When our country’s founders made their stand on July 4, 241 years ago, they set the standard for bravery and determination for decades to come. When they declared themselves independent of an empire and free to pursue happiness, they and their successors flourished beyond the world’s wildest imaginings.

         Those early Americans’ ideals may have appeared radical at the time, and certainly their message of independence could be considered polarizing. However, as I consider what Kirk J. Schneider describes on page 28 as an antidote to polarization, I’m enlightened by his less popular perspective: that our forefathers may have been “being the wonder of being alive; living life with hope, respect, humility, wonder and a deep reverence for the adventure of living.”

Today, we the people are restless. We are bombarded by a toxic mix of ideology and misinformation that can oppress even the healthiest and most positive souls among us. Our society’s need for enlightened personal empowerment is great.

       We are fortunate to have many American heroes watching out for us all—most of them unsung, like Maria Rodale and her Pennsylvania-based family, who have been leaders in the field of organic living before most of us were born. I am very proud to share Maria’s sage wisdom on page 34. Eating and living organically is the ounce of prevention that we all know is superior to the pound of cure, which comes with a very high price tag.

       Just this past month I experienced for myself what many people have long known: that ridding our bodies of accumulated toxins can boost our ability to fight disease, turn back our biological clocks and set a new direction for our future health. In our feature article on page 22, Meredith Montgomery offers an amazing overview of what took me more than 15 years and myriad sources to learn. Regular cleansing of the mind and body is an integral part of healthy living, and the number of options for detoxification in our community has grown as practitioners apply ancient healing wisdom to new solutions to our toxic lifestyle.

        Our founders knew that true freedom requires us to exercise personal responsibility. They admirably exercised theirs, and generations of Americans have thrived ever since. Reclaim control of your own food supply and take inventory of your own body, preferably with the guidance of a natural health practitioner who views your healing as the primary goal of his or her practice and protocols. The payback for these efforts will help you pursue happiness and enjoy the God-given grace of freedom.  

Happy Enlightened 4th of July,

Scott and Daralyn Chase