coverartist


letterfrompublisher T


he moment I discovered I was pregnant with my first-


born, my focus shifted from just my own well-being to feel- ing entrusted with the care of another human being. Partici- pating in the miracle of life was both thrilling and scary. Fortunately, at age 28, I had already been eating a


natural foods diet and practicing other natural health basics for several years. Yet overnight, I became even more vigilant


about monitoring everything that went into my body and would affect my child’s larger environment. My husband and I yearned to create perfect conditions for our baby to enter the


Beach Date Anne Klar


Canadian artist Anne Klar’s three- dimensional sculptural paintings transport viewers to another time. This self-taught artist’s work is done mainly in clay, combined with painting. View- ers often remark that the 3-D aspect of her work draws them in, so they can escape from their daily world. The use of clay allows Klar to


provide the illusion of many different textures. She describes the medium as slow going because of its details and layers. “Two hands can only work so fast; there are no shortcuts in clay,” explains Klar. “Creating a piece takes me from three to nine months.” She came to work in clay because the medium chose her, she says. “Working with my young daughter on art projects, I was sur- prised to discover my gift for sculpt- ing. I find that as I am sculpting a piece, I am telling a story.” The Toronto-based artist creates


from her converted garage studio. Canada’s largest greeting card publisher, Groupe Pierre Belvédère, features Klar’s artwork.


View the artist’s portfolio at AnneKlar.com.


6 Collier/Lee Counties


world, so we collaborated with a trusted doctor and experienced midwives to have a home birth. Yet, my son, Ziven, was to have his own journey, which I learned then and again many times through the years, was only partially in my hands. Despite our best-laid plans, I was rushed to the hospital to experience the


kind of delivery environment I had tried to avoid. And that was only the beginning. Growing up, both Ziven and his younger sister, Alina, were increasingly exposed to things beyond my power to shape or prevent. Like any conscientious parent, I found that all I could do was to expose them to as much “good stuff” as possible; and then hope it was enough to instill the ability for them to make their own good choices. Preparing this month’s special issue on Children’s Health and Natural Cancer


Prevention and Healing served as a comforting reminder that I’ve been mostly on the right track these past 40 years. I also learned some new tips. The challenges of parenting seem tougher today than ever. How do you shield


your kids from the thousands of toxins in today’s world? Our immune systems and psyches are bombarded from all directions with literal and mental poisons. We don’t even know the chemicals added to our food supply. Diseases few had heard of 40 years ago, like autism and attention deficit disorders, have become a sky- rocketing norm.


Life has become out of balance on so many fronts that we can often feel like


it’s totally out of our control. But like an ever-vigilant parent, there is still plenty we can do to support healthier lives on a healthier planet. Fortunately, accessible resources and solutions are already in place. This month’s articles offer information ranging from how to eat well on a bud-


get, natural antibiotics and ideal supplements for kids to family fitness and soulful parenting. Boosting our body’s immune system requires a whole body-mind-spirit approach. Feeling connected with who we are and empowered to live a purpose- ful life that contributes to the health of our family, community and the planet keeps us all pointed in the right direction. You’ll find plenty throughout these pages to help steer you. Please take time to b-r-e-a-t-h-e this summer. Enjoy a beautiful Southwest Florida sunset, dig your toes into the sand, even skip and sing. Do whatever feeds your soul and allows you to let go and exchange stressors for a calm balance. Always remember how powerful you are in creating the life you envision.


Happy summering,


Sharon Bruckman, Publisher swfl.NaturalAwakeningsMag.com


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