With spring just around the corner, we are preparing to celebrate the third anniversary of Best Self Atlanta. Our first issue of the magazine debuted in March of 2009. Since then we have connected experts, business owners, and more importantly, you, our readers to create a community of individuals who aspire to live a healthy, fulfilling life, rich with purpose and passion.

Despite the challenges presented by today’s economic marketplace, our Best Self community has grown! Best Self Atlanta magazine is now distributed to more than 2500 locations throughout Atlanta. It is also direct mailed to over 1200 medical office waiting rooms and showcased at numerous charitable events throughout each year. And we are connecting way beyond the pages of the magazine… our website has over 30,000 pages of Google-indexed content and thousands of visitors connecting with Atlanta’s experts on an ongoing basis. Every day we are communicating with thousands through social media (our daily blog, Twitter, and nearly 4000 Facebook fans) and continue to host and sponsor many fun, informative and inspiring events like 40 Beads, with author Carolyn Evans, Ultimate Girls Night Out, From Hot Flash to Just Hot, Beauty on a Budget, and more. Continue reading

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There’s a serious question on every sports fans mind right now… Patriots or Giants? The big game is coming up this Sunday and fans are busy getting ready. Football fans nationwide live for Super Bowl Sunday and pour a lot into this once-a-year-game. Most people are in it for the game, some for the ads, and a lot can agree that the food (and drink) for tailgating is pretty important too. Beer, hamburgers, BBQ, football shaped cakes. Whatever your choice is, a lot will agree that this is a night to loosen up on the diet… and loosen up your belt buckle.

For the 26 million Americans with type 2 diabetes, Super Bowl Sunday can be a challenging day. Navigating healthier food options when you have type 2 diabetes is difficult enough, and can be overwhelming during snack-heavy celebrations like this. Continue reading

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I recently attended an event at the home of Laura Turner Seydel, where I heard Melissa ‘Emme’ Aronson, the creator of *EmmeNation, speak about happiness. She said that happiness is a choice, and that it’s not always easy.

You have to work on it because there are always going to be people or circumstances that will try to detract from your happiness. “You need to be happy in your own skin,” she said.

Everything you do can affect your happiness – and the first step is taking care of yourself. When you are healthy and feeling good on the inside, you can start to feel empowered and those small changes can make a difference. Emme challenged the audience to set aside time to find the inspiration to seek out happiness, whether it’s making more time for yourself or indulging in a hobby.

Take time today, even if it’s just a few minutes to really focus on what puts a smile on your face and a spring in your step. Who knows what you may discover?

* EmmeNation is dedicated to creating an online destination, with multiple social media points of entry, for women to share their stories and discover the opportunity to become their “Whole You.” Emme is on a mission to help women achieve success in all aspects of their lives.

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Looking for a way to heat up your weekend? Then stop by TAP for their 5th Annual Winter Luau this Saturday, January 28 from 6 to 11 pm. Grab your grass skirt and coconut bra and join TAP in an escape from winter for one day. Enjoy live music as well as food and drink specials. Features include:

- $6 Tiki Cocktails & Tropical Umbrella Drinks

- Featured Polynesian Pig Roast

You can also try your luck in TAP’s hula hoop spin off! First prize walks away with a $50 gift certificate and second place gets an official TAP hoodie.

TAP is located at 1180 Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA and you can get more information on their website www.tapat1180.com.

For more upcoming events, head to our event calendar.

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One of my New Year’s Resolutions was to eat healthier (original, I know) and I’ve been doing pretty well. But I’ve had some struggles with breakfast. Most mornings I run out of time to even think about breakfast, so I end up going without it. That’s even worse than eating something not-so-great for you. Breakfast is essential… and that’s been beaten into my head for years. I knew I had to do some research and find something that is quick and easy. Continue reading

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Weight is a sensitive issue to anyone – even children. And sometimes children don’t understand the importance behind that number on the scale. Childhood obesity is a rapidly progressing epidemic in our society and needs to be stopped, but some parents don’t know how to bring it up. Dr. Stephanie Walsh of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta tells us the best way to talk to your kids about weight: Continue reading

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Ringing in the new year is always fun – so do it again and ring in the Year of the Dragon at Doc Chey’s 7th Annual Chinese New Year Celebration!

The delicious Pan-Asian noodle eatery will mark the Chinese New Year at all three Atlanta locations (Emory Village, Virginia Highland/Morningside and Grant Park) with signature dishes and specials, including $2 Tsingtao beer, lucky Chinese foods and prizes inside each fortune cookie. The fun begins today, the first day of Chinese New Year at the Morningside location, continues on Monday, January 30 at the Emory Village location and ends on Monday, February 6, on the last day of Chinese New Year at the Grant Park location.

In addition to celebrations and specials, Doc Chey’s will be giving back during the 15 day celebration of the Chinese New Year by encouraging guests to participate in “15 Days of Good Karma” in support of the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB). Guests can drop off canned food items for the ACFB and Doc Chey’s will donate $1 for each non-perishable food item worth $2 or more. Guests can also give back by eating! Order the Lucky Sampler, a trio of Chinese delights, and Doc Chey’s will donate $2 from each purchase to ACFB.

For more information on Doc Chey’s and their Chinese New Year parties, visit www.doccheys.com

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Nominations are now being accepted for the nation’s most outstanding senior volunteer. Sponsored by the Home Instead Senior Care® network, the Salute to Senior ServiceSM program will honor senior volunteers for the tireless contributions they make to their local communities.

The program, which launched this month, will include a search for the most outstanding senior volunteer in each state and culminate with the selection of a national Salute to Senior Service winner during Older Americans Month in May. Continue reading

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Heartburn and acid reflux are pretty common complaints these days – with the food we eat, the lives we lead, etc. I suffer from pretty severe acid reflux and sometimes have to sleep sitting up (always fun). I never realized that severe heartburn and acid reflux would cause more problems than just discomfort until we talked to Dr. Hudes of Advanced Gastroenterology Associates, LLC. Continue reading

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In September 2011, Best Self Atlanta Magazine interviewed Will Harris of White Oak Pastures on his views about organic beef and its benefits to a healthy diet.  “The consumer should learn as much as possible about the person who produces the food that they feed to their families,” said Harris.

This seems to be a view shared by all at the Fellowship of Southern Farmers, Artisans, and Chefs, an organization that fosters camaraderie between local farmers, chefs, and artisans. During the Taste of the South, which took place January 12 – 15, the Fellowship of Southern Farmers, Artisans, and Chefs inducted Harris into their organization. The event, which also serves as a fundraiser for the Southern Foodways Alliance, is now in its eighth year.

Located in Bluffton, Georgia, White Oak Pastures is a family operated grass-fed beef producer committed to sustainability and low-stress animal handling that also minimizes environmental impact. It is the largest certified organic farm in Georgia and one of only two on-farm, USDA-inspected, grass-fed beef plants in the country.

The farm was already distinctive from its inception, but now it is also home to the largest solar barn in the Southeast. Harris collaborated with Hannah Solar to install a solar thermal system atop his farm’s processing plant to provide for large amounts of hot water for sanitation and equipment cleansing. The solar barn turns sunlight directly into energy for the processing plant.

Read more about Going Organic at www.bestselfatlanta.com

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In honor of being your best self in 2012, we’re doing our first ever Facebook sweepstakes and it’s a biggie – the New Year, New You! Sweepstakes!

All you have to do is head to our Facebook page, “like” us and click on the New Year, New You! tab under our profile picture. Enter your e-mail address and voila! That’s it! You’ll be entered for a chance to win a prize package valued over $1,750!

Here’s what’s included: Continue reading

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Click the photo for more tips

In awe of the goals one of my most successful clients has achieved, I recently paused from our session and asked her what’s working. I know she’s reporting her food to me every day, making healthy decisions one at a time and working out consistently. But I was curious to know if there was something else that was working that I hadn’t recommended to her.

“Pinterest,” she said.

Pinterest? The new virtual pinboard site I played around on the other day for wedding ideas? Continue reading

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