Food & Friends is a charity organization that is all about giving back to those who suffer from life-changing illnesses, such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, etc. The donators and volunteers for Food & Friends not only prepare meal packages and deliver groceries, but they also provide nutrition counseling by guiding those who suffer from illnesses about how to live a healthier lifestyle. Food & Friends began in 1988 with a handful of volunteers and was located in one primary location. Now almost 22 years later, this charity consists of professional chefs, thousands of volunteers, and they assist over 2,600 individuals in different cities around the United States who are experiencing life-changing illnesses.

In order for Food & Friends to run successfully, they abide by 7 values to stay true to those individuals who are in need of their assistance. For one, they are always accountable for their clients and their needs. Food & Friends believe in building communities that have compassion and dignity in what they do for others. This charity also prides themselves in their diversity as an organization, in those who serve others as well as those who need to be served. Food & Friends provide reliable services that are performed to the highest standard of quality as well as excellence.

The best part about Food & Friends is that anyone who has some extra time on their hands can volunteer or they can make a charitable donation by giving money for prepared meals or groceries to those who cannot purchase those items for themselves. Another vital factor in the success of Food & Friends is that it does not require any income or insurance coverage from those who are in need of health and food services. The only requirement for potential clients is that they suffer from a primary illness that limits their physical ability therefore compromising their nutritional status. Combining both of these elements creates vast opportunity for people in society to lend a helping hand. Charities such as Food & Friends, give a chance to those who cannot maintain a healthy lifestyle by themselves, by guiding them on how to live through their illness and to obtain the nutrition and health they need to survive.

Rishi Team- Warm and soothing, Organic Cinnamon Plum is deliciously fruity and full-bodied with a deep red infusion. Perfect served hot, iced or brewed as mulled tea.

Editor’s January Health Picks

It’s All About Great Products That Are Healthy & Taste Good

TOT YOGA video helps parent and toddler bonding at a critical developmental level. This wonderful new video encourages safe, nurturing physical activity and features two sections that teach parents how to utilize playtime as a wind down for their child to encourage peaceful napping.  The third section is for parents to do while their child is napping, and involves more challenging poses, strengthening exercises and stretches.  The parent and child can then both emerge from “nap time” refreshed and ready to conquer the rest of the day harmoniously. TOT YOGA is led by Khadi Madama, a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) and an IAYT registered Yoga Therapist who is a pioneer in the field of applied therapeutic yoga, and host of the television show, Yours Truly Yoga. Power Power with TOT YOGA: Yoga for You and Your Toddler from 10 Months to 3 Years old at http://totyoga.com

Nature's Gate: Fragrance-Free Moisturizing Lotion: This lotion leaves skin feeling soft and silky, providing instant moisture for those with sensitive skin. It is made with a blend of emollient-rich Safflower, Avocado, Jojoba Oil and soothing Aloe Vera. 

Vega Whole Food Smoothie Infusion:. Vega Whole Food Smoothie Infusion is an affordable and welcome addition to anybody’s grocery list. It’s packed with goodness and helps bodies, young and old, get the nutrition they need and recover from nutritional stress.

Each month the Power Player Lifestyle reporters will place the spotlight on book authors who focus on HEALTH education. Take a closer look at these books highlighted above on Amazon.com. Read a great book, learn more about supporting your life each day.

It is estimated that 41 million women in the United States and 250 million women worldwide experience chronic and sometimes debilitating symptoms of menopause. Hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) has been a common pharmaceutical remedy, but a surge of recent studies has shown HRT increases a woman’s risk of elevated blood pressure, endometrial and breast cancers, stroke, blood clots and gallbladder disease. To combat that, Lunada Biomedical has launched a breakthrough natural treatment that effectively alleviates chronic menopausal symptoms. In the randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study, Amberen alleviated most symptoms in menopausal women, including hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, anxiety, loss of libido, as well as other neuro-vegetative and psycho-emotional symptoms.

The new treatment works by stimulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis and rejuvenating the body’s own internal hormone balancing capability. These kinds of therapeutic effects have never been previously achieved with a non-hormonal treatment. The study results were published in the Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, a NY-based peer-reviewed journal, as well as the peer-reviewed publication, Advances of Gerontology.

“In our studies, we successfully tested a non-hormonal compound based on natural mitochondrial metabolites that essentially mimic the effects of signaling hormones, but without the dangerous side-effects associated with HRT,” says Dr. Maevsky, MD, Ph.D., who led the research team. Prior to conducting human clinical trials, Lunada Biomedical researchers studied the effect of Amberen treatment on mice. In those studies, Amberen restored estral cycles in old mice and reversed other menopausal symptoms, including loss of bone tissue, weight and calcium content. It also had a favorable effect on the appearance and behavior of animals—they became more active, their lackluster eyes acquired brightness and their pale, yellowish coat regained white color and shine, resembling the coat of young animals. Spots of bald skin also grew new hair. 

“Our approach, which focuses on correcting metabolism and neuroendocrine control by using a signal energy intermediate, SBC, instead of exogenous hormones, is the first of its kind and represents a step forward in metabolic mitochondrial medicine. In addition to safely addressing symptoms of menopause, it offers hope in the development of safer treatments for a wide range of diseases, particularly those associated with aging,” stated Dr. Maevsky. Amberen is taken in intermittent three-month courses, during which women take two 200mg capsules a day. For a full 90-day course of Amberen and a 30-day money-back guarantee, Amberen is $99.98. No prescription is required and it is available online at www.myamberen.com/menopause and through select health practitioners.

ABOUT LUNADA BIOMEDICAL

Lunada Biomedical is a research-driven company based in Los Angeles, CA. The company's research activities focus mostly on developing drug-free options for maintaining optimal health and promoting longevity. Lunada Biomedical manufactures its own ingredients using a proprietary platform manufacturing technology. Presently, Lunada Biomedical is the only company in the world that commercially produces active conformers of succinates and fumarates, which are intermediary metabolite that power mitochondrial function. All Lunada Biomedical products are manufactured at a GMP certified plant in California. www.lunadabiomedical.com

M-Train a great way to get a personal trainer work-out in the comfort of your own home

Staying active by participating in fitness is vital to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Although, many of us who strive to stay in shape cannot afford to have a gym membership or attend yoga/pilates classes. M-Train is the perfect alternative fitness training program to solve this problem! Not only is M-Train a great way to get a personal trainer work-out in the comfort of your own home, but it is also a cheap way to get the daily exercise your body needs especially after all of your holiday spending. If you are someone who likes to work-out in the gym or work-out at home, all you need is your iPhone or iPod touch to download the M-Train application, then you can start your work-out wherever and whenever it is convenient for you!

M-Train is a unique fitness program that combines athletic conditioning with cardiovascular and strength training to fit the needs for both men and women. This program can fit the fitness needs for a variety of individuals, whether you are a pro-athlete or have no previous fitness training; M-Train has work-out exercises that coincide with your fitness goals. In order for M-Train to accomplish the variety of needs for different individuals, they abide by the P.A.S.E. system, which stands for power, agility, strength, and endurance.

During my experience with trainers Kristin Anderson and Brian Abercrombie, I learned how they utilize the P.A.S.E. system to guide their various work-outs. M-Train is all about a full-body work-out, where each exercise targets several muscles while simultaneously improving your body’s posture. After each exercise I could actually feel my muscles working and my posture getting better! As I mentioned before, M-Train can be practiced at a gym where they carry all the equipment needed for a complete fitness work-out, such as an exercise ball, dumbbells, hand-weights, etc. Or M-Train can be performed at home in your living room, where the only piece of equipment you need is a towel! Overall, M-Train can help you achieve your fitness goal for the New Year in the most inexpensive and convenient way possible, which is a great way to kick off a healthy start to 2010! Power-Up at www.m-train.com

Founder Jolee Pink is an artist and designer. She started her innovative company, Wabisabi Green, to showcase her colorful ceramic sculpture and stylish design for the home and garden. Jolee's passion to fuse her artistic expression with home accessories designed to promote greener living led to the developement of her EcoArt collections. Her designs are inspired by nature and the southern California coastal lifestyle.

Wabisabi Green products are made from the finest quality organic, sustainable or recycled materials available. Options for the chic modern collections of handprinted pillows and eco bags include plush organic cotton, silky kapok fiber harvested from the rain forest and fluffy ecofiber made from recycled plastic bottles. To see Jolee's ceramic sculpture and artistic installations, please visit our Art & Design page. Jolee continues to work with a select group of clientele to design extraordinary spaces around art as a focal point to maximize visual impact.

Wabi-sabi style is derived from an ancient Japanese art form which celebrates the beauty of imperfection found in nature. Examples of wabi (cycles of erosion) and sabi (recurrence), can be seen in the ripples of a sand dune, the spirals o

About Wasisabi Green

We create stylish eco-friendly accessories for a healthy, happy earth & home. Our modern eco art collection of decorative throw pillows and reusable bags is made from premium green materials such as plush organic cotton fabric and pure organic kapok fiber from the rain forest. We invite you to enjoy our durable eco goods designed to bring art, color and comfort to your home.

bgreen’s certified organic cotton garments are made with your comfort and our planet in mind. Made in the USA, our designs are simple yet bold, soft yet durable. Our classic creations in playful prints and colorful options provide fresh looks for your active lifestyle. Healthy for the environment, perfect for your body a beautiful and smart choice for the entire family. Power-Up with bgreen apparel at: www.bgreenapparel.com

Power-Up with a great bag that’s all about the green movement. The EnV Reusable Shopping Bags are super strong 100% water resistant bags are an eco-friendly alternative to paper or plastic. There are 3 distinctive designs that are applied using an eco-friendly printing method. Get your EnV Bag today at:www.envbags.com