Our family head-pat-and-rub maneuver has been passed down through the generations and has become somewhat of a tradition. My grandfather did it and my father mastered the art with a special flair. I never understood why my father could not walk past me without rubbing or patting me on the head. As a teen this type of annoyance was unbearable. My siblings and I would all recoil, express cries of irritation, and plead for it to stop. But my dad would just laugh and do it again. The more we protested the more pats we received. It seemed insane to me at the time. However, now that I have burgeoning teens of my own, I completely understand. I find myself perfecting this family art-form on my own kids. When they express their dissatisfaction or roll their eyes, it brings me a strange sort of parental satisfaction. My nephew, Nick, is in college so he has endured his share of family pats through the years. Now, Nick gives our newest family member, 11-month-old Alexis, the family head pat. The circle is complete.

I’m very lucky. The majority of my family lives close by. We get together for family dinners and enjoy each other’s company. Last month my energy was still dragging after an illness. Spending the afternoon with my family was the best therapy I could have hoped for. After a day of chatting and laughing I was feeling better than I had all week.

The natural health community in this area is much like an extended family. It is made up of many caring and thoughtful people, practitioners, and service providers. This month we lose one of our most popular resources and gathering spots – Wild Oats Marketplace. We are sad to see them go and are grateful for their contribution to our community. But like any caring family, ours stands ready to fill the gap and provide us the healthy resources we need. Find out more on page 25.

This month’s feature article focuses on men’s health. On page 28 you’ll find natural ways to handle MANopause and determine if males have intuition on page 17. We bring you tips for keeping your summer produce fresh and nutritious on page 23. Then on page 19 discover the qualities of a green carpet cleaner. This month I wish you the joy of laughing and chatting with the ones you love.

Happy Father’s Day!

Kris Urquhart, Editor