Happy Father’s Day to all dads and to any man that gives of himself to improve the lives of the next generation.  As Russell Simmons says in our article, REALLY RICH: Balancing Wealth with Health, “the process of living in the cycle of giving is the thing that makes us happy.”  So I wish happiness in great abundance to all the men in my life that give so much.

This month, we feature Men’s Health and Wellness. We kick off with Just Take Five, a five-point prescription for staying healthy.  I’m glad to see that happiness and social interaction is one of the factors that promote health.  Another factor is simply giving back to the community.  The Do Good Live Well Study, by United Healthcare, has shown that people who do volunteer work for two or more hours a week exhibit lower rates of depression and heart disease. So get active, have fun, and volunteer.

To get active and help the environment at the same time, consider cycling instead of driving around town. Our Zippy E-Bikes article discusses recumbent bikes, electric bikes, and cargo bikes. For personal advice, drop by one of Marty’s Reliable bicycle shops (Morristown Randolph, or Hackettstown) and ask an expert.

Three other local experts weigh in on health, wellness, and positive change. Billy McHugh, a certified personal trainer and president of Fitness Consulting Inc., gives us his top ten list of reasons why men should exercise.  Barry Wolfson, director of the Hypnosis Counseling Center, discusses a new method for overcoming life’s challenges in our article The Tuning Effect: A New Technique to achieve Balance. Kathy Kane, certified Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach® and an Amherst Writers and Artists affiliate, treats us with Part One of a three part series on effecting   positive change in our lives.

And for dads and moms, we look at Fun Ways to Keep Kids’ Minds Sharp This Summer.  School will be out before you know it and many of you will have little ones to keep busy. We’ll help you incorporate more reading, cooking, art, science and  learning games into their time off.