community spotlight

Funds raised through the 20th Annual Imagine Walk will go directly towards programs, services and trainings for children, teens and adults living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families, caretakers and the professionals who support them. To register for the walk, visit TinyURL.com/ImagineWalk. For more information on The Autism Project, visit TheAutismProject.org. Sunday • April 24th 10:00 am Goddard Memorial

State Park 1095 Ives Road

Warwick, RI

by Jolene Ross

April is World Autism Month, recognizing April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day, sanctioned by the United Nations in a global effort to spread awareness about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and how it affects the 75 million people worldwide that fall on the spectrum. Plenty of misinformation about ASD exists because many people do not recognize the range of symptoms, attributing autism only to those with intellectual disabilities. While there are many people on the spectrum facing these challenges, there are also many others with high cognitive ability. Often, these are the people that go undiagnosed until later in life because they can function independently and efficiently, and in some cases, at higher-than-average efficiency.

Recognizing the signs and symptoms of ASD early in a person’s life allows them to build and develop the skills necessary to strengthen areas of weakness. This can include reducing overreaction to sensory overstimulation, reducing obsessive compulsive tendencies, improving social competence and improving interactive, reciprocal conversational abilities allowing for connection with others.

Symptomatic improvement can be made using therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), applied behavior analysis (ABA) and neurofeedback, a type of biofeedback which targets the root of symptoms within the brain using quantitative EEG technology. Individualized protocol is then developed to retrain the patient’s brain naturally using visual and auditory positive reinforcement. Due to neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change and create new neural pathways, the brain learns how to function more calmly and efficiently.

Dr. Jolene Ross is a licensed psychologist and the founder and director of AdvancedNeurotherapy, a wellness clinic that utilizes behavioral medicine applications such as quantitative EEG analysis and neurofeedback to improve quality of life for both children and adults. She works with individuals and families challenged with neuro-cognitive, neuro- emotional and neurodevelopmental disorders. For more information, call 781-444-9115 or visit Advanced Neurotherapy.com. See ad on page 25 and Resource Guide on page 33.

by Ronica O’Hara

1 cup and 2 Tbsp lime juice ¼ cup and 2 Tbsp orange juice 3 Tbsp agave nectar, plus more to taste 2½ cups and 2 Tbsp coconut water Few dashes of salt Lime wheels for garnish Lime wedges and sea salt to rim the glasses To salt the rims of four to six lowball or margarita glasses, pour a thin layer of salt onto a plate or a shallow bowl. Slide a lime wedge around the rim of the glass to wet it, or use a finger to apply the juice to the rim, then dip and twist the glass in the salt. Combine all of the drink ingredients in a pitcher. Stir. Fill the rimmed glasses with ice. Divide the margarita mix among the glasses. Garnish with lime wheels.

From Mocktail Party: 75 Plant-Based, Non-Alcoholic Mocktail Recipes for Every Occasion, by Kerry Benson and Diana Licalzi.

As a former bartender, Katie Cheney enjoys mixing drinks for friends, and one night recently, in her San Francisco apartment, she tried out something new: an alcohol-free “Noquila Sunrise” made with a distilled, plant-based spirit. “I was actually pleasantly surprised. Even though we were drinking non-alcoholic drinks, we still had just as much fun as usual!” recalls Cheney, who blogs at DrinksSaloon.com.

In New York City, Marcos Martinez has begun drinking virgin piña coladas when out on the town with friends. “The feeling is surprisingly great since I don’t wake up with hangovers. More importantly, I’ve realized that I don’t have to use alcohol as a crutch for my social anxiety,” says Martinez, who owns the black gay lifestyle blog The MenWhoBrunch.com.

At Chicago’s Kumiko Japanese cocktail bar, owner Julia Momosé offers a menu of what she calls “Spiritfrees,” crafted without alcohol and with ingredients like yarrow, ume—a Japanese fruit—and cardamom. “Folks comment on how they appreciate that it is ‘more than just juice,’ or how surprised they are at their depth, texture and complexity,” she says. The “sober-curious”—people experimenting with alcohol-free beverages as a way of prioritizing their health and fitness over a short-lived buzz—are changing America’s drinking culture. For the first time in 20 years, fewer Americans are regularly drinking, reports Gallup, and tipplers are drinking measurably less than they did 10 years ago.

No longer stuck with a seltzer while dodging questions from inquisitive imbibers, today the sober-inclined can sip from a vast array of sophisticated choices—from faux vodka in exotic, crafted drinks to prize-winning sparkling wines to low- and no-alcohol craft beer. No-booze options can be easily ordered at restaurants, picked up at supermarkets or delivered at home with a few online clicks.

“The best part about having a fun, non-alcoholic beverage in hand is that you get the taste and experience of a cocktail or beer, just without the alcohol and potential negative side effects,” says dietitian Kerry Benson, co-author of Mocktail Party: 75 Plant-Based, Non-Alcoholic Mocktail Recipes for Every Occasion. “You have your wits about you, you can drive if necessary, you are less likely to say or do something you might regret and you won’t have a hangover the next morning. And alcohol-free drinks are usually less expensive than their alcoholic counterparts.”

Sober-curious strategies range widely. Some people start tentatively, but increasingly turn to non-alcoholic drinks because they prefer the taste, price and lower calorie count, as well as the diminished risk of heart and liver disease. Others may go cold turkey for a month or two to break a pandemic-induced habit, alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at a game or bar to avoid getting tipsy, or drink a Bloody Mary for a weekend brunch and virgin versions during the week to enhance work productivity.

The sales of non-alcoholic beverages shot up 33 percent to $331 million in 2021, reports Nielsen, and online sales of non- and low-alcoholic beverages skyrocketed 315 percent. To compete for the Millennials-heavy market, distillers like Seedlip, Suntory and Lyre’s have created beverages evoking tequila, Campari and vodka; breweries like Guinness, Budweiser and Carlsberg and small crafters are offering robust-tasting near- and no-alcohol beers; and wineries are using distillation and reverse osmosis to produce fine, low-alcohol Cabernets, Chardonnays and other varieties. Niche products are growing: for example, Los Angeles-based Optimist Botanicals bills its gin-, vodka- and tequila-like botanical blends as being vegan, gluten-free and paleo- and keto-friendly.

On the home front, people are making their own concoctions, often with natural and herbal ingredients, such as pears, tomatoes, cilantro and spices. “Garden-grown produce, windowsill herbs and farmers market finds are the ideal foundation for recipes, from tea sangrias to shaken mocktails,” says New Jersey cooking instructor and recipe developer Vanessa Young, creator of ThirstyRadish.com. As an example, she says, “A slice of brûléed fruit gives a non-alcoholic drink a touch of smoky sweetness, plus it is so appealing in the glass.”

Substance abuse counselors caution that beverages that mimic alcohol may not be a good route for recovery from serious alcohol abuse because they can reawaken destructive patterns. And consumers are advised to look carefully at labels. “Alcohol-free” beer contains 0.0 percent alcohol. “Non-alcoholic” beer can contain up to 0.5 percent alcohol, but some have been found to contain up to 2 percent—not desirable if pregnant or in recovery.

Still, says Karolina Rzadkowolska, author of Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You, “The popularity of alcohol-free drinks is changing a culture. We are going from a culture that glamorizes drinking at every social situation, with little valid excuse to decline, to a culture that gives people healthier options.”

Health writer Ronica O’Hara can be contacted at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

½ cup pure maple syrup ¼ cup filtered water 1 rounded tsp fresh pomegranate arils (about 12 arils, or seeds) 1 tsp fresh lemon juice ½ oz maple simple syrup 2¼ oz pear juice 2 oz sparkling mineral water Bartlett pear slices for garnish For the syrup, whisk to combine ½ cup maple syrup with ¼ cup filtered water in a small saucepan, and heat until small bubbles begin to form around the edge. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. In the meantime, to prepare the jewel-like pomegranate arils, score a fresh pomegranate cross-wise. Twist to separate into halves. Loosen the membrane around the edges and tap firmly with a wooden spoon over a bowl to collect the pomegranate arils. Continue to loosen the membrane and tap to release all the arils. For each drink, gently mash the pomegranate arils with lemon juice in a muddler, then add the mixture into a cocktail shaker, along with the syrup, pear juice and ice. Shake to chill, and strain into a glass to serve. Top with sparkling mineral water. Add a slice of ripe Bartlett or brûléed pear.

Courtesy of Vanessa Young of ThirstyRadish.com.

by Tamara Luck

The current environmental crisis can make us feel overwhelmed and disempowered. Luckily, three times per day—at breakfast, lunch and dinner— everyone can make a positive impact by making sustainable food choices that directly impact the environment.

Such health professionals as registered dietitian nutritionists are taking an active role in educating and implementing sustainable food practices. Here are a few simple practices that can be beneficial to both the health of the body and the environment.

Vegetarianism and veganism are commonly promoted as being the best diets for the environment, though the perfect eco-friendly diet is more nuanced than a generalized statement. Produce and beans require less water and food to grow and less energy to transport than livestock. They also don’t release gasses, like methane, into the atmosphere like cows do. When compared to conventional, mass-produced meats, produce, beans and lentils are unequivocally the more sustainable option.

However, some eco-unfriendly foods sneak in under the vegetarian/ vegan category. For example, many non-dairy milks, like almond milk, utilize major amounts of water and have a negative impact on the bee community. Additionally, plant-based meat products made from ingredients such as soy, may contribute to soil and monocropping issues, bringing their long-term impact on the environment into question.

Moreover, meat is not always bad for the environment. There are farms that prioritize regenerative farming practices in which livestock is used as an integral part of the farm’s ecosystem. This creates an extremely sustainable farming model. The animals help to fertilize the soil that is essential for growing nutrient-dense vegetables. The animals themselves are also healthier, therefore minimizing extremely toxic byproducts of factory- farmed livestock and maximizing the nutrition of the meat.

The task of finding the most sustainable diet lies somewhere between vegetarianism and carnivorism. When choosing vegetarian meals, incorporate unprocessed foods, like beans and lentils, rather than heavily processed plant-based meats. When eating meat, choose quality over quantity, looking for local farms in the area to support.

Part of reducing the environmental impact of food has nothing to do with the food itself. Rather, the amount of energy and resources that it takes for the food to get into one’s home contributes greatly to how sustainable the food is. For example, a banana that is grown in South America and transported to North America uses significantly more resources in transportation than a tomato purchased at a local farmers market.

When purchasing food, take a moment to ponder where the food has traveled from and how many stops it has made. Popular meal delivery companies act as third-party distributors

that may further increase the energy used to transport food; the food must first travel to the company and then to the individual’s home. This may end up using more energy than purchasing food from a nearby grocery store. Better yet, supporting local farms keeps the mileage of food traveled even lower.

While it may often be hard to quantify the quantitative measures of these sustainable choices, our actions are heard. When the masses start to prioritize sustainably grown food, big businesses will adapt, local farms will thrive and small, ethical businesses will emerge. Being mindful of actionable items creates a dynamic where we can positively impact the environment with our forks.

Tamara Luck, RDN, LDN, is an integrative and functional dietitian in Waltham, MA. She is currently accepting new patients at Johnson Compounding and Wellness for virtual nutrition appointments. Schedule a free 15-minute introductory call at NaturalCompounder.com/Tamara. See ad on page 23 and Resource Guide on pages 34 and 35.