The Brick Magazine - May 2020 by The Brick Magazine Ann Arbor

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Kristen Domingue Alison Downing Jordan Dr. Nekeshia Hammond Julie Mariouw Yvonne Heath Marilyn Pellini Beth Johnston Lisa Profera Maria Sylvester

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CONTENTS 8

Keep Calm and Julep On

Living With and Through Fear

Cultivating Spaciousness Inside and Out

Tough2Gether with Jace Ward

10 Tips for Eco-Friendly Travel

Gut Talk: Your Internal Environment and How You Can Change It

May Is Brain Tumor Awareness Month

You Can Make a Difference

Feed Your Hair

For Personal & Planetary Thriving Acceptance: The Doorway to Transformation

Small Business Survival During COVID-19

Global Grief and Just Showing Up

Write with Color: Rediscover Your Childhood Genius

The Environment of Women

The Worst of Times

How Is Washtenaw County Responding to the Climate Crisis?

Uplevel Your Self-Care by Stepping into Nature

Welcome to Booze 101 with

Liz

Keep Calm and Julep On

by Liz Crowe Photo by Adam Jaime

8 | The Brick Magazine

Dedicated to all the non-Kentuckians I have educated about the holiday on the first Saturday of May...

irstly: he question “when is the Kentucky Derby?” has a simple answer. It is always, forever and ever amen (but not this year!), the first Saturday of May. It can be any number on the calendar of May, as long as that number is one through seven. If someone says to you the Derby is on May 8th or 15th or something else ridiculous, you now know what to say to that.

(Update: this year, due to circumstances I’m sure you’re all aware of, the Derby will be held on Friday, September 4th, 2020.) Secondly: I will not be addressing the ongoing animal welfare issues raised by horse racing. I don’t have an answer other than, being the Kentuckian that I am, horses are part and parcel of my upbringing, and the industry built around them has employed thousands of people and will continue to do so whether they race the animals or not. We shall leave the ethics of the sport to someone who has more knowledge about that than I. Finally: as you might suspect, this is yet another bourbon column (hooray!), so if that makes you sad, skip it. If not, let’s make a few drinks, shall we? But first, some context. You might not know this: most Louisville residents do not attend the Derby. It’s expensive. It sells out years in advance. Most everybody has already done the cheap seats option in the infield. Up until about ten years ago, “Townie Day” was the Friday before, when the Kentucky Oaks was run. The Oaks is a stakes race that is also called the “Derby for fillies” (a.k.a. all female horses). Now that the Oaks day is almost as crowded and expensive as Derby day, many natives hit the track on the Thursday before, hence the “Thurby” designation, if you’re local. Anyways, now there’s serious money to be made doing an Air BNB with your own house and getting out of town that weekend. Personally, I’ve done the infield twice. One of those times was when I was a student at the University of Louisville, which is located about eight blocks away from the track. It’s a serious rite of passage at U of L. I highly recommend

it. It’s $50 a ticket now, I think. I paid $15, but I’m old, so there you go. When I went, you did things like pour your bourbon into Ziploc bags and bury them under a pile of chicken in a KFC bucket, since you’re technically not allowed to bring your own liquor in. Not sure how that works these days, but I know my kids have gone and said they were able to use a few of Mom and Dad’s old tricks. Crowe Tradition. We’re very proud. Oh, and did I mention that if you’re there to watch horse racing, you should avoid the infield? You might feel the ground rumble a few times if you’re in line for the portapotties, or possibly get a drink because you either ran out of your own or weren’t as wily as the Crowes hiding it on your way in, but mostly you’re there to party. Moving up from the infield, you can get grandstand seats. These are the first-come-first-served chairs and benches (but you mostly stand) that actually put you pretty darn close to the action. Private boxes are located a level up from that, and are owned by families and businesses. If you own one, you must populate it during the racing calendar so that it’s not a bad investment for a business, as those tickets (but not the Derby weekend ones) are reasonable and can be given out to clients and whatnot. Then there’s Millionaire’s Row at the top — private, airconditioned, food and drinks included. Good luck with getting that. And if you do go, be sure to invite me, your favorite booze writer and relocated Kentuckian, okay? However, whether you’re a millionaire or an infield partier, you can always imbibe the official drink of the event: the mint julep. During that first weekend of May, Churchill Downs will prepare and sell upwards of 130,000 mint juleps. The drink itself originated in Virginia (also known as a horsey state). It was primarily a rum, brandy, or gin drink infused with sweet syrup and mint, and used to be used May 2020 | 9

medicinally or as a morning jolt since Starbucks wasn’t around to satisfy that need. In John Davis’s 1803 book Travels of Four and a Half Years in the United States of America, a mint julep was called a “dram of spirituous liquor that has mint steeped in it, taken by Virginians of a morning.”

useful discussion of the types of bourbon we had a couple of months ago, you’ll know what I mean when I say Woodford is a “high rye” style of bourbon that has more of a bite to it, thanks to the recipe that is by definition 70% corn (or it’s not a bourbon, remember?), and more rye than barley in the remaining recipe and mash.

And what’s up with that word “julep?” It derives from the ancient Persian gulab, which is a sort of sweetened rosewater. If you’ve ever had gulab jamun at an Indian restaurant, that’s similar. In classical Arabic, the word became julab, which became the Latin julapium.

Woodford claims that the entirety of the whiskey in its Woodford’s Master’s Collection is the product of pot distillation. For its main portfolio, the pot-distilled whiskey is blended with the column-distilled whiskey produced at the Brown-Forman Distillery in Louisville, KY.

Bourbon became associated with the drink thanks to the cost of the other ingredients. Bourbon was a local, (at the time) cheap option. And we are all so much better for it, are we not? As of 1938, it was named the Official Drink of the Run for the Roses, and if you can picture the beer and hot dog hawkers at a baseball game, you have a good idea of how you can get one that weekend at the track — minus the tossing of them, naturally.

By way of explanation as to why this matters: pot stills, the oldest brewing style, are believed to create more flavorful spirits because the process reuses small, highly concentrated quantities of alcoholic liquid called “heads” and “tails.” Column stills, also known as coffey or continuous stills, run continuously, making them more cost-efficient. I’ve been privy to plenty of distilleries in an attempt to understand both of these processes. I recommend that we all consider it “magic” and simply enjoy the end results.

Of course, there is an official bourbon of the Derby. It’s Woodford Reserve, and if you harken back to our super

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At the Derby, your julep is served in one of the official derby glasses with the official derby art for that year. I collect these. I have them going back into the ‘50s, and the ones where I actually drank out of them at the event itself hold many memories. I’ve observed the Derby from three of the four available areas. I own one really expensive hat and four not-so-much (FYI, you don’t need a hat in the infield, but it’s fun to get creative with them). I can and will say with 100% certainty that this is an event that could fill out a bucket list for most anyone — if attending fancy parties in hats while drinking a lot of bourbon, during which it could rain as if the heavens have opened up or be ninety degrees and require sunscreen, is on yours.

I realize that there are a lot of not-great traditions surrounding this event — the singing of My Old Kentucky Home at the beginning (which will make me cry), being one of the more awkward ones. And, of course, there is that whole horse-racing-is-bad-on-many-levels issue. I won’t argue any of this with you. However, the celebration of the first Saturday of May with sickly sweet bourbon drinks, hats, and gambling is one I have imported to three different countries. The Derby party I helped throw in Istanbul was a successful fund raiser for an animal shelter. We celebrated in England by attending the original Derby (pronounced “Darby”) complete with a really dangerous picnic of fresh strawberries and champagne. In Japan, we had to bootleg a little booze into town since it’s so expensive there, but we had a fun time anyway.

Now about that drink... It’s an easy one, but one that is better the purer your ingredients are — which is to say, get some fresh mint and make your own simple syrup, crush some ice, and read on. 1.

Wash hands in mint-scented soap

Pour your favorite Kentucky bourbon in a glass (mine’s going to be Jefferson’s Reserve, for the record)

Drink.

Oh, hang on. Did I say that last part out loud? Sorry. The ACTUAL recipe (for a drink that I do enjoy once a year) is as follows: •

2 ounces high-proof bourbon

•

.5 ounces simple syrup

•

A handful of fresh mint

•

Crushed ice

Muddle the mint in the bottom of a highball glass to release the essential oils. Add the rest of the ingredients. Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint. Enjoy. Technically, if we’re being purists, the drink should be served in a silver or pewter glass, and only held around the rim or at the bottom, so that the frostiness that forms on the cup isn’t adulterated, so to speak. If you hit it big on one of the races prior to the Derby, be sure to blow some of it on the $1,000 solid silver cup offered by Woodford, or (even better) the $2,000 gold cup option. Yes, these are real things.

If you ever have an excuse to be in Louisville the week leading up to the Derby, go. There’s something fun to do every single day — including a balloon race, a steamboat race on the Ohio River, a mini marathon, outdoor concerts, fireworks, and (one of my favorite Derby week traditions) the Chuck Wagon. These pop-up outdoor original food trucks serve BBQ and burgoo — a stew with lots of icky stuff in it that is, in a word, delicious with your lightly sweetened tea. So, that’s your Derby primer. Get a great hat and a spiffy spring dress with some matching pastel heels. Bring plenty of money for betting and bourbon. You might need a rain parka and umbrella, or you might need sunscreen and sunglasses. Regardless, you’ll have an amazing time. It’s pretty much guaranteed.

For the first time since 1945, the Kentucky Derby will be postponed and held on the first Saturday of September instead of May. It’s with good reason, and we all know what that is, so I won’t belabor it here. Suffice it to say, I will be ready and very likely in attendance on Oaks Day, which will be Friday, September 4, 2020. Cheers! Amazon best-selling author, mom of three, brewery founder, craft beer marketing consultant, and avid sports fan, Liz Crowe is a Kentucky native and graduate of the University of Louisville currently living in Ann Arbor. She has decades of experience in sales, public relations, and fundraising, plus an eight-year stint as a three-continent, ex-pat trailing spouse, all of which provide ongoing idea fodder for novels and other projects. www.facebook.com/lizcroweauthor (fan page) www.twitter.com/ETLizCrowe

May 2020 | 11

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Living With and Through Fear by Monica Brancheau

n my living room and office hangs a verse from one of my favorite songs, “Oceans” by Hillsong United:

“Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders. Let me walk upon the waters wherever You would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander, and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior.” Every time I read or hear that verse, I’m swaddled in comfort and strength.

“Trust without borders” is a very challenging idea for people like myself who like to have control. When control is lost, I can remember every detail of the moment of where I was, who I was with, etc... On September 18, 2012 I was standing alone in the small copier room of the school that I taught in. I stood with my hands touching a table, staring at a copier machine and laminating machine when I heard the words over the phone. “You have cancer.” I know the woman on the other line said more, but I can’t recall what that was. That was the moment my life changed forever. My cancer diagnosis thrust me into a fork-in-the-road

moment. My frustration and despondent feelings about education were suddenly illuminated. I had been laid off numerous times, could no longer teach creatively, and I even had to give numerous standardized tests to seven-year-olds, to name a few grievances. In addition, there were bubbles and mold growing on the wall in my classroom that were never dealt with by DPS, the carpet that was crawling with ants (that my students would then pick up) was never treated, and there were cockroaches that my students would step on almost daily. My students and I would have to wear coats inside because the heat in my classroom would not go above 60°F. I had to put a club on my steering wheel every day, for fear of my car being stolen. It was all finally too much. Saying goodbye to my sweet, lovely students made the decision so difficult, but ultimately I knew that for my physical and mental health, it was time for me to say goodbye to teaching after having this career for 12 years. “Let me walk upon waters wherever You would call me.” Moving from teaching to the world of nonprofits was only possible due to my volunteer experience with the Junior League of Ann Arbor and the amazing mentorship I had from phenomenal women. About a month into my job at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washtenaw County, I met Tammi Carr. From the moment I met her, she became a mentor to

May 2020 | 13

me in the world of nonprofit fundraising. Meeting Tammi is like being in this vortex of kindness, excitement, and purpose all rolled into one. It’s almost impossible to not be inspired by whatever she’s inspired by. One day we were driving around together picking up items for an event, and she asked me about my cancer journey. After sharing with her my story, she said, “I would never wish cancer upon anyone.” Two days after this conversation, her three-year-old son Chad was diagnosed with DIPG. Again, I remember exactly where I was when I learned this news — sitting in my office at BBBS with my co-worker Jen. We were both completely stunned by the news. As many in the community did, I rallied behind the Carr family, helping out in any way I could. Even during that hard time, Tammi continued to be a mentor to me as I continued on my career journey of fundraising. About three months after Chad died, I became the director of Ele’s Place. This intersection of our relationship is once again fortuitous as she not only became an Ele’s Place family member working through her grief, but the foundation she worked for was a key donor in the campaign for the permanent Ele’s Place building. “Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander.” While I was going through my cancer journey, I knew that I had a calling to one day fundraise for cancer research, particularly for children’s cancer. Every part

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of my professional life involved helping children, and as a cancer survivor, I knew I had to make an impact in that space. Kismet can pop up in any moment, and the opportunity to be a part of the ChadTough team was just that moment. Every part of my life, professionally and personally, had prepared me for fundraising for pediatric brain cancer research. To now work alongside my mentor and friend is nothing short of a gift. I believe that my time at ChadTough will “take me deeper than my feet could ever wander,” into a place where we find a cure for DIPG. Living with and through fear is what has allowed for change, challenge, and calling in my life. The connections in our lives are like delicate spider silk. To trust that those thin strands won’t break is to lean into the unknown and believe that in the end, the web of your life will be beautiful. A woman who has had multiple careers, mom of four and passion for dance, Monica Brancheau is a Michigan native and graduate of the University of Michigan who then never left Ann Arbor. She has decades of experience in working with children’s issues from education to non-profit work in teaching in urban settings, non-profit management, marketing fun, capital campaigns and fundraising. She is currently the Director of Strategic Partnerships at the ChadTough Foundation. When not working you can find her gardening, reading, writing, listening to music, and spending time with her treasured family.

Chad Carr, with his mother Tammi, lost his battle with DIPG at the age of 5.

Your child should never be a memory. Brain cancer is killing more children than any other type of cancer. The worst form of it is Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). It’s responsible for almost half of all pediatric brain cancer deaths – with a staggering survival rate of nearly 0%. But with increased awareness and funding, we can one day change that number. It’s time to join the fight for a cure. Donate today. www.ChadTough.org/donate

Cultivating Spaciousness Inside and Out

by Maria Sylvester, MSW, CPC

Photo by Leo Manjarrez 16 | The Brick Magazine

f spaciousness were a muscle, could you flex yours easily? And what might you expect if you could?

Cultivating the capacity for spaciousness in our lives is essential for a healthy and vibrant wellbeing. When I speak of spaciousness, I’m referring to both an internal, psychological spaciousness of mind and spirit, as well as a sense of physical spaciousness as you move through your day and your environment. Greater spaciousness, inside and out, can create an exquisite sense of personal sanctuary — a place of refuge and safety. A haven of sorts. Under a canopy of spaciousness, our lives can open and transform in very powerful and unique ways. Contrast this with the energy of being hectically busy, for example. Extreme business, either internally with chronically buzzing thoughts and rumination, or frenetic external moving — for instance, as you race from task to task, or from one commitment to the next — can eventually leave one feeling exhausted, constricted, and emotionally numb. In other words, and I can’t say this strongly enough, a lack of spaciousness in our lives makes us all the more susceptible to feelings of disconnection from ourselves.

Environmental Spaciousness If we explore first the notion of creating spaciousness in our physical world — our home, office, closets, and outside landscapes — we note that open space is truly an everypresent option. Yet, it’s not one we sometimes consider. Spaciousness matters. You do not have to have multiple objects cluttering your rooms, closets, or yards. You have a choice, always. And your choice automatically effects your emotional state. What surrounds us effects us. I make the case that the less you have in your physical space, the better you’ll feel. Open space offers us a sense of calm because there is less to attend to, care for, clean, dust, move around, or trip over. There are fewer decisions to be made about possessions when your space isn’t filled with them. Fewer decisions, when not bound by objects, means less overwhelm and stress. With less overwhelm and stress, you are more able to relax. Panoramic views, of either kitchen counters or outdoor landscapes, increase our capacity to feel peace!

So, have I inspired you yet to begin a good ol’ springclean-purge? If your physical environment is one where spaciousness abounds, the energy in the space will feel different — much more expansive and of a higher vibration. Open vistas foster that sweet sense of being able to stretch and breathe, to feel freedom. To feel back into ourselves, and into our desires.

Inner Spaciousness Feelings of grace and wonder surface pretty quickly for me when I’ve given myself the mental or emotional space to truly experience a moment. I bet the same might be true for you. Truly taking in the experience of a situation, without an overstimulated psyche, and being able to really digest it through a slower pace can’t help but deepen and ripen the circumstance. This can hold true regardless of whether the event is a positive or a challenging one. When we aren’t rushed or full to the brim with mental fatigue, we breathe and move more easily (literally and figuratively), and can therefore think and reflect more powerfully. Spaciousness allows you to discover what is meaningful and rich in any given moment. You get to bask in it, and maybe even chance to ponder how you could use the moment for further personal growth. In other words, cultivating spaciousness of mind can help you develop greater intimacy with yourself. So, put your phone down and your to-do list away. Stop checking your calendar and reviewing your schedule. Push pause on your incessant mental chatter box. Postpone or say “no” to those obligatory commitments. Instead, put your feet up and drop deliciously into a moment of nothingness. Stay there. Be present. Digest it fully. Savor the moment. A life intentionally designed for creating psychological spaciousness gifts one a calm, emotionally-regulated state. In this state, we have room for more. More selfawareness, openness, gentleness, heart-space, and simply being. Giving yourself plenty of mental and emotional spaciousness helps you develop a greater capacity to cherish and nourish yourself on all fronts. The pause matters. Reveling there helps us better bear whatever life throws our way, be it times of hardship, May 2020 | 17

sadness, joy, or pleasure. This is because one’s emotional foundation, after rest, grows stronger. You’re then able to face reality head-on and from a place of resilience and resourcefulness. When your vantage point is one of openness, the qualities of rich, juicy, dynamic living flourish.

Pleasure Multiplied Deliberately creating a sanctuary of spaciousness in our lives enhances our personal relationship with pleasure — the perfect perk. A quality of openness and of being able to receive is directly correlated with the capacity to experience pleasure. I often remind my coaching clients that the vessel must be empty before it can be filled. To receive pleasure, one must make space for pleasure. A first step in this direction is to create a span of time to simply reflect on what you want or desire. With this awareness, you offer fertile ground for many feelings of euphoric delight — contentment, amusement, happiness, joyfulness, or ecstasy — to grow. This is because knowing what you desire helps you begin to manifest it or call it in. To know pleasure, you have to attune yourself to wellbeing. Speciousness, inside and out, clearly helps us stay in this yummy energy. And so, my friends, I invite you to consider cultivating an even more spacious quality of your environment, as well as of mind, body, spirit, and heart, than what might already exist for you. The breadth of possibility you’ll experience will bring wonderful contentedness into your life. From that expansive point, you can then just bask in the magnificence of the experience! Maria Sylvester, MSW, CPC is a certified Life Coach in Ann Arbor, MI who loves empowering adolescents, adults, and couples to live from the HEART of what really matters to them so that they can bring their fully expressed, vibrant selves into the world. She has a special gift for helping women reclaim their feminine power, and embrace their radiant, sensual, sexy spirits. Their lives transform. They soar into their mid-life magnificence! www.lifeempowermentcoaching.com Instagram: @life_coach_maria Photo by Mathieu Perrier

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Tough 2Gether with Jace Ward by Jen DeGregorio

ne ear ago, the Ward family received the kind of news that hopefully most of us will never experience — the kind of news that takes the air out of your lungs and drives you to your knees like an invisible gut punch. A few months earlier, twenty-year-old Jace Ward had been involved in a horrible roll-over car accident caused 20 | The Brick Magazine

by black ice in his hometown of Wamego, Kansas. When the Kansas University freshman walked away unharmed, the family felt truly blessed. But over the next ten weeks, he began to notice a change in his vision. The family expected that what Jace was experiencing would be understood through a standard vision test. That was not the case. His journey quickly led to a CT, then an MRI, and then hearing the words “terminal cancer.”

Jace was diagnosed on May 17th with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). This is the same form of brain cancer that took the life of Chad Carr, and the diagnosis ironically came to the Ward family on DIPG National Awareness Day.

What is DIPG No one knows what causes pediatric brain cancer, but we do know that DIPG is the deadliest kind. It’s an inoperable and currently incurable cancer located in an area of the brainstem known as the pons. The name “Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma” refers to how the tumor grows, where it is located, and what kind of cells give rise to the tumor. DIFFUSE means the tumor is not well-contained. It grows out into other tissue, mixing with healthy cells. This growth pattern makes it impossible to surgically remove the tumor without damaging healthy brain tissue. PONTINE refers to the location of the tumor in the part of the brainstem called the pons. The pons is responsible for breathing, sleeping, bladder control, balance and other important functions that are part of survival. GLIOMA is a word used for tumors that originate from glial cells. These are the cells that support the neurons that carry messages in the brain. DIPG primarily affects children, with most diagnoses occurring between the ages of five and seven years. It’s the worst form of pediatric brain cancer, and the one responsible for almost half of all pediatric cancer deaths with a staggering survival rate of nearly 0%. Worst of all, until recently, there had been no change in the standard of treatment in more than 50 years.

Jace, who was otherwise very healthy and active, was told his life expectancy ended before his 21st birthday.

Jace’s Journey When Lisa and Jace went to speak to the doctor about Jace’s vision changes, they fully expected that he was suffering from a possible brain bleed, or some other “fixable” problem. The office didn’t allow any other families in the room. After running some tests, Jace suddenly noticed a change in the doctor’s disposition, and the mood in the room shifted. “This was the moment I knew it was going to be the worst news. I just didn’t know how bad ‘the worst’ really was,” said Jace. It was just mother and son when the doctor told them, “There’s no easy way to say this. Jace has DIPG — an

aggressive, inoperable cancerous tumor in your pons. It’s terminal. It’s the worst type of brain cancer to have, and unfortunately we have not found ways to treat it.” “This is too much for Jace,” Lisa remembered thinking to herself. She began to shake and cry. “He’s only 20. I have to be strong, I told myself. Just breathe, stop shaking. He needs my strength right now.” She wrote down every word the doctor said in a notebook, thinking she had to learn as much as possible. She was in total shock, and even though she stopped processing the doctor’s words, she continued to write. As the doctor finished, Jace calmly responded without a single tear. “So what you’re telling me is that you, the best neurosurgeon in Kansas City, can’t help me. This is aggressive and it will kill me. I guess what I’ll need you to tell me is how long do I have to live?” Lisa recalled that the doctor locked his kind eyes with hers, silently wondering if he should answer bluntly. Jace continued. “I’m not afraid to die. I know where I’m going after this. I want to know how long I have to make an impact before I die.” The doctor replied, “Hopefully nine months.” That would have been one day before Jace’s 21st birthday. When I asked Jace how he processed such devastating news, he reflected on the fact that how he felt and how he reacted were two very different things. “Listening to the May 2020 | 21

doctors for the best treatment you want to pursue.” When Lisa asked Amanda what things she would have done differently regarding her daughter’s treatment, Amanda responded with a few things that Lisa believes changed the course of Jace’s journey.

doctor, I began to feel like someone else,” he said. “Like everything I had done, worked toward, and accomplished was taken away from me. I’d gone from being an ornery college sophomore who had big dreams of graduating law school, starting a family, and growing old to being the cancer kid. “What the hell am I going to do in these next nine months that would make a difference in others’ lives?” he wondered. “And how can I get it done going in and out of the hospital?” As he joined the rest of his family, he felt an overwhelming need to be strong. They could tell that Lisa was visibly shaken and knew immediately that something was very wrong. Jace forced a smile and joked, “What are you guys looking at?” They stared at him in silence, and Jace quickly blurted out, “I have brain cancer.” then he went to the car to have a moment alone. Over the next several days, Lisa googled DIPG for the first time. She was utterly deflated to read the desperation that other families felt. Many had been so frustrated that there hadn't been enough research done to find a cure. The Ward family was determined to learn all they could, stay strong in their faith, and help Jace find the best course of treatment. Like so many parents who’ve just been told their child has cancer, Lisa found guidance after posting on Facebook. Many people who’d been affected in some way by the DIPG monster began reaching out to Lisa. Amanda Monhollon, who lost her daughter to DIPG, offered helpful advice. She reminded Lisa, “You don’t have time to wish this wasn’t happening. You only have time to find the best

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She told Lisa that she would’ve fought to not use steroids if at all possible, she would not have rushed into radiation, and she would’ve explored CBD or other anti-inflammatory alternatives that would not harm the immune system to control swelling. She also would have looked into a biopsy to determine the viability of better clinical trial options. Over the next week, while Jace’s symptoms were getting progressively worse, Lisa learned everything she possibly could about DIPG and possible treatments and trials. After consulting with multiple doctors, they decided that a biopsy would be the best option to learn more about Jace’s tumor and how to best treat it. The biopsy, performed at University of California, San Francisco, showed that Jace has the mutation known as H3K27M, which is found in about 70% of DIPG cases. The Ward family learned about a new drug on trial called ONC201. This drug was starting to become known as the first effective drug for high-grade gliomas. It works by blocking dopamine from feeding the deadly cancer’s growth. The problem was, there were only two trials available — one for children and one for adults. Jace, being 20 years old, did not qualify for either trial. Lisa battled to get Jace on the new drug, but continued to run into obstacles. After getting the pharmaceutical company Oncoceutics to agree that Jace qualified for compassionate use of the drug, the family received an email from their doctor at the University of Kansas Medical Center saying they would not allow Jace to use ONC201. At this time, Jace was very sick, vomiting daily and having trouble walking and losing an excessive amount of weight. “In my head, I believed I would die in February. Depression and anxiety were the only two moods I had,” said Jace. “Learning I didn’t qualify for the ONC201 trial felt like my struggle was useless.”

Feeling defeated, there were days Lisa didn’t want to get out of bed. All she wanted to do was hold her son, who had shown such resilience, and fix everything for him. One morning, she received a call from Dr. Sabine Mueller, one of the leading pediatric neuro-oncologists in the country. “She was the only doctor in months who gave us a path to follow. She was compassionate, matter-of-fact, and calmly laid out what we should consider.” “It was during that conversation with Sabine that I watched my hero (my mom) find her hero (Sabine),” said Jace. In July, after getting help from many of the connections she had made — including Amanda Haddock of Dragon Master Foundation, Jenny Mosier of Michael Mosier Defeat DIPG Foundation, and Dr. Sabine Mueller — the family received a call that Dr. Karen Gauvin of St. Louis Children’s Hospital would treat Jace and allow the use of ONC201. By the end of the month, Jace’s vision had improved so rapidly that he could drive a car again. “I suddenly felt like the power was shifting in my battle,” said Jace. “My physical therapy became a work-out, chemo and radiation became routine, and my whole mood changed. I started to get stronger and felt inspired to fight.” By January 2020, after five months on ONC201, the family became almost certain the drug was making a positive impact on Jace’s cancer. His tumor had begun to shrink. Since that time, Jace and Lisa have made it their priority to do everything they can for other families who need help accessing the drug.

Making an Impact After reading about Jace, Janet Demeter of the DIPG Advocacy Group reached out to the Ward family. In September, the DIPG Advocacy Group was planning to propose H.Res 114 to Congress. The purpose of the resolution was to expose the deadly nature of pediatric brain cancer and the lack of adequate research funding. Janet explained that their goal was to have the resolution pass and make May 17th (which was also the day Jace was diagnosed) DIPG National Awareness Day. She felt that because of Jace’s age, he could speak about DIPG in a way other affected children could not. “The idea of telling lawmakers about a disease no one really knows about, except families who have watched their children suffer, spoke immensely to Jace,” said Lisa. “He felt it might be the impact he hoped to make.”

The Ward family spent three days in Washington DC with lawmakers. Still exhausted from having just completed a round of radiation treatments, Jace passed on museums and special offers for tours, but continued to get up each day and try to make an impact. He began each conversation with, “Do you know what DIPG is?” When the staff member would reply “Not really,” Jace would say, “Up until a few months ago, neither did I. I’m planning to go to law school, but I’m being told I have just six more months to live. This tumor will take away my sight, my hearing, my voice, and finally my breathing.” Jace continues to speak out every chance he gets. This past February 13th, he travelled to Capitol Hill to be part of a panel on the state of DIPG. That was only four days before his original life expectancy expired, and he celebrated his 21st birthday. February was a special month for Jace indeed, but one of the things he treasures most was meeting Dr. Sabine Mueller in person. “I was able to thank her in person, and I’m only sorry she isn’t able to help every child’s mom the way she did mine,” said Jace.

Still Fighting While Jace continues to do well on ONC201, he’s still fighting every day. “There are days Jace seems so normal, and looks so good that we forget our time with him might be shortened,” said Lisa. But she still watches his eyes, his walk, his waves of nausea for any hint of the tumor progressing. He’s still maintaining a 4.0 GPA and will be a senior at Kansas State University this fall. “I can’t die yet,” Jace can often be heard saying. “I’m too busy.” In addition to serving The ChadTough Foundation as the Director of Communications, Jen DeGregorio manages PR/marketing and events for several non-profits across Washtenaw County. She began her career in newspapers in 1995 as a means to cover college expenses. After completing her degree at the University of MichiganDearborn in English, she continued to build a career in advertising with the Ann Arbor News. She was one of the first hires at AnnArbor.com and became an integral part of the management team. In 2012, Jen decided to start her own businesses, with a focus on helping small businesses and non-profits. She splits her time between her home in Dexter, MI and an apartment in NYC where her husband has worked for almost a decade.

May 2020 | 23

10 Tips for Eco-Friendly Travel by Beth Johnston

24 | The Brick Magazine

or all of my life, I’ve been a nature lover. Maybe it’s because when I was a child, my family spent so much time camping and visiting national parks; maybe it’s because my favorite classes in school were biology and environmental education; or maybe it’s because I loved teaching hands-on life science to my students. Who knows, it’s probably a combination of all of those things. National Geographic and wildlife shows were always favorites of mine on TV. As a teen, I used to volunteer at the Huron Valley Humane Society, and last year I returned to volunteer there again. My favorite school field trips were to nature centers or wildlife rehabilitation centers. I have mixed feelings about zoos and aquariums. I know many are helping, but some are part of the problem. I much prefer to see animals in their natural habitats now. I’m not going to lie, I’m worried about our planet. I worry about pollution, global warming, endangered species, and over-tourism. Now that I’m a travel advisor, I’m especially cognizant of how I travel personally and educating my clients about sustainable tourism. What can you do to travel responsibly and be more eco-friendly? Here are ten tips for how you can help the environment when you travel:

1. Get rid of as much single-use plastic as possible I admit, this isn’t as easy as it sounds. I’m trying to make changes one step at a time. It seems so simple to say “Don’t buy plastic water bottles,” right? I have taken to carrying a stainless steel tumbler that I can use for either water or coffee when I travel. If you do purchase a plastic water bottle, you could refill it on your travels. Most airports have dispensers for refilling water containers. I also use cloth bags at the grocery store and while traveling. I remember that during my trip to Germany, we went to a local grocery store and there were no plastic bags; you had to purchase cloth bags if you didn’t bring your own. Some single-use plastic items you could replace with reusable solutions include plastic bags, plastic straws, plastic coffee stirrers, and plastic cutlery.

2. Pack light I used to be an over-packer. Now I pack sensibly, not only because it’s more efficient (and I never wore half of what I packed), but because every pound/kilo counts when flying. The heavier a plane is, the more fuel it uses, and the more carbon emissions it creates. Lighten your load by eliminating clothes that are not multipurpose.

3. Use biodegradable soaps and reef-friendly sunscreen I grew up on a lake, and we often took a “bath” in the lake water. I remember my mom giving us a bar of soap and off we’d swim. Consider taking a bar of soap along on your trip. Most bar soaps are biodegradable, plus they’re often not packaged in plastic. Some chemicals in sunscreen (oxybenzone and octinoxate) have proven harmful to coral reefs. Hawaii was the first state to ban the sale of sunscreens containing those ingredients in 2018. Make sure you purchase and use reef-friendly sunscreen whenever you’re near a body of water at your destination.

4. Buy local When you eat at local restaurants and shop at local establishments, you’re helping the local economy. You will also enhance your travel experience by having authentic interactions with the local culture. Make it a point to seek out restaurants that promote locally-sourced, sustainably-raised, or responsibly grown and harvested ingredients. Buy locally-made crafts and products that are practical souvenirs, and never purchase products made from protected or endangered species.

5. Take public transportation, walk, and pair countries Many destinations have great public transportation; using it is one of the best ways to help the environment while traveling. You don’t add to carbon emissions when you take public transportation. You can also interact with the locals more genuinely (this is part of the reason I love the rail system in Europe).

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Even better is riding a bike or walking. If you can get from one place to another on foot or a bike, go for it; you’ll be carbon-neutral and you’ll get some exercise. I’m also advising clients to think about country pairings when they travel. If there are two countries that you want to visit that are relatively close to each other, try to do them in one trip to save on separate plane trips. One tool I use for this is Virtuoso’s Wanderlist®, which includes country pairings in the travel portfolio created for you.

6. Use the same towel, and turn off the lights The best rule of thumb is to think of your hotel room as your home. Reuse the towels and bed linens, and remember to turn off the lights, TV, and A/C. At most front desks, you can request that your room not be serviced every day with fresh sheets or towels. Less laundry saves water. Many hotels have environmentally-friendly practices in place now; take advantage of them.

7. Buy sustainable clothing Last year, I attended one of the world’s largest travel conventions, Virtuoso Travel Week. One of the events, Under One Sky, focused on sustainable travel. They encouraged attendees to wear sustainable clothing. I had no idea this was even a thing! But lo and behold, many companies make sustainable clothing. This means that these companies use environmentally-friendly fabrics (such as sustainably-grown fiber crops or recycled materials), use natural resources efficiently and carefully, and opt for renewable energy resources whenever possible in the manufacturing of their clothing.

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8. Use travel companies that are committed to sustainability As a travel advisor who believes in sustainable tourism, I’m committed to using preferred partners who are practicing it. One of my earliest discoveries was The Brando Resort in French Polynesia. They were awarded LEED Platinum certification for their carbon neutrality, the ultimate environmental accolade.

Let's Get Dancing!

Now when I’m researching travel for clients, I’m cognizant of companies that embrace sustainability. A few that come to mind (including, but not limited to) are ME to WE, National Geographic Expeditions, Wilderness Safaris, Micato Safaris, Lindblad Expeditions, G Adventures, Intrepid Group, TTC Group (Treadright Foundation), and Delta Airlines. Look at the websites of hotels and travel companies you’re investigating for your trips and see what they’re doing to contribute to the sustainability effort. How are they celebrating the local culture, supporting the local economy, and protecting the environment?

9. Raise Global Citizens When I was teaching, it was my goal to grow more responsible citizens. Now that I’m a family travel advisor and new grandma, I want to foster better global citizens through travel. What does that look like? You can foster a sense of social and environmental responsibility in your children when you travel by traveling to destinations and cultures that are different from where you live. Opening their eyes to the world and showing them that “different” doesn’t mean better or worse. Let them experience the world; they can and will be agents of change.

10. Give Back There are so many opportunities now for giving back while you travel (sometimes called voluntourism). These small group experiences can be life-altering for you and your family. Imagine how impactful and bonding a trip would be if you and your loved ones were saving/ conserving wildlife or helping a local community with a

CALL US TODAY TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE INTRO LESSON Arthur Murray Ann Arbor 5060 Jackson Road Ann Arbor, Mi (734) 995-9500

local initiative. Your experience doesn’t have to end when you return from your trip. You can make monetary donations or donate items to a community in need. Once you’ve visited a destination and immersed yourself there, you’ll have a better idea of what would help the most. Eco-friendly or sustainable travel doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive of relaxing, having fun, and doing what you want on vacation. You can do it all, it’s just a simple mindset change. Start where you are and see where the journey takes you.

Beth was born and raised in Ann Arbor, MI and currently resides in Pinckney, MI with her husband Dan. She is a retired elementary educator from Ann Arbor Public Schools (13 years) and Pinckney Community Schools (17 years). She has three sons from her first marriage (ages 30, 28, & 25), a daughter-in-law, a new grandson, and three step-children. Using her luxury travel specialist expertise, Beth founded Orenda Travel. Our custom-crafted itineraries speak exclusively to families’ unique needs, passions, and sense of adventure. We believe that travel has the ability to change lives forever. www.orenda.travel www.facebook.com/OrendaLuxTravel/ www.instagram.com/orenda.travel/

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Gut Talk: Your Internal Environment and How You Can Change It by Allison Downing Jordan

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here are two kinds of environments that are key to our health and thriving as individuals and communities: our external environment and our internal environment. Your external environment includes the air you breathe, the sounds you hear, your relationships, your finances, your cleaning products, the biome you live in, the ozone layer, and so much more. Your internal environment includes your hormones, neurotransmitters, and even the myriad bacteria living in your gut. Here’s a quick review of your gut microbiome: •

No gut has all “good” bacteria. It’s a matter of having more good bacteria than bad.

•

All good bacteria are called “probiotics.” These bacteria eat fiber (anything our gut can’t break down on its own) and create life-giving short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).

•

Gut microbiota can communicate with the rest of the body! This is called “cross-talk.”

•

Cross-talk happens through chemicals and hormones — like a sort of microbial alphabet.

•

These signals can all be organized into two categories: pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory.

•

The entire body gets these signals, from the heart to the brain to the liver, through neuro-endocrine pathways. A huge nerve highway for these neurochemical signals is the vagus nerve, which connects the majority of our organs to our brain.

•

Pro-inflammatory signals sound like this to the body: “Stop! Help!”

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Anti-inflammatory signals sound like this to the body: “Calm down. Relax. It’s a good day!”

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The only hormone receptor we know of on microbes is for cortisol. Cortisol excites pathogenic microbes (like yelling “Wake up!”).

•

Researchers are still searching for the answer to the question “What does a healthy microbiome look like?”

Not knowing what a healthy microbiome looks like is problematic is creating a “cure-all” probiotic pill that can create the perfect gut microbiome. Why is it so hard to know what that is? Well, we have a lot of bacteria in

our bodies. There are approximately 3.3 million bacteria genomes in our gut alone, with approximately 500,000 metabolites. In just the oral cavity, nearly 700 species of bacteria can be found. Researchers have not studied all of these yet. They know what all of them do, but they do not know all of the roles each kind of bacteria plays. On top of this, every geographic location in the world has a different gut microbiome profile for the people who live there. A healthy gut in Africa may have an extremely different microbiome balance than a healthy gut in Russia. This makes it hard to define “one good gut” and create a probiotic pill for it. So if you love probiotics, great! Talk to you doctor and see if you are taking the best one for you. But in the meantime, here are three other ways that you can help your internal environment to flourish on top of your probiotics:

Eat Fresh Fruits and Vegetables When we eat food, we are not only feeding our brain, heart, and bones — we are also feeding the millions of microbes in our body. This is why losing weight can be so hard! If we eat unhealthy foods, the microbes that love those unhealthy foods will flourish, and they will ask our brain for more. Using cross-talk through the neuroendocrine pathway of the vagus nerve, our microbes can issue commands to the brain — like a million tiny voices crying out “Feed us!” The impact of microbes on our hunger provides new insight on the nature of cravings. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables causes our healthy microbes to increase, which will increase those microbial demands for those foods, making it even easier for us to get our daily dose and to support our body and immune system.

Decrease Stress There’s only one receptor that we know of that’s in every microbiota, and that’s the receptor for our stress hormone, cortisol. Your microbiota don’t have eyes on the outside of our body, so they need messengers to help them gauge how the body is doing. One of these key messengers May 2020 | 29

is cortisol. If it’s present, cortisol decreases the activity of good microbiota, while alerting pathogenic microbiota that it’s a prime time to increase activity. Choose one of these great ways to decrease stress (and do it today!): •

Take a 30-minute walk

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Do at-home yoga

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Write down five things you are grateful for (I suggest doing a gratitude journal every day!)

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Stretch in your chair

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Text an encouragement to a friend or coworker

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Ask for a hug, or hug someone

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Cuddle with your children or partner

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Make eye contact with someone and smile

All these actions tell our body that we are safe, social, and secure, and help us lower overall cortisol.

Increase Your Gut Movement Gut movement does not refer to the movement of our gut when we walk, bend, or run. It’s referring to peristalsis. Peristalsis is the coordinated, muscular movement of our gut that goes from the esophagus to the large intestine, and moves food through our body. Irregular peristalsis can look like acid reflux, IBS, constipation, or diarrhea. The walls of the gut are pushing food through too slowly or too quickly, resulting in backup of abdominal contents, bloating, pain, malabsorption, and thinning small intestine walls (resulting in leaky gut, or intestinal permeability). But we’re not the only organisms affected by irregular peristalsis. Our gut microbiome suffers, too. When food isn’t moving along in the digestive tract, bacteria will over-feed on the abdominal contents. This over-feeding is a major player in bloating, which is essentially the fermentation of food in our gut. There are a few ways you can help your gut achieve healthy peristalsis:

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•

Fight stress. Peristalsis, much like our heart, is governed by our autonomic system. It functions smoothest and strongest when we are in our “rest and digest” state, and not “fight or flight.”

•

Lay down on the floor and spend five minutes breathing deeply. We love the Heart Math app and other technology for helping guide and rate your heart coherency. This can help you get into a calm state.

•

Get craniosacral therapy. More and more people are hearing about craniosacral therapy, but one little-known fact is that craniosacral therapy can boost the health of your brain-gut axis by releasing restrictions around the brain, spinal cord, and vagus nerve. The health of nervous tissues directly correlates to healthy peristalsis. Get a visceral manipulation. Even if you have good signals going from your brain to your gut, you will not have good peristalsis if you have any restrictions around your organs. If you’ve ever given birth, been in a car accident, had any surgery in your abdomen, fallen on your tailbone, or collided into someone playing sports, your organs were just as affected by this physical injury as your bones or muscles were. Our organs are held in place by “seat belts” in our abdomen known

as ligaments and fascia. When pressure is put on these seat belts, they tighten to protect the organ. Sometimes, they don’t release. Without releasing these restrictions, no amount of low-stress and healthy brain-gut axis communication will help the restricted organs to move. You can find craniosacral therapy and visceral manipulation practitioners at IAHP.com. Click “Find a Practitioner” and search your area code. We suggest searching for those who do visceral manipulation first, since they are more rare, and then choose someone from that group who also does craniosacral therapy. Allison Downing Jordan LMT, BCTMB is the author of Stop Stomach Pain: How to Heal Your Gut and End Food Restrictions and is the founder and head therapist of Better Belly Therapies, an Ann Arbor clinic that treats men and women with IBS, acid reflux, and functional GI disorders to decrease food restrictions and increase quality of life. To learn more, you can visit betterbellytherapies.com to read more about our methods, or buy Stop Stomach Pain at betterbellytherapies.com/book. Available in ebook or print form. Instagram @betterbellytherapies Facebook @betterbellytherapies

May 2020 | 31

May Is Brain Tumor Awareness Month by Jen DeGregorio

ight now, there are more than 700,000 Americans living with a brain tumor, with nearly 80,000 people diagnosed each year (28,000 of which are children). More than one-third of these people will likely die from their tumor. During the month of May, we honor the warriors who are currently fighting as well as those who have lost their battle to brain cancer, which is so often underpublicized. Our hope is that increased awareness will bring to light the need for clinical studies to develop better early diagnostic tools, standardize treatment, and improve the health of those living with this terrible disease. Brain cancer is the tenth leading cause of death for men and women and is the leading cause of cancerrelated death among children. Still, advancement in the research of brain cancer has been excruciatingly slow. Since 1971, there has been an overall increase in survival of less than 10%

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for people with a high-grade brain tumor. The need for investment in this field of research is crucial. When Tammi Carr learned her then three-year-old son Chad was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), she was horrified to learn that pediatric brain cancer receives less than 1% of all federal funding for cancer research. Brain cancer kills more children than any other type of cancer, and DIPG is the worst form of pediatric brain cancer. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responsible for almost half of all pediatric cancer deaths, with a staggeringly low survival rate of nearly 0%. The reality is that pediatric brain cancer research has not received enough attention. Chad faced the same prognosis in 2014 as a child diagnosed with the same disease forty years earlier. To the Carrs, that was simply unacceptable. Chad lost his battle to pediatric brain cancer after fighting for fourteen months. His journey, which Tammi

wrote publicly about, created a magnificent wave of awareness that the family simply couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ignore. Just months after Chadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diagnosis, the Carr family founded The ChadTough Foundation, with a mission to inspire and fund game-changing research to discover effective treatments for pediatric brain cancer. They were determined to change the dire statistics of this disease for future

Photo by David Matos

families who would some day face the same battle they did. Since Chad’s death, the ChadTough Foundation has granted over $6 million for pediatric brain cancer research, with just over half of it dedicated to the Chad Carr Pediatric Brain Tumor Center at Michigan Medicine. After decades of little to no progress, researchers are now making

new discoveries almost on a monthly basis. With government funding remaining minuscule, the majority of the research funds are still coming from family foundations. However, in the past year, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) approved funding for DIPG-focused projects for the first time! In both cases, the initial research to justify the NIH grants was funded by ChadTough.

Doctors who choose to focus on finding a cure for DIPG are a special group. To face a disease that currently has a near 0% survival rate must be overwhelming. They know their funding is coming primarily from families who have lost a child to DIPG. “It’s a very different model of research,” explains Dr. Carl Koschmann. “The researchers in our lab work harder and stay longer

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because they have a personal connection with the families that have fought.”

had played in providing the awareness and funds that made this trial available to Emerson.

Due to researchers’ dedication to these kids, the future outlook for this disease is changing. When Chad Carr was diagnosed in 2014, just three days shy of his fourth birthday, his parents were told there was no hope. He was not expected to see his fifth birthday. They were told to take Chad home and enjoy the few months they had left with him. Because they and other families who have lost children to DIPG transformed their grief into action, families who receive a DIPG diagnosis today receive a very different message. Dr. Michelle Monje of Stanford Medicine recently published some groundbreaking work in the study of pediatric brain cancer. “Over the last five years, we’ve made more progress as a field then we had in the previous fifty years,” she said.

May was going to be a high point for the ChadTough Foundation. We had planned to focus on Brain Cancer Awareness Month by hosting our fourth annual gala and rallying behind DIPG Awareness Day on May 17th. Instead, we find ourselves in a worldwide health crisis. We see pain and suffering all around us. Life will not be back to “normal” for most of us for a very long time. However, this is especially true for families facing a DIPG diagnosis. What was already a horrible situation just got significantly worse. In some cases, clinical trials have had to be put on hold. Researchers have not been able to get into their labs.

This advancement is due to two very important factors: tissue and funding. Because families like the Carrs have donated their child’s tumor postmortem, brilliant scientists have discovered a safe method to biopsy DIPG tumors, which was not the case when Chad was diagnosed. Being able to study the tumor, especially throughout the journey of a child being treated, has unlocked an increased ability to learn and adjust treatment as the condition unfolds. In addition to having access to tissue for study, there has never been more funding for DIPG research than now. This expanded funding is enabling more research from those in the field and attracting other great minds to study this most difficult challenge. As a bonus, the work done on DIPG has been found to be beneficial for patients suffering from other types of pediatric brain cancer as well. Emerson Hoogendoorn, a seven-year-old from northwest Michigan, was diagnosed with a diffuse midline glioma, a brain tumor similar to DIPG. She went through two brain surgeries and several months of chemo and radiation before she qualified for an experimental trial of a drug called ONC201. “ONC201 has allowed Emerson to live as normally as possible,” said her mom Ami. “She doesn’t look like a little girl fighting something so horrible. She can go to school every day and participate in her hip-hop classes and piano lessons. Without the trial, her journey would’ve been significantly altered.” The Hoogendoorns had been hearing of the ChadTough Foundation for years, but when they began this trial, they realized what an instrumental role the foundation

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So, during this important month, our staff is instead focusing its efforts on plans for the remainder of the year. The online auction typically held in conjunction with the gala in May will now be held in September, concluding on what should have been Chad’s 10th birthday on September 26th. We will also be hosting our seventh annual RunTough for ChadTough 5K and 1M Fun Run as both a virtual run and with local options in Saline and Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Sylvania, Ohio. We’re all facing new challenges and the fear of uncertainty. But we know how important it is to keep the momentum going in the fight against pediatric brain cancer. We believe a breakthrough is on the horizon. When a cure is found for DIPG, the worst kind of brain cancer, it will also lead cures for other types of brain cancer as well. Every child deserves to survive cancer. Period. In addition to serving The ChadTough Foundation as the Director of Communications, Jen DeGregorio manages PR/marketing and events for several non-profits across Washtenaw County. She began her career in newspapers in 1995 as a means to cover college expenses. After completing her degree at the University of MichiganDearborn in English, she continued to build a career in advertising with the Ann Arbor News. She was one of the first hires at AnnArbor.com and became an integral part of the management team. In 2012, Jen decided to start her own businesses, with a focus on helping small businesses and non-profits. She splits her time between her home in Dexter, MI and an apartment in NYC where her husband has worked for almost a decade.

Chad Carr, with his mother Tammi, lost his battle with DIPG at the age of 5.

May 2020 | 35

You Can Make a Difference

by Fredi Baker

36 | The Brick Magazine

omething is happening to the world around us. No matter what your beliefs are about climate change, there is no denying it. Icecaps are melting, sea levels are rising. Weather is becoming more extreme. Environmental experts, along with activists like Greta Thunburg (age 17), are becoming louder and more influential. Added to that is the increasing awareness and anxiety about the plastic crisis we’re facing, which brings tangible evidence to the problem everywhere we look. Caring for our environment isn’t a political issue, it’s a humanitarian one.

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” ~Unknown When I first stumbled upon the above quote, it touched something deep inside me. It opened my eyes and I realized that we all have a chance to affect change. Even though I am by no means an expert on the subject, it was a call to action for me. So, ten years ago, I began writing a weekly blog called “Get Going, Get Green! (One woman’s search for greening in the word today.)” Back then, I was eager to learn more about the environment and things I could do to make a difference every day. As I took a good look around, I saw that I was already on the path. Maybe I was at the beginning of that path, but I was on it. I began with the easy stuff. Reusable water bottle? Check. Paper instead of plastic at the grocery store (which quickly turned into having my own reusable bags)? Check. And of course, travel coffee mugs for purchasing my Americano. I became a small-time crusader of sorts, in my life and at work. Back then, not everybody was open to the idea of caring for the environment, and weren’t ready to make even small changes. I remember the near-rebellion that happened May 2020 | 37

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when I tried to get my employer to stop using those plastic red solo cups at the water cooler, and provide employees with their own reusable water bottles. In fact, some people began hoarding those red cups in their desks! The good news is that change happened, led by a few of us, which grew into a few more following along by proudly showing off their own bottles. There was a tipping point where people couldn’t unsee the waste that was going into the landfill daily and wanted to do their part in minimizing that. Or not. At least they were aware that it was a choice, and they had to take responsibility for it. The red solo cup experience helped me realize that not everyone on the planet shares the same beliefs about our environment and the need for change. I have to confess that this baffled me. In my early innocence, I truly thought that everyone felt like I did about the importance of respecting the environment. Imagine my surprise when some of my co-workers dismissively said, “You’re just a hippie tree-hugger from California.” But I didn’t let them stop me. At least, not then. I wrote that blog for three years, and never missed a week. Why did I finally stop? Truth is, I got discouraged when I realized that it was such an uphill battle. Today, as I write this, it’s easy to see what flawed thinking I had back then. I’m not starting that blog again; there are voices much more knowledgeable and influential than mine, there are other steps I can take. In fact, there are things we all can do right now to make a difference. We no longer have the luxury of not taking action. The most basic way for us to personally make a difference is to do what we learned in school: reduce, reuse, recycle. Recycle by donating old, unused clothes and goods so that someone else can benefit from them, and of course recycle glass, aluminum, plastic, etc. Be aware of what you’re sending to the landfill. This awareness leads to examining your purchasing. For example, how much food are you wasting? When you reduce food waste, you also save money. And what about those things acquired on a whim? Ask yourself, Do I really need that new ____? Sometimes that impulse purchase turns into clutter, and ultimately, waste. When you do buy, look for items with less packaging and less plastic. While you’re at it, it’s time

to up your reusables game. Things like straws, mugs, bottles, bags, and you-name-its that can be used over and over again all have a positive impact on the environment. As a bonus, you’re sending a message to others that it’s easy to do. That brings us to being an advocate for the environment by not only watching what you purchase, but who you purchase it from. A few weeks ago, I was at a large knitting show and marketplace attended by over 20,000 people. We all had plenty of opportunities to make choices that aligned with our values. Imagine my surprise when I stepped into the large booth of one of my favorite indie yarn companies that recently changed hands, and saw plastic everywhere. What greeted me was a booth filled with not only yarn, but large plastic plants, bags, hangers, display cases, and more useless plastic items. Behind the counter were multiple plastic single-use bottles and plastic drink cups that had plastic straws. The garbage can nearby was overflowing with more of the same. I quickly realized that this was not in line with my values. Needless to say, I left empty-handed. Another way to be an advocate is by donating, and even volunteering, for organizations and companies that support the environment. Since this is an election year, you can also let your vote speak for your stance on climate change. Together, we can all make a difference. As Greta Thunberg said, following the Global Climate Strike in 2019, “Change is coming, whether you like it or not.” It’s up to each of us to do our part in making a positive change for this earth we are borrowing from our children. I’m in, will you join me? Fredi Baker is a Master Certified Coach who believes in the power of the creative process. For over 20 years, she’s coached people who are ready to break out of where they are and lean into their dreams, their vision, and their creativity. She helps them get inspired, focused, and motivated to live by their own rules and make a difference in the world. In her spare time, you will find her playing with yarn and needles — whether she’s knitting colorful, chunky wall hangings or designing shawls. Thus far, five of her patterns have been published, and she delights in seeing other knitters working with her designs and making their own works of art. Find her at fredibaker.com

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Feed Your Hair by Lisa Profera, MD

40 | The Brick Magazine

hinning hair is a common complaint that I hear from women as they age. Although men experience baldness and hair loss more often than women, many older women struggle with the quality of their hair; hair thinning commonly occurs during and after menopause. Some women find this distressing, and it can affect one’s emotional well-being, sense of self, and confidence. We lose about 100 hairs a day. That may sound like a lot, but we have about 100,000 hair follicles on our head (which is just a small portion of the five million hair follicles throughout our body). There are three phases of the hair cycle: anagen (growth phase), catagen (transitional phase), and telogen (shedding phase). Luckily, our follicles’ phases aren’t synced with each other — that’s why we don’t lose our hair all at once. About 85-90% of the hair on our head is in anagen. On average, hair grows at a rate of one centimeter per month. Whenever starting a new intervention for hair growth, one needs to wait 3-6 months to see if it’s actually making a difference. As we age, the growth phase shortens and the integrity of follicles weakens. The hair follicles can also change, producing a shorter, thinner hair shaft (follicular miniaturization). Stress, autoimmune diseases, destruction, and scarring of hair follicles can contribute to significant (and sometimes permanent) hair loss. The causes of hair loss are numerous: hereditary conditions, hormonal conditions (of the sex hormones, thyroid, etc), chronic illness, physical trauma (traction alopecia, trichotillomania, chemical treatments), scalp infections, scalp inflammation (eczema, psoriasis, etc), and damage from UV light or radiation. Pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause all play a part as well, as do side effects from drugs and a lack of certain nutrients. Here are some tips from the Mayo Clinic that may help you avoid preventable types of hair loss: •

Avoid tight hairstyles, such as braids, buns, or ponytails.

•

Avoid compulsively twisting, rubbing, or pulling your hair.

•

Treat your hair gently when washing and brushing. A wide-toothed comb may help prevent pulling out hair.

•

Avoid harsh treatments such as hot rollers, curling irons, hot oil treatments, and permanents.

•

Avoid medications and supplements that could cause hair loss.

•

Protect your hair from sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet light.

•

Stop smoking. Some studies show an association between smoking and baldness in men.

•

If you are being treated with chemotherapy, ask your doctor about a cooling cap. This cap can reduce your risk of losing hair during chemotherapy.

Interventions for hair loss must address its different causes. These include supplements, over-the counter and pharmaceutical drugs, topical scalp treatments and essential oils, scalp injections with platelet-rich plasma, red light therapy, and surgery. With the exception of surgery, I can offer my patients all of these in my private practice and also at Facial Innovations Medi-Spa in Ann Arbor. I personally prefer to use an all-natural line of hair care products infused with essential oils to support hair integrity and texture, rather than stripping it with harsh chemicals found in most popular brands. If you are interested in using essential oils on your scalp to stimulate lush hair, ask me for my “Mermaid Hair” recipe. Genetics, disease, and stress are major factors for some women. If you are generally healthy, what can you do to support your hair from a nutritional standpoint? There are so many supplements out there that make so many claims, it can be very confusing. Besides eating a healthy diet and avoiding processed foods, there are key vitamins and nutrients that are clinically proven to support hair growth and thickness. A good supplement should have ingredients that our bodies need for healthy hair growth, plus ingredients that help alleviate the effects of aging and hormone imbalance, such as antioxidants and antiinflammatories. Our hair is predominately made of keratin (which is also a key component of skin and nails). Keratin is formed from essential amino acids, which are derived from proteinrich foods (meat, dairy, and nuts). If your diet does not include these foods, supplementation may be something to consider. Even if you are not a vegetarian, you may not May 2020 | 41

42 | The Brick Magazine

be getting enough protein building blocks in your diet. The most helpful amino acids for hair are cysteine, lysine, methionine, and arginine. As you age, you may also benefit from more collagen supplementation. This not only helps hair, but also nails and skin. You can either buy or make your own bone broth or take a high-quality supplement. Biotin (Vitamin B7) has proven to be an important player in the hair growth game. Unfortunately, may supplements have inadequate amounts of biotin in them. Bioavailable forms of Vitamins A, C, and E, in addition to minerals such as zinc, selenium, and iodine, are supportive of hair health. Antioxidants such as turmeric, astaxanthin, and resveratrol, to name a few, can help curb inflammation in the body that may be contributing to overall oxidative stress and hair loss.

on saw palmetto have been conducted in men. In addition, ashwagandha and maca root can help balance cortisol and support female hormones naturally. There are a few supplements that are professional-grade and supported by research that I would be happy to recommend. If you want to help out your follicles and feed your hair, I can point you in the right direction.

Lisa Profera, MD | Owner and FounderFounder of PROJUVU MD Aesthetics and Lifestyle Medicine in Ann Arbor, MI Expert Injector doTERRA Essential Oils Wellness Advocate BEMER Independent Distributor | CrossFitÂŽ Level 1 Trainer

Saw palmetto may be a key ingredient to help agerelated hair loss by slowing the activity of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, which coverts testosterone to DHT (dihydrotestosterone). DHT is implicated in androgenic baldness (male and female), although most studies done

www.projuvu.com | 1-844-PROJUVU | drprofera@gmail.com FaceBook business page: www.facebook.com/projuvu/ Request to join my Closed FaceBook group, Dr. Lisaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Essential Oils Forum: www.facebook.com/groups/1952063771691445/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/youressentialoilsdoctor/

Disclaimer: Please note that the information in this article or any of its references has been designed to help educate the reader in regard to the subject matter covered. This information is provided with the understanding that the author and any other entity referenced here are not liable for the misconception or misuse of the information provided. It is not provided in order to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any disease, illness, or injured condition of the body. The provider of this information shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage, or injury caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this information. The information presented is in no way intended as a substitute for medical counseling or care. Anyone suffering from any disease, illness, or injury should consult a qualified health care professional. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.

May 2020 | 43

for personal

& planetary thriving

Acceptance: The Doorway to Transformation

by Morella Devost, EdM, MA Photo by Christopher Sardegna

44 | The Brick Magazine

hen we’ve struggled with something for a while, the thought of acceptance is enough to make us want to punch someone in the face. “Surrender” is even worse. We think it means we’re giving up, that nothing will ever change if we surrender. But what if acceptance is actually the doorway to lasting transformation?

As you read these words, perhaps you feel the tug of your own resistance about the “thing” you’d like to change. You might hear a voice inside you that says, “I can’t possibly accept this! If I do, it will remain this way!” But that is just a story we tell ourselves about acceptance. I’d like to show you a different perspective that actually opens a new doorway.

Our mind thinks this is a contradiction. But as you continue to read, I’d like to invite you to think about something you wish to change in your life — the thing with which you’re most dissatisfied. Whatever it may be — career, health, relationship, money, or something else entirely — I want to help you access why and how acceptance works.

When you’re in the “fix-it/fight-it” mode, you’re essentially engaged in a tug-of-war with whatever you want to change. The reality is that you are energizing both sides of the struggle. You’re pushing, pulling, tugging in your attempt to change it. Just like any opponent you’re wrestling with, you’re gripping it by the collar. Your struggle with it holds it in place.

Before we start, let me say I’ve known dissatisfaction left to right. Health-wise, I struggled with severe cystic acne for over a decade. In my thirties, I was unhappy with my single life while dreaming of starting a family. And at various times, I’ve been profoundly frustrated with my finances. The truth that I’ve had to learn is that no matter what, without some degree of acceptance, nothing ever changes. I had the first glimpse of this in 2007, when after more than twelve years of battling acne, I realized my skin would never heal if I didn’t love it. Up to that point, I’d been caught in the problem-solving mindset that I needed to fix the skin in order to love it. Then in 2012, at 39 years old, in the midst of a flailing non-relationship, it dawned on me that I needed to embrace my singlehood if I was ever to dance in partnership. I felt a sense of desolation at the thought of surrendering to the aloneness. And over my thirteen years of self-employment, I’ve several times had the experience of nearly nonexistent income. The last time, it dawned on me just how hard I’d been pushing against my fear of not having money.

So, let’s take a deep breath together. Seriously, take a deep breath as you read this and as you sit with the awareness of the “thing” in your life you wish to change. Just breathe deeply right now and bring your awareness to your body. Notice the sensations you feel as you breathe. Go ahead… Take a deep breath and bring your awareness FULLY to the present moment. This is how you begin to release the grip. Being fully present with your breath, then sit with the following question: “What if I can accept THIS moment exactly as it is?” Let go of the story around the “thing” you want to change. Let go of what it has been, what you want it to be, what you’re afraid could happen if things don’t change. Let go of the whole story and focus on this very instant. Right here, right now. Reading these words. Breathing. Acceptance is simply about stopping the wrestle. It’s about accepting this very moment as it is. It’s not about accepting the story of it all.

In every instance, I was inside the hamster wheel of resistance. I was caught, doing battle with the “thing” of the moment.

Breathe again and ponder, “What if I can accept this moment as it is?”

For the majority of the time, we are in “fix-it/fight-it” mode; we are resisting what is. We want it over with. And paradoxically, our resistance is what keeps us stuck. Acceptance unlocks transformation.

Say to yourself, “In this moment, I am where I am. I cannot be anywhere else.” And then ask, “What if I can find a tiny bit of peace in this moment, without needing anything to change?”

May 2020 | 45

Photo by Daniel Mingook

46 | The Brick Magazine

Photo by Faye Cornish

Sometimes, this exploration seems easier when we’re dealing with external life factors such as money, relationships, or the outside world. Right now, you don’t need dollar bills in your hands. In this moment, you can find contentment within yourself, outside of your relationships. In this very instant, you can tune out from world events.

As we allow ourselves to fully enter present-moment acceptance, we ease our grip on the wrestle. In this way, we open to the possibility of shifting our reality to a place of peace rather than struggle. From deep peace arises inspired action, which transforms our lives and the world through grace, not through struggle.

When the suffering is great, or when we’re dealing with things inside our physical bodies — such as physical pain or a serious health condition — it can seem harder to disconnect from the story. When the body is in distress, we want to exit the current experience, not accept it. But the acceptance doorway is still there.

Your situation hasn’t yet changed externally since you started reading. However, as you continue to bring your awareness (and acceptance) to the present moment, you’ll increasingly learn to cultivate peace within yourself, no matter the circumstances. Then the magic begins.

I discovered this powerful truth at a ten-day silent meditation retreat in 2003. As the days progressed, a sharp, burning pain would fire up in my back every time I meditated. I desperately wanted it to go away. It was interfering with the bliss I wanted to experience. On the eighth day, the pain got so intense that tears started streaming down my face, when all of a sudden, I let go of my need to have it be any different. I let the pain be what it was, and I spontaneously found myself both in severe pain and complete peace. Then came the bliss. It all rests in allowing this very moment to be exactly as it is. That is all that needs to be accepted. That is all you need to surrender to; the fact that this moment cannot be any different than it is.

Morella Devost is a counselor helping her clients people turn their deepest challenges into their greatest source of strength. After receiving two masters degrees in counseling from Columbia University, she became a Clinical Hypnotherapist, NLP facilitator, and Reiki Master. Morella is a VenezuelanVermonter working with people all over the world from her RVoffice as she travels the US with her family. She is the host of the Thrive With Morella TV-radio-podcast show. www.youtube.com/morelladevost thrivewithmorella.com www.facebook.com/ThriveWithMorella Instagram: @Morellad Facebook personal: @Morellad1 Twitter: @More_Joy

May 2020 | 47

Small Business Survival During COVID-19 by Jen DeGregorio

48 | The Brick Magazine

hen I was 19 years old, struggling to pay my college tuition, I landed a part-time job as a clerk in the advertising department at a local newspaper. Over time, I watched the ad reps spend their days outside of the office meeting with local businesses. Getting out from behind a desk seemed glorious to me, so I asked my boss to give me a shot, promising my college work would not get in the way. I was painfully shy back then, but the prospect of making more money was enough to get me to face my social anxiety head-on. I started going door to door, meeting with small business owners and managers to try to sell them advertising. At first, I had a memorized pitch. But as I got to know people and more about their businesses, their dreams, and what led them to where they were, natural relationships developed. I started to come out of my shell, allowing me to make passionate, hard-working new friends. I saw them struggle after 9/11 and later when I came to work for the Ann Arbor News. I saw downtown local businesses wrestle with rents, the ever-changing dynamics of online shopping, and so much more. My love for small businesses has grown over the years, transcending various career moves. The first thing that struck me hard as COVID-19 started dominating the United States is how this pandemic would affect our local businesses.

How Small Businesses are Coping For Anne Van Buren, temporarily closing the doors of her 33-year-old business Van Buren’s Salon was extremely emotional. She had to lay off her entire team, but they still try to stay connected with their clients and each other through Zoom meetings. She’s been spending her days researching any small business relief initiatives that may apply to her business and hoping that assistance will come through.

Anne encourages other small businesses to do whatever they can to keep generating revenue. For example, she continues to sell retail products available through dropoff and gift cards for future services. Her team has also developed a creative social media strategy that urges clients to wait until things reopen to do anything hasty with their hair. The #StayRooted challenge encourages clients to take a selfie of their roots, post on social media, and tag the salon to be entered to win a prize. For some people, the shutdown hit twice as hard. It came as a brutal surprise to Stephanie Van’t Land, who was laid off from the Dexter Beer Grotto and from Zingerman’s Greyline just two days apart. “It’s been a huge shift from working multiple jobs to staying home all day, but it feels like I’m helping in a way by keeping myself and others safe,” she said. Nonprofit organizations have also been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The annual ChadTough Champions for Charity Gala, which was to be held in May, had to be cancelled. Funds generated from the Gala account for 40% of the organization’s revenue, which goes to fund pediatric brain cancer research. The ChadTough Foundation has had to cancel other summer

May 2020 | 49

events as well, but is committed to hosting their signature RunTough event, which will be held in September on what would have been the 10th birthday of Chad Carr, the foundation’s namesake. “For now, we’re asking our supporters to focus on local needs related to COVID-19,” said Executive Director Ann Friedholm. “We are confident we have enough in reserve to protect the foundation through at least 2021. That said, our ability to start fundraising again will significantly impact how much new research we can begin to fund in the coming years.”

Creative Approaches In spite of the uncertainty caused by the shutdown, I’ve noticed businesses coming up with creative ways to generate revenue, and some are even giving back to the community. If you take a walk down the quiet main street in my hometown of Dexter, you'll likely see Dexter’s Pub manager Jennifer Taylor masterfully taking food phone

orders. Owner Peter Theocharakis has been making deliveries himself, and began adding family-style meal options to the menu. They’ve also begun a give-back program where a portion of revenue generated from gift certificates is donated back to first responders. If you peek through a crack in the papered-over window of The Beer Grotto, you can probably spot bar manager Phil Blass making improvements to the bar himself in an effort to save money from a previously planned renovation. “The owner (Phil Mekas) and I haven’t really taken a day off yet,” said Blass. “We’re saving money by doing the demo ourselves, then we’ll see what part of the rebuild we can do as well.” Even though Revive Dexter has had to limit normal activity and business hours, they have set up the Pay it Forward Project in which they deliver their signature shakes to essential workers, such as the staff at Mott Children's Hospital. While the Dexter Creamery, a frozen yogurt and ice cream shop, was allowed to remain open for carryout, they took their businesses to a whole new level. To relieve the stress of local grocery stores, the Creamery started carrying critical high-demand food products in their shop. Items like eggs, bread, coffee beans, meats, and even toilet paper can now be purchased online for curbside pickup or delivery.

Small Business Relief Ann Arbor SPARK, a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of economic and employment opportunities in Washtenaw and Livingston counties, has been working hard to share resources with small businesses looking for information on relief. Together with the Song Foundation and the Office of Community & Economic Development of Washtenaw County, SPARK created a Small Business Emergency Relief Fund, which provides up to $5,000 in capital grants to qualifying businesses. “Having worked in kitchens and restaurants in Ann Arbor over the years, my wife Linh and I know how critical these local businesses and jobs are in our community,” said Dug Song, co-founder of the Song Foundation. 50 | The Brick Magazine

donate to GoFundMe campaigns. The support is breathtaking.

“We’re encouraging companies to look at the federal resources through the CARES Act,” said Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Phil Santer. “What’s frustrating for many companies is that this is the first time they’ve had to interact with federal resources, especially in an environment that is so rapidly changing. I would encourage small business owners to jump on as many webinars as possible to learn more.” GoFundMe has also partnered with Yelp, Intuit QuickBooks, GoDaddy, and Bill.com to match up to $500 to existing campaigns for small businesses that have been affected by COVID-19. The process seemed to me almost too easy, but the funds were applied to a campaign I created on behalf of a local business within ten days of my submission. “I’ve spent hours applying for everything I qualify for,” said Anne Van Buren. “Now it’s just a waiting game.”

Community Support What has moved me to tears more than once is the way in which our community is responding to local businesses during this crisis. I've seen community members jump at the opportunity to buy gift cards, take-out, and

I started a GoFundMe for a local business that is near and dear to me. Almost everything I've ever written for my work with the ChadTough Foundation was written from a corner table at The Beer Grotto in Dexter. I wasn't sure what to expect when the campaign went live, but within a matter of days it became clear that the community was 100% eager to lend their support — not only to The Beer Grotto, but to all of the local businesses that are struggling. Messages of support came flooding through from regular customers and other suffering businesses alike. Small businesses are the heart and soul of our community, and right now they’re bearing a unique financial burden. They create meaningful jobs that support our local economy. Now more than ever, we have to come together in supportive solidarity in order to get through this crisis. In addition to serving The ChadTough Foundation as the Director of Communications, Jen DeGregorio manages PR/marketing and events for several non-profits across Washtenaw County. She began her career in newspapers in 1995 as a means to cover college expenses. After completing her degree at the University of MichiganDearborn in English, she continued to build a career in advertising with the Ann Arbor News. She was one of the first hires at AnnArbor.com and became an integral part of the management team. In 2012, Jen decided to start her own businesses, with a focus on helping small businesses and non-profits. She splits her time between her home in Dexter, MI and an apartment in NYC where her husband has worked for almost a decade.

May 2020 | 51

Global Grief and Just Showing Up by Yvonne Heath

52 | The Brick Magazine

andemic, state of emergency, greatest health crisis of our time, essential services only, social isolation — how could we not feel anxious and fearful? By March 2020, it became even more clear to us in the US that COVID-19 was wreaking havoc on our world, infected thousands across the globe and leading to many deaths. This is the reality of today. We’re called to distance ourselves, stay six feet away from everyone, not go to work, school, or anywhere unless it’s absolutely necessary. We have no choice in this. It’s one of the most challenging and frightening moments in history. We can’t change this, but what can we do? Each decision we make in every moment will help determine how long this will last, and what we’ll see on the other side. Here are a few thoughts I’d like to share about showing up for yourself and others:

10 Tips on Navigating Through This Challenging Time: 1. Acknowledge and allow all feelings — yours and of those around you. It’s certainly understandable to be struggling with all that’s happening. 2. Be informed, but not obsessed. Seek out daily information from a reliable source (I, a Canadian, am listening to our Prime Minister). Don’t spend your entire day inundating yourself with scary statistics. This will not serve you or anyone else well. 3. Follow the guidelines stringently, knowing you are doing your best to protect yourself and others. Be the best example that you can be. If someone isn’t doing what’s right, let them know! 4. Understand that what we are experiencing is grief — global grief. And it can manifest itself in many different ways — sadness, depression, anger, fear, disorientation, irritability; the list goes on. It can hit us in ways we didn’t foresee. It’ll be different for everyone. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Allow yourself and others to feel what you feel, without judgement or trying to fix it. You can’t fix grief; just allow it and it will diffuse in time. 5. Re-frame the call to action away from social distancing/isolation to what we need most: social

connection and physical distancing/isolation. Use your creativity and imagination to socially connect. We are so fortunate to have social media and so many ways to video chat. We can call each other and be face-to-face and visit. It’s the next best thing to in-person contact. Use it. Call old friends and people you haven’t been in touch with. Now is the time to reconnect. 6. Catch your breath. We are a society that’s constantly on the go, over-stretched, ridiculously busy, trying to do it all and have it all. And now we’ve been forced to pause, to step off the treadmill. Can you see that there is opportunity in this? To get to things that we didn’t have time for and have meaningful conversations? 7. Spring clean. Here again is the opportunity to declutter mentally, physical, emotionally, and spiritually. Get rid of stuff that’s weighing you down. Let go of the little things. 8. Fill your life with happy moments. These are challenging times. Not only do we carry global grief, but the regular grief in life as well — strained relationships, diagnosis, caregiving, financial stress, etc. It’s never been more important than now to find things that make you happy, to ask yourself, “Am I happy?” And if the answer is “no,” then what can you do to change that? What can you do now, at home, with your family or one your own that makes your heart sing? Singing, laughing, watching funny movies, reading great books and hilarious stories online, getting out in the sunshine, painting, journaling — and so on. What CAN you do? Focus on that. 9. Be the nicest person you know. Easier said than done? Absolutely. But worth the effort, I’d say. Walk away when you need to and check in with yourself frequently. Ask everyone to do the same and remember that this is all temporary. When you look back, how do you want to remember yourself in this crisis? 10. Make random acts of kindness a part of your every day. There’s so much you can do to fuel the positive. It’s already serious enough; let’s take time away from focusing on our own challenges and reach out to someone. Do something that would be meaningful for May 2020 | 53

someone else. There are so many who are alone at this time; they’d love to have people with them, but can’t. Reach out. Some of the things I’ve seen include... •

Children performing a “concert” from their porch for lonely neighbors across the street

•

Hearts in windows

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Beautiful inspiring words or funny memes posted on social media

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Facebook pages for communities to connect

We don’t have a choice about being in the midst of a global pandemic. But we do have a choice about what we say and do during this crisis. We can learn from and support one another. We can make sure our neighbors are OK with a phone call. And if someone is hungry, make sure they have food. We are stronger together, and will get to the other side. Let’s let love and gratitude for each other lead the way. Considered by Ambassador Magazine as Canada's Rising Star, Yvonne shares how we can teach people to just show up for themselves and others so they are empowered and resilient when grief and life's challenges arrive. Grief is whatever makes your heart ache, whether it's divorce, diagnosis, job loss, end of life — and now a global pandemic. Using heart and humor, she shares her message across Canada and the USA helping people of all ages learn to take care of themselves and others. She is an awardwinning author of the book Love Your Life to Death and a celebrated TEDx Speaker. Yvonne has her own #RealLifeTalks television series and #IJustShowedUp radio program. Additional information and resources can be found at www.loveyourlifetodeath.com 54 | The Brick Magazine

lstudio.com May 2020 | 55

Write with Color: Rediscover Your Childhood Genius

by Julie Mariouw

“I

t’s never too late to have a happy childhood,” said Tom Robbins in his book, Still Life with Woodpecker. One of my goals these days is to become less childish and more childlike. And there’s a way to make that happen: write with color. Think of it as playing on the page, finger painting with text. Try mixing color & smell. Use color as a character. 56 | The Brick Magazine

All of these techniques will unleash your inner child — in an acceptable adult way, of course. Our writing is often black and white. We follow the rules, afraid to surrender to the process. I used to cling to the safety of tradition, fearing what would happen if I allowed the writing to unfold organically. But I intuitively sensed that writing had the power to heal, and I carried a lot

of unprocessed childhood trauma. In other words, I was desperate to find a happy childhood for myself, even all these years later. Writers need to write in a new way, releasing old constraints. And the more we let go, the more we will heal. People store trauma — especially childhood trauma — in their bodies. And they carry with them stories about those traumas, not even realizing the stories are there. If they let the stories out, they clear a pathway for healing and expansion. There are many ways in which this can occur in the writing process — writing with the senses, writing with metaphor, and writing with color. In an article entitled “Color Therapy and Healing from the Early 20th Century to Now,” Helen Graham (psychology lecturer and color research specialist) reported on the use of colored light in medicine: “…red light has been shown to be effective in the treatment of migraine headaches and cancer…blue light has also been shown to be effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.” Laurie Zagon (founder of Art & Creativity for Healing, a non-profit outreach offering workshops in California) wrote about a recent study on brain stimulation therapy with color: “Patients who had been otherwise resistant to treatment have recovered from a wide variety of trauma, depression, and physical pain [after visual brain stimulation with color using a method called ‘Emotional Transformation Therapy].’” So how does the healing power of color manifest in writing? One way is to bring up childhood memories. For example, one effective writing prompt is to hand out a color chip from a paint store. Ask each writer to meditate on the color for a minute or two, letting images and memories, thoughts and feelings arise. Then have them place their colors in the middle of a blank page and cluster — put aside the rational part of the mind and let words and ideas flow freely onto the page. Let the color lead the writer, instead of the other way around. Writers’ long-buried memories will rise to the surface, and the most unexpected, powerful work will happen. For example, in response to a maroon color chip, I wrote about a maroon leather chair from childhood. This brought up many associated memories, and I was able to process the material through the writing, and use it for a fictional scene. Another good writing exercise is to hand out a small container of Play-Doh, and have the writers work with it. In this case, it is both the color and the physical movement

that are important in bringing out memories. Writing done in this way ends up with a certain rhythm — a result of the writer’s physical actions. In response to this prompt, writers frequently write about physical play from childhood. And color jumps out in unexpected ways — images from a birthday party, a colorful toy, etc. I once tied strings of multicolored ribbon to round shower curtain-holders and gave them to writers in one of my workshops, and I asked them to move as they were led. Here again, the writing had rhythm, but it also literally had streaks of color running through. For example, in response to this prompt I wrote about the thin, blue arm of a Portuguese man-of-war (poisonous creature similar to a jellyfish) resting on a beach. This brought up other memories, and I again used the material in a fictional scene. The end goal of all these exercises is to expand writers’ imaginations. Many writers have been stunted and dulled through the traditional teaching of writing. As Gabrielle Rico describes in her book Writing the Natural Way, “Often, when children enter school, the intuitive learning strategies they bring with them are not useful in a setting where many children formally come together and order, conformity, and correctness are valued… [This] conventional stage is where many of us get stuck. Our creative potential narrows, and our trust in spontaneity begins to ebb into the river of the commonplace.” There is a great need for writers to re-experience their long-lost childhood wonder. So borrow paint swatches from a local store, grab some Play-Doh, tie ribbons together, and play on the page. Let color reach into your past and pull stories out of your body; you will feel so much lighter afterward. As Charles Baudelaire wrote, “Genius is the capacity to retrieve childhood at will.” Get ready to dazzle the world! Julie Mariouw is a published author, trained Amherst Writers & Artist workshop leader, English teacher, and owner of Wellspring Writing Workshops LLC, through which she offers creative writing workshops in the Ann Arbor area. Julie helps people bypass their internal critics, go directly to feelings and memories, and tap into the healing power of writing. www.wellspringwritingworkshops.com www.facebook.com/wellspringwritingworkshops Gabrielle Rico, PhD, Writing the Natural Way (New York: Tarcher/Putnam, 2000), pp 54-56 3

May 2020 | 57

The Environment of Women

by Jen DeGregorio

his past summer, I think I had a mental breakdown. No one noticed.

To be fair, I bottled up all of my emotions and didn’t tell anyone how I was feeling. Not even my husband, who’s incredibly supportive and an excellent listener. We’ve been a couple for nearly a decade, but we’ve never lived together and have only lived in the same state for the first few years. My husband lives 58 | The Brick Magazine

and works in New York City while I’m here in the small town of Dexter, raising my son from my first marriage. That arrangement has worked out perfectly because, as many women know, there’s only so much of yourself you can give to your family all at the same time. When I was in NYC, I gave my husband all of my attention and while I was home, I gave it completely to my son. That worked

out great for most of the last ten years. But then my son went away to camp for a week. Having kept mostly to myself, I didn’t really have any close mom friends. I can be a bit of an introvert, and I’ve always felt like an outsider because of my unconventional lifestyle. The day Adam left for camp, I suddenly felt more alone than I’d ever felt in my entire life. I cried all morning, and couldn’t stop. I didn’t even know why I was so upset. I guess it’s because I realized my only child was growing up and needed me less and less. That afternoon, I realized something that was missing from my life. I was yearning for an environment of close female friendships. I went to the Dexter Beer Grotto and sat outside alone. I was writing a piece for the ChadTough Foundation on a family that had just learned their child had terminal brain cancer. Feeling miserable, I sipped my wine and started to look through my phone contacts to see what ladies I knew that might come up and join me. “Wow,” I thought to myself, “I have a lot of really cool, amazing female acquaintances. Why didn’t I ever spend time with them?” So, I texted Kristin. Kristin and I used to work together at a previous job and cross paths often in our current jobs. “The Beer Grotto is on my way home. I’ll be right there,” she said. Okay, that wasn’t so hard. Kristin and I spent a delightful two hours chatting, for the first time really, about our personal lives. By the time we left, I already felt better. I decided that every day that week, I would reach out to a different woman I’d like to spend some time with. The next day, I met up with Laura. Laura’s daughter Emily is my son’s best friend. I’d always really liked Laura, but our interactions were limited to driveway drop-offs and casual school hallway hellos. I worried that she secretly judged me for leaving Adam two weekends a month to jet off to New York, during which she typically schlepps my son around to various activities. That Tuesday, I found out that was not the case at all. We ended up having way too much fun for a Tuesday, and my mood was entirely lifted. On Wednesday, I met up with Sarah, my ex-husband’s fiancée. We’ve always gotten along great, enjoying weekly family dinners and even family trips, but we’d never

really hung out alone, just the two of us. Sarah sipped ice tea and I learned more about her own family and her estranged brother’s struggle with drug abuse. I bit the bullet on Thursday and decided to take my mom out for dinner. We’ve always had a bit of a tumultuous, albeit loving, relationship — but I usually can’t handle more than an hour together. That night, I decided to drop my guard and really listen to what she had to say. We were out for three hours; she got a little tipsy, and all in all we had a fantastic evening. On Friday, Adam and his friends came home. Another mom acquaintance, Abby, had been a camp chaperone all week, so when I suggested we get drinks while the kids got ice cream, she was all in. The opposite to my introverted self, Abby has always been very friendly and outgoing. I’ve always enjoyed being around her, but again, we’d never hung out much without our kids. To say we had a good time that night would be a vast understatement. That week was, for me, the start of deeper, more meaningful female friendships. I learned how important it is to surround yourself with a strong, supportive female network. In the months since, I’ve even learned how to ask them for help when I need it — something we as women are innately hesitant to do. I enjoy their unique perspectives on motherhood, community, politics, and everything in between, and in the months since then I’ve met with them at least once a week. My breakdown is officially over, I believe my son and husband are getting a better version of me now that I’m taking more care of myself.

In addition to serving The ChadTough Foundation as the Director of Communications, Jen DeGregorio manages PR/marketing and events for several non-profits across Washtenaw County. She began her career in newspapers in 1995 as a means to cover college expenses. After completing her degree at the University of MichiganDearborn in English, she continued to build a career in advertising with the Ann Arbor News. She was one of the first hires at AnnArbor.com and became an integral part of the management team. In 2012, Jen decided to start her own businesses, with a focus on helping small businesses and non-profits. She splits her time between her home in Dexter, MI and an apartment in NYC where her husband has worked for almost a decade.

May 2020 | 59

The Worst of Times

by Marilyn A. Pellini

hile the Second World War raged, I was too young to know its horror or importance. Though I didn’t understand the enormity of the dropping of the atomic bomb, I remember the sense of relief everyone felt, believing that this was the weapon to end all wars forever. I also remember one small thing having an impact on my life at that time. My

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third grade teacher told us that whenever we heard an airplane overhead, we should look up at it and say, “God, have them come back safe.” Even as a grown adult, you could still find me looking up at commercial jetliners repeating the mantra I had been taught years before. I’m sure it was still nice to wish a plane full of people a happy landing.

horns insistently blaring. The tableau looked jubilant, but at the same time very scary to a kid in the third grade, watching adults who acted as if they had gone mad. The Korean War became our new reality shortly after the last tragic conflict. I was in high school at the time, and a group of friends and I walked together down a long hill to our public buses to return home. We passed the large Catholic cathedral in my city. All of us, whatever religion, stopped in for five minutes to reflect and pray for those serving in this conflict. Next along our route, before splitting to go to our buses heading for different areas of town, was the donut shop. Who could resist a vanilla coke and a donut fresh from the fryer? I started high school in 1951, and graduated from college in 1959. Living in just about the best of times gave my life a calm, serene, happy component. I married, had two adorable children, bought my first house, and moved with my husband to a small town just right for raising kids. I became ensconced in this town on every level. I was the PTA president, worked the school budget vote, joined the women’s club, and headed just about every group in town because I felt the hand of God had sent me here, and I must give back to repay His great kindness.

Photo by Tony Liao

I vividly remember the day that terrible war ended. I lived in Providence, RI at the time, a rather large city. We were let out of school early, and on my walk home I had to pass a toy warehouse. There were people standing on the loading docks, far above the crowd, throwing out New Year’s Eve noisemakers and hats. People were dancing, crying, screaming and hugging in the streets, with car

My children grew up, moved away, started families of their own, and then the best of all things in the world occurred: grandchildren came into our lives. One morning on his way to work, my son called me to ask if I had the TV on. Now that was an odd question, as I had a personal rule and house rule — no TV before 6pm, unless something extraordinary was happening. “Mom,” he said, “you need to turn on the set,” and he proceeded to tell me that a plane had flown into the World Trade Center, and they did not believe it to be accidental. The first words out of my mouth were, “Life as we knew it will never be the same.” My son was especially upset, as he had given his wife an engagement ring on a carriage ride through Central Park, followed by dinner at the top of the World Trade Center. After that terrible day, people adjusted, compensated, and, yes, groused about the changes that took place in our everyday lives. Air travel became a chore rather than a pleasure. We had to take our shoes off in airports and go through scanning machines. Couldn’t even take a bottle of water in your purse to sip while waiting for your flight. But, we worked with it, got used to it, and threw away a number of pairs of socks that had wiped up airport floors.

May 2020 | 61

There have been many other catastrophes since my youth. Terrible hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires that consumed entire towns. We live through workplace violence and horrendous school shootings often now. But I’m truly wondering if the coronavirus will make all of these combined pale in comparison. For myself, I’m old and my demise is not too far off in the future. I don’t particularly relish that idea, but I’ve had a wonderful life here — full of good, fruitful happenings, wonderful family, and a comfortable lifestyle. Personally, I’d like to go on forever, but I know that’s not possible. I’ve already lost my mate, and loneliness has now been my constant companion. I came to Florida this winter as I

usually do, alone. There are friends where I stay and also in my area of Florida, and I’m very happy to get away from the cold up north, although each and every day I do long for my husband. Then it hit, this deadly virus that’s now consuming the world. Parents worry for their children, and runs on food and disinfectants have driven us all insane. How could this happen, what do we do from here, why did this happen? Each of us has our own theories. Those in our population who are religious are wondering why God is so angry with mankind. Have we lost our sympathy, empathy, and the offering of a helping hand to our fellow man? Have we put our emphasis on the wrong portions of life — money, appearance, politics?

Photo by John Cameron

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Photo by Eric Ward

Right now, everyone’s concern is how we’ll get through this and how many of us will lose our lives. I wish someone had the answers. I’m stranded here in Florida, not wanting to stay, but not wanting to go either. My brother and his wife, who are both elderly, have been instructed by their young neighbors not to leave the house because of their age. They put a grocery list out under the front doormat, and a few hours later the note is magically replaced with bags of groceries. I’m just hoping that all young people understand the enormity of this horrible plague and how serious it is for older people. Right now, in Florida, I’m seeing kids who are out of school or college congregating. They are not, most assuredly, six feet apart. Remember that we are at war against a deadly germ. Please conserve whatever you can — food, water, gas, electricity, and even your own energy. Stop making so much waste and throwing away things that are totally reusable. In warm climates, plant a garden — a victory

garden, like those of World War II. We are doing battle to save as many lives as possible, just as we were in actual war time. We need to take more responsibility for ourselves and our fellow man before it’s too late. There are many out there, old and alone, who need help. Reach out, but at the same time stay home as much as possible until the world gets a handle on this pandemic. Just as in wars and catastrophes of the past, this will teach us to always be prepared for the worst, pray for the best, and to reach out with help and comfort wherever and whenever we can. Marilyn Pellini has recently published a grief book titled Dear Al, A Widow’s Struggles and Remembrances. Her other credits as a writer include recent articles in Brick Magazine titled “Memories in My Button Jar” and “Restructuring My World,” pieces in Westchester Parent Magazine, Bay State Parent Magazine, On The Water, Balanced Rock, and others. In May 2018, she took the first place prize in the NY State Federation of Women’s Clubs writing contest.

May 2020 | 63

How Is Washtenaw County Responding to the Climate Crisis? Emily Benda is a freelance writer based in Ann Arbor. You can contact her at emily@emilybenda.com. Originally published on Concentrate Media on January 22nd, 2020

ast year brought two climate strikes to Ann Arbor, joining a worldwide movement that served as the wake-up call for many that the climate crisis is here and will continue to exponentially worsen in the absence of concrete action. University of Michigan (U-M) student and Washtenaw County Climate Strike participant Kristen Hayden says the strikes were important to shed light on environmental 64 | The Brick Magazine

justice and share residents' demands for climate action at county institutions. "We hope to move forward the discourse on environment, race and injustice, and the fact that these things have been going on for hundreds of years," Hayden says. So what is Washtenaw County doing in response to these cries for change?

In September, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to declare a climate emergency and called upon the region to mobilize quickly and eliminate greenhouse gases by 2035. Shortly after this resolution, Washtenaw County allocated $30,000 to speed up the development of its climate action plan. Following the county's announcement, Ann Arbor declared a climate emergency and set a goal to become carbon neutral by 2030, and Ypsilanti set its own carbon neutrality goal for 2035. This means decreased use of fossil fuels, using more clean energy resources, and offsetting carbon emissions to have a zero carbon footprint through proactive efforts. While it may seem unlikely for Washtenaw County to make much of a difference in the overall fight against climate change, research has shown that successful local and state governments can reduce emissions by 37%. However, no concrete plans for these environmental goals have been shared yet. Both Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have said action plans will be finalized and shared by Earth Day on April 22 this year. Following its climate crisis declaration, Ann Arbor founded the A2Zero initiative to promote public engagement and partner with local organizations while drafting the city's action plan. Since November, A2Zero has surveyed the community for feedback on policies or priorities the city should take into consideration. Missy Stults, sustainability and innovations manager for the city of Ann Arbor, leads the charge for A2Zero and notes that significant momentum for environmental policy is now driving these goals into action. "You can set an ambitious goal and figure out how you're going to achieve it," Stults says. "That's the approach we're taking." Meanwhile, U-M is taking a more methodical approach to the climate crisis. In late 2018, U-M President Mark Schlissel called for a commission to investigate lowering U-M's carbon emissions and create scalable recommendations for other organizations and municipalities to model in the future. Since the President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality (PCCN) was founded, the team has conducted interviews

and consulted experts to review the university's practices. Throughout 2020, the commission will continue to consult with industry experts, share insights, and gather feedback from the public before presenting the recommendations to President Schlissel in December 2020. PCCN co-chair Jennifer Haverkamp says community engagement has been an important part of the commission's process. PCCN has held town halls and discussion events for the public to learn about PCCN's work and the options for U-M to become a carbon-free university. Part of the community engagement piece included the Zell Lurie Institute's business pitch competition, where students were asked to address carbon neutrality in terms of dining, transportation, and energy consumption. Haverkamp says these ideas from students are helpful as the commission considers options that would be beneficial to the environment and the U-M community. "We're going to find a whole large suite of ideas and figure out the tradeoffs among them," Haverkamp says. "We have to do all of this while still being true to the U-M's mission and be inclusive of students, faculty, and staff." Stults represents the city of Ann Arbor as a PCCN commissioner. She says the commission is vital to Washtenaw County achieving its carbon-neutral goals, estimating that the university accounts for 30% of Ann Arbor's carbon emissions. Stults also recognizes the need for other local organizations in Washtenaw County to support this change and help identify solutions. "They advocate and do things the city cannot do," Stults says. "They can be the extension of the message into the city and generators of new ideas." One of many dedicated local organizations is the Huron River Watershed Council (HRWC), a participant in many local environmental partnerships, including A2Zero and the A2 Climate Partnership. HRWC has also researched and warned others of the impacts of climate change in Washtenaw County for years. Some of HRWC's work includes vulnerability assessments of urban areas, where potential weather-related issues are identified so the city can prepare for the worst-case scenario. These assessments are used in city planning and May 2020 | 65

budgeting, and can help cities reduce vulnerabilities to the impacts of high heat, extreme rainfall events, and other anticipated climate change impacts. Rebecca Esselman, executive director of HRWC, says other research shows Washtenaw County will continue to see wetter wet seasons and drier dry seasons. Since 1950, Ann Arbor has measured over a 40% increase in precipitation, and national research shows Midwest precipitation rates will increase up to 30% by the end of this century. Esselman serves on the technical advisory committee on adaptation and resilience for A2Zero, and says it's crucial to focus on adaptation in the community so people aren't caught off guard with the myriad of changes needed to reach carbon neutrality. Esselman says another important consideration for environmental policy is equity, so policies don't adversely affect certain groups. "Cross-sector planning is really important," Esselman says. "We need to not think in isolation because some solutions may have cascading impacts we haven't thought of. The city of Ann Arbor has considered that important part of the project."

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Looking ahead to the next step for Ann Arbor and the rest of Washtenaw County, Haverkamp says the most important role for the public to play in this environmental crisis is to hold government officials, whether local or federal, accountable. "It's a problem that the federal government has stepped back from the role it was more actively playing (in addressing carbon emissions)," Haverkamp says. "The contributions from states and local governments are increasingly important for the U.S. to meet the Paris agreement. People should be holding elected officials to be better." Esselman agrees that government accountability is important in this fight. She says actions taken by the city and county in the last five years have not been enough to address the crisis. However, she says the recent action prompted by stronger public support has been encouraging. "We've seen huge ground covered in the last year," Esselman says. "The question of what is enough is a tricky one â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it's hard to know what's enough these days. We're at a point in this crisis where the goals need to seem so ambitious they seem impossible, and then they need to be possible."

734.994.5111 | LEWISJEWELERS.COM

Uplevel Your Self-Care by Stepping into Nature by Dr. Nekeshia Hammond

elf-care continues to be one of the most popular buzzwords in 2020, and for good reason. Far too many people are still not taking enough time for themselves. Instead, they place all the focus on those around them before meeting their own needs. Women are especially guilty of this form of self-sacrifice, and are therefore more likely to be depressed or even resentful of the very people they are taking care of.

to care for others. Rather than continue to harp on things you’ve likely already heard, however, let’s shift our focus to how to get even more out of your self-care activities. Simply put, the easiest way to uplevel your self-care is by stepping into nature. But what exactly does that mean?

You know the old air travel adage: “Put on your own mask first before assisting others.” The reality is that you can’t give from an empty cup. You must fill your own cup first so that you have the physical, mental, and emotional ability

Some of the best and most cost-efficient self-care activities include meditation, taking walks or engaging in other forms of moderate exercise, writing in a journal, eating a healthy diet, and allowing yourself to daydream

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Connect with Nature for Your Health and Wellbeing

regardless of whether we’re being physically active or merely lounging in nature, we can get an unmatched sense of stillness that reminds us there is plenty of time for the things on our to-do list when we’re outside. Rushing and overexerting ourselves won’t help us complete our tasks any faster. On the other hand, taking time to breathe and center our minds and bodies will actually help us be more focused and efficient when it comes time to get things done. You don’t even have to travel far to enjoy the benefits of “being in nature.” A simple walk around the block, a bike ride in a local park, or even just sitting on your patio or a city bench allows you the opportunity to effortlessly breathe in the natural air and soak up the sun.

Vitamin D: Nature’s Ultimate Self-Care Vitamin According to The National Institutes of Health, vitamin D is “produced endogenously when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis.” When your body has low vitamin D levels, it can make you more prone to infections and illness, as well as mental illnesses such as depression. As The Endocrine Society explained, “Researchers have found that vitamin D helps regulate adrenaline, noradrenaline (also called norepinephrine), and dopamine production in the brain; as well as helping to protect from serotonin depletion. For this reason, low vitamin D levels increase an individual’s risk of depression significantly.”

or just sit in stillness. You can increase the mental health benefits of these actions by doing them outside.

The Maryland Coalition of Families reported that spending just 20 minutes per day outside in nature improved attention spans, raised levels of serotonin, enhanced brain activity, and increased energy levels as well. Business Insider echoed the sentiment, and also stated that “being outside can improve memory, fight depression, and lower blood pressure.” Perhaps Lao Tzu said it best when he said, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” In truth,

Even in the dead of winter, the act of going outside and allowing yourself the chance to synthesize some vitamin D and get in touch with nature can improve your mental health and wellbeing.

Ideas for Combining Self-Care Activities with Nature While 20 minutes to yourself may feel like a lot right now, keep in mind you don’t have to take it all at once. If you have a dog, for example, a 10-minute walk with your furry friend in the morning and another in the evening could be all you need to take control of your mind, body, and emotions. Or perhaps you could eat your lunch outside on your lunch break. There’s no rule that says you have to eat it inside, after all. May 2020 | 69

Here are some additional ideas for combining self-care activities with time in nature: •

Grab your journal and take your morning coffee outside. Write out your intentions for how the day will go, and your goals for the week ahead.

•

When you get home from work, take a stroll around the block before going to greet your family. Sometimes that time to decompress is all you need to help the emotions of the day melt away.

•

Dust off your grill and cook dinner outside tonight. Bonus points if you have your family join you to eat dinner on the patio.

•

Watch the sunrise or sunset in silence. Just take in the beauty of the moment.

•

If you’re really daring, go camping one weekend. No cellphones, no tech — just digital detoxing.

•

Is there a city or town nearby you can explore

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outside? Allow yourself the mental break to pretend you’re on vacation and act like a tourist for a day.

Your Mental Health Matters If you take nothing else from this article, I hope that you’ll remember that you deserve to take care of yourself. Your mental health matters, and it doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated to work on your own wellbeing. Adding nature to the mix just amplifies the benefits you will enjoy when you indulge in self-care activities. Dr. Nekeshia Hammond is the host of BWE Mental Health Moment with Dr. Hammond, as well as an Amazon international best-selling author, international speaker, and psychologist. She is the Founder of Hammond Psychology & Associates and the former President of the Florida Psychological Association. Dr. Hammond has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and a variety of magazine and radio shows throughout the country. IG: @Dr.Hammond and @PracticalParenting Facebook.com/PositiveThinkingWithDrHammond Twitter: @Dr_Hammond DrNekeshiaHammond.com

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