With near-record temperatures in North Texas, we may not feel like venturing outside, but gardeners know there are always things to get done. Here are five top heat-smart gardening tips:

1. Plan gardening chores early. It may seem like a no-brainer for comfort, but it’s easier on plants, too. Make sure to water well before 10 a.m., as temperatures are soaring into the 90s by then at this time of year. Wet leaves plus burning hot sunshine equals steamed spinach for some plants. The water will absorb better into cooler soil, too.

2. Mulch, mulch, mulch. Three to four inches of mulch in your beds should be enough. Repeat seasonally twice a year because organic matter breaks down.

3. Choose plants wisely. If suffering from bare spots in beds or containers, tuck in heat-tolerant color annuals such as lantana, purslane, ornamental peppers and Angelonia here and there as needed–they can take it. We won’t see petunias, marigolds and other transitional color until September.

4. Plan for fall. It may be scorching now, but autumn is right around the corner. August is the time to seed wildflowers and begin planting bearded irises. It’s also an important time for cutting back and feeding roses to ensure a great show when temperatures cool in fall.

5. Don’t neglect the veggies, including a crop of tomatoes for fall harvest. Keep them fed and watered on schedule for a great crop. Clear out any spring-planted tomatoes that are spent, as well as spent plants of squash, peppers and any others. If not replanting those spots immediately, apply a soil activator such as Medina and top dress with a thick layer of organic compost. When it’s time to tuck in fall veggies, the soil will be richly recharged and ready to go. August is the time to start fall veggie seeds indoors.

We can garden in the heat with a bit of planning and preparation, and set the stage for a beautiful (and flavorful) fall.

For more information, call North Haven Gardens, located at 7700 Northaven Rd, Dallas, at 214-363-5316 or visit NHG.com/gardeneducation/classes-workshops.

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The Slow Foods Dallas Forth Worth Lunch Break series, The State of Farmers’ Markets, held virtually on June 9, addressed the questions of why customers should know their farmers, what legal and logistical challenges there are to operating more farmers’ markets, how farmers’ markets have changed over the years and what organizers can do to meet consumer needs while staying viable for farmers.

Host Seth Brammer, an entrepreneur, food educator and activist, led the discussion that included Casey Cutler, executive director of Good Local Market; Susie Marshall, executive director of Grow North Texas, and Charlie Blaylock, manager of Cowtown Farmers’ Market. 

Highlights included challenges in choosing locations for farmers’ markets that are beneficial for the community and for the farmers so they can sell products while being easily accessible. The panel discussed pros and cons of increasing the number of smaller markets versus larger, centrally located event-style markets. It was noted how some farmers’ markets today are transitioning to provide more social experiences such as entertainment and wellness demonstrations; a model, speakers felt may lead to more infrequent shoppers that purchase fewer groceries from farmers. 

Other topics included competition and customer convenience. Local farmers face increasing rivalry from online sources selling items such as meal prep kits and grocery stores that offer home delivery. “As our population begins to experience more and more convenience with foods, convenience wins. The issue of how farmers’ markets can embrace these levels of convenience and continue to grow generated discussion on ways markets can offer the convenience busy people seek. Suggestions ranged from working with farmers to pair foods together on their tables that would work well in a meal and offering suggestions for how to use more unusual produce in recipes. 

The panel also took questions from viewers such as whether onsite cooking demonstrations are an effective tool in directing customers toward purchasing more produce from vendors. They also discussed restrictions on local beer and wine sales at farmers’ markets; broadening appeal ‘ by adding quality pantry staples; supporting nutritional programs like SNAP and WIC; how farmers’ market growers and vendors are vetted; what “organic” really means; and how nonprofits are partnering with city leaders to advance urban farming-friendly municipal ordinances.

Slow Foods Dallas Forth Worth is a chapter of Slow Foods USA, which strives to change in the food system by reconnecting Americans with the people, traditions, plants, animals, fertile soils and waters that produce our food. They inspire individuals and communities to support a socially just food system that is that is clean and fair for all.

To view the Slow Foods Dallas Fort Worth Lunch Series, visit Facebook.com/SlowFoodDFW/videos.

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Our gastrointestinal, or gut, health is very near to our hearts—both physically and emotionally. It’s difficult to enjoy life to the fullest on an upset stomach. Even more important is the role that the biome, or beneficial bacteria, plays in keeping our system in equilibrium and free of serious disease.

Dr. Lida Aghdam, M.D., advises, “Avoid eating acidic food like gluten, dairy, red meat, caffeine that causes leaky gut and lowers your immune system. Take supplements good for healing gut like vitamin D, high-quality fish oil, high-quality curcumin and ginger. Stress releases cortisol that causes damage to patency of colon and worsens leaky gut, so try yoga, meditation or dancing to decrease stress levels. Minimize medication, especially antibiotics, that damages your gut health. Good normal daily bowel movements is important to keep your gut healthy.”

Natural Balance Clinic is located at 4819 State Hwy. 121, Ste. 14, in The Colony. For more information, call 817-488-7878.

Constantine Kotsanis, M.D., recommends the five R’s of gut healing and restored health.

“Remove: Antagonistic factors can inhibit proper digestion, absorption and utilization of nutrients, as well as elimination of waste products. Removing these is the first step in optimizing health and wellness—food triggers: sensitivities, allergies, FODMAPs infections: bacteria, virus, fungal, parasite stress: physical, emotional, environmental, hernia, fast eating, eating late and unnecessary meds (NSAID, PPI).

“Replace: There are many essential elements required for proper digestion and absorption. Adequate levels of these can be compromised by drugs, disease, aging and/or diet, and must be replaced for optimal digestion—digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid, bile acids and nutrient deficiencies.

“Repair: The gut lining can be severely compromised during periods of inflammation, stress, disease and exposure to allergens over time. Repairing the gut lining is essential to ensure proper absorption of nutrients. Nutrients that may help are zinc carnosine, vitamins A, D and C, amino acids, particularly L-glutamine, deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) and serum-derived immunoglobulins (delivered orally).

“Reinoculate: A healthy gut flora population can help reduce inflammation. Beneficial bacteria can flourish by taking in food naturally rich in probiotics, as well as supplements that contain the so-called “good” bacteria such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus species. It’s also essential to consume foods high in soluble fiber called prebiotics. This helps feed the beneficial bacteria.

“Rebalance: This is where lifestyle comes into play. Pay attention to lifestyle choices that affect the GI tract—sleep hygiene, type and amount of exercise, stress management, mastication(chew for one to two minutes), avoid excessive fluid intake at mealtime, parasympathetic tone (external stressors can increase sympathetic drive and reduce and parasympathetic drive). With practices like yoga, meditation, deep breathing, good sleep and other mindfulness-based practices, you can help restore hormone balance that will protect your gut and subsequently, your entire body.”

Kotsanis Institute is located at 2260 Pool Rd., in Grapevine. For more information, call 817-481-6342.

Betty Murray, a functional medicine certified practitioner and certified nutritionist specializing in gastrointestinal disorders and autoimmune conditions, believes that good fences makes good neighbors. She says, “Protect your gut lining, and your microbes will protect your immune health. Here are the top five steps you can take to create a healthy gut. Eat a whole foods-based diet with lots of fiber. Modern life and foods may actually be the primary driver of gut inflammation.

“There is evidence that the standard American diet, low in fiber and high in sugar and saturated fats, may initiate a leaky gut. A diet high in fiber feeds our good bacteria and keeps our bowels regular. Eat Probiotic-rich foods, which are live probiotic foods. Natural, bacterial fermented foods like pickles, chutney, kimchi, kombucha, yogurt, and kefir provide probiotics to your digestive tract. These can be found in the cold section of your grocery store. Or take a full-spectrum probiotic. Lower your stress levels. Chronic stress is hard on the body and can kill some of your most helpful probiotics and shut down one of the immune responses called immunoglobulin A that protects you from viruses and pathogens.

“Check for food intolerances or get your microbiome tested. Digestive issues, heartburn, bloating, gas, fatigue or sudden weight changes can be signs of a gut out of balance. Testing for food sensitivities and stool testing can help indicate imbalances in the gut microbes and digestive function. Limit medications that may damage the gut lining. Common medications may hurt your gut lining, including pain relievers such as NSAIDs, antibiotics and laxatives, and proton pump inhibitors.”

Living Well Dallas Functional Medicine Center is located at 17000 Preston Rd., Ste. 400, in Dallas. For more information, call 972-930-0260.

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Plano has been ranked 17th on The Trust for Public Lands annual ranking in their ParkScore index, an in-depth analysis of city park systems in the nation's 100 largest cities. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored that close-to-home parks are crucial to a community's quality of life. During the coronavirus pandemic, access to the outdoors has taken on a whole new importance. Emerging data confirm that in North Texas, people have turned to parks in record-breaking numbers seeking relief from anxiety, grief and isolation.

At the same time, officials have had to make difficult decisions to close some parks or change the way they are used in a bid to slow the virus' spread; meaning more people have grappled with the challenges of not having easy access to the outdoors. 

A special report, Parks and the Pandemic, from The Trust for Public Land, addresses the challenges and changes that the pandemic poses to America's parks and open spaces. For more information visit tpl.org.

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One morning we woke up and our reality had been turned upside-down while we slept. Our job, family, shopping, dining and other familiar routines were now menacingly dangerous for who knows how long. Thankfully, nightmares don’t last forever, and neither will the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, it’s important to maintain a healthy perspective and apply some self-healing practices to stay on an even keel.  Here, North Texas Brain health experts give us some tips and strategies.

Stress-Related Burnout

Nearly half the workforce reports burnout, and parenting, too, is a high-stakes job. Chronic stress increases the size of the amygdala (involved in the fight-or-flight response), causes premature aging and reduces connections necessary for memory, learning, critical thinking, attention and emotional regulation. Self-care is crucial to mitigate the damage of toxic stress. Here are some strategies to help:

Be mindful and mindless: Burnout is an accumulation of inconspicuous disappointments. Thus, mindfulness, or being present in the moment, is central to gathering an internal, nonjudgmental weather report. Doing so while moving the body in rhythm with our breath adjusts neurological chemistry and boosts oxygen and blood flow to the brain. Exercise enhances attention, motivation, learning, memory and mood, and provides sensorimotor input that improves the body-brain communication. Conversely, sometimes it is essential to stop thinking. Research demonstrates this is when we maximize creativity and enjoy “Aha!” perspectives.

Nurture relationships: Laugh, have fun, and share emotions to deactivate the amygdala.

Journal: Celebrate victories, reframe setbacks as growth opportunities and practice gratitude to reduce stress and resolve conflicts. As a bonus, this fine motor task bolsters self-regulation.

Reconnect with a purpose: Write down commitment dates for engaging in hobbies or causes that set our heart on fire but have been sacrificed.

“I am overwhelmed and don’t know if I can even begin,” is a warning that our well-being is at stake. Take baby steps. We are significant and deserve to find wholeness again.

 For more information, call 682-400-4930 or emailBHWells@BrainBalance.com

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