Satellite Beach was a great place to grow up. Having a NASA engineer dad and teacher mom seemed like the norm for our sleepy little town. Our family life consisted of high school basketball games, dance lessons, and summer classes at the recreation center. A big night out on the town consisted of riding my bike to the softball field, either playing or watching a game, and best of all – getting a snow cone from the concession stand. As a kid I just assumed it was the kind of life everyone lived. Growing older and meeting many different people over the years has illustrated how very fortunate I am to have such a supportive family and an awesome hometown.

“Natural fathering is neither tough nor timid, punishing nor permissive,” says Layne Veil in our Healthy Families column. “The mindful dad is calm, connected and capable.” My dad is cool as a cucumber. He is always there for my siblings and me. Growing up he was the go-to guy for car maintenance, home projects, and pretty much anything you could fix with duct tape. My siblings and I nicknamed him Mr. Safety because preventing any possible mishap was always a priority for him. In fact, when my car was acting up he gave me his new car to drive and he drove mine. He said if it broke down he would know what to do and wouldn’t have to worry about me. It is a good feeling to know your dad is looking out for you. He is the best dad a girl could have and my sisters and brother will agree with me when I say, “Thanks Dad! We love you.”

In this issue we celebrate men. Find out how food choices can boost testosterone in our Conscious Eating column. Dr. David Perlmutter, board-certified neurologist, discusses the gut-mind connection. Discover how yoga for men is helping to build all-around fitness. Plus, consider holistic approaches to healing addiction and explore natural ways to avoid and treat Lyme disease. This month I hope you can celebrate with the men in your life and enjoy special family moments.

Happy Father’s Day!

Kris Urquhart, Publisher