MASK The Magazine Summer 2019

The past several months have been pretty tough for me and my family. In July of last year, we moved to California, and just four months later we lost our home due to the devastating fires that hit the area we had just started to call home. Needless to say, our moments haven’t been as relaxing as California living ususally represents. The chaos of life looks different for everyone. Chaos is chaos, but it comes down to how you handle it (and how you model handling it) for yourself and for your children. At MASK, we incorporate mindfulness into our programs, and quite honestly, if it wasn’t for what I do for a living, I wouldn’t truly understand what mindfulness is. I would probably have disregarded it, thinking it was just…

MASK (Mothers Awareness on School-age Kids) is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization created in 2007 by a group of dedicated mothers who recognized the need to consistently educate families on rapidly changing issues. The MASK mission is to engage and educate parents, children and the community about the issues facing youth and to empower children to make safe, healthy choices. MASK fulfills its mission by engaging, educating and empowering families through the MASK E3 Institute, MASK The Magazine and our vastly informative website. The MASK E3 Institute is a comprehensive year long multi-year approach to building and strengthening life skills for children, including MASK Storytime (Pre-K), MASK Academy (kindergarten to 6th grade), MASK Prep (middle and high school), MASK Leadership (college) and Parent University. Through these platforms MASK aims to build healthy children,…

Magnesium, a vital mineral, is associated with normalized blood pressure, strong bones, and regulatory heart palpitations. Recently, studies have shown there is also some connection between the consumption of magnesium and the reduction of depression and anxiety symptoms. Historically, magnesium has been used to alleviate headaches, restlessness and irritability. Stress can wreak havoc on the magnesium supply in your body and has been known to yield magnesium depletions, linked with an immune response. This cycle is also brought on by depression. The link between stress, depression and magnesium has caused numerous researchers to explore the issue further. Magnesium can be found in natural foods such as green leafy vegetables, beans, seafood, dark chocolate, and tofu. You can also supplement your magnesium intake through powders, tablets and pills available at many health food…

From long security lines to lost baggage to weather delays, there are plenty of things out of your control when you take to the friendly skies. One thing you can take charge of, however, is being prepared to fight germs you’ll encounter. Dr. Jeremy Corbett, Chief Health Officer at Envolve’s PeopleCare division, offers these tips to help you arrive at your destination happy and healthy. 1 Wipe wisely. Each day thousands of people fly, some even when they’re sick. Be aware of germ hotspots like armrests, tray tables and seatbelts. Bring a travel-sized pack of disinfecting wipes with you to wipe down these and other dirty spots. This small step can help ward off germs and give you the peace of mind to enjoy your flight. 2 Select seats. Choosing a window…

DRUG The best line of defense in preventing your child from experimenting with drugs is to start the conversation early. By speaking with children as young as 5 years old about healthy and unhealthy choices, you create an open dialog for future topics. For older children, you should check in with them about what they know about drugs, allowing you to educate them about the risks of experimenting with and abusing drugs. BULLY To combat bullying, ensure your child knows how to advocate for themselves. This could range from talking to a teacher when they’re struggling academically or interested in joining a new club. Allowing your child to share ideas with you will foster independence. In the same regard, make sure they understand some problems can’t be solved alone and that it’s OK…

Xanax. We’ve all heard about it. Some of us may have even joked about needing it to deal with the insurmountable stress in our daily lives. Despite this drug’s increasing presence in our society and culture, it’s a highly potent and dangerous drug if abused. Xanax is an anti-anxiety medication that acts on the brain and nervous system, inducing a calming effect. Recently, counterfeit Xanax has been introduced into mainstream society, causing dangerous side effects and leaving an indelible mark on today’s youth. One of the most dangerous aspects of counterfeit Xanax is the public’s lack of knowledge about its ingredients. Fake Xanax, often distributed by street vendors and questionable websites, is frequently laced with fentanyl. This dangerous opioid is comparable to morphine, but is at least twice as strong. Fentanyl is very…