Natural Awakenings Greater Boston/Rhode Island February 2021 February 2021 edition of Natural Awakenings Greater Boston/Rhode Island. Special Edition: Heart Centered Living, Tools for Inner Peace, Conscious Relationships and More! Project Takeout The Boston Globe has launched Project Takeout in an effort to save independent restaurants, many of which are teetering between survival and closing their doors for good. Read More » Choose Pleasure as a Way of Life: Sacha Fossa of Sacred Temple Arts Sacred Temple Arts offers holistic intimacy and relationship coaching programs to help individuals and couples get the sex and love life they really want. In a relationship or not, achieving the goals and desires in one’s sex and love life dramatically improves all aspects of life. Read More » Announcing the Greater Boston/Rhode Island Natural Awakenings Magazine Maisie Raftery, publisher of Natural Awakenings Boston and Maureen Cary, former publisher of Natural Awakenings Rhode Island are pleased to introduce the first edition of the new Greater Boston/Rhode Island Natural Awakenings. The two markets will meld together with the same great content while reaching a broader audience. Read More » Winter Water Wellness: Recommit to Hydration In the winter, fill up a cup with room temperature or warm water to keep warm and hydrated. To maintain proper electrolyte and hydration status, consider adding electrolytes to one beverage each day, especially after physical activity. Read More » Massachusetts Enacts Law Improving Access to Care Massachusetts joins 22 other states, the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories in adopting Full Practice Authority legislation, enabling patients to directly access the full breadth of healthcare services nurse practitioners (NPs) are educated in and clinically trained to provide. Passage of this legislation significantly strengthens healthcare delivery throughout the state. Read More » The Sobruary Challenge with NamaStay Sober Starting February 1, individuals will be invited to let go of a habitual pattern and mindfully implement a new, healthy one. This could mean taking a break from drinking, fast food, Netflix binges, a toxic relationship or anything else that they have misused or abused and replace it with a healthy habit like meditation or yoga. Read More » Advanced Teachings for Caregivers Janet StraightArrow, a shaman, reiki master, medical intuitive and sage, will teach The Protected Healer class from noon to 4 p.m., February 21, 2021 on Zoom. Read More » Couples’ Video Workshop Available to Natural Awakenings Readers for Discount The intimacy retreat video can be taken on vacation to create a romantic getaway. The program consists of five sessions, to be accessed over one weekend or spread out in whatever timeframe works best. As in a group workshop, each session is 90 minutes to two hours long. Read More » Win a Tesla in Climate Xchange’s Charity Raffle Purchase of each ticket provides five chances to win a prize: four cash prizes and the grand prize of a new Tesla. The drawing will be streamed over the internet; instructions for locating and joining the stream will be published on the website a few days before the drawing is held. Read More » Special Valentine’s Offer from NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com is having a Valentine’s Sale from February 12 through 18. All subscriptions will be offered at 25 percent off of regular prices during this period. Read More » A New Chapter for Natural Awakenings Boston Welcome to the “new” Natural Awakenings Greater Boston/Rhode Island magazine. In case you hadn’t noticed our new name on the cover, I want to share some wonderful news about our expansion into the Rhode Island area. Read More » Becoming Heart-Minded Meditation teacher Sarah Blondin explains how drawing our attention inward and focusing on our heart center can help us become more kind, calm, loving, accepting, inspired and creative. Read More » Big Love From Small Animals: The Joy of Furry Little Companions Smaller pets, such as hamsters, gerbils, rats, mice or guinea pigs, can be the furry friend that a family may long for without the long-term commitment and higher care costs of a dog or cat. Read More » Blueberry and Pumpkin Seed Yogurt Bark This frozen yogurt bark recipe can be an easy breakfast alternative that balances high-quality protein, dietary fiber and heart-healthy fats. Read More » Childhood Immunity Enhanced by Natural Environment Research finds that switching a child’s playground from gravel to natural forest floor could foster a better immune system by exposing them to a greater variety of skin and gut bacteria. Read More » Climate Change Makes Hurricane Destruction Worse Research suggests hurricanes will remain stronger and persist longer after making landfall, causing greater and more widespread destruction, because of ocean waters heated by climate change. Read More » Consider Melatonin to Lower COVID-19 Risk Melatonin, a hormonal sleep aid, appears to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 by 30 percent, report researchers from the Cleveland Clinic. Read More » Disaster Fatigue Influences Decisions Extreme levels of stress from wildfires, hurricanes, floods and the pandemic can induce “disaster fatigue”, a form of emotional exhaustion that may reshape how people make choices. Read More » Earth-Friendly Engagement Rings From conflict-free or ethical diamonds to inherited pieces or alternative gems, here are green, sustainable and meaningful jewelry for engagement rings. Read More » Eat Chili Peppers to Live Longer Regular consumption of chili peppers can reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 26 percent and from cancer by 23 percent, suggests a review of thousands of studies. Read More » Europe Tightens Methane Emission Monitoring, But U.S. Does Not 62 oil and gas companies acting as the Climate and Clean Air Coalition’s Oil and Gas Methane Partnership have adopted framework to report methane emissions, but none of them are in the U.S. Read More » Government Updates Risks of Amalgam Fillings In updated guidelines, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning that dental amalgam fillings may cause health problems for some high-risk groups because of mercury vapor leaks. Read More » Halting Hypertension: Exercises to Lower High Blood Pressure Fortifying healthy lifestyle changes with aerobic exercise, yoga and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can help prevent and manage high blood pressure readings. Read More » Heartfelt Eating: Best Foods for a Heart-Healthy Diet The basics of heart-healthy eating with plant-based foods to incorporate into diets for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Read More » Lentil, Raisin and Pecan-Stuffed Acorn Squash With lean proteins from the lentils, complex carbohydrates from the squash and heart-healthy fats from the pecans, this well-balanced vegan recipe is nourishing and delicious. Read More » Live a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle: Integrative Cardiologists on Preventing Heart Disease Research shows that simple lifestyle changes can prevent 80 percent of cardiovascular disease deaths through diet, exercise and other holistic prevention options to improve heart health. Read More » Low-Carbon Cement Offsets Climate Change The manufacture of cement creates up to 8 percent of the total global carbon dioxide generated by humans, but a variety of approaches are being explored to lower these worrisome emissions. Read More » Plastic Particles Ingested in Food and Water Researchers estimate people that drink bottled water ingest an additional 90,000 microplastic particles annually compared to 4,000 microplastics for those that drink only tap water. Read More » Quinoa, Edamame and Carrot Salad with Ginger-Sesame Dressing Edamame’s flavors pair well with quinoa, crunchy cabbage and carrot slaw, and combine seamlessly with the spicy, toasty notes of the ginger-sesame dressing in this heart-healthy recipe. Read More » Saying ‘I Do’ to the Planet: Green Weddings Embrace Sustainability Ways to green up your wedding through eco-friendly, sustainable invitations, venues, flowers, vegan food, favors and other planning details. Read More » Shefali Tsabary on Conscious Relationships Clinical psychologist, international keynote speaker and bestselling author, Shefali Tsabary, Ph.D., discusses conscious relationships, intimacy, romance and love. Read More » Shoes Off! Keep Germs Outside Prevent the spread of germs, including viruses and bacteria, from entering the home via shoes with these helpful tips. Read More » Special Valentine’s Offer from NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com is having a sale to help singles connect with like-minded individuals looking for loving relationships online through the conscious dating website. Read More » Take Propolis and Vitamins A, E and D for Respiratory Tract Infections Studies find that propolis and vitamins A, E and D help to reduce symptoms and durations of upper respiratory tract infections. Read More » Tools for Inner Peace: Exploring Mindfulness and Meditation Mindfulness, which puts us into the moment, and meditation, which accesses deeper levels of consciousness, offer science-backed benefits for body and psyche, helping us achieve inner peace. Read More » Use Glass Baby Bottles to Avoid Microplastic Particles Polypropylene baby bottles—which comprise 82 percent of the global baby bottle market—release an “extraordinary” number of microplastic particles, reports a new study. Read More » Veggie Tricks: How to Get Kids to Eat Better Parenting bloggers and nutritionists share effective ways to get even the pickiest of children to eat more vegetables. Read More » In-Print