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My Journey as a Bookseller

My forty-year odyssey living the literary life as the owner of Books & Books. I will give guests an insight into the ups and downs of independent bookselling, peppered with anecdotes of the many writers I’ve had the opportunity to meet and befriend. The audience will come away knowing what it takes to open and sustain a bookstore, while hearing stories about some of the most iconic literary figures of our time, writers as diverse as Joan Didion, Tony Bourdain, Susan Sontag, Judy Blume, Allen Ginsberg, Isabel Allende, Salman Rushdie, Carl Hiaasen, Saul Bellow, Maya Angelou, and many others.

  

Mitchell Kaplan, a native of Miami Beach, opened the first Books & Books in 1982 in Coral Gables, Florida. Now with four South Florida locations, Books & Books hosts over 400 events per year. In addition, the original Coral Gables location is home to the well-established Café at Books & Books, and there are Books & Books affiliated stores at the Miami International Airport, and in Key West, where he collaborates with the noted author Judy Blume and her husband, George.  Among his honors, Mitchell served as president of the American Booksellers Association and he received the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation. Books & Books was also Publishers Weekly’s bookstore of the year. He recently accepted an appointment to serve on the Board of the National Coalition Against Censorship. As co-founder of the Miami Book Fair in 1985, Mitchell has served as the chairperson of its Board of Directors and continues to guide the programming team at the Fair which takes place on the campus of Miami Dade College in the heart of downtown Miami. Each year the Fair presents close to 500 authors over one week in November, along with a street festival, where bookstalls line the streets adjacent to the campus. Programs take place in Creole, Spanish and English, reflecting the diversity of Miami. Mitchell, with his partner Paula Mazur, established The Mazur Kaplan Company to bring books to the screen, both film and television. His most recent release is Let Him Go starring Diane Lane and Kevin Costner. Mitchell also hosts the podcast The Literary Life with Mitchell Kaplan, broadcast from Miami, where he lives with his wife, Rachelle. They have three children, Anya, Daniel and Jonah.

Sleep: Brain, Body, and Behavior

Sleep is essential to mind and body wellbeing. Craft your own sleep strategy to maximize your health and performance potential.

Sleep: Science and Strategy
Sleep is a key factor in our cognitive, emotional, and physical wellbeing.  Demystify the science of sleep, why we need it, and what happens if we don’t get it.  Learn the essentials of sleep disorders, how to recognize them, and what to do if you might have one.  Begin to craft your own approach to effective sleep.

Sleep Disorders: What could go wrong?
You know you need to sleep – but sometimes good sleep is hard to get. From sleep apnea to sleep walking, delve into the ways sleep can go wrong, how to recognize it, and what you can do about it. Discover the many ways to treat sleep apnea (spoiler alert – there’s more than CPAP!). Start to find balance in your sleep and wakefulness.

Chasing sleep: A Do-it-Yourself Guide to Overcoming Insomnia
Trouble sleeping can interfere with life, both night and day, and is almost always treatable – without medication. Learn how to decode sleep struggles, identify your own opportunities for better sleep, and craft a plan to make your sleep work for you.

Sleep and Performance: Strategize Your Sleep to Maximize Physical and Mental Potential
Sleep is your secret weapon in maximizing your physical, mental, and emotional potential. We’ll delve into the science behind the power of sleep and strategize ways to survive and thrive when sleep is hard to come by.  Each participant will leave with a plan for optimizing sleep for their own resilience and performance.

 

Sarah Zallek, MD is a sleep neurologist who has been practicing sleep medicine with a mindfulness approach – and teaching sleep with relevance and humor to a wide range of audiences – for more than two decades. She is a professor of neurology at University of Illinois College of Medicine, Medical Director of OSF HealthCare Sleep, and has published numerous papers and book chapters. She has developed and led conferences that integrate mindfulness, art, and science to foster individual wellness and reduce burnout. In addition, she has led the development of a compassion-based communication course that connects individuals to work together toward shared goals. She is a frequent keynote speaker and has given many national and international presentations. Dr. Zallek is a sought-after adviser and presenter for media organizations, including National Public Radio, government agencies, professional societies, educational institutions, and a broad range of businesses.

Course Director Physician Communication, OSF HealthCare
Program Director, OSF Professionalism
OSF Neuroscience Physician Director of Communication, and Education
Medical Director, OSF Sleep Peoria
Clinical Professor of Neurology, University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria
www.osfhealthcare.org/neuro
Twitter: @SarahZallek
LinkedIn: Sarah (Nath) Zallek

Courage and Resilience – Experiencing the Warrior in You!

We are all courageous. Simply by living life we must face challenges and obstacles over and over again. But when we are discouraged, or afraid, or feel overwhelmed, it can feel like our courage has disappeared!  Or, at least gone to sleep. There are simple techniques that can help us to get through those times. Join me as we awaken the warrior in you! Learn to access your resilience and strength easily and quickly. Four sessions:

  • Learn about Your Energetic Boundary and How to Move through Fear
  • Access Your Gifts of Resilience and a Deeper Knowing of Yourself
  • Receive Inner Guidance to Help You Manifest Greater Wholeness in You
  • Experience Your Wholeness as a Natural State. This is a state of being that you can access at any time.

 

Lisa Rafel  Expert in Vocal Sound Healing™, international teacher about using sound, resonance, embodied presence and intention for healing and transformation; Playwright, singer/songwriter, poet, co-author and co-songwriter (with Gary Malkin) of “Safe In The Arms Of Love”, a book/music set that provides information and original music to enhance bonding/attachment;  Board member, Association for Pre and Perinatal Psychology and Health (APPPAH), President, Resonant Sounds, LLC    www.lisarafel.com 

A Concert in Word and Song with Peter, Christopher and Bethany Yarrow

Peter Yarrow’s commitment and life’s work have been framed by his awareness that music of conscience can be extremely effective when used as a source for inspiring and uniting efforts to heal and create a better world. As a performer and social activist, Peter has used music in just that way, bringing people together to create a more just, peaceful, and compassionate society. Through such efforts, beginning in the early 1960’s, the music of Peter, Paul and Mary became, for literally millions of people, the genesis of their activism and commitment to advancing positive social change. Peter’s gift for songwriting has produced some of the most moving songs in the Peter, Paul & Mary repertoire including “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” “Day is Done,” “Light One Candle,” and “The Great Mandala.” One of Yarrow’s efforts is focused on the non-profit, Operation Respect (OR) with its classroom-based program called “Don’t Laugh at Me” (DLAM) that utilizes music and the arts combined with social/emotional learning curricula for elementary and middle school children, now utilized in over 20,000 schools worldwide. Peter believes that DLAM and other such programs that build community and catalyze positive attitudinal and behavioral change, can enable today’s children to break the cycle of hatred, bias, racism and bullying, helping them to envision and create a more just and peaceful world.

A Concert in Word and Song with Peter Yarrow

Peter Yarrow’s commitment and life’s work have been framed by his awareness that music of conscience can be extremely effective when used as a source for inspiring and uniting efforts to heal and create a better world. As a performer and social activist, Peter has used music in just that way, bringing people together to create a more just, peaceful, and compassionate society. Through such efforts, beginning in the early 1960’s, the music of Peter, Paul and Mary became, for literally millions of people, the genesis of their activism and commitment to advancing positive social change. Peter’s gift for songwriting has produced some of the most moving songs in the Peter, Paul & Mary repertoire including “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” “Day is Done,” “Light One Candle,” and “The Great Mandala.” Currently Yarrow’s efforts are mainly focused on the non-profit, Operation Respect (OR) with its classroom-based program called “Don’t Laugh At Me” (DLAM) that utilizes music and the arts combined with social/emotional learning curricula for elementary and middle school children, now utilized in over 20,000 schools worldwide. Peter believes that DLAM and other such programs that build community and catalyze positive attitudinal and behavioral change, can enable today’s children to break the cycle of hatred, bias, racism and bullying, helping them to envision and create a more just and peaceful world.

A Concert in Word and Song with Peter Yarrow

Peter Yarrow’s commitment and life’s work have been framed by his awareness that music of conscience can be extremely effective when used as a source for inspiring and uniting efforts to heal and create a better world. As a performer and social activist, Peter has used music in just that way, bringing people together to create a more just, peaceful, and compassionate society. Through such efforts, beginning in the early 1960’s, the music of Peter, Paul and Mary became, for literally millions of people, the genesis of their activism and commitment to advancing positive social change. Peter’s gift for songwriting has produced some of the most moving songs in the Peter, Paul & Mary repertoire including “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” “Day is Done,” “Light One Candle,” and “The Great Mandala.” Currently Yarrow’s efforts are mainly focused on the non-profit, Operation Respect (OR) with its classroom-based program called “Don’t Laugh At Me” (DLAM) that utilizes music and the arts combined with social/emotional learning curricula for elementary and middle school children, now utilized in over 20,000 schools worldwide. Peter believes that DLAM and other such programs that build community and catalyze positive attitudinal and behavioral change, can enable today’s children to break the cycle of hatred, bias, racism and bullying, helping them to envision and create a more just and peaceful world.

Other Ranch Activities

 

 

In addition to our specialty programming, each week includes:

  • Daily yoga classes and sunrise mountain hikes
  • Mindful meditation, sound healing, and crystal bowl therapies
  • 50+ daily fitness classes from HIIT to trail running to dance
  • Creative art classes and nature tours
  • Evening programs and entertainment
  • Use of all fitness, spa, pools, hot tubs, and recreational facilities

 

Plus, savor 4,000 acres of majestic mountains, meadows, and gardens. Bask in nature and feel the serenity within.

View a Sample Schedule Filled with 60+ Daily Activities

“Un-Mute” Your Heart, Your Soul: Your Voice

Many of us were discouraged from telling our stories along the way. Whether it was being dissuaded from taking on that fine arts degree in college, or being told not to “ruin” the music on the radio by singing along at the top of our lungs when we were “tweens.”  For the voice inside of you that was quieted against its will, we set the stage for you to “Un-Mute” Your Heart, Your Soul: Your Voice.

We’ve come up with five ways to make your “un-mute” a blissful and peace-steeped experience:

  1. Prepare physically and mentally with daily Breathing and Relaxing Exercises.
  2. Overcome the pressure of yesterday’s results and tomorrow’s expectations with The Art of Warming Up: Being Here, Now, vocally.
  3. Find the words and sounds that best enable you to tell your story with Repertoire Selection*.
  4. Craft your story, in sound, with Vocal Style**.
  5. Tell your story with an End of the Week Vocal Performance!***

*If it sounds fancy, don’t worry: it isn’t! Repertoire Selection is about picking that song that notoriously sets you free … and yes, we mean strongly considering your favorite karaoke, shower, and/or highway cruising jam as a study piece.  We offer to brainstorm ideas with you one-on-one, to learn your selection with you, and to help you to better understand and express yourself through that selection.

**Some folks are soft-spoken but wish they were more outgoing; others long to be more intimate, sensitive, dynamic.   Any virtue you’d want to assume in your life, we can help you assume vocally with the full belief that if you can conquer it in your voice, you can conquer it in your life.

Un-Muted! Our Hearts…Our Souls…Our Voices…in Concert!
Thursday PM
*** Don’t worry!! The performance is not by any means “mandatory,” rather, it’s a special treat and a supportive stage to be able to share your personal findings with your fellow seekers should you choose to do so.

 

Soprano Sharon Spinetti sang the leading roles with major opera houses both in the U.S. and Internationally in a career that spanned over 25 years.

Upon her return to New York, she started a voice and piano studio and created the Song-Girls brand (www.song-girls.com).  Sharon has written and produced two musicals and is currently putting the finishing touches on her pilot for  “That Song-Girls Show!” which combines animation, live action and original music in a weekly streaming series.  Sharon looks forward to returning to RLP and celebrating 2023 together “Un-Muting.”

 

Designing the Difference You Want to Make in the World

Explore the Power of Your Uniqueness
The first step in designing your impact is to explore who you are and what makes you unique. Learn to evaluate your story for indicators of unique ways that you can have an impact. Receive a list of thought-provoking questions to guide your gifts, strengths, and passion exploration process.

Explore Your Purpose; Assess Your Current Season
Purpose is defined as the reason for which you exist. Some know the answer to the question, but many struggle to define their purpose. How you understand your purpose is often shaped by your season of life. Discover ways to explore your purpose and live with a sense of purpose whatever season you are in.

Examine Simple Ways to Make a Meaningful Difference
The previous year clearly demonstrated that there is a lot of work to be done in the world.  It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the magnitude of problems facing our society. But, what if you take a different approach: instead of focusing on scale, begin with a focus on simplicity and meaning. Discover the essential elements for making a difference, including giving your authentic self and being present for everyday moments.

Design Your Impact
Complete your difference-making design process by turning your insights into a plan that includes: an impact summary statement; immediate next steps; and short-term and long-term goals. Learn how to turn your plan into an Impact Board, a visual & inspirational representation of your legacy and the impact you desire to make on the world.

2024 Handouts

 

Candace Gray’s mission is to help people pursue purpose, fulfill their God-given potential, and maximize their impact. To that end, she has provided leadership in the nonprofit sector for over 25 years.  After beginning her profession as a CPA in the corporate sector, she craved a career with greater meaning and fulfillment. She transitioned to the nonprofit field by working alongside a prominent CEO in the real estate industry to launch a nonprofit organization targeting an inner-city neighborhood in Dallas. Currently, she serves as a senior leader for a Dallas-based social services agency, serving nine cities in Texas and six international locations. She has traveled on assignment to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Ghana, Kenya and Ethiopia.

Dance with Galit

One year after graduating from the ‘FAME’ school (LaGuardia) as a theatre major, Galit moved to Los Angeles to pursue a degree from the University of Southern California.

 Shortly after graduating college, Galit found that her drive gained her the opportunity to work as an assistant choreographer for Prince in the Los Angeles leg of his Welcome 2 America Tour. She has worked on projects for Pharrell and MC Lyte. She has toured China and the U.S. with groundbreaking artists, choreographed for short film, works for the WNBA’S LA Sparks as a head choreographer, and has been the SparKids head choreographer since 2017.

Within her 18+ years of experience teaching dancers, Galit discovered that one of her greatest joys and life purpose is to keep expanding dancers’ knowledge through her work as a choreographer and teacher. She is also the host and creator of the DanceSpeak podcast since 2016 which shares unfiltered and authentic interviews from dancers all around the globe.

Cutting Edge Nutrition

Nutritional Resilience &  Performance
Our food choices also impact anxiety levels and stress, both of which can impair the inner shield of our resilience. Saliva is really the first defense to elevate our level of digestion, immune strength and overall resilience. Learn some of the silent and hidden foods that damage our resilience and alter our saliva production. Discover the importance that saliva is for recovering from illness and bringing about homeostasis.  Learn tips and tools for helping you detect if you have a saliva output that is beneficial to you and how to correct if it is not optimal.  Have an opportunity to be on the cutting edge of what emerging research is saying for its impact with immune system and digestion.

Unlocking the Keys to EAT this WAY and FEEL That!  Part I & II
We know nutrition and what we eat can affect us greatly. However many of us haven’t made a good awareness link to Eat THIS, Feel THAT and Perform like THIS. Can you eat for better sleep? Can you choose foods to maximize your energy midafternoon and minimize the fatigue dip? How about eat to calm nerves, alleviate jet lag and even build immune system resilience. In two sessions, explore all the links of great high performance eating to create the state you want for your day. Forty percent of the way you FEEL right now is due to your last meal. What IF we could think ahead  —  what do you have to do in the next two hours — you could design your eating!!

 

Patti T. Milligan, PhD, RD, CNS, has been in the nutrition field for 40 years.  She just completed her doctorate in Neuroscience of Taste with her thesis on saliva and its impact on jet lag and kids’ taste buds. She has conducted nutritional research with US national athletes, as well as created and taught corporate wellness programs throughout the US and Europe. She has authored hundreds of articles and has appeared on numerous national TV news segments. She consults with high level executives and C level leadership on human resilience, performance brain nutrition and regenerative nutrition protocols. She has developed a travel resilience kit — Personal Jet Fuel to keep you well (renewal kit.com). She is also a TEDx speaker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysipr1lDyuU Your saliva is talking to you. Listen!

https://www.amazon.com/Why-Shirley-Unusual-Story-Nutritionist/dp/1533554714

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patti-tveit-milligan-phd-rd-cns-a844329/

Cutting Edge Nutrition

Nutritional Resilience &  Performance
Our food choices also impact anxiety levels and stress, both of which can impair the inner shield of our resilience. Saliva is really the first defense to elevate our level of digestion, immune strength and overall resilience. Learn some of the silent and hidden foods that damage our resilience and alter our saliva production. Discover the importance that saliva is for recovering from illness and bringing about homeostasis.  Learn tips and tools for helping you detect if you have a saliva output that is beneficial to you and how to correct if it is not optimal.  Have an opportunity to be on the cutting edge of what emerging research is saying for its impact with immune system and digestion.

Unlocking the Keys to EAT this WAY and FEEL That!  Part I & II
We know nutrition and what we eat can affect us greatly. However many of us haven’t made a good awareness link to Eat THIS, Feel THAT and Perform like THIS. Can you eat for better sleep? Can you choose foods to maximize your energy midafternoon and minimize the fatigue dip? How about eat to calm nerves, alleviate jet lag and even build immune system resilience. In two sessions, explore all the links of great high performance eating to create the state you want for your day. Forty percent of the way you FEEL right now is due to your last meal. What IF we could think ahead  —  what do you have to do in the next two hours — you could design your eating!!

 

Patti T. Milligan, PhD, RD, CNS, has been in the nutrition field for 38 years. She just completed her doctorate in Neuroscience of Taste with her thesis on saliva and its impact on jet lag and kids’ taste buds.  She has conducted nutritional research with US national athletes, as well as created and taught corporate wellness programs throughout the US and Europe. She has authored hundreds of articles and has appeared on numerous national TV news segments. She consults with high level executives and C level leadership on human resilience, performance brain nutrition and regenerative nutrition protocols. She has developed a travel resilience kit — Personal Jet Fuel to keep you well (renewal kit.com). She is also a TEDx speaker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysipr1lDyuU Your saliva is talking to you. Listen!

https://www.amazon.com/Why-Shirley-Unusual-Story-Nutritionist/dp/1533554714

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patti-tveit-milligan-phd-rd-cns-a844329/

Healing and Meditation with Breath

Jerome Gross is the founder of the 5 Week Enlightened Way of Being Energetics and Meditation training program. He has been in business as a hypnotherapist, meditation & yoga instructor, intuitive reader and energy healer and personal and group fitness trainer for over 28 years. During that time he has shared his insight and experience in private 1 on 1 sessions, presentations, workshops and trainings to middle schools, high schools, colleges, corporate settings, gyms and athletes.

This is a Life long passion, lifestyle and profession, dedicated to mind body & spiritual healing, health, fitness, wellness and performance. His dedication to healing transformation and empowerment continues to this day.

Bone Up!

Session 1: Discover 7 Surefire Ways to Power Up Your Bones
Let’s get personal…I’m sharing a nutritionist’s perspective on lessons learned over the last decade, and you will go home with recipes and tools for you to assess your bone-supportive nutrition and personalize your plan.

  • Be strategic with a 2-pronged approach
  • Make it an integrated plan
  • Know your numbers
  • Keep your eye on the prize, preventing a fracture
  • When it comes to nutrition, bones don’t rely on one nutrient or food alone!
  • Your unique gene blueprint can deeply impact your bone structure
  • You need a healthy gut to absorb nutrients

Session 2: The Calcium Conundrum
Where do cows get their calcium, and other conundrums about calcium, minerals and our bone health!

  • Overview of the biology calcium in the body
  • How to optimize calcium intake and absorption
  • Best sources of calcium
  • Directing calcium into the bone and away from soft tissue/arteries
  • Beyond calcium; other key minerals

Session 3: The Protein Paradox
Optimal protein status improves bone health but how much is optimal? Discover how to create a delicate metabolic balance!

  • Eating patterns and bone health
  • Populations studies and osteoporosis risk
  • Sarcopenia and relationship with protein intake, bone health and fracture risk
  • How to assess and optimize intake
  • Protein requirement and dietary sources
  • Alkalinity, protein, and bone health

Session 4: The Gut-Bone Connection
You are not what you eat, but what you absorb! The connection may seem surprising, but ultimately optimal bone health is dependent on a good healthy gut.

  • How the gut microbiome affects bone health
  • Assessing your gut health – What’s normal?
  • What to add and what to remove:  Key nutrients
  • Consider healing foods and favorite herbals to stimulate digestion and nourish the gut

 

Susan McCandless, RDN, CLT, IFNCP, a Functional Dietitian Nutritionist, is a sought-after speaker known for her expertise in delivering engaging educational workshops. She is an effective health coach with a distinct ability to translate the science right to the plate and inspire powerful diet and lifestyle habits. Board Certified in Integrative and Functional Nutrition, Susan understands how body systems work together. She focuses on improving client function by treating the root cause of disease and dis-ease. In her private practice with MINT Nutrition, Susan is delivers clients proven results through in-depth assessment, food-first solutions and a personalize nutrition toolbox.  Susan holds advanced certifications in integrative and functional nutrition, lifestyle medicine, nutrigenetics, food sensitivities and intuitive eating.mintnutrition.org

Bone Up!

Session 1: Discover 7 Surefire Ways to Power Up Your Bones
Let’s get personal…I’m sharing a nutritionist’s perspective on lessons learned over the last decade, and you will go home with recipes and tools for you to assess your bone-supportive nutrition and personalize your plan.

  • Be strategic with a 2-pronged approach
  • Make it an integrated plan
  • Know your numbers
  • Keep your eye on the prize, preventing a fracture
  • When it comes to nutrition, bones don’t rely on one nutrient or food alone!
  • Your unique gene blueprint can deeply impact your bone structure
  • You need a healthy gut to absorb nutrients

Session 2: The Calcium Conundrum
Where do cows get their calcium, and other conundrums about calcium, minerals and our bone health!

  • Overview of the biology calcium in the body
  • How to optimize calcium intake and absorption
  • Best sources of calcium
  • Directing calcium into the bone and away from soft tissue/arteries
  • Beyond calcium; other key minerals

Session 3: The Protein Paradox
Optimal protein status improves bone health but how much is optimal? Discover how to create a delicate metabolic balance!

  • Eating patterns and bone health
  • Populations studies and osteoporosis risk
  • Sarcopenia and relationship with protein intake, bone health and fracture risk
  • How to assess and optimize intake
  • Protein requirement and dietary sources
  • Alkalinity, protein, and bone health

Session 4: The Gut-Bone Connection
You are not what you eat, but what you absorb! The connection may seem surprising, but ultimately optimal bone health is dependent on a good healthy gut.

  • How the gut microbiome affects bone health
  • Assessing your gut health – What’s normal?
  • What to add and what to remove:  Key nutrients
  • Consider healing foods and favorite herbals to stimulate digestion and nourish the gut

 

Susan McCandless, RDN, CLT, IFNCP, a Functional Dietitian Nutritionist, is a sought-after speaker known for her expertise in delivering engaging educational workshops. She is an effective health coach with a distinct ability to translate the science right to the plate and inspire powerful diet and lifestyle habits. Board Certified in Integrative and Functional Nutrition, Susan understands how body systems work together. She focuses on improving client function by treating the root cause of disease and dis-ease. In her private practice with MINT Nutrition, Susan is delivers clients proven results through in-depth assessment, food-first solutions and a personalize nutrition toolbox.  Susan holds advanced certifications in integrative and functional nutrition, lifestyle medicine, nutrigenetics, food sensitivities and intuitive eating.mintnutrition.org

¡Viva Americas! Delicias Musicales

Light folk and classics for violin/viola and piano
Concert 1: Suites and Treats
Beloved folk and dance-inspired music spanning the continent!
Music of Jacob Gade, Pauline Viardot, Stephen Foster, Scott Joplin, Manuel Ponce, Astor Piazzolla

Concert 2: Canción y Danza
Musical treasures with a Latin American tinge!
Music of Jean Baptiste Breval, Paul Schoenfeld, Maurice Ravel, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Arthur Foote, Manuel Ponce,

Lectures with musical examples:
Lecture 1: From Huehuetl to Acordión: Viva México
A history of Mexican musical treasures

Lecture 2: Son, Santería, Salsa… y Mucho Más
Feeling the beat with the powers of Cuban music
RLP Final 2023 oaktree.docx

 

Lauded by the New York Times as “dramatic, emotional and evocative” violinist/violist Laura Klugherz appears nationally and internationally as a soloist, concertmaster and chamber artist. Laura has been the recipient of many awards and prizes, including a student Fulbright award (Germany), and a Fulbright Post-Doctoral Research Award (Spain), and the Premio Juan Morales (Madrid) for Spanish music interpretation. After earning an Artists Diploma from the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Munich and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from University of Texas (Austin), she was appointed concertmaster of the Munich Chamber Orchestra and the Munich Bach Soloists. As specialist in music of Spain and the Americas and sponsored by the USIS and the Fundación Andes, she has regularly concertized and taught throughout Central and South America. Laura is the author of A Performer’s Guide to Spanish Music (Greenwood Press) and has records regularly on Centaur and Capstone Records. Her recording “The Violin/Viola Music of Amy Beach” was selected as soundtrack for Ken Burns’ PBS series “The War.” From 2010-2016, Laura was acting violist with the Cuarteto Carlos Chávez of Mexico, and Professor of Music/Latin American Studies at Colgate University where she directs the Colgate Chamber Players and teaches courses on Mexico, Cuba, and Latin American music. Laura performs regularly in Europe and the Americas as a soloist and chamber artist. Trained in yoga and Feldenkrais, Laura is also a specialist in somatic education for musicians.

 

Hailed by The New York Times as “a pianist who plays with startling power, clarity and variety,” Christine Diwyk enjoys a diversified career as a solo artist, chamber musician and teacher. As Artistic Ambassador for the United States Information Agency (USIA), Ms. Diwyk has given recitals and master classes in Spain, Israel, Algeria and Jordan. She has also performed at the Kennedy Center, under the aegis of the La Gesse Foundation, and at festivals in France and Switzerland. Ms. Diwyk made her former New York debut in Carnegie Recital Hall as winner of Artist International’s Young Musician Auditions. Ms. Diwyk received her B.M. and M.M. from the Indiana University School of Music, and has studied with Marion Hall, Claude Frank and Nadia Boulanger. She is co-founder of Musicians for Peace, an organization dedicated to raising funds for humanitarian causes. Ms. Diwyk teaches privately and at the Spence School. She has also served on the faculty of the Music Advancement Program at The Juilliard School and as a visiting Artist-in-Residence at Colgate University.

Change Your Genes, Change Your Life: Living to 100 and Beyond

We are not victims of our genetics. We now know that only 5% of our health and life expectancy is governed by our genes. According to Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier, there is a new science of “Epigenetics” which demonstrates that our day-to-day, year-by-year choices govern which of our genes will be expressed and which will be suppressed. Influences include stress management, meditation/visualization, diet and nutrition, environmental toxins, social connections, and a sense of purpose to determine optimal health and extended longevity.

Dr. Kenneth R. Pelletier, PhD, MD, is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco.. He is the author of 15 books, including the international bestseller Mind as Healer, Mind as Slayer as well as the current Change Your Genes – Change Your Life.

 

Kenneth R. Pelletier, PhD, MD, is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California School of Medicine. He is also Chairman of the American Health Association and is a vice president with American Specialty Health. At the UCSF School of Medicine, he is the Director of the Corporate Health Improvement Program (CHIP), a research program between CHIP and 15 Fortune 500 corporations, including Ford, Oracle, IBM, Apple, and NASA.

Dr. Pelletier has served as a member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the California Wellness Foundation, Foundation Health Systems (FHS), Health Systems International (HSI), the Social Venture Network, and the NOVA Institute. He was a Woodrow Wilson Fellow, studied at the CG Jung Institute in Zurich, Switzerland, and has published over 300 professional journal articles in behavioral medicine, disease management, worksite interventions, alternative/integrative medicine, and epigenetics.

His research, clinical practice, and publications have been the subject of numerous national television programs, including numerous appearances on ABC World News, Today, Good Morning America, CBS Evening News, Dr Oz, 48 Hours, McNeil-Lehrer Newshour, the award-winning BBC series The Long Search, and the 5-part PBS series Healthy People, Healthy Business.

Dr. Pelletier is a peer reviewer for several medical journals, including the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and serves on a number of corporate boards. He has published over 300 professional articles and has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and the BBC to discuss his research.

He is the author of 15 books, including the international bestseller Mind as Healer, Mind as Slayer, Holistic Medicine, Healthy People in Unhealthy Places, Sound Mind, Sound Body, The Best Alternative Medicine, Stress Free for Good, New Medicine, and Change Your Genes, Change Your Life.

 

Full Body Muscle Sculpt

With the popularity of HIIT, Tabata, CrossFit, and other aggressive workout formats, the general population is getting the message that you have to go hard all the time to see results. As a result, chronic injuries to the knees, back and shoulders are surfacing. This session will review techniques for helping clients achieve life changing results without beating them up and breaking them down. Working smarter and not always harder can provide a workout that is gentler on the body, yet effective and powerful.

 

Sherri McMillan holds a Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology and was awarded the 2010 International CanFitPro Fitness Presenter of the Year, 2006 IDEA Program Director of the Year, Inaugural IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, & 1998 CanFitPro Canadian Fitness Presenter of the Year. She has been in the fitness industry for over 33 years and has presented hundreds of workshops to thousands of fitness leaders throughout Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, England, Mexico, Spain, South America, Asia and the U.S.A.  She is a fitness columnists for various newspapers and magazines and the author of 5 Fitness Books and Manuals (Go For Fit – The Winning Way to Fat Loss, Fit over Forty – The Winning Way to Lifetime Fitness, The Successful Trainer’s Guide to Marketing, Hiring and Training Master Trainers, and The Business of Personal Training). She is the owner of Northwest Personal Training in Vancouver, Washington which was awarded the Better Business Bureau’s Business of the Year and the Chamber of Commerce Community Builder award.

 

Food as Medicine

Food as Medicine
If food is medicine, can it truly replace pharmaceutical medications? Jill will take you on a tour of current dietary trends, discussing what works and what doesn’t work, and why a plan needs to be individualized. She will review label reading, choosing the “best for you” foods, behavior change and more, in this lively lighthearted look at a serious subject. You will learn tips and tricks on how to fuel your body in the most positive way.

Superfoods and Supplements: What Do You Really Need?
Which are truly “superfoods” and why? We seem to have become a nation of people who take many supplements. Which ones might be good for you? How to tell? And why take them? In this session Jill Nussinow will discuss what you need to know to give your food a boost.

Nutrition for Best Brain Health and Good Sleep
Do you know that more people are concerned about their brain health, than any other part of their body? With real life and anecdotal reports on the increasing incidence of Alzheimer’s and other dementia, this makes sense as around 6 million people in the US have the disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association: “The number of people living with the disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65.” Come learn the role of nutrition on brain health. Good sleep is part of the equation and Jill will discuss some ways to help you get good nightly sleep and what that looks like. These are important topics for our time. Both brain and body will appreciate it.

Your Gut, Your Health: Probiotics and Beyond
Come learn about the role that a “healthy and happy” gut plays in your overall health from head to toe, and everywhere in between. Jill will discuss prebiotics, probiotics and steps you can take to maintain good gut health, immunity and more.

 

Jill Nussinow is a culinary educator, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and the author of four cookbooks. Her award-winning cookbooks feature plant-based recipes and include The Veggie Queen: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment, The New Fast Food, Nutrition CHAMPS and her most recent, and most loved by the public book: Vegan Under Pressure. Jill is a pressure cooking (think Instant Pot), vegetable, fermentation and mushroom expert.  She has been helping people achieve better health through teaching them about improved nutrition through food. Jill has been teaching people about plants and how to cook with them for the past 30 years. She is an adjunct culinary instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College, teaches for the McDougall program and is a frequent cooking teacher and guest nutrition lecturer at Rancho La Puerta. Nothing makes Jill happier than teaching people how to cook and eat well and sharing her thoughts and health philosophy. She believes that her success stems from her passion and love of good health and how she infuses love into everything that she does. Her website is http://www.theveggiequeen.com

 

 

Nutrition Topics

The Great Microbiome: Our Greatest Ally for Optimal Health
It is becoming common knowledge that gut bacteria are connected to aspects of health, including inflammation, body weight, cancer, immunity, brain function, and so much more. Norma will discuss the benefits of gut bacteria and its impact on our health when out of balance, including how it prepares us for novel viruses that continue to evolve in our world today.  Whether you are new to this topic, or want to know the latest, there are gold nuggets to take away for everyone!

The Top 10 Ways to Heal Your Gut & Maximize Your Microbiota!
Considering the amazing benefits of our gut bacteria and its implications on our health, how can we be sure we are eating to maximize our microbiota? Our gut bacteria is influenced by our diet, environment, age, activity, hygiene and stress level. Norma will discuss better foods, lifestyle choices, and updates on supplements that heal and support a healthier gut.

Epigenetics: Your DNA is NOT Your Destiny!
Our DNA was originally thought to be pre-programmed and could not be changed. We were stuck with what we got! That has all changed with the new understanding of Epigenetics, which is the ability of nutrition and other environmental factors to turn human genes on or off. In other words, our food intake and lifestyle behaviors have an effect on how our genes are expressed!

How about those “bad” genes that run in your family? There is new hope!  Learn how your family history, current symptoms, and/or genetic testing can point out deficiencies that can be supported with nutrition, supplements and changes in your environment.

BONE DEEP: Everything that matters for better bone health!
Did you know that the prevalence of osteoporosis increased for women from 2007-2008 to 2017-2018?  Is it true that calcium supplementation can be harmful?  Are there other nutrients that are more important for bone health?  What other factors matter for bone health?

Join Norma to learn a comprehensive approach to improve bone health.  It’s important for everyone, considering low bone density is prevalent in over 50% of women and over 30% of men aged 50 and over. We have a lot to talk about!

 

Norma Flood delves deeper to treat problems where they start.  Motivated by her own health challenges and those of her clients, she applies functional nutrition therapy to effectively treat or support digestive health, mental health, and eating disorders.  Life coaching is also central in her practice.

With a background in Pharmacology & Toxicology, Norma’s journey started in research at Viagene-Center for Gene Therapy.  Personal health issues then moved her to get a master’s degree in nutrition and then complete her clinical training in a highly competitive dietetic internship at the UCSD Medical Center. Norma was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student for her major, and the Outstanding Dietetic Intern for the state of California.  Her 20+ years of experience as a dietitian include UCSD Cancer Center, UCSD Medical Center, Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, SDSU Student Health Services and Athletics, and finally Private Practice as an Integrative and Functional Nutritionist.

Norma also has a passion for reaching out to youth, which inspired her to start a school garden program at Painted Rock Elementary School, as well as establish Poway Unplugged, which included a tween/teen day camp to teach positive coping tools and balanced health to young girls.

Norma is a mother to a 17-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old son in Poway, California.  During her free time, she loves hiking, yoga, gardening and time with family and friends.

http://www.normaflood.com

 

Nutrition Topics

The Great Microbiome: Our Greatest Ally for Optimal Health
It is becoming common knowledge that gut bacteria are connected to aspects of health, including inflammation, body weight, cancer, immunity, brain function, and so much more. Norma will discuss the benefits of gut bacteria and its impact on our health when out of balance, including how it prepares us for novel viruses that continue to evolve in our world today.  Whether you are new to this topic, or want to know the latest, there are gold nuggets to take away for everyone!
RLP#1-GreatMicrobiomeKeyHealthHO

The Top 10 Ways to Heal Your Gut & Maximize Your Microbiota!
Considering the amazing benefits of our gut bacteria and its implications on our health, how can we be sure we are eating to maximize our microbiota? Our gut bacteria is influenced by our diet, environment, age, activity, hygiene and stress level. Norma will discuss better foods, lifestyle choices, and updates on supplements that heal and support a healthier gut.
RLP#2-Top 10 to Heal Your Gut HO

Epigenetics: Your DNA is NOT Your Destiny!
Our DNA was originally thought to be pre-programmed and could not be changed. We were stuck with what we got! That has all changed with the new understanding of Epigenetics, which is the ability of nutrition and other environmental factors to turn human genes on or off. In other words, our food intake and lifestyle behaviors have an effect on how our genes are expressed!

How about those “bad” genes that run in your family? There is new hope!  Learn how your family history, current symptoms, and/or genetic testing can point out deficiencies that can be supported with nutrition, supplements and changes in your environment.
RLP#3-EpigeneticsHO

BONE DEEP: Everything that matters for better bone health!
Did you know that the prevalence of osteoporosis increased for women from 2007-2008 to 2017-2018?  Is it true that calcium supplementation can be harmful?  Are there other nutrients that are more important for bone health?  What other factors matter for bone health?

Join Norma to learn a comprehensive approach to improve bone health.  It’s important for everyone, considering low bone density is prevalent in over 50% of women and over 30% of men aged 50 and over. We have a lot to talk about!
RLP#4-BONE DEEP HO

 

Norma Flood delves deeper to treat problems where they start.  Motivated by her own health challenges and those of her clients, she applies functional nutrition therapy to effectively treat or support digestive health, mental health, and eating disorders.  Life coaching is also central in her practice.

With a background in Pharmacology & Toxicology, Norma’s journey started in research at Viagene-Center for Gene Therapy.  Personal health issues then moved her to get a master’s degree in nutrition and then complete her clinical training in a highly competitive dietetic internship at the UCSD Medical Center. Norma was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student for her major, and the Outstanding Dietetic Intern for the state of California.  Her 20+ years of experience as a dietitian include UCSD Cancer Center, UCSD Medical Center, Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, SDSU Student Health Services and Athletics, and finally Private Practice as an Integrative and Functional Nutritionist.

Norma also has a passion for reaching out to youth, which inspired her to start a school garden program at Painted Rock Elementary School, as well as establish Poway Unplugged, which included a tween/teen day camp to teach positive coping tools and balanced health to young girls.

Norma is a mother to a 17-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old son in Poway, California.  During her free time, she loves hiking, yoga, gardening and time with family and friends.

http://www.normaflood.com

 

The Perfect Lifestyle: Food, Wine, Sex, and Chocolate

A Perfect Lifestyle:  Food, Wine, Sex and Chocolate
An overview talk covering a wide range of lifestyle issues, including dietary patterns, obesity and its management, exercise, marriage, childbearing, pets, television, sleep, candy including chocolate, and success in life. The most extensive and important part of the talk deals with diets, ranging from veganism to ketogenic, and drink. All these areas are approached from a rigorous scientific viewpoint, with an emphasis on how each factor affects disease and longevity. The talk concludes with a table of exactly how much life is gained or lost by simple lifestyle choices we make every day.

Shopping for Food: Label Lies and Nutritional Information
It would be best if we bought only foods in their original form, but the time constraints of current life often force people to buy packaged foods.  Unfortunately, packaged food labels frequently contain lies and misleading information. Even nutritional labels can be misleading. A can of spray cooking oil may say that it contains no fat, when in fact the product is 100% fat. This talk covers the most common labeling misinformation and teaches exactly how to pick healthy packaged foods using simple approaches to the interpretation of nutritional listings.

Exercise, How to Get the Most out of Your Work-out
After a healthy diet, physical activity is the easiest and least expensive way to increase longevity and prevent heart disease and dementia.  Beneficial physical activity ranges from walking stairs to running marathons. This talk discusses the myriad physical and emotional benefits of all levels of physical activity, as well as the occasional adverse effects of excessive activities, such as marathon running. Our national guidelines on physical activity including aerobic, resistive, and balance exercises is discussed with an emphasis on just how to receive the greatest benefit.

Food for Thought: How to Stave Off Alzheimer’s and other Neurodegenerative Diseases
Dementia, most commonly Alzheimer’s Disease, affects one in 14 people over 65 years of age and one in six over 80. It is the most feared illness in older individuals. It is also at least partly preventable. The basic medical rule is that what is good for the heart is also good for the head. This talk describes the most frequent types of dementia and other neurocognitive diseases and discusses how they are likely to present. The value of a healthy diet and physical and cognitive exercise in preventing these diseases, amounting to at least a 50% reduction, is summarized in this talk.

 

Robert Vogel, M.D., is a preventive cardiologist and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado Denver.  He received his B.A. from Columbia University (physics) and M.D. from Yale University.  He served on the faculties of the Universities of Colorado, Michigan, and Maryland, the latter as Director of Cardiology.  Dr. Vogel has investigated how to prevent coronary heart disease for more than 40 years.  He has authored two books and more than 250 scientific publications.  Dr. Vogel lectures frequently to physicians on lifestyle and heart disease prevention.  He has received a Good Housekeeping Magazine’s “Best Doctors in America” designation, a Federal Scientist of the Year Award, and has been President of the Association of University Cardiologists.  Dr. Vogel currently serves on the NFL Medical Committee and as a consultant to the Pritikin Longevity Institute.

The Perfect Lifestyle: Food, Wine, Sex, and Chocolate

A Perfect Lifestyle:  Food, Wine, Sex and Chocolate
An overview talk covering a wide range of lifestyle issues, including dietary patterns, obesity and its management, exercise, marriage, childbearing, pets, television, sleep, candy including chocolate, and success in life. The most extensive and important part of the talk deals with diets, ranging from veganism to ketogenic, and drink. All these areas are approached from a rigorous scientific viewpoint, with an emphasis on how each factor affects disease and longevity. The talk concludes with a table of exactly how much life is gained or lost by simple lifestyle choices we make every day.

Shopping for Food: Label Lies and Nutritional Information
It would be best if we bought only foods in their original form, but the time constraints of current life often force people to buy packaged foods.  Unfortunately, packaged food labels frequently contain lies and misleading information. Even nutritional labels can be misleading. A can of spray cooking oil may say that it contains no fat, when in fact the product is 100% fat. This talk covers the most common labeling misinformation and teaches exactly how to pick healthy packaged foods using simple approaches to the interpretation of nutritional listings.

Exercise, How to Get the Most out of Your Work-out
After a healthy diet, physical activity is the easiest and least expensive way to increase longevity and prevent heart disease and dementia.  Beneficial physical activity ranges from walking stairs to running marathons. This talk discusses the myriad physical and emotional benefits of all levels of physical activity, as well as the occasional adverse effects of excessive activities, such as marathon running. Our national guidelines on physical activity including aerobic, resistive, and balance exercises is discussed with an emphasis on just how to receive the greatest benefit.

Food for Thought: How to Stave Off Alzheimer’s and other Neurodegenerative Diseases
Dementia, most commonly Alzheimer’s Disease, affects one in 14 people over 65 years of age and one in six over 80. It is the most feared illness in older individuals. It is also at least partly preventable. The basic medical rule is that what is good for the heart is also good for the head. This talk describes the most frequent types of dementia and other neurocognitive diseases and discusses how they are likely to present. The value of a healthy diet and physical and cognitive exercise in preventing these diseases, amounting to at least a 50% reduction, is summarized in this talk.

 

Robert Vogel, M.D., is a preventive cardiologist and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado Denver.  He received his B.A. from Columbia University (physics) and M.D. from Yale University.  He served on the faculties of the Universities of Colorado, Michigan, and Maryland, the latter as Director of Cardiology.  Dr. Vogel has investigated how to prevent coronary heart disease for more than 40 years.  He has authored two books and more than 250 scientific publications.  Dr. Vogel lectures frequently to physicians on lifestyle and heart disease prevention.  He has received a Good Housekeeping Magazine’s “Best Doctors in America” designation, a Federal Scientist of the Year Award, and has been President of the Association of University Cardiologists.  Dr. Vogel currently serves on the NFL Medical Committee and as a consultant to the Pritikin Longevity Institute.

Bone Up!

Session 1: Discover 7 Surefire Ways to Power Up Your Bones
Let’s get personal…I’m sharing a nutritionist’s perspective on lessons learned over the last decade, and you will go home with recipes and tools for you to assess your bone-supportive nutrition and personalize your plan.

  • Be strategic with a 2-pronged approach
  • Make it an integrated plan
  • Know your numbers
  • Keep your eye on the prize, preventing a fracture
  • When it comes to nutrition, bones don’t rely on one nutrient or food alone!
  • Your unique gene blueprint can deeply impact your bone structure
  • You need a healthy gut to absorb nutrients

Session 2: The Calcium Conundrum
Where do cows get their calcium, and other conundrums about calcium, minerals and our bone health!

  • Overview of the biology calcium in the body
  • How to optimize calcium intake and absorption
  • Best sources of calcium
  • Directing calcium into the bone and away from soft tissue/arteries
  • Beyond calcium; other key minerals

Session 3: The Protein Paradox
Optimal protein status improves bone health but how much is optimal? Discover how to create a delicate metabolic balance!

  • Eating patterns and bone health
  • Populations studies and osteoporosis risk
  • Sarcopenia and relationship with protein intake, bone health and fracture risk
  • How to assess and optimize intake
  • Protein requirement and dietary sources
  • Alkalinity, protein, and bone health

Session 4: The Gut-Bone Connection
You are not what you eat, but what you absorb! The connection may seem surprising, but ultimately optimal bone health is dependent on a good healthy gut.

  • How the gut microbiome affects bone health
  • Assessing your gut health – What’s normal?
  • What to add and what to remove:  Key nutrients
  • Consider healing foods and favorite herbals to stimulate digestion and nourish the gut

 

Susan McCandless, RDN, CLT, IFNCP, a Functional Dietitian Nutritionist, is a sought-after speaker known for her expertise in delivering engaging educational workshops. She is an effective health coach with a distinct ability to translate the science right to the plate and inspire powerful diet and lifestyle habits. Board Certified in Integrative and Functional Nutrition, Susan understands how body systems work together. She focuses on improving client function by treating the root cause of disease and dis-ease. In her private practice with MINT Nutrition, Susan is delivers clients proven results through in-depth assessment, food-first solutions and a personalize nutrition toolbox.  Susan holds advanced certifications in integrative and functional nutrition, lifestyle medicine, nutrigenetics, food sensitivities and intuitive eating.mintnutrition.org