Volume 2, Issue 3

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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

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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

guarantee accuracy. Cognition Magazine, LLC will not be held responsible for the quality or performance of goods and services provided

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

[email protected]

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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