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Natural Awakenings Naples and Fort Myers

Letter from Publisher: Filling the Cup

Welcome to our annual Women’s Health edition—but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty here for men too! With spring in the air and the opportunity this Mother's Day to honor the women in our life who nurture and support us, I especially enjoyed Marlaina Donato’s blissful feature “Her Soul in Bloom: Self-Care for All Stages of Life,” on page 36. Reading it was a great reminder of how important me-time and self-nurturing has been along my journey.

Looking back through the stages of my adult life as a mother, daughter to aging parents and eventually publisher at the helm of the mothership supporting our family of 70 Natural Awakenings publications, I learned that to be sustainable I have to put myself on the priority list, too.

Being women we’re gifted with an innate ability to multi-task and even pride ourselves on how good we are at doing it all; however, research confirms that it can come at a steep price. Many women, and particularly mothers, struggle with giving themselves permission for self-care. Mother’s Day is only one day out of the year, so we have to fill our own cups to actually have more to give others.

Giving to ourselves doesn’t need to require elaborate effort or cost much money. It may simply be telling loved ones that you’re going to take a few minutes of meditation, or go for a walk in nature, or get a massage. Only you know what will fulfill your needs. I’ve found it usually takes a healthy dose of self-love to stake out this time.

Our women's health issue also spotlights a timely and critical development in “Toxic Legacy: Breast Implant Warriors Unite.” Editor Linda Sechrist demonstrates the power of many voices when they speak as one to demand answers and federal action. With record numbers of women and teenagers—400,000 each year— undergoing implant surgery, the health risks are becoming too well documented to ignore. You’ll want to pass this along to friends and family.

Running saved my sanity when my kids were young, so I really enjoyed Randy Kambic’s interview with “Peter Sagal on Running Toward Mindfulness." The popular National Public Radio host talks about healing a wounded psyche by unplugging and embracing the natural world—and you don't have to run a marathon to do it.

Mother Earth is a great healer. I’ve been hugging trees and talking to plants for as long as I can remember, but I wasn’t always tuned into what they might be saying to each other. April Thompson's “Plants Talk: Discover Their Secret Language,” on page 34 is a fascinating look at how they communicate to defend themselves and assist their neighbors in the most extraordinary ways.

Whether you are male or female, witness the sweet blossoms of life everywhere. Love is in the air, stop and breathe in its fragrance—often!

Motherly Hugs,

Sharon Signature

Sharon Bruckman