Before I was a walker, I was a runner — a slow, lumbering, back-of-the-pack runner. When I discovered racewalking, I found my sport. And since then, I’ve become a ferocious fan of every style of walking: all ages, speeds, styles and sexes. (If only walking were, somehow, a sexier sport.)

I could fill the rest of this column and several more spelling out all the wonderful things walking will do for your body and your mind. It’s great for your brain, your strength, for every cell in your body, for calming yourself mentally and boosting your energy physically.

It’s also the perfect antidote to the crazed, stepped-up pace of life today, when too much technology walks all over our human need to slow down and ... how can I put this ... think.

I never meant to adopt a dog; at least not on the day I adopted Henry. My precious schnoodle, Mimi, had died, and I saw a picture of Henry on Hilton Head Humane’s (HHH) Facebook page. Grieving, I went to HHH to pet him. That’s all. When I arrived, he was the “office” dog, meaning he was inside frolicking around in a little open-air pen, and his name was Elmo. I asked if I could hold him. Even so, I was just there to pet and put back.

“Find a job you enjoy doing and you will never have to work a day in your life.”  This quote, attributed to Mark Twain, is personified in this month’s #AnAppleADay Motivational Man, Bobby Alan.

A walking, talking, megawatt-smiling ambassador for the GNC brand, the 52-year-old retired Marine owns three GNC franchise stores; one South Carolina location in Bluffton, and two in North Carolina; one in booming Winston Salem, and one in Andy Griffith’s fictional hometown of Mount Airy.

According to a statement on the General Nutrition Centers corporate website, the company’s mission is to “connect customers to their best selves by offering a premium assortment of heath, wellness and performance products.” The company was founded in 1935 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as a neighborhood “healthy food” store, introducing yogurt to Americans for the first time. Many people thought health food was just a passing fad, but it has only exploded since then.

Before I was a walker, I was a runner — a slow, lumbering, back-of-the-pack runner. When I discovered racewalking, I found my sport. And since then, I’ve become a ferocious fan of every style of walking: all ages, speeds, styles and sexes. (If only walking were, somehow, a sexier sport.)

I could fill the rest of this column and several more spelling out all the wonderful things walking will do for your body and your mind. It’s great for your brain, your strength, for every cell in your body, for calming yourself mentally and boosting your energy physically.

It’s also the perfect antidote to the crazed, stepped-up pace of life today, when too much technology walks all over our human need to slow down and ... how can I put this ... think.

Golden, thick, and sweet, honey is a staple in many of my favorite dishes. I’ve recently learned about the variety of flavors and healthy benefits that make raw, hand-poured honey a nutritional superstar. Little did I know, honey has a mysterious counterpart that many healers have been using for centuries—bee pollen—and it’s becoming all the rage. So, I headed over to my favorite honey shop, Capital Bee Company (CBCo) in Savannah, to find out why it’s all the buzz.

What Is Bee Pollen?
It’s one of the richest natural foods ever discovered. Bee pollen is a granule created from pollen dust of flower blossoms. The incredible nutritional and medicinal value of pollen has been known for thousands of years and is known as nature’s most complete food.

You may still be flip-flopping around in pool slides, but it’s the perfect time to step out in a new pair of shoes and be the first to kick off the fashion season ahead...yes, even with a killer pair of boots. Start checking out the latest shoe scene now.

Check out the new architectural heels.
This is definitely the year of the “heel,” and they’re the good kind. Look for sculptural angled heels to geometric cylindrical spikes to woodsy blocks to sparkling crystals. And don’t forget the ‘80s disco platforms...for all those “Mamma Mia” fans out there. Here we go again!

Our journey to a whole food, plant based lifestyle has truly been life changing for me and my family. We are healthier, stronger, and happier people than we were before making the transition to veganism and WFPB eating. We still enjoy eating out and especially traveling to cities with a large selection of vegan menu items. Regional VegFests have become weekend destinations. As a long time environmentalist and lover of all animals (wild, companion, and farm) this lifestyle helps me to match my ethics and beliefs with my actions. I want to be healthy, kind to all people and animals, and reduce my carbon footprint and rate of pollution. The whole-food, plant-based vegan lifestyle helps me to better achieve that on a daily basis, and being the facilitator of the Palmetto Plant Eaters Club plays a major role in that achievement.

It all started in October 2015 when the groundbreaking food documentary “PlantPure Nation” was screened on Hilton Head Island. The following month, in response to the film, the Palmetto Plant Eaters Club (PPEC) was formed, and the group has been meeting monthly ever since. PPEC membership is free, open to the public, and meets in Bluffton on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Lowcountry on Malphrus Road. At each meeting, expert guest speakers lecture on topics such as building vegan muscle, enhancing nutrition with herbs, growing organic produce, best practices for sustainable weight loss, making healthful choices when eating out and traveling, and non-toxic wellness modalities.

We are fortunate to have Jane Fraser, President and Spokeswoman for the Stuttering Foundation of America so close to the Lowcountry. She recently opened a St. Simons Island, GA branch of the 71-year-old foremost nonprofit organization, dedicated to helping those who stutter.

Focused on basic research, causes, treatment, and prevention for nearly three million people world-wide who struggle daily with this complex disorder, Jane shared the foundation’s simple goal, “To provide effective and accurate materials, up-to-date training, and hope to those who stutter, their families, and the dedicated therapists who help them.”

Incorporating even one healthy habit on a daily basis can put you on a path to a healthier lifestyle. Really all it takes to get started is becoming aware of your body and its needs. Once you develop one healthy habit, it is sure to lead to others. Plus, chances are, that new healthy habit will more than likely replace an old, bad one.

We asked local business owners in Coligny Plaza on HIlton Head Island what their favorite healthy habit is. Here’s what a few of them had to say:

Dear Carrie: 

I am a 65-year-old widow and am considering getting married again. What financial steps should I take before I tie the knot? –A Reader

Dear Reader: This is a great question—and one worth considering at any age. Marriage is about love, but it also impacts your money. And the financial implications can be even more significant when both partners have had time to acquire and manage assets for many years. This can be especially true for a second marriage.

And it’s not just about numbers. There’s an emotional side to marrying your finances. You need to examine your own feelings about such things as financial independence and also take into account the feelings of your loved ones, particularly adult children.

There’s a lot to consider—both practical and personal. To me, it’s not just about understanding the financial issues on your own but about coming to an understanding with your partner. Although it may feel uncomfortable, it’s important to talk openly and honestly about your finances with your partner.

Here are some things to consider together.

For a good deal of my life, I lived under a dark cloud of fear that I would end up financially destitute—a bag lady. Studies reveal that I’m not the only one. Most of us have felt that way, not because we’re broke but because we lack confidence. That makes us timid, worried and financially insecure.

Look, we don’t have to accept financial insecurity as some kind of life sentence. And that constant and gnawing fear of becoming destitute? Forget it! We can do something about this.

Become a saver. Saving money is like magic because it changes your attitude and calms your fears. I saved my way out of a six-figure pile of debt. Knowing I had cash tucked away in a safe place quieted my insatiable desires. That is where I found my determination to stick with repaying the debt. You must start now, today—no matter your situation, even if you are in debt and struggling to catch up, and even if you are already contributing to a 401(k) plan at work. This is different. You need money in the bank to boost your financial confidence.

Story and Photography by Jacie Elizabeth Millen 

Roger Pinckney, XI was raised to be an ideal Southerner. He has the wit, the manners, and the stature of a true gentleman, but there is more to Mr. Pinckney than meets the eye. Roger is the author of multiple books, including Reefer Moon, Blue Roots, and Crying in the Wilderness. He is also a full-time resident on Daufuskie Island, SC, and gives tours of the island, but he is more than that, too: He is an icon

With a personally rolled cigarette on his lip, Roger and I got to talking. 

Roger was born and raised in Beaufort, where he found his love of writing in high school. He got a full ride to the University of Iowa, considered at the time THE writing school. He continued his education and ultimately earned his PhD in Alaska. He moved to Minnesota, where he started a family. Calling himself a “serial husband,” Roger laughed and said, “I love being a father. I am a better father to my seven children than a husband.”

These days, thanks to the smartphones most of us carry in our purses or pockets,
the smart solution to just about any situation is just a swipe away! In keeping with our
August #smartypants theme, Pink staffers share their favorite smart apps.

Last September, the inaugural Thrive Lowcountry Women’s conference was experienced by 140 attendees and a palpable excitement could be felt by everyone present at the Sonesta Resort on Hilton Head.   A high energy and truly special event with more than 20 dynamic speakers, led to participant reactions such as “THRIVE was the most inspiring conference I have ever attended.”

Here’s the great news... the Thrive conference is returning to the Sonesta on September 5th and 6th, presented by SCORE Lowcountry and the Hilton Head Island—Bluffton Chamber of Commerce.

Laurie Brown, Tamra Avrit, Shar Weinrauch, Elaine Lust and Ellen Maloney are all members of the team working together on this year’s Thrive event.  They also are volunteer certified Business Mentors with SCORE, a ​resource partner of the Small Business Administration and America’s premier source of free confidential business mentoring and education.

Laurie, owner of Aunt Laurie’s, says, “Our goal is to make this year’s event impactful and meaningful so attendees will leave feeling energized and ready to apply what they learned. We’re also working hard to make the conference inspirational and engaging.

Tamra, former CEO of Zeiders Enterprises, says, “THRIVE is a great opportunity for professional women to commit a day to focus on their learning, network, and future.”     

We were never supposed to leave our beach vacation early to plan a funeral for our 3-year-old son. And, yet, within the course of one week, we had driven to the beach, returned without him, and held his funeral. 

Do you know drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages 1-4 and the second leading cause of death in ages 1-14? Do you know that 69 percent of children who drown are not expected to be swimming, yet they are found in water? Do you know that a child can drown in less than one minute? 

Unfortunately, I know these facts all too well; on June 10, 2018, my 3-year-old son, Levi, drowned while on vacation in Fort Morgan, Alabama. 

There is a misconception that drowning only happens when you are swimming. But, drowning also happens when you are 200 feet away from a pool, upstairs, eating Cheetos, wearing your neon yellow crab-hunting shirt, when you leave your mom’s side, even though you are usually Velcro-ed to her. Drowning isn’t splashing and yelling. 

Like millions of people around the world, I was riveted to the recent rescue of the 12 Thai boys and their soccer coach who had been trapped in the deepest, darkest, most terrifying recesses of Tham Luang cave.

I marveled at the bravery, pored over the escape route and tried many times over to pronounce the name of the Thai king, Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, without losing consciousness.

In the end, a miracle! A magnificent multinational effort to do the impossible. The Wild Boars came out alive! OK, they needed a little anti-anxiety medication: being hauled underwater, for hours, in the dark, over treacherous terrain, in a plastic cocoon, breathing through a face mask, wouldn’t you?

One Thai volunteer diver, Saman Gunan, died, which was tragic. But this was such an astonishing story of courage, determination and success against all odds that it shouted out “healthy lifestyle column,” with lessons to be learned about attaining and sustaining our own personal well-being.

Eleanor Roosevelt, first lady, social activist, and ultimate #smartypants once said, “Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product.” Happiness cannot be pursued on its own; it is a by-product of a lifetime of choices and, yes, a little luck, too.

Since most of us haven’t figured out how to create our own luck yet, the next best thing is to make smart decisions for the future. Career, money, fitness and recreation are just some of the building blocks for a happy, healthy life.

So, let’s make the process a little easier by learning about 
the newest smarty pants trends of 2018.

Last year I attended the Thrive local women’s conference, where I had the pleasure of joining Diana Morrison for a breakout session entitled: “Find Your Posse.” Intrigued, I listened to Diana talk about how important it is to build a network and support system outside your close family and friends, to surround yourself with people who harbor different skill sets from your own, and to learn from them. As I sat and pondered, it dawned on me that I was lucky to already have such a network. I may not have built my posse, but I’d found it in the incredibly talented and dedicated community leaders within the Junior Service League of Beaufort (JSLB). And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that some of my closest friends are also members ... don’t I have good taste?

Pink went to Coligny Plaza on Hilton Head Island to ask people what they love about America. Happy tourists were glad talk to us and respond to our question:

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT AMERICA?

“Looks like Freedom rings! We think it’s just nice to stop for a moment, remember what you love about America and be grateful—even if you’re from another country.  Happy July 4th everyone…Keep Calm and Stay Independent!”

Personal well-being is very personal. It’s not about the size of your belly or how many crunches you can do, and it’s certainly not about how many times you’ve been to the gym in the last week. Or year. Decade, anyone?

So play along with me here: On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the top of Mount Everest for health and happiness, where would you put yourself right now, today, when it comes to your personal well-being? No excuses, no regrets, no judging—just a number between one and 10.

Think for a minute. Take a few breaths. This is called “tuning in.”

Suicide is a final act of fatal desperation: Death as a result of inflicting injury to oneself with the intent to die. The statistics are alarming. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States and was responsible for nearly 45,000 deaths in 2016. Since 1999, half of the states have seen a 30 percent increase. And, suicide is a concern throughout the life span. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that suicide is the second leading cause for death in people aged 10 to 34, the fourth leading cause inages 35 to 64, and the eighth leading cause in ages 55 to 64. Eighty to 85-year-olds, who are running out of resources, are also a high-risk group for suicide.

Get ready to light up your summer with fun fashion that explodes with American style. Wearing red, white and blue has long been a classic way to put some patriotic passion into your wardrobe, but this year, it’s all about new ways to sizzle. Set off some fashion fireworks with these sparklers.

Romp and roll. What could be easier and breezier than onesies? One-piece shorts and tops are cool picks for Fourth of July picnics and parties.

Founded in 1998 by longtime island resident and family entertainer Gregg Russell and his wife Lindy, Hilton Head Heroes was born out of a desire to help very ill children and their families enjoy a vacation that would not ordinarily be possible. The families stay in the HERO House located in Sea Pines Resort and are given gift certificates to local restaurants, grocery stores, and island amenities. Most recently, the local charitable organization hosted The Richards Family—Joshua, Katie, Gage (8) and Bo (5) from Logan, Ohio. 

Love yourself! Express yourself! It’s the message of our times. Loving the skin you’re in can give way to a more satisfying outlook and peaceful existence. And who wouldn’t want that?

Of course, some are further along on this particular enlightenment pathway. Take former islander, Gavin Daly, for instance. Now, he makes it look downright easy, living radically, in an enviable contentment. He’s known professionally and in social circles as Knarly Gav, and he more than lives up to this moniker.

Born in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Gavin grew up on Hilton Head and graduated in 1991 from Hilton Head High where he was voted Most Talented. He attended South Carolina’s Governor’s School for the Arts at Furman University, and went on to study trombone performance at USC. A self-proclaimed Rad Dude, Gavin is a professional tattoo artist, a passionate musician, and an extreme surfer and skateboarder.

One of the toughest things I battle in my life is procrastination. My natural response is “I’ll do it later.” There’s a part of me that despises that procrastinator and wages a daily war to defeat it. That’s how I’ve come to rely on the power of habits and routines. If I can avoid having to make a decision, I lose the choice to put it off until later.

Habits are those things we do so often they become automatic. Take my MacBook Pro. You’d be shocked to know just how many hours a day I am on this thing. The keyboard is part of me. My muscles have totally memorized every stroke, the location of every key—until something changes.

I’ve never been much of a binger, but recently I had a humbling experience that gave me new insights into binge-eating... not to mention a bad case of the bloats.

Suddenly, without warning, away from home and visiting family in Florida (who are blameless), I found myself unable to resist Cool Ranch Doritos. Morning, noon and especially at night, I was consumed by consumption.

Four years ago, I lost the ability to do many activities my body used to be able to do, and I wasn’t able to play the sport I loved for 11 months—soccer. I injured my knee, tearing my ACL. I underwent two surgeries, as well as countless of hours of therapy to get my knee back to a state of normal. It took me a long time to trust my knee when participating in any rigorous exercise. I completely cut out activities I loved like skim-boarding, boogieboarding and bodysurfing because I was afraid my knee wouldn’t be able to withstand the impact. However, the one thing I refused to give up was stand-up-paddleboarding. I not only trained my knee to keep my balance, but I also trained my brain to work with my body instead of against it. With this, I found an appreciation for the sport and the area I grew up in—the beautiful Lowcountry. Stand-Up-Paddleboarding (SUP) is not only an effective form of exercise but also an outlet that has become my safe place. And, I am not the only one who has discovered this. I had the pleasure of meeting with Tim Lovett, the owner of Higher Ground, an outdoor outfitter store that offers kayaking and SUP tours and rentals, in Beaufort.

Stepping into the Pat Conroy Literary Center has brought many literary pilgrims to tears. The antebellum home that houses the Conroy Center at 308 Charles Street in Beaufort had no overt connection to the internationally celebrated best-selling author Pat Conroy (1945–2016)—but the diverse artifacts and myriad storytellers to be found at the Conroy Center reverberate with Conroy-esque intimacy and charm. There is, at once, both the presence and the absence of that larger-than-life author of a dozen beloved books, including The Water Is Wide, The Great Santini, and The Prince of Tides. This moving experience has already been shared with more than 2,500 visitors coming from 38 states and 9 countries since the Conroy Center opened to the public in October 2016.

Dear Readers, It happens every year. As grads get ready to enjoy their upcoming independence, I start getting questions from concerned parents who are well aware of the myriad financial responsibilities their new graduates are going to face. They want to help—just enough to get the kids started, but not enough to destroy their motivation.

I’m all for one generation helping the next, but it’s a balancing act for sure. Realistically, with today’s competitive job market, we can’t expect our kids to land their dream jobs right out of the gate. But we can expect them to be responsible, resourceful and aware of the importance of making good financial decisions no matter their job or their starting salary.