The music returns to Missouri Valley City Park Thursday evening, June 1, as the Missouri Valley Chamber of Commerces Music in the Park series kicks off its ninth year in Missouri Valley.

This years line-up includes:

Thursday, June 1: Bluegrass Playground Americana.

Thursday, June 8: Bill Wakefield & Random Classic Rock.

Thursday, June 15: Robert Glaser & the Gravy Dippers Variety.

Thursday, June 22: The Rock Rescue Group Rock and Blues.

Sponsors for this years Music in the Park series who help make this summertime Missouri Valley event happen include American National Bank, CHI Health Missouri Valley, Heathquest Chiropractic, The Hoffman Agency, Longview Home, Missouri Valley Insurance, Sable Farms, and Woodhouse Auto Family.

Music in the Park is held at the shelter house in Missouri Valley City Park, located along West Huron Street. The concerts are free to the public and begin at 7 p.m., lasting approximately one hour. Bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on and refreshments to enjoy a relaxing and fun evening of musical entertainment. In case of rain, the music will be moved inside to the 4-H Building.

Read more:

Music in the Park returns to Missouri Valley tonight - Blair Enterprise Publishing

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Live music and entertainment, a street market and boat trips are among the array of activities taking place at this weekend's Riverside Festival.

The popular free event, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary, takes place along the River Soar's Mile Straight, at Bede Park, Castle Gardens and Western Boulevard on Saturday June 3, and Sunday June 4.

It originally began as a small Sunday afternoon event, but has now blossomed into a two-day festival showcasing the River Soar and its surroundings.

Dragon boats will be taking visitors on free trips along the River Soar on Saturday afternoon, departing from Castle Gardens regularly between 12pm and 5pm.

Bede Park will feature a children's funfair, a variety of arts and crafts activities, workshops, beer tent and acoustic music area, as well as free table tennis tables, a giant tipi, storytelling, face-painting and stalls.

Nearby Western Boulevard will host an arts street market selling wares from local artists and craftspeople, an 'eco area' and world food stalls.

Ride Leicester will be operating all things pedal-powered, from free secure bicycle parking to pedal-punk bike art, and bike smoothies to information on cycling projects across the city.

Castle Gardens will provide the perfect place for a relaxing stroll and a range of music, art and crafts activities for all ages including a Down On The Farm area which will give visitors a chance to meet and learn about caring for animals on a farm.

Bede Park will once again host a full programme local live music. GoldWater will headline the stage on Saturday evening, with their unique blend of swampy blues, 60s psychedelia and theatrical rock, bringing to a close the day-long programme.

Sunday's musical programme will be headlined by Leicester singer/songwriter David Wyatt and his band.

For further information visit http://www.visitleicester.info

More:

Riverside Festival is back with free fun activities this weekend - Leicester Mercury

June 1, 2017 3:20 PM

RELAXING - Audiences enjoy some tunes during Music in the Park in this file shot. That popular event, along with the Community Market, start up June 7th for another terrific season of fun and variety for local residents. / photo submitted

BY MARK WEBER

Lacombe Express

On June 7th, two popular community events - the Community Market and Music in the Park - will be launching a brand new season for the summer.

The Community Market runs from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Wednesday evening until the end of August. And also on June 7th, join Flatiron Jazz for the first performance in the Music in the Park Program.

Wendy Buyer, market manager for the Community Market, confirmed the vendors are extremely excited to come back this year. What a beautiful way to break up the monotony of the mid-week blues, shopping at the friendly vendors, dinner at the delicious food trucks and a free live concert every week!

It was a few years ago that Guy Lapointe, with the City of Lacombe, approached Buyar with the idea of putting together a community market.

Buyar, with her extensive connections in the community, was the ideal choice to help with launching that initial event that has continued to be such a success. It was easy for me to coordinate all of those people together, she said.

Meanwhile, presented by the Lacombe Performing Arts Centre Foundation, Music in the Park offers an opportunity for residents of Lacombe and many summer visitors to enjoy an evening of entertainment and experience a wide range of musical styles.

Originally, Music in the Park was started by a friend of mine, Lann Lieurance, who was a musician here in Lacombe, and he wanted to be able to have a performance series that offered high quality music on a free basis to the people in the community, on a regular basis, explained Ellen Corea, a committee member for Music in the Park.

Its was so exciting because it was taking the project we were dealing with and really expanding it, she said of the combination of Music at the Park with the Community Market. We had visions of having this wonderful festival atmosphere. And I think the really neat part of it is that its turned out that way.

Really, the atmosphere downtown on a Wednesday night in the summer is unbelievable.

Music in the Park runs from June to August, every Wednesday starting at 6:30 p.m.

Everyone is invited to bring their lawn chairs and picnic blankets to the park, enjoy the beautiful weather, good friends and an evening of free entertainment.

The bands go rain or shine. There will be signs if it is moved to an inside venue.

The organizers are also very excited to offer something very special this year; a new performing venue - the Echo Stage. A dedication for the stage starts at 6:15 p.m. on June 7th, said Corea.

Located on the site where the performers have set up for the past two years, the new stage will offer shelter for the musicians and their equipment as well as an improved sight line for the audience, she said.

Were going to dedicate it to the memory of Lann Lieurance who started the program, said Corea.

Working from an initial idea, Peter Bouwsema from PJ Designs volunteered his time and talent to design a beautiful Post and Beam structure, she said.

Wayne Froese from Top Peg Timber Construction was then brought in to make the dream a reality.

Volunteers Chad Collins donated his time as general contractor on the project and with framer Ryan Fauria (Down Home Builders), built the floor.

The finishing touch was the electrical, installed by Sparks and Awl, giving the stage the power to keep the sound going.

For this project, the Lacombe Performing Arts Centre Foundation (LPACF) was pleased to have as their major partner Echo Energy who provided half the funding for the stage.

I think this project really demonstrates the power Echo Energy has to positively impact our community. We are proud to support this initiative and look forward to helping realize new opportunities, said Echo Energy President Drayton Bussiere.

In addition LPACF received a greatly appreciated anonymous donation, a donation of materials for the floor from Castle Building Supplies and they fundraised for the rest of the funds, said Corea.

Meanwhile, Corea and Buyar are having a blast helping to arrange these highly anticipated, summer-long events for the community.

Im just loving the continuation of the project, said Corea. I think the support from the community has also been amazing. And I think that anything you can do to enhance your community is the gravy in your life.

Ive heard nothing but positive feedback.

Buyar agreed.

I get to be around positive people - I have a fantastic time and I get to play on Wednesdays, really, she added with a laugh.

Between Ellen and I, we have a really good relationship and we work really well together, added Buyar. It shows in how well Wednesdays run!

Go here to read the rest:

Summer comes alive with Community Market and Music in the Park - Lacombe Express

Major U.S. food companies are fighting a tough battle as easy-to-prepare and ready-to-eat convenience foods are gradually losing sheen. Consumers would earlier take decisions based on taste, price and convenience. However, the scenario is fast changing, as they are becoming increasingly vigilant toward a new set of factors which are upsetting the consumer value equation, thus creating challenges for the food industry.

Trends that have gathered steam in the U.S. in recent years include a shift toward healthier options in the food sector (predominantly fresh foods) and a high level of price consciousness. Additionally, factors such as growing awareness of "clean label" and genetically modified organism or GMOs, increasing concerns related to sugar consumption and growing demand for free-from products are also sketching the food landscape afresh.

This seismic shift in the U.S. food industry is creating hurdles for food behemoths such as General Mills Inc. (GIS - Free Report) , Kellogg Company (K - Free Report) , Mondelez International, Inc. (MDLZ - Free Report) , The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC - Free Report) , and others, thus making it harder for legacy brands to improve sales.

These trends are unlikely to stop. That said, despite all these negatives, there are ample reasons to be optimistic about the future in the food industry.

Healthy/Organic Food Drive to Boost Sales

Food majors are aggressively trying to improve their products through innovations as well as strategic acquisitions and divestitures. Additionally, they are channeling funds toward product and packaging innovation as well as reformulating a number of existing products to meet the rapidly changing consumer view on health and wellness.

Given the scenario, demand for organic food continues to grow in the country. Per the recently released report from Organic Trade Associations (OTAs) 2017 Organic Industry Survey, the American organic sector stayed on its upward trajectory in 2016, gaining new market share and crushing records, as consumers across the country ate more organic products than ever before.

Total organic sales were $47 billion in 2016 in the U.S., reflecting new sales of nearly $3.7 billion. This comprised $43 billion of organic food sales, the first time the American organic food market has broken the $40-billion mark. Organic food sales increased 8.4% from 2016, significantly surpassing the stagnant 0.6% growth rate in the overall food market. Sales of organic non-food products increased 8.8% in 2016, outstripping the overall non-food growth rate of 0.8%.

This growth trend is expected to accelerate in the coming years as food makers are going all out to boost the supply of organic ingredients, as well as increase investment in infrastructure and education.

Apart from innovations and the drive toward organic ingredients, companies are also pursuing a spate of multi-year restructuring initiatives with focus on improving operational efficiency to generate cost savings and supporting its key growth strategies. For example, Kraft Heinz has implemented many cost-saving initiatives including the integration of Kraft Foods and Heinz. The company plans to save $1.7 billion in annual costs by the end of 2017 (up from $1.5 billion earlier expected), primarily focused on work-force reductions along with factory closures and consolidations. As of first quarter 2017, the company realized cumulative savings of approximately $1.3 billion.

Though the companies sales have been relatively soft, cost savings have led to better margins. Again, savings are being re-invested in the business for innovation, brand building and marketing to stimulate top-line growth.

Stocks to Bet on

Given the positive momentum, we may zero in on some food stocks that have gained in the current scenario and have the potential to further grow. Moreover, the stocks have been witnessing an uptrend in earnings estimate revisions and have outperformed the Zacks classified Food-Miscellaneous/Diversified industry in the last one year. With the help of the Zacks Stock Screener, we have handpicked five stocks from the industry based on a favorable Zacks Rank and other relevant metrics. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Performance of Food-Miscellaneous /Diversified Industry vs. Stock Picks

SunOpta Inc. (STKL - Free Report) is an operator of high-growth ethical businesses, focusing on integrated business models in the natural and organic food, supplements and health and beauty markets. We remain optimistic about this Zacks Rank #1 company. Interestingly, in the last one year, the stock surged more than 97%, outperforming the 0.4% loss of the industry. The company is expected to grow 15% in the next five years, faring a lot better than the industrys average of 10.2%.

ARAMARK Holdings Corporation (ARMK - Free Report) offers food services, facilities management, uniform and career apparel to health care institutions, universities, school districts, stadiums and businesses. This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock has climbed 16.3% in the last one year against the industrys weak performance. The stock has a trailing 12-month ROE of 19.13% compared with the industry average of 11.27%. It has a VGM style score of A and a 35 year expected growth rate of 12.8% (higher than the industry).

Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (LW - Free Report) is a supplier of frozen potato, sweet potato, appetizer and vegetable products to restaurants and retailers. On Nov 10, 2016, Lamb Weston completed the previously announced spin-off from Conagra Brands Inc. (formerly ConAgra Foods Inc.). On the same day, the company's stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "LW". This Zacks Rank #2 stock has rallied 58.3% since it started trading, surpassing the industrys weak 5.8% growth. It has a dividend yield of 1.62%, higher than the industry average of 0.22%.

MGP Ingredients, Inc. (MGPI - Free Report) produces and markets ingredients and distillery products to the packaged goods industry. The stock holds a Zacks Rank #2 and increased 53.7% in the said period. The company is expected to grow 15% in the next five years, faring a lot better than the industrys average. Its trailing 12-month ROE is currently pegged at 22.54%, a lot better than the industry one. The company surpassed earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters, resulting in an average beat of 27.09%.

McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC - Free Report) is engaged in manufacturing, marketing and distributing spices, seasoning mixes, condiments and other flavorful products to the food industry. The company has raised its dividend annually for 30 years consecutively. The stock returned 7.1% in the last one year, outperforming the industrys performance. The stock has a trailing 12-month ROE of 28.03%, a lot higher than the industrys 11.27% level.

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Excerpt from:

5 Food Stocks for Healthy Gains on Organic Food Trend - Zacks.com

While the growth rate is cooling slightly from 2015, organic produce sales were up strongly in 2016.

Gaining 8.4% compared with the previous year, organic fruit and vegetable sales increased to $15.6 billion in 2016, according to the Organic Trade Associations 2017 Organic Industry Survey.

By way of comparison, organic fruit and vegetables sales in 2015 were $14.4 billion, up 10.5% from 2014, according to the 2016 OTA Organic Industry Survey.

The fruit and vegetable sector accounted to nearly 40% of all organic food sales in 2016, and the 8.4% growth rate compares with the overall 3.3% gain for total fruit and vegetable sales, according to a news release from the OTA.

While the OTA estimate includes both fresh and processed organic fruits and vegetables, the Organic Trade Association said in an e-mail that fresh produce has generally accounted for around 90% of the organic fruit and vegetable sales, with the remaining sales accounted by canned, frozen, or dried organic fruits and vegetables.

The survey, produced in February and March by Nutrition Business Journal for the Organic Trade Association, said that organic fruits and vegetables now make up almost 15% of the produce that Americans eat.

The organic industry continues to be a real bright spot in the food and ag economy both at the farm-gate and check-out counter, Organic Trade Association CEO and executive director Laura Batcha said in a news release.

Batcha said there are challenges to the categorys growth.

We need more organic farmers in this country to meet our growing organic demand, and the organic sector needs to have the necessary tools to grow and compete on a level playing field, she said. That means federal, state and local programs that help support organic research, and provide the organic farmer with a fully equipped tool kit to be successful.

Disparity in estimates

The survey numbers from the organic association differ widely from the United Fresh Produce Associations FreshFacts on Retail report, which pegged organic produce sales at retail (not including processing or foodservice outlet sales) at $4.46 billion in 2016, up 13.2% from 2015. Whats more, the United Fresh numbers from Nielsen Fresh said organic sales in 2016 accounted for 9% of all fresh produce sales. The 9% organic market share number from FreshFacts is 40% below the OTAs 15% estimate for organics share of the produce market.

According to The Packers 2017 Fresh Trends survey, about 28% of about 1,000 consumer polled said they typically buy some organic produce when they shop.

Catherine Greene, economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said 2014 estimates from the agency using IRI retail scan data put the market share of organic vegetables at about 7% and organic fruit at about 6%. The USDA estimates for organic penetration may be a little low, she said, considering rising imports of organic fruits and vegetables, the organic price premium at retail and climbing organic production in the U.S.

Greene said that the USDA relies on estimates from the Nutrition Business Journal to help shape their total estimate of the organic food market. Those annual estimates of retail organic food sales from the Nutrition Business Journal which are distinct from the OTA survey are typically about 8% lower than the estimates found in the annual Organic Trade Associations survey,

The Organic Trade Association survey polling 200 companies and various data sources is the most inclusive estimate for organic sales and the most accurate, the association claims. While the Nielsen Fresh estimate primarily looks at scan data from conventional supermarkets, the OTA survey includes mass market stores (which includes the conventional retail supermarket chains, mainstream grocery stores, big box stores, and warehouse clubs) as well as national organic/natural grocery chains and regional organic/natural/health food stores. The OTA estimate also includes farmers markets and online sales, according to the group.

The OTA survey, according to the association, has been finding for the past few years that over 50% of organic food sales are now through mass market retailers, around 40% through natural/specialty retailers and around 10% through farmers markets and other channels like online sales.

Link:

OTA: organic produce sales gain 8.4% in 2016 - The Packer

[Editors note:Bjorn Lomborgis director of the Copenhagen Consensus Center and avisiting professor atCopenhagen Business School.]

There are no health benefits from eating organic food. And it is likely worse for the environment.

Back in 2012, Stanford Universitys Center for Health Policy did the largest comparison of four decades worth of research comparing organic and regular food. They expected to find evidence that organics were nutritionally superior.Their conclusion: Despite the widespread perception that organically produced foods are more nutritious than conventional alternatives, we did not find robust evidence to support this perception.

A brandnew review this year shows the same thing: Results of scientific studies do not show that organic products are more nutritious and safer than conventional foods.

A big study in Europe found that to produce the same gallon of milk organically, you need 59% more land. To produce meat, you need 82% more land, and for crops, it is more than 200%.That adds up to a lot of forest and nature being turned into farms for people in Portland, Ore., or Providence, R.I., to feel better about their choices at the supermarket.

If U.S. agricultural production wereentirely organic, it would mean wedneed to convert an area biggerthan the size of Californiato farmland.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:Organic food is great business, but a bad investment: Bjorn Lomborg

See more here:

Video: Organic food is a great business but a bad environmental investment - Genetic Literacy Project

[Editors note: Hank Campbell is president of the American Council on Science and Health.]

I was at a meeting with an agriculture executive and he handed me a print-off from the Whole Foods website, their Organic landingpage. A few things were highlighted. Can that be right? he asked.

[B]elow is a copy, with the sentences I am going to discuss highlighted.

4.No toxic or persistent pesticides or herbicides

Dr. Steve Savage, writing on Science 2.0, cleared that up formy home state of California, the one place where every application of science has to be logged and that accounted for:

6. No GMOs (genetically modified organisms)

Genetic modification has been done throughout agricultural history. Without it, our corn would still be grass. Mules are artificial selection, they are not found in nature, and have existed for 3,000 years. Whole Foods has genetically modified crops, but they were createdusing techniques like mutagenesis, which existed before GMOs. Since CRISPR/Cas-9editing is not a GMO, will Whole Foods still block them out? Almost certainly. Activist groups have found a fundraising goldmine in being anti-GMO, they are not going to give that up, they will switch to being anti-CRISPR, the way Greenpeace switched from being against nuclear bombs to saving whales from fishing.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:9 Ways Whole Foods Is Lying To You

Originally posted here:

10 ways Whole Foods misleads consumers about organic food and farming - Genetic Literacy Project

Organic Foods are produced by comply the standards of organic farming. In other words, diets which promote well-being and health, prevent from diseases, helps in curing illness, and also protect the environment are termed as Organic foods.

Food Consumption patterns are changing all over the world. Growing awareness towards the consumption of healthy food and beverages is the factor for the same. Unhealthy food and its consequences such as heart diseases have aware consumers to adopt food which provides them nutrition. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an unhealthy diet is the key factor for Non-Communicable Diseases which includes heart diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and others. Many public health campaigns have organized many communication activities for spreading awareness for the same.

The market has been segmented on the basis of Product Type and Country. Based on Product Type, the market is segmented on the basis of Organic Foods and Organic Beverages. Organic Foods includes Organic dairy products, Organic fruits & vegetables, Organic meat, fish & poultry, Organic frozen and processed foods, and Others (Organic baby foods, organic groceries, and so on). Organic Beverages are further segmented into Organic coffee & tea, Organic beer & wine, Organic non-dairy beverages, and other organic beverages. Based on Country, the market has been segmented into Germany, U.K., France, Russia, Spain, Italy and Rest of Europe.

The key player operating the organic food & beverages market are Amys Kitchen Inc., General Mills Inc., Hain Celestial Group, Inc., Starbucks Corporation, The Kroger Co., United Natural Foods, Inc., The WhiteWave Foods Co., and Whole Foods Market, Inc.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Market Scope & Methodology

2. Executive Summary

3. Market Overview

4. Europe Organic Food & Beverages Market

5. Europe Organic Food & Beverages Market - By Country

6. Company Profiles

- Amys Kitchen Inc.

- The WhiteWave Foods Company

- General Mills Inc.

- Hain Celestial Group, Inc.

- Starbucks Corporation

- Whole Foods Market Inc.

- United Natural Foods, Inc.

- The Kroger Co.

For more information about this report visit

http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/w67p5r/europe_organic

Media Contact:

Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/europe-organic-food--beverages-market-report-2017---research-and-markets-300465393.html

SOURCE Research and Markets

http://www.researchandmarkets.com

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Europe Organic Food & Beverages Market Report 2017 - Research and Markets - PR Newswire (press release)

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Some people just dont get meditation. The devotion, the time commitment: Meditation asks a fair amount of youthough the payoffs in stress relief and improved health make it worthwhile. But if youre not the meditating type, dont lose hope: Hypnosis may offer an alternative. This mental techniquefocuses on the subconscious mind and can produce results in just one session, while meditation is a life-long practice that allows results to happen in a more spontaneous way. Put simply, meditation is deep relaxation and hypnosis is deep relaxation with added suggestion, says Orlando, Florida-based hypnotist Richard Barker.

Both practices treat a variety of conditions such as anxiety, stress, depression, chronic pain, and insomnia, but if you are looking for proven research, meditation has the upper hand. Numerous studies have shown that meditation has positive neurological effects. While hypnosis has a history that dates back to the 18th centurywhen German physician Franz Mesmer used hypnosis to treat patients in Vienna and Parisit hasnt been until recently that research has uncovered the areas of the brain affected by hypnosis. Psychology has a curriculum but hypnosis is not yet regulated in the Unites States, mostly because we do not understand it, says Barker.

Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock

What is understood about hypnosis, however, are the results. Like meditation, hypnosis has been tapped by professional athletes to help with performance. Hypnosis is also used to eradicate certain phobias (such as fear of public speaking), to help people stop smoking, sleep better, and help those who are grieving. The number of sessions varies depending on the person, says Barker, but it usually takes just one. Once I find the root cause of whats making you do what you are doing, I can change the script, he says. Another option for people trying to manage emotional issues that cant be dealt with in one or two sessions is self-hypnosis, which shares many of the same characteristics as guided meditation.

Many of Mt. Vernon, Washington-based hypnotist Kelley Woods clients with long-term anxiety have tried meditation without success. She uses Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), a process that identifies the way we have been programmed to think, act, and feel, and then changes the behavior through hypnosis. In meditation the ultimate goal is to quiet the mind, in hypnosis, we use the ability of your thoughts to focus on what you would like to happen, and then we change the way you think about your challenges, says Woods. If you want to give hypnosis a try, you can find a certified hypnotherapist through the National Guild of Hypnotists, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the practice. While treatment varies based on each individuals condition, many conditions require just one session. A typical therapy session lasts about 90 minutes and can cost anywhere from $200 to $1,500.

More here:

Meditation vs Hypnosis: Which Is Better? | Reader's Digest - Reader's Digest

If you suffer from stress and anxiety, odds are someone in your life has mentioned meditation as a way to cope with it.Psychiatrists often recommendthis therapy, and for good reason research based on 19,000 meditation studiesfound mindful meditation can in fact ease psychological stress.

Despite that data, however, meditation isnt for everyone. And it may not serve some people who experience the most severe bouts of stress.

I have chronic generalized anxiety, which means Im always experiencing a level of tension or stress. For the most part I can manage it, but every now and then, itll hit hard without warning, and uproot my day completely.

In college, my therapist recommended I try meditation to curb my anxiety. At first, I was happy to oblige. I tried a variety of styles, from Zen meditation, which has you focus on breathing, to primordial sound mediation, which involves, well, making primordial sounds.

It didnt work. Id often find myself more anxious at the end of a 15-minute meditation session than I had been at the beginning.And Im not alone: In general, it can be more difficult for people with chronic anxiety to meditate, because they have more stress-ridden thoughts than the average person,according to clinical psychologist Mitch Abblett.

That said, there are plenty of ways to achieve the same level of relaxation without sitting cross-legged on the floor. Theyre all rooted in a technique called the distraction method.Its part ofDr. Albert EllisRational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, which works under the assumption that a persons way of thinking is intrinsically tied to their emotional functioning.

The method consists of doing basic activities can help you take a step back from your anxiety. Psychologist Anjhula Mya Singh Bais explains the distractions can help people to objectively view issues causing disturbances in a manner that is both pragmatic and helpful in a low intensity, low pressure and low stakes environment.

What she means is by doing something simple and functional, you may be able to relax, regroup and perhaps reexamine the issue that was causing your anxiety from a much more levelheaded place.

Here are six suggestions for activities that may calm your brain without meditation, based on expert opinions and my personal experience:

Working with your hands diverts energy into something productive, and often results in a cool or even beautiful creation.

Being artistic calms the nervous system because when were focused on creative activities, our attention moves away from constant worrying, New York therapist Kimberly Hershensonsays. This helps the nervous system regulate, allowing our brain to clear space to process difficult issues.

There are a multitude of benefits that come from practicing yoga, and a quieter mind is just one of them. Its basically active meditation, which is great for the anxiety-prone, because it allows you to focus on your breathing and body without getting stuck in your head.

Yoga helps build concentration and is a great way to improve overall focus, explainsSilvia Polivoy, clinical psychologist and co-founder of the Thevine Spiritual Center. In addition, it enhances memory and improves brain power.

If youre new to yoga, I highly recommend starting with Lesley Fightmasters online videos.

It may sound simple, but similar to yoga, walking outside (without your phone) allows you to refocus your anxious energy on a physical act and take in the world around you. Heres a great way to start, courtesy of psychotherapist Melissa Divaris Thompson:

The more you can get into nature the better. Walk with consciousness. Notice how your breath feels. Notice your feet walking on the surface with each step.

I often sing and whistle to bring myself back into the present. It automatically lightens my mood and regulates my breathing if Im hyperventilating. The best part is you dont have to be a good singer for it to work for you.

This ones especially great for people with anxiety that affects their sleep. David Ezell, the clinical director and CEO of therapy providerDarien Wellness, recommends writing with a pen and paper to get away from distracting screens.

The objective is to relieve the pressure of thoughts analogous to a water tank too full of H2O, he writes in an email. I tell my patients to see their arm as a pipe and the notebook the reservoir into which the water flows.

Cooking is filled with basic tasks that let you focus on all sorts of sights, smells, tastes and textures. Once youre done, you can practice mindfulness while you eat.

Your personal distraction method may not be on this list. But if you keep experimenting with different strategies, youll be sure to find it.

See the original post here:

6 Relaxation Hacks For People Who Hate Meditating - HuffPost