So-called nice cream is not just for vegans. A variety of creamy bases made of fruit, nut butters, rice, soy and even hemp have elevated the profile of vegan ice cream among vegans and meat-eaters alike. (July 3)

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Vegan ice cream gets a boost from health-conscious meat folk - Olean Times Herald

Kate Love of the Open Mind-Open Heart meditation group in Bethesda says that meditation can help reduce stress. Photo contributed

There is the expectation that we need to be available and informed all the time. This expectation wasnt in place 10 years ago. Kate Love

In her dimly lit basement in Great Falls, Mary Beth Kogod sounds a meditation bell that echoes through the room. The 12 people sitting on cushions in a circle around her close their eyes and listen to the gentle sounds of her voice.

If your mind begins to wander, gently guide it back to the sound of my voice, said Kogod, as she leads the group in a mindfulness meditation session.

The practice of meditating to aid with ills running the gamut from stress and anxiety to pain and depression is on the rise. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 18 million people practiced some form of meditation in 2015, and the number of Americans who engage in the practice has doubled over the last 15 years.

We have more smartphones and other electronics that consume us and give us constant access to stressful events we see on the news, said Kate Love, who runs the Open Mind-Open Heart meditation group in Bethesda. There is the expectation that we need to be available and informed all the time. This expectation wasnt in place 10 years ago.

Love says that while scientific research to back up these claims is limited, it is growing. For example, a study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health at NIH shows that mindfulness practices have a positive impact on insomnia.

Meditation usually entails sitting relatively still and quiet, as in Kogods meditation session, and focusing on one thing, such as a sound, an image or ones own breath.

I teach clients concentrative meditation where they focus on one thing, she said. I also teach mindful meditation where people try to cultivate a sense of awareness of what is happening in their body. For example, what thoughts pass through your mind as you sit quietly? What sounds do you hear? What emotions do you feel? The work comes when you notice these sensations and then let them go.

A 2011 study by the Association for Psychological Science showed that meditation can be effective in boosting memory and concentration. Settings for this mind-body practice now range from workplaces to classrooms.

Amber Wilson, a fourth grade teacher, guides her students in mindfulness meditation practices most afternoons during the school year. A lot of my students have difficult home environments which affects their ability to concentrate in school, she said. When I stop them between subjects and let them chill out a little bit, it really makes a difference in their performance, even after just five minutes.

Meditation can also help with addiction treatment, says Warren Schelter, Ph.D., a psychologist with a practice in Alexandria. It can instill a sense of calm and overall wellbeing, he said. Anxiety and depression often go hand-in hand with addiction, which is why a calming meditation practice might be effective for some people.

Schelter underscores the fact that meditation should not replace traditional medicine. I would recommend that anyone experiencing symptoms of mental or physical illness see a medical doctor first, she said. Mediation should work in conjunction with traditional medicine, not in place of it.

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Wellbeing: Meditation as Medicine - Alexandria Gazette Packet

Seniors and community members interested in meditation will soon be able to learn techniques in a guided course at the Munday Activity Center.

Starting July 11, the center will offer weekly classes from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at its West Second Street location. Classes will be free for participants over 60 with a suggested $2 donation.

Dana Peveler, executive director of the center, said the classes came as a suggestion from some of the participants at the center, like most of their other activities.

"We had some requests for meditation after people had been hearing about the benefits in our yoga and Zumba classes," Peveler said. "We think it complements some of the other activities here."

Classes will be guided by Sheila Clark, who also instructs the yoga class. Clark will be leading participants through mindfulness exercises and breathing techniques that Peveler said helps promote relaxation and stress relief and has other health benefits.

Peveler said she has been practicing some form of meditation almost daily for about 20 years and encourages community members to try something new.

"I think the meditation gives several benefits, but it also offers an opportunity to participate in a social activity," Peveler said. "All of our activities help get folks out of the house and hopefully involved in the community."

An article from staff at the Mayo Clinic cites meditation as helping with anxiety, depression, asthma and even irritable bowel syndrome.

Meditation is offered in group class settings, but Peveler said participants will be learning a skill they can practice on their own throughout their day.

Peveler said new classes such as meditation are an example of the variety of activities the center tries to offer for the different age groups participating at the center.

"We are always listening to our community to offer things they want from educational opportunities to exercise," Peveler said. "If one of these days we have to offer rock climbing, I gladly would."

Original post:

Munday Center to teach meditation - messenger-inquirer

NEW DELHI: Meditation is an activity practiced by millions of people worldwide. But how does it affect your brain?

In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in international research on meditation and the findings may not be what you expect. Although the options are many, the purpose is basically the same: more peace, less stress, better concentration, greater self-awareness and better processing of thoughts and feelings.

A research team at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the University of Oslo and the University of Sydney have worked to determine how the brain works during different types of meditation. Meditation techniques can be divided into two main groups. One type is concentrative meditation, where you focus attention on your breathing or on specific thoughts, and in doing so, suppresses other thoughts.

The other type can be called nondirective meditation, where you effortlessly focus on your breathing or on a meditation sound, but beyond that the mind is allowed to wander as it pleases. Although according to the team, the research still reveals very little about which technique is the best, or better, it still provides food for thought about the increasingly popular concept of meditation.

Fourteen people, who had extensive experience with the Norwegian technique Acem meditation, were tested in an MRI machine. In addition to simple resting, they undertook two different mental meditation activities, nondirective meditation and a more concentrative meditation task.

Nondirective meditation led to higher activity than during rest in the part of the brain dedicated to processing self-related thoughts and feelings. When test subjects performed concentrative meditation, the activity in this part of the brain was almost the same as when they were just resting.

"I was surprised that the activity of the brain was greatest when the person's thoughts wandered freely on their own, rather than when the brain worked to be more strongly focused," said Jian Xu, who is a physician at St. Olavs Hospital and a researcher at the Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging at NTNU.

Adding, "When the subjects stopped doing a specific task and were not really doing anything special, there was an increase in activity in the area of the brain where we process thoughts and feelings. It is described as a kind of resting network. And it was this area that was most active during nondirective meditation."

"The study indicates that nondirective meditation allows for more room to process memories and emotions than during concentrated meditation," says Svend Davanger, a neuroscientist at the University of Oslo, and co-author of the study.

"This area of the brain has its highest activity when we rest. It represents a kind of basic operating system, a resting network that takes over when external tasks do not require our attention. It is remarkable that a mental task like nondirective meditation results in even higher activity in this network than regular rest," added Davanger.

NTNU is a world-class research hub in the medical sciences, especially neuroscience and study of the brain. Nobel prize winners May-Britt and Edvard Moser, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2014 with their mentor John O'Keefe for their work identifying the place cells that make up the brain's positioning system, are directors of the Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience department under the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at NTNU.

The rest is here:

Meditation brings peace, fights stress, and keeps you positive - Economic Times

ABINGDON, Va. Twice a week, Karen Sorber reclines in a chair, relaxes to quiet music and breathes in refreshing salt air.

Sorber isnt on vacation. Shes enjoying a salt therapy session in downtown Abingdon.

A new health spa on Main Street is offering Sorber and other clients the same healing properties trusted by people centuries ago.

Tonya Page said her business, Salt of the Earth, is a recreation of salt rooms or caves that exist naturally throughout the world. The modern healing rooms are popping up across the country with spas similar to the Abingdon business no closer than Asheville, North Carolina.

Inhaling salt is very beneficial for people who suffer from allergies, asthma, colds, bronchitis and sinus conditions, she said.

The all-natural, holistic business in Abingdon is attracting clients from as far away as Greeneville, Tennessee.

A couple of years ago, I had a respiratory illness, so Im doing this as a preventive measure, said Sorber, an Abingdon resident. Its made a huge difference. I get a monthly membership when I come twice each week.

She traveled to Asheville for the salt therapy before the Abingdon business opened in June.

Salt therapy is proving to be a new lure for people who want to improve their health.

I think this town is catching up with other cool little towns in the country because more people are eating farm-fresh foods and going in for whats natural. Salt therapy just goes along with that. I guess you could say Salt of the Earth is getting back to the basics. Were going back to the basics with essential oils, herbs and salt that God put on earth for us, said Page.

According to the business owner, salt therapy has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that clear toxins in the lungs and skin. A 45-minute session is equivalent to several days at the beach, she said.

Salt therapy sessions begin at $22.50 for seniors, $15 for children, ages 4 to 17, and $25 for adults. Clients visits once to a few times each week, depending on their needs.

Salt therapy, also called halotherapy, supposedly originated centuries ago. According to Pages research, halotherapy more recently can be traced back to the mid-1800s when a doctor in Eastern Europe discovered that salt mine workers had healthy respiratory systems, free from lung diseases suffered by people who didnt work in the mines.

The doctor concluded that the natural sodium chloride contained in the air in salt mines helped to reduce inflammation in the lungs.

Therapy takes place in a climate-controlled room with a halogenerator machine that disperses a fine aerosol mist of high-grade sodium chloride particles and negative ions into the air.

Our bodies are constantly bombarded by positive ions from the use of cell phones, computers, microwaves, televisions and other electronics. Salt therapy provides negative ions to restore balance, said Page.

Dimly-lit therapy rooms have comfortable chairs and relaxing music. Bare feet sink into a floor covered with 2,500 pounds of Himalayan pink salt from Pakistan. Himalayan pink salt bricks cover the walls for dcor and therapeutic purposes.

Its also good for headaches," Page said. "The first week I opened, a client tried out the salt therapy and left saying her migraine was gone after suffering from it all day.

Another client told me his son slept through the night without coughing after just one salt therapy. A client came in and told me she had been to urgent care for an ear ache. After salt therapy, she couldnt believe how her pain was completely gone.

Page was attracted to salt therapy after a sinus infection nearly landed her in the hospital for surgery a year ago. After she tried salt therapy at a spa in Asheville, she was sold on the holistic treatment.

One session made me feel the best I had felt in months. I knew Id be fine if I could use this treatment more often.

At 53, Page, was looking for a new career. She found and renovated a vacant building in town in March and opened the business three months later.

I think we needed a facility like this here in Abingdon. I dont know anyone who doesnt suffer with sinuses and allergies around here.

In addition to salt therapy, Page incorporated treatments with infrared therapy and red light therapy, both offering the healing power of wavelengths of light.

She said infrared energy increases circulation, reduces inflammation and promotes healing when delivered to injury sites and other painful areas.

Sorber, who visited the business last week, also received an infrared treatment.

I threw my back out lifting something heavy. Four ibuprofen pills didnt touch the pain. I took an infrared therapy, and there is no sign of it now. Im a big believer.

According to Page, red light therapy is a skin care treatment that speeds healing of conditions including acne, rosacea and sun spots. It fades scars and stretch marks, assists in boosting collagen, adds moisture to the skin, and can stimulate hair growth over time.

Page is such a believer in the positive benefits of salt therapy, she sells salt products for home use, such as Himalayan salt blocks that can be used as cooking surfaces. The flavor is amazing. You use so much less salt on your food.

In addition, her business has salt lamps that help improve indoor air quality.

Page also enjoys the benefits of essential oils, many of which she stocks at her business. The oils are concentrated essences derived from different parts of plants. Many of the oils promote relaxation while others have anti-inflammatory properties.

To learn more about Salt of the Earth, visit the Facebook page or call (276) 477-4101 for reservations.

Carolyn R. Wilson is a freelance writer in Glade Spring, Virginia. Contact her at news@washconews.com.

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New salt spa in Abingdon offers a natural way to fight colds and allergies - Southwest Virginia Today

4 July 2017, 16:53

Classical music makes everything better. Including those moments of ravishing hunger, when all you crave is a cone of salty chips and the greasiest meat-based item on the menu.

Why do junk food restaurants play classical at night?

Playing classical music in the late hours of the day appears to be part of the mass fast-food chain effort to combat rowdy behaviour in their branches. The soothing sounds of Chopin and Debussy are said to create a calming atmosphere and encourage more acceptable conduct among customers.

The trend began when McDonalds customers in Liverpool, Cambridge, Huddersfield, Swansea, Southampton and London were reporting instances of a Wagnerian accompaniment to their late-night burger and chips.

McDonald's then confirmed it was their intention to feature classical playlists, to put an end to anti-social behaviour. The Stockport branch of McDonald's have long been a fan of this idea, with councillor Philip Harding hoping that [customers] would disperse as its not their scene.

Is it a good idea?

So there are a couple of possible interpretations of this approach. Firstly, the fewer people hanging about, the more room there is for classical lovers to indulge in some wraps n' Rhapsodies. And secondly, we can't think of a more perfect amalgamation than quick, tasty food accompanied by our favourite Brahms Piano Quartets.

But realistically, will classical music lovers really turn to McDonald's for an audio experience? Seems unlikely. And while classical music can often be relaxing, it can also be as aggressive as any other genre when the time is right. Try chowing down on a Royale with Cheese while the finale of Don Giovanni rings out across the drive-thru - it ain't gonna work.

Original post:

This is why fast food restaurants play classical music at night - Classic FM

The Sarva Dharma Ashram building which is situated in Welbedacht.

In an effort to raise much-needed funds and stay true to its slogan of the home of love, compassion and sacrifice, the Sarva Dharma Ashram will host a massive charity event that will feature a host of vocalists, dances, comedy and entertaining sketches. SAs top show band, Dilkash, led by the talented Rajive Mohan, will also perform at the highly-anticipated event.

Organisers are going the beyond the call of duty to ensure that the function is a tremendous success and is encouraging the community of Durban and surrounding areas to show their support. Due to an increase in demand for help by the local community, the ashram often embarks on initiatives that can benefit underprivileged individuals.

The show has been held for the past 10 years and during this time, the ashram stayed true to the fundamentals of social responsibility by bearing all the major costs.

This years event will take place on Friday, July 28, 2017 at 6pm at the Kendra Hall in Durban. Sumptuous vegetarian meals will also be provided. For tickets or more information, contact the ashram on 031406-3766 or 082-355-3123.

Originally posted here:

Ashram to host fundraising charity event - Rising Sun Overport

CAYUGA COUNTY - WSYR-TV - Deputies in Cayuga and Onondaga Counties are telling boaters to exercise caution on waterways due to record rains and recent flooding.

Debris like logs and other vegetationmay have been washed into lakes and rivers, sometimes floating below the surface.

If people are going 20 or 30 mph, they're not going to see a log floating in the lake, said Dep. Tracey Baldwin, with the Cayuga County Sheriffs Marine Patrol.

For the past two days, Cayuga Countys Marine Patrol has been scanning the surface to catch those logs before they catch a boater off guard.

"A large boat is going to damage their prop, a smaller boat, it could actually throw everybody out into the water, which is obviously something we don't want to see, Baldwin said.

It's a problem on Owasco Lake and across Central New York after flash floods carried trees and debris into busy waterways. Its the same story for patrols on Skaneateles Lake and boaters spotted piles of logs right in the middle of Otisco Lake.

With the water levels so high, jet skis and small boats are creating waves that make their way to the shore and the small boats docked there break free and end up floating out into the middle of the lake.

Docks and moorings might not be visible below the water surface, and debris can damage a boat if hit.

Those out on the water should be mindful of their wakes and use extreme caution when navigating until conditions improve.

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Deputies: Boaters in Cayuga County told to excercise caution on - WSYR

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the leadership of military and paramilitary groups in Osun state, on Monday declared their readiness for the July 8, Osun West Senatoral Bye Election.

Speaking in turn at a stakeholders meeting held at INEC state office in Osogbo, Baritor Kpagih, the Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner deployed to Osun to conduct the poll, assured all that the body has concluded arrangements to conduct a credible election.

Giving further details, Kpagih said voting will commence across wards in the Senatorial District by 8am and end by 2pm with a caveat that, whosoever on queue by 2pm will still be allowed to vote.

He added that accreditation and voting will take place simultaneously, noting that eleven political parties are fielding candidates in the election

Explaining that only the electorates with Permanent Voters Cards, verified by card readers would be allowed to vote, the REC said the materials to be used are customized on local government basis, which makes it difficult to divert them.

In his remarks, the State Commissioner of police, Olafimihan Adeoye, said there would be restriction of vehicular movement between the hours of 6:00am and 6:00pm on the election day, with an exception of Ibadan/Ife expressway, which shall not be blocked to traffic.

Warning that anyone caught formenting trouble would be made to face full wrath of the law regardless his or her party affiliations, Adeoye said those who have no role to play in the election should stay off polling area.

Speaking in similar vein, the State Director DSS, said the service has list of trouble makers already, positing that due attention is being paid to already identified flash points across West Senatorial District.

The state Director of NYSC, Emmanuel Attah, assured all political parties that the corps members that would be deployed for the excercise would be fair and warned politicians not to harass or intimidate them.

He dispelled insinuations that there are fake corp members already parading the state and said anyone that attempts to impersonate corps members that are election duty would be detected and handed over to security agents.

Meanwhile, Governor Rauf Aregbesola has called on the people of West Senatorial District to vote APC candidate, saying returning Hussein would allow him build on his achievements while in office between 2011 and 2014.

The governor who stated this while speaking at the mega rally held in Ejigbo, Aregbesola also called on the electorates to be peaceful during the poll.

Bola Bamigbola, Osogbo

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We are ready for Osun Senatorial Bye Election INEC, NYSC, security agencies - BusinessDay (satire) (press release) (registration) (blog)

The list of best burgers in Philly is almost 100-percent beef, but a meat-free option could soon join the lineup if BurgerFi has anything to say about it. The burger chain is adding Beyond Burgers to its offerings starting today at just eight locations nationwide, including the one in Philly (44 N. 12th Street). Beyond Burgers are already sold in grocery stores but BurgerFi is the first national chain to put them on the menu. Its no surprise Philly was picked to be a test market out of BurgerFis 101 locations, given the citys impressive vegetarian and vegan scene.

The vegan patty looks, cooks, and satisfies like meat, swears Beyond Meat, the company that makes the burger, and has 20 grams of plant protein, no soy, and no gluten. At BurgerFi, its served green style, meaning vegan, with diced onion, tomato, pickles, ketchup, and mustard on a vegan bun. Up the plant quotient by getting it wrapped in lettuce instead. Or go for the vegetarian version, which has American cheese, pickles, diced onions, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup on a potato bun. That one is going for $8.27; the all-vegan option is $8.77.

Plans are to add the Beyond Burger to all 101 shops by the end of the summer. For now, its in New York City; Poughkeepsie, New York; Malibu, California; and Coral Gables, Coral Springs, and Delray Beach in Florida.

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BurgerFi Is Testing Out a Vegan Burger in Philly - Eater Philly