eco-conscious • healthy • fun • creative
Reconnecting With Self
ISSUE 1 VOLUME 1 WINTER 2019
TRUE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
Table of Contents
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17
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Personal Growth
Self Care
Health
The Habit of Balance
The Essentials of Water
What is My Medicine?
Create a fabulous life that allows you to be healthy, happy, with feel good energy.
Attain a wide variety of health benefits with this basic earthly compound.
Reconnect to the natural world and renew yourself with restorative inspiration.
Summer Bodies Now ......pg.32
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TRUE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
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Cuisine
The Arts
Travel
A Selfless Indulgence
Healing through Sound
Secret Italia
Discover how to enjoy this delectable treat while being mindful of the environment.
Techniques to help you through the winter blues and to rejuvenate after holiday stress.
Escape to these secluded gems and revel in the true beauty and romance of Italy.
Winter Comfort Food ......pg.39
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PERSONAL GROWTH
The Habit of Balance By April Diane
How does one create balance in a world with demands meeting you around every corner from the time you open your eyes and meet your first conscious thought? Can we find balance between the things we have to do in life and the things we love to do? Is there such a thing as a way of life that allows us to stay healthy, happy, and responsible without being a nun or living in a monastery in a remote location off in the Netherlands? Or is the idea of balance a romanticized theory none of us have ever mastered but continue to strive for day after day, year after year? I’m inclined to believe that balance is not only possible, but a way of life, a mindset, or better yet - a habit.
PERSONAL GROWTH
Imagine this scenario with me for a moment. Your alarm clock goes off and it’s only a quarter to six, so you hit the snooze button one last time. “A few more minutes should do the trick” you think to yourself as you turn on your side and pull the cover over your head to hide the not-yet-welcomed greeting from the sun cascading into your bedroom window. The thought arises that you should have called it quits two hours earlier last night, remembering your push to finish your school paper that is due today. Your days always seem like you’re just making it or running out of time to complete your projects, you acknowledge, as you also think about a few other details of your life you have put off to the last minute. As you reflect, you think “but when did I actually have time to do them? I’m always so busy”. “There seems to be a theme here,” you silently whisper to yourself. Does any of this sound familiar? Can you relate? What Belief am I Operating From? Is it possible these things are connected in some way? Pressing snooze on the alarm clock, pushing to stay up later, putting things off to the last minute, or always feeling like there are never enough hours in the day? Three ideas come to mind: procrastination, being overwhelmed, and feeling over committed. But why? “What’s the belief that is creating this reality?” I ask. This is a question that always helps me get to the root of my behavior and ignite the spirit of change from deep within my soul. Is the person in our scenario a procrastinator or overwhelmed and over committed? Perhaps he or she has made a habit of being in high demand. What is the underlying cause? How does one get into this pattern? Are these the characteristics of someone who is super ambitious, avoiding their real life’s purpose and a deeper connection with this experience, or does this person find their worth in doing? I believe there is a little bit of all the above mixed into the belief system of a person experiencing the reality described; pushing yourself to do more, rushing to complete projects, feeling like there is never enough time, etc. I believe this because I have been, and sometimes still am, that person. Recently I began to consciously trade a PUSH for a PAUSE. Let’s face it, we are NEVER going to get ‘it’ all done. There is always going to be something to do. And no matter how much we try, someone is not going to like what we say, what we do, or how we live our lives. So, the first part of experiencing balance in our lives is being ok with not being perfect, accepting ourselves for who we are, and understanding our lives are never-ending assignments we work on a little bit every day. By trading a PUSH for a PAUSE, I literally make time to shut down and get still. No agenda, no deadlines; just me floating in time with nature. The time where we create the space which helps raise our awareness.
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SELF CARE
Photo by pixabay.com
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SELF CARE
The Essentials of Water By Roberta Perry
H
ydration! For our skin and our health, water is the single best and most important thing that keeps our bodies moving. But did you know it is also a key ingredient in caring for our skin? As well as our mental wellbeing, digestion, clarity, and ability to ward off headaches, water regulates body temperature. It helps us feel full too. Since many times when we think we are hungry, we are thirsty and would feel better just by drinking 8-16 oz. of water. Average daily ounce consumption should be about 50% of your weight. For example, someone who weighs 140 lb., should be drinking approximately 70 oz. of water a day. Yes. A day. So now we know that we should drink more water. But do we truly understand why? According to The USGS Water Science School*, up to 60% of the human adult body is water. According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158**, the brain and heart are 73% water, the lungs 83%, the skin 64%, muscles and kidneys 79%, and even the bones have about 31% water. So doesn’t it make sense that if we need it to survive, we need to be drinking more of it?
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TRAVEL
Secret Italia!
by Madeline Tersigni
Ahhh Italia‌ one of the most beautiful countries in the entire world! If you are consider-
ing booking a flight to Italy, you are probably thinking about all of the wonderful experiences you will have when you get there: Tasting the authentic Italian cuisine, being captivated by the incredible art and history, wandering around the quaint back streets, and roaming the warm countryside. Believe me, you will encounter all of this on vacation in Italy. However, one thing you may forget to consider is the number of tourists. Great moments can be ruined by the persistent flashing of cameras or the pushing and shoving of a hundred people trying to get inside a monument or museum all at once. You will pack into public transportation like sardines, cabs will be more expensive, and at a good restaurant, not a vacant table will be found. It is difficult, but tourists are a part of traveling, and they are inevitable - right? Well, maybe, when it comes to the larger cities. But, if you are hoping to get away from stress during your vacation, here are five underrated places in Italy that are gorgeous and tourist free!
20 truelifestylemagazine.com Bolzano village, photo by Rachel Wertz
TRAVEL
Bolzano: Bolzano is the capital city of South Tyrol, a northern province in Italy. It is set in a spacious valley, surrounded by heavenly vineyards on top of rolling hills. Bolzano has a hauntingly beautiful medieval city center, with the South Tyrol museum holding the famous Otzi iceman, known as a Neolithic mummy. It also has the Mareccio Castle and the gorgeous Duomo di Bolzano cathedral. Isola del Giglio: Isola del Giglio is so magnificent that most pictures cannot do it justice. It is an island off of the coast of Tuscany, in the province of Grosseto. One of the seven islands that form the Tuscan Archipelago that lies within the National Park. With its breathtaking water and the soft sandy beaches, Isola del Giglio is a must see in Italy. You can reach the island by taking a ferry from Tuscany. The ferry costs around â‚Ź40 (roundtrip).
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Bracciano: The quaint town of Bracciano will steal your heart and make you never want to go back to the hustle and bustle of the city. You can take a dip or go fishing in the town’s incredible volcanic lake or explore the well preserved medieval castle: Castello Orsini – Odescalchi. Bracciano is approximately an hour away from Rome and only costs €7 (roundtrip) to get there.
Bracciano Lake, photo by Madeline Tersigni
Bracciano street view, photo by Madeline Tersigni
HEALTH
What is My Medicine? by Linda Lombardo
CHAOS CALLS US ALL FORTH TO CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO; TO QUESTION EVERYTHING; TO ASK OURSELVES, WHO DO WE GET TO BE?
To know what our unique gift is in the world is to understand how to use that gift in the world. It is a universal human longing. It matters little if that world is just one person, a family, a community or the whole planet. When you don’t know what your medicine is, it can be tough to make choices. You may feel envious or competitive with people who seem to have it ‘all together’ or all figured out. You may feel ‘lesser than’ or ‘undeserving’ because you haven’t figured it out. When you don’t know what your medicine is, it feels like you’re always crossing paths with a bear in the woods. And the only thing to do when that happens is to stop and respect the bear’s space; hold peace in your heart and give that big, wooly beast the right of way. Anything else is downright dangerous. It was on a walk in the forest one day that the question came up. Looking up at the treetops, the question was asked, “What is my medicine?” and the treetops replied, “It’s certainly the sound of the wind as it passes through your leaves.” Leaves? That didn’t seem very helpful. So the question was asked again, this time of the dirt and the earth along the trail. “What is my medicine?” and the dirt replied, “It’s certainly the decomposition of stones, shells and organic matter that hold the history of this place and make up your being.”
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Photo by skitterphoto.com
HEALTH
Summer Bodies Are Made in Winter By Nick Yasinosky
W
ant to get a jump on that summer body? Yes, I said summer. Now, you may be thinking to yourself, “It’s the middle of winter. I have plenty of time until the summer.” Maybe. But what if I told you that summer bodies are made in the winter? All too often, we get caught up in the mainstream mentality of the winter. We may think we are going to “bulk“ up, that we are hibernating, that our metabolism slows down, or the age-old “it’s the holidays” excuse. This mindset will only lead us to the road of uncertainty because there is no plan. Allowing this to happen to our bodies is a slippery slope of overeating foods that are full of empty carbohydrates, processed sugars, and bad fats. There is an imbalance between the “hunger hormones” leptin and ghrelin that causes us to either still feel hungry or feel content. Leptin, being an appetite suppressor, makes fat cells decrease our appetite. When we eat foods that are nutritionally dense, we feel full and will tend not to keep eating. A good example would be eating a bowl of oatmeal with mixed berries on top. The opposite is true for ghrelin, which is an appetite increaser. Ghrelin is released in the stomach and sends signals to the brain that we are still hungry when we are either overeating or undereating foods that do not possess quality nutrients. A good example of this is eating a whole box of sugary breakfast cereals, which are not nutritionally dense. Because of ghrelin, we keep eating bowl after bowl and therefore increase our caloric intake. The over-consumption or overindulgence of caloric intake, whether it is food or drink, is the number one contributor to weight retention or weight gain. During the holiday season, the increased temptation of fatty, high sugar foods, plus less physical activity will lead to the weight gain that most of us experience. We then make empty New Year’s resolutions and broken promises to ourselves, usually under the influence of alcohol. Those resolutions typically fall through and may last a week if we are lucky. It is then a mad dash to “diet” or try to lose weight to gain it
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Photo by Oliver Sjรถstrรถm
Photo by Oliver Sjรถstrรถm from Pexels
CUISINE
A Selfless Indulgence
By Roxanne Browning
Concious decisions when choosing our favorite Chocolate bar has an impact on the World
I
t is so hard to imagine for some, how our spending habits affect others in the world on a typical shopping day. If you buy organic or fresh produce at a local farm stand or belong to a CSA to support your local economy, you understand economics 101. But not all your needs are met by your local farms or if you are fortunate to have any in your area. Simply put, Fair Trade or Direct Trade is the global answer to your local farmstand. However, it’s much more than that. Cocoa Before Harvest The Certified Fair Trade label on chocolate and other products, such as coffee, tea, sugar,
vanilla, and even flowers, guarantees consumers that the farmers who grew the crops are; 1) paid a fair price for their harvest; 2) members of democratically organized cooperatives; 3) have access to affordable credit. The Fair Trade price allows farmers to cover their costs of production as well as afford a decent standard of living for their families, send their children to school and invest in the quality of their farms. The Fair Trade label also guarantees environmentally friendly foods that are 85% certified organic and have the highest quality in flavor and nutritional value. We must note that organic certification is an expense to small farmers. A lot of traditionally farmed cacao is produced ‘organically’ by default since farmers are not able to afford pesticides. Nor can they afford the expense of certification to meet Western organic standards. Direct Trade Most chocolate makers have a direct business relationship with the farmers. Partner – growers make as much as four times more than Fair Trade. Cooperatives and chocolate makers work to-
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gether to create bean-to-bar chocolate from the chocolate maker for different applications heirloom cacao. Imagine partnering with the and uses.” source of cocoa so everyone benefits? If ethically traded chocolate is not available locally, ask your grocer. Many links are available on your local eco-conscious grocers’ websites. n Free Trade is Not so Free There is a dark side to the conventional economic system, where millions of people around the world are not valued. Many people work within inhumane conditions and receive less than a livable wage. Many are forced to work for no wages at all, especially children. “It’s important to teach growers to assess flavor and protect it by empowering them to breed new varieties that are both disease resistant and flavorful,” Gary Guittard, CEO of Guittard Chocolate Co., says. “We need healthy diversity in an ecologic sense. That’s adding tools to
Roxanne created an original idea to pair chocolate with wine and founded Exotic Chocolate Tasting in 2010, a Certified NY State Women-Owned Business. Roxanne’s goal to bring awareness to the indigenous people that grow cacao, highlighting the environmental and health benefits, guides us in mindfully savoring craft chocolate. Contact Roxanne for your exclusive curated event at www. exoticchocolatetasting.com
*originally published at https://exoticchocolatetasting.com/site/who-grows-your-chocolate/
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Photo by Robert Springer
CUISINE
Lobster Mac n Cheese Serves 4-6 as a main course Serves 8-12 as an appetizer
First make the roux. Whisk flour and butter together over medium heat. Combine for 3-4 minutes or until butter is lightly colored. Add the milk, bringing just to a light boil, then lower to simmer. Sauce will thicken. Start boiling the salted water for the pasta. Add the cheeses into the simmering milk 1/3 at a time while whisking over low heat. Then add the spices of salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Take a moment now to put the oven on broil. Cook the pasta to al dente. While cooking pasta, lightly sauté the lobster meat for 30-60 seconds in a sauté pan with a little olive oil. Once pasta is ready, it is time to combine all ingredients. Take the cheese sauce and lightly fold in the fresh chopped basil and parsley. Then take the lobster meat, pat dry and fold that into the cheese sauce as well. Combine sauce and pasta into a baking tray. Sprinkle the top with seasoned bread crumbs. Lightly spray the top with organic olive oil spray for an even coat or place small dabs of butter on top.
Ingredients 1 pound of cavatappi (or elbow) pasta 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 tablespoons flour 2 cups milk 1 teaspoon salt Pinch of pepper Pinch of cayenne 1 pound lobster meat tail/claw ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ cup chopped parsley ¼ cup chopped basil 2 green onions finely chopped on a bias (green tops only) 12 ounces white cheddar 4 ounces parmesan ¼ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
Place on the lowest rack in the oven on broil for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Take out and sprinkle the fresh green onions on top. Ready to serve.
Bon appétit!
Chef Robert Springer is the owner of Chef Springer Catering and Private Chef. He is the winner of “The Mentorship with Tom Colicchio”, sponsored by Bravo TV. Chef Springer specializes in fine dining tasting menus for the epicurean at heart. In addition to catering private events, he is also available for in-home cooking and private tasting menus at clients’ homes. Contact Chef Springer at RobertSpringerFB@gmail.com and follow him at Instagram.com/chefspringerish
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Photo by Fernando Arcos from Pexels
THE ARTS
Healing Through Sound The first ever sound recording dates back to 1857. But music was part of humankind and society long before that. It was a way of telling stories, passing on traditions, getting ready for war and tying together communities and religions. More and more studies are being done and concluding that music helps aid in pain and stress reduction. So we wanted to help you take a mental break after all the holiday bustle or perhaps you have a physical challenge you need help staying relaxed and focused through. Did you ever hear a song or piece of music that immediately brought you back to a wonderful feeling? Maybe to a great time in your life, or a major life-changing event? Wouldn’t it be amazing to hold on to that feeling longer than just a song or melody? Here are some guidelines to help you create a playlist that you can use when you need to relax your mind and body. n
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Change your thoughts and you change your world. -Norman Vincent Peale
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