Put your heart into it

Welcome to 2019! In our first issue of the year, we’re doing a deep dive into ocean health. Our feature is a conversation with actor, producer and UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador Adrian Grenier. Adrian co-founded Lonely Whale, an organization that is “an incubator for courageous ideas that drive impactful change” for the oceans. Lonely Whale is responsible for the Strawless Ocean movement, which has garnered international recognition for its memorable #StopSucking and Strawless In Seattle campaigns. Both spoke to people’s hearts and minds, modeling what successful environmental work can look like.

While Adrian is speaking to people’s hearts figuratively, we’re addressing hearts literally in this issue of alive. Heart health may be the most important health topic in America: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in this country. Yet, damaging myths about heart health persist. Let’s put an end to them.

Sticking to our ocean theme, we’ve included plenty of seaweed recipes, as well as recipes built upon blue foods. For our restaurant feature, we talk with the queen of a seaside city’s vegan scene, Makini Howell, and take a tour through her many Plum Restaurants in Seattle, from the flagship Plum Bistro to the salad bar Plum Chopped.

You’ll find an excerpt from First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Journey Through Anxiety by Australian wellness star Sarah Wilson, the former editor of Cosmopolitan Australia. She’s helped millions quit sugar through her previous books and website. This book, however, tackles her complicated relationship with life-long anxiety. A key part of managing anxiety? Mindfulness. And you’ve never heard the practice explained quite how she explains it.

We also speak with international ballet superstar Tiler Peck. She outlines surprisingly doable techniques to reach your New Year’s resolutions.

Finally, for our Innovation Spotlight, we talk with Marci Zaroff. She’s had a hand in creating green businesses across different industries, and her new book will inspire anyone interested in creating a stylish and sustainable world to put their heart into it. (That’s you, right?)

To your 2019 ambitions, Brendan Brazier Editor-in-Chief