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Mother’s Perfect Day at Eau

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Mother’s Perfect Day at Eau
For The Moms
Mother’s Perfect Day
The perfect gift for your favorite lady, this day includes a 30 Minute Body Scrub, 90 Minute Self-Centered Massage, 60 Minute Essence Facial, Classic Manicure and Pedicure followed by a hair blow out. $590 and includes complimentary champagne and 10% off any retail purchases. Optional upgrades not included in the price.
-$675
 
Make-It-Up-To-Mom Hammam
You have worried her since the day you were born, and now is your chance to win her forgiveness with this decadent treatment. With roots in the ancient Middle East, this purifying, ancient ritual detoxifies the body as she is submerged into a heated float bed while slathered and wrapped in a rhassoul clay cocoon.  The body is then cooled with an orange quince mist, and finished with a warm carda”mom” amber oil hand tangerine fig butter crème massage. She will not remember your name, much less the trouble you have caused her after this divine treatment.
-90 Minutes for $295
Mother’s Favorite Facial
We know that she loves you best, and she’ll love ridding her skin of hyperpigmentation, photoaging, pore congestion or fine lines and wrinkles (that your siblings caused her) with a choice of either one of our Micropeel Solutions or a Pigment Balancing Peel. This treatment includes crystal-free microdermabrasion, a hyaluronic gel infusion, sculpting microcurrent, collagen stimulating LED, and includes a take-home, month supply of Alpha Beta Peels. Stay in first place.
-90 Minutes for $420
The Queen Mother
Her highness would expect nothing less.  This perfect journey includes a hand drawn bath of exotic  florals, oriental teas, and precious oils combined with a hand washing and polishing of the skin, a delicate dry buff, and a warm butter and silk massage.
-90 Minutes for $295
CincEAU de MayEAU Specials
Enjoy a complimentary margarita with each of these grandioso treats.  We love a holiday that celebrates a country as great and fun as Mexico! Come in to detox before you retox this evening. Sombreros and ponchos are welcome, but please park your burro with the valet.
Chichen-It’s-A Great Massage
Work days make you no stranger to ruins, but you don’t have to go out like a Mayan. This aromatherapy massage will perk you up and includes a luxury foot treatment, to boot.  Don’t worry. It’s not the end of the world!
-60 Minutes for Only $200
Tijuana Get Fit?
Si! Receive unlimited yoga classes per month for only $150.
Yucatan Spray Tan
Our Cancun-ready spray tan comes with a scalp and foot massage, and is arguably the most beautiful and odorless spray tan on the market. Arriba!
-60 Minutes for $180
Piña Colada Pedicure and Mango Manicure
Whether you would rather escape oooohhh…down in Mexico or waste away again in Margaritaville this tropical retreat can’t be beat.  Submerge your hands and feet in a fruity blend and then your Nail Fairy will polish them to a silky and smooth finish.  Book anytime, because it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere.
-Mani and Pedi for $150
  
Cancun Couple’s Massage
If you can’t plan a romantic get away to the Mexican Rivera, then you can at least celebrate your love for one another in the most luxurious couple’s treatment villa in Palm Beach.
-60 Minutes for $350 or 90 Minutes for $495
TaquitEAU Wrap
Be cocooned in warm, detoxifying minerals while fighting the cellulite caused by too much queso and tequila.  A float bed treatment and massage come with your order, but sour cream not included.
-90 Minutes for $295
May Fitness Events
 
EAUmmm Yoga Social Night – 7 p.m. May 12th with Jesicca Aloha ($40) (photo attached)
 
SoundOff Silent Yoga Night – 7 p.m. May 25th with Adriana Lee ($25) (photo attached)

YWCA Seeks Nominations for 2017 Grace Dodge Award

Allyson Samiljan
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YWCA Seeks Nominations for 2017 Grace Dodge Award

The YWCA of Palm Beach County is seeking nominations for its 2017 Grace Hoadley Dodge Award. The award is presented annually to a woman residing in Palm Beach County who has overcome adversity and in the process has not only empowered herself but also created opportunities for and led other women toward their own empowerment. These accomplishments have been achieved with dignity and a commitment to peace, justice and freedom.

Grace Hoadley Dodge benefited greatly from the wealth and business acumen of her family. In 1874 at the age of 18, she dropped out of Miss Porter’s School, determined that her interests were not in the program offerings but in helping people in need. She began her career as a social worker and philanthropist teaching Sunday school and sewing classes. She taught for five years at the Children’s Aid Society in New York. She initiated tenement reform in 1879 from her position as Chairperson of the Working Girl’s Society’s Committee on Elevation of the Poor. She was instrumental in the development of the Kitchen Garden Association in New York, later reorganized into the Industrial Education Association that in 1889 became Teachers College. The college became a part of Columbia University in 1889. In 1886 she was given one of the first two seats for women on New York City’s Board of Education. She help establish the Girls’ Public School Athletic League in 1905, acted for six years as the first President of the YWCA of the USA, and was influential in the consolidation of church groups into the New York Travelers Aid Society in 1907 and in the organization of the American Social Hygiene Association in 1912.

Information required on the application includes the nominee’s name, address phone number, and current occupation as well as the adversity she has overcome, how she overcame it and how she has helped empower others. The name and contact information about the person making the nomination is also needed.

The award will be presented at the YWCA’s “Purse & Passion” Luncheon on June 7, 2017, at Bear Lakes Country Club, West Palm Beach.

Applications must be received by the YWCA no later than May 26, 2017 at: Grace Dodge Award Committee, YWCA of Palm Beach County, 1016 N. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.

For more information or to request an application, please contact the YWCA, 561-640-0050, Ext. 115.

Be Part of Nonprofit JustWorld’s “Month of Change”

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Be Part of Nonprofit JustWorld’s “Month of Change”

Be Part of Nonprofit JustWorld’s “Month of Change”

Nonprofit JustWorld International kicked off their “Month of Change” campaign. The goal of the campaign is to sign up 30 new JustWorld Members in the month of May. The monthly membership donation is a direct investment in the livelihood of children at JustWorld programs around the world, supporting the education, nutrition, health and hygiene, and leadership development needs for more than 6,500 children. As little as $10/month can provide the nutrition of one child for an entire year who otherwise would struggle to find sustenance. 

Nonprofit organization JustWorld International was founded in 2003 with the goal of uniting equestrians to change the world. Since then, JustWorld has provided children from some of the poorest communities in the world with a better quality of life. Through the international equestrian network, riders began to see that together everyone can do their part to help others in need.

JustWorld works with local organizations with impassioned leaders who know the needs of their communities and can better direct JustWorld’s support to make the greatest impact. JustWorld’s partners have received global recognition for their extraordinary leadership, with two of their partners receiving the prestigious CNN Top 10 Hero Award and one being awarded the World’s Children’s Prize. JustWorld’s programs are effective in transforming children’s lives every day. This past year, JustWorld increased the capacity for their programs two-fold, serving more than 6,500 children in Cambodia, Guatemala, and Honduras. Now, the organization needs your help to continue to provide these children with the care they need so they can break free from the cycle of poverty and become leaders within their communities.

 

Become a member today! Click here: https://www.justworldinternational.org/join/become-a-member/

 

Together, let’s make this month a time of giving back and sparking change! Share this on social media using #monthofchange to encourage your network to give.

 

If you would like to be part of this community of change, please visit www.justworldinternational.org.

Amanda Knox Featured At PBC Bar Association Kickoff To Law Week

Jennifer Cope
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Amanda Knox Featured At PBC Bar Association Kickoff To Law Week

 

AMANDA KNOX FEATURED SPEAKER AT LUNCHEON TO KICK OFF ‘LAW WEEK’

Palm Beach County Bar Association President John Whittles interviews
internationally-known figure from Italian trial saga

(West Palm Beach, Fla.) – The Palm Beach County Bar Association recently held a luncheon featuring Amanda Knox, one of the most internationally-recognized figures from the world of trial law. Bar president John Whittles of Mathison Whittles, LLP, interviewed Knox on a variety of topics, including her experience during four years in an Italian prison, the impact of the trial on her family and what she is doing now.

A Seattle native, Knox made international headlines as a foreign exchange student in 2007 for being accused of her roommate Meredith Kercher’s murder in Perugia, Italy. The case turned into a worldwide media frenzy, portraying her as the villain before the Italian Supreme Court acquitted her in 2015.

John Whittles and Amanda Knox. Photo: Palm Beach County Bar Association.

Nearly 300 people attended the luncheon April 26 at the Embassy Suites in West Palm Beach. The candid conversation kicked off Law Week in Florida, held the first week of May each year. The observance is aimed to help people appreciate liberties and cultivate respect for the law, and it is also a way to recognize and discuss the role of the courts in the United States. Locally, members of the Palm Beach County Bar Association volunteered in dozens of schools presenting mock trials and educating students about the legal system. Students also had the opportunity to “Shadow a Judge” at the Palm Beach County Courthouse.

“Amanda Knox’s story is fascinating from all angles, but in addition to the legal fundamentals, the impact this process had on her and her family as human beings was significant,” Whittles said. “I am grateful to have had her sitting down with us and just talking candidly about the process. I can’t think of a better way to kick off Law Week. Amanda had all of these accomplished lawyers and judges just hanging on every word. In a very large and very crowded room, you literally could have heard a pin drop.”

At times, Knox broke into tears, especially when talking about her loved ones. “What happened to me was just as traumatic as what happened to my family,” Knox said. “I had never seen my dad cry before. When he told me it would take five years of imprisonment before I saw any light, I knew I was in trouble when he was crying.”

These days, Knox is a writer and a journalist. “I feel a lot less alone when I’m communicating what I understand,” Knox said. “There’s no better feeling than being understood.” She now works to figure out how humans relate to each other and the driving forces behind what happened to her. Knox also helps others falsely imprisoned and gets together with a group of exonerees every year. She remains level-headed, refusing to lash out at her accusers. “I know what it feels like to be judged on falsehoods and incomplete truths, and I don’t want to do the same thing to anyone.”

John Whittles will finish his term as the elected president of the Palm Beach County Bar Association in May. Established in 1922, the Palm Beach County Bar Association’s mission is to serve its members, foster professionalism and enhance the public’s understanding and awareness of the legal system. Members are active in providing numerous public service activities and giving back to the community. Visit http://www.palmbeachbar.org/ or call 561-687-2800.

John Whittles is a partner at Mathison Whittles, LLP, a full-service law firm that pairs the talents of its two founders to efficiently and cost-effectively provide clients the entire spectrum of real estate, business, estate planning and litigation legal services. Mathison Whittles maintains offices at 5606 PGA Boulevard, Suite 211 in Palm Beach Gardens and 301 Pine Street in West Palm Beach. Contact them at 561-624-2001 or 561-469-1160 or visit https://mathisonwhittles.com/.

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Village Music – Bringing the Music Community Together

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Village Music – Bringing the Music Community Together

Village Music – Bringing the Music Community Together

By Krista Martinelli

“When we opened Village Music in November of 2012, there was no other music shop in Wellington for kids to take lessons at,” says Steve Willey.  “We both love music and we wanted to share our love of music,” says Donna Willey.  Previously, Steve had a Village Music shop in Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts, for 10 years. The Willeys truly love what they do. 

 

Currently located in the Fresh Market plaza, they are excited to be moving to a stand alone building near Barnes & Noble that is more than twice as big as their current space.  In the building that was previously Citibank by the Mall at 10410 Forest Hill Boulevard, they will be able to offer many more programs.  “We will have rock camps, band camps, birthday parties, ukulele circles, drum circles, a music café, open mic nights, performances by the students and performances by local talent,” Donna says.  Donna and Steve are visibly excited about the prospect of expanding their offerings and reaching more people.  “We will have better visibility there and more traffic,” says Steve.

 

The move will happen late summer or early fall.  And yes, there will be a big Grand Opening event.  “We would like to have performances well into the night,” says Donna. 

 

In the new location, they will have 9 or 10 lesson rooms, a café with a stage and outdoor seating.  Having a stage in a coffee shop will allow for their students to perform on a regular basis.  They also plan to have a number of different music events, including music clinics.  Village Music is now an official dealer of Martin guitars.  So they plan to have some clinics with Martin artists.   

 

They already see a great number of students currently with approximately 300 students and 17 instructors.  They teach lessons in guitar, ukulele, drums, percussion, piano, violin, voice, cello, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, flute, sax and banjo.  “We have had harp and French horn in the past,” says Donna.  “Also, we can find a teacher for any instrument.  If there’s a need, we find a way.” 

 

I asked how music connected Donna and Steve.  “We met in Slovenia originally,” says Steve. “I was in the army, and Donna was a tour guide.  We used to sit up at night listening to music together.”  They were re-united 23 years later when Steve found Donna on Facebook.  He asked if she liked the song that he had written for her and sent to her.  She had moved and never received it.  So 23 years later, Steve played the song, “Donna, Sweet Donna” for his true love.  Donna was in Germany and Steve was in Boston at the time.  Steve found out Donna would be coming to the Boston area for a conference, and he bought tickets to the 40 year reunion tour of James Taylor and Carole King.    

 

The re-kindling of their romance took off quite quickly – with a little help from music and soon Steve realized that he wanted to be with Donna again.  So he sold his music shop to be with her in Europe.  Soon after, they were looking for a place to settle down in the United States.  They wanted a warm climate, A-rated schools and a good demographic for their music store that they would open together.  They settled on Wellington, FL.  “We ended up being a really good team,” explains Donna.  Steve is good with music sales, and Donna has her MBA, so she handles more of the business and marketing side of things.  They both teach lessons.  Steve teaches ukulele and guitar, while Donna teaches piano.

 

“I just love watching kids and adults develop as musicians and grow in their love of music. I hear them every week, when I listen to the music coming out of every practice room and it’s amazing to hear the improvement.  This year’s recital brought tears to my eyes,” says Donna.

“We’re going on five years here, and I had my other store for 10 years. It’s great to see kids go off to college, come back and still have music in their lives. Teaching music is a way of giving back.  Sometimes music helps someone who is struggling.  We have students who have autism, ADHD, hyperactivity and other issues.  It’s wonderful to see how music enriches people’s lives,” says Steve. 

 

There are many studies that show that children involved in music have more balanced brain (right brain vs. left brain), higher math scores, higher SAT scores and more ability to focus.  Studying music increases the neuroplasticity of the brain, making it easier to learn languages and math.  “Later in life, it makes you a more balanced person,” says Donna.  She cites a study of 100 of the Fortune 500 CEO’s.  Every single one of them had music in their development as a child, without a single exception.

 

The Willeys are proud of their exceptional teaching staff.  “We go through a grueling process to find just the right teachers, but we always do,” says Donna. 

 

“We are blessed to be able to do this and happy to have become an integral part of the Wellington community,” says Donna.  “The new store will be more than just a music store – it will be a community hub for music in Wellington,” says Steve. 

 

Village Music Wellington

10660 W. Forest Hill Blvd
Wellington, FL 33414
Telephone (561) 798-5334

www.VillageMusicWellington.com

Dog Park Etiquette

Barbara Masi
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Dog Park Etiquette

Paws-itive Press

Dog Park Etiquette

By Barbara Masi

Many of us are using dog parks to exercise/socialize our dogs – when we don’t have a fenced in yard or play dates with other dogs on the block where we live.  They can be an awesome place for your dog to play as long as everyone is on the same page as to the “rules” of using a dog park.   People seem to think that it is an area for dogs to go wild and for the humans to allow misbehavior.  It is not.  Here are some guidelines for you when using a dog park – they are compiled from suggestions I have read online and from either friends or my own personal experience using dog parks. 

Wear appropriate clothing for going to a dog park – and don’t bring a purse.  Fanny packs or your pockets are good places for your keys, cell phone and whatever else you feel you need while at the park.  Cell phone should be used for emergencies only at a dog park – it is not the place to “chat” with friends. You need to be alert to what is going on at all times.  Don’t bring the latest novel to read. You should never turn your back on your dog and the activity that is occurring in the dog park. 

A few people who are unmannerly will ruin the experience for all – so watch that others are also attentive to their dogs and follow the rules – or leave and find another dog park or go back when that person has gone from the park.

Do not bring an unvaccinated dog or puppy to a dog park.  This encourages a rapid spread of disease which can sometimes be fatal.  Do not bring a sick dog to a dog park.  Bringing a female in heat is irresponsible, yet some people do not monitor their dogs for this.

Do not bring young children into the dog park.  You are there to be with the dog and other dogs can / may run and knock over the stroller or the child.  This is not the place to go to babysit.  Attention needs to be directed to your dog and the others he/she is playing with.  Also, children should not be playing soccer (or similar games) right outside the fence of the dog park.  This will encourage the dogs to run the fence line in order to join in on the game and may start a frenzy among the dogs inside the fence.

Don’t bring too many dogs.  Some dog parks have a limit on the number of dogs any one person can bring to a dog park.  Your dogs form a pack at your home and this pack mentality may continue at the dog park.  This may be detrimental to their interacting with the other dogs at the dog park and they may become aggressive as a pack.  Also, you cannot be two places at once, so do not bring a small dog for the small dog park and a large dog for the large one, unless you bring a family member or friend to sit in the other fenced area with the other dog.  Never leave a dog alone in the fenced area. 

Check to see that there are not an abundance of intact males in the dog park.  If you see quite a few, do not bring your dog in the park until the number is reduced to just a couple.

Observe the dogs already in the dog park before letting your dog loose among them.  Do not put small dogs in bigger dog pens, nor should you put larger dogs in smaller dog pens.  No matter how well the smaller dog gets along with bigger dogs (or vice versa) this is inviting disaster.  Make sure the dog park you go to has pens for various sizes of dogs – small, medium and large (or at least small and large).

When you enter the park, remember that a group of dogs may come to “greet” you and the newcomer.  This can be intimidating and may overwhelm the newcomer.  It may cause a skirmish as the new dog enters, so take it slow and easy.

If your dog digs a hole, fill it in.  If your dog poops, clean it up.  Supervise the dogs constantly and interrupt any rough play.  Make sure there is clean water available for the dogs to drink.  Beware of standing puddles of water at dog parks. Standing water breeds disease and a wide variety of parasites and their eggs.

If you are afraid of certain breeds of dogs, don’t go to a dog park.  Your nervousness and concerns may be transmitted to your dog, thus encouraging a confrontation which could wind up with a dog getting injured – either your dog or another one at the park.

Don’t bring highly sensitive dogs to a dog park where there are lots of dogs.  This atmosphere will overwhelm them.  The “rule of thumb” is no more than 2 dogs per every 20 yards of space.  But you still may overwhelm a sensitive dog, and it is highly recommended that you make play dates with friends with like dogs in the yard at home rather than force a sensitive dog into a dog park situation.

Do not bring toys or treats to a dog park.  These are two things that can / might create a disturbance and encourage possessiveness by your dog.  If someone else is in the park with a toy or treats, wait until they leave if you feel that a situation might arise.  (This also applies to snacks for you while at the dog park – eat before you go or afterwards – not while at the dog park).

Don’t let a dog off lead in a dog park if he/she is not responsive to verbal commands.  Dogs should be taught the elementary commands before they are permitted to interact in this type of community.  (Training should be done to have a well-mannered dog in any circumstance.)  Dogs taken to a Dog Park should have a very strong Recall.  Train them to Come when called.  Train them to Leave It! DO NOT let dogs smell feces on the ground that may be loaded with worms and worm eggs.

If your dog is being bullied by another dog (or dogs) remove him/her from the dog park.  Conversely, if your dog is doing the bullying, take him/her away from the dog park. 

When at a dog park, there is a lot of advice passed from person to person.  Use discretion as to what you absorb as these are dog owners and not professionals.  If you need advice, go to a professional dog trainer with your questions

Watch for dog body posture or communication signals – on your dog and on the others in the park.  Dogs can give a warning that something is “wrong” and you may be able to stop it before it escalates if you observe the body language for stress, fear, and tension as well as that which occurs for play and enjoyment.  Know when your intervention is required and when the dogs are able to handle the situation on their own.

When you take your dog to a dog park you need to be aware that there are certain risks involved regarding injury to your dog or that he/she may injure another dog at the park.  Be vigilant – be careful and you and your dog will be able to enjoy the time you spend together at the dog park.

There are some dog parks in areas of the country that allow you to “rent” the park for an hour — perhaps one day a week.  There are groups of dog owners (some breed specific) that will rent the park for their select group of dogs that are well mannered and play well together.  It is an ideal way to enjoy the dog park if you are lucky enough to have this available in your area of the country.  The dogs get used to their set of friends and are able to play without stress.  The introduction of new friends is controlled by the person renting the space for that period of time.  Request information on this at your local dog park if you are interested in or feel better with this type of interaction for your dog.

The Best Three Exercises to get you Beach Ready

Cheryl Alker
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The Best Three Exercises to get you Beach Ready

Health and Fitness

The Best Three Exercises to get you Beach Ready

By Cheryl Alker

So you could not possibly have failed to notice that the temperature is starting to rise and, believe it or not, the children will soon be breaking up for school which means one thing; your body is going to be exposed! This is the time of year when we hit the beach, take up water sports and go on vacation. So for whatever reason, there is no doubt about it summer means less clothes and often more outdoor activity.

One of the biggest keys to getting in shape for summer is starting before it hits! It is right around the corner, so don’t wait till June 1st to decide that it is time to get in shape, to be ready the work has to be put in now.

One of the biggest excuses I hear from people for not working out regularly is a nasty four letter word ……. TIME!

Believe you me, I get it. So with this in mind I am giving you 3 exercises that should target all the major areas of your body, yes you read correctly, just THREE.  Do these every day and that beach body will be ready to hit the waves!

THE PUSH UP

Place your hands firmly on the ground, directly under shoulders.

Ground your toes into the floor to stabilize your lower half.

Brace your core (tighten your abs as if preparing to take a punch), engage your glutes and hamstrings, and flatten your back so your entire body is neutral and straight.

Lower your body.

Begin to lower your body—keeping your back flat and eyes focused about three feet in front of you to keep a neutral neck—until your chest grazes the floor. Don’t let your butt dip or stick out at any point during the move; your body should remain in a straight line from head to toe. Draw shoulder blades back and down, keeping elbows tucked close to your body (don’t “T” your arms).

Push back up.

Keeping your core engaged, exhale as you push back to the starting position.

Imagine you are screwing your hands into the ground as you push back up. 

Repeat for 10 to 20 reps or as many as can be performed with good form.

THE SQUAT

The setup for the squat is incredibly simple. Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips. Your toes should be pointed slightly outward – about 5 to 20 degrees outward.

Look straight ahead and pick a spot on the wall in front of you. You’ll want to look at this spot the entire time you squat, not looking down at the floor or up at the ceiling.

For a bodyweight squat put your arms straight out in front of you, parallel to the ground.

Keep your spine in a neutral position.

Your weight should be on the heels and balls of your feet as if you were pasted to the ground. You should be able to wiggle your toes the entire movement.

Send your hips backwards as your knees begin to bend.  It’s important that you start with your hips back, and not by bending your knees.

Keep looking straight ahead at that spot on the wall.

As you squat down focus on keeping your knees in line with your feet. Do not drop your buttocks lower than your knee joint.

Push back up to standing

THE PLANK

The plank is one of the best exercises you can do for your core because it builds isometric strength to help sculpt your waistline and improve your posture.

Depending on the type of plank you try, you can also engage your back, arms, shoulders, glutes, and hamstrings.

This is what most people consider to be a standard plank.

Lie facedown with legs extended and elbows bent and directly under shoulders; clasp your hands.

Feet should be hip-width apart, and elbows should be shoulder-width apart.

Contract your abdominals.

Tuck your toes to lift your body (forearms remain on the ground); you should be in a straight line from head to heels.

Hold for 60 seconds or as long as you can.

Certain About the Uncertainty

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Certain About the Uncertainty

Teen Talk

Certain About the Uncertainty      

By Mikayla Carroll

A question I’ve been hearing more and more of lately: “Where are you going to college?” These days, when I’m attending any sort of family gathering, I wait in anticipation for the first question like this. As I come to a close of the spring of my junior year, I ask myself that same question on a daily basis, only because I’m one of the ones that don’t have it figured out yet.

I think that’s the misconception; that I believe everyone who isn’t me already has their life together, in that sense. I imagine the universal “they” as your typical high schooler. I imagine they already have their heart set on the perfect school with their desired major. They’ve got the test scores and the GPA to make it there. They know what city they want to live in, they know if they can afford to live there, and they’ve long applied for the scholarships to make sure they can; all things I have yet to truly delve into.

The truth is, I believe most of us high school juniors are wandering aimlessly through these last few remaining months, knowing that we’re about to spend possibly our last summer at home, dreading that college application deadlines are much closer than they appear.

But when I’m presented with that question, that “where are you going to college?” question, I usually improvise on the spot. I entertain the thought of staying in-state for the most part, and I name-drop a few relatively well-known state schools that I may have researched a bit online or heard good things about. This is because, as of now, my college search consists of watching virtual college tours and reading up on the “top 100 journalism schools.” I usually feel that the asker of the question isn’t satisfied with my answer, or my indecisiveness.

I also am keenly aware of the slight disapproval that comes when I tell an adult I’d like to study journalism. These are usually the prescriptivist people who like to tell me that print media is dying, and that journalists twist words, and that there’s no money in that career unless you strike fame. On another note, most people assume that journalism itself is vanishing. It’s not by any means. It’s simply changing. As for me, growing up with technology has only prepared my current high school student self for a future in journalism.

Even with all this uncertainty about my future, I find it more exciting than anything. Somehow I find it comforting that in two years everything around me could be different, from where I’m living, to the people I’m surrounded by. The unpredictability is likely the biggest motivator for me these days, as motivation is hard to come by in this final stretch.

As I watch my senior friends finish out their final weeks in high school, I find myself wishing I was in their situation: counting down the days till moving day, until my first day of university. But then the sensible part of me shuts down the daydreaming and I’m reminded that I should probably be studying to improve my SAT score or something of that nature. Until I find that place I’m looking for, I’ll stay going through the motions, trying to make the best of it along the way.

Is Cardio Useless? Your Brain Says No

Jonathon Chung
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Is Cardio Useless? Your Brain Says No

Ask the Docs

Is Cardio Useless? Your Brain Says No

By Dr. Jonathan Chung

As of the timing of this post, I consider myself primarily a weightlifter when it comes to fitness. If you follow my social media posts on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook you’ll mainly see photos and videos of squats, snatches, cleans, and other movements that involve heavy barbells.

A popular trend in fitness is to condemn forms of exercise called steady-state cardio, which is your classic endurance exercise like long distance running, rowing, cycling, etc. Critics will say steady-state cardio is ineffective for putting on muscle mass and strength as well as a negligible effect on weight loss so it should be discarded as a form of exercise.

Whenever gym bros start talking about cardio

All of those things are pretty accurate. Cardiovascular exercise has a marginal effect on strength and hypertrophy, and in the absence of diet no form of exercise really promotes weight loss. But this doesn’t mean that cardiovascular exercise is useless. The effect that cardiovascular exercise has on your brain can be life changing.

Cardio and Neurogenesis

Neurogenesis is a term that scientists use to describe the growth of new neurons. For decades it was a widely held belief that all of the brain cells you are born with are the ones that you will have forever. In more recent years, scientists have identified parts of the brain that do produce new brain cells on a regular basis……just a lot more slowly than something like your skin.

One particular region in the brain that is well known to undergo neurogenesis is called the hippocampus.

This little chunk of brain is one of the few areas that can produce new neurons regularly.

The hippocampus is a piece of our brain that is associated with the formation of memories and in learning. It’s been well established in rat studies that neurogenesis happens in this part of the brain, and exercise enhances this process. But that’s just a rat study. Does this actually happen in humans?

While we can’t put humans on a treadmill for 30 minutes and cut out their hippocampus, there are studies that imply that neurogenesis happens in humans after cardiovascular exercise too. These studies have showed that exercise improves memory scores, increases the size of the hippocampus, and produces higher amounts of brain derived neurotrophic factor which is the chemical compound associated with neurogenesis.

That’s pretty amazing stuff! This is the type of stuff that helps to explain why people that exercise regularly have a lower risk of dementia. It also helps us understand how exercise can help combat things like ADHD and other brain related disorders.

Does Weight Training Have the Same Impact?

Scientists who did the study on rat brains found that aerobic exercise had double the amount of neurogenesis as sedentary rats. They also found that rats who did resistance exercise had very little effect on the rat brains, even though the rats got physically stronger. 

Now we have to take that with a grain of salt because:

  1. Rats aren’t people.
  2. The way that the scientists “strength trained” the rats is by tying a weight on their tails and making them climb with it. Not a terribly good comparison to men and women who voluntarily lift weights recreationally.The biggest take away from this study is the way that aerobic exercise seems to pump up that brain derived neurotrophic factor which may be a key to making your brain grow and heal.

While the effects of weightlifting on neurogenesis hasn’t been studied yet, there is compelling evidence that suggests weight training is beneficial in people with early stages of memory loss. Resistance training has been shown to improve general cognitive performance, improve blood flow to memory areas of the brain, and save seniors with memory problems money.

All Exercise Is Beneficial

At the end of the day, all kinds of exercise is beneficial for different reasons. We have developed a stronger understanding for how cardio can benefit the brain, and there is data that shows that weight training also gives the brain a boost.

There’s no need to shame someone’s exercise of choice. There are so many people that don’t move at all, that anything that a person can do to be active and move regularly will provide them a substantial benefit.

Now if you’re a fitness junkie already, then taking a balanced approach and incorporating something you usually avoid is a great recipe to get the maximum benefits of exercise.

If you are someone that lifts weights 4 days a week without fail, then maybe taking a 2 mile run or row would be a great addition to your weekly regiment. If you run daily and never do strength, then you should definitely look into resistance training to supplement your cardiovascular fitness.

Your brain thrives on exposure to new things. Beyond some nice looking muscles and better heart health, the biggest benefit of exercise is making your brain better.

Hands-on Training

Melanie Lewis
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Hands-on Training

Mommy Moments

Hands-on training

By Melanie Lewis

If my kids are an example of the ability to perform basic life skills, they would perish without parents. Resourceful “Box Car Children” they are not. Recently I heard a news story on NPR about college age kids taking “adulting” classes. Classes about common things; changing a tire, balancing a checkbook, making hardboiled eggs amongst other sundry mundane tasks. Seems ridiculous, but at 11 and 13 it’s time for my kids to get cracking.
While going through a stack of papers I ran across this list in the ” Homesteader” magazine of Age-appropriate chores: Ok so we start adulting classes because training is involved even at the 6-8 year level. Help with yard work when your neighbor asks for extra hands working in their yard. Raking correctly and finding a way of picking up debris required a level of instruction proven by constant repetition. Aliens landed in my yard shown in the crop circle created from kids’ mowing! But I didn’t run right out to fix or say bad job.
Many other moms I asked felt as though they were always having to redo the tasks; load dishwasher, sort clothes, sweep floors, etc. because they weren’t performed up to scratch. But from the book, “The Gift of Failure”, by Jessica Lahey, kids will learn from the missteps like dishes coming out gritty or clothes turning pink in doing the job. Anybody learning knows that there will be bumps along the way.

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