Assalaamu alaikum,

We hope you are having a wonderful autumn! While the changing leaves are quite beautiful, shorter daylight hours often make us feel more tired than usual. Many of us reach for coffee or tea to stay awake, but other caffeinated beverages like yaupon have become more popular in recent years. Check out the article on page 6 to learn more about yaupon’s history and why it’s one of the latest food trends. 

With colder weather comes the resurgence of seasonal sicknesses. Though ensuring we never fall ill is impossible, there are ways to bolster our health. For example, self-checks offer a great opportunity to check in with ourselves and our bodies to see how we feel. To get started, read the article on page 8.

Consumers have started taking a closer look at what is in their food, which is why the term “clean label” is gaining traction. Though it’s a growing trend, there is still some confusion about what exactly qualifies as clean label. For more information on the topic, check out page 24. 

Whether we like it or not, aging is a reality for all of us. But growing older doesn’t have to be a bad thing! Read “Aging with Grace” on page 12 to find tips for staying healthy throughout your life.

Getting regular exercise is one way to ensure our bodies remain in tip-top shape as we age, and stretching is essential to a healthy exercise routine. Check out “Stretch to Impress” on page 27 to get started. 

At some point in our lives, all of us have felt afraid. It’s a normal human emotion, and it’s necessary for our survival. However, when that fear develops into a phobia, it may be time to seek help. Discover more on page 16 in the article “Phobias: Where Fear and Anxiety Collide.”

As mentioned in the previous issue, the IFANCA team had the opportunity to attend the 2023 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior annual conference this year. Read about IFANCA’s interactive session and the essential takeaways on page 30.

If you have any questions, please reach out to halalconsumer@ifanca.org. Otherwise, follow Halal Consumer Magazine and IFANCA on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X to stay up to date with the latest news. 

Sincerely,

Alison DeGuide, editor