Nalc ezine 12 13

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

Peace on Our Plates

Mindful Eating for a More Peaceful World

Survival Guide

P L A N E T

feel good • live simply • laugh more

FREE

Holiday Fitness

H E A L T H Y

Encounters

With Heaven

Proof of Afterlife

GREEN

Merry Making

Retro-Fresh Family Traditions

December 2013 | Lowcountry-Edition | www.NALowcountry.com

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letterfrompublisher Holiday magic is in the air as we begin to close out 2013 and prepare for 2014. The holidays usually involve traditions, whether you are celebrating the true meaning of Christmas, Hanukkah and/or Kwanzaa. Most of us combine both family-treasures passed down to each generation entwined with new ideas that fit our present day lifestyle.

contact us Advertising / Publisher / Editor Sandy Anderson-Austin ads@nalowcountry.com Phone: 843-821-7404 www.NALowcountry.com Natural Awakenings-Lowcountry PO Box 577, Ladson, SC 29456 Design & Production T.W.S. Graphics Distribution Thomas Austin

to

© 2013 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

Our December issue offers articles filled with hope, inspiration and ways to bring more peace into your life during the holiday rush and into the new year. ”Green Merry Making” and eco-friendly family games, rituals to reverse winter blues and exercise tips to relieve the stress of too much togetherness, are just a few ideas to help make your holidays merrier.

The holiday season gives us all time to reflect on the past, to have courage for the present and to dream of bright wishes for the future. I hope your holidays are filled with wonderful memories spending time with people you most care about or maybe new friends while sharing food, laughter and smiles. While a handmade or store-bought item can be delightful, the most wonderful gifts to have, give and receive are forgiveness, acceptance, respect and unconditional love.

Watching sappy Christmas movies on TV and seeing the early holiday decorations in stores, stir up my child-like wish to experience the enchantment of the season.

Even though I still thrill at the idea of Old Saint Nick and his magical reindeer, I can now understand that the real magic is not about what I might find wrapped in a present but it happens as I enjoy the spirit, sounds, smells, tastes and experiences of the season.

As Calvin Coolidge said, “Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind.

To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” May your holidays sparkle with moments of love, laughter and goodwill, and may the New Year be full of contentment and joy.

Happy Holidays,

Sandy Anderson, Publisher

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

Peace on Earth will come to stay, When we live Christmas every day.

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NA Lowcountry Edition

CORRECTION We apologize for an error in the article published in October, “Energy Healing Comes of Age.” Donna Eden founded the Energy Medicine Institute, not Energy Medicine University.

NALowcountry.com

contents 6

6 healthbriefs

8 globalbriefs

9 greenliving

8

10 ecotip 11 healingways 13 healthykids

Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

9 GREEN MERRY MAKING 9

Retro-Fresh Family Traditions

by Claire O’Neil

11 ‘TIS THE SEASON

15 consciouseating TO BE WISE 19 fitbody

10

24 wisewords 25 naturalpet 26 resourceguide 28 classifieds

29 calendar

A Prime Time to Rejuvenate and Birth Creativity

by Lane Vail

13 SWEET SLUMBER

Co-Sleeping in the Family Bed

13

by Mark Sisson

15 PEACE ON OUR PLATES

Mindful Eating for a

More Peaceful World

by Judith Fertig

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE FOR NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request our rates, please contact us at 843-821-7404 or email: ads@nalowcountry.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month for the next month’s issue.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS FOR NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE Email articles, news items and ideas to: editor@nalowcountry.com Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month for the next month’s issue.

19 TOO MUCH

TOGETHERNESS? Exercise Helps Keep Family Holidays Merry

21 NEAR-DEATH

EXPERIENCES

Proof of Life after Death

by Linda Sechrist

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS FOR NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE Email calendar events to: calendar@nalowcountry.com Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month for the next month’s issue.

24 HUMANITY’S

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

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by Sarah Todd

ETERNAL QUEST

Eckhart Tolle on the Kingdom of Heaven Within

25 PET FIRST-AID KITS

21

All-Natural Home Health Care

by Sandra Murphy

For additional articles, health and global briefs, visit our website: NALowcountry.com natural awakenings

December 2013

5

healthbriefs

Sprinkle Cinnamon to Avert Alzheimer’s

C

innamon is known as an excellent antioxidant that improves fasting blood sugar levels and prevents heart disease. Now new research offers yet another benefit and reason to add this potent spice to our daily diet.

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have confirmed that cinnamon helps protect against Alzheimer’s disease. They found that the cinnamon compounds cinnamaldehyde and epicatechin help stop the formation of “tangles” of tau protein in the brain, hallmarks of the memory-robbing neurodegenerative disease.

The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, says these powerful antioxidants that give cinnamon its potent flavor and scent defend mental function in a unique way. “Take, for example, sunburn, a form of oxidative damage,” explains Roshni Graves, of the university’s Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. “If you wore a hat, you could protect your face and head from oxidation. In a sense, this cinnamaldehyde is like a cap,” protecting against tau proteins.

The findings suggest that sufficient cinnamon consumption might stop the progression of Alzheimer’s or even prevent it.

Cocoa Calms Inflammation

F

ew can say no to a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter’s night. “Enjoy!” say Penn State researchers. They have found that a little bit of cocoa may be a powerful diet aid in helping to control inflammation and ameliorate related diseases, including diabetes. Numerous current studies link obesity to inflammation in the body.

Cocoa, although a common ingredient of chocolate, by itself has low-calorie, low-fat and high-fiber content. The researchers fed laboratory mice the human equivalent of 10 tablespoons of cocoa powder—about four or five cups of hot cocoa—along with a high-fat diet for 10 weeks. The control group ate the same diet without the cocoa.

Lead researcher Joshua Lambert, Penn State associate professor of food science, says the study results surprised the team, which did not expect the “dramatic reduction of inflammation and fatty liver disease” associated with obesity. Although the animals lost no weight, the cocoa powder supplement reduced liver triglycerides by 32 percent and plasma insulin levels by 27 percent, indicating it might be a powerful obesityfighting tool.

But there is a catch: Adding sugar, an inflammatory substance in itself, to healthy cocoa will likely neutralize the benefits. Try stevia as a sweetener instead; it’s been used for decades to lower blood sugar.

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NA Lowcountry Edition

NALowcountry.com

MEDITATION HELPS HEAL TRAUMATIZED VETERANS

T

ranscendental Meditation (TM) has a dramatic healing effect on people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and can also result in lower blood pressure, according to two new studies.

TM—a technique to avoid distracting thoughts, decrease stress and promote a state of relaxed awareness— reduced PTSD symptoms in combat veterans by as much as 50 percent in just eight weeks, according to a study from Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C., published in the journal Military Medicine. The veterans also reported decreased depression and improved quality of life, with a greater ability to come back to their civilian lives after returning from duty.

Vietnam War vets randomly assigned to TM sessions at a Denver Veterans Center also experienced greater reductions in alcohol usage, insomnia and depression than those in conventional counseling. At the conclusion of a landmark three-month study, 70 percent of the meditating veterans felt they no longer required the services of the center.

A separate American Heart Association report on the general U.S. population showed that the practice of TM generally reduced systolic blood pressure in subjects by five points and diastolic by three points, enough to put many of them into normal range. Previous clinical trials have shown that lower blood pressure through TM practice is associated with significantly lower rates of death, heart attack and stroke.

TM is usually practiced for 15 to 20 minutes twice a day by sitting comfortably and focusing on an individually selected word or series of words.

R

Cranberries Support Healthy Circulation

egularly drinking cranberry juice may help control blood pressure, according to new findings presented at the American Heart Association’s High Blood Pressure Research 2012 Scientific Sessions. Cranberry juice, the researchers note, is rich in antioxidants—naturally occurring molecules that have been associated with the blood pressure-lowering benefit.

U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers discovered a moderate systolic pressure reduction—about three points— for people that drank two eight-ounce glasses of cranberry juice every day for eight weeks. Because of the sugar calories in juice, consider the alternative of a whole-food cranberry supplement.

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B

utton-type lithium batteries are all around us, powering remote controls, keyless entry devices for cars, flameless candles, watches, greeting cards and other devices. Parents should be aware that these batteries are attractive to small children and if swallowed, can dissolve and cause serious damage to the esophagus in as little as two hours.

The National Safety Council reports that the number of children swallowing these batteries quadrupled between 2005 and 2010, to 3,400 cases, yet 62 percent of parents are unaware of the danger.

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iving away money or spending it on others increases the giver’s sense of personal wealth, according to research by Michael Norton, of Harvard Business School, and co-author Elizabeth Dunn, of the University of British Columbia.

The latest in a series of studies showed that people that support others, from helping with homework to shoveling a neighbor’s driveway, feel that they had more time in general and that giving time away relieved the sense of “not having enough time,” even more than gaining unexpected free time.

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December 2013

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coverartist

globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.

Standard Returns

New Sustainable Currency Geared to Stabilize World Economy

Let It Shine Scott Kennedy

The figurative art of Scott Kennedy celebrates both the wonders of the outdoor world and the joys of home, offering visual stimuli that inspire truth, reality and hope. His dynamic brush strokes and meticulous details capture timeless, transformative moments.

Kennedy’s frequent childhood camping trips with his father instilled a reverence for the outdoors, while lessons with his artist mother taught him line, color and perspective. He majored in art at Colorado State University and then drew upon his whitewater rafting and other wilderness experiences to paint wild places and the creatures that inhabit them, including people who respect nature.

Kennedy gradually transitioned from watercolors to acrylics in order to widely share the joys of camping, hiking, dog sledding, fishing and family.

“Acrylic colors can be layered so that they remind me of stained glass,” he explains, “inspiring me to paint images that are more intimate, as well as majestic.”

Let It Shine is rich in Biblical symbolism. “My work is not necessarily done in terms of religious imagery,” remarks Kennedy, “but in a way that is reflective of a Christ-centered world view where there exists… the hope of a renewed and perfectly restored nature.”

View the artist’s portfolio at ScottKennedyFineArt.com.

8

NA Lowcountry Edition

The Terra, an Internet-based trade reference currency (TRC), has been launched as a global complementary form of money to provide an inflation-resistant international value standard, stabilize the worldwide business cycle and realign stockholders’ interests with long-term sustainability.

From a legal viewpoint, the Terra is standardized “countertrade” (international barter), which is routinely used for more than $1 trillion worth of transactions each year. Countertrade legislation already exists in about 200 countries, including all the major trading nations, so introducing the Terra does not require new intergovernmental agreements.

Financial and currency expert Bernard Lietaer, one of the key architects of the European Currency Unit, the convergence mechanism that led to the Euro, posits the Terra as the first time since gold standard days that such a robust, inflationresistant international base value has been available. He says, “This supranational complementary currency is uniquely designed, unlike national currencies, to provide a stable international mechanism for contractual and payment purposes worldwide. This mechanism would automatically work to reverse the boom and busts of the business cycle and stabilize the economy by providing more cash during downturns and cooling off inflationary pressures in the peak of an upturn.”

Perhaps most importantly, it is positioned to resolve the current conflict between short-term financial interest and long-term sustainability. The Terra works in parallel with national currencies.

Source: TerraTRC.org

Power Walking

Shoe Insert Generates Electricity Two Carnegie Mellon graduates, Matt Stanton and Hahna Alexander, are the founders of SolePower, a company making a shoe insert that stores the power generated by walking and running into a battery that can be instantly accessed via a USB port. Beta testing on the prototype has begun, with release expected next summer.

The insert can be paired with any shoe type and feels like a regular, cushy insole, according to Stanton. The battery attaches to the ankle or the top of the shoe, and is charged after 2.5 miles of footsteps with enough power to run an iPhone. Runners needing to power heat-producing mittens in the winter could also benefit.

Another application is emergency charging of cell phones and radios during power outages. People in developing nations likewise will have a reliable power source for mobile phones and other essential small electronics.

Source: SolePowerTech.com

NALowcountry.com

greenliving

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GREEN Merry Making

Retro-Fresh Family Traditions

by Claire O’Neil hroughout the year, Santa’s good girls and boys of all ages make every effort to buy only what’s needed, plus recycle, reuse and repurpose. Then the holidays hit and discipline often gives way to indulgences. The season seems consumed by up-tempo decorating, feasting, shopping, giftgiving and merrymaking at any cost. Yet, creative green living experts show us how easy it is to tweak time-honored family traditions to align with the green way we wish to live and feel even more satisfied with festivities.

T

Decking the Halls

For Danny Seo, author of Upcycling Celebrations: A UseWhat-You-Have Guide to Decorating, Gift-Giving & Entertaining, “Upcycling is basically a form of recycling that elevates something to a better level than before.” Based in New York City and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Seo always has an eye out for green possibilities. “Opt for vintage pieces and re-imagine them in new and interesting ways,” he advises. For example, he likes to upcycle a vintage glass cake stand with a collection of bright ornaments for a unique holiday focal point.

Michele Johansen, a lifestyle writer in Bellevue, Washington, suggests bringing in the outdoors. Instead of decorating the tree with tinsel and the home with plastic faux greenery, she suggests stringing popcorn and cranberries on the tree and decking the halls with fresh wreaths and garlands accented with boughs of holly. “Local nurseries are good sources for holiday décor that you can later mulch or put in yard waste bins,” she says. “The smells are much more authentic and festive.”

Save energy by using LED lights whenever possible, suggests Sheryl Eisenberg, a writer for the National Resources Defense Council. Plug lights and electronics into a power

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December 2013

9

strip, and then unplug it when not in use to save “ghost” energy pulled by electronics that are plugged in, but not activated.

Buy a live tree to later plant or recycle, Seo suggests.

This supports regional Christmas tree farmers while retaining the integrity of local forests. Many communities offer recycling of holiday trees to provide mulch or habitat for aquatic life in local lakes.

Keeping the Feast

Organize a cookie exchange to get together and save time and energy on holiday baking, suggests Sara Novak, a food policy and health writer at SereneKitchen.com, from Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. Generally, a hostess asks guests to bring several dozen of their favorite cookies. Once gathered, attendees share the treats and recipes, taking home several of each variety. To “green it up”, Novak recommends emailing the recipes rather than printing them, encouraging invitees to use fresh and local ingredients and bring favorite reusable containers from home, like a colorful, time-honored cookie tin.

For the holiday table, mix and match settings of plates, glasses, linens and cutlery. “Use the real thing,” Eisenberg recommends, “and recruit guests to help wash up afterwards.”

She recalls that while growing up, her mother supplemented her silverware with grandmother’s for large holiday dinners.

Save your own energy—and sanity—by asking family and friends to bring an appetizer, side dish or dessert. The hostess can assign a dish and corresponding recipe or use a potluck approach, says Eisenberg. Leftovers go home in nonplastic, reusable containers.

Gift Giving

Many families enjoy giving traditional gifts to children at certain ages, like dollhouses or train sets. Re-imagine these and, when possible, buy local to save energy and support area businesses, suggests Eisenberg.

Cintia Gonzalez, an Australian mom, crafted a dollhouse from an old suitcase, inventively using black chalkboard paint for the exterior, wooden shelves as floors and fast food ketchup cups as lampshades (Tinyurl.com/UpcycleDollhouse).

Another mom transformed a discarded coffee table into a painted train table for her boys.

Upcycle paint chip cards into colorful gift tags, suggests Seo. Plus, use gift wraps that become part of the gift itself, such as placemats swaddling a bottle of wine, fabric to encase quilting supplies or sheet music enveloping concert tickets.

As a general rule, “Give experiences, not gifts,” counsels Eisenberg. “Giving loved ones experiences reduces wrapping paper, ribbon and packaging and is an easy way to be a bit more personal over the holidays. Your teenage niece may love a spa day, complete with hair styling, while your favorite aunt and uncle may be thrilled to attend a local wine tasting.

If you think a young child can tolerate a few less presents in exchange for a pass to an ice show or dance class, go for it.”

“It’s the holiday experience that counts,” counsels Seo. “It’s what makes memories.”

Claire O’Neil is a freelance writer from Kansas City, MO. 10

NA Lowcountry Edition

NALowcountry.com

ecotip Family Games Generate Goodwill All Year Fun family games based on cards, trivia and charades are quintessential holiday activities. Now a new generation of games adds fresh dimensions of interest and goodwill. Online games— some are free—extend good tidings to people around the world, as well as our environment. Santa is thrilled.

Eco games galore: From determining our family’s carbon footprint to making ethical decisions as a business leader or learning how to help child populations vulnerable to pneumonia, EcoGamer.org is a gateway to enriching experiences.

More than 20 entertaining websites employ informative, ecorelated calculations, games and quizzes.

Assist African farmers: Heighten awareness and empathy by experiencing on a virtual basis the immense challenges of life on an African farm, including dealing with disease, drought, a lack of resources and war, at 3rdWorldFarmer. com/About.html. Free trials are available, plus links to international nonprofit organizations and relief groups.

Become a citizen scientist: At FilamentGames.com/projects/ citizen-science, players travel back in time to investigate how a lake became polluted and what can be done today to protect our waterways. Developed by the National Science Foundation, in partnership with the University of Wisconsin, it illustrates business, lifestyle and social factors that can harm the environment.

Learn and feed: FreeRice.com allows players to automatically help feed hungry people with rice donations through the United Nations World Food Program. Players select from specific subjects: art, chemistry, geography, English, other languages and math. Each correct answer donates 10 grains of rice as participants watch the contents of a virtual bowl gradually fill.

Tabletop games: Bioviva (Bioviva.com), Destruct 3 (UncleSkunkleToys.com), ReThink: The Eco Design Game (PlayReThink.com), Xeko (Xeko.com) and Endango (search Amazon.com) are all new takes on the traditional pastime of board games. Some are made of recycled materials, to boot.

healingways

Chill Out

‘Tis the Season to Be Wise A Prime Time to Rejuvenate and Birth Creativity

by Lane Vail

F

or California acupuncturist Daniela Freda, counseling patients that grapple with low energy during winter is routine. “They’re often concerned something is wrong, since our society expects us to feel the same way year-round,” says Freda, who maintains a private practice in San Francisco. “But in fact,” she adds, “everything is right.”

According to a study published in Psychiatry Research, only 4 to 6 percent of Americans suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), characterized by a predictable seasonal pattern of major depressive or bipolar disorder.

For the vast majority of the population, a slight seasonal variance in mood and behavior is normal, confirms Kathryn Roecklein, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and prominent SAD researcher at Pennsylvania’s University of Pittsburg.

Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), like Freda, view decreased energy in nature’s wintertime as a reflection of the season’s energy. In this philosophy, rising (yang) and falling (yin) energies cycle as the seasons turn. Winter is governed by quiet, slow, introspective and creative yin energy. As winter yields to spring, the bright, fast, expansive and extroverted yang energy gains momentum to peak in summer.

“Nature expresses universal energies in a big way,” says research psychologist and mind-body medicine expert Joseph Cardillo, Ph.D., author of The

Five Seasons. Who can ignore a blossoming spring or an abundant autumn?

“Those same energetic cycles,” says Cardillo, “are mirrored in the microcosmic human body and human experience.”

Although the December 21 winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year, temperatures in most of the U.S. continue to fall through February.

Cardillo advises embracing winter’s chill because it diverts our attention from daily activities so that we pause to consider what’s important. “The effect is similar to splashing cold water on our face,” he remarks.

As the cold draws animals into hibernation and plants into dormancy, it also beckons us to enjoy extra sleep, notes Freda, as we follow the sun’s path: Earlier to bed; later to rise. She encourages her clients to incorporate restorative activities into daily routines.

“Intentionally set aside time to connect with the breath and quiet the mind,” she counsels. Try gentle yoga or t’ai chi, listen to relaxing music, curl up with a cozy book or take nature walks, flush with fresh sensory experiences.

Cardillo explains that slowing down naturally creates space for the contem-

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Spring is a time for new beginnings, summer a time for growth, autumn for gathering abundance and winter for introspection. ~Joseph Cardillo plative and creative qualities of yin energy to rise. Meditating, visualizing and journaling promote access to one’s inner wisdom. “Winter is a perfect time to examine the myriad ideas you’ve dreamt up and assemble them into a new you,” says Cardillo. “Now you are prepared to use the robust energy of spring to scatter those ideas abroad.”

an attempt at restoration and quietude can lead to lethargy and isolation. “I see this clinically,” says Freda. “Instead of embracing a little extra rest and relaxation, some people become exhausted and lose their motivation altogether.

They become stuck in the yin.”

Cardillo recommends that such individuals engage in mood-brightening outdoor activities to help restore balance. Roecklein agrees, noting that SAD sufferers undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy (which emphasizes positive thinking and beneficial behaviors) likewise are encouraged to participate in physical and social activities that bring joy and meaning.

Lane Vail is a freelance writer in South Carolina. Connect at WriterLane.com.

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In TCM, the element of water, symbolizing focus and purity, is closely associated with winter. Highly adaptable, water can be solid, liquid or formless vapor; it can flow over, under, around or through obstacles with ease; and it can be still and contained. Contemplating the power of water in any of its forms can help synchronize one’s consciousness with the season’s gifts.

“When your mind is unstuck and flowing like water, your dreams start becoming real to you, simply because you’re in the flow, the present moment,” observes Cardillo, who also authored Be Like Water. He suggests looking to water for guidance in creating solutions, sharpening focus or moving effortlessly on to the next step.

Find Balance

Freda points out that within the strong yin energy of winter, “There are yang moments, celebratory moments, to keep us going.” An imbalance can occur when the slowness of winter is completely counteracted by too much high-energy socializing, working or rushing through the day. “An excess of yang during the winter,” counsels Freda, “rather than a glimpse of it, can deplete us,” contributing to stress, fatigue and depression.

Conversely, for those with an already predominantly yin personality (quiet, introverted, low energy) that overindulge in the yin energy of winter,

NALowcountry.com

Rituals Reverse Winter’s Blues Unpleasant winter memories can affect one’s emotional experience of the season every year like clockwork, says Dr. John Sharp, a physician, psychiatrist and author of The Emotional Calendar. Fortunately, it is possible to take a personal inventory, be aware of such behaviors, innovate on traditions and create a new experience.

Holistic Psychologist Joseph Cardillo goes further, suggesting that we create a “personal prescription” to mindfully manage difficult emotions during wintertime. He encourages activating the senses and combining two or more sensory experiences to amplify the effectiveness. Appealing options include: n Light scented candles or diffuse

essential oils (citrus brightens; lavender soothes) n Invite bright colors into living

spaces (reds excite; greens, blues and whites calm) n Nourish the palate with winter

vegetable stews n Create a playlist of soothing nature

sounds or uplifting music n Warm up near a cheery fire after

spending time in the frosty outdoors

healthykids

Short History of Private Life, Bill Bryson relates that until very recently, most domiciles centered around a central room, or hall, where everyone slept together. Even today, adults and children almost always sleep together in the same beds in non-industrialized, traditional societies worldwide.

The modern practice of placing babies in separate rooms at night, often to cry themselves to sleep, appears to be a historical aberration. Co-sleeping, conversely, is the age-old norm because it offers so many benefits to both parents and children.

Co-sleeping makes breastfeeding easier. Studies

Sweet Slumber Co-Sleeping in the Family Bed

by Mark Sisson

E

very young mammal on Earth sleeps in close contact with its mother and other family members. They’ve been co-sleeping for security, warmth, comfort and protection for millions of years of evolution.

Although it is generally frowned upon in the United States, many human cultures, including most in East Asia, the Pacific islands, South America, Africa and much of southern Europe, have a rich tradition of co-sleeping. In At Home: A

(1/3 Horizontal 3 column: 7.5 x 3.25)

published by the Acta Paediatrica, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics confirm a consistent link between co-sleeping and breastfeeding in countries as disparate as Brazil, Britain, Malaysia and Sweden. Breast milk provides immunological benefits, transfers symbiotic gut bacteria and promotes bonding between mother and child. It’s especially nutritious if the mother’s diet is healthy, and breast milk is the only food experts agree the human body is unquestionably designed to consume.

Co-sleeping improves sleep. A mother that can breast-

feed without leaving the bed will get more sleep. Also, more research from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows a lower incidence of sudden infant death syndrome when breastfeeding is practiced.

In the clinical experience of James McKenna, Ph.D., a University of Notre Dame professor and leading anthropologist in the field, “Breastfeeding mothers typically keep their babies away from pillows, positioning their infants on their backs, while placing them below the parents’ shoulders and raising their arms above them.” Plus, the adults “lay on their sides in ways that can prevent accidental overlays.”

Co-sleeping builds parent-child bonds. Research

published by the Sleep Research Society shows that moth-

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ers that co-sleep with their babies are more attuned to their sleep/wake habits and can respond quicker to their needs.

According to the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, skin-to-skin touch increases the secretion of oxytocin, a bond-building hormone.

haved, less anxious about intimacy as adults and more likely to be happy.

Parents that are nervous about sharing beds can try room sharing, where the baby sleeps in an adjoining crib or cot; family members will experience many of the same benefits.

Co-sleeping fosters maturation. Studies in the Infant

Mark Sisson is a former marathon runner and triathlete.

He is the author of the bestselling health and fitness book, The Primal Blueprint, and publisher of the health blog, MarksDailyApple.com.

and Child Development journal show that kids that share a bed or sleep in the same room with their parents grow up to be more self-reliant and socially independent, better be-

Safe Co-Sleeping Habits

by Mark Sisson

DON’T:

4 Don’t use thick bedding, which can cause rapid overheating or lead to smothering.

4 Don’t co-sleep unless everyone is on board. If a spouse isn’t agreeable, try a room share instead.

4 Don’t drink alcohol or take drugs that affect awareness and judgment, especially before bed.

4 Don’t smoke tobacco. The tars and toxins cling to an adult’s body, hair and clothes, exposing the baby to dangerous chemicals that increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

4 Don’t co-sleep if the parent is sleep-deprived, a heavy sleeper, has sleep apnea or is obese.

4 Don’t allow pets or other children to sleep next to babies.

4 Don’t co-sleep on a sofa, loveseat or reclining chair. The cushions create crevices for infant heads to slip into and the elevation creates a fall risk.

4 Don’t use overly soft mattresses that babies can sink into.

Think firm.

DO:

4 Provide a big enough bed to afford ample space for all co-sleepers.

4 Keep the mattress low or place it on the floor.

4 Eliminate all crevices that a baby might be able to fall into; push the mattress snug against one or more walls.

4 Use a firm mattress, a tight-fitting sheet and light bedding.

4 Place the baby on its back to sleep.

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Real Estate Chris Cunniffe Realtor

Peace on Our Plates Mindful Eating for a More Peaceful World

by Judith Fertig

A

s Earth’s population grows to a projected 9 billion people by 2050, can our global community keep eating flesh like we’ve been doing for centuries? No, according to a 2010 report by the United Nations Environment Programme, an international panel of sustainable resource management experts. Examining the food demands of a growing population and associated environmental and sustainability issues, Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production recommends “substantial worldwide diet change away from animal products.”

Making the case for a holistic view, Will Tuttle, Ph.D., suggests in World Peace Diet: Eating for Spiritual Health and Social Harmony that we start to see the connections between our food choices and the health and well-being of ourselves, our families, communities and the world.

Web of Understanding

At the center of the web of life is the food we all share to sustain our bodies. Tuttle insists that we celebrate this and regard each meal as a feast. “Food preparation is the only art that allows us to literally incorporate what we create.

It is also the only art that fully involves all five senses,” he says. We honor this

wonderful activity most by sharing our cooking efforts with others, blessing the food and eating mindfully.

The problem at the center of life, maintains Tuttle, is that we involve animals in our food chain, an act that “introduces suffering, whether physical, mental or emotional.” This is a truth we try to hide from, what he calls the ”cultural shadow”. “The worst examples include factory farming, but even the best methods ultimately involve killing other animals for food,” he says.

One of Tuttle’s more controversial claims is that the herding culture—raising, dominating, selling, killing and owning animals—sets up a harmful physical, emotional and cultural dynamic, extolling domineering and aggressive behavior. “The herding culture requires male dominance and a mentality that might makes right,” observes Tuttle. “It also sees females as primarily breeders, not beings.” Based on contemporary research in anthropology, sociology and psychopathology, he maintains that the actions required to both dominate animals and eat their meat can lead to more aggressive and violent behavior.

One recent study seems to support his claim. Dr. Neil Barnard, in his book, Foods That Fight Pain, remarks that, “Plant-based diets also help tame

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Tip: Cook whole-grain or spinach pasta, potatoes, rice or another recommended grain in a large quantity to store in the refrigerator for use in stir-fries, salads and other meals later in the week. testosterone’s activity.” Barnard cites a Massachusetts male aging study of 1,552 men ages 40 to 70, which indicated that men eating more fruits and vegetables than meat were less domineering and aggressive, because the increased sex hormone-binding globulin produced by plants helps keep testosterone in check.

“If we continue the meat-centric way of eating, we’re going to continue to have the problems that come with it,” says Tuttle. “The way forward is plant-based agriculture.”

Practicing a World Peace Diet

ginger. “It’s a flexible drink,” says Tuttle.

“We will swap out whatever organic fruits and vegetables we have so that we vary the flavor from time to time.”

For example, they might use parsley, spinach, or chard leaves in place of kale, or citrus in place of grapes.

Lunch is usually a wrap-type sandwich, sometimes using fresh leaf lettuce or a whole-wheat tortilla. One recent example of such a wrap combined tomatoes, peppers, sprouts, walnuts, tempeh and avocado. A dinnertime

When sitting down to eat, look at what’s been created to nourish all those gathered. Enjoy the colors, smells, tastes and love that blesses the food. May the principle of Oneness govern all beings.

Green Smoothie

To start the day, use a high-powered Vitamix-type blender to reduce whole fruits and vegetables to a smooth juice.

If using a regular blender, cut the fruits and vegetables into small pieces and strain the purée after blending.

Yields two servings 1 banana, sliced 1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped ½ cup seedless green grapes 1 cup chopped kale leaves 1 cup baby spinach leaves 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds ¼ cup ground chia seeds ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground cloves 1 cup purified water

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Strain, if necessary, to remove larger pieces; pour into two glasses and serve.

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Learn more at WorldPeaceDiet.org/articles.htm.

Judith Fertig blogs at AlfrescoFoodAndLifestyle.blogspot.com from Overland Park, KS.

Peace Blueprint Recipes

The Tuttles shop for fresh, organic and non-GMO (genetically modified organism) foods and favor what they call “blueprint recipes”, that vary from day to day. Each outlines the makings of a dish and encourages cooks to be intuitive in how they fill in the details.

For a typical breakfast, for example, Tuttle and his wife, Madeleine, will make a green smoothie that includes kale, banana, apple, grapes, ground flax, chia seeds, cinnamon and fresh

16

blueprint recipe involves a base of cooked rice, quinoa, pasta, mashed potatoes or polenta, topped with a vegetable ragout, cooked or raw.

“You could live the rest of your life mixing and matching these ingredients and never have the same meal twice,” notes Tuttle. “We have been doing it for 30 years. If we all choose to eat like this, the world could feed everybody on a fraction of the land now consumed by agriculture.”

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Whole Wheat and Vegetable Wrap

For lunch, a simple wrap can provide a daily change-up mixing in different fresh ingredients plus a plant-based flavoring like dried herbs, spices or garlic stirred into the Vegenaise or homemade eggless mayonnaise.

Yields two servings 2 10-inch whole-wheat tortillas 2 Tbsp Vegenaise 1 tsp prepared horseradish, or to taste 1 cup fresh lettuce, torn into pieces ½ cup sprouts ½ cup chopped fresh tomatoes ½ cup shredded fresh carrots ½ cup diced fresh cucumber 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced ¼ cup toasted walnuts

Toast walnuts by placing them on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. Cool, and then chop.

Place the tortillas on a flat surface.

In a small bowl, mix the Vegenaise and horseradish together. Spread the mixture on the tortillas. Top each tortilla with half the lettuce, sprouts, tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, avocado and walnuts. Roll each tortilla into a wrap and serve.

Raw Vegetable Ragout with Brown Rice

A Life Changing Novel!

Start dinner with a base of cooked rice, potatoes, quinoa or polenta and top it with a vegetable medley.

Yields two servings Rice: 1 cup brown rice 2¼ cups water Raw Vegetable Ragout: 1 cup red bell pepper, cut into strips ½ cup finely chopped celery ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped ¼ cup finely chopped Italian parsley ¼ cup toasted, chopped walnuts 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp coarse kosher or sea salt

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Stir in the rice, reduce the heat and simmer covered until tender, about 40 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, combine the red bell pepper, celery, Kalamata

olives, Italian parsley and walnuts in a medium-sized bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Pour the dressing over the vegetables, stir until well blended, and then let rest until the rice is done.

To serve, spoon the cooked rice onto each plate and top with the raw vegetable ragout.

Source: Adapted from Intuitive Cooking, by Madeleine Tuttle (WorldPeaceDiet.org).

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Our Life Is In Our Hands

by Shankarji

P

alm reading, the art of decoding the secrets that lie in our own hands, may be as old as the human race itself. The shape of our hands, mounting lines and ridges, nails, fingers and skin—each element reveals something new about our personalities; left and right hands cover different aspects of our lives. During the study of Palmistry the significance of the various lines are revealed: life, head, heart and fate lines, and Apollo line, which show how content we are with life. Palmistry can be used to analyze our relationships, career and money prospects, our compatibility with others and the state of our health.

We can also use it to get an idea of how things may change for us in the future.

Palm reading is actually an ancient science refined into an art form. Modern palm reading methods incorporate thousands of years of accumulated knowledge dating back as far as philosopher Aristotle and the Greek physicians Hippocrates and Galen. Information on the laws and practice of palm reading are found in many ancient documents from Vedic scripts, the Bible

and early Semitic writings. The study of Ayurveda (a Sanskrit term meaning the “Science Of Life”) has used the physical character of the fingernail for medical information for over 5000 years. Scientific and medical research in genetics, psychology and forensics has advanced palmistry into modern times.

There is nothing about a palm reading that needs to be mystical or mysterious and anyone can benefit from it. Our hands contain coded information pertaining to a person’s character and Life Purpose that can be readily understood by anyone with proper training. Palm reading is life altering and unlike any other experience. Because each pair of hands is a self-portrait drawn from deep within, to have our hands read is to stare deep into the truth mirror, to stand revealed before our very eyes. A palm reading shows us who we are today and who we can be.

Any of the lines, especially the smaller influence marks, can change very easily at the time of a serious emotional incident. When an event such as this occurs and stirs the emotional

nature, it leaves its mark not only in our psyche but in the palms as well. Minor marks can come and go when the heart or mind needs to register such matters because of their importance.

Both hand shape and lines change over time, but there is a part of our hands unaltered from five months prior to birth: our fingerprints. Like an acorn containing within it a picture of the oak tree, our fingerprints reveal our Life Purpose.

Our hand is a miniature map of our inner Self. Like maps of the world, everything changes with time—and so do we.

It may be impossible to rewrite our past, but it’s always possible to break through personal limitations, reassess the building blocks that define us and choose a new future vision for ourselves. Our life is literally in the palm of our hands!

Shankarji is the Spiritual Head of the Laughing Buddha Business Institute and the founder of Alchemical Breathwork™.

He holds a BS degree in Marketing and Master degrees in Divinity and Advanced Metaphysics. He is also a Certified: Palmist, Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master, Colon-Hydro Therapist, Rebirther and Laughter Yoga Teacher.

Register for events on December 6 or December 7-8 or for a Private Session, see Calendar page 29.

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Too Much Togetherness?

Exercise Helps Keep Family Holidays Merry

by Sarah Todd

G

iven family hopes and often unrealistic expectations that everything will go perfectly, holiday gatherings can sometimes be a recipe for untoward stress. One of the best ways to keep potential ’tis-the-season tensions under control is to carve out some time for exercise, a move supported by research findings at Princeton University. Other experts suggest that from practicing a favorite Eastern modality to taking a natural spin around the neighborhood, we all have instant access to foolproof tactics for staying relaxed, healthy and more even-keeled among kin this winter.

To mend nerves frayed by debates at the dinner table, slip into a nearby bedroom for a calming yoga workout. Yoga’s emphasis on controlled breathing makes it ideal for treating family dynamics straight out of Silver Linings Playbook.

The Mayo Clinic reports that deep breathing increases the flow of oxygen into the bloodstream, easing headaches, muscular tension and chest tightness.

Yogic breathing patterns also are shown to lower resting heart rates, which helps practitioners stay composed in the face of any intrafamily disagreements or other stressors.

For a quick, relaxing yoga rou-

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tine, begin with a few breathing exercises before moving into a sun salutation—a sequence of full-body poses, or asanas, performed in a smooth, continuous flow. Begin standing, palms pressed together in the tadasana, or mountain, pose. Then move through a series of motions that sweep the arms over the head, expanding the chest, before dipping into downward dog and plank poses, which help increase flexibility and strength. End lying down in the shavasana, or resting, pose with eyes closed and let the quiet settle in.

Resistance-training exercises are another option. Release pent up tension by pushing against a wall. Stand about three feet away, lean in and push. Position feet at an angle so that a straight body line forms the hypotenuse of a triangle with the wall and floor. This activity drains the limbs of tightness and stretches out hamstrings and calf muscles, enabling us to walk away feeling light and limber.

While some people can happily greet and maintain cheerfulness throughout holiday family times, others may feel a bit anxious. For a sure-fire endorphin boost, try a cardiovascular workout like running,

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which German researchers published in Cerebral Cortex confirm produces a flood of euphoria on cue. A quick jog or spirited walk outside helps elevate mood while strengthening the immune system, helping to keep feelings of melancholy at bay.

Before heading for the door, those stretching their legs outside in colder climates need to dress as if it’s 20 degrees warmer than the thermometer reads. This helps prevent the body from overheating, especially after being sedentary for an extended period. To get the blood flowing beforehand, do some simple stretching or take a few trips up and down the stairs.

Exercisers that prefer to stay sheltered from wintry weather entirely have a solid alternative; an indoor cardiovascular workout can mimic jogging’s mood-lifting effects. Try alternating 12 reps of jumping jacks, lunges, squats and crunches to get the heart pumping. Consider a second series for a higher intensity workout. All of it will give muscles that often go slack during holiday loafing a chance to flex.

Because these moves don’t require any equipment, such electives are as portable as a travel hair dryer during holiday visits anywhere.

After one or more of these solo workouts, many revelers may be ready to up the ante on family togetherness.

For a healthy dose of quality time, round up the gang and enlist them in a high-energy outdoor activity like hiking, sledding or even Ultimate Frisbee.

Participating in friendly family competition is healthy fun and gives everyone something else to talk about later.

Sarah Todd is a freelance writer in Brooklyn, NY. Connect at SarahToddInk.com.

Yoga Nidra The Stress Solution

by Nicolle Morgan

Y

oga Nidra, also known as yogic sleep, is an ancient technique that unlocks the body’s relaxation response and unwinds the nervous system. The literal translation of Nidra is sleep; however, Yoga Nidra is a dynamic state—not the unconscious sleep of nighttime. It is the state between wakefulness and sleep that opens phases of the mind and slows down brain waves. While ordinary sleep can renew the body and refresh the mind, Yoga Nidra has the ability to alter one’s unconscious programming to release deep-rooted stress and resolve destructive patterns of behavior at their source.

The practice is based on millennia-old techniques that help us experience a non-grasping, effortless awareness. The process begins by quieting the overactive mind, and then an awakening meditation to gradually finding a state of homeostasis in which the brain waves slow down and a subtle euphoria emerges. Each stage provides an abundant amount of integration and nourishment to help eliminate unconscious obstructions and energetic blocks. It is a powerful practice that can help reshape one’s life and rebuild health. Yoga Nidra requires neither years of practice nor intellectual understanding to access its power. People with experience at all levels of yoga and meditation can participate.

While the spiritual history and physical fitness benefits are most widely known; yoga is not a religion, and there is emerging medical research proving its therapeutic benefits. Yoga is an accessible, relevant and scientifically proven practice that should be considered as a part of a remedial portfolio for any ailment.

Classes are designed to create an experience; where everyone can feel safe treading new waters, and recognize their potential to awaken and feel freedom. Diverse levels of flexibility and abilities are revered while challenge and edge are explored without competition and with correct alignment. Yoga guides us out of our own way.

Nicolle Morgan, RYT 500, relocated with her family to Summerville from Virginia where she owned Olive for Yoga studio. She hopes to share her skills and passion for Yoga Therapy with specialized training and experience in Trauma Sensitive Yoga, as well as years of training in Kripalu Yoga. Join her for Yoga Nidra on December 8 at the Yoga Loft of Summerville. For more information, see Calendar page 29, visit YogaLoftSummerville.com or call 843-509-3370. See ad this page.

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Near-Death Experiences Proof of Life after Death

by Linda Sechrist

T

he advice that the White Queen gave to young Alice in Lewis Carroll’s Through the LookingGlass might be some of the best to offer non-believers and skeptics that question the credibility of near-death experiences (NDE). When Alice protests, “One can’t believe impossible things,” the White Queen famously retorts, “I daresay you haven’t had much practice.

When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

Glimpses of Grace

The majority of physicians and clinical

I was overwhelmed by the realization that God isn’t a being, but a state of being… and I am that state of being… pure consciousness. ~ Anita Moorjani researchers in the medical community continue to consider NDEs as impossible and merely pure fantasies generated by a surge of electrical activity as a dying brain runs out of oxygen.

However, according to a Gallup poll, the 8 million Americans whose transcendental NDEs freed their consciousness to leave the body and enter into a wondrous reality that exists completely free of physicality, believe them to be real, meaningful and lifechanging experiences.

Recently, the renowned NDE narratives of Anita Moorjani, author of Dying to Be Me: My Journey from Cancer to Near Death, to True Healing, and Dr. Eben Alexander, author of Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife, have sparked fresh public interest in NDEs, a word coined

by Raymond Moody, Ph.D., in his 1975 classic, Life After Life. Moody, a psychiatrist and professor of philosophy who has spent nearly 50 years investigating what happens when people die, has interviewed thousands of individuals that have personally experienced an NDE.

“Over the past 20 years there have been enormous strides in resuscitation technology. Defibrillators and public access defibrillation programs, as well as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, are major factors that allow modern medicine to bring people back from a state that 100 years ago would have been labeled death,” observes Moody.

Through his research, he has identified numerous common elements that occur in NDEs—an out-of-body experience, the sensation of traveling through a tunnel, encountering a bright light (usually interpreted as God, Jesus or an angel), communicating with deceased relatives, feeling emotions such as profound peace, well-being and love, plus a flood of knowledge about life and

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21

the nature of the universe. Perhaps the most significant element he reports is the supremely conscious and superbly blissful state that exists beyond both limitations of the senses and intellect and the confines of space and time— the pure conscious form of each one’s truly real Self.

“We need to accept—at least hypothetically—that the brain itself doesn’t produce consciousness.”

Life as Love

nothing to fear, and there is nothing you can do wrong.”

“If I had to boil the whole message down to just one word, it would be Love—the incomprehensibly glorious truth of truths that lives and breathes at the core of everything that exists or will ever exist. No remotely accurate understanding of who we are and what we are can be achieved by anyone who does not know it and embody it in all their actions,” Alexander now understands.

Prior to his life-threatening illness, this neurosurgeon’s sophisticated medical training had led him to dismiss the possibility of NDEs. Today, he works at returning to his NDE state of oneness and unconditional love by using meditation and sacred acoustics, as well as quantum mechanics, to explore the nature of consciousness and higher brain function.

Like Moody, Alexander studies the ancient Greek philosophers Parmenides, Pythagoras and Plato, who took the notion of an afterlife seriously and questioned “what” survives bodily death. Alexander’s consequent nonprofit organization, Eternea, fosters cooperation between science and spirituality by sponsoring research and education about spiritually transformative experiences and holistic consciousness beyond conventional definitions.

“I had to learn a whole lot more about consciousness than I had to know about neuroscience,” quips Alexander, who now believes that the brain blocks access to knowledge of higher worlds.

“We need to accept—at least hypothetically—that the brain itself doesn’t produce consciousness. That it is, instead, a kind of reducing valve or filter that dumbs down consciousness for the duration of our human experience.

“Neuroscience can’t give you the first sentence about how the physical brain creates consciousness,” he states,

Rushed to the hospital in a coma, Moorjani, whose body had been devoured for four years by cancer of the lymphatic system, describes the real self that she discovered during her NDE. “There I was, without my body or any physical traits, yet my pure essence continued to exist. It was not a reduced element of my whole self; in fact, it felt far greater and more intense and expansive than my physical being.

“I felt eternal, as if I’d always existed and always would, without a beginning or end. I was filled with the knowledge that I was simply magnificent,” explains Moorjani, whose cancer completely disappeared within five weeks after her release from the hospital.

“Not only did I come back with a clean slate, I brought back one of my biggest lessons—to love myself and be an instrument of love. I also returned to life here with a sense of purpose—to fearlessly be as authentically me as I can be. This means,” she clarifies, “that in whatever I do, I am acting from my sense of passion and the sheer joy of doing it.”

During Alexander’s seven-day coma in a hospital, brought about by antibiotic-resistant E. coli meningitis that attacked his brain, he left his mortal identity behind. “My brain wasn’t working at all,” he relates. “My entire neocortex, the part that makes us human, was entirely shut down. I had no language, emotions, logic or memories of who I was. Such an empty slate granted me full access to the true cosmic being that I am, that we all are,” says Alexander. He further recalls that as his NDE unfolded, it occurred to him that he was being granted a grand overview of the invisible side of existence.

He also had a lovely ethereal companion that floated along on a butterfly wing, telepathically teaching him to accept the universal truth that, “You are eternally loved and cherished, you have 22

NA Lowcountry Edition

~ Dr. Eben Alexander

NALowcountry.com

while many are finding how science and spirituality strengthen each other.

At age 37, a blood vessel exploded in the left hemisphere of Jill Bolte Taylor’s brain. A Ph.D. Harvard-trained scientist specializing in anatomy of the brain, she was fascinated to observe the breakdown of her brain-related functions.

As described in her book, My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey, she became the witness to her stroke, which initially left her unable to talk, walk, read, write or remember anything prior to that occurrence.

As her left brain shut down, Taylor lost her ability to process all language; with her mind suspended in newfound silence, she experienced an unprecedented sense of deep peace. She also experienced an inability to visually distinguish edges and boundaries between herself and the outer world.

Absent conventional orientation, “I could actually see that my skin was not my physical boundary.

“As a result of such a glorious state of blissful realization that I am—as we all are—connected to everything and everyone around us, I no longer see myself as a single, solid entity, separate from other human beings,” advises Taylor. “Although my left mind still thinks of me as a fragile individual, capable of losing my life, my right mind realizes the essence of my being as eternal life.” She now understands that she is part of the cosmic flow of energy, which she characterizes as a tranquil sea of euphoria.

Present Possibility

In The Hidden Face of God: Science Reveals the Ultimate Truth, author Gerald L. Schroeder, Ph.D., suggests that each of us is a part of the universe seeking and finding itself. Could it be that without the mental filter and self-limiting beliefs, we are free to consciously know our higher state of wholeness and the truth of our magnificence?

Upwards of 8 million people that have experienced their own NDE are trending the world toward a tipping point into the comforting awareness that anything is possible.

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Visit ItsAllAboutWe. com for the recorded interviews.

INSIGHTS WORTH SHARING

by Linda Sechrist

A

sked why she “I’ve become focused self-judgment, thought she self-criticism, on seeing the perfection worry and had cancer, Anita Moorjani, of life in this moment.” lack of selfauthor of Dying to Be forgiveness, she Me, sums up her anreturned with a swer in one word: Fear. “I was killing vital, heartfelt message. myself, and cancer saved me,” says

“Everyone is an amazing, magMoorjani, whose book documents nificent being, with great capacher near-death experience (NDE) ity for health, happiness and joy. and the higher realm she encounAlthough we’ve been conditioned to tered when her body shut down. believe that we need to pursue sucAllowed to identify with her true cess and learn to improve ourselves magnificence, undistorted by the to be happy, such steps are unnecesfear generated by her own lifelong sary, because we already are all we

are trying to attain,” she says.

“I’d spent a lifetime feeling inadequate, beating myself up for not meeting my own expectations,” she continues. Through the clarity of dwelling in the NDE realm, she understood that the cancer wasn’t a punishment for anything. “It was just my own energy manifesting as cancer, because my fears weren’t allowing me to express myself as the magnificent force I was meant to be,” advises Moorjani.

She hopes that her presentations to medical professionals and public speaking will influence how the health profession views cancer and other diseases and illnesses.

“Treatment needs to be about more than medicine, because so much of disease has to do with our emotions,” she imparts, “especially the ones we direct toward ourselves.”

Through this life-enhancing experience, Moorjani came to understand why she owes it to herself, everyone she meets and life itself to always express her own unique essence. “Trying to be anything or anyone else doesn’t make me better—it just deprives me of my true self and keeps me from interacting authentically with others,” she explains.

Moorjani now knows that all life in the universe is one and our core is love. “I was overwhelmed by the realization that God isn’t a being, but a state of being… and I am that state of being… pure consciousness.”

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natural awakenings

December 2013

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wisewords

Humanity’s Eternal Quest Eckhart Tolle on the Kingdom of Heaven Within

by Eric Nelson

24

NA Lowcountry Edition

any meditation technique or any spiritual teaching,” he said. “They may awaken simply because they can’t stand the suffering anymore.”

He went on to cite examples of those that have either been told they have a short time to live or have been given an exceptionally long prison sentence. In both cases, any thought of a future has been effectively dashed, forcing these individuals into what Tolle describes as an intense awareness that there is only the present moment, with no more future to escape into mentally.

The result is a lot less suffering.

“That is the real spiritual awakening, when something emerges from within you that is deeper than who you thought you were,” says Tolle. “So, the person is still there, but one could almost say that something more powerful shines through the person.”

The good news, according to Tolle, is that in order to experience this awakening, “You don’t have to wait for the diagnosis by the doctor or to be put in prison… nor do you have to do 30,000 hours of meditation or live in an ashram for 20 years. Once you get a glimpse of it, you can invite it into your daily life.”

For a growing number of people, it’s this understanding of the always present “spiritual you” shining through that has led to significant improvements in their lives, not the least of which is better health. This would seem to indicate that these kinds of spiritual insights aren’t the least bit ethereal or elusive,

NALowcountry.com

photo by David Ellingsen

T

o listen to Eckhart Tolle is to be reminded that anything is possible—for anyone.

We’re not talking about living a life of leisure, filled with expensive cars, beach homes and extravagant vacations, but an experience brimming with the kind of spiritual insights that make this life not only worth living, but decidedly more fulfilling.

The problem is that when people hear the words “spiritual insight”, there’s often an assumption that it’s about something too ethereal to be practical or too elusive to be achieved in this lifetime.

This is exactly the point that Tolle, one of the world’s most well-known spiritual teachers and authors, rebuffed during a talk earlier this year at California’s Stanford University.

“Some people awaken spiritually without ever coming into contact with

Spiritual insights aren’t the least bit ethereal or elusive, but decidedly practical. but decidedly practical.

“Spirituality and religion belong in the healing paradigm,” writes Airdre Grant, Ph.D., of Australia’s Southern Cross University, in a study published in the Journal of the Australian TraditionalMedicine Society. “They are determinants of health and they are factors in recovery, well-being and longevity.”

So where do these insights come from? Is it simply a matter of wishful thinking? Or is it perhaps something more reliable, more effective than that?

“Jesus said, ‘The kingdom of heaven is within you,’” observes Tolle, implying that this health-inducing understanding may be a lot closer than we thought. “I think if he lived nowadays, instead of ‘kingdom’, he would have said, ‘dimension’. And ‘heaven’ refers to a sense of vastness or spaciousness. So if we retranslate the words of Jesus into modern terms, [it would be] ‘the dimension of spaciousness is within you.’”

“And then Jesus said—when they asked him, ‘Where is the kingdom of heaven and when is it going to come?’— he said, ‘The kingdom of heaven does not come with signs to be perceived. You cannot say, ah, it’s over there or look, it’s over there, for I tell you the kingdom of heaven is within you.’”

How comforting it is to be reminded that the proverbial “kingdom of heaven” we’ve been hearing about for at least two millennia—this “dimension of spaciousness”, or what might be characterized as the understanding of our true spiritual identity—is “within you.” It’s within us all, here and now.

All that remains is the willingness— and the humility—to put this insight into practice.

Eric Nelson is a Christian Science healing practitioner from Los Altos, CA, whose articles on the link between spiritual consciousness and health appear regularly in national online publications. Connect at norcalcs.org.

naturalpet

Pet First-Aid Kits All-Natural Home Health Care

by Sandra Murphy

F

“

irst-aid is the first thing you can do to help an injured animal if you are prepared,” says Dr. Jason Nicholas, owner of The Preventive Vet, in Portland, Oregon. Attention in cases of injury or sudden illness can help a dog or cat stay more comfortable, stop bleeding and provide temporary relief.

A pet first-aid kit can resemble a pantry more than a medicine cabinet.

Natural components include:

Cool water. Purified water kept in a spray bottle can cool overheated pets.

For the fastest results, spray near the pulse points, the “armpits” and where fur is the thinnest. Further, a vet will assess if clinical hydration is needed beyond the water bowl.

Saline solution. Versatile saline is available at the vet’s office or any pharmacy, and also easy and inexpensive to make at home. Use it to flush debris from eyes, clean wounds and promote healing from incisions.

Two teaspoons of non-iodized salt in four cups of boiled water mimics body fluids. The Ohio State University Medical Center website provides a recipe for normal saline solution at Tinyurl.com/SalineRecipe.

Vinegar. It acts as a drying agent, especially for floppyeared dogs taking a dip in a pool or natural waterway, which can leave the inner ear moist. “Don’t use vinegar if the skin is red or broken because it will be painful,” says Dr. Jules Benson, vice president of veterinary services

at Petplan Pet Insurance, in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Never use it more than twice a week.

Honey. Apply this sweet unguent to gums to help counteract low blood sugar and shock, particularly when a diabetic pet’s insulin levels are off.

Maple syrup is a good substitute.

Sugar. Although not recommended in a regular pet diet, sugar can be a topical antibacterial for the short term.

Sugar draws water from the wound and dehydrates bacteria, supporting growth of new tissue.

Plain yogurt. Adding this healthy refrigerated topping to dry food will activate a sluggish appetite and supply needed cultures to help balance the digestive system.

Cornstarch. This non-toxic remedy helps stop minor bleeding from cuts, scrapes and pedicure accidents.

Calendula. Also known as pot marigold, calendula cream may be used as an anti-inflammatory. Bug bites, scrapes, sunburn and itching from allergies also benefit from its application.

Aloe. Easily grown in a garden or pot and available in gel form, aloe sooths burns, prevents blisters and speeds healing. It also serves as canine Chapstick. “Older dogs often have cracked skin on their noses,” notes Benson. “Aloe helps to heal the skin and keeps the dog comfortable.”

Rescue Remedy.

Illness or injury brings stress, and one common solution is Rescue Remedy. To relieve fear or anxiety, rub it onto a paw, nose or ears or add the recommended number of drops to water, a treat

or food. It helps dogs, cats, horses, birds, fish and even iguanas. Dosage relies on the extent of stress rather than weight or species.

Clean cloths. For bee stings or insect bites on the body, cool compresses can reduce swelling and itching. Wet a washcloth with cold water or for larger welts, wrap an ice pack in a towel and apply for a few minutes at a time. For stings on the face or mouth, it’s best to go to the vet’s office immediately, so that airways don’t swell up and hinder breathing.

Miscellaneous supplies. Keep on hand gauze, tape, small scissors, tweezers (for removing objects from the roof of the mouth or splinters), a small flashlight, clean socks to cover a bandage and disposable gloves to keep human germs out of open wounds. A dog in pain may bite without realizing it.

Nicholas recommends a basket muzzle, so the dog can easily breathe and pant.

When a pet eats or drinks non-food items or foods they shouldn’t, such as chocolate, grapes or onions, head to the local vet. Veterinarian Jeff Levy, in New York City, who is also a certified veterinary acupuncturist, counsels, “Always keep contact information for your vet, an emergency hospital and animal poison control center handy.” Also, find out where emergency services are located when traveling.

Pets can go into shock just like humans. To prevent or reduce the impact, keep the animal warm and provide a deep massage of the ears, at the base, where ears meet the head. A couple of drops of lavender oil on a collar or bandana will help everyone relax. Do not put essential oils directly on the pet, especially cats, as it can be toxic.

Just like children, pets may have accidents or get sick after office hours.

Stay calm, head for the natural pet pantry and then call the family’s holistic veterinarian.

Sandra Murphy is a freelance writer in St. Louis, MO. Connect at StLSandyM@yahoo.com.

natural awakenings

December 2013

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NA Lowcountry Edition

Abigail McClam, LMBT 6411 232 A Ashley Ave, Charleston 843-724-9807 LotusCharleston.com LotusHealingCharleston@gmail.com Massage Therapist and owner of Lotus Healing Centre. Holistic Massage Specialties include chronic pain management, trauma release, athletic training maintenance and integrative wellness. Lotus is a collaboration of holistic health practitioners unified by their mission to inspire, empower and educate our community in mind, body and spirit.

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Foggy? Fighting addictions?

Bring your body back into alignment. With over 30 years of professional experience in health, nutrition, detoxification and recovery, I will advise you on the correct products, food and actions to feel your personal best!

Harbor City Real Estate Advisors, LLC 510 Live Oak Drive, Mt. Pleasant chris@harborcityadvisors.com 843-805-8011 A metaphysical approach to real estate. Attract a harmonious transaction through visualization, generation of a positive feeling tone, and alignment of your actions and dominant thoughts.

Residential and commercial services. See ad page 15.

LIFE COACH Life Strategies Coaching Aleka Thorvalson CLSC 843 870-7455 Alekasky.com

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY EARN WHILE SHARING WITH FRIENDS – Interested in learning about essential oils while sharing with friends? Host an Essential Oils Home Show! For more information call Dr. Karyn Meadows: 843-471-7743. Check out the products: www. youngliving.com.

HOLISTIC HEALTH “NAP TIME GIFT CARDS” – 10 Treatments for only $130 at Summerville Community Acupuncture, 127 S Main St, Summerville. Appointment or Walk-in. 810-1225, MyCarolinaMoon.com.

TRAINING GLOWING LOTUS YOGA & WELLNESS, LLC – 200-hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Training. Alternating weekends starting January 10, 2014. Very Affordable! Register by 12/16/13.

Call Lisa McQuade: 843-277-5879 Go to: Sites.google.com/site/glowinglotuswellnessllc/home.

BELL LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS

Lasting change and healing by focusing on the whole self. Release blocks, gain clarity, purpose, inspiration and m o t i va t i o n . I n d i v i d u a l s , C o u p l e s , a n d Fa m i l i e s .

Professionally Certified Holistic Life Strategies Coach.

1-800-333-7995 ext. #2294 www.BellLifestyle.com

Formulated natural health supplements intended for pain control, urinary health, preventive illness, virility, stress relief, weight control and other common conditions. See ad page 2

JESSICA L. RUEGER

843-270-7460 jessica@jessicarueger.com JessicaRueger.com Teaching students to become aware of themselves, accept themselves as they are, and offer tools that support change from where they are right now.

From student Marie, “I am grateful for you, Jessica: faithful teacher, full of heart, lover of souls, trustworthy confidant.”

NA Lowcountry Edition

Have a space to rent, an item for sale, or a job to fill? List it in our classifieds for only $.50/word per month. Wonderful people read our classifieds! Listing must be submitted by December 10 for January issue. Email ads@nalowcountry.com; fax 843-821-7405 or mail with payment to Natural Awakenings, P O Box 577, Ladson SC 29456.

VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS

ALOHA HEALING ARTS

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classifieds

Join the only holistic directory in the lowcountry.

Call 843-821-7404 or email ads@nalowcountry.com.

NALowcountry.com

Whether it’s the

best of times or the worst of times, it’s the only time we’ve got. ~Art Buchwald

calendarofevents

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7

Our Calendar is filled with classes, workshops and events that feed your mind/ body/spirit and promote a healthy lifestyle. All submissions for the January issue must be received no later than December 10. Basic listings are a maximum of 35 words, not including the day/date. Please email to: calendar@nalowcountry.com.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2

Try the BEMER – Drop in, anytime 2-5pm Lotus Healing Centre, 232 Ashley Ave, Charleston. Try the revolutionary device that improves so many health issues. FREE, RSVP/questions: Gerry@bemerme.com or 588-9286 (see ad page 13).

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3

Shiva Nataraja Qigong – 6-6:55pm (& 17th) Natsu Mura Karate & Kobudo, 125 S Main St, Summerville. Joyce Stech teaches this martial art for wellness of body, mind and spirit. $22/ month. Wear comfortable clothing. 870-4462, Resourcesunlimited1.com.

Karttikeyan Yogic Healing Method – 7-8pm (& 17th) Natsu Mura, 125 S Main St, Summerville.

Experience Healing Energy that allows exploration of inner self in safe and protected environment.

Bring mat/pillow for comfort. Donation. 870-4462 Resourcesunlimited1.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4

Eliminating Joint Pain Workshop – 6:30pm Colucci Chiropractic Summerville. Learn about the NEWEST Solution to eliminating Joint/Muscle Pain. Complimentary 1st treatment for attendees.

Space is limited, call today to reserve your spot: 875-5700.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5

Try the BEMER & Presentation – 6-7:15pm Lotus Healing Centre, 232 Ashley Ave, Charleston. Learn about and try the revolutionary device that improves many health issues. FREE, RSVP: Gerry@bemerme.com or 588-9286 (see ad page 13).

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6

Try the BEMER – Drop in, anytime 2-5pm Lotus Healing Centre, 232 Ashley Avenue, Charleston.

Try the revolutionary device that improves so many health issues. FREE, RSVP/questions: Gerry@bemerme.com or 588-9286 (see ad page 13).

One of the real joys of the Holiday Season is the opportunity to say thank you and wish you the very best for the new year.

Happy Holidays from all of us at

markyourcalendar Friday, Dec. 6 6-9pm

Your Life Is In Your Hands The Ancient Wisdom of Palmistry A series of classes about the Ancient Wisdom & Art of Palmistry with Shankarji, Certified Palmist, Instructor. There are so many aspects of palmistry, from business and relationships, to Astrology and more. Your life IS in your hands! $65/class.

Sat/Sun, Dec. 7/8 • 9am-6pm

Alchemical Breathwork

The Fountain of Youth Experience Alchemical Breathwork with Shankarji. Realign, Release and Expand your Awareness in this experiential transformational work— a powerful breathing modality to release emotions and energy from the body. Class counts towards future certification requirements. Wear comfortable clothes, bring mat/blanket. $395/both days. $225/day (either day, succession of days not necessary).

PRIVATE SESSIONS

available December 6 thru 10

with Shankarji (aka Keith N. Anderson), Founder/VP Global Strategic Business Development in San Francisco Bay Area.

His many metaphysical achievements include Siddha Yoga Intensives, Masters of Divinity and Masters of Metaphysics.

He is an Ordained Interfaith Minister and is a Certified in the following: Palmist, Reiki Master, Colon-Hydro Therapist, Rebirther, Hypnotherapist and Laughter Yoga Teacher. He is also founder of Alchemical Breathwork™.

Call today for registrations/appointment: 843-870-4462.

All classes/sessions meet at Natsu Mura Karate & Kobudo, 125 South Main St, Summerville.

Reiki I & II Classes – 9am-6pm Sat/Sun Usui/ Karuna Reiki Master, ICRT Certified Teacher Dianne Thomas, Summerville. Learn the art of healing with Reiki energy for yourself & others. CEs for Nurses/Massage Therapists. $350, 297-2468, ThePinkDolphin.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8

Shaman Heaven – 1-2.30pm Remembering The Oneness We are. Healing the misperception of our separation from God. Visit Chitheshaman.com click on Workshops, email Chi at gaachi@aol.com or call 270-3814 (see ad page 23).

Yoga Nidra Workshop – 4-5:30pm Yoga Loft, 410 N Gum St, Summerville. Join Facilitator Nicolle Morgan, RYT 500, to experience this stress reducing solution. All levels of yoga/meditation experience welcome. Info: Yogaloftsummerville.com. Preregistration required: 509-3370.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 9

Try the BEMER – Drop in, anytime 2-5pm Lotus Healing Centre, 232 Ashley Avenue, Charleston.

Try the revolutionary device that improves so many health issues. FREE, RSVP/questions: Gerry@bemerme.com or 588-9286 (see ad page 13).

Peaceful Parenting Coaching Group – 7-8:30pm Do you feel angry and frustrated a lot with your kids? There is another way through communication & connection. Enjoy Parenting!

Facilitator: Family Life Coach Tracy Liebmann.

Transformingfamily.com/events or 343-8956.

markyourcalendar Playing With Energy Night – Holiday Exchange Party!!!

Tuesday, December 10 6:30-8pm

Special Playing With Energy Night - everyone brings a wrapped gift that they “feel” “know” or “sense” is for someone that will be there that night. Use your Intuitive Senses! Come Celebrate this special evening of exchange and sharing, healing, learning and developing our talents. First timers welcome and encouraged to come play. Always an interesting evening.

Christmas Download! $donation Natsu Mura Karate & Kobudo, 125 S Main St, Summerville 843-870-4462 Resourcesunlimited1.com

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15

Shaman Freeing – 1-2.30pm Uncovering and releasing our Societal Roles. Stepping from our limiting beliefs to experiencing freedom. Visit Chitheshaman.com click on Workshops, email Chi at gaachi@aol.com or call 270-3814 (see ad page 23).

MONDAY, DECEMBER 30

Peaceful Parenting Coaching Group – 7-8:30pm Do you feel angry and frustrated a lot with your kids? There is another way through communication & connection. Enjoy Parenting!

Facilitator: Family Life Coach Tracy Liebmann.

Transformingfamily.com/events or 343-8956.

natural awakenings

December 2013

29

plan ahead GLOWING LOTUS YOGA & WELLNESS, LLC – 200-hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Training. Alternating weekends starting January 10, 2014. Very Affordable! Register by 12/16/13.

Call Lisa McQuade: 843-277-5879 Go to: Sites.google.com/site/glowinglotuswellnessllc/home.

ongoing events

Creative Movement (ages 3-4) – 10-10:45am Ballet Academy of Charleston, 1579 Savannah Hwy, W Ashley. $45/4 classes, $80/8 classes, Ballet-academy.org, 769-6932.

Karate Classes – 6-7pm (White & Purple belts); 7-8pm (Blue & Green belts) Natsu Mura Karate & Kobudo, 125 S Main St, Summerville. 875-4543 or 870-4462, Natsumura.com.

Qigong – 10am 6-week Course for Breast Health ($100); 7pm 6-week Course for Weight Loss ($199) 1209H Sam Rittenberg Blvd, W Ashley.

With Harriett Grady, MA, MSW, LISW. Information: visit Consciousnessofenergy.com, email Mysticlady2@comcast.net or call 814-0101.

Guided Meditation in Mount Pleasant – 7pm (5th & 12th) with Sylvia Barnhill at the Center for Holistic Health, 1470 Ben Sawyer Blvd, Suite 7. For questions, call Sylvia at 843-224-7377.

Charleston PFLAG Meeting – 7-8:30pm (2nd Tuesdays) Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St (Lower Lance Hall behind church).

Support and discussion group for Parents, Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays. 619-7354 or PFLAGCharleston@gmail.com.

The Reiki Connection – 7pm Unity Church, 2535 Leeds Ave. All welcome for guided meditation followed by mini Reiki sessions by certified practitioners. Love offering. (1st Tues for practitioners only) Chrys Franks, Reiki Master/Teacher, 364-5725.

monday

wednesday

Gentle Yoga – 9-10am; Pilates Mat - 10:1511:30am; Yin Yoga – noon-1pm; Beginner’s Yoga – 5:30-6:45pm; Energy Flow (Yoga fusion with pilates & zumba moves) – 7-8:15pm. Yoga Loft, 410 N Gum St, Summerville. Yogaloftsummerville.com, 509-3370.

Warm Flow Yoga – 9-10:15am; Level I Yoga – 121:15pm; Gentle Yoga –5:30-6:30pm. Yoga Loft, 410 N Gum St, Summerville. For full schedule, check online: Yogaloftsummerville.com, 509-3370.

Mommy & Me Ballet Classes – 10-10:45am (ages newborn-2yrs) Ballet Academy of Charleston, 1579 Savannah Hwy Ste B, W Ashley. $45/4 classes or $80/8 classes. Ballet-academy.org, 769-6932.

Nia – 4-5pm Hanahan Senior Center, 3102 Mabeline Rd (near Trident Tech off Rivers Ave). Lively movement class, energetic, embraces The Body’s Way/Nia Way. With Ashima Kahrs, Nia Blue Belt Instructor, 813-2834.

Free Hydration Clinic – 6-7pm (1st Monday) Dr. Marianne Rosen, 776 Daniel Ellis Dr Ste 1A, James Island (right side before entrance to Lowes). Learn how to change your life for the best. 723-6529.

Karate Classes – 6-7pm (White, Purple & Blue belts); 7-8:15pm (Green/Brown/Black belts).

Natsu Mura Karate & Kobudo, 125 S Main St, Summerville. 875-4543 or 870-4462, Natsumura.com.

Bible Study Class – 6pm Rhett Avenue Christian Church (DOC) meets at 1619 Remount Rd, N Charleston, 747-2464.

Adult Beginner Ballet Classes – 7-8:15pm Ballet Academy of Charleston, 1579 Savannah Hwy Ste B, W Ashley. Ballet is the best training for flexibility, strength and posture. $18/class, $75/5-class card.

Ballet-academy.org, 769-6932.

tuesday Power Flow Yoga – 9-10:15am; Level I/II Yoga – 6-7:15pm Yoga Loft, 410 N Gum St, Summerville. For full schedule, check online: Yogaloftsummerville.com, 509-3370.

Take Control of Your Health – 9am-2pm Dr. Karyn Meadows, North Charleston. Tired of medicine?

Need options to manage your health or de-tox naturally? Mention Natural Awakenings for $15 discount on consultation (regularly $50). Call 553-9700.

30

NA Lowcountry Edition

Qigong – 10am 6-week course for Weight Loss ($199); 7pm 6-week course for Breast Health ($100) 1209H Sam Rittenberg Blvd, W Ashley.

With Harriett Grady, MA, MSW, LISW. Information: visit Consciousnessofenergy.com, email Mysticlady2@comcast.net or call 814-0101.

Kids Yoga – 4pm (ages 3-12) Play Garden, 320 West Coleman Blvd, Mt Pleasant. A fun way to relax after school at the drop in eco-friendly play space! Make creative play part of your day. KidsPlayGarden.com.

Karate Classes – 6-7:30pm (Brown & Black belts) Natsu Mura Karate & Kobudo, 125 S Main St, Summerville. 875-4543 or 870-4462, Natsumura.com.

thursday Level I/II Yoga – 9-10:15am: Pilates Mat 10:30-11:30am; Beginner’s Yoga – 5:30-6:45pm; Warm Flow Yoga – 7:15-8:15pm Yoga Loft, 410 N Gum St, Summerville. For full schedule: Yogaloftsummerville.com, 509-3370.

Take Control of Your Health – 9am-2pm Dr. Karyn Meadows, North Charleston. Tired of medicine?

Need options to manage your health or de-tox naturally? Mention Natural Awakenings for $15 discount on consultation (regularly $50). Call 553-9700.

Qigong – 10am 6-week course for Breast Health ($100); 7pm 6-week course for Weight Loss ($199) 1209H Sam Rittenberg Blvd, W Ashley.

With Harriett Grady, MA, MSW, LISW. Info/ RSVP: visit Consciousnessofenergy.com, email Mysticlady2@comcast.net or call 814-0101.

Creative Movement (ages 3-4) – 4-4:45pm Ballet Academy of Charleston, 1579 Savannah Hwy, W Ashley. $45/4 classes, $80/8 classes, Ballet-academy.org, 769-6932.

3rd Thursday in Summerville – 5-8pm (3rd Thursday of month) Shops and restaurants open late and with special promotions and live entertainment.

Visit Simple to Sublime at 120 Short Central Ave, Simplesublime.com.

NALowcountry.com

Hypnosis Lecture – 7pm (1st Thursday only) AutoGenesis Hypnosis Center & School of SelfHypnosis, 325 Folly Rd Ste H, James Island. Learn how Hypnosis & Self-Hypnosis can benefit you.

FREE but reservation required please: 442-6847.

friday Yin/Yang Yoga – 9-10:30am; Power Flow Yoga – 6-7:15pm. Yoga Loft, 410 N Gum St, Summerville. For full schedule, check online: Yogaloftsummerville.com, 509-3370.

Nia – 11am-noon Hanahan Senior Center, 3102 Mabeline Rd (near Trident Tech). Lively movement class, energetic, embraces The Body’s Way/Nia Way. With Ashima Kahrs, Nia Blue Belt Instructor, 813-2834.

saturday All Levels Yoga – 9-10:15am Yoga Loft, 410 N Gum St, Summerville. For full schedule, check online: Yogaloftsummerville.com, 509-3370.

Karate Classes – 9:30-11am (Brown & Black belts); 11am-noon (White/Purple/Blue/Green belts) Natsu Mura Karate & Kobudo, 125 S Main Street, Summerville. 875-4543 or 870-4462, Natsumura.com.

Creative Movement (ages 3-4) – 1-1:45pm & 2-2:45pm Ballet Academy of Charleston, 1579 Savannah Hwy, W Ashley. $45/4 classes, $80/8 classes, Ballet-academy.org, 769-6932.

sunday Unity Church of Charleston Worship Services – 9:30 & 11:15am 2535 Leeds Ave, N Charleston.

Are you more spiritual than religious? So are we!

Do you believe in many paths to God? Then join us. Unitychs.org, 566-0600.

Unity Church of Mt Pleasant – 10am (starting on 9/15) Meets at Somerby Room at Somerby Retirement Community, 3100 Tradition Circle. For info, contact Rev Janet Herron at 364-4923 or email: revjanetherron@gmail.com.

Rhett Avenue Christian Church (DOC) – 1010:45am Spirituality Discussion Group Topics vary. Worship Service – 11am During renovations, meeting in the Olde Village Community Building, 4820 Jenkins Ave, N Charleston, 747-2464.

U R WELCOME HERE! All Levels Yoga – 4-5:15pm Yoga Loft, 410 N Gum St, Summerville. Check online for up to date schedule: Yogaloftsummerville.com, 509-3370.

A DV E RTO R I A L

Natural Iodine Supplementation W

A Must for Most Americans

e all need iodine, yet most of us don’t get enough of it through our diet. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that iodine deficiency in the developed world has increased fourfold in the past 40 years and now affects nearly three-quarters of all adults.

Numerous U.S. practicing physicians quoted widely in the media estimate that the incidence of hypothyroidism in our adult population may be between 30 and 70 percent.

Thus, we can’t efficiently produce the thyroid hormones that serve as chemical messengers triggering nearly every bodily function. The presence or absence of iodine affects our every cell.

Natural Awakenings Detoxifed Iodine is 100 percent natural, raw iodine in an ethyl alcohol solution. We thank all those that are benefiting from this product and enthusiastically telling us their great results.  Available only at NAWebstore.com  My wife, who suffered from extreme fatigue and other symptoms, saw a dramatic increase in energy after just a few days of taking the natural iodine drops. Now if she misses a day, she’ll end up falling asleep in the middle of the afternoon, like she used to do before taking the iodine. It works! ~ Aaron My doctor told me that I had a hypothyroid condition, prescribed medication and was happy with the follow-up test results, yet I noticed no positive effects on my overall wellbeing. Within two weeks of using the Natural Awakenings Detoxified Iodine, I had more energy, felt more awake and enjoyed clearer thinking and greater peace of mind. People even comment that I look younger. I am a fan! ~ Larry

Be Aware of Hypothyroidism Symptoms Low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism, is the most recognized and obvious indicator of low iodine intake because the thyroid gland contains more concentrated iodine than other organs.

Symptoms can range from extreme fatigue and weight gain to depression, carpal tunnel syndrome, high blood pressure, fibrocystic breasts and a variety of skin and hair problems.

Hypothyroidism can further cause infertility, joint pain, heart disease and stroke. Low iodine levels also have been associated with breast and thyroid cancers. In children, insufficient iodine has been strongly linked with mental retardation,

deafness, attention deficient and hyperactivity disorder and impaired growth, according to studies by Boston University, China’s Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and France’s National Academy of Medicine.

The answer is simple: Taking the right kind of iodine in the right dosage can rebalance thyroid function and restore health to the thyroid and the whole body.

Reasons Behind Iodine Deficiency Radiation: Almost everyone is routinely exposed to iodine-depleting radiation emitted by cell phones, Wi-Fi, microwave ovens and other electronic devices.

Iodized table salt: The human body cannot utilize the iodine added to this product.

Low-sodium diets: Failure to use healthy salts to fulfill sodium requirements, plus over-

use of zero-nutrient table salt in foods, leads to iodine depletion.

Bromine: This toxic chemical overrides iodine’s abilities to nourish the thyroid, adrenal and other hormone-producing glands.

A known carcinogen, it is used as an anticaking ingredient found in almost all baked goods, unless the ingredients specifically cite unbromated flour.

Iodine-depleted soils: Due to poor farming techniques, iodine and other minerals in soil have declined, so most foods today are devoid of naturally occurring iodine.

Proper iodine supplementation with a high-quality product like Natural Awakenings Detoxified Iodine can prevent harm by protecting the thyroid and other endocrine glands and restoring proper hormone production.

A Few Drops Can Change Your Life!

You could feel better, lose weight or increase energy and mental clarity with a few drops of Natural Awakenings DETOXIFIED IODINE daily in water or on your skin when used as directed.

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Order Online Today at

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FREE trial size of Dr Emu’s STOPS PAIN PLUS included with each order of Detoxified Iodine to share with a friend or family member. Also buy new Natural Awakenings DermaClear and get two trial sizes, a $13 value.

• SPECIAL SHIPPING - $5 for up to 8 bottles •

This Season, Shop Natural Awakenings’ Online Webstore for More Special, Green and Natural Products

*to receive 10% off Detoxified Iodine, use coupon code SAVE10 - offer ends 12/31/2013

0

ACID

SICKNESS

0

Neutral 7

Normal pH

ALKALINE

HEALTH

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