volume 2, issue 3
DESCRIPTION
Our Summer Love issue featuring Foods to Boost your Mood, Crunch your way to the Abs you Want, and an exclusive sitdown with SWV!TRANSCRIPT
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MASTHEAD
Founder & Chief Editor— Malcolm M. Armstrong Jr.
Creative Director—Quinn Gordon Public Relations– 365 Public Relations
Interns— Corey Armstrong Daniel Doubleday
Contributors
Ada Craige Roberson, Ed.D., LCSW Alanna McCreary
Cory Turner, B.S., CFT Gentelle Pedescleaux
Lavonia Perryman Paris Hughes
Elizabeth Parker
Contact Us Cognition Magazine, LLC
Visit our website at: www.cognitionmagazine.com
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Reproduction of any part of this publication without the expressed written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited. The information
within this publication is believed to be accurate but cognition Magazine does not
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by advertisers or any portion of this publication.
© 2012 Cognition Magazine, LLC
From the Editor
Dear Readers,
It’s been at long hot summer and it’s still not
yet over. This month’s issue focuses on sum-
mer love and marriage. Love is not just an
emotion, it’s a way of life and plus there are
several different types of love.
Whatever type of love you’re in, we at CM just
want you to be aware of the positive
effects that it has on the human psyche.
Love will motivate you do to so much and
become this live person that you may not even recognize. Falling out of
love does hurt, but acknowledge the fact that you had the courage to
even open your heart to someone (or something) enough for it to be
broken.
Know that with every source of love, there is a lesson(s) learned that
will make your ride in life just a lil’ bit smoother. Love NEVER fails, so
are you loving this summer? Enjoy this issue and also check out our
exclusive coverage from the Essence Music Festival.
Yours in #WELLNESS,
Malcolm M. Armstrong Jr.
Founder & Chief Editor
Follow us on twitter: @cognition_mag
Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/cognitionmagazine
Malcolm Armstrong Jr.
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14. Love & Relationships 16. Mental Health: Foods to Boost Your
Mood 17. Why Counseling with
Therapist Latrice Sampson
18. Essence Music Festival Coverage 21. Event Coverage – Marriage Rocks Luau
23. Be Inspired– Healing after Love
CONTENTS Volume 2 Issue 3 2013
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21.
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16.
2. Editor’s Note 8. Health & Fitness- Crunch to the Abs You Want 12. CM Chats with SWV
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Health & Fitness
M ost people associate
the appearance of an
abdominal six pack with the
ultimate sign of fitness. While
many people have a goal of
achieving perfect-looking abs,
there is more to it than just doing
exercises geared toward developing
the abdominal muscles.
Abdominal exercises do strengthen the muscles, but to
achieve the effect one wants, he or she must lose excess fat
covering the tendinous intersections that cross the rectus
abdominis. It is these intersections that give the
appearance of the six-pack. One can do abdominal
exercises day and night, but, unfortunately, there is no
such thing as spot reduction of fat. To be successful, one
must address a holistic approach that includes proper
nutrition, fat loss, and exercise. Over the years, one thing
has definitely changed regarding abdominal exercises.
Now, no one recommends sit-ups, and their alternative, the
crunch, is often seen as old school; however, I still use
them in my personal routine.
A standard crunch can be
performed from a sit-up
position, lying on the floor
face-up, with your feet flat
on the floor. You can
either place your hands
behind your head (do not
allow yourself to push on
your head as you are doing
the exercise) or fold your
arms across your chest. Unlike the sit-up, your range of
motion is to simply contract your abs and then to return to
the starting position.
From the same position,
you can attempt a
reverse crunch. For this
exercise, you will place
your arms straight down,
close to the sides of your
body, with your palms
touching the floor. Raise
your legs to make your
thighs perpendicular to
the floor. At this point,
your knees should be bent and your lower legs should be
parallel to the floor. Maintain this as your starting
position. Keeping your feet together, contract your abs to
lift your pelvis off the floor and roll your knees toward
your forehead. Feel the abdominal muscle crunch and
then slowly lower your legs back to the starting position to
begin another repetition.
Now that you are on
the floor, you can try
a bicycle crunch.
You can assume the
standard crunch
position and place
your hands besides
your head. Again, do
not push your neck as
your perform this
exercise. Get your lower body into the starting position
for the reverse crunch, which is with your thighs
perpendicular to the floor, your knees bent and your lower
legs parallel to the floor. To begin, slowly begin a cycling
motion with your legs. Perform the crunch by bringing
your left elbow close to your right knee, and, then, as you
cycle, bring your right elbow close to your left knee
remembering to control your movements and to breathe!
Cory Turner, B.S., CFT
Crunch to the Abs You Want
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Health & Fitness
Healthy Eats
The Halle Berries Smoothie
Ingredients: 3/4 cup instant oatmeal nuked in water or
fat-free milk
3/4 cup fat-free milk
3/4 cup frozen blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries
2 tsp vanilla whey protein powder
3 ice cubes
Dump the cooked oatmeal, milk, berries, whey powder, and ice into a blender, and puree until
drinkable. (For a sweeter smoothie, add honey to taste.)
Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 144 calories, 7 g protein, 27 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat (0 g saturated), 109 mg
sodium, 4 g fiber Source: womenshealthmag.com
Current thought is that the plank is one of the best
exercises for strengthening abs and for stabilization
of the core. Begin by getting into a prone position
and bending your arms, allowing you to support
your weight on your toes and your forearms. Lift
your body on your forearms and your toes and keep
it straight, as it would be in a perfectly executed
push-up. You should hold this position as long as
possible. Later, you can raise an arm or a leg while
performing the exercise to increase the exercise’s
level of difficulty.
Bio
Cory Turner is a freelance writer and an ISSA Certified Fitness
Trainer in New Orleans. A former law enforcement officer and
non-profit leader, he has a keen interest in health and fitness,
especially in promoting community health and wellness and
empowering through improving personal fitness. He can be
reached at [email protected].
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Dispelling the Myths about Hospice
Gulf South Hospice would like to take a minute to inform
the community about the importance of outpatient hospice.
Within this 6 month series of informative articles, Gulf
South Hospice hopes to eliminate the myths, phobias,
reservations, and even ignorance surrounding hospice care.
We can surely agree that hospice can be a difficult subject
because our culture is not fond of talking about death and
life transitions. We must understand that death happens to
everyone, even the ones we love. Hospice is a family and
team oriented program that brings comfort to individuals/
patients faced with limited life expectancy.
Hospice ensures that the patients last days consists of
controlled pain, comfort and constant efforts to preserve
their quality of life. Hospice not only involves care for the
patient, but it also provides support for his or her family
members as well. Hospice care assist families in coping with
the life transition of their loved one for we know that losing
someone we love is not an easy task.
Gulf South Hospice would also like you to know that
hospice is not a “death-bed” concierge service. Hospice
care consists of a concise plan for the last 6 months (usually
longer) of a patients life. Once a patient has been notified of
having limited life expectancy, hospice initiates care to
relive physical pain and to address life transition needs.
Let Gulf South Hospice be at your side for the care of your
loved one during their time of need and life transition. The
sooner hospice care is initiated, the more comfort your
loved one will experience. Let us be there for you.
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S - w - v
Interview by: Malcolm M. Armstrong Jr.
Talks Health & New Show on
C M: Ladies tell us about your new project with
WE tv.
Taj: We have our new reality docu-series, it’s called SWV
on WE tv coming soon. You will get to know all about
SWV, our ins/outs, ups/downs, loves/hates; all the stuff we
went through up until today. We started working on some
new music; you’ll see how we get through that process and
how it goes. Make sure you watch!
CM: When is the launch?
Taj: We don’t have a start date but it’s coming on real
soon. I’m gonna see if I can get it on real quick lol.
CM: Our publication is dedicated to mental health
awareness and wellness and we want people to take better
care of themselves. I know you all are moms and on the
road a lot; what do you ladies do to take care of yourselves?
Taj: Everyday it’s a struggle. You try to eat right and work
out but our schedules are so hectic that it’s so easy to eat
this stuff (points to a bag of chips) and keep it moving. It’s
hard but we do the best we can with what we have.
LeLee: I say you start with your yearly physicals and see
where you’re at because there are some things that may be
in you that you can get out of you, if you just check in
enough time. Save yourself if anything.
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Love & Relationships
S ummer time inspires us to
shed some layers and mingle
in the heat. We think of phrases like
“love is in the air”, “summer romance”
and “summer flings”. We hear summer
anthems about falling in love and
watch movies about forever
romances. We breathe hope into the
new possibilities as we frolic under an intoxicating summer
sun and fraternize under the warm night sky. Summer is
romantic and fresh; we lust for love but do we know what
love is?
We as a society have so many misconceptions about love.
We complicate the simplest human exchange. Love is born
out of chemistry… a chemistry based on so many things: a
connection, a feeling, a spark, an attraction, a friendship.
Love is, in simple terminology, an unexplained link or bond
between individuals. Yet love is one of the hardest concepts
for us as a society to grasp and dish out. We crave it, yet we
are not open to its endless possibilities.
Is the struggle really about not knowing what love is or is it
an issue of fearing it?
Historically love was a privilege. People joined together out
of need, love was an afterthought. People grew to love
partners over time. To be “in love” was not something the
average individual got to experience. Yet now in our
modern existence to be “in love” is not a privilege, it’s the
goal, the expectation, our need. While we have moved love
from a privilege to center stage in the human existence, we
don’t all know what love is. We do not allow our hearts to
speak to what love is. We fear it, we hide from it, and we
push it away because at the end of the day love is not
always convenient. In actuality it is scary, unknown, and
ever changing. Love is a senseless language of the heart and
soul. Love is what separates us from beasts and enhances
our humanity.
Love is not perfect, actually it’s very flawed. Love comes
from within; it sees no color, no size, and no shape. Genuine
true love is an unexplained force. Love is inconvenient, but
it is a beautiful experience shared between two people. Love
can be a powerful drug. We can get lost in
it, it can be a distraction, damaging and addicting, yet it can
be healing and inspirational. It is up to us not only to pick
our poison but how it will shape or mold us.
To be reckless in love is to be free of inhibitions; it’s like
free falling without a safety net or parachute. To love
someone is a raw emotion without hesitation, without
expectations, without promises in spite of their flaws. Love
is rare and inspiring, even transformational. If you allow it,
love can inspire you to be a better person. This might be the
ultimate risk, with no guarantee of reward, while
simultaneously giving you everything you ever needed or
possibly wanted.
What we have seen, experienced, and/or even heard about
hinders us to be open to the endless possibilities of love.
Whether based on the examples of our parents, our past
relationships, our friends, the music we listen to, or the
things we watch; our surroundings have a severe impact on
how we choose to love, how we perceive love, and how we
show others love. We have become desensitized to our
feelings. Love in pop culture is excessively intertwined with
sex; we do not see love in its raw form. We see love on TV,
in the media, and in popular songs as something tangible
Alanna McCreary
The Culture of Love
Hot Date Spot;
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when in reality love is abstract. Love is not sex, which can be
an expression or an experience within a loving relationship,
and often we mistakenly confuse the two.
We need to be optimistic and open to love. Love is like a
dance, someone leads and the other follows but both partners
work together to keep in time with the beat. You can’t look
for love, it just happens in unexpected places with
unsuspecting people.
Love should not be difficult, it should be natural. I am not
saying that a relationship is easy but the act of loving
someone just happens. You do not have to try, it is either
natural or it’s not happening. You cannot force it. The
downside of this is that love can be one-sided and that can be
heart breaking. Yet if you don’t play the game you can never
win so it is pointless not to try.
I, like so many have been hurt, lied to, heartbroken, and
betrayed. With that said I refuse to be bitter, not because I
am better than the next but because it doesn’t feel good. I
challenge others to not let the past shape their future but be
the learning curve and an individual ray of hope for what can
happen if they allow it.
Loa Recently I stumbled across the most perfect bar,
Loa at the International Hotel on Camp. Loa is a
classy intimate bar, with lush décor and excellent
cocktails. The bartenders are attentive mixoligist
that know boundaries. This gem in the CBD is one
of the most perfect spots to take date. Not only is it
impressive but it a mix of old world romance and
modern charm all at once. What more can you ask
for?
Loa Bar located in the International Hotel on
Camp Street
http://www.ihhotel.com/bar.html
221 Camp St New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 553-9550
Local Love Quotes “Love is a risk.”
-Reneta Speak, Esthetician at Bella Brazilian
“You know its love when you can’t go a day without
thinking about that person. Their mere presence
puts a smile on your face.” -Ethan Nicholas, Thibodaux Louisiana
“Love is like bubble guts, when it hits, it hits hard”
–anonymous.
“I think a lot of people are in love and they are not.”
–Jayda Jones, Tulane University Research Coordinator
“The Greatest Tragedy in Life is to Never
RECOGNIZE the omnipresence of Love.” -Randy Smith, Royal Engineers, Business Development
“Do not allow material things measure love because
someone who is truly in love with you, will love you
rich or poor.” -Jason V. Holmes, United States Air Force
“Love happens when you trust me enough to open
the door of your heart.” -J’mella Hinkston, Houston TX
“Don't be silly enough to think YOU will find love
when you're learning what it looks like..love knows
us, let it catch you..” –Kelley Campbell
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Mental Health
Have you been feeling down lately? Try some of these
foods to naturally boost your mood and give you an
enhanced state of being.
1) Chocolate- Chocolate
(particularly dark chocolate) has
many health benefits but it’s also
a great mood booster because it
contains Phenylethylamine, a
mood regulating chemical found
within the brain. Chocolate
consumption has also been noted
to improve cognition.
2) Carbs – Carbohydrates has been
viewed as the no-no of foods but
neglecting them in your diet can have
negative consequences. Carbohydrate
intake boosts your body’s serotonin aka
the “feel good” chemical. Lacking
carbohydrates can also negatively affect your memory.
3) Fish- Saltwater and Freshwater fish
contain selenium which is known to
improve depression. The recommended
intake of selenium is 55 micrograms.
4) Coconut- Coconuts contain
medium chain triglycerides which
are fats that improve brain
functioning and boosts mood. Try
unsweetened coconut flakes in your
oatmeal and baked goods.
5) Tea- Like coffee, tea contains
caffeine which is a stimulant which
aids in mood improvement but in
moderation only. Teas such as
rooibos and green tea contain
numerous health qualities.
5 Foods to Boost Your Mood
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Top 5 Ways couples can
Reduce Stress
Together:
5) Take Long Sensual Baths
Run some warm water, burn scented candles and add
an aroma infused bubble bath to the water for a
soothing ambient bath for two. Soak and enjoy each
other.
4) Feel the Power of Touch
Everyone loves to be pampered so try a couples
massage either at home or at a spa. Show each other
how to soothe your bodies after a long day.
3) Meditate
There's nothing more relaxing than quieting the mind
so try it with your loved one. Sit facing each other and
don’t say anything. Just focus on your breathing,
embrace each others vibration and send each other
positive energy.
4) Be Sporty
Plan some kind of sporty activity with your loved one.
The healthy completion will draw you guys closer.
Engaging in physical activity can reduce stress
dramatically.
5) Communicate
Let your feelings be known and acknowledge how
your partner feels in a non judgmental way. I know it’s
a cliché saying but communication really is key. www.sampsonts.com
Facebook.com/sampsontheraputicservices
Why Counseling?
Latrice Sampson, LPC, NCC is
the owner of Sampson Theraputic
Services, LLC, a privately owned
mental health service provider in
the Greater New Orleans area that
believes everyone has a voice and
desire to be heard. The Mission of
her company is to increase self-awareness, self-confidence,
and self-action amongst minority and disadvantaged
populations. Latrice specializes in marriage counseling and
encourages everyone to seek counseling. Cognition
Magazine spoke with Latrice on her practice and the
benefits of counseling and here is what she had to say:
“I think it’s extremely important for people to seek
counseling when they need to. I tell people all the time that
you don’t have to be crazy in order to go and talk to
somebody. Everybody can use somebody to talk to every
now and then. If you’re going to talk to someone, you want
to talk to somebody that’s not going to judge you,
somebody that’s not going to come in with preconceived
notions about what you should or shouldn’t do and
somebody that’s not biased. When people come into my
office, all I know is what they tell me. My job is not to try
and fix all of their problems, my job is to help them to
process whatever it is that’s stopping them from being able
to move their life forward. I believe that we as human
beings have the ability to solve all of our own problems but
I think sometimes we get a lil’ stuck because we experience
an intensity of emotions that we are not used to or an
intensity of emotions that can just make us scared. I think
sometimes we just need a lil bit of help processing it and
getting comfortable with it so we can do what we know
needs to be done. Counseling is a wonderful, wonderful,
wonderful thing and I think if more people went to
counseling I think there wouldn’t be so much devastation in
the world. People would be a lot happier!”
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New Orleans, Louisiana July 4th - 7th Images by Q. Bleu Photography
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Events
T he evening of June 28th 2013 was filled with marital bliss as the YOUTHanasia Teen
Dynasty organization celebrated the Marriage Rocks Luau sponsored by the Fellowship Journal and Chick-fil-A. Hosted by renowned soul singer Gina Brown and DJ Polo, married couples engaged in games such as “How well do you know your spouse?” singing, music, great food and of course island inspired cocktails at the Westwego Community Center. Lead organizer and Director, Kim Dilosa summarized the moment by stating that “Society says that marriage is un-cool, so we wanted to show that marriage is hot and this (tonight’s event) is in honor of Fellowship Journal, a faith based organization that is celebrating 25 years of circulation.” In addition to the menu, Luau themed activities and entertainment, there were also vendor tables to promote small businesses. One of the businesses featured was the Hearts of Change Foundation, lead by Rene Woods Theirry. The Hearts of Change Foundation, served guests at the bar to raise money to support their mission of advocating for pregnant teens. Married for almost 12 years, Shawn and Andraneisha Booth stated “It was an awesome event and a night out from the kids. Just seeing couples married 50+ years gives us hope that we can make it.” To find out more about the Teen Dynasty, Hearts of Change Foundation, and the Fellowship Journal, visit the links below. www.theteendynasty.com www.fellowshipjournal.com facebook.com/heartsofchange
Marriage Rocks
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Be Inspired
S ometimes when the relationship is
over we feel defeated, worthless,
lonely and even intense anger. But believe it
or not, there is healing after a breakup.
Although you may not realize it at the exact
moment that the breakup happens, there is a
powerful agent to it. When we open up our
hearts to love someone, we lose a part of
ourselves, which is natural. In order for us to
create a new relation to someone else, we
have to shed parts of ourselves that don’t
match what we are attempting to achieve. It’s
ok to lose parts of you in a relationship, but
it’s not ok to lose our character.
Now where does the healing come in? A
breakup forces us to focus more on the most
important relationship that could ever be, the
relationship with ourselves. Yes, it may seem
lonely but it’s necessary because how are
you going to love and appreciate someone
else, when you can’t do it for yourself?
A breakup serves as a wakeup call, a real
time reality check that forces you into
alignment with who you really are. It makes
us realize that we are not here to live for
mates, but for ourselves and an appropriate
mate will complement you, not complete
you. We get ourselves into relationships and
we forget about us. Caring for someone else
is good but you can’t love externally without
first loving the internal. Consider your
breakup as a time for you to move forward
and start an ecstatic honeymoon with yours
truly. Shower yourself with gifts, affirm your
love for YOU and submit to your every last
wish! Explore the unknown, take a spiritual
conquest and do all the things that you
couldn’t do while you were committed to
that other person.
What do we do when we go to see an ill
loved one? We visit them with flowers, fresh
fruit and gifts. Shower yourself with these
things after a breakup, buy yourself fresh
flowers because you’re not well and you are
well on the path to recovery. After your
breakup, grieve but also look forward to the
new relationship with you because for every
loss there is a gain.
P.S. if you see your former love with
someone else, just know that the universe
loves you so much that it will not allow you
to sail on yet another broken ship…
The Healing after The Love Malcolm Armstrong Jr.
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