GIDDY UP!
POLO IS ON
ARMOR YOUR BODY WITH POWER FOODS DIET AND SUPPLEMENTS
CAMBIASO X2 BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONS FOUR WAYS TO BATTLE THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN BUILDING CONSCIOUS COMMUNITIES HAMPTONS POPPING UP
SEX
+LOCKDOWN
LOVE (HANDLES), PASSION AND LIFE OFF-THE-GRID VALENTINO COUTURE
DREAMY ROMANTIC FANTASY
SHELTER IN HIDDEN GEMS LUXE ISLAND RETREATS
VOLUME IV / ISSUE VIII / AUGUST 2020
Ambassador Claude-Alix Bertrand
Philanthropy Contributor
Joshua Jakobitz
Polo Contributor
Publisher
Editor-in-Chief
Gregory Bertrand Copy Editor
Claire Barrett
Head of Photography
Eva Espresso
Contributing Photographer
Cezar Kusik
Wine Contributor
Raphael Dapaah Art Contributor
Joey Velez
Wellness Columnist
Jyoti Paintel
Spiritual Contributor
Stanley Pierre-Etienne Style Contributor
Brett Chody
Style Contributor
Anne-Isabelle Saint-Pierre Style Contributor
Michael J. Snell
Lifestyles Contributor
Philippe Lucas
Luxury Contributor
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William Smith
Elle Chrysler
Brand Representatives Anne-Isabelle Saint-Pierre - Dubai Rudy Volel - New York City Michael J. Snell - The Hamptons Stanley Pierre-Etienne Caribbean Sara Ali - London Jessica Foret Wax - Santa Fe Charles Ward - Montecito K & Co. Media - Los Angeles Contributing Photographers
Mark Beaumont Alice Gipps Helen Cruden Justine Jacquemot Claire Barrett Polo Lifestyles is a publication of HT Polo Publishing Co. 995 Detroit Avenue, Suite A Concord, CA 94518 Content Copyright Š Polo Lifestyles 2020 All Rights Reserved. For information or to advertise Contact editor@htpolo.com Read online at www.pololifestyles.com Cover Photo by Alice Gipps of Dillon Bacon for Les Lions Polo Photo of the Cambiasos (this page) by Mark Beaumont
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SANTA BARBARA POLO CLUB Farmers & Merchants Bank USPA Silver Cup Silver Air Pacific Coast Open 8 Goal Series Belmond El Encanto USPA Presidents Cup Jackson Hole Horse Emporium USPA Wickenden Cup Camacho Cup NEWPORT POLO CLUB USA v. Dominica Republic Newport v Palm Beach USA v. Jamaica Newport v. New York USA v. England Newport Pro-Am USA v. South Africa GUARDS POLO CLUB The Cartier Queen's Cup Royal Windsor Cup DOMAINE DE CHANTILLY Open de France Feminine Open de France ASPEN VALLEY POLO CLUB High Alpine Cup Mount Sopris Cup Rocky Mountain Open Carbondale Classic The Triple Crown of Polo
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SCOREBOARDS & COCKTAILS S O C I A L D I S T A N C I N G P O L O
KING POWER GOLD CUP COW D R AY PA R K P O LO C LU B
page 52 POLO LIFESTYLES EDITORS & CONTRIBUTORS
Ambassador Claude-Alix Bertrand Publisher Polo Lifestyles @haiti_polo_captain
Elle Chrysler
Polo Contributor U.S. Polo Connection @ellechrysler
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Josh Jakobitz
Editor-in-Chief Polo Lifestyles @joshuajakobitz
Stanley Pierre-Etienne Style Contributor Lanmou Pou Ranyon @stanleypierretienne
Claire Barrett
Head of Photography Claire Barrett Photography @clairebarrettphoto
Eva Espresso
Photographer Eva Espresso Photography @eva.espresso
Raphael K. Dapaah
Vernissage Contributor Dapaah Gallery @dg_luxe
Michael J. Snell
Lifestyles Contributor MJS Groupe @agnello_1
Jyoti Paintel
Spiritual Contributor Polo Lifestyles @jyotipaintel
Gregory Bertrand Copy Editor Polo Lifestyles @bertrand7367
Cezar Kusik
Wine Contributor Polo Lifestyles @cezartastesearth
Joey Velez
William Smith
Wellness Columnist Philanthropy Contributor Velez Mental Performance Polo Lifestyles @velezmentalhealth @willismith_2000
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Princess Beatrice's very vintage wedding page 30
Vernissage: The King Maker pg 114
The Comfort Wine: Zinfandel page 131
Todd Snyder's hip Hamptons pop-up page 96
TRAVEL SAFELY BUT IN STYLE ST- B A RT HS O PEN F O R B U S I N ESS
Having eradicated Covid-19, the jet-set island paradise is intent on measures to keep ts loyal tourist base happy and safe. What you need to know before booking your trip. Page 124 page 17
VOLUME IV / ISSUE VIII / AUGUST 2020
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR “POLO IS ON,” this month’s cover announces, and it’s true. Not that it means we’ll be traveling to enjoy polo on the sidelines anytime soon. The rules of the game, coinciding with the rules of 2020, have changed. Those two sets of rules have significantly impacted the way we’ll watch and play polo this year and… beyond. Recently, Gilda, a representative of a PR firm in Venice, emailed me. “How are you… how are things going over there (the USA) concerning COVID-19? We hear terrible situations and would just like to know how you are.” I was deeply touched by the message. Gilda and I have been corresponding regularly since early spring when Italy was at the height of infections and the United States was just beginning to issue stayat-home orders. Italy has since emerged from lockdown while here in the USA, the outlook is grimmer. Gilda had shared with me over the course of dozens of emails the difficulties associated with working from home and life in general in Italy. I did not, and do not, know the extent of her responsibilities at home or other personal matters, but I do know she performed her job under very difficult circumstances for months, including acting as the gobetween for Polo Lifestyles and the department at Dior responsible for the 2019 Tiepolo Ball. It's often easier to put difficult days and memories behind us, but Gilda’s note showed me true humanity and compassion. It was unexpected and moving. And as I read headlines of areas highly affected by COVID-19, I hope that my concern and compassion for friends and acquaintances in those places is the same beacon that Gilda’s note was to me. Here to comfort us this month is Zindfandel (in moderation), an exploration of community building, putting fears behind us and an artist who exalts the female role models in his life. Read, share and enjoy. Be well, Josh Jakobitz josh@pololifestyles.com
page Photo 20 by Alice Gipps Equine Photography
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andrew_fraser_scott Between polo matches, AFS guides a drone over the Australian landscape where he produces media
kerbito Kerby Jean-Raymond's influence in the fashion industry continues with his current collaborations
thevintagepoint_ Vintage looks galor - inspired, in part this month, by Princess Beatrice's wedding dress page 24
dream_casa Tulum dreams come true... one of the best places in the world to get away and disconnect
globalpolo All around the world, polo is back in business and available to view on the @globalpolo platform 24/7
aaron_degraffe Providing life coaching and workoutat-home advice, Aaron DeGraffe is an emerging Instagram influencer
eva.espresso In the absence of shooting polo this summer, Eva Espresso is perfectly capturing the essence of fashion
madamedelamaison Setting a table with @christofle is a joy and passion for collectors
oprahmagazine Morning talk show and "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" host Regis Philbin passed away at the age of 88
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Click and comment on our choices... tag @pololifestyles. We will share noteworthy comments with you next month.
giuseppezanotti Add a little life to your stay-at-home routine with a fun pair of stilettos - just for you
matt_harnacke Happiest in the barn, polo players and riders around the world are reunited with their beloved ponies
hcruden Next Generation beat Les Lions/Great Oak for the championship of the 2020 King Power Gold Cup
hookpolo Polo's accessory of the season is the mask, meeting new requirements and regulations in place
pitseb Lunch with a view onboard a magnificent yacht on a dream vacation
athaiti The project “Haitian Cultural Heritage� focuses on Haitian forts, their history and symbolism.
hotelcaladivolpe Have a Hotel Cala Di Volpe-inspired lunch and by lunch, we mean drink
poloclubmiddennederland Polo ponies know what's good and this particular creature wants what's in that bottle
noticiastelemundo Rep. John Lewis, of Alabama, was laid to rest after decades of activism and service for civil rights in the USA page 25
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"Tropillas"
Royal Wedding PRINCESS BEATRICE WED EDOARDO MAPELLI MOZZI AT THE ROYAL CHAPEL OF ALL SAINTS AT WINDSOR
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A R OYA L W E D D I N G AT W I N D S O R
P R I N C E S S B E AT R I C E & EDOARDO MAPELLI MOZZI W E D I N A P R I VAT E C E R E M O N Y AT T E N D E D B Y S E N I O R R OYA L S Princess Beatrice originally postponed her wedding scheduled for earlier this spring to business tycoon Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Instead of a large, formal affair, the couple wed at the Royal Chapel of All Saints at Windsor. In lieu of designing a couture gown, the princess went vintage and opted for a modified version of a gown page 32
from her grandmother's closet. Designed by Norman Hartnell for the Queen in the 1960s (right), the modified version for the wedding included shoulder sleeves similar to a dress worn by the bride's mother, Sarah Ferguson, for her own wedding to Prince Andrew. The Queen wore the gown three times in public, includ-
ing at the opening of "Lawrence of Arabia" and the opening of
Parliament in 1966, before retiring it to the back of her closet.
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P O L O C L U B D U D O M A I N E D E C H A N T I L LY
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Trophée de la Haute Pommeraye Final La Victoire 5 /4 Land Rover La Victoire: Tommy Rinderknecht (Cap), Eléna Venot, Pearl Venot et Martin h. Aguerre. Land Rover: Alexandre Sztarkman (Cap), Sam Sztarkman, Clément et Gaëtan Gosset. BPP : Machitos Vitamina (Machitos Viparita / Ellerstina Monaguillo), played by Martincito Aguerre
Trophée du Capitaine des Jeux Final Audaz 9 / 6.5 Le Cercle Bleu Audaz : Nicolas Constant (Cap), Adèle Renauldon, Agathe Mobian and Brieuc Rigaux. Le Cercle Bleu : Olivier Duguet (Cap), Alice Duguet, Sam Sztarkman and Clément Gosset. Photos by Justine Jacquemot
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PO LO CLUB DU D OM A I NE D E C H A NTI L LY
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Photos by Justine Jacquemot
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La 7e édition de la Ladies Polo Cup Grassfield 4 / 1 Majoa Paris
La 6eme Coupe d’Aumale Black Mamba - Voltex 5 / 4 Omédia Paris
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PO LO CLUB DU D OM A I NE D E C H A NTI L LY
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PO LO CLUB DU D OM A I NE D E C H A NTI L LY
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Photos by Justine Jacquemot page 43
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PO LO CLUB A I NE B D ALL E C H A NTI L LY 20 1DU 9 TDI OM EPOLO
Photos by Justine Jacquemot
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PO LO CLUB DU D OM A I NE D E C H A NTI L LY
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VOLUME IV / ISSUE VIII / AUGUST 2020
The creation of this exceptional clock draws its inspiration from the concept "tempus fugit" (times flies), providing an endless source of fascination. Whether long or short, friend or foe, time runs wild and free. The idea of "taming" it - not to gain mastery over it but rather to better appreciate it - this was the starting point of the amazing adventure which gave birth to the mare and her foal, an automaton and exceptional clock baptized “Hippologia.� The Parmigiani Haute Horlogerie Manufacture has mastered the fine art of creating beautiful timepieces shrouded in mystery. Through its restoration work, Parmigiani is intimately acquainted with historical masterpieces, enabling it to hone its own creativity. This manifests itself in the form of unique timepieces, each a real piece of watchmaking bravura. In the past, the manufacture has already created many table clocks decorated with sculptures reproducing a dynamic movement. This year, Parmigiani Fleurier wanted to dream bigger and go further.
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VOLUME IV / ISSUE VIII / AUGUST 2020
2020 KING POWER GOLD CUP
N E X T G E N E R AT I O N W I N S T H E 2020 KING POWER GOLD CUP BRITISH OPEN AT C O W D R AY PA R K P O L O C L U B WINNING COMBO ADOLFO AND POROTO CAMBIASO IS THE FIRST F AT H E R - S O N D U O T O W I N T H E C U P S I N C E 1 9 7 0
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hen the final bell sounded it was Jean Francois Decaux’ Next Generation polo team (Jean Francois Decaux, Poroto Cambiaso, Diego Cavanagh and Adolfo Cambiaso) that hoisted the Gold Cup, symbolic of the British Open Championship page 52
with an exciting and fast-paced 14-12 win over Les Lions/Great Oaks (Jeta Castagnola, Dillon Bacon, Barto Castagnola and Santiago Laborde) at Cowdray Park Polo Club. Fourteen-year-old Poroto Cambiaso
became the youngest player to win the British Open Championship and the combination of Adolfo and Poroto (Adolfo Cambiaso, Jr.) became the first father-son combination to win the Cup since John and Jack Oxley won it in 1970.
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2 020 K ING POWER G OL D C UP B RI TI S H OPE N
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Photos by Alice Gipps Equine Photography @alice_gipps_equine_photography Mark Beaumont Photography and Helen Cruden
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Next Generation got on the scoreboard first with Adolfo converting on a 60-yard penalty shot in the first minute of play for a 1-0 lead. Poroto made it 2-0, just over a minute later, on a long run and a goal from the field. Barto scored for Les Lions/ Great Oaks at the three-minute mark, 3-1, with Cavanagh (filling in for an injured Pelon Stirling) scoring on a pass from Adolfo in the final minute of the chukker for the 3-1 advantage. The pace was fast and the contact aggressive in the second with Barto scoring on a 60-yard penalty goal at 6:03. Poroto scored the only other goal of the chukker to keep Next Generation on top, 4-2.
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2 020 K ING POWER G OL D C UP B RI TI S H OPE N
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2 0 2 0 K I N G P OW E R GO L D CUP BRIT ISH O P EN
The Next Generation offense kept Les Lions/Great Oaks off balance as play continued in the third. Cavanagh added a 30-yard penalty goal, 5-2. Laborde found himself on the scoring end of a pass at 5:59, 5-3. Another penalty conversion from Cavanagh was offset by a goal from the field from Jeta, 6-4. Laborde brought Les Lions/Great Oaks to within a goal of the lead, 6-5, in the final two minutes of the period. Adolfo ended the chukker with his second goal of the day for the 7-5 halftime lead. A Next Generation foul sent Barto to the penalty line where he converted from 30-yards out, 7-6. A minute later, Bacon scored his first goal of the game and tied the score at 7-7. Poroto showed promises of future greatness as he scored consecutive goals for the 9-7 Next Generation advantage. Adolfo extended the Next Generation lead to three goals, 10-7, and ended the fourth period with a 60-yard penalty goal. Cavanagh added another penalty goal to the Next Generation total in the opening minute of the fifth chukker before Les Lions/Great Oaks responded. A goal from the field from Jeta was complimented by a 30yard penalty goal from his older brother, Barto, but The page 58
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Photos by Alice Gipps Equine Photography @alice_gipps_equine_photography Mark Beaumont Photography and Helen Cruden
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Next Generation continued to lead, 11-9 with one chukker remaining in regulation play. Jeta scored the opening goal of the sixth chukker from the field, 11-10, sparking thoughts of a rally, but fouls would prove costly for Les Lions/Great Oaks in the final frame. Cavanagh scored three of the next four goals (Jeta added a goal from the field) on penalty conversions for a commanding 14-11, lead with time running out. With just over a minute left in the match, Barto scored a goal from the field, 14-12, but that was where it ended as Next Generation rode off with the 2020 King Power British Open Championship. Valiente’s Pintita, played by Poroto Cambiaso, was named Best Playing Pony of the Gold Cup while Adolfo Cambiaso earned MVP honors. Cavanagh led the field in scoring with seven goals (six on penalty conversions). Poroto added four and Adolfo scored three times in the win. Barto’s five goals led the Les Lions/Great Oaks attack. Jeta scored four times; Laborde added two and Bacon was credited with a goal in the loss. Alex Webbe contributed to the reporting of this late-breaking news.
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Photos by Alice Gipps Equine Photography @alice_gipps_equine_photography Mark Beaumont Photography and Helen Cruden
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2020 K I N G POWE R G O L D CUP B RIT ISH O P E N
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2 020 K ING POWER G OL D C UP B RI TI S H O PE N
Photos by Alice Gipps Equine Photography @alice_gipps_equine_photography Mark Beaumont Photography and Helen Cruden
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2 020 K ING POWER G OL D C UP B RI TI S H OPE N
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LOVE LOCKDOWN LOV E ( H A N D L ES ), PA S S I O N , E AT I N G & L I V I N G O F F -T H E - G R I D
VOLUME IV / ISSUE VIII / AUGUST 2020
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LOVE (HANDLES) A REAL PASSION KILLER
f all the punishments that lockdown has visited upon us, the expansion of my waistline is for me the most instantly visible. Going from a 34-inch waist to – at the very least – 36, has resulted in more than a few concerns.
There are all the obvious health concerns of course but, more pressingly for me, when normal life finally resumes, I would rather not emerge looking like a sallow-skinned balloon animal version of my former self. My fiancée and I both used to go to the gym three or four times a week. Personally, I have always loathed working out – it’s painful, largely meaningless and takes up an astonishing amount of time. I used to look at the stats on my gym membership profile and say to myself: “Eight hours this week. I’m spending months of my life every year on a treadmill. Literally going nowhere.” And so, secretly, I’ve been a little bit pleased at the excuse to sit back, stuff down profiteroles and watch “Little Fires Everywhere.” But, undoubtedly, we now look at one another and fancy each other just a little bit less. I don’t blame her: my stomach is making a break for freedom over the top of my page 70
trousers, like an old lag scaling the wall around Wormwood Scrubs. It’s not attractive. It’s not charming or cuddly, it’s just a bit unwelcome. And we can say all we like about appearances not mattering; that beauty is only skin deep, that it’s what’s on the inside that counts (anyone who says that has never stood through a thoracic surgical operation; what’s on the inside would turn anyone off permanently) – but who are we kidding? For the vast majority of us, looks do matter. If we’re not physically attracted to the other one, we might as well be flat mates. My fiancée and I don’t say anything to each other about it, of course, but secretly I feel we’re both casting glances at each other’s midriff and thinking: “I wonder when that’s going to depart. I hope it’s soon.” And then we glance at our own reflections in the oven door and think: “Probably about the same time as that one.” We’ve therefore started to do something about it. Long runs across Hampstead Heath feel almost like a holiday with the added benefit of arguing over which direction will take us home, rather than to nests of muggers. This is despite the fact that in Hampstead, you will only get mugged
if you have bought the last can of Elephant’s Breath from the Farrow & Ball shop. Last week, our neighbors texted us. “Have you let a herd of elephants loose in your flat?” they asked. No, we were doing a Les Mills at Home step class. Since you ask, the experience can be summed up thusly: if being screamed at by a blonde Australian to go faster wasn’t shaming enough in a gym environment, why not add to the humiliation by subjecting yourself to it in front of your beloved? But throwing shade on the exercise program is the new dietary regime. My fiancée has decreed that we have to collectively lose two stone to get back to normal. And that’s going to come out of our food rations. I can object as much as I like, it seems, but the calories are being counted. One course only, and it’s not pudding. This is what really hurts. I miss the chocolate and I miss the ice cream and cake. But most of all, I miss the devil-maycare self-determination of it all. Yes, we’re supposed to be making decisions together, blah blah blah, but still, at the end of the day, I want to eat KitKats and not feel guilty about it. But until my love handles have been lost, that remains a forlorn hope. Reprinted with permission from the Telegraph Author is Anonymous
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WHY I'M EATING MY WAY THROUGH LOCKDOWN AND WHY YOU SHOULD BE, TOO
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orried about lockdown love handles? Intuitive eating may be the kinder way of shrinking them. With summer fast approaching, magazine articles are encouraging us to get our bodies back, while giving tips on how to lose those extra lockdown pounds. Despite my job as a nutritionist, I am here to tell you that there is no place for denial right now, and we should all stop worrying. During lockdown, food has had acute focus. I am currently enjoying the pleasure of new season peas-in-thepod and English berries; the kindness of being included on a weekly challah rota and my favorite falafel shop delivering hot falafel to our door. We’ve eaten cookies, cakes and bread from yet another “maths” class — I’ve also never spent so much time in the kitchen. With three ravenous boys and a constantly hungry husband, I have morphed into a balaboosta, endlessly cooking and doling out snacks. And in turn, this has increased my eating – it is hard to resist warm just-baked pita or the last few chips from my kids’ plates. As someone who has always been controlled with my eating, I have turned to food to cope with the stress and boredom and predictably, have gained a few pounds. This extra weight wouldn’t even show to others, but I can tell, and I have struggled with my page 72
feelings towards it. So, I’ve recently been trying to make some changes that may seem unexpected. I’m ditching the guilt. Lockdown has brought its fair share of angst — that we are not doing enough for our elderly relatives, for our children or maybe for the community. The one thing we really should not feel remorse over is our eating and any weight-gain. If you are feeling guilty, I’m here to tell you to stop right now! In these strange times, we need to be kind to ourselves and stop the voices in our head that say we are “too fat” or we “have no willpower”. Easy to say, but not so simple in practice. It’s something I am working on with myself and with my clients. I am a fan of a popular “anti-diet” movement called Intuitive Eating, the principles of which are useful to follow for anyone struggling with their weight, body image and feelings around food. The idea is based on a best-selling book of the same name, published in the mid-90s, and is now gaining momentum with social media. It has real resonance currently when we’re expected to emerge from lockdown like butterflies. The end goal is not about weight loss — though that might happen — but instead, knowing about the foods and movement to include to make your body feel good. It’s about focusing on health, not size and rejecting the idea we need to look a certain way. There are ten principles, but here are a few key ones that I have found most useful:
1. Make peace with food: Categorizing foods as “good” or “bad” only increases our guilt and feelings of poor self-worth. We all know a cookie isn’t as nutrient-dense as a carrot, but deny yourself that cookie, and you are more likely to crave it, binge on it, feel guilty and the cycle continues. So next time you fancy the cookie/slice of cake/piece of challah, eat it! My golden rule though is to sit down to eat; no furtive shoveling behind the cupboard door — enjoy it!
2. Honor your hunger: Try and listen to your body and respond to your hunger cues. When you go to eat, ask yourself, “am I hungry, or am I bored/sad/stressed”? If the answer is yes to hunger, eat! You may also find this idea liberating if you’re someone who feels forced to eat at recognized mealtimes, despite not being hungry. If you are waking up later in lockdown, you may then find it might suit you better to not eat breakfast at all; or maybe enjoy a late breakfast, skip lunch and instead eat a snack in the afternoon.
3. Feel your fullness: Stop eating when you’re full and take time to notice what your hunger level is. With more time to spend over your meals at the moment, you may be more able to pause mid-meal to think about how the food tastes and what your current hunger level is. There is nothing wrong with eating a big bowl of pasta if that’s what you want,
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but the idea is that you listen to your cues and stop eating when you’ve had enough.
4. Respect your body: Make peace with the body you have. This one can be challenging — who truly “loves” their body? Our weight and body shape are often so tied up in our self-esteem. However, since the coronavirus outbreak, we really do have reason to start being thankful for
our bodies, either for fighting off the virus if we have contracted it, or for protecting us from it. Despite our negative thoughts, our bodies are working hard for us, fighting, protecting and keeping us going. While Intuitive Eating is anti-diet, it is not anti-nutrition, and nor am I. Working through the principles, the idea is you gradually learn to intuit what your body needs, and how it feels good. Though there are no right or
wrong foods. You might find that after a few days of eating only processed food, you don’t feel great, but with a variety of fresh produce and minimally processed foods you can enjoy a bowl of ice cream without any negative thoughts or emotions creeping in. It’s definitely a work in progress, but I know for me at least, one worth trying. By Laura Southern · Special to Polo Lifestyles page 73
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YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT FOODS THAT BOOST IMMUNITY AND FIGHT INFECTION
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ating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep and exercising daily are important for your overall health and wellness. Now more than ever, we need to find ways to boost our immune system as much as possible.
Your body uses and absorbs nutrients more efficiently when they come from whole food sources like fruits and vegetables, rather than processed foods or supplements. Getting a variety of these foods and nutrients in your diet is essential compared to focusing on just one or two in large quantities. Consuming foods high in vitamin C such as grapefruits, oranges, tangerines, sweet red pepper, broccoli, strawberries, kale, and kiwifruit increase white blood cell production, which is key to fighting infection. Beta-carotene converts into vitamin A, which is an anti-inflammatory vitamin that can help your antibodies respond to toxins, such as a virus. Carrots, spinach, kale, apricots, sweet potato, squash, and cantaloupe are all great sources of beta-carotene. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, so consuming foods with healthy fats will aid in its absorption. A great immune-boost-
ing combination would be carrots with traditional hummus or a spinach salad with avocado or olive oil in the dressing. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is key in regulating and supporting immune system function. Foods rich in vitamin E include nuts, seeds, avocado, and spinach. Green tea is packed with antioxidants that have been shown to enhance immune system function. It also contains amino acids that may aid in the production of germ-fighting compounds in your T-cells, which reduces inflammation in the body and helps fight infection. Green tea can be consumed hot, cold or as matcha powder. Vitamin D is essential to immune function and helps regulate the body’s immune response. Vitamin D is found in salmon, canned tuna, egg yolks, and yogurt. Your body can also synthesize vitamin D with just 13-15 minutes of sunshine three times a week. Yogurt contains probiotics, which stimulate the immune system to fight disease. Garlic contains compounds that help the immune system fight germs in a variety of ways by stimulating cells important to fighting disease and reg-
ulating the immune system. It helps boost the production of virus-fighting T-cells and can reduce the amount of stress hormones your body produces which can help keep your immune system functioning at full strength. Vitamin B-6 is essential in the formation of new and healthy red blood cells, and aids in maintaining the lymphatic system. Chicken, turkey, cold-water fish (salmon and tuna), chickpeas, bananas and fortified breakfast cereal are great options for consuming vitamin B-6. Water helps produce lymph, which carries white blood cells and other immune system cells through the body. There are many foods with high water content such as cucumbers, watermelon, and celery. Mix up your water consumption with a cup of green tea with lemon, watermelon, cucumber or mint-infused water for an immune system powerhouse beverage. Immune system cells need zinc to function. Zinc is a mineral that our body does not store or produce. While oysters have the highest food content of zinc, there are other options such as shellfish, poultry, red meat and beans. Zinc is also found in fortified cereals and some breads, but the best absorption comes from animal-based foods.
“Having the tools you need gives you the framework to plan the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of eating to support a healthy immune system. Consider layering the practice of mindful eating to your plan. Mindful eating is a way to be present, focused and tuned in to the pleasure of eating. This practice also decreases stress that can adversely affect your immune system. As you sit down to enjoy your meals, take time to consider where your food came from, the journey the food took to get to your plate, its taste, texture, and aroma. The practice of mindful eating helps us slow down, stay in the moment and reconnect to the food that fuels our bodies.” TAMMY WARD, RD, SPECIALIST IN ONCOLOGY NUTRITION page 75
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I
THREE STEPS TO ERADICATE COVID-19
f people washed their hands regularly, wore masks, and kept their social distance from each other, these three simple behaviors could stop most of the Covid-19 pandemic, even without a vaccine or additional treatments, according to a new study.
“A large epidemic can be prevented if the efficacy of these measures exceeds 50 percent,” they wrote. If, however, the public is slow, but does eventually change behavior, it can reduce the number of cases, but not delay a peak in cases, according to the model.
If governments shut down early, but no one takes additional personal proThe study, published in PLoS tective steps, this would delay but not Medicine, created a new model to look reduce a peak in cases. A three-month at the spread of the disease and preintervention would delay the peak vention efforts that could help stop it. by, at most, seven months, the study found. The contact rates in the study were based on people’s interaction in the If government-imposed physical disNetherlands, but the model is approtancing were combined with disease priate for other Western countries, the awareness and personal steps, the researchers at the University Medical height of the peak could be reduced, Center Utrecht said. even after government imposed social distancing orders were lifted.
“Moreover, the effect of combinations of self-imposed measures is additive,” the researchers wrote. “In practical terms, it means that SARS-CoV-2 will not cause a large outbreak in a country where 90 percent of the population adopts hand washing and page 78
social distancing that are 25 percent efficacious.” Even with self-imposed social distancing, contacts with others might not be totally eliminated. For instance, people who live together will interact, increasing the likelihood that someone could get sick. So small outbreaks are still likely.
The authors argue that governments should educate the public about how the virus spreads and raise awareness about the crucial roles of self-distancing, hand washing and also mask use in controlling an ongoing epidemic. It does not differentiate between mandating some of these behaviors or encouraging them. There are limits to the model. It doesn’t take into effect demographics, nor does it account for the imperfect isolation of people who are sick with Covid-19, meaning they can infect others who care for them in a health care setting or at home. It also doesn’t account for the possibility of reinfection. American public health leaders have been echoing the sentiment of this study recently. The director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told the Buck Institute for Research on Aging that the country is “not defenseless.” “If we all wore face coverings for the next four, six, eight, 12 weeks, across the nation, this virus transmission would stop,” Dr. Robert Redfield said.
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WEARING A MASK WHILE PLAYING POLO MAY NOT BE IDEAL, BUT ALL TEAMS PARTICIPATING IN THE PRINCE OF WALES CUP AS WELL AS THE KING POWER GOLD CUP HAVE DUTIFULLY DONNED FACE PROTECTION. THESE RECENTLY ESTABLISHED POLO PROTOCOLS SUPPORT GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH GOALS.
Admiral Brett Giroir, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, said at a briefing from the US Health and Human Services Department Thursday that masks and physical distancing could quickly stop the spread of the pandemic.
models say that’s really as good as shutting it down,” Giroir said. “These simple facts can really shut down the outbreak without completely shutting down your local area.” By Jen Christenson Special Contributor Polo Lifestyles 2020 •
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LIFE OFF-THE-GRID COUNTLESS ARRANGEMENTS & OPTIONS FOR EVERY LIFESTYLE
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n late March, an acquaintance reconnected with us not long after shelter-in-place orders went into effect in the Bay Area. He and his wife are Italian nationals living in the United States for many years, and they were acutely aware of the dangers of COVID-19, having watched the pandemic take its toll on Italy and family there. They wanted to know if any residences in our quiet neighborhood, far from the urban center of San Francisco, were available. They were exploring options to leave the city center with their brand-new baby, born only a few months before the pandemic struck. Within a week, they dropped their city dwelling and moved into a home not
too far from our own neighborhood, settling into their work-from-home routines, a new baby (who can’t visit his pediatrician in person) and life in the, supposedly safer, suburbs. Quietly, all around us, friends and acquaintances have left the city center for outlying areas: Napa, Sonoma, StHelena. Some will stay there temporarily; others may find that living closer to off-the-grid has more long-term benefits. A friend from New York City, who’s relocated to The Hamptons at least temporarily, told me he went back to his apartment to gather more supplies and summer clothes. His building was largely empty – everyone who could leave had left, seeking respite in summer havens.
One blogger-couple I’ve followed with interest lately is @happyhomebodies: a couple and their three dogs who converted a school bus into a tiny home. It generally resembles a recreational vehicle (RV) that Joanna Gaines might have decorated with shiplap and layers of muted pillows on blankets with oversize prints. It’s cute and functional and off-the-grid. Francesca and Nicholas, who share their life on Instagram with their 100,000 followers, have now lived in the converted bus for over a year. “Most people thought we were nuts when we told them we were going to live in a school bus with our three dogs. Little did we know it would spark so much joy and inspiration for others,” Francesca said. page 81
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Katherine, a mom in New Hampshire, and her family sought a simpler life a year before COVID-19 changed the world. “A year ago, we piled our family of five into an RV seeking a simpler life. We eventually settled on six acres in rural New Hampshire — a decision I am profoundly grateful for every day.” Once it became apparent that the pandemic was changing everything, it was easy for Katherine and her family to make the most of the situation. “My husband cut a trail through our wood-
ed lot for nature hikes. It provides ample opportunities for educating our three little adventure seekers. And since we were already homeschooling our eldest before the schools were closed, we were prepared.” They are learning to grow vegetables and planning to add chickens to the mix. “Every time I run on our dirt road – without a soul in sight – I thank the canopy of trees for cleaning our air and keeping us healthy,” Katherine said.
In Maine, at the beginning of the pandemic, several small towns were severely impacted by wind storms that took out the power source for nine days. Those already living off the grid, like Ashley, were better prepared. “We had solar (energy) and propane appliances. Living off the grid during the pandemic is the same as it always (was) – just a little more tiring and a little more rewarding than normal life,” she said. She handwashes clothes by the river, tends to a large garden and works on home improvement
From left to right: The "safest" home in America is being built outside of Atlanta and includes an underground bunker, according to Business Insider. Francesca and Nicholas live in a retro-fitted school bus off-the-grid. A floating island off the New York coast is completely self-contained and boasts of luxurious off-thegrid living.
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Above: Pre-fab off-the-grid homes sales as well as underground bunkers are up 400 percent in 2020 as concerned citizens turn to nature for energy and food supplies. Roughing it isn't necessarily required depending on the type of underground bunker investment you make.
projects. Her only bill is for her mobile phone. Sometimes Ashley thinks, “’You’re insane for doing this’, but the pandemic has made me nothing short of grateful for this chosen lifestyle.” Lindsy, who lives off-the-grid with her partner and four children, doesn’t miss the days of driving hours into town for supplies. “This pause has given us time to be more firmly rooted in our life (off the grid) in the mountains. We’ve had time to build the horse corral, expand the garden, mend the fences and tend to the details of homeschooling four kids.”
Lindsy suspected the pandemic would heavily impact life and supply chain, so she stocked up on seeds, hens, beans and tons of potatoes. She encourages the kids to be creative with forts, fairy houses and sword fights, paired with reading and listening to educational podcasts.
complete with blast-proof doors, amenities, and escape helicopters. Vivos’ underground bunkers in the Black Hills of South Dakota and outlying areas of Indiana are marketed with an end-of-the-world narrative that resounds to affluent buyers enduring the current crisis.
Life off of the grid isn’t all chickens and washing clothes in the river. Real estate companies like Vivos, which characterizes itself as a global shelter network, have seen sales increase 400 percent. Vivos, among other services, provides luxurious underground bunkers, stockpiled with food and goods,
Life going forward certainly looks different – only time will tell how many of us seek alternative living arrangements, and whether they’re temporary or permanent. By Josh Jakobitz Editor-in-Chief Polo Lifestyles 2020 •
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DEBUNKING THE MYTH: BLOOD TYPE & COVID-19
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lood type is not associated with a severe worsening of symptoms in people who have tested positive for COVID-19, Harvard Medical School researchers report. Their findings, studied at Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General) and published in the Annals of Hematology, dispel previous reports that suggested a correlation between certain blood types and COVID-19. The study did find, however, that symptomatic individuals with blood types B and AB who were Rh positive page 86
were more likely to test positive for COVID-19, while those with blood type O were less likely to test positive.
and mortality,” Dua said.
“We showed through a multi-institutional study that there is no reason to believe being a certain ABO blood type will lead to increased disease severity, which we defined as requiring intubation or leading to death,” said senior study author Anahita Dua, HMS assistant professor of surgery at Mass General.
The rise of COVID-19 in all corners of the world sent scientists scrambling to find characteristics that might render individuals more susceptible to the virus, as well as risk factors that might intensify its severity and progression. This has resulted in numerous theories and reports about the association between COVID-19 and blood type, which have often led to more questions than answers.
“This evidence should help put to rest previous reports of a possible association between blood type A and a higher risk for COVID-19 infection
HMS researchers at Mass General launched their own investigation by drawing on the massive database of the Mass General Brigham Health sys-
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THE SWEDISH MOUTH SPRAY THAT KILLS COVID-19 Shares of Enzymatica ENZY jumped 67 percent in Stockholm as the company said preliminary results show the ability of the mouth spray ColdZyme, in vitro, to deactivate SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic. Stock on shelves in Sweden and other European Union countries was depleted by morning. Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, is also back-logged with orders for ColdZyme. A study demonstrated that ColdZyme deactivates SARS-
CoV-2 coronavirus by 98.3 percent, the company said. That’s good enough for the public, who gobbled up the product on the market, and very good for Enymatica’s shareholders and investors. ColdZyme is the latest product to disappear from the market and pharmacy shelves as panicked shoppers around the world react to continuing COVID-19 outbreaks. Claus Egstrand, Enzymatica’s chief operating officer spoke to the effectiveness of his company’s product. “Even if the current
in vitro results cannot be directly translated into clinical efficacy, it is very interesting that ColdZyme is able to effectively deactivate SARS-CoV-2 in vitro since it constitutes a proof-of-principle that can be taken further into clinical studies. Thus, the results indicate that ColdZyme can offer a protective barrier against SARS-CoV-2.” At press time, ColdZyme was “currently unavailable” and Amazon UK suppliers “don’t know when it will be available.”
mation markers remained similar in infected patients regardless of their blood type.” An intriguing finding from the study was that there appeared to be a greater chance of people with blood types B and AB who were Rh positive testing positive for the virus. Even stronger evidence was assembled by the team that symptomatic people with blood type O were less likely to test positive.
tem’s Research Patient Data Registry. A study population of 1,289 symptomatic adult patients, who tested positive for COVID-19 and had their blood group documented, was culled from more than 7,600 symptomatic patients across five Boston-area hospitals, including Mass General and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, treated from March 6 to April 16 of this year. The statistical analysis determined the independent effect of blood type on intubation and/or death of these infected patients. The large retrospective
review showed no significant connection between blood type and worsening of the disease, between blood type and the need for hospitalization, positioning requirements for patients during intubation, or any inflammatory markers. “Inflammation is a particularly important finding because prevailing scientific thought is that COVID-19 wreaks havoc on the body through systemic inflammation, which can lead to morbidity and death,” Dua said. “We found, however, that inflam-
“These findings need to be further explored to determine if there is something inherent in these blood types that might potentially confer protection or induce risk in individuals,” Dua said. For now, researchers are confident that their principle finding—that ABO blood typing should not be considered prognostic in patients who acquire COVID-19—will debunk clinically unfounded rumors and misinformation that can readily gain traction in the midst of a pandemic, and in some cases become part of accepted medical practice. Courtesy Harvard Medical School
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Boucheron Vu de 26 Cheval de l'Opera bracelet
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STAY-AT-HOME
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO "GET" A GOOD WORK OF FICTION?
A NEW BRAND OF MURDER MYSTERY GREGORY BERTRAND Copy Editor @bertrand7367
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hat does it mean to understand a work of fiction? Does it come in the form of being able to recount the plot points from A to Z linearly, or do you not truly get something until you can see what exists behind the words on the page—or, that is to say, seeing what the author was trying to do? If it’s the former, then “Death in Her Hands” is an easy novel to understand. While out on a walk one morning with her dog Charlie, Vesta comes across a note in the woods, “Her name was Magda. Nobody will ever know who killed her. It wasn’t me. Here is her page 90
dead body.” Except, there is no body in the vicinity. What follows for the rest of the novel is Vesta trying to solve this little mystery. But, if understanding comes from the latter, then I have to say I am not quite sure I get the main thesis of Moshfegh’s novel. But I’ll give it my best guess for the sake of this review. “Death in Her Hands” is Ottessa Moshfegh’s third novel after “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” and “Eileen,” and if you are familiar with either of those two books, then you may feel right at home with “Death in Her Hands” Written in Moshfegh’s traditional, intricate, vine-like prose, the novel’s protagonist and narrator is a lonely elderly woman who lives in a cabin on a decommissioned girl scout campground. She is detached from the world around her, and in a sense, reality as a whole. And, as she moves forward through the narrative, it becomes evident that Vesta’s mind is slowly deteriorating.
If you are going into “Death in Her Hands” looking for a by the numbers, traditional murder mystery, then it would be best if you looked for another book to read. What follows after Vesta finds the note is a meta-narrative that ruminates on the process of writing a story, and on the stories we tell ourselves to make our lives seem better by comparison. Every “detail” that we learn of Magda’s “murder” is 100 percent made up by Vesta. She creates, without any evidence, an entire backstory and tragic death for a woman who, even though I finished the book, I am not sure even existed. At one point, Vesta goes to the library and looks up an article on the computer called “Tips for Mystery Writers.” She even prints out a sheet that writers sometimes use to flesh out their characters at the beginning of the writing process. Vesta fills it out with information such as, physical description, hometown, friends and relationships.
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Throughout the book, I asked myself, “is this a joke?” Did Moshfegh spend almost 300 pages just toying with her audience? Because that would be a very Moshfegh thing to do at this point. You might have noticed I have not spent much time talking about the plot, and that’s because most of the action takes place in Vesta’s head. Not much that is not pure speculation actually occurs and there are only a few locations that Vesta travels to. So, I return to my initial question, what does it mean to “get” a work of fiction? If this was indeed a meta-joke on the process of writing itself, I must then ask, what’s the punchline, and who is it on? Is it on us, the readers, for expecting one thing for our investment, but getting nothing in return? Is it making fun of other mystery writers and how formulaic the genre can be? Or, is Moshfegh just amusing herself here? I know it seems like I didn’t enjoy this novel, but that is not the case, I’m just kind of, well…confused. None of this
Above: The author, Ottessa Foshfegh, and the cover of her new brand of murder mystery, "Death in Her Hands."
is to say that “Death in Her Hands” is lazily written, or that Moshfegh did not put effort or care into her novel. There are interesting aspects to be found, and many parts are even quite humorous. Plus, it is easy to feel Vesta’s unease about the whole situation. So, it’s obvious Moshfegh was reaching for something here that many other
writers would not attempt to do. Here’s one last question, is “Death in Her Hands” worth your time and money? I guess that is sort of my job to tell you, right? Well, if you like puzzles, and solving mysteries, then perhaps, solving the mystery about a book that’s about a mystery is right up your alley. page 91
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FASHION & STYLE
TODD SNYDER'S HAMPTONS POP-UP VALENTINO COUTURE 2020 BEYOND SOCIAL MEDIA page 95
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POPPING UP ALL OVER THE HAMPTONS TODD SNYDER NEW YORK'S SUMMER SHOP
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odd Snyder has opened a pop-up in the heart of East Hampton’s village business district with a 1,000 square foot retail summer shop. Snyder has curated the store’s collection to suit the Hampton’s culture, featuring linen camp collar shirts,
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lightweight pique blazers, and weekend shorts. The shop will also carry some of Snyder’s past collaborators and favorite brands, including Champion, Hartford Swim, Moscot, Miansai and
Rivieras. There will also be an “online only” section, featuring styles customers can see and feel in person and have delivered directly to their homes. “We have always wanted to test a store in the Hamptons, and this seemed
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"WE HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO TEST A STORE IN THE HAMPTONS, AND THIS SEEMED LIKE THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY." like the perfect opportunity,” Snyder said. “Everyone is living life a bit differently these days, and we saw a demand outside of Manhattan and feel that our customer may be looking to stay in the Hamptons a bit longer this year, so let’s help him look a bit more stylish in quarantine.”
The Todd Snyder pop-up opened July 15 and is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. They will be following all guidelines – limiting capacity, taking digital appointments, PPE stations at the entrance, mask requirements, and disinfecting after use of dressing rooms. page 97
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VALENTINO 2020 COUTURE COLLECTION
PRESENTED VIRTUALLY FROM ROME
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t the end of this strangely long, drawn out fall haute couture season, it was Pierpaolo Piccioli’s turn to show the Valentino collection in Rome. Titled “The Performance: of Grace and Light, a dialogue between Pierpaolo Piccioli and Nick Knight,” it was a digital/ physical hybrid event staged in a darkened void on the famed Cinecitta movie lot. In a Zoom press conference, Piccioli explained he’d conceptualized the 16-look collection as “an extreme page 100
response” to the tough circumstances of lockdown, a determination to overcome the technical problems of socially-distanced working in the Valentino atelier and the impossibility of creating prints and lavish embroideries. “I didn’t want to feel the limitations. Couture is made for emotions, dreams,” he said to the local audience in attendance. “It was super-emotional for us all to be here together to win this challenge. A moment I will never forget.”
If you were spectating via laptop, the sensation was one of being sucked into a liminal space suspended somewhere between a digitalized romantic fantasy, and an installation of models wearing surreally proportioned white dresses, all of it relayed on video. First came a pre-recorded screening of an artily glitchy video by Knight, in which projections of flowers and feathers played over meters-long dresses worn by women who appeared to hover in a mid-air circus scenario. Cut to real-time: curtains drew
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back to reveal the models, standing perched on ladders in a static tableau, their dresses—now revealed to be allwhite—cascading to the floor, broadcast live. The process began with sketches on paper, relayed to Knight in London. Piccioli wanted to uphold the inimitable techniques of the house (which can be seen in the look book, which was also supplied). In lockdown, however,
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the normal heads-together working practice was impossible. Usually, each couture piece is intensely labored over by six experts to a table, so construction was moved to mannequins, where the craftspeople could work two at a time, safely separated as they sewed the vast meterage and volumes of taffeta, tulle, chiffon and organdie.
led him to add the concept of “the magic of early cinema,” evoking the silent movie imagery with silver sequins and waterfalls of glittering fringe. He commissioned unreleased recordings from FKA twigs, her extraordinary voice soaring poignantly as the models swung from trapezes and floated through Knight’s digital performance.
The notion of taking the show to Cinecitta, Rome’s “factory of dreams,”
Fashion communication on multi-platform formats has taken
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In lockdown the normal heads-together working practice is impossible. Usually, each couture piece is intensely labored over by six experts to a table. Construction was moved to mannequins, where craftspeople worked two at a time, safely separated as they sewed the vast meterage and volumes of taffeta, tulle, chiffon and organdie.
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surreal twists and turns as designers have tried to conquer the pandemic’s dreadful problems. In Piccioli’s case, the surrealism was right there, embodied in the clothes’ theatrical form. In practice, the house will work with clients to reproportion them according to their own dreams—that’s what
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a couture house always does, anyway. Still, it’s no disrespect to Piccioli and all his incredible teams to say that there is nothing that digital wizardry can possibly ever do to compete with the visceral wonder of seeing a Valentino haute couture collection walk through a room on his models.
For now, the comeback of that precious experience is the dream we are all left with. By Sarah Mower Special Contributor Polo Lifestyles 2020 •
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A SOCIAL DILEMMA A
FOR BOTH ICONIC HOUSES & BOUTIQUE BRANDS
s if 2020 hadn’t thrown up enough challenges to the fashion industry already, the current advertiser boycott of Facebook raises a dilemma for fashion marketers To date, over 900 brands have joined the boycott, organized by Stop Hate for Profit (an amalgam of civil rights groups), protesting the social media platform’s refusal to tackle hate speech. Joining such giants as Coca-Cola, Ford, Sony, and Diageo are fashion brands including Adidas, Levi Strauss, page 108
Patagonia, The North Face, Vans and Puma. The coordination of such heavyweights has been impressive. But these brands are all big enough to take the hit (as is Facebook, of course). The trouble is, smaller companies are not in such a privileged position – particularly given the fact they are faced with an almost impossibly bleak financial environment already, thanks to Covid-19. Meanwhile, Facebook knows that while marketers protest that they can’t live with it, in reality, they can’t live
without it either. Even the heavy hitters have only pledged to pull their ads until the end of July – but that’s long enough to be ruinous for independent companies who are relying on online sales, having suffered upwards of 100 days of physical retail spaces being in lockdown. While many might understand that the business case for advertising on Facebook is a compelling one for many brands, the moral case is a quite different matter. And, especially in the current climate, customers
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are increasingly looking for ethical leadership from the people they give their money to. This is exactly where Facebook has fallen foul of the new transactional landscape. And, since Facebook also owns Instagram, the issue – and the moral dilemma – is exacerbated. With its emphasis on smart, simple, clever visual communication and incorporation of moving images through Stories, Instagram has become the go-to platform for the fashion industry. And, while brands might survive without one or the other, to pull your campaign from both platforms at the same time could be fatal. But, to be morally consistent, you can’t cancel the one without the other. To be fair to Facebook, they did commission a two-year-long audit by the Media Rating Council, which has just released its findings. While the conclusions were damning – focusing on the period since June 2019, it accuses Facebook of making decisions that have amounted to ‘serious setbacks for civil rights’ – it does offer some praise (heavily couched and caveated) for attempts to tackle discrimination in certain areas, including employment and housing. However, it also accuses CEO Mark Zuckerberg of elevating ‘a selective view of free expression as Facebook’s most cherished value’ adding that ‘the prioritization of free
expression over all other values, such as equality and non-discrimination, is deeply troubling to the auditors.’ It goes on to detail ‘grave concerns’ over the combination of Facebook’s decision to ‘exempt politicians from fact-checking’ and ‘the precedents set by its recent decisions on President Trump’s posts’ – which, it claims, ‘leaves the door open for the platform to be used by other politicians to interfere with voting’. While the audit has been ostensibly welcomed by Facebook, with Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg announcing a number of new initiatives, including banning ‘divisive and… fearmongering’ adverts and hiring a civil rights advisor, there have also been ominous noises that not every recommendation from the audit will be adopted. Many customers and brands remain cautious about Facebook’s apparent mea culpa moment, citing a seemingly arrogant response from Zuckerberg that implies this is a token gesture of protest – and that things will return to relative normality come August. So – for those who remain uncomfortable about engaging with Facebook and Instagram, what is the solution? There are alternative channels, of course: and many are beginning to gain traction regardless of the distrac-
tions at Facebook. Traditional platform rivals such as Google, YouTube, Hulu, and Pinterest are seeing increased competition from relatively new players including the Chineseowned TikTok and Weibo. It’s worth noting here that strained relationships between the West and China have led to suggestions that TikTok could face bans – as seen with the controversies surrounding the communications firm Huawei. The solution could be closer to home. Several brands reiterate how cost-effective their owned channels are. SMS and E-marketing to customer database, growing opted-in audience in order to target them with blog and newsletter messaging – these help to build a sense of community and customer loyalty. As ever, the answer is often to look back to the old norms. Perhaps the social media crisis of 2020 can be used as a reset moment: rather than relying on third parties, how about building an audience who buy into your own brand values, rewarding them for engagement and encouraging them to contribute their own content? Sound familiar? Who knows – if it worked for you in the past, it might work for you again… and the only moral dilemmas will be the ones you create yourself. By Mark Hooper Special Contributor Polo Lifestyles 2020 •
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{PRIVATE VIEWING}
BARRY YUSUFU
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BARRY YUSUFU
THE KING MAKER
AND THE EXALTATION OF WOMEN RAPHAEL DAPAAH Art Contributor @dg_luxe
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hen I first came across Barry Yusufu’s stunning work, what struck me first was the sheer strength and confidence that radiated through the charcoal and acrylic of his female muses. There was an unmistakable power and self-assuredness in the eyes of his sitter, that even if you did not immediately notice, you most certainly felt. Why did this female aura and strong presence strike me as profound in Barry’s work? Quite simply, because I was keenly aware of the context of the paintings, which were made by a young Nigerian male artist, who lives and works in a society that is engulfed by, and prides itself on patriarchy and the rule of men. However, surprisingly, pleasantly, I might add; Barry portrays women as the wielders of power and control, Kingship personified, and conversely, men are depicted as vulnerable, intimate and dare I say, even docile?
With this in mind, I was keen on exploring more about Barry’s work, his inspirations and journey as an artist to date. This way, I could begin to unpack his breathtaking work, and how a young, contemporary Nigerian artist came to be a champion of women and the type of feminist that Chimamanda Ngozie has called for men to be. I spoke with Barry for Polo Lifestyles earlier this summer. Raphael Dapaah: How long have you been painting, and at what point did you consider yourself a professional artist? Barry Yusufu: I have been creating since November 2017. I started from a sketch I made of a friend, and on seeing the reaction on her face after I handed the sketch to her, I believed there was more to art than just drawing. At that point, I was basically drawing friends and family members; and the next month, I began taking commissions to draw. By January 2018, the next year, I made my first personal piece. I began to call myself a professional artist when I got into my first exhibition the following year. Tell us a bit about your background. Where were you born and raised, and what was your upbringing like?
I was born in Nasarawa State, Nigeria, where I grew up with my mother, step dad, step brothers and sisters. Where do you currently live and work? I currently live and work in New Karu, Abuja, Nigeria. Your work today pays homage to your African heritage and exalting darkskinned muses, particularly women. Why was it important for you to depict women in this fashion? While growing up, I watched my mum raise me with all her being. Even though she was married to my stepdad, she was literally the only one looking out for me. I saw my mother as my hero, and her struggles and how she overcame them made me realize that women were gods. My mum taught me almost everything I knew and provided me with everything I asked for. Money was an issue for my family while growing up, but my mother broke herself to provide for us. That’s why today I exalt women with my art. I also grew up to have so much respect for women because of how my mum raised me. I’m an African man, I love my skin, my people and the drive my race has for survival.
"I saw my mother as my hero. Her struggles and how she overcame them made me realize women were gods. Money was an issue for my family while growing up, but my mother broke herself to provide for us. That’s why today I exalt women with my art." - BARRY YUSUFU page 114
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VERNISSAGE
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Additionally, your work also captures your male muses in a more vulnerable and fragile light, which tends to run contrary to the aged old notion of Black men being strong, aloof and impervious, especially across many African cultures. What inspired this? I don’t portray the physical strength of men in my art. No, I believe the world already knows men are physically stronger than women. I try to amplify the strengths of women. Women are literally the backbone of this planet. They raised kings, legends and many great men, and yet they’re not cele-
brated. I am not talking about equality here, I’m talking about the important role women play in society and that without them it would be incomplete. A man, no matter how strong he is, would need the support of a woman. I note with fascination that some of your pieces appear to reference writing and designs such as Nsibidi, whilst also referencing Christian iconography and motifs. How do you reconcile ancient Nigerian traditions in your work with Christianity? I was brought up a Christian, and I
have always loved African art and culture. My use of motifs is a result of my African background and I love creating patterns. As an artist of African descent, what are your views on the surge of interest in modern and contemporary African art? Modern and contemporary African art has gained its value because of the many relentless African artists that stood the test of time and were consistent. I personally feel there’s still a lot to be discovered.
VERNISSAGE
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As the global art world has been impacted by Covid-19, how has the lockdown impacted your art?
a lot of pain in the world currently, one can only create his strongest works this period.
The world is on a pause now, I believe, and I personally have been able to find myself more during this period. With
What is next for you as an artist, and what can we expect in the future?
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There are a lot of projects I have planned. I have plans on working on my first solo show, hopefully in early 2021. By Raphael K. Dapaah Art Contributor Polo Lifestyles 2020 •
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ST-BARTHS: BACK IN BUSINESS
VOLUME IV / ISSUE VIII / AUGUST 2020
ST-BARTHS
THE ISLAND'S OPEN FOR BUSINESS AFTER KNOCKING OUT COVID-19
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t Barths re-opened its borders on June 22 after successfully eradicating all cases of the coronavirus on the island. The tiny island has had no active cases of Covid-19 since April. In the official press release, President Bruno Magras welcomed tourists to return to the island and shared the government’s plan to keep the island virus-free through testing. Summer is a wonderful time to visit the magical island—the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean waters are so warm. BEFORE YOU GO Travelers must be tested 72 hours or less prior to arrival in Gustavia. You should be prepared to present a negative nasal swab test result upon arrival. page 124
Travelers unable to be tested before arrival will be tested at St. Barths Covid-19 drive-through testing center within 24 hours of arrival. These travelers must self-quarantine in their villa until the test results are received. When travelers are confirmed not to be carriers of the virus, they are allowed to move freely about the island, as long as they practice responsible social distancing and preventative behavior in restaurants and shops.
Aviation concierges will meet you at the gate, escort you to the private Tradewind Lounge, check your bags and walk you through another basic security screening on the way to your comfortable Pilatus aircraft. Travelers are required to wear face masks in the airport and on the airplane. Since St. Maarten re-opened on 1 July, travelers have access to the 15-minute flight via Winair or St. Barth Commuter into Gustavia.
HOW TO GET THERE
ON THE ISLAND
For the best experience, fly to San Juan, Puerto Rico, then connect to St. Barths on a one-hour flight on Tradewind Aviation to Gustavia. Upon arrival into San Juan, Tradewind
While St. Barths is a luxurious island by all standards, driving on its narrow, slippery and steep roads can be stressful. The most high-end car rental company on the island is St. Barths
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Defenders, a locally owned boutique car rental company, that offers Defenders, Evoque convertibles, seven-seat Discovery Sports and Range Rover Sport. You can safely drive anywhere on the island following a map or using GPS. Ask for a Defender with a built-in shower (perfect for those sandy feet after a day on the beach), and if you mention booking via Tradewind, you will get a discount and a swag bag.
OPT FOR VILLAS Most of the hotels will stay closed until October or November, so the best way to enjoy the island is to rent a private villa. Wimco Villas, the leading villa rental company on the island has revised their concierge arrivals service per health authority guidelines, with enhanced villa cleaning protocols. Expect a contactless greeting at the airport, with your luggage wiped down before bringing it into the villa
and a bottle of hand sanitizer on the kitchen counter. Staff will clean your villa daily, and the housekeepers are instructed to schedule the cleaning for a time when the client is not inside. Housekeepers and any other service providers who step onto the properties wear a mask and gloves. WHERE TO DINE Whether you are looking for feet in the sand experience or high-end page 125
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dining, you will find both options this summer. For lunch on the beach, three in-vogue beach spots are now open: Shellona on Shell Beach, and, in St. Jean, Pearl Beach and Lil Rock. Eden Rock will be closed this summer, but their glamorous private beach club is open.
If you prefer to dine out, head to La Saline to enjoy Tamarin’s magical garden or Gustavia for the iconic Isola, Black Ginger (the to-go is convenient) or Quarter Kitchen and Cocktail Lab. The Quarter has received two Gault & Millau awards in 2020: Best Young Chef and Best Bartender. Try one of its award-winning cocktails, or if
you are a foodie, grab a seat at the Kitchen Bar for an interactive experience with their chef. Adjacent to the Quarter, Rhum Room owns one of the world’s largest collections of rum (854 varieties and counting) specifically focused on Caribbean rum. Ask your villa concierge to make your reservations daily to ensure the best tables and service.
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Recently, drinks at the bar turned into drinks in our individual homes, but that doesn’t mean you have to drink alone.
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Zinfandel T H E U LT I M A T E COMFORT WINE
CEZAR KUSIK Wine Contributor @cezartastesearth
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e can all use a bit of warmth and comfort in these difficult and trying times. This bizarre, newly imposed reality and the uncertainty of what is ahead is causing us anxiety
and apprehension. The pandemic has turned our daily routines upside down, leading us to crave assurance and yearn for familiarity. We miss our friends and families and the intimacy they bring into our lives. We all concoct our own recipes for a semblance of normalcy, and sipping on the right glass of wine at the end of a confusing day can definitely be a part of that soothing formula.
non-committal, Zin is a boozy wine full of warmth, satisfying flavors and unpretentious personality. I am referring to California Zinfandel because, as you will find out, if you do not know it already, Zinfandel’s history and its journey is as colorful as a story of most immigrants chasing the American Dream whose validity in recent years has been greatly tested.
Zinfandel has always been a grape of comfort for me. A charmingly
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Zinfandel: Comfort Wine
considered the Golden State’s indigenous grape, and it was believed as such until the 1970s when slowly, it was revealed that we were dead wrong. Zinfandel is one of the oldest grapes with evidence of its existence dating back to 6000 B.C. in the Caucasus. However, the grape’s beginnings in the U.S. were traced back to the 1820s, when clippings of its vines were shipped to Long Island from the Austrian Imperial nursery in Vienna. It quickly became a popular grape in the Northeastern U.S., where it was a nursery owner from Massachusetts, Frederick Macondray, who was credited with transporting Zin vines to California around 1850. There, it flourished in the loving, warm climate. Zinfandel wine became one of the favorite libations for gold seekers during the Gold Rush, and its resilient constitution carried it through an outbreak
and devastation of phylloxera in the late 1800s and the draconian laws of prohibition of the early 1900s. It became the most planted Vitis vinifera grape in California until the mid-20th century when it slowly relinquished its supremacy to Cabernet Sauvignon. In the early 1990s, UC Davis’s Enology department started conducting DNA testing on grapevines. First, they traced Zinfandel to a little known, obscure Italian grape variety from Puglia named Primitivo. Just when the mystery of Zinfandel seemed to be solved, another breakthrough came to light. Further tests performed by Professor Carole Meredith undeniably proved Croatia to be the true cradle of Zinfandel. In the Balkans, it was known by the name Crljenak Kaštelanski. One of the fascinating aspects of wine making is that the same grape vari-
ety grown in different micro-climates results in wines of varying structure and aromatics. The same is true for Zinfandel, I have tasted it numerous times side by side, and comparatively, all three renditions of the grape: Croatian Crljenak Kastelanski, Italian Primitivo and California Zinfandel have tasted vastly different. The Croatian version was of light body with a mix of fruity, herbal and savory flavors followed by firm tannins and high acid. Primitivo was bold and dense, with a deep color and concentration, and darker fruit aromas with a distinct peppery finish. Both Primitivo and CK came with a very moderate alcohol level. California Zinfandel was lush and jammy. Its silky mouthfeel on the palate offered little tannin grip. You could feel the warm sensation of high alcohol, but it was well balanced by its dense fruitiness. But to say that California Zinfandel is uniform in its character would be incorrect. The grape is grown in nearly all wine regions of the state, and each region produces its own individual style. Zinfandel does not carry a great esteem among wine “professionals” and “connoisseurs”. That is maybe why I don’t have many friends in the industry—just kidding! It’s slighted and looked down upon as plebeian, a simplistic wine lacking in finesse and complexity. Like with any other grapes though, it isn’t the type of grape that dictates the quality of the wine but rather the quality of the fruit and the wine making techniques. Zinfandel is a “sweet” grape with a high sugar content resulting in a high alcohol level found offensive by some wine “aficionados”. The grape is low in phenolics, chemical compounds that are mainly responsible for tannins in red wines rendering Zinfandel to taste, in some
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The author, sommelier Cezar Kusik, with some favorite bottles of Zinfandel.
My favorite California Zinfandel producers. Roberts Biale (especially their “Black Chicken” bottling.) Storybook Vineyards (these are serious Zinfandels with worldwide recognition.) Rafanelli Turley (a wide range of different cuvées from numerous California wine regions.)
people’s opinion, too fruity and flabby. Its reputation was also tarnished by some bulk produced, poor quality bottlings of the wine as well as the days of “blush” Zinfandel. Invented by Sutter Home winery in the early 1970s, rosé of Zinfandel exploded on the market and quickly became a staple drink of American housewives and beyond. The wine which comes in semi-sweet to sweet version still exists, but fortunately, its heydays are over. Have I tasted it? Yes! It’s horrific. What about the frequently encountered concept of Old Vine Zinfandel? The term “old vine” is rather murky and ambiguous. In California, there is no wine law or regulation determining how old the vines have to be for the wine to be labeled Old Vine. Regardless, Zinfandel vines can live and produce fruit for many decades. There are examples of over 100-year-old Zinfandel vines in California with trunks two feet in diameter. Is there an advantage to making wine from old vine grapes? Yes, the
older the vine, the fewer grape clusters it produces and the smaller the berries it yields. Thus, old vines are considered inefficient. But the concentration and the complexity of flavors in the grapes increases dramatically the longer the vine lives, transferring these attributes to the wine. In my world, different wines serve different roles, fulfill different needs and fit a variety of occasions. Good Zinfandel is a versatile wine that comes with a great story. Its versatility applies not only to food and wine pairings, but also to its flexible social adaptability. It is a snobbery eliminator; do not trust a person who snubs a good Zin. For me, Zinfandel has proven itself to be a unifying wine, which with its heartwarming personality, transcends wine pretense, superficiality and brings closer together those who in social gatherings seek what is important in life; pure and unadulterated joy. And that is something that we can use a lot of these days. Zin up, my friends! By Cezar Kusik Wine Contributor Polo Lifestyles 2020 •
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SPIRITUALITY DEFINING THE DIVINE
BUILDING CONSCIOUS COMMUNITIES “I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live." GEORGE BERNARD SHAW
JYOTI PAINTEL Spirituality contributor @jyotipaintel
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ne of the most difficult things about 2020 is not being able to make plans for anytime far into the future. Unfortunately, here in the U.S., we still do not have the infection rates of the novel Coronavirus under control. For everyone, that could mean more closures of commerce, schools and businesses in case there is an outbreak or a spike. The natural rhythm and harmony of my life often fall out of balance these days and manifest in many ways, but the most debilitating for me is feeling a total loss of control over my life. Due to the pandemic, I was not able to move forward with my plans of opening a small business as I had dreamed about doing for many years prior to the pandemic. I know that I am not alone in dashed dreams - let’s take this year’s class of 2020 graduates throughout the world that have been robbed of a grand cere-
mony of one of their crowning achievements for example. Or, the many weddings that were planned to take place in 2020 that have been canceled, drastically reduced in numbers of attendees or are being planned virtually. I often hear the same stories around me, plans being canceled and the frustration of living in a constant state of not knowing. I also had not made a plan B when the world abruptly came grinding down to a total halt, and I know many of you can relate. Since we all had to shelter in place inside this spring, I had plenty of time to lament, imagine and mull over the loss of plan A. I was still hanging on even though what I had hoped to accomplish pre-pandemic was quite possibly unrealistic now given all the limitations of social distancing, the weak economy and a wary, traumatized public. What could I do? I could be a better, kinder more patient person to those right near me and participate in community building during social distancing. “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” AFRICAN PROVERB
LETTING IN THE GOOD After the trauma of the recent riots and with tensions running high, I am fully advocating for actively creating a stronger, tight-knit community with your neighbors, family and friends. Following all guidelines and rules for safe socializing is now the new normal, but now is the time to work together. Choosing the right people for your tribe could not be more prudent right now. It is often said when the hard times hit, you know who your real friends are. Who are they? Do you have friends who could help immediately in case you need it? Call them often, don’t just text them and remind them that you are available too. This is not the time to face anything alone. Make conversation with your neighbors regularly and preferably from a long distance. Let them know that you are able to help out just in case and exchange numbers. The solidarity of people coming together via the balconies and windows of quarantined neighborhoods all over the world was a bright, encouraging light during an otherwise bleak time. It page 137
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BUILDING CONSCIOUS COMMUNITIES showed us that with community, we can pull together and get through even the most difficult circumstances.
LETTING GO OF THOSE NOT MEANT FOR US IS AN ACT OF SURRENDER
At some point, we must realize the futility of fretting about current unpredictability, and that is the point that we surrender to living fully in the present moment.
We have to deal with an unpredictable and possibly unhealthy outside world, so, we must be able to depend on the people we have in our inner world for shelter and sanctuary. If someone close to your life constantly triggers a strong negative emotional reaction, instead of reacting, this would be the time to step away and start asking yourself some questions.
Like all things that produce the rewards we seek, there must be some hard work, and the hard work involves letting go of anything that does not serve your highest and best good. One of the easiest ways to be present is to help someone else, and even the small things make a big difference.
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Does this person lift you up during defeats and cheer you on during victories? If you cannot answer yes to this simple question, then question yourself as to why you should accept anything less.
What would happen if you surrender to letting this person go from your life for just a little bit to focus on yourself? Often the misconception of surrender is the suggestion that one is giving up their power, when instead it is being gained. As our social lives are changed for the unforeseeable future, we are limiting ourselves to a much smaller community. If you need help making a community during the pandemic, reach out to the people that you see on a regular basis, people from the dog park or even the clerk at the grocery store you see every week. Make sure you learn their names and make a connection. If you have elderly neighbors leave a note by their door with your number and offer your services to run errands for them.
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RANCHO SAN CARLOS 2500 East Valley Road Montecito, California, 93108 United States
$75,000,000 USD 12 BEDROOMS / 11.5 BATHS / 29,483 SQ. FT / 237.82 ACRES
The magnificent Rancho San Carlos, an approx. 237-acre estate property that for nearly 100 years has been under the ownership of one family. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a unique property of unprecedented grand scale, exceptional architecture, and historical significance. The sprawling hilltop Monterey Colonial manor was designed by noted architect Reginald Johnson in 1931 with an approx. 29,483-sq.ft. exquisite main residence comprised of over 30 rooms. Infused with an atmosphere of sophistication and refinement, the grand home is astutely sited on two natural terraces, and by planning the formal living rooms around a central courtyard and placing the master and family bedroom wings on the upper terrace, he effectively created a spatial separation that afforded privacy, calm and exceptional views. Additional features include 10 residential cottages, an office, producing orchards, and extensive equestrian facilities. page 144
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VOLUME IV / ISSUE VII / JULY 2020
The most beautifully designed home in New York… and possibly the world.
240 PARK AVE
SOUTH PENTHOUSE New York, New York, 10003 United States
$30,000,000 USD BEDROOMS: 3 / BATHS: 4.5
This “journey into bespoke craftsmanship” from master design studio Soren Rose encompasses the entire top floor and rooftop of the 240 Park Avenue South Condominium. A team of master craftsmen, designers and artisans were chosen to design, curate, mill, forge and build this breathtaking home over a six-year period. Soren Roses’ “Magnum Opus” Duplex Penthouse, boasts the most stunning private pool in all of Manhattan, 30-feet long with infinity glass wall and constructed of custom blue Mosaic Bisazza Tile. The panoramic northern view to the page 146
Empire State and Chrysler buildings is as spectacular during the day as it is during sunset and all night. A hallmark of the residence is a signature, 24-foot tall, 45-panel, book-matched wall of Green Verdi Alpi marble hand selected from the same quarry in the Swiss Alps that Mies Van Der Rohe chose his marble for The Barcelona Pavilion. This exquisite feature is an architectural element not to be matched anywhere in the world and in perfect harmony with the use of steel, stone, leather, wood and glass in the home, successfully tying together traditional Scandinavian design with industrial and contemporary New York. A TOUR OF THE RESIDENCE: A keyed elevator grants entry into the Private Landing with storage and custom exterior door of blackened brass, lined on the interior with Cognac-leather panels. The hefty sculpture door is opened with
custom keys designed to be worn as pieces of jewelry. Upon entry, the striking marble wall leads
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PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS: 8 Room Duplex Penthouse: 5,646 Square Feet Interior/Exterior Private Glass Rooftop Pavilion with 30’ Mosaic Bisazza Tile Pool and Roman Travertine Terrace 24’, 2 Story, 45 Panel Verdi Alpi Marble Wall Imported from the Swiss Alps Ceiling Heights up to 24’ Arclinea Custom Kitchen with 17’ Gra Bla Marble Island Statuario Marble Outdoor Kitchen and Fireplace Dinesen Classic 18’ Plank Oak Floors, White Oil Finish Savant Pro, Latest in Home Automation Technology Two Custom Designed Gas Fireplaces
you toward the Great Room with 24’ ceilings, 6 massive picture windows, a porthole window looking into the pool, gas fireplace and flat screen TV cleverly hidden behind a piece of art and accessible with the touch of a button. The Kitchen with two oversized windows providing dazzling views and includes a 17’ long Gra Bla Marble Island and Gaggenau appliances. The private, south facing Master Suite boasts a private Library, 13.5’ ceilings, five grand windows, custom millwork featuring floating master bed and gracious dressing room with oak closets and interior leather detail finishes. The five-fixture Master Bath contains a white marble Statuario soaking tub cut from a single stone, Bisazza tiled double shower stall and double vanity and Vola fixtures. The cantilevered oak and floating glass curved staircase leads from the Great Room up to the Mezzanine Office/Bedroom with skylight, and automatic privacy glass and wooden wall raised with the touch of a button. Continuing up the stairs you enter the glass enclosed indoor/outdoor Rooftop Pavilion featuring 30’ pool with infinity glass wall and custom blue Mosaic Bisazza Tile, 360 degree views, three seating areas, gas fireplace, wet bar, double wine refrigerator, indoor/outdoor kitchen, custom built grill, cleverly hidden flat screen TV, outdoor shower, Bisazza tiles, Roman Travertine roof pavers, Bisazza and VOLA fixtures and Statuario marble.
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VILLA ROQUEBRUNE Cap Martin (06190)
24,900,000 € 9 BEDROOMS / 747 SQ. METERS
Prestigious villa at the gates of Monaco in a secure private estate. A luxury property nestled between Monaco and Italy in the heart of a wooden and green area, the property offers a magnificent ocean view and an exceptional view of the Principality of Monaco and the prestigious Cap Martin. This exclusive 747 square meter property consists of a main villa of 540 square meters, with a master floor of 130 square meters, and a secondary house of 207 square meters. The property mainly offers nine bedrooms, including an independent apartment for the staff. Several large terraces page 148
for a total area of more than 1000 square meters give you the feeling of living on a boat, facing one of the most exceptional landscapes. A heated pool, a sauna and a jacuzzi complete this prestigious property— benefiting from great potential for
anyone who wants to enlarge the villa or add some extra personal touches. A few minutes away from Monaco on foot, close to beautiful beaches and the famous Monte-Carlo Beach Club and Country Club, Italy and the highway. 25 minutes to Nice Côte d’Azur
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STAY HEALTHY
THE 15 TOP SUPPLEMENTS TO BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM Y
our immune system consists of a complex collection of cells, processes, and chemicals that constantly defends your body against invading pathogens, including viruses, toxins, and bacteria. Keeping your immune system healthy year-round is key to preventing infection and disease. Making healthy lifestyle choices by consuming nutritious foods and getting enough sleep and exercise are the most important ways to bolster your immune system. In addition, research has shown that supplementing with certain vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other substances can improve immune response and potentially protect against illness. However, note that some supplements can interact with prescription or overthe-counter medications you’re taking. Some may not be appropriate for people with certain health conditions. Be sure to talk with your healthcare provider before starting any supplements. Here are 15 supplements that are known for their immune-boosting potential.
1. Vitamin D Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient essential to the health and functioning of your immune system. Vitamin D enhances the pathogen-fighting effects of monocytes and macrophages — white blood cells that are important parts of your immune defense — and decreases inflammation, which helps promote immune response. Many people are deficient in this important vitamin, which may negatively page 152
affect immune function. In fact, low vitamin D levels are associated with an increased risk of upper respiratory tract infections, including influenza and allergic asthma. Some studies show that supplementing with vitamin D may improve immune response. In fact, recent research suggests that taking this vitamin may protect against respiratory tract infections. In a 2019 review of randomized control studies in 11,321 people, supplementing with vitamin D significantly decreased the risk of respiratory infections in people deficient in this vitamin and lowered infection risk in those with adequate vitamin D levels. This suggests an overall protective effect.
2. Zinc Zinc is a mineral commonly added to supplements and other healthcare products like lozenges that are meant to boost your immune system. This is because zinc is essential for immune system function. Zinc is needed for immune cell development and communication and plays an important role in inflammatory response. A deficiency in this nutrient significantly affects your immune system’s ability to function properly, resulting in an increased risk of infection and disease, including pneumonia. Zinc deficiency affects around 2 billion people worldwide and is very common in older adults. In fact, up to 30% of older adults are considered deficient in this nutrient. Numerous studies reveal that zinc sup-
plements may protect against respiratory tract infections like the common cold. What’s more, supplementing with zinc may be beneficial for those who are already sick. In a 2019 study in 64 hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRIs), taking 30 mg of zinc per day decreased the total duration of infection and the duration of the hospital stay by an average of 2 days, compared with a placebo group. However, excessive doses may interfere with copper absorption, which could increase your infection risk.
3. Vitamin C Vitamin C is perhaps the most popular supplement taken to protect against infection due to its important role in immune health. This vitamin supports the function of various immune cells and enhances their ability to protect against infection. It’s also necessary for cellular death, which helps keep your immune system healthy by clearing out old cells and replacing them with new ones. Vitamin C also functions as a powerful antioxidant, protecting against damage induced by oxidative stress, which occurs with the accumulation of reactive molecules known as free radicals. Oxidative stress can negatively affect immune health and is linked to numerous diseases. Supplementing with vitamin C has been shown to reduce the duration and severity of upper respiratory tract infections, including the common cold. Interestingly, the review also demonstrated that regularly taking vitamin
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C supplements reduced common cold occurrence in individuals under high physical stress, including marathon runners and soldiers, by up to 50 percent. Supplemental daily doses typically range between 250 and 1,000 mg.
4. Elderberry Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra), which has long been used to treat infections, is being researched for its effects on immune health. In test-tube studies, elderberry extract demonstrates potent antibacterial and antiviral potential against bacterial pathogens responsible for upper respiratory tract infections and strains of the influenza virus. What’s more, it has been shown to enhance immune system response and may help shorten the duration and severity of colds, as well as reduce symptoms related to viral infections. Elderberry supplements are most often sold in liquid or capsule form.
of medicinal mushrooms have been studied for their immune-boosting potential. Over 270 recognized species of medicinal mushrooms are known to have immune-enhancing properties. Cordyceps, lion’s mane, maitake, shitake, reishi, and turkey tail are all types that have been shown to benefit immune health.
immune response, especially in people with certain types of cancer. Many other medicinal mushrooms have been studied for their beneficial effects on immune health as well. Medicinal mushroom products can be found in the form of tinctures, teas, and supplements.
Some research demonstrates that supplementing with specific types of medicinal mushrooms may enhance immune health in several ways, as well as reduce symptoms of certain conditions, including asthma and lung infections. In a randomized, eight-week study in 79 adults, supplementing with 1.7 grams of cordyceps mycelium culture extract led to a significant 38 percent increase in the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, a type of white blood cell that protects against infection. Turkey tail is another medicinal mushroom that has powerful effects on immune health. Research in humans indicates that turkey tail may enhance
5. Medicinal mushrooms Medicinal mushrooms have been used since ancient times to prevent and treat infection and disease. Many types
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STAY HEALTHY
THE 15 TOP SUPPLEMENTS TO BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
6–15. Other supplements with immune-boosting potential
Aside from the items listed above, many supplements may help improve immune response: Astragalus. Astragalus is an herb commonly used in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Animal research suggests that its extract may significantly improve immune-related responses. Selenium. Selenium is a mineral that’s essential for immune health. Animal research demonstrates that selenium supplements may enhance antiviral defense against influenza strains, including H1N1. Garlic. Garlic has powerful anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. It has been shown to enhance immune health by stimulating protective white blood cells like NK cells and macrophages. However, human research is limited. Andrographis. This herb contains andrographolide, a terpenoid compound found to have antiviral effects against respiratory-disease-causing viruses, including enterovirus D68 and influenza A. Licorice. Licorice contains many substances, including glycyrrhizin, that may help protect against viral infections. According to test-tube research, glycyrrhizin exhibits antiviral activity against severe acute respiratory-syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Pelargonium sidoides. Some human research supports the use of this plant’s extract for alleviating symptoms of page 154
acute viral respiratory infections, including the common cold and bronchitis. Still, results are mixed, and more research is needed. B complex vitamins. B vitamins, including B12 and B6, are important for healthy immune response. Yet, many adults are deficient in them, which may negatively affect immune health. Curcumin. Curcumin is the main active compound in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and animal studies indicate that it may help improve immune function. Echinacea. Echinacea is a genus of plants in the daisy family. Certain species have been shown to improve immune health and may have antiviral effects against several respiratory viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus and rhinoviruses. Propolis. Propolis is a resin-like material produced by honeybees for use as a sealant in hives. Though it has impressive immune-enhancing effects and may have antiviral properties as well, more human research is needed. According to results from scientific research, the supplements listed above may offer immune-boosting properties. However, keep in mind that many of these supplements’ potential effects on immune health have not been thoroughly tested in humans, highlighting the need for future studies. Many supplements on the market may help improve immune health. Zinc, elderberry, and vitamins C and D are just some of the substances that have been
researched for their immune-enhancing potential. However, although these supplements may offer a small benefit for immune health, they should not and cannot be used as a replacement for a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, engaging in regular physical activity, and not smoking are some of the most important ways to help keep your immune system healthy and reduce your chances of infection and disease. If you decide that you want to try a supplement, speak with your healthcare provider first, as some supplements may interact with certain medications or are inappropriate for some people. Moreover, remember that there’s no scientific evidence to suggest that any of them can protect against COVID-19 — even though some of them may have antiviral properties. An important note: No supplement will cure or prevent disease. With the 2019 coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, it’s especially important to understand that no supplement, diet, or other lifestyle modification other than physical distancing, also known as social distancing, and proper hygiene practices can protect you from COVID-19. Currently, no research supports the use of any supplement to protect against COVID-19 specifically.
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VOLUME IV / ISSUE VIII / AUGUST 2020
MOLD YOUR MIND FOUR WAYS TO BATTLE THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN JOEY VELEZ MA, MBA @velezmentalperformance Healthy Lifestyles Contributor
F
ears present themselves in many forms, whether it is being in a boat and not seeing the bottom of the ocean or not being able to see the results of a pending decision, fear casts a shadow over your life that inhibits you from learning about yourself. Fear is an increased sensitivity to ambiguous, uncertain threats, which elicit emotional responses such as worry, doubt and anxiety, and are a result of not wanting to get out of your comfort zone. I am here to tell you that it is acceptable to feel fear; however, do not let that fear dictate your actions or lack of actions in this case. Embrace your fears and face them head-on so that you can experience life to the fullest. page 156
Personal Experience: Fearing the Unknown
In January 2017, I was preparing for my final quarter of graduate school. At a town hall meeting before the beginning of the quarter, current and incoming students met to discuss expectations and challenges for the upcoming quarter. We broke into smaller groups, and one professor asked, “What is something that scares you going into this quarter?� As I thought about it, I realized that once the quarter ended, I never had to go back to school again. Ever since kindergarten, once the school year ended, I took a short break and was back in school. I never had to think about the next step because the next step had already been planned for me. So, my response to her question was that I was afraid of not knowing what was next. I feared the unknown. Once the quarter ended, everything beyond that was up to me, and that was frightening and made me nervous. I experienced a sense of anxiety, worry and even self-doubt that I could not handle life without someone telling me what to do.
The process I took to overcome this fear started with talking it out. Expressing these anxieties helped me accept my trepidation and why it was there. Coming to terms with the fearfulness I held meant realizing that failure was a possible outcome; however, so was success, and it was just as likely an outcome. I was able to alter my perspective on these concerns and decided to embrace them as opposed to avoiding them. By doing this, fear of the unknown began to fill me with excitement. I did not know what was coming next, I did not have anything planned, which started to excite me because I began to see that I would be in control of my life and what I wanted to do next. This all started with a debilitating fear that I turned into motivation. The Four-Step Process To shed fear of the unknown, you take four steps: understanding, investigation, acceptance and embrace. First, you must develop an understanding of your fear. The brain prefers to view things negatively and does not like being in unfamiliar situations. The brain re-
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“Fear keeps us rooted in the past. Fear of the unknown, fear of abandonment, fear of rejection, fear of not having enough, fear of not being enough, fear of the future – all these fears and more keep us trapped, repeating the same old patterns, and making the same choices over and over again. Fear prevents us from moving outside the comfort of what we know. It’s nearly impossible to achieve our highest vision for our lives as long as we are being guided by our fears.” –DEBBIE FORD, AMERICAN SELF-HELP AUTHOR sponds with self-limiting beliefs based on what might happen versus the actual reality of the situation. You begin to develop this, “What if I fail?” narrative that keeps you from stepping into the unknown. Therefore, the first step of understanding the fear of the unknown is acknowledging that the mind is creating this idea that since we do not know what lies ahead, we should not continue down that path. Your brain creates this fear by the thoughts that your brain is hardwired to develop. Next, do some investigative work on the cause of your phobia of the unknown. In other words, identify why this is something you dread. Fear can be paralyzing and can stop you from living life to the fullest. When you get into unfamiliar situations that require you to step out of your comfort zone, analyze why this situation is something that scares you. Developing an understanding of why this fear exists within you can help you cope with and move past your anxieties. For example, when I feared the unknown during graduate school, it existed within me because I never truly felt like I was in control of my own decisions, so I felt I was not ready or prepared for that after graduate school. Once this realization occurred, I was able to implement power statements, “You will be great,” and “You can do this.” These helped identify all of my qualities and traits that showed that I was prepared for life after graduate school, that I was ready to make decisions on my own. Once you can identify the cause of this fear, you can begin brainstorming on ways to respond when placed in those situations. Part of the reason the fear of the unknown exists is that you have no idea if you will succeed or fail. Therefore, you must accept the possibility of failure
in these situations to move beyond this dismay. Nobody wants to fail, that is certain, but there is this negative connotation on what failure actually means. Failure can be defined as the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, which is true, but failure also leads toward the path of success. Without failure, there is no success.
example, I went skydiving a couple of years ago. I was so afraid, not knowing if I were going to live or die. I almost let the fear of the unknown paralyze me from this experience. Once I embraced the unknown and re-interpreted these nerves as excitement, I jumped out of that plane and experienced emotions that I may never experience again.
J.K. Rowling, the famous author of the Harry Potter series, was rejected by 12 publishers before someone took a chance on her. Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player in the history of the NBA, was cut from his high school junior varsity team as a sophomore. He also has one of the greatest quotes of all time related to failure, “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Let’s say you are investing money in a new venture. You might be afraid to invest because you do not know if there will be a return on your investment. This is a high risk-high reward situation, but you are solely focused on the risk. Instead, let that moment excite you, embrace that you do not know what is going to happen next. By stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing the unknown, embracing change will open your eyes to a world of opportunity and potential growth. By making this philosophical change that fear, failure and the unknown are fundamental aspects of life and growth, you can manage them more successfully and live a fuller life.
Failure is an opportunity to learn about yourself and learn the ways that work (or don't work). Therefore, remove the societal idea of failure and use these experiences as opportunities to learn. Doing this creates a positive outcome associated with those situations. If you cannot accept the possibility of failure as an option, then your fear of the unknown will convince you to stay put in your comfort zone, minimizing your chances of being successful and fully experiencing what life has to offer. Finally, after you develop an understanding of your fear and have learned to accept failure, let the fear excite you. Embrace the unknown. Instead of viewing the unknown as a potential threat, start seeing it as a challenge for you to overcome. Turn those nerves of fear into nerves of excitement. For
Final Thoughts Nelson Mandela once said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” Facing your fears is a courageous act, it is brave, it demonstrates belief in yourself, and it shows that you can withstand what comes next. Fear of the unknown is created by thoughts and self-limiting beliefs that are all held in your mind. The goal is not to eliminate fear entirely, just when its hold on you is unhelpful. When facing the unknown, remember to understand the fear, investigate where it’s coming from, accept it, and embrace it. Just breathe and enjoy the ride. page 157
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