“June is bustin’ out all over!” This famous chorus line from one of my favorite movies, Carousel, captures the energy that we feel as summer begins and we revel in nature’s dramatic changes to the landscape. Greenery and blossoms abound and the frantic need to procreate motivates creatures great and small. Let us stop, look, smell and listen to the beauties that surround us.

June 21st brings the long awaited Summer Solstice. This longest day of the year and shortest night grants us plenty of time to be outdoors enjoying our favorite activities. I can particularly recommend kayaking and hiking the Pine Barrens; it’s a good way to remove any tension accumulated while we work and go about our daily busyness in densely populated neighborhoods.

Even a backyard barbecue has a way of reconnecting us with what counts. The process of cooking outside must surely tug at some ancestral gene. Like most men, I enjoy the task and believe that mastering fire is as about as good as it gets. It’s a bonus if you make something that tastes special and is healthy too.

Men’s Wellness, this month’s theme, has become a vital topic of discussion in the past10 years. Men are increasingly battling heart disease and prostate cancer, and science shows that lifestyle, rather than genes, can be our worst enemy. Poor life choices and exposure to environmental toxins are big culprits. Life expectancy for men still has not caught up with that for women, and we need to learn that it’s vital to nurture our minds and bodies every day if we are to live our best lives.

“Just Take Five” is a good place to start. Here are some simple ways to take control of your own health and change the outcome.

Another critical component to enhance men’s health is to stay involved with loved ones. Playing with the kids and doing things as a family can have a profound impact on your wellbeing. Sharing stories and just doing things together will always be time well spent. My father was a product of his generation, which meant he had little time for such things, and I missed that connection growing up. I’ve made sure my two sons, now ages 37 and 38 had lots of opportunities to connect.

This summer will be filled with weekend trips to the Jersey Shore and local farmers’ markets. Let’s take advantage of the bounty. We are lucky to live in a part of the country where we can experience so many of nature’s gifts; in an hour or so, you can be in the mountains, by the beach, or paddling a quiet river in the Pinelands.

Enjoy reading this issue and taking advantage of some of the good choices served up in our monthly Calendar. Given the broad array of classes and events, there is something for everyone. Including yoga for men!

To your good health,
 

Don Moore, Publisher