May 31, 2017 UM Professor Amishi Jha asks in a recent study if college football players can be trained to be mentally tough and resilient. The research reveals that mindfulness training but not relaxation training, improves college athletes' attention. Practice and adherence are key. Credit: University of Miami

By the end of each academic semester, most college students struggle with a drop in attention spans and increased stress, especially student-athletes. Athletes know dedicated practice and physical training lead to excellence. Much less is known about mental training to deal with the psychological pressures of competitive athletics. One form of mental training, involving mindfulness, trains participants to focus attention on the present moment and observe one's thoughts and feelings without emotional reactivity.

A recent University of Miami study conducted in the laboratory of neuroscientist Amishi Jha, associate professor in the UM College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Psychology, asks if college football players can be trained to be mentally tough and resilient. The research paper titled, "'We Are Talking About Practice': the Influence of Mindfulness vs. Relaxation Training on Athletes' Attention and Well-Being over High-Demand Intervals," was recently published online in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement. Jha's lab collaborated with mindfulness expert Scott Rogers, Miami Law professor and director of the Mindfulness in Law Program.

"Our research suggests that the mind, like the body, needs regular mental exercise to keep it cognitively and emotionally fit. What struck us about these results is that both relaxation and mindfulness helped well-being, but only mindfulness training benefitted players' attentionsomething student athletes need both on and off the field," said Jha.

Jha's research team found that greater practice and program adherence in a mindfulness training program, but not a matched relaxation training program, leads to more stable attention and fewer attentional lapses in football players.

The study's first author, UM psychology Ph.D. candidate Joshua Rooks, knows first-hand how demanding the life of a football player can be. Rooks, a former college football player who practiced mindfulness during his time as a tight end for the Northwestern University Wildcats, joined Jha's lab in 2012.

In the current study, Rooks monitored the attention and emotional well-being of student-athletes on the UM football team over four weeks, during which Rogers delivered two matched training programs to player subgroups. One group of 56 players received mindfulness training (MT), while the other group made up of 44 players received relaxation training (RT). The players in the MT group participated in breathing exercises, body scans and mindful awareness sessions, while the RT group did relaxation exercises, place-guided imagery and listened to relaxing music. Players' attention was measured using the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART), a test designed to promote mind wandering and measure attentional performance lapses. Their emotional well-being was measured by questionnaires about their mood, anxiety and depression levels.

The four weeks of this project occurred during their pre-season training when players faced intensive demands, both academically and physically. Prior research found that during times of high demand, such as the academic semester and military pre-deployment training, students and soldiers experience degraded attention and emotional well-being. In this study, football players' attention and emotional well-being degraded from the beginning to the end of the four weeks. Yet high adherence to the MT program, but not the RT program, protected athletes' sustained attention. The study also found that greater engagement in both MT and RT protected against a decline in well-being and pointed to practice as the key to benefitting from MT program.

Professional sports teams have long used relaxation training with players. Recently, some teams have also introduced mindfulness training. High performance psychology coach, Michael Gervais, who serves as an advisor to Jha's lab for their work, has achieved success by offering mindfulness to pro-athletes, such as the Seattle Seahawks.

"This is the type of research that moves the needle from theory to application. The hallmarks of elite performance within the most hostile environments are the ability to be tough minded, adjust to unpredictable demands, and to properly attend to the task at hand," said Gervais.

In addition to its potential to help athletes' attention and well-being, mindfulness training has been examined in soldiers during their high-demand pre-deployment training intervals. Prior studies have found that these intervals deplete attention and degrade emotional well-being.

"Research like this is very important as the Army explores mindfulness training as a possible enabler to Soldier readiness," said Major General Walter E. Piatt, Commanding General for the 10th Mountain Division, and an advisory committee member of the Mindfulness Based Attention and Training (MBAT) Project in Jha's lab.

Explore further: Canes Football teams up with University of Miami neuroscientist for 'Cane Brain Project'

More information: Joshua D. Rooks et al. "We Are Talking About Practice": the Influence of Mindfulness vs. Relaxation Training on Athletes' Attention and Well-Being over High-Demand Intervals, Journal of Cognitive Enhancement (2017). DOI: 10.1007/s41465-017-0016-5

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Building mental toughness off the fieldit's all about practice - Medical Xpress

Voici leau claire!

Legend has it that was the phrase exclaimed by early French explorers upon discovering Eau Claires clear waters. If immersing yourself in the Eau Claire or Chippewa rivers isnt enough to get you to visit the small city nestled at the confluence of the two, maybe youll want to immerse yourself in their music scene instead: namely, the Eaux Claires Music Festival.

Eaux Claires is the musical lovechild of Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Aaron Dessner of The National. The bar has been set pretty highfrom two back-to-back years of great music and great turnouts. Troix is shaping up to live up to the hype, however, with Chance the Rapper returning and other great acts like Paul Simon, Wilco and Sylvan Esso. (Get the full lineup.)

A weekend getaway to this simultaneously outdoorsy and musically-rich city (only an hour-and-a-half drive from the twin cities) is always a good idea. Its an even better idea when theres a festival involved.Experience the milieu of a citythat feels like its both a purely Wisconsin getaway and a destination with some truly great cultural perks.

While many will embrace the outdoor experience in totality and pitch a tent on the festival campgrounds, others will choose the comfort of a warm bed. This year, warm-bed-optershave a quaint new lodging option: Oxbow Hotel. (The hotel is already booked for festival weekend, but keep it in mind for future getaways if you werent lucky enough to snag a room during Eaux Claires.) This boutique hotel is yet another vision brought to life by Vernon, along with several other local movers and shakers. Enjoy the woodsy feel, and rent a bike or kayak to get your adventure going. When youre back in your room, play some vinyl on your personal record player.

Take a tour of at the Leinenkugel Breweryin neighboring Chippewa Falls. The brewery, founded in 1867 by Jacob Leinenkugel, with its brick-building campus is fun to wander. After youre fully educated on beer brewing and all things Leinenkugel related, sample your favorites in the Leinie Lodge.

Or if wine is more your speed, then try Autumn Harvest Winery and Orchard. This relaxing spot opened more than a decade ago, making it the first winery in the Chippewa Valley. Taste some samples, or purchase a glass or bottle to enjoy on the patio.

Explore UW Eau Claire,a lovely, walkable campus of more than 300 acres on the banks of the Chippewa River. Celebrate the Blugolds and pretend youre in college all over again.

Get outside and get onto the Chippewa River State Trail. Walk, run, bike (and even cross-country ski and snowmobile in the winter). Find the trailhead in Phoenix Park downtown. Thirty miles later, find yourself in the city of Durand.

June 1 marks the start of farmers market season in Eau Claire, so be sure to wander through the Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market and stock up on blueberries, honey, cheese and other locally-grown and locally-made favorites.

Try The French Press for your caffeine fix, Milwaukee Burger Company for a burger and cheese curds, The Classic Garage for throwback diner fare or the Bijou Bistro if youre feeling fancy.

The folks at Visit Eau Claire even have fun daily to-dos if you decide to make it a four-day weekend. (And, see their suggestionslast year for filling any down time yoga or cribbage, anyone?)

Thursday Night:Sounds Like Summer Concert Series in Phoenix Park

Thursday Night:(sold out)OxbeauxConcert and Pre-Party

Friday Night:Eau Claire Express Northwoods League baseball game

Saturday:Leinenkugels Family Reunion event

Sunday:FATFAR river floating event

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Heading to the Eaux Claires Music Festival? Here's Your Guide to Eau Claire - Milwaukee Magazine

Each week, SCENE will publish a Q&A with a proprietor of a live-music venue. This week we tracked down Ben Grossman, owner of Hop Nation Brewing Co., which has become an increasingly popular venue for music. Here are our Qs and his As.

SCENE: How often do you have live music, what kind of music do you typically have, and how much are average tickets or cover charges?

Grossman: We have live music about four times a month. Anywhere between Thursday and Saturday. But sometimes we have a cool act come in when theyre traveling through. Music is usually originals from small groups, like two to four folks, usually unplugged. No tickets, no cover almost 99 percent of the time.

S: What do you believe is the value of live music, both to you as a business and to your customers or audience?

G: I was a musician playing through college on scholarship so I believe that music is a part of an enriched life. To my business, it brings in like-minded folks. And with the brewerys atmosphere, I try to accentuate a relaxing, enjoyable time or a good get-your-groove-on feeling to kick off peoples weekends.

S: Whats the best show youve ever hosted and why?

G: Razzvio. The musicians were awesome people. The show and the looping they did were seamless. How often do you run into a rocker-looking musician who cranks it out on an electric violin? I also really enjoy the Yakima Folklife Festival in general. It is such a vibrant and great time of year for the community as we have so many talented musicians rolling through town.

S: What kind of energy and atmosphere can a guest expect on a night youre having live music? Will there be dancing? Rapt listening? Or a laid-back social environment in which the music is mostly in the background?

G: I hate to be a generalist, but most of the time it is comfort listening with a little raptness here and there sometimes topped with a smattering of dancing. We save most of the dancing for the great outdoors during our bigger shows.

S: What plans do you have for the future regarding live music?

G: Live music and entertainment not normally available in Yakima will continue to be Hop Nations focus going into the future. I believe it is important to keep all sorts of different experiences alive so that we dont forget any one part of what makes our community great. The arts, in all its silhouettes, are especially important to preserve both in history and contemporary constructs. We will continue to host live music so long as we are here.

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Venue Q&A: Hop Nation Brewing Co. - Yakima Herald-Republic

SANFORD - Goodall Library, located at 952 Main Street, will kick off its summer reading program for adults and young adults this Monday, June 5.

To participate, please sign up at the library's front desk.

The theme for this summer's program is "Build a Better World." The program will focus not just onreading, but on building, creating, and reaching out into the community. Therewill be opportunities to win some great prizes along the way.

Also,"Color Your World," the library's summer reading program for children ages 13 and younger, starts this Monday.Registration is free, and the program is non-competitive.All reading levels and abilities arewelcome to join. Children can read whatever they want, whenever they want.

For more information, please call the library at 324-4714.

GOODALL LIBRARY

Goodall Library is located at 952 Main Street and can be reached at 324-4714. Visit the library online at http://www.lbgoodall.org.

Kennebunk therapist and author Kingsley Gallup will discuss some tips for personalchange and growth when she reads from her book,"Project Personal Freedom,"at Goodall Library on Tuesday, June 6, at 6:30 p.m. "Project Personal Freedom" is a daily guidebook of inspirational and instructionaltips to help those who feel trapped by circumstances, belief systems or emotionsto access a stronger sense of personal freedom. Gallup wrote this book for a wideaudience from people dealing with occasional stress to those who suffer chronicconditions, such as depression, anxiety and PTSD.Gallup, MA, LPC, NCC, DCC, is a licensed professional counselor, nationally certifiedcounselor, distance-credentialed counselor and certified mediator.Light refreshments will be served at the event.For more information about Kingsley Gallup, visit online at http://www.personalfreedominstitute.com.

Goodall Library will host aneedle felting classwith DanielleBonney on Thursday, June 8, at 12:30 p.m. Bonney is a local wool sculptor whomakes birds and other animals out of sheep wool through a technique called "needle felting."Her work can be seen online at her Etsy Shop at http://www.esty.com/shop/wildthingsmaine and, locally,at Restless Threads in Kennebunk and Hurlbutt's in Kennebunkport. her work also is displayed at Presidio Park inSan Fransisco and Bea and Laurel Gallery in Wisconsin. Participants in her class will learn howto make a felted hummingbird to take home. Registration is required and limited to 14participants. You may register by calling 324-4714 or by stopping by the library.

Goodall Library will continue itsMeditation Seriesin June.Whether youre a beginner or looking to deepen your practice, head to the library for this series, led by Cindy Simon, M.A., NCC, RMT.Relieve anxiety, anger and depression by learning to live in the present moment.Enjoy deep stillness and quiet and rid your mind of negative chatter. Live withmore acceptance, letting go, happiness, and gratitude.Class will be held on Monday, June 19, from 4 to 5 p.m.

Coloring Calm, Goodall Librarys coloring workshop,will continue on Monday, June 26, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the library'sCommunity Room. Coloring sheets and supplies will be provided (or you canbring your own). Color in a relaxing group setting with music and refreshmentsprovided. Adult coloring, a focused and meditative activity, has been shown tohave many positive benefits, mental and physical.

Romp & Rhyme: Baby & Toddler Timeis held at Goodall Library on Tuesday mornings at 10:30 a.m. This program, for children ages 3 and younger, lasts 30 minutes and is filled with music, movement, fun, rhymes and books.

Creative Chaos Story Time For Pre-schoolersis offered at Goodall Library for children ages 3 through 6 on Thursday mornings at 11 a.m. This 45-minute program involves stories, crafts, fun and an occasional surprise.

Goodall Library offersfree passesto the Portland Museum of Art, Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the Ogunquit Museum of American Art and the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport. Stop in and start enjoying the benefits of becoming a member of the library.

SPRINGVALE PUBLIC

Springvale Public Library is located at 443 Main Street. For more information, call 324-4624, send an email to spl@springvalelibrary.org, or visit online at http://www.springvalelibrary.org.

Story timesare held at Springvale Public Library for children ages 3 through 6 every Monday at 10 a.m. Baby Rhyme Time, for children under the age of 3, is held at the library on Thursdays at 10 a.m.

PARSONS MEMORIAL

Parsons Memorial Library is located at 27 Saco Road in Alfred. It can be reached at 324-2001 or alflib@roadrunner.com. Hours are from 3 to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

E-Booksare available at the Parsons Memorial Library.The library has three Kindle e-readers with a total of 22 titles on each. Contact the library for the full list.

Parsons Memorial Library hosts aLego Clubfor children ages 4 through 12 on Mondays from 3 to 5 p.m. The Legos are supplied. Donations of additional Legos would be appreciated.

The Friends of Parsons Memorial Library are having anongoing book salein the Reading Room. Hardcovers cost $2; paperbacks, $1. You can fill a PML tote bag with books for $12. All proceeds support the librarys programs.

Preschool Story Timesare held at the library with Miss Karen on Tuesdays at 10 a.m.

TheGames Clubmeets at Parsons Memorial Library on Wednesdays at 1 p.m.

Parsons Memorial Library tote bagsare now available for $8 apiece. Proceeds go toward expanding library collections.

Discount passesto the Portland Childrens Museum are available at the library year round.

ACTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

Acton Public Library is located at 35 H Road in Acton and is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays, from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays, and from 9 a.m. to noon on the second and third Saturdays of the month.

Acton Public Library will hold its annualBook, Bake & Plant Saleon Saturday, June 10, from 9 a.m. to noon.Please consider donating your divided perennials, rooted house plants or extra seedlings to help the sale.The library also is taking book donations for the sale. For the library's book donation policy, please visit online at http://www.acton.lib.me.us.The sale will be held at 35 H Road in Acton.For more information, please call 636-2781.

Acton Public Library is now offering aStory & Activity Hourfrom 10 to 11 a.m. on Fridays with two volunteers leading the fun. Parents and caregivers and their children, ages preschool and younger, are welcome to attend and listen to a story, participate in finger-play and movement activities and make light crafts. The library will also have "community celebrities" lined-up to attend once a month and share their talents.

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Goodall Library's summer reading program starts Monday - Foster's Daily Democrat

Visit South Jersey 2:14 p.m. ET May 31, 2017

Devon Perry of Visit South Jersey describes how to spend the perfect day in Camden County. Shannon Eblen/ Staff photographer

Sharrott Wine & Music Festival takes place this weekend in Hammonton.(Photo: Sharrott Winery)

Sharrott Winery Wine & Music Festival. June 3 & 4, noon to5 p.m., Sharrott Winery, Hammonton. Sharrott Winery's biggest event of the year featuring non-stop live music, local food and craft vendors and of course some of the best wines in New Jersey! There will be eight wineries sampling over a hundred local wines. Entertainment for the weekend will consist of The Matt Noffsinger Band on Saturday and Shortly Long with the Jersey Horns on Sunday. Fabulous Food Trucks will be on site for you to purchase a delicious meal or snack. Enjoy Top Shelf Mobile Cuisine, Mannino's Cannoli Express and many more! Be sure to purchase your ticket before they sell out! For more information, visit sharrottwinery.com/event/wine-music-festival-3

Like Visit South Jersey on Facebook this week for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the Sharrott Winery Wine and Music Festival.

More: Join a New Jersey wine club to be in the know

LIVE! From the Vineyard Stage. Saturday, June 3 | 7 to 9 p.m., Auburn Road Vineyard, Pilesgrove. LIVE! From the Vineyard Stage on Saturday Nights. In addition to Auburn Road's partnership with their friends at Woodstown Music, Auburn Road is bringing you performers and performances from all around the area, as well as, outside the region. This weeks featured music is Hot Dog Cannon. For more information, visit http://www.auburnroadvineyards.com/the-enoteca-2/the-vineyard-stage-live/the-vineyard-stage/

Saturdays on the Crushpad. Saturday, June 3 | 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery, Rio Grande. It's been a long hard week, and now it's finally time to relax.Escape to Hawk Haven for an afternoon of wine, gourmet snacks, and live music by Dom Grosso from 2 to 5 p.m.Kick back, relax, and enjoy the vineyard views paired with musical performances by local singer-songwriters. Saturdays on the Crushpad is every Saturday from spring to fall with no cover charge. For more information, visit http://hawkhavenvineyard.com/events/saturday-on-the-crushpad/

Specialty Cocktails, Wine, Martinis & Tapas. Saturday. June 4 | 1 to 5 p.m., Tomasello Winery, Hammonton. On Saturday, June 3rd, stop by the Palmaris Room at Tomasello Winery in Hammonton, anytime from 1 to 5 p.m. Try the Tomasello Almond Joy Martini, and other specialty cocktails which will be available for purchase along with beer, wine, light fare and Tapas. Bring your friends and family for a casual, relaxing Saturday afternoon Happy Hour at Tomasello Winery. For more information, visit http://www.tomasellowinery.com

Skirmish on the Highway takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Indian King Tavern Museum, Haddonfield.(Photo: King Tavern Museum)

Skirmish on the Highway, Saturday, June 3 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Indian King Tavern Museum, Haddonfield. The British are coming to Haddonfield! Starting at 10 a.m., members of the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment (Continentals) will start walking from Indian King Tavern and members of the 1st regiment (Loyalists) will make their way through the village of Haddonfield. At 1 p.m., both regiments will meet on Kings Highway in front of the Tavern Museum where the skirmish will begin. After the smoke clears, meet members of both regiments at Indian River Tavern to learn more about the lives of Revolutionary War soldiers. Also visit the Museum's backyard for some fun activities and shopping. For more information, visit http://www.indiankingfriends.org

More: Have a blast this summer without leaving South Jersey

Appel Farm Music & Wine Festival. June 3, 3 - 8 PM | June 4, noon to 5 p.m.,Appel Farm, Elmer. Appel Farm and Bank of America has expanded this event into a special two-day experience that brings together regional artists, musicians, wineries and craft beer by Flying Fish Brewery. The festival's performance line-up includes Hotsy Totsy, Christopher Davis-Shannon, JUTUAN, Swing THAT Cat, Deidre Finnegan and Dave Cohen, Greg Jones Project, and Joe Crookston. Headlining Sundays performances is David Uosikkinens In The Pocket featuring members of The Hooters, The As, The Soul Survivors, Smash Palace, Ben Arnold, Jeffrey Gaines and more. Guests can sample wine from regional Vintage Atlantic Wineries, shop at Culinary Grove and Crafts Faire, grab a bite to eat from one of the on-site food trucks or enjoy a micro-brew. Guests are invited to camp overnight or stay in a group cabin and enjoy a bonfire, s'mores and a private concert. For more information, visit http://www.appelfarm.org/music-wine-festival

New Jersey Renaissance Faire. June 3 & 4 | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Liberty Lake, Bordentown. The New Jersey Renaissance Faire, now in its 8th season, is the largest gathering of performers, artists, artisan merchants, and eccentric patrons in New Jersey! On Liberty Lake patrons can enjoy eight hours of entertainment on seven stages, including sword fighting, music, circus performers, comedy, fire eating and jousting between actual knights.Merchants sell beautiful, handcrafted items and clothing, including a blacksmith and world-class glassblower. With food like giant pickles and turkey legs, patrons will have a day they will never forget at the New Jersey Renaissance Faire. Can't make it this weekend? No worries, the Renaissance Faire will be back for June 10 and 11. For more information, visitnjrenfaire.com

Burlington County Annual Earth Fair. Sunday, June 4 | 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Historic Smithville Park, Eastampton. Burlington County's Annual Earth Fair returns each year to Historic Smithville Park featuring vendors, entertainment for all ages, and kids activities with an environmental twist. This family event focuses on ways to protect and enjoy our environment. Children's activities will include trash sculpting, paper making, storytelling, face painting and much more. There will also be Green vendors, artists, crafters, activity providers and performers that have a earth-friendly theme. For more information, visit http://www.co.burlington.nj.us/573/Annual-Festivals

Gloucester County Water Fest. Sunday, June 4 | 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Scotland Run Park, Clayton. The 19th Annual Water Fest is Gloucester County's largest environmental fair featuring "Wild World of Animals,'' kids activities exhibits, crafts, food, music, canoeing, kayaking and more. The event is free and held rain or shine. For more information, visit http://www.gloucestercountynj.gov

Taste of South Jersey. Monday, June 5 | 6 to 9 p.m., Battleship New Jersey, Camden Waterfront. For the second year in a row Taste of South Jersey brings us a detectable night out on the fantail of the Battleship New Jersey.This year visitors will sample delicacies from more than 16 restaurants from throughout South Jersey. The types of foods offered will range from soup to salad to entree to dessert and at the end you can vote for your favorites. There will also be a cash bar available. For more information, visitwww.camdencountychamber.com/calendar-of-events/#id=10236&wid=501&cid=1173

On-the-Town Food Tours offer an edible journey through downtowns in New Jersey.(Photo: On-the-Town Food Tours)

A Taste of Collingswood. Saturday, June 10 | 1 to 4 p.m., downtown Collingswood. Collingswood's Haddon Avenue has main street charm and is lined with arestaurant row. The tour starts with Indian appetizers, then you'll have an opportunity to sample a variety of Argentinian-style empanadas, authentic handcrafted Mexican dishes, and a unique tasting experience of olive oils and vinegar from around the world. The day will close with savory snacks of gourmet popcorn and artisan chocolate treats. For more information, visit http://www.onthetownfoodtours.com

For more events, check out VisitSouthJersey.com

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June starts with a bang with 11 SJ events - Cherry Hill Courier Post

The organic and natural food applies broadly to food that is minimally processed and free of any chemicals or any artificial preservatives. Organic food consumption has been increasing from years, so do their manufacturing.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, there are around 20,000 stores and 3 out of four conventional grocery stores are producing organic food in U.S. Additionally, consumer demand for organic food is also helping in the growth of startup companies. Recently, General Mills invested around $3 million in the new organic granola company due to the rising demand for organic foods. For instance, new startup company Yumi, have come up with organic foods and products for babies, the company have gained attention of consumers rapidly. The start-up has raised the demand for organic foods, globally.

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 U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Rest of North America.

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. North America Organic Food & Beverages Market

5. North America Organic Food & Beverages Market - By Country

6. Company Profiles

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/vhszp9/north_america

Media Contact:

Research and Markets 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/north-america-organic-food--beverages-market-report-2017---research-and-markets-300465485.html

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http://www.researchandmarkets.com

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

When you buy organic produce, meat, or dairy products at your local farmers market or Whole Foods, you probably feel good about yourself, even though youre paying more. Why? Because organic food is better for you, for the livestock, and for the environment right?

According to a video narrated by Bjrn Lomborg, president of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, a U.S.-based economics think tank, and published by PragerU, a conservative website co-founded by radio host Dennis Prager, almost everything we think we know about organic food is a lie. Lomborg breaks down the ways the organic farming industry is allegedly fooling us into paying more for a product that isnt necessarily going to change the world (or make you any healthier):

Lomberg is the author of The Skeptical Environmentalist, a controversial 2001 book devoted to debunking many generally accepted environmental theories and predictions, and espousing the use of cost-benefit analysis in environmental matters.

The assertions by the organic food industry that Lomborg claims to refute include:

Organic produce is healthier for you. A 2012 study by researchers based at Stanford University showed that organic produce is not nutritionally superior, even though a blind research test from Cornell University showed that people are willing to pay up to 23 percent more because they believe organic produce is better for you. (It should be noted that many of the supposed health benefits of organic food have to do with the absence of pesticides and other potentially harmful chemicals, not solely with its nutritional value.)

Animal welfare is much better on organic farms. A five-year study from Oregon State University found that animals are no happier or healthier on organic farms than on traditional farms. Pigs and poultry are able to spend time outdoors, but this leaves them open to pathogens and predator attacks, Lomborg argues.

Organic food is better for the environment. Lomborg explains that organic farming uses less energy but more land because fewer pesticides and fertilizers are used, making it less efficient than standard farming.

Learn more about why organic food is so expensive and weigh for yourself whether or not its worth it.

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Here's Why Organic Food Might Not Be Worth the Price - The Daily Meal

by Garron Weeks

Growing up as a teenager in the 21st century, I felt constantly under pressure to have an image and social status. As I made mistakes and ran through a gamut of imperfections, these worries would keep me up at night. Id toss and turn in bed thinking about every little detail of my life and would do anything to distract myself from that feeling of anxiety. My mistakes and imperfections piled on top of each other through the years and as a result, my anxiety and depression led me to hit rock bottom. But it wasnt until I hit rock bottom that I saw the world in a different light.

Growing up through grade school feels like an eternity, as if the boring classes, bullies and social anxieties would never end. Because as kids, thats all we knew. Once I graduated high school, I felt liberated. But my demons would later return, as I continued to dwell within my thoughts.

I tried enrolling in therapy to talk about my problems, but I still dwelled on them. I tried prescription pills, but they would numb my emotions, cloud my head or make me groggy. I tried connecting more with religion, but still felt my anxieties controlling me. But it wasnt until I began researching on the internet how to better my mind that I came across meditation.

Meditation seems intimidating at first because of the way that our brains have been developed to operate. With our cell phones, we have the world at our fingertips. With clocks, we live by times and schedules.

Meditation, however, is where one relaxes and becomes in the present moment. I had always grown up with this weird perception that meditation was only something monks did and seemed like a waste of time in such a short life. Yet, the technique of meditation is simple and straightforward. But it is our own expectations and judgments that make the practice complicated.

The easiest way to get into a state of meditation is to listen to the world around you and focus on your breath. Listen to the hum and buzz of the world, and your breath going in and out. Its easy to forget that breathing is natural and it just happens to us. We dont need to focus on it, but once we do, it seems unfamiliar and very much in the present. Once one enters the meditative state, sensations of relaxation and clarity will come upon the person.

However, negative thoughts may creep back into the head. As contemporary philosopher Alan Watts once said, Its important that you dont try to repress those thoughts by forcing them out of your mind. Because that will have precisely the same effect as if you were trying to smooth rough water with a flat iron. The brain will create thoughts regardless, since it is a reflexive organ towards its environment and experiences.

I believe that its essential for human beings especially college students to understand the importance of living in a meditative state, as it allows you to let go of the worldly desires and anxieties. You do not have to sit cross legged in a field to meditate. One can come into this state at any time by just focusing on the breath in the present moment.

Beginning to practice meditation can seem very foreign, but fortunately in Denton, there are many places offering guided sessions in meditation and yoga. For myself, I studied for many months before I really grasped the practice. Thanks to meditation practice, I am finally at peace with myself.

Featured Illustration: Samuel Wiggins

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Living through meditation is essential to mental health - North Texas Daily

CONWAY Ellen Schwindt will offer another Music as Meditation event on Sunday, June 4, at 5 p.m. Enjoy music presented with its connection to human hearts in mind, and with time for contemplation interspersed between musical offerings.

Schwindt is planning improvisations based on a concerto for violin, piano and strings that she is writing.

Sylvia Chandler will sing Schubert's "Ave Maria" and Schwindt will reprise Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata."

Schwindt began Music as Meditation as a way for her to share her newest music with listeners and to share a meditative spirit with attenders. The series has blossomed into an opportunity for community musicians to share music with each other.

Music as Meditation takes place on first Sundays of each month at Christ Episcopal Church on the corner of Pine and Main Streets in North Conway. Free admission.

Call (603) 447-2898 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

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Ellen Schwindt to offer another Music as Meditation June 4 - Conway Daily Sun

Mindfulness has been heralded as practically a body hack that rolls productivity, anti-anxiety, and focus into one, its therapeutic benefits ranging from easing addiction and quieting mood disorders.

But researchers are dousing water on meditations glamorization as a miracle cure-all. In a paper published May 24 in the open-access journal PLOS One, psychiatrist Willoughby Britton and her colleagues interviewed Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and found that mindfulness-based meditation can have unintended negative consequences. Practitioners of Buddhist meditative traditions, like Theravda, Zen, and Tibetan style show that using meditation as a psychological therapy is much more complicated than it seems, and can come with long-lasting consequences.

Britton and her fellow researchers conducted interviews with 60 meditation practitioners about their challenging, difficult, distressing, or impairing experiences associated with meditation. These issues spanned seven different areas: cognitive, perceptual, affective, somatic, conative, sense of self, and social.

Mindfulness meditation programs, in particular, show small improvements in anxiety, depression, and pain with moderate evidence and small improvements in stress/distress and the mental health component of health-related quality of life, write the researchers. They found no evidence of negative side effects but most of these studies did not look for negative effects.

The vast majority (88%) of participants reported that challenging or difficult meditation experiences bled over into daily life or had an impact on their life beyond a meditation retreat or beyond a formal practice session, they wrote. Seventy-three percent of the subjects told researchers that they experienced moderate to severe impairment in at least one area. These results are especially significant when considering the fact that 60 percent of these people are meditation teachers, not just casual practitioners.

Its not that traditional Buddhist literature wasnt aware of the potential negative consequences of meditation: Ancient literature documents multiple experiences and effects, some causing long-lasting distress or difficulty.

In Tibetan Buddhist traditions, the term nyams refers to a wide range of meditation experiences from bliss and visions to intense body pain, physiological disorders, paranoia, sadness, anger and fear which can be a source of challenge or difficulty for the meditation practitioner, write the researchers.

That avoidance of addressing potential negatives might be the reason why meditations positive benefits have been overhyped. Every medical intervention has a possible risk of harm, and when prescribing part of a religious practice such as Buddhist mindfulness meditation, which carries an inherent possibility of negative effects, that risk seems to increase.

Abstract: Buddhist-derived meditation practices are currently being employed as a popular form of health promotion. While meditation programs draw inspiration from Buddhist textual sources for the benefits of meditation, these sources also acknowledge a wide range of other effects beyond health-related outcomes. The Varieties of Contemplative Experience study investigates meditation-related experiences that are typically underreported, particularly experiences that are described as challenging, difficult, distressing, functionally impairing, and/or requiring additional support. A mixed-methods approach featured qualitative interviews with Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravda, Zen, and Tibetan traditions. Interview questions probed meditation experiences and influencing factors, including interpretations and management strategies. A follow-up survey provided quantitative assessments of causality, impairment and other demographic and practice-related variables. The content-driven thematic analysis of interviews yielded a taxonomy of 59 meditation-related experiences across 7 domains: cognitive, perceptual, affective, somatic, conative, sense of self, and social. Even in cases where the phenomenology was similar across participants, interpretations of and responses to the experiences differed considerably. The associated valence ranged from very positive to very negative, and the associated level of distress and functional impairment ranged from minimal and transient to severe and enduring. In order to determine what factors may influence the valence, impact, and response to any given experience, the study also identified 26 categories of influencing factors across 4 domains: practitioner-level factors, practice-level factors, relationships, and health behaviors. By identifying a broader range of experiences associated with meditation, along with the factors that contribute to the presence and management of experiences reported as challenging, difficult, distressing or functionally impairing, this study aims to increase our understanding of the effects of contemplative practices and to provide resources for mediators, clinicians, meditation researchers, and meditation teachers.

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Meditation Isn't Necessarily Good - Inverse