January 2020 Issue

Key Hormones That Could Be Sabotaging Your Weight Loss Efforts

It’s a new year and the new you wants to lose some unwanted nagging pounds, but you’re over 40 and you just can’t lose it as fast as you used to. Time spent in the gym may or may not be fruitful, depending on how your body responds to the physical stress you’re putting yourself through. As we get older, our body does not respond the same way to the routine we used to have in managing weight. Everything changes, including the hormones that helped us to stay trim and fit; they don’t work as they should or there’s just not enough of them. There are some key hormones you

Horsin’ Around in Aiken | A Spectator’s Primer to Equestrian Sports

So you live in or near Aiken, one of the “horsiest” towns in America, but you don’t ride and may not have any desire to do so. Don’t let that stop you from enjoying the great entertainment available year-round at many local facilities. Equestrian sports feature top athletes, both horses and their human partners, the relationship between the two being crucial to success. To enjoy equestrian competition, it is helpful to know a bit about the various types, often referred to as disciplines. For example, when two riders first meet, their initial question would most likely be, “What is your discipline?” An expected response would be, “I ride dressage,” or

Wellness + Creativity | Joy in the Journey

“I had no idea my husband could draw anything beyond a stick figure. Michael was a nuclear chemist, and art was the furthest thing from his mind. Everything he did was always intellectual; it was never creative,” says Nancy Dukes. Nancy was beyond amazed when she saw the stunning picture he had painted hanging in the Aiken Center for the Arts (ACA). It was a total surprise to her and clearly depicted the Isle of Palms, where they had owned a home in the past. Michael is a member of Club Thrive, a social senior activity center run by Karen Poteat, LPN and gerontology and dementia specialist. Like Michael, many

Find Yourself In Art and Antiques

The Aiken Antique Show is an annual fundraising event held to support the Aiken Center for the Arts’ mission — to inspire, engage, and educate. Not only does this event support the mission, it also captures the creative spirit of what the ACA does on a daily basis — enabling interactive, meaningful experiences between people. Together, we celebrate and learn from the objects and ideas created. In the 21st year of the Aiken Antique Show, the ACA invites visitors to celebrate and learn from an encounter with antiquated art and objects. These pieces have a certain character and wisdom that allow us to connect with the past, celebrate it in

Gallery Opening Reception | Scene Around Town

Aiken Center for the Arts. Gallery Opening Reception. December 12, 2019. Photography by Christine McKeel

Holiday Cookie Stroll

Holiday Cookie Stroll. December 15. Downtown Aiken. Photography by Christine McKeel

Night of 1,000 Lights

Night of 1,000 Lights. December 12, 2019. Photography by Christine McKeel

Holiday Market | Scene Around Town

Holiday Market at Historic Red Top Estate. December 15, 2019. Photography by Christine McKeel

Wellness For Our Youth | Why Are Our Children Sick?

According to the CDC: 3 million children are hospitalized every year 1 in 400 children has diabetes 1 in 40 has autism 1 in 20 has ADHD Half of all children have a chronic disease and more than 40,000 children are in cancer treatment every year. Why are so many children sick? What are we doing to cause this epidemic of poor health in our children? Many people think that diseases “just happen”. Functional medical practitioners know that there are two main causes of illness. On one hand, the body does not get enough of the nutrients it needs. On the other hand, the body gets too many bad things