In the first part of this article (“The ‘Wicked Success’ Revival Plan: Eight Ways Stressed Out Women Can Revive and Renew—Mind, Body, and Soul”) published in the November issue of Natural Solutions, author Vickie Milazzolo asserts that women should not accept a state of stressed-out existence and call it living. 

If you’re thinking, “Why should I worry about heart health?” here’s a reality check: A third of Americans already have some form of the condition. Even if you don’t have a family history of cardiovascular problems, you should take steps to protect your ticker. Why? Because your heart rules the health of every other system in your body.

To Susan Williams of Charlotte, North Carolina, it was like a speed bump she couldn’t get past. That’s how she described the wall she would hit when work deadlines loomed and her focus pinballed from one subject to the next. “Sometimes I was so easily distracted, the simplest task seemed daunting,” says Williams, 60.

My fascination with growing food started in the third grade, when the entire class grew tiny tomato plants on the windowsill of our classroom. The plants died before sprouting any fruit, but my interest in gardening took root. Since then, I’ve had many more successes in the garden: strawberries, melons, fresh salad greens, and yes, even tomatoes.