs to be done today done, and then go to sleep.

Get as much sleep as you can.”

She thinks that one of the reasons she couldn’t accept help when Amelia was first born was because she wasn’t getting any sleep, and therefore not thinking clearly.

“New moms will probably hate me for saying that, but I was one of those moms,” she said. “My daughter woke up every two

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HEALTHY LIVING

OrmondBeachObserver.com

|

THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016

11B

Five tips to declutter your home (and help others in the process) Because no one can feel relaxed in a messy house.

2. REVERSE YOUR HANGERS

SAVANNA WESTWOOD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Whether you dread or look forward to deep-cleaning your home this time of year, the rewards can be as refreshing as a spring breeze – especially when donations are involved.

From a piece of clothing that never saw the sun … to a book you’ve already read … to cookware and toys that are collecting dust, don’t just jettison your surplus stuff – give it a fresh start!

When you’re ready to purge excess belongings, make sure they’re going to an organization that gives back to the community.

Personally, I’m a big fan of Goodwill Industries of Central Florida, where gently used donations fund crucial job-placement programs and other career services for more than 42,000 people each year.

Regardless of the destination, the goal is to better organize not only individual rooms, but also

MESSY STATS According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Americans as a whole waste 9 million hours per day searching for misplaced items, and 23% of adults say they pay bills late, with penalties, because they lose them.

How often do you actually wear that outfit? Studies show Americans only wear about 25-30% of the clothes they own. Reverse all the hangers in your closet (so the open hook is facing you), and turn them back only after a piece of clothing is worn and returned from the wash. Articles on hangers left unturned after a set time get donated. Keep a box in your closet to collect clothes you no longer need. This will free up a tremendous amount of closet space.

Courtesy photo

Savannah Westwood

3. TURN IT INTO A GAME

Marie Kondo, a well-known organizer from Japan, advises people to select one type of item and collect it within a certain time limit.

For example, you have 30 minutes to gather all the books you want to keep. Any that remain outside the pile will be donated or removed.

The thought is: perhaps it’s not truly a valued item if you can’t find it.

your life. Here are some decluttering tips that can help you do just that.

1. SET A REALISTIC SCHEDULE

Although I, too, am guilty of hoping to complete all my springcleaning projects in one sitting, that’s not always realistic. Break tasks into a schedule, and stick to it. I like cleaning room by room, but you can also schedule by task – mopping, dusting, etc. – and complete them through your entire home. Spread your chores through the course of a week or month, depending on how busy you are.

4. REORGANIZE YOUR KITCHEN

Unload everything from your cabinets and fridge – both could use a wipe down. Donate those mugs, glasses and bowls you never use, and throw away expired

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Once you’ve donated your items, give yourself that pat on the back you deserve by going out to lunch or buying something you really want. Your house will be clean and you’ll have an excuse to treat yourself. It’s a win-win!

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PalmCoastObserver.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016

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