When is the last time you thanked your kidneys? Those two, small bean-shaped organs in your lower back are incessant workhorses for your health. Here’s what these superstars are doing while you go about your day: They are regulating your body’s fluid levels, filtering waste and toxins from your blood, releasing hormones that regulate your blood pressure and direct production of red blood cells. If that is not enough, they also activate vitamin D to maintain healthy bones and keep blood minerals, such as sodium, phosphorus, and potassium, in balance. We all experience malfunctions occasionally, and unfortunately, one in three Americans is at risk for developing kidney disease. Read on to get more in touch with your kidneys and urinary tract. Here’s what we asked our local health experts:

When you stroll through VIVID Art Gallery, taking in the colorful marshscapes, wildlife captures and beach scenes teeming with red umbrellas, sea oats and cumulus clouds, you probably aren’t thinking about Parkinson’s disease. You definitely wouldn’t imagine the photographer has it, considering how affably and energetically he greets you. Nor would you necessarily picture him in a boardroom closing huge deals and heading up organizations of ten-thousand people. He’s way too down to earth for that.

“I still haven’t decided what I’m going to be when I grow up,” laughed Jeff Keefer, VIVID Gallery’s founder and former executive of the multibillion dollar company DuPont. But this Ohio native isn’t your typical top-down guy.

Q: Our four-year-old, an only child, is giving us fits. As a toddler, he began ignoring us. That evolved into downright refusing to do what we ask, as in, “I’m not going to” and just plain “No.” It seems like the nicer we are to him, the meaner he is to us. In addition, his tantrums when he doesn’t get his way have become Class 5 hurricanes that last until we give in. We know we shouldn’t—give in, that is—but his fits just wear us out. There is no doubt that he’s in complete control of our home. Is it too late to turn things around?

“You’re Not the Boss of Me. I am!” 
– The Uphill Skater –

I love the theme of this issue: #GirlBoss.

Women have made huge strides in so many areas. We, and pioneers before us, have opened doors, windows and chasms for others to succeed. The definition of success has also been changed, and this is the most important achievement of all. 

A girl boss is not necessarily a girl, or woman, who is the boss of others. She is first and foremost the boss of herself. She is someone who makes choices, controls her own destiny and looks after herself. She is also kind, generous and thoughtful. In other words, she is quite a package. 

There has been a lot of press about Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, and RESPECT, the film of her life and the demons that clung to her. Nothing quite prepares you for the film’s presence of Jennifer Hudson’s portrayal of her; she is an amazing talent!

RESPECT
Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Mary J. Blige,
Marlon Wayans, Skye Dakota Turner
Director: Liesl Tommy

Following the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church choir to her international superstardom, RESPECT is the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to find her voice.

Blood is like the “UPS driver” of our bodies. It courses through our veins leaving “packages” filled with life-sustaining items, such as oxygen, nutrients, carbon dioxide, hormones and much more, at every organ. Blood is the delivery system of life, and that’s why blood tests are exactly what your doctor orders. This delivery system has tracking and can tell your physician everything it is delivering and how much. This information often provides a map of what’s good, what’s bad, what needs working on and where to explore next. With this important information being the key to your treasured health, we thought you would be interested in knowing more about blood tests and what they can tell you about the status of your health. As such, we asked the experts at Hilton Head Regional Healthcare to give us the details:

What is routine blood testing and how often should I get it?
A routine blood test is an important way you and your physician can keep track of your overall health and well-being. A typical routine blood test, called the Complete Blood Count, or CBC, counts red and white blood cells and measures hemoglobin levels. This test requires getting blood taken at your doctor’s office or at a lab. Usually, a phlebotomist, nurse, or doctor will draw your blood from a vein in your arm as you sit in a chair with your feet on the ground. Often, you’re done in less than five minutes.

Can you imagine being 13 years old and named the strongest 13-year-old boy in the world? That’s a wonderful “insurance policy” for getting through middle school. But CJ Cummings’ strength isn’t the only ingredient in the secret to his success. Endurance, skill, focus, dedication, gratitude and drive are just a few attributes CJ has clipped to his weightlifting belt loops along his journey to get where he strongly stands today—a USA Olympian. Look for CJ as one of the members of the USA Weightlifting Team.

From the age of 10 years old, Clarence Junior, “CJ”, knew he was made for success. Growing up in Beaufort, CJ was just pretty much like any other little boy except for what was inside him—immense drive. At such a young age, he didn’t know that his drive would propel him to the top, but when his passion met his athleticism, extraordinary things began to happen.

We interrupt this monthly column with a three-question quiz, following which you will find the correct answers.

True or False? Telling a child that her feelings concerning a decision you have made
are irrelevant and that you will not discuss the matter with her is likely to cause
psychological damage to the child, including trauma to her self-esteem.

True or False? Answering “Because I said so” to a child who wants to know the
reason behind a decision you have made is likely to cause psychological
damage to the child, including trauma to her self-esteem.

True or False? Refusing to help a child with a problem she brings to you is likely to
cause psychological damage to the child, including trauma to her self-esteem.

“Yes, we are always trying to keep on top of all of the new stuff!” 
– The Uphill Skater –

We here at Pink Magazine are forever searching out new trends and up-to-date information on lifestyle happenings. I love to read anything different coming down the pike, particularly in the area of food and nutrition. So, here is the latest buzz phrase to hit the food scene: “Eat This, Not That.” This is so interesting and so broad that it has been a real challenge for me to watch it unfold and grow by leaps and bounds. I have even started a special space on my blog to share information, some of which is surprising, and some of which is actually quite shocking!

“Struggle is necessary for strength.”
“Your pain only makes you stronger.”

These quotes are from the recently released film Black Widow directed by Cate Shortland and starring Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz and David Harbour

PG-13

For those of you who don’t know, Black Widow is a member of Marvel’s Avengers—an elite team of superheroes who fight to defend the universe from various evils. Fighting alongside gods, time-travelers and a guy with a bow and arrow, Black Widow’s exploits have been detailed in a series of successful films.

We all have questions about the care down there that sometimes just feels a little awkward—or maybe a lot—to talk about, even with your doctor. For some women, it’s just difficult to casually hold a conversation when words such as vagina, sex, labia and the like have to freely flow. Read on to see what our local medical experts had to say on subjects important to women’s health. Be sure to tell your doctor everything with no fear or hesitation. Your health is what’s most important, and besides, they tell us they have heard it all!

Q: My 15-year-old daughter is slowly driving me insane! She argues with me about everything and always wants the last word. No matter how well I explain the “why?” of a decision to her, she argues. Even when I offer a compromise, she argues. It’s her way or the highway. Is there a solution?

“Being creative comes in all different shapes and sizes.
That’s why they call it creative!” 
– The Uphill Skater –

Are you ready to discover some new ways to be creative with food without 25 new ingredients and hours in the kitchen? Sure, I watch the Food Network and get great ideas, but in general, I find the recipes a bit complicated and heavy on ingredients I usually have to buy special and then never use again. Outrageous designs are often off putting, as well. I could no more make one of those big, beautiful, highly-decorated cakes than fly to the moon. How then can we regular people, who are in such a rut that we simply go for Ritz crackers and sliced cheese, actually do something different? 

In the ultimate symbol of one Hollywood era ending and another beginning, MGM, home to James Bond, Thelma & Louise and Rocky, finally found a buyer willing to pay retail: Amazon.
Rumors have swirled for a while now that Amazon was looking to buy MGM, and this month those rumors were made official with the announcement that Amazon will indeed acquire MGM for $8.45 billion. That means Amazon will now be in control of the crown jewel of spy franchises, James Bond, which could have major repercussions for one of the longest-running and most iconic movie franchises of all time.

The big question now is how Amazon will handle the distribution of the James Bond movies. No Time to Die, the long-delayed latest installment, is set for release in October 2021 through MGM subsidiary. This will likely hold, but will No Time to Die now have a streaming component day-of, or shortly after theatrical release? Is it too late for any kind of streaming deal to come together? Many questions remain.

We all have questions about the care down there that sometimes just feels a little awkward—or maybe a lot—to talk about, even with your doctor. For some women, it’s just difficult to casually hold a conversation when words such as vagina, sex, labia and the like have to freely flow. Read on to see what our local medical experts had to say on subjects important to women’s health. Be sure to tell your doctor everything with no fear or hesitation. Your health is what’s most important, and besides, they tell us they have heard it all!

The biggest problem in the life of today’s all-too typical mother is herself. She is her own worst enemy. Them’s fightin’ words, I know, but please, hold the tomatoes and other vegetables and bear with me.

One of the doctrines of the Good Mommy Club, the evil sisterhood to which many (if not most) of today’s mommies belong, albeit unwittingly, has it that the Good Mommy does as much for her child as she possibly can, and then some. A guarantee of frustration, anxiety, stress, resentment and guilt, that.

Guys! Guys! Look, your wives, bless their hearts,
are having enough trouble putting their children and priorities into proper perspective without you adding to the muddle.
Keep it straight, please.

I’m referring to the media voices telling you to be better fathers. Three times in the last six months or so I’ve been invited on podcasts promoting fatherhood. The hosts are well-meaning, sincere, articulate fellows who apparently didn’t know they were interviewing a guy who never says what other people expect him to say.

I love people who have the spirit of adventure and those who are searching for something different to do. Life for people like this can truly be full and challenging. I have sailed many thousands of miles in the ocean, hiked difficult trails, moved into unknown situations and much more. If you think about it, we all dream of having out of the ordinary experiences and adventures. My current adventure is spending two days a week with a six-year-old. What a thrill this has been, believe it or not! 

It seems that Hollywood is very busy with its 2021 summer movies coming to theaters for June, July and August. With an ungodly amount of comic book movies from Marvel and DC alike, to the new Fast and Furious movie, this summer is jam-packed with some of the most anticipated releases to ever be announced. This is due, in part, to the fact that many of these films were originally scheduled for a sooner release, or should have been out months ago. The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic led to a great deal of rescheduling and reevaluating primary methods of distribution, with some studios taking the straight-to-streaming route. The ones who chose to uphold the tradition of going to the theater either postponed a release to later in the year, or went as far as pushing it right into the 2022 calendar, which is why you may recognize some of the titles below as films you hoped to see in 2020.

We’ve all heard that being overweight is unhealthy, and weight loss can help prevent illness and disease, but how? We asked local medical experts to weigh in on the advantages of losing weight. Looking good on the beach is just a fringe benefit!

I don't actually mean I hate any time of the year, especially spring. But, here is my situation: There are three times a year I am moved to get stuff done—a lot done! New Years Day, my birthday, and spring just get to me. On these three occasions I overwhelmingly feel everything I own has to be rearranged, repaired, organized, culled, donated to charity or thrown out. This might be hormonal, but I know that kind of thinking is out of date nowadays. Hormonal or not, I feel the uncontrollable urge to purge coming on, so I thought I would share some of the tasks I plan on tackling this spring.

The biggest problem in the life of today’s all-too typical mother is herself. She is her own worst enemy. Them’s fightin’ words, I know, but please, hold the tomatoes and other vegetables and bear with me.

One of the doctrines of the Good Mommy Club, the evil sisterhood to which many (if not most) of today’s mommies belong, albeit unwittingly, has it that the Good Mommy does as much for her child as she possibly can, and then some. A guarantee of frustration, anxiety, stress, resentment and guilt, that.

When it comes to films worth seeing, be sure not to overlook the small stuff—animated and live-action shorts, foreign films and documentaries. We are reminded, especially around award season, that there are many alternatives to feature films that should not be missed.

Here are a few to consider:

On any given day you can find John Kelsey at Lawton Stables in Sea Pines, training his fine Oldenburger horse named Sound of Music. It’s a competitive discipline that John takes very seriously—yet it’s also a form of play that has kept his life full of joy and satisfaction, rather than stress. After a long session of working difficult maneuvers, he and Sound of Music take a mental break riding through the forest preserve.

“I always liked being around horses,” said John, who grew up in Toledo, Ohio. “I went to camp in Michigan on a 100-acre farm with hills, trails and a show ring, and a camp in Colorado where we did three-day horse-packing trips. When I was 21, I saved enough to buy my own horse, and I’ve had horses ever since.”

Living with pain is no fun. In fact, pain can take all the fun away, especially if you enjoy being active. It’s somewhat of a Catch-22, though. It seems the more active set are the ones who get sports injuries. Makes sense, afterall, doesn’t it take sports to get a sports injury? Not necessarily. Sometimes, just a simple walk to the mailbox, moving a planter in the garden, or a quick clean up of the garage can end in injury. The good news is pain does not have to be forever with many injuries, over use, or degeneration. There are new, modern and effective ways to stop the snap, crackle, pop in the knees, reduce the burn of bursitis and rejuvenate the rip of the rotator cuff. We asked our local orthopeadic experts to tell us all about sports injuries, joint replacements and knee problems. Here is what they had to say: