Natural Awakenings Washington DC November 2015

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feel good • live simply • laugh more

Natural Facial Essentials Few Skincare Product Labels Tell the Whole Story

TRUE WEALTH Living a Life You Love is Real Affluence

Eating For the

SEASON Choose Food Using Traditional Chinese Medicine

What’s Your Child’s EQ?

Six Ways to Raise Emotional Intelligence

November 2015 | Washington, D.C. Edition | NaturalAwakeningsDC.com natural awakenings

November 2015

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Your Path to Healing Starts Here a n i n t e g r at i v e a p p r o a c h t o yo u r h e a lt h GeorGe WashinGton Center for inteGrative MediCine offers you a unique health care program principled in science and tradition where the patient is treated as a whole person and respected as an individual. With your visit to the Center, a highly-trained practitioner—licensed, certified and credentialed in his or her specialty—will develop with you a care plan tailored to fit your needs and honors your personal healing process. natural & inteGrative health ChoiCes W e prov i de C a r e f o r …

diabetes Holistic geriatric care with minimal use of medications Health coaching to overcome chronic difficulties

Cancer parkinson’s disease Thyroid problems High blood pressure and high cholesterol Women’s medical issues Chronic pain syndromes Holistic psychiatry

Medicine-free cholesterol management detoxification Healthy aging and healthy weight loss plus many other innovative therapies

this Month’s featured providers ilana seidel, Md – integrative Medicine physician

GraCe oGden – Mindfulness for Stress reduction

Julie Wendt –health and nutritional coaching

Special oFFer

for NaTUraL aWaKeNiNGS readers

Call for details on how our personalized healing programs can fit into your budget.

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CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

TOGETHER WE CARE, HEAL, EDUCATE 908 New Hampshire Avenue Suite 200 Washington DC 20037 202-833-5055

What others are sayinG about GeorGe WashinGton Center for inteGrative MediCine: “People who work here are compassionate. I feel like I am part of a big family. Very different from other doctors’ offices. Here you have a chance to spend time and talk through the issues.” – S.A. “Extremely impressed with the conversation that I had during my initial consultation. It is the holistic approach I have been searching for some time.” – B.L.

www.gWciM.com 2

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夀漀甀ᤠ氀氀 猀氀攀攀瀀 椀渀 挀漀洀昀漀爀琀 漀渀 愀 匀愀瘀瘀礀 刀攀猀琀ᐠ眀椀琀栀漀甀琀 眀漀爀爀礀 愀戀漀甀琀 戀爀攀愀琀栀椀渀最 椀渀 眀栀愀琀攀瘀攀爀 礀漀甀爀 洀愀琀琀爀攀猀猀 椀猀 戀爀攀愀琀栀椀渀最 漀甀琀⸀ 圀栀攀琀栀攀爀 圀栀攀琀栀攀爀 礀漀甀 渀攀攀搀 愀 猀甀瀀攀爀ⴀ猀漀昀琀 琀漀瀀 漀爀 攀砀琀爀愀ⴀⴀ爀洀 猀甀瀀瀀漀爀琀Ⰰ 礀漀甀爀 匀愀瘀瘀礀 刀攀猀琀 漀爀最愀渀椀挀 洀愀琀琀爀攀猀猀 眀椀氀氀 戀攀 洀愀搀攀 樀甀猀琀 昀漀爀 礀漀甀⸀

嘀椀猀椀琀 甀猀 愀渀搀 猀攀攀 眀栀礀 攀瘀攀爀礀漀渀攀 椀猀 猀眀椀琀挀栀椀渀最 琀漀 渀愀琀甀爀愀氀 氀愀琀攀砀 匀刀一䈀⸀挀漀洀

The conversation is changing... Are you listening?

Saturday October 24th, 2015 9:00 �� - 4:00 ��

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Georgetown University (Main Campus) Edward B. Bunn Auditorium

The conference lasts a day, the benefits a lifetime

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Washington, D.C.

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嘀椀攀渀渀愀Ⰰ 嘀䄀 ⠀㜀 ㌀⤀ ㈀㔀㔀ⴀ㜀 㐀

㄀㈀㈀㐀㈀ 刀漀挀欀瘀椀氀氀攀 倀椀欀攀

刀漀挀欀瘀椀氀氀攀Ⰰ 䴀䐀 ⠀㌀ ㄀⤀ 㜀㜀 ⴀ㜀 㐀

Plan to attend this amazing day of learning. Discover the simple changes that will help you take charge of your physical, mental and emotional well-being.

• Develop ways to handle stress • Improve your brain health and gut health • Learn about new cancer detection • Be more present in your life • Meet a fabulous network of health-conscious conference attendees Get inspired by world renowned health experts and discover your personal road map to the healthiest, happiest you.

Register at bit.ly/aohc2015 or call 202-549-0040 www.achievingoptimalhealthconference.com

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letterfrompublisher Dear friends, contact us Publisher, Editor in Chief Robin Fillmore Contributing Editors Jessica Bradshaw Randy Kambic Grace Ogden Design & Production Irene Sankey Marketing Director Beverly Nickerson Sales Director Malika Hook Muhammad Outreach Director Samantha Hudgins Editorial Intern Tisha Claudia Lim Natural Awakenings of Washington, D.C. Phone: 202-505-4835 Fax: 202-827-7955 4938 Hampden Lane Bethesda, MD 20814 Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com NaturalAwakeningsDC.com ©2015 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.

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.

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Natural Awakenings practices environmental sustainability by using post-consumer recycled paper and soy-based ink on uncoated stock, avoiding the toxic chemicals and huge energy costs of producing shiny, coated paper that is harder to recycle.

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Over the summer, I got to see in concert, one of my favorite bands, the Bare Naked Ladies. The concert was fabulous and they played many favorites as well as introduced a few songs from their new album. Anyone who listens to them knows full well that the band is just plain fun. They inspire joy and have great choruses that practically beg you to sing along—which I do, robustly. My son, Aaron, first introduced me the band when he was in middle school, many years ago. The song was, “If I Had a Million Dollars,” and it still makes me smile every time I hear about fancy “Dijon Ketchup”.

After singing about all the interesting things you could buy if you had a million dollars (a K car, a tree fort, an ottoman and of course, a monkey), the band sings, “If I had a million dollars... I’d be rich.” I think they capture a sentiment to which most Americans subscribe—that money makes one rich and a million dollars is certainly a good start toward that goal. But what does it really take for us to be rich? What, in essence, is the source of our true wealth?

This is the theme we explore this month—looking at alternative visions of wealth and discovering how to find richness in our lives. There is a growing genre of self-help books on the shelves that provide counsel on how to pare down possessions and redefine the elements that occupy our space. Some of the authors come from different realms, like Suze Orman and Arianna Huffington. They have something important to say about the ways we can create new relationships to the things that we own and where we can look to find true wealth—such as in our personal connections, within our communities and with our time.

I just started reading the New York Times bestseller, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, written by Marie Kondo.

She encourages her readers to change their lives as they declutter and sort books, clothes, paper, with her KonMari Method. In the paring down, the point is to find the items that spark joy in the owner’s life. There is so much more to decluttering the junk that surrounds us. My college textbooks no longer have value to me and do not make me a “wealthy” person, so it is time that they go—along with so many other books that sit on my shelves.

As I ponder the winnowing process that will inevitably come from this reading, I am challenging myself to approach the task with a profound sense of gratitude. This is, after all, the month when we come together to offer thanks for all that we have.

This yearly exercise is important, but the research on gratitude shows that it is so vital to our personal happiness and general well-being­—to approach each day with a heart full of thankfulness.

Shawn Achor’s TED talk, The Happy Secret to Better Work, has been viewed nearly 12 million times, and for good reason. At Harvard, Achor did extensive research on what makes individuals happy and found that “It is not necessarily the reality that shapes the world but the lens through which your brain views the world that shapes your reality.” If every day is seen as a gift, then we should be saying “thank you” a lot more.

So, thank you, dear readers, for joining me on this journey to health, happiness and well-being. I am grateful for all the notes and calls of support that you give the magazine, our writers and advertisers and feel blessed that you rely on us each month. Happy Thanksgiving!

Warmly, Robin Fillmore, Publisher

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

contents 8 newsbriefs 1 1 healthbriefs 16 globalbriefs 18 ecotip 18 actionalert 19 wisewords 16 24 healthycooking 26 consciouseating 30 community

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spotlight 35 business

spotlight 18 37 inspiration 38 naturalpet 42 calendar 47 resourceguide

advertising & submissions

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.

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20 TRUE WEALTH

Living a Life We Love is Real Affluence

by Judith Fertig

22 BURNOUT OR

ADRENAL FATIGUE Is It Making You Overweight and Tired?

by Dr. Sushma Hirani

23 WHAT’S YOUR

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CHILD’S EQ?

Six Ways to Raise Emotional Intelligence

by Teal Swani

28 NATURAL FACIAL ESSENTIALS

Few Skincare Product Labels Tell the Whole Story

by Linda Sechrist

HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 202-505-4835 or email Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com.

Deadline for ads: the 15th of the month.

32 IT’S ALL IN

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com. Deadline for editorial, news briefs and health briefs are due by the 10th.

34 BARRE YOUR WAY

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit Calendar Events online: NaturalAwakeningsDC.com within the advertising section.

Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month.

by Lynda Bassett

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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YOUR GUT

Protecting Your Microbiome

by Dr. Isabel Sharkar

TO BETTER FITNESS

Ballet-Inspired Workouts Create Long and Lean Muscles

36 DANGERS IN THE COSMETIC BAG

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Choose Safe and Healthy Natural Beauty Aids

by Kathleen Barnes

38 CHOOSING THE PERFECT PET Not Just Any Dog or Cat Will Do

by Sandra Murphy

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November 2015

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Want to Improve Your Child's Report Card?

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newsbriefs National Kids Yoga Conference Returns to D.C.

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cross the country, incredible work is being done to bring the health benefits of yoga, mindfulness and meditation into many communities. Kids and teens are learning how to de-stress, focus their minds and develop greater self-awareness.

Educators, mental health professionals, parents and yoga teachers are seeing the benefits of social emotional learning, physical movement and wellness programs taught at all ages. The National Kids Yoga Conference unifies this work through an inspiring, collaborative, professional conference, that will propel the movement forward and deepen the impact. This conference will take place at George Washington University from November 13 to 15.

The event was founded by Michelle Kelsey Mitchell, of YoKid and Pleasance Silicki, of lil omm yoga. They note, “As yoga teachers, moms and community leaders we feel passionate about creating a conference so this remarkable community can come together in a professional learning environment. We have watched the practice of yoga transform our own lives, our families and the students we serve.

Inspired by transformation and the need to bring together like-minded teachers, leaders and visionaries in the kids yoga world for collaboration and connection, the National Kids Yoga Conference was born.”

Many well-known local yoga teachers as well as nationally recognized children’s yoga experts will provide classes and workshops during the three-day event. There will opportunities for yoga practice, networking and breakout sessions in different tracks for teens and adults. The tracks for adults will focus on the business of yoga, school yoga, yoga tools and yoga research.

Location: George Washington University School of Public Health, 950 New Hampshire Ave., NW. For more information, visit ConferenceYoKid.org. See ad, page 31.

• Energy Healing Therapies • Specialized testing to identify hormone, metabolic, digestive, nutritional and food sensitivity issues

He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature.

WELLNESS CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

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~Socrates

Questions About Statins

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ore and more people are being prescribed statins to lower their cholesterol, but do they really work?

Dr. Allan R. Tomson and Frank Demeis will discuss the benefits and concerns of statins in a talk titled: “Statins, Do They Really Work and What Are the Alternatives?”

The event will be held at Neck, Back and Beyond at 7 p.m. on November 10 in Fairfax.

According to MayoClinic.org, statins work by blocking a substance the body needs to make cholesterol and may also help the ; body reabsorb cholesterol that has built up in plaques on artery walls, preventing further blockage in blood vessels and heart attacks.

These medications are more commonly known as atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Altoprev), pitavastatin (Livalo), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor). But even the MayoClinic notes that “doctors are far from knowing everything about statins” even though they are the second-most prescribed medication in the United States, according to WebMD.com.

To learn more about cholesterol-lowering drugs and to find out if there are safer alternatives, join the conversation. There will also be a question-and-answer period with the presenters after the program.

Location: Mosby Building, 10560 Main St., Ste. 204, Fairfax, VA. For more information, call 703-865-5690 or email NeckBackandBeyond@gmail.com. See ad, page 29.

VICTORY! Montgomery County Healthy Lawns Bill Passes

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Meal and a Movie

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ood & Water Watch and Sister Eden Media are teaming together to present the documentary Cock Fight: Meet the Farmer Blowing the Whistle on Big Chicken. It will be shown at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring at 7 p.m. on November 8. A discussion with the farmer featured in the movie will follow. The movie screening is free, but doors will open at 6:15 p.m. for those guests who want to enjoy a vegfriendly meal from D.C.-based eco-caterer Zenful Bites. .

Cock Fight is a 43-minute documentary about how Craig Watts, a North Carolina poultry farmer for Perdue for 22 years, blew the whistle on their unfair treatment of farmers and the poor conditions chickens endure.

It also discloses the abusive contracts farmers often find themselves in with poultry corporations. According to a 2011 study by Pew Research, 71 percent of U.S. farmers who only grow chickens live at or below the poverty line.

The screening will also raise awareness about a new bill being introduced to the Maryland state legislature called the Farmers’ Rights Act, a worker-rights bill for farmers that gives them whistleblower protections, the ability to associate and speak about their working conditions, the right to readable and clear contracts, and many other basic worker protections.

Cost: The early bird price of $10 per person is available until November 3 and includes the price of the meal. Location: 10309 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring.

For tickets and more information, visit SisterEden.com.

ast month, the Montgomery County council passed an amended version of Council President George Leventhal’s original protective bill to restrict the nonessential use of toxic lawn pesticides.

This makes Montgomery County the first county and largest jurisdiction in the nation to pass such restrictions on countyowned and private property.

Leventhal states, “Property owners have a right to maintain their own property, but they do not have a right to inflict harm upon their neighbors. Residents will still be free to hire any lawn care professional to treat their lawn or to manage their own lawn care, but they can do so now with the confidence that their family will be better protected.”

Despite opposition against the bill claiming that landscape jobs may be lost if passed, the groups supporting the bill note that this transition to safe lawn care practices will actually protect those in the landscape industry as the products they use each day will no longer contain harmful pesticides. Many of the lawn care companies are already equipped to offer these safer services.

To read more about the Safe Lawns Bill, visit SafeGrowMontgomery.org.

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newsbriefs

Chico’s Pet Depot to Offer One-Day Clinic

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Wondering How to Celebrate the Holidays on a Raw Food Diet?

S

taying focused on raw food during the holidays can be challenging. Thanksgiving is this month and to many, it signals the start of the holiday season. It is the time of year that many tend to throw their healthy eating habits to the wind and declare a ban on broccoli. Holidays mean food, but that doesn’t mean you have to completely abandon the progress you have been making toward healthy eating and incorporating raw food into your diet. Join Luzy Perez from 3 to 6 p.m. on November 14 in Fairfax for a hands-on demonstration in preparing healthy raw food for the holidays.

Five dishes will be prepared and shared for tasting including “turkey” and carrot and ginger soup. Plus, there will be handouts with the recipes to take home.

Eating a raw food diet around the holiday season is a sure fire way to set yourself apart from the group. Part of the raw vegan lifestyle is having to face a lot of questions. Input on your choices and anything out of the norm is going to seem even more so at this time of year, so take this time to learn. Prepare yourself to celebrate with food that’s interesting and tasty, with complex flavors and textures and unexpected ingredients and plated with flair.

Come hungry to this fun and tasty learning experience.

Cost: $60/$90 for a couple. Location: Fairfax (will be provided after registration). For more information, call 571-471-2891. See ad, page 15.

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Washington, D.C.

ach pet’s health and well-being is a priority to the team at Chico’s Pet Depot and they do all they can to keep pet owners informed and provide their furry friends the resources to help improve their pet’s life. Chicos, located in Falls Church, will be offering a one-day clinic on November 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a guest veterinarian, who will be providing a number of affordable services and a 20-minute preventive consultation.

On the day of the clinic, the staff will ask some basis questions and discuss the pet’s history and lifestyle. Every pet is different, and it is important to determine the best package of preventative products and services for each pet.

If a follow-up at the vet’s office is recommended, Chico’s team will keep the paperwork and pet info, so all the owner needs to do is call to set up a discounted appointment and verify the information.

Services to be provided at the clinic include providing the rabies vaccine, flea and tick products, microchipping and deworming alternatives. As rabies inoculation is required by state law, the vet will be careful to administer a dose appropriate to the size of the animal. Talk to any of the Chico staff members after the consultation, and they will be able to provide you with a homeopathic rabies vaccine detox that is able to neutralize the vaccine side effects and minimizes problems stemming from vaccination.

Chico’s Pet Day Care, in the future, will provide many additional services such as acupuncture, Reiki and a more comprehensive program. So many of the diseases are preventable simply with a better and healthier nutrition.

Location: 6349 A Columbia Pike, Falls Church. For more information, prices or to set up a clinic appointment, call 703-750-6675 or visit ChicosPetDepot.com. See ad, page 12.

Save the Date: HealthFest 2016

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or the past few years, area medical students have been working with a team of local integrative doctors to present Integrative Health Day on January 23. This year, the event has been renamed International Integrative Health Day to reflect the growing participation of integrative medicine throughout the world and will be celebrated in Washington, D.C. is a big way as HealthFest 2016. This free, community event is still in the planning stages but will be held at Unity of Washington D.C. Natural Awakenings will also be one of the planners for this year’s event.

Integrative Medicine is the practice of medicine that reaffirms the importance of the relationship between practitioner and patient, focuses on the whole person, is informed by evidence and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, healthcare professionals and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing. The purpose of this event is to inspire dialog, education, collaboration, research initiatives and programming about medicine and health that is patient-centered, holistic, economically and environmentally sustainable, and conscious of integrating different global medical systems.

There will be classes and workshops, cooking demos, yoga and fitness classes—all designed to bring information about good health to the community. Check upcoming issues for more information about the event.

For those interested in partnering or sponsoring the event, contact Robin Fillmore at Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com. See ad, page 11.

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

healthbriefs

Managing Chronic Pain With Mind-Body Therapies

by Gary Kaplan, DO

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f you have chronic pain, there is now a reason to add a regular yoga or mindfulness practice to your daily routine.

Chronic pain causes inflammation in the brain and can lead to a loss of gray matter. The areas of the brain that control self-awareness, emotions, memory and learning can all suffer when prolonged pain is present. Given new understanding of how the brain can regenerate, it is now known that this process can be reversed. Research shows that mind-body techniques such as meditation and yoga have proven to be beneficial in calming the inflammatory process caused by pain, which helps repair the brain.

A 2014 study published in Cerebral Cortex found that “regular and long-term yoga practice improves pain tolerance by teaching different ways to deal with sensory inputs and the potential emotional reactions attached to those inputs leading to a change in insular brain anatomy and connectivity.”

The study confirms what has been seen in patients for many years, and meditation and yoga therapy continue to be an integral part of effective treatment plans. While meditation and yoga therapy may not be the entire solution, there is enough evidence to show that these therapies, when part of an individual’s comprehensive treatment plan, will help to alleviate pain and depression, and leave one with a greater sense of well-being.

Dr. Gary Kaplan is the founder and medical director of the Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine, which offers patients suffering with chronic pain and illness an effective model of medical care, incorporating elements of conventional and alternative medicine. For more information about yoga therapy, contact Laura Parris, MTS, at 703-532-4892 or KaplanClinic.com. See ad, page 5.

Save the Date!

And plan to attend this free community event!

January 23, 2016

Unity of Washington, D.C. Health screenings Healthy Cooking Demos Children’s Activities Local Practitioners And much more

INFO: NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

Wealth is the ability to fully experience life. ~Henry David Thoreau

DO N’ T JUST COV ER UP T H E S YMPTOMS Take a holistic approach to better health We utilize passive neurofeedback which has shown significant clinical results with • ADD/ADHD • PTSD • Stress • Anxiety/Depression • Post-Concussion Syndrome

Functional medicine, nutrition and lab testing: • Type II Diabetes • Thyroid Conditions • Fibromyalgia • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome • Sleep Disorders • Peripheral Neuropathy • Chronic Pain Management We also provide acupuncture, cold laser and chiropractic for complete holistic care in a one-stop natural health facility.

Craig D. Sanford, DC FIAMA, FMCP American Association Of Integrative Medicine

NOVAAlternativeMed.com

CALL FOR YOUR CONSULTATION 703-821-1013 1485 Chain Bridge Rd, Ste. 100, McLean, VA

NOVA Center for Alternative Medicine natural awakenings

November 2015

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healthbriefs

Having Gratitude Yields More Happiness than Having Things

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wo studies from Baylor University have confirmed that materialism can lead to feeling less satisfied with life, while a sense of gratitude reverses some of the negative effects of the pursuit of things.

The research, led by Professor James Roberts, Ph.D., included questionnaires sent to 246 marketing students from another university, focusing on happiness and satisfaction with a 15-minute survey that included a 15-point materialism scale. The study found that individuals that focused on achieving material goals were less satisfied with their lives, less happy and had lower self-esteem. Meanwhile, the study found that grateful students found more meaning in their lives and felt a greater sense of satisfaction.

“Individuals high in gratitude showed less of a relationship between materialism and its negative affect. Additionally, individuals high in materialism showed decreased life satisfaction when either gratitude or positive affect was low,” note the researchers.

Animal Friends Soothe Autistic Children

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ccording to the Centers for Disease Control, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) now affects about 1 in every 68 children in the U.S., up from 1 in 150 in 2000. This includes 1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls.

Contact with animals may help ameliorate this troubling trend. A recent study of 114 children between 5 and 12 years old has found that autistic children having greater contact with animals have less anxiety related to social situations.

The research was led by Marguerite O’Haire, Ph.D., from the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at the College of Veterinary Medicine of Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana. Colleagues from the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland, in Brisbane, Australia, also participated in the study.

The researchers divided the 114 children into 38 groups of three. Each group had one ASD child and two children without ASD. Skin conductance, which provides an objective way for researchers to gauge social anxiety, was measured among the children as they read silently and aloud. As expected, skin conductance was significantly higher among the ASD children as they read aloud in front of their peers. In successive sessions, when researchers introduced pet guinea pigs for the children to pet prior to their readings, the ASD children’s skin conductance levels dropped significantly.

“Previous studies suggest that in the presence of companion animals, children with autism spectrum disorders function better socially,” says James Griffin, Ph.D., of the Child Development and Behavior Branch of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. “This study provides physiological evidence that the proximity of animals eases the stress that children with autism may experience in social situations.”

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Washington, D.C.

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

Formaldehyde Found in GMO Soybeans

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esearchers from the International Center for Integrative Systems, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have determined that genetically modified (GM/GMO) soybean plants accumulate the carcinogen formaldehyde.

The researchers utilized a scientific method called CytoSolve to analyze 6,497 diverse laboratory studies conducted by 184 scientific institutions in 23 countries worldwide. The study data showed that GMO soybeans significantly accumulate formaldehyde, a class-one carcinogen.

The research also found that genetic modification forces a depletion of glutathione among the plants, which weakens their immune system. This contrasts with the proposals put forth by the GM industry that GMO soybean plants are stronger, allowing them to endure environmental hardships better than nonGMO soybean plants.

The research was led by V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai, Ph.D., a biologist trained at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and published in the peer-reviewed journal Agricultural Sciences. “The results demand immediate testing, along with rigorous scientific standards to assure such testing is objective and replicable. It’s unbelievable such standards for testing don’t already exist. The safety of our food supply demands that science delivers such modern scientific standards for approval of GMOs,” states Ayyadurai.

Former Environmental Protection Agency Senior Scientist Ray Seidler, Ph.D., comments about the study, “The discovery reported by Ayyadurai reveals a new molecular paradigm associated with genetic engineering that will require research to discover why the extent of formaldehyde and glutathione concentrations are altered, and what other chemicals relevant to human and animal health are affected. We need the kinds of standards Ayyadurai demands to conduct such research.”

Antidepressants in Pregnancy Raises Risk of Hypertension in Kids

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n a large study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers from participating universities found mothers that take antidepressant drugs during pregnancy face the risk of heart issues for their children.

The researchers tested 3,789,330 pregnant women between 2000 and 2010. Of these, 128,950 took at least one prescription for antidepressants during their pregnancy.

High blood pressure among children of mothers that didn’t take antidepressants was about 21 percent. Children that were exposed to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant drugs during pregnancy experienced high blood pressure in 31.5 percent of the cases. Those that were exposed to non-SSRI antidepressants experienced high blood pressure 29 percent of the time.

This represents a 50 percent increased risk of hypertension for babies of mothers that take SSRIs during pregnancy and a 40 percent increased risk for children exposed to non-SSRIs.

In their conclusion, the researchers note, “Evidence from publicly insured pregnant women studied may be consistent with a potential increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn associated with maternal use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in late pregnancy.”

Spice Up the Season

by Laina Poulakos

T

he circulatory system is the body’s transportation system; it carries oxygen, nutrients and blood through the body. A healthy circulatory system benefits the body in many ways. It keeps the mind sharp and also benefits the heart, digestive system, and joints and muscles.

The circulatory system also aids the body in ridding toxins.

A good tonic for the circulatory system is garlic for its purifying and thinning of the blood properties. Horseradish is another strong herb; it has a great effect on the digestive system. Horseradish is an excellent at expelling excess mucus, making it a great root to eat while suffering from a cold or allergies.

Adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to food when feeling congested is also beneficial. The addition of the cayenne pepper helps with blood flow, as well as with joint issues and aids in the body getting rid of excess mucus. Keep in mind, a little goes a long way.

One idea is to a blend of these herbs and use them in many different ways. You can use them in your cooking for added flavor. Also a spicy tea can be consumed, especially when it is cold outside or you are suffering from a cold. Using this blend on vegetables and pasta would be delicious and very nutritious.

Laina Poulakos is founder of Mother’s Nature Store and is available for private consultations about herbal medicine by calling 703-851-0087 or visiting MothersNatureStore.com. See ad, page 24.

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November 2015

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healthbriefs

Ingrown Nails Linked to Over-Trimming

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study from the UK’s University of Nottingham published in the journal Physical Biology has found that over-trimming nails can lead to structural changes to the shape of the nail that increase the risk of ingrown nails and other nail conditions. The risk was more prevalent in larger nails, such as large toenails and thumbnails.

The researchers furthered a hypothesis called the theory of nail plate adhesion that links the nail’s healthy growth to the side-to-side curvatures of the nail plate.

The researchers identified that when this nail plate adhesion becomes weakened through trimming, it can result in one of three potential nail conditions: spoonshaped or pincer-shaped nails, or ingrown nails.

The paper noted deficiencies among many nail salons regarding these potential conditions. While they may be reversed over time with careful maintenance, prevention is the best medicine, according to the researchers.

Cloves Inhibit Cancer Growth

esearch from China has determined that cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) inhibit the growth of several cancers. Researchers tested an extract of whole cloves against several types of human cancer cells, including those of ovarian, cervical, liver, colon, breast and pancreatic cancers.

Published in the journal Oncology Research, the test used an incubation system that simulated the ability of these cancer cells to grow within the body. The researchers found that the clove extract stopped such development. The active constituents they identified within the clove extracts include oleanolic acid and eugenol. “Clove extract may represent a novel therapeutic herb for cancer treatment, and oleanolic acid is one of the components responsible for part of its antitumor activity,” the researchers commented.

Cloves, one of the oldest medicinal spices, have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for many centuries.

Contact Grace to find out how she can help you grow.

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A Momentary Vacation

by Sherry Dmytrewycz

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all has arrived. While on vacation it is easy to realize how much more beautiful and peaceful everything is when spending time taking in the sights, sounds, smells and even tastes around us. Did you ever think you can take momentary vacations every day?

It is all a matter of being present to “the now”, pausing to absorb the beauty around you and being grateful for each and every experience. The golfer Walter Hagen is often misquoted as saying “Stop and smell the roses.” What he really said was: “You’re only here for a short visit.

Don’t hurry. Don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”

How much more empowering would your day be if you savored the moment and took a momentary pause to really appreciate all the beauty and sounds around you? How often have you really studied a plant, flower, bird or insect? It is all there for you to savor, even if it’s only a momentary vacation.

A short pause may be just enough of a break from your daily grind to give you a different perspective on the wonders of life. Don’t wait for a traditional vacation to slow life down. You don’t need a new environment to take delight in the world around you. What can you see, smell, hear or taste that is in your space right here, right now?

Sherry Dmytrewycz is an intuitive energy healer providing both hands-on and distance healing sessions. For more information and for additional instructions on brain balancing, visit HealingGateway. com or call 877-534-5534. See ad, page 51.

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

Sky Kings

Agricultural Drones May Boost Sustainability Beginning November 15, farmers will be able to implement flying drones to perform important tasks in their fields.

That’s when changes in Federal Aviation Administration regulations will loosen many of the current restrictions on this new technology.

Advocates believe the devices can improve precision agriculture management that uses GPS and data collection to boost crop yields and profits while aiding water conservation. For the first time, the drones will be operated legally during an entire growing season, allowing companies to test their business models and technologies together. This boost in crop intelligence should make farms more efficient and help smaller operations compete with well-funded big agribusiness conglomerates whose fields are typically rife with genetically modified (GMO) crops.

“This is the first year we’ll actually be able to see, by the time the growing season is over, the impact on the farmer and the impact of the quality of the grapes,” says David Baeza, whose precision agriculture startup Vine Rangers uses drones and ground robots to gather data on vineyard crops. “The biggest thing to watch is what’s going to happen to giants like Monsanto. How you define this market is changing, and the incumbents are in for a battle.”

Source: Fortune magazine

Recycling Revolution

Global Rise Bolsters Sustainability On November 15, thousands of events in communities nationwide will celebrate America Recycles Day (America RecyclesDay.org). A program run by national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful since 2006, the event is dedicated to promoting recycling in the U.S. via special material collection drives and educational activities.

Materials available to groups include advice on setting up collectibles stations and customizable templates for promoting activities to increase recycling awareness, commitment and local action. There’s plenty of room to grow: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the amount of waste that the average citizen composts or recycles has increased from 17 percent in 1990 to 33 percent today.

Some other countries have been conducting their own national programs longer. For the 19th year, Australia will celebrate a weeklong National Recycling Week (RecyclingWeek.PlanetArk.org) in November. More than 90 percent of Aussies feel it’s the right thing to do.

Recycle Now (RecycleNow.com), England’s national program, supported and funded by the government and implemented by 90 percent of municipalities, conducts its annual weeklong program in June. Organizers contend that six out of 10 citizens now describe themselves as committed recyclers, compared to fewer than half when the campaign launched in 2004. Germany also celebrates recycling for two days in June; many other countries do so in July.

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Monsanto Pushback More Countries Ban Toxic Roundup

Countries are gradually banning the use of Monsanto Roundup herbicide around the world as a danger to the environment and human health, and Bermuda is one of the latest to join the ranks. These moves come soon after a recently published metastudy conducted by the World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer published in The Lancet Oncology determined that glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, is probably carcinogenic to humans.

Colombia stopped using Roundup to kill illegal coca plants. France banned the sale to homeowners, and Germany is poised to do the same. A group of 30,000 Argentine physicians are calling for a ban there, where it’s blamed for boosting birth defects and cancer. Others, including the Brazilian federal prosecutor, are demanding that Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate, be pulled off the shelves.

In the U.S., the Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT) is assisting efforts in cities, counties and school systems to enact immediate bans of glyphosate-based sprays. IRT is also calling for schools to measure the amount of glyphosate residues in school meals and to take steps to eliminate them if found.

Source: EcoWatch

Solving Hunger

France Tackles Food Waste with New Law French supermarkets will be banned from throwing away or destroying unsold food and must instead donate it to charities or for animal feed under a law set to crack down on food waste. Supermarkets will also be barred from deliberately spoiling unsold food so it cannot be eaten. Larger stores will have to sign contracts with charities by July 2016 or face penalties. The law will also introduce an education program about food waste in schools and businesses, and follows a measure enacted last February to remove best-before dates on fresh foods.

The Gars’pilleurs, an action group founded in Lyon, warns that simply obliging supermarket giants to pass unsold food to charities could give a “false and dangerous idea of a magic solution” to food waste, failing to address the core issues of overproduction in the food industry and wastage in food distribution chains.

Eco-CEO

Pay Tied to Sustainability

Researchers Nale Lehmann-Willenbrock and Joseph A. Allen have written in the Journal of Applied Psychology about their research into the effect of group humor on workers by studying the behavioral patterns of 54 real-world teams from two businesses.

Humor and laughter were examined and each interaction was coded, based on recordings made at meetings. Performance ratings were collected immediately afterward and also several years later.

Results showed that levity can reduce body pain and stress and help with relaxation. Cognitively, it bolsters creativity, memory and problem-solving ability. Humor reduces anxiety, elevates mood and increases self-esteem, hope, optimism and energy. In terms of society, it attracts connections, promotes bonding and altruism and leads to happier partnerships.

The researchers also found, “At the team level, humor patterns [but not humor or laughter alone] positively related to team performance, both immediately and two years later.” The positive aftereffects of humor on team performance include question-asking, proposals of innovative ideas, new people speaking up and kudos given for jobs well done or problems solved.

While sustainability is often categorized as a long-term strategy to mitigate both corporate reputational and financial risk, a small but growing number of companies are beginning to tie environmental goals to executive compensation. That means leaders of participating firms now must weigh operational variables such as greenhouse gas emissions against short-term financial outcomes.

In a report published by Sustainalytics and the sustainability nonprofit Ceres, 24 percent of the 613 largest publicly traded companies have now tied sustainability to executive compensation, up from 15 percent in 2012.

“At the end of the day, people are motivated by their pocketbooks,” says Veena Ramani, Ceres senior director of corporate programs. “I think investors have come to recognize that if you want companies to take this stuff seriously, you’re going to have to link it to people’s compensation.”

The shift is part of a broader push to tie corporate social responsibility areas such as environmental, social and governance metrics, as well as labor and local community impacts, to core business models.

Source: mnn.com

Source: GreenBiz.com

Source: The Guardian

Smiley Faces

Shared Laughter Creates Happier Workers

Gratitude is the sign of noble souls. ~Aesop

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November 2015

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ecotip Green Thanksgiving where healthy food comes naturally

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A Soulful Celebration of Body, Mind and Spirit aking the most of the original spirit and intention of the season’s holiday of gratitude feeds mind, body and spirit.

Consider these happy and healthy choices.

Turkey: Free-range and organic gobblers are less likely to carry diseases and contain synthetic additives. Heritage turkeys are raised outdoors, freely roam pastures, are genetically diverse and eat the varied diet that nature intended (SustainableTable.org).

Spare a bird: Turkey alternatives include fun, seasonal staples such as vegetable lasagna, butternut ravioli and acorn squash filled with onions, beans and dried fruits.

Beverages: Serving locally made apple cider, beer or wine supports local farmers and businesses, plus avoids the carbon footprint that distant choices incur in transport.

Festive preparations: Refrain from using Styrofoam, as it isn’t recyclable and can emit chemicals when meeting up with hot turkey; use washable cloth napkins instead of paper brands that go to the incinerator or landfill; and ask guests to bring a container to take leftovers home to avoid food waste.

Get kids involved: Tinyurl.com/GreenThanksgivingTips suggests giving children construction paper that can be made into decorations and recycled later. Baker’s clay, a mixture of flour, salt and water, can also be molded into creative pieces.

Revive the traditional atmosphere: The first Thanksgiving was a communal affair, so invite neighbors to join family members. Besides enhancing friendships, their proximity reduces auto emissions by keeping them off the road or encouraging shorter trips.

Honor peace and brotherhood across all races and ethnicities by sharing with guests the essence of the first successful summer harvest by pilgrims in 1621. According to Listening to America, by Stuart Berg Flexner, members of the Native American Wampanoags were also invited to the celebration because the tribe had taught them to plant native Indian corn, a key to recovery after their first difficult winter. Perhaps read a passage from the Iroquois Thanksgiving Prayer, encouraging us to “return to our mother, the Earth, which sustains us.”

Visit Tinyurl.com/IroquoisThanksgiving.

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wisewords

Expressing True Wealth

Something We Truly Owe to Ourselves

by Linda Lang

I

n the realms of yogic practices, it is not uncommon to come face to face with life’s deepest pleasures, as well as life’s most difficult challenges. We turn to our practices to explore everything from the purely physical, to the divine; to explore practical, ordinary aspects of daily life, as well as the extraordinary, life’s great mysteries.

Superficially, what we find is very much a matter of what we are looking for in the first place; and with a deeper approach, we just might discover something novel, something inspirational, something transformative. In seeking the meaning of true wealth, we might identify those things that we most treasure: our health and emotional well-being; our families and friendships; our life’s work; our integrity; simple pleasures, all treasures. The inquiry might also reveal that which rests

deeply within our hearts, within our faith and our doubt, within those great mysteries, and recognize this, as our true wealth.

We ponder that which gives greatest meaning and value to our lives. An open mind and a desire to inquire beyond (and behind) ordinary thought processes allows us to sense and feel responses as they arise, and expands our awareness.

Given the time, and the desire, one might approach this quest(ion) through guided meditation: Take a comfortable seat. Take your time, simply notice what a treasure it is to be able to create comfort for yourself. Slow down, and acknowledge that the source of this comfort resides within you. A treasure.

Sense your next breath, soft and gentle. Honor this as one of the greatest treasures—a moment-to-moment blessing

Now soften and feel the breath

in this comfortable place, sensing that indeed, you are safe. Allow yourself to experience what it feels like to reside with the breath in a safe space. A safe space that resides within your heart.

Breathe in again, this time, a little deeper, and notice that your body will receive this and every breath, willingly and quietly. Notice the stillness at the top of this breath, and the stillness that waits for you when you breathe out. This stillness, too, is a treasure, a blessing.

Count your breath as blessings, along with your loved ones, and your friendships.

In this meditation, acknowledge your efforts to make the world a sweeter place, your desire and your ability to give or serve those you love, as well as strangers. Breathe into each thought with compassion and lovingkindness—treasure this.

And now, simply allow these words to move through your awareness: Inner Sanctuary Home Temple of the Soul Inner Light The Divine Loving Presence Peace of Mind Bliss

Imagine each of these words, individually, radiating within a luminous cloud, a cloud as immense as the Universe as we know it. Imagine that each idea expands into a supreme spaciousness, where you can be totally and completely who you are without criticism or judgment, without needing to fix or change anything; where you can be fully and completely who you are.

Within the spaciousness of your heart, no matter what you have suffered, is the immensity of Loving Presence; a sanctuary where you may bring all of your struggles, and always find a peace table, never a battleground.

Imagine that. And now imagine that you could exist within this universe of understanding and acceptance, all of the time. Because, you do.

True wealth: the ability to find the extraordinary, in the ordinary.

Linda Lang is a clinical instructor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the GW School of Medicine and Behavioral Sciences, founder of Therapeutic Yoga of Greater Washington, director of yoga programming at the GW-CIM. You can connect with her at LindaLang@TheOpen-Door.com. See ad, page 2.

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Choose Lasting Wealth

“Imagine an economy in which life is valued more than money and power resides with ordinary people that care about one another, their community and their natural environment,” says David Korten, Ph.D., the co-founder of Positive Futures Network and author of Change the Story, Change the Future: A Living Economy for a Living Earth.

“When we choose real wealth,” says Korten, of Bainbridge Island, Washington, “we can have exciting hobbies and adventures; work that challenges and stimulates us; and spiritual connection with a universe that’s infinitely larger than a stock portfolio. Instead of more stuff in our alreadystuffed lives, we can have fewer things, but better things of higher quality—fewer visits to the doctor and more visits to museums and friends’ houses.”

Step One: Taking Inventory of Our Stuff

Suze Orman, owner of the Suze Orman Financial Group, in Emeryville, California, and the bestselling author of The Courage to Be Rich: Creating a Life of Material and Spiritual Abundance, ponders whether having stuff is worth it and suggests we take an inventory of what we own. “Think about the value of each object—what it cost you when you bought it, what it’s worth in dollars today, and what it’s worth in an Earthly, material representation of who you are now,” she says.

Orman suggests that we go through every closet and cupboard and recycle or throw away items that no longer serve us well, and then reconnect with items we cannot part with, such as family mementos. “Think of these items so precious to you and how little, in fact, they cost you,” she says. In this way we define for ourselves the true meaning of worth, and it’s never about the stuff. Once we have a handle on what we own, it’s time to turn to what we want and how we can get there.

TRUE WEALTH Living a Life We Love is Real Affluence

by Judith Fertig

T

raditional economics has us thinking in opposites—in terms of assets and liabilities. We consider the value of the material things we’ve accumulated: We add up our assets, which may include stocks, bonds, real estate, bank accounts and retirement savings. Then we subtract what we owe: Our liabilities may include a home mortgage, credit card debt, insurance premiums and student and vehicle loans. The balance is deemed our net worth. Figured this way, our net worth changes every minute and can sometimes shift dramatically.

There is a better way to assess our wealth, because we are overlooking, dismissing or squandering valuable resources and benefits such as time, personal health, spiritual well-being, social connections or community in order to buy temporal things that will only depreciate over time.

Golden, Colorado, author David Wann explores this theme in his book Simple Prosperity: Finding Real Wealth in a Sustainable Lifestyle. He remarks, “The U.S. may be on top when it comes to spending, but we also lead the world in debt per capita, children in poverty, percent of people in prison, obesity and infant mortality.” In fact, the U.S. has recently been ranked 42nd among countries in longevity— right below Guam and just above Albania.

“So where is all the spending really getting us?” he asks.

“We need to be getting more value out of each dollar, each hour, each spoonful of food, each square foot of house and each gallon of gas. The secret of success at the local, national and global scale is not really a secret; it’s in plain sight, and it’s called moderation.”

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Step Two: Re-Evaluating Life Goals

Just as we would do a personal financial assessment before we make plans to achieve financial goals, a life audit helps us determine our priorities for living happily and productively. Ximena Vengoechea, a design researcher for Twitter, Inc., in San Francisco, recently did this using 100 sticky notes during one dedicated afternoon. She wrote a single wish, one thing she’d like to do, on each note.

During this “spring cleaning for the soul,” as How we spend she calls it, Vengoechea our days is, of reaffirmed her thirst for course, how we learning and adventure.

Taking it a step further, spend our lives. she analyzed how she ~Annie Dillard spent her time and how often she saw the people most important to her,

mapping the data as pie charts. She discovered that most of her time was spent in work-related activities and not enough in adventure or seeing the people she loved. Drawing it up in the visual medium of charts helped her identify her life goals and see the changes she needed to make. Doubtless, we can all find better ways to utilize our assets.

local communities with a research-based model for prosperity. In socially abundant communities and nations, individuals don’t have to earn as much money to be comfortable, because their quality of life is partly provided by the strength of social bonds.

Heeding the Call to Change

Finding and doing what “lights us up” will bring us abundance, claims David Howitt in Heed Your Call.

Arianna Huffington, of New York City, founder of The The Portland, Oregon, Meriwether Group entrepreneur Huffington Post, knows firsthand about having so many who consults for consumer companies, maintains that demands on our time that days feel rushed, which can finding our heroic purpose (that heart-centered thing increase our stress and negatively impact our producwe feel we were meant to do) is the first step toward tivity. She says, “On the flip side, the feeling of true wealth. Howitt says the secret is in one having enough time, or even surplus time, is Finding and doing small word—and. Instead of choosing either/ called ‘time affluence’. Although it may be hard what “lights us or, our world expands with “and”. He urges us to believe, it’s actually possible to achieve.” to integrate the intuitive and analytic parts of Huffington recommends simple steps like getup” will bring ourselves: “poet and professional, prophet and ting enough sleep and putting time limits on profit, soul and success.” us abundance. work and online activities.

It’s not just about philanthropy, but truly

Belinda Munoz, a social change activist in making your community and your world a ~David Howitt San Francisco who blogs at TheHalfwayPoint.net, better place through your work, he observes. observes, “Time is neutral. We either use it wisely or waste “You’re doing good in the world, and when you live that way, it, so the onus is on us to make it an asset.” Munoz can both money follows you.” let go of stress and be more productive when she blocks out day parts. “When I focus, I shut out interruptions, stop feeling Judith Fertig blogs about living well at AlfrescoFoodAnd rushed and get my work done with ease,” she says.

Lifestyle.blogspot.com from Overland Park, KS.

Our Time

Our Health

One high-impact way to support personal health is to value food more, maintains Wann. “We need to spend more of our household budget for food, not less,” he says. “By rearranging both our household and national expenditures, we should give a higher priority to fresh, healthy food and a lower priority to electronic gadgets, shopping, cars, lawns and even vacations.

Our overall expenses don’t have to go up, they just need to be realigned with our changing values. By choosing higher quality food and supporting better ways of growing it, we also begin to reshape the American culture,” he says.

Our Community

The community, rather than the stock market, is the better source of real wealth—both personal and global—maintains Korten. “Your community economy is part of the glue that binds people together. It’s the key to physical and mental health and happiness.” Giving less control over our financial well-being to Wall Street and more to Main Street will help us think in terms of livelihoods, instead of mere jobs. For Korten, this equates to not only how we make money to live, but also how we live—valuing our homes, communities and natural environment.

Priceless social capital comes from investing our time and money in local communities. Korten observes how, when freely and wisely spent, these efforts can lower crime rates, make schools more productive and help economies function better. Korten cites Oakland, California’s Well-Being in Business Lab, which works with the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, to provide

Conducting a Life Audit

by Ximena Vengoechea

H

ere’s one approach to doing a life audit in order to both discern more keenly what’s important and figure out how to allocate resources better to make those things happen.

Step 1: Take a few hours and 100 sticky notes. Write a wish—something you’d like to do or have happen in your life—on each one. Arrange them on a flat surface.

Step 2: See what patterns evolve. Rearrange the notes by themes or categories, such as family, physical health, adventure, profession, giving back and skills. Those that contain the most notes indicate the realm of your most powerful wishes.

Step 3: Evaluate your time. Take stock of a typical day, week and month to analyze how you are spending it.

Step 4: Prioritize. Some wishes need to be fulfilled every day or soon, while long-term wishes aim for “someday”.

Step 5: Make a plan. Just as with a smart financial strategy, which typically involves investing money over time, you can now allocate your time to make your wish list happen.

For more details, visit Tinyurl.com/ExampleOfLifeAudit. natural awakenings

November 2015

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healthspotlight

Daily Stressors that can lead to Adrenal Fatigue: Research links stress to many health issues.

These come from a variety of sources such as: emotional or physical trauma; lack of sleep; poor diet with too much sugar and processed food; too much alcohol, nicotine or caffeine; chemical toxins; chronic infections or vitamin deficiencies.

It is helpful to understand how the stress response works biochemically in the body. This may be evaluated with specialized saliva tests to measure cortisol levels. Treatment may include lifestyle changes, nutritional supplements or hormone balancing depending on the specific condition of each individual.

Supportive Therapies for Adrenal Fatigue:

Burnout or Adrenal Fatigue Is It Making You Overweight and Tired?

by Dr. Sushma Hirani

A

drenal fatigue, also called burnout, is a stress syndrome of the 21st century. It is an epidemic prevalent in modern Western society and spreading elsewhere. The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and help in responding to stress by producing hormones such as cortisol. They are responsible for handling stress, whether it is physical, emotional or psychological.

Adrenal fatigue occurs when the adrenal glands are unable to compensate for the daily stressors in life and the hormone reserves are depleted.

Common Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue: 22

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• Feeling overwhelmed and burned out • Brain fog and memory loss • Feeling tired all the time and compensating by drinking two to three cups of coffee a day • Waking up feeling exhausted after a full night’s sleep of eight to nine hours • Difficulty losing weight • Hormonal imbalance and/or depletion • Low libido • Increased PMS or menopausal symptoms • Craving for salty and sweet foods • Irritability with uncharacteristic mood swings • Inability to relax • Susceptibility to flus and colds

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• Reducing and managing stress levels • Eating organic natural health foods and avoiding processed food • Getting a good night sleep, at least seven to eight hours each night • Exercising regularly • Adding sea salt to your diet • Eat green and yellow vegetables, black beans, brown rice, proteins and healthy fats, which are great for nourishing the adrenals

The stresses of a modern lifestyle don’t have to determine your energy levels or your ability to lose weight.

Everyone can overcome adrenal fatigue and feel energetic once again by listening to your body, cutting back on stress levels, and eating a healthy well-balanced whole food diet.

Sushma Hirani, M.D., practices functional and integrative medicine to treat chronic diseases, such as Adrenal Fatigue, at Rose Wellness Center, in Oakton, VA. She specializes in women’s health care, natural hormone balancing and digestive disorders.

See ad, page 8.

Join Hirani for a free, live webinar, sponsored by Natural Awakenings D.C. on November 17 from 6:45 to 7:30 p.m. to learn more about adrenal fatigue and how you can deal with this modern condition.

Reserve your spot at AdrenalFatigue Webinar.Eventbrite.com. See ad, page 33.

healthykids

relationship in accomplishing good.

Using this six-part process of helpful concrete steps applies equally to the children and adults in our lives. n Become aware of the other person’s emotions. n Care about the other person by seeing their emotions as valid and important.

What’s Your Child’s EQ? Six Ways to Raise

n Listen empathetically to better understand the way they feel, allowing them to feel safe to be vulnerable without fear of judgment. Seek to understand, rather than to agree or redirect.

Emotional Intelligence

by Teal Swan

M

uch of our identity is shaped in each child in understanding and coping with their emotions. childhood by key events and the emotions and perspectives Recipe for a High EQ we associate with them.

Parents can successfully form deeper connections with their kids by recognizing, All Emotions Count respecting and acknowledging their emoEmotional intelligence, sometimes referred to as EQ, is often overlooked as tional range, rather than telling kids they should feel a certain way. Telling somea skill set in today’s world. The recent animated film Inside Out calls attention one how they should or shouldn’t feel to effective ways of addressing a child’s only teaches them to distrust themselves and that there’s something wrong with journey by embracing and better understanding their emotions; particularly them. As a communication aid, Inside Out may speak best to older children, those that don’t feel positive. because younger viewers may get the

A recent study by the London erroneous impression that emotions can School of Economics Centre for Economic Performance found that a child’s control them, rather than that they can control their own emotional reactions. emotional health is far more impor The recipe for healthy bonding and tant in determining future happiness emotional development is for all parties than factors such as academic success to model how they value the importance or wealth. Parents can help ensure a healthy emotional upbringing by avoid- of each other’s feelings and respectfully listen for the feelings behind the words. ing making three mistakes.

In opening ourselves to being under Disapproval of a child’s emostood, we open ourselves to understandtions: This involves being critical of a child’s displays of negative emotion and ing others. Good parenting involves emoreprimanding or punishing the child for tion. Good relationships involve emotion.

The bottom line is that emotions matter. expressing them.

We all struggle with negative emo Dismissing a child’s emotions: tions from time to time, and the way This comes across as regarding a child’s emotions as unimportant, either we address and deal with them influences our emotional health. The goal through ignoring their emotions, or is to develop a trustworthy emotional worse, trivializing them. connection with the other person that

Offering little relevant guidance: is important to us, which enhances While parents may empathize, they intimacy and the effectiveness of the don’t set limits on behavior or assist

n Acknowledge and validate their feelings. We don’t need to validate that the thoughts they have about their emotions are correct; instead, simply let them know that it’s valid to feel the way that they do. For example, if a friend says, “I feel useless,” we could validate them by saying, “I can see how you might feel that way.” n Allow the person to experience their emotions fully before moving toward any kind of improvement. We cannot impose our idea of when they should be ready or able to feel differently. This is when we practice unconditional presence and unconditional love. We are there as support, without trying to fix them or anything else. Don’t be offended if they don’t accept support that’s offered at this time. A benevolent power is inherent in offering love that exists regardless of what someone does or does not do with it. n Help the other person to strategize ways to manage the reactions they might be having to their emotions after—and only after—their feelings have been validated, acknowledged and fully felt. This is when we can assert new ways of looking at a situation that may improve the way another person is feeling. This is when advice may be offered.

When done successfully, this process can transform a conflict encountered in a relationship into solid gold.

Teal Swan is the author of Shadows Before Dawn: Finding the Light of SelfLove Through Your Darkest Times, on how healing hidden wounds reveals our authentic selves (TealSwan.com).

Inside Out will be released next month on DVD.

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November 2015

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healthycooking

Resistant Starch Important in Your Diet

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Washington, D.C.

by Julie Wendt

T

he diversity and vibrancy of the beneficial bacteria, yeast and viruses that reside in the digestive tract are closely tied to our health and well-being on a physical and mental level. Many health conscience individuals are interested in learning how to promote a healthy gut microbiome as both a means to prevent dysfunction, as well as heal imbalances.

The time-honored advice that Michael Pollen so efficiently states in Food Rules rings true and is a good place to start: “Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much.” Once this foundation is established, bringing more intention into the kind of real food that will promote a healthy gut allows people to specifically target the beneficial microbes.

Feeding your gut (rather than your stomach) generally focuses on including a variety of vegetables and fruits for their high-level of anti-

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oxidants as well as the undigestable plant fibers. Adding the preferred foods of the beneficial bacteria into the diet will allow them to grow with abundance supporting a healthy gut—a pillar of optimal health.

What are the prebiotic foods the beneficial bacteria eat and where can we find it in our foods? The short answer to this question is that bacteria eat fiber. The longer answer is that there are different kinds of fiber that contribute to different aspects of gut health. Historically, fiber has been divided into either soluble (dissolves in water) or insoluble (does not dissolve in water), both of which have health benefits associated with them such as decreasing transit time and adding bulk.

New research has shown that a more important indicator of a food’s ability to improve the gut microbiome is the presence of fibers that

the microbes can ferment called Resistant Starch (RS). These fermentable fibers fuel the growth and vitality of the gut microbes which, in turn, creates an abundance of different types and quantities of mircobes that produce beneficial by-products for the gut such as short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs are critical to gut health as they are the primary food for the cells lining the gut and work to quell inflammation, first locally, and then systemically, as part of anti-inflammatory pathway throughout the body.

The amount of RS that is beneficial is directly related to the amount of gut microbes that reside in the gut, so there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation. Incorporating up to 20 grams of RS per day and following the general rule of introducing a small amount and increasing gradually supports an increase in gut health related to the increase in the production of SCFAs.

Resistant starch is found in high amounts in plantain flour, green banana flour, tigernut flour and potato starch as well as the following foods if they are eaten after they are cooked and cooled: • Lentils and Chickpeas: 2-4g • Pinto Beans (cooked/cooled): 10g • Purple Potato (roasted/cooled): 15-19g • Yams (boiled/cooled): 6-8g • Potato (boiled/cooled): 3-7g • Rice (cooked/cooled): 1-2g • Long grain Rice (cooked/cooled): 2-3g • Sushi Rice (cooked/cooled): 3-4g Grass-fed butter is a source of SCFAs that results from the fermentation of RS within the gut of the cows.

A delicious way to get RS is with this recipe for Tigernut Peanut Butter Cookies.

1 ½ cups flour (gluten-free works well) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the peanut butter, sweetener, butter and vanilla. Add salt and flour. Form in 1-inch balls and flatten with a fork on flat sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Julie Wendt, LDN, CNS, is a nutritionist and health coach supporting patients in reaching their health goals through diet and lifestyle support at GW Center for Integrative Medicine. For more information, call 202-833-5055 or visit GWCIM. com. See ad, page 2.

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Eating For the Season Using Traditional Chinese Medicine to Choose Your Winter Foods

by Tisha Claudia Lim

A

s the winter season is transitioning in, it is important to keep our bodies warm to avoid seasonal maladies. The best way to achieve this is by making sure, not only to consume nutritious foods, but also foods that are suitable for the cold weather.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), foods and herbs can be categorized into five different natures, namely “cool”, “cold”, “warm”, “hot” and “neutral”. Hence, it is best to stick with foods and herbs that promote warmth during this season.

One of the most common and readily available cooking ingredient that promotes warmness is ginger. Ginger is not only known for its warming properties, but also for its calming effect. Cut up several slices of fresh ginger and add them to a bowl of hot soup or porridge.

Nothing is better than a cup of hot ginger tea during this time of the year.

Cinnamon sticks could also be added into the ginger tea to spice up the taste. Cinnamon is known to promote blood circulation and is effective in preventing illnesses such as the flu.

Stick with black tea. It is best to avoid drinking green tea as it is considered a cold beverage and has a cooling effect (hence, it is more effective to drink it during summertime in Asia).

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Feel free to add garlic, onions and leeks into cooking dishes as they aid in providing a warming sensation. Black pepper, curry, turmeric and chilly powder have the same effect and are great in providing the dishes with an extra spicy kick and a more aromatic taste.

For fruit lovers, it is better to stick with neutral and warm fruits such as apples, avocados, durians (if you can get them), cherries, longans and blueberries.

Healthy grains such as oatmeal, brown rice and glutinous rice are considered neutral foods. They are high in fiber, which help to maintain blood sugar and keep one fueled and energized throughout the day. High in vitamin E, sunflower seeds and nuts such as almonds are considered warming foods that aid in activating metabolism that promote warmness. Top a handful of blueberries and nuts and sprinkle some cinnamon onto a bowl of oatmeal for a quick and hearty breakfast. In addition to nuts and seeds, almond milk also helps to “trap” heat in the body. Heat up a cup of almond milk and add a spoonful of unsweetened cocoa powder, for a warming beverage that relaxes the mind.

Meat, poultry and seafood are considered warm foods. Chicken and eggs are not only a good source of protein, but also vitamin B-12.

According to Medical News Today, vitamin B-12 helps to prevent anemia and fatigue. Red meat such as beef and pork also aid in preventing anemia as the iron they contain is more easily absorbed by the body.

Incorporate them into hot dishes such as stews and soups, keeping in mind to consume them in moderation.

Seafood such as salmon and codfish are a healthy source of protein. They also contain omega-3 fatty acids that the body is unable to produce in its own.

According to University of Maryland Medical Center, omega-3 fatty acids are essential in maintaining the functioning of the brain and nervous system. For vegans or vegetarians, opt for beans.

Red and black beans are beneficial to the heart and are a great complement in almost any dishes.

A meal would not be balanced and nutritious without vegetables. Although most raw vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers are considered cool and cold foods, once they are cooked or heated, they would change into warm foods. Vegetables that are suitable to consume during this season includes cabbage, pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, carrots as well as cilantro.

In Japan, people would add a variety of vegetables along with other ingredients such as shrimp or beef to a pot of hot broth and let it simmer until everything is thoroughly mixed. This dish is especially popular during the winter.

While this is based on one’s preference, it is better to avoid consuming raw and cold foods and liquids (including those taken out from directly from the fridge) during this season. This may mean opting for roasted or steamed vegetables over salad or choosing oatmeal over cereal for breakfast.

Be certain not to get too hungry and eat balanced meals with sufficient carbs, protein and fats, to maximize your well-being and also to prevent yourself from falling sick during the cold days of winter.

Tisha Claudia Lim is a fourth-year journalism student at the University of Maryland, College Park and an intern at Natural Awakenings, Washington, D.C. She can be contacted at TishaLim01@gmail.com.

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November 2015

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healingways

Natural Facial Essentials Few Skincare Product Labels Tell the Whole Story

by Linda Sechrist

A

t age 25, Paula natural include synthetic The skin, your Begoun, author chemicals, meaning that protective organ, the term organic doesn’t of The Original Beauty Bible and other apply to the entire formula. is meant to be bestselling books on Fragrances are common “worn” for life. It is synthetic ingredients, as is skincare, makeup and hair care, read her first not a luxury, but a the triethanolamine that’s label on a skincare prodoften used to adjust the necessity to take pH or as an emulsifying uct she was using. Although she’d tried many the best possible agent to convert acid to different products to cona salt, or stearate, as the care of it. trol her acne and eczema base for a cleanser. since age 11, she hadn’t To help consumers ~Charlene Handel avoid overpaying for skinthought about the contents, which was partially care products which may why she was distraught to discover that not be as natural or organic as touted, acetone (nail polish remover) was the Begoun encourages skepticism regardfourth ingredient listed. ing marketing messages. She suggests

That moment became the inspirathat an important key is to choose the tion for Begoun’s lifetime devotion to best formulation for an individual’s skin skincare research and education and type and specific skin concerns. customer advocacy. Today, as founder

“There are no U.S. Food and Drug of the Seattle-based Paula’s Choice Agency-approved standards for the Skincare, she continues to help women organic labeling of skincare products understand when product claims are sold in salons and spas or over-themisleading or factual. counter. The cosmetics industry hasn’t agreed on one set of standards either.

Buyer Be Aware U.S. Department of Agriculture certifiOne of Begoun’s core conclusions is cation is cost-prohibitive for most small that the terms organic and all natural are cosmetic companies that use clean, largely responsible for fueling the miscertified organic ingredients, so some conception that all synthetic ingredients uncertified organic products exist and in cosmetics are automatically bad and it’s wise to read labels,” explains Elina that all organic or natural ingredients are Fedotova, founder of the nonprofit Asautomatically good. She further notes sociation of Holistic Skin Care Practithat many products labeled organic and tioners. She counsels that we Google 28

Washington, D.C.

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any unfamiliar ingredient to learn if it’s toxic or safe.

Fedotova, a cosmetic chemist and aesthetician who makes her professional skincare line, Elina Organics, by hand in a laboratory, compares the difference between salon and commercial products to fine dining versus fast food. “Salon products are made in far smaller quantities than mass-produced brands and offer higher concentrations of ingredients. They are generally shipped directly to the salon and have a higher turnover rate. Because they don’t have to be stored for indeterminate periods or endure warehouse temperatures, they are fresher and more potent,” she says.

Although a facial can easily be performed at home with salon or commercial products, Fedotova, who owns spas in Chicago and Kalamazoo, Michigan, recommends having a professional facial every four to five weeks. Charlene Handel, a certified holistic esthetician, holistic skin care educator and owner of Skin Fitness Etc., in Carlsbad, California, agrees.

Sequenced Steps

Handel chooses treatments that penetrate and nourish the layer of skin below the epidermis, the outermost layer, consisting of mostly dead cells, with 100 percent holistic (edible) products and freshly brewed organic tea compresses. “Without a gentle exfoliation, the first step in any effective facial, not even skincare formulas with penetration enhancers, can nourish the lower layer of live cells. One key nourishment among others is vitamin C, an antioxidant which brightens, protects against sun damage and promotes collagen production,” advises Handel.

She explains that skin cells produced in the deepest layer gradually push their way to the epidermis every 30 days and die. Dead cells can pile up unevenly and give the skin’s surface a dry, rough, dull appearance. As we age, cell turnover time increases to 45 or 60 days, which is why gentle sloughing is necessary. This can be done at home three times a week with a honey mask.

Another form of exfoliation performed in a salon uses a diamondtipped, crystal-free microdermabrasion

machine to gently buff away the surface layer of skin.

An additional option is a light glycolic acid and beta hydroxy acid treatment. This can be purchased over the counter or prepared at home using organic papaya (glycolic) and pineapple (beta hydroxyl) for more even skin tone.

These treatments, sometimes referred to as acid peels, can be applied to the face for no more than 10 to 15 minutes, typically every two to four weeks or every few months.

Treatment serums, moisturizing lotions and eye and neck creams are all elements of a complete facial. The simplest sequence of application is layering from the lightest to heaviest—eye cream, serum and moisturizer. Give them a minute or two to absorb. No facial is complete without a sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, applied last.

Linda Sechrist is a Natural Awakenings senior staff writer.

DIY Facial Treats Elina DIY Facial

Follow with organic toner per skin type.

Dry complexion: Cleanse the skin with a mix of baking soda and coconut oil.

Gently scrub on and rinse off.

Oily complexion: Cleanse the skin using a mixture of yogurt and baking soda. Gently scrub on and rinse off.

Refresh the skin after cleansing with distilled rose water or herbal tea, adding in a few drops each of lemon juice and a favorite essential oil. For dry skin, choose chamomile tea; for oily skin, go with burdock root tea and juniper berry essential oil.

Exfoliate the skin with a gentle, healthy alternative to chemical peels by massaging with organic papaya; its enzymes help dissolve dead cells.

It also infuses skin with beta carotene and other beauty nutrients.

After rinsing skin, apply a mashed banana mask, which benefits all complexions by nourishing and moisturizing the skin. It’s also high in antiinflammatory vitamin B6.

Remove the banana with a wet wash cloth, and then apply a favorite moisturizer. Dry skin does well with coconut oil. For very dry skin, use shea butter or sesame oil.

Use a zinc oxide-based natural sunblock, especially after a facial, because the skin is more sensitive to ultraviolet rays after exfoliation. Eating foods rich in antioxidants helps prevent sun damage.

Source: Courtesy of Charlene Handel

Source: Courtesy of Elina Fedotova

Fruit Smoothie Mask Prep time: 15 minutes Increase sun protection with this antioxidant- and resveratrol-rich soothing smoothie mask. Use fresh, organic ingredients.

6 medium strawberries 12 red grapes ½ banana 1 Tbsp honey Combine first three ingredients in a standard or bullet blender until mixture becomes creamy. Remove and put in a bowl. Gently fold honey into mixture.

Cleanse face.

Apply mask to skin, preferably with a fan brush, and lightly massage with fingertips for two minutes. Allow to sit on skin for 20 minutes.

Remove mask with warm water.

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November 2015

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Find Time for Mindfulness

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Washington, D.C.

A Spotlight on Sevenoaks Retreat Center

by Robin Fillmore

P

aul Klinger may have the best job in the world. As the director of Sevenoaks Retreat Center in Madison, Virginia, he and his staff of 17 get to host hundreds of people each year to a variety of retreats, workshops and family gatherings on more than 120 acres of breathtaking beauty. Groups as small as five and as large as 100 have called Sevenoaks home for a spiritual weekend (or a week) away. Individuals, seeking an escape from the city, can schedule some time there as well.

Sevenoaks is sacred land to so many groups who want to plan their own retreat. There is a lot that separates it from other retreat centers, including the fact that it is a spiritual retreat center, which leaves it open to a wide range of groups that will use it for their own purposes. There may be some groups looking for space for a more physical retreat—such as yoga, tai chi or Pilates.

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Others find the extensive meeting rooms and buildings as the perfect location for retreats that focus on personal growth or awareness, as well as recovery, men’s and women’s groups.

The high level of comfort and excellent food are other hallmarks of Sevenoaks. While many retreat centers have a rustic charm, Sevenoaks has fully equipped rooms for up to 65 guests each night. There is also campground space to expand the center for even greater crowds.

Groups are able to purchase meal plans for their retreat and get to enjoy healthy, locally sourced, home-cooked meals, with chefs able to accommodate all types of diets, allergies and food restrictions. According to Klinger, they know that their guests enjoy the food and accommodations, as more than 70 percent of their bookings are repeat business.

So often, a guest will come to the center

as part of a retreat and ends up hosting a follow-up event at Sevenoaks.

The retreat center has every feature that guest could want for both time alone in nature and spots for group gatherings. Over the 120 acres, there are seven miles of hiking trails with mountain views, a pond and access to swimming, wading or tubing on the Rapidan River. The retreat center also offers a meditation sanctuary, a sweat lodge and the place where most evenings are spent, around the firepit.

Sevenoaks has been functioning as a retreat center since 1972 when Donovan and Susan Thesenga established it as a nature sanctuary to support deep spiritual work known as Pathwork. The relationship with this program still exists as the mid-Atlantic Pathwork chapter is still based out of the retreat center and all their events are hosted at Sevenoaks.

In addition to groups booking the center, a retreat is being planned by the staff for February 2016 called Mind-Body Reboot. According to Klinger, the intention is “to help people get rebooted with their mind and their body, and be unplugged. We are so tied to our electronic devices— this is a chance to put those away and think about what is really important. A Facebook update is probably something that isn’t vitally important.”

For one weekend, attendees will free themselves from their electronic devices and are asked to reboot mind and body with a fun and revitalizing weekend retreat. Welcomed by the beautiful land, nourished with incredible cuisine and supported by Sevenoaks warm and friendly staff, attendees will experience activities such as mediation, hiking, painting, drumming, dance class, qigong, group discussions and more.

Klinger and his staff are always eager to share their amazing vistas, warm hospitality and delicious cuisine with folks from the D.C. area and beyond for group or individual retreats. Though only a few hours away from the city, Sevenoaks offers a fresh landscape to explore and restore one’s soul.

For more information about Sevenoaks Retreat Center and the upcoming Mind-Body Reboot, visit Sevenoaks Retreat.org. See ads, pages 14 and 39.

There’s no happier person than a truly thankful, content person. ~Joyce Meyer natural awakenings

November 2015

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Medicine is discovering a huge gut-brain connection, marking the gut as the “second brain”.

Your gut is responsible for producing over 80 percent of the “happiness” molecule, serotonin.

It’s All In Your Gut Protecting Your Microbiome

by Dr. Isabel Sharkar

H

ippocrates, the father of medicine, said more than 2000 years ago “All disease begins in the gut.” Within the past five years, we are learning more about the gut than ever before, thanks to emerging research. We are finally beginning to take notice that the health of your gut affects the health of your entire body, including your brain.

According to the article, Some of “My Best Friends Are Germs,” published recently in the New York Times Magazine, the microbiome in your gut comprises of one hundred trillion bacteria and accounts for 90 percent

of all cells in your body. More than 70 percent of our entire immune system is located in our gut, so if you have a compromised gut, you not only have a compromised immune system but a compromised brain.

Medicine is discovering a huge gut-brain connection, marking the gut as the “second brain”. Did you know that your gut is responsible for producing over 80 percent of the “happiness” molecule, serotonin? If your gut is not happy, you’re not happy. It makes sense that a compromised gut may lead to ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression and Alzheimer’s, which

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are all rapidly on the rise.

Nurture your gut health and your gut microbes can heal you and your brain. The bacteria within your microbiome manufacture vitamins and neurochemicals like dopamine and serotonin, as well as maintain the integrity of the gut lining. When the gut lining is compromised, permeability increases and leaky gut arises.

This causes inflammation and when chronic, may be the leading culprit to the brain disorders mentioned above.

The Human Genome Project (HGP) discovered that genetics are only responsible for 10 percent of human disease, where the rest 90 percent is induced by environmental factors. Depending on which microbes are present, your microbiome drives genetic expression by turning genes on and off. Your gut bacteria change the expression of the genes you have inherited from your ancestors. Your microbiome eats what you eat therefore a healthy diet will upregulate, modify and improve the quality of your microbiome.

Through your food choices you can influence your microbiome and

gene expression. Sugar which is prominent in the western diet, high levels of carbs, deprivation of fat and the loss of fiber has changed the microbiome for the worse. Eat whole organic non-GMO food and fill two-thirds of your plate with colorful plant food, because plant fibers feed your gut bacteria. Build your gut lining so that you can tolerate fermented, cultured and plant fiberrich foods. Avoid food grown with pesticides and stay away from animal factory farmed meat pumped with antibiotics—these alter gut bacteria and your microbiome.

It’s in our North American culture to perceive feeling ill as a nuisance—reaching for antibiotics every time we feel off. However, are you aware that every time you use antibiotics you upset the balance of your microbiome and it may be permanent? Upsetting the balance can cause a certain bacteria to predominate and cause unpleasant side effects. Let’s shift the focus of labeling bacteria “good” or “bad”, to one of balance.

Another hot trend occurring in our culture today is mothers having their children on the go, scheduling cesareans to fit within their plans and tempering with the natural process of birth. According to Dr. David

Perlmutter, author of the must read book Brain Maker, children born via cesarean are at risk of inflammatory issues, tripling their risk of ADHD, doubling their risk for autism and an overall increased risk of battling obesity, diabetes and allergies. Why would that be? As a child passes through the birth canal, he or she becomes inoculated with the mother’s beneficial bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, a cornerstone in building the child’s immune system.

Breast-feeding is just as important. If it wasn’t possible to have a natural birth or breast-feed, focus on building your child’s gut through diet, probiotics and avoiding antibiotic use as much as possible. If antibiotics are a must, always follow treatment with probiotics.

Be smart about shopping for probiotics—they are not all created equally. Before purchasing, understand who manufactures and thirdparty tests the probiotics. Probiotics in general do not stay fresh for many years; even some of the best probiotic manufacturers can only get their probiotics to last a year. Ask to look at the third-party testing to determine how many viable probiotics there are in the product after shelf life. Only consume probiotics that are alive and healthy.

Words of wisdom—depending on your current gut health, it is important to heal your gut in an appropriate manner to avoid causing more harm than good by introducing too much too soon. Introducing a high amount of fermented food or plant fiber in a gut that is compromised may cause many uncomfortable symptoms such as pain, gas, bloating and indigestion.

In such cases, the gut may not have the beneficial bacteria needed to properly digest these foods. It takes months and sometimes years to restore the gut. It is not an overnight phenomenon. It is best to work with a qualified healthcare practitioner who can tailor a unique treatment plan for you that builds your gastrointestinal system over time. Explore food sensitivities, stool analysis and nutritional evaluation.

There’s a reason everyone always says “listen to your gut,” and if yours is talking to you, it’s time to listen.

Dr. Isabel Sharkar, ND, is a licensed naturopathic physician and coowner of Indigo Integrative Health Clinic, in Georgetown. For more information, call 202-298-9131 or visit IndigoHealthClinic.com. See ad, page 3.

Burnout or Adrenal Fatigue?

A free, live webinar with Dr. Sushma Hirani

Adrenal fatigue is a stress syndrome of the 21st century with a long list of symptoms including  Burnout or feeling overwhelmed  Brain fog and memory loss  Feeling tired & waking up feeling exhausted  Low libido or cravings for salty or sweet foods  Inability to relax or weight gain What can you do to treat this epidemic of Western society?

Join us for this free, live webinar to learn how to can find out if adrenal fatigue is affecting you and what steps you can take to remedy the symptoms.

Dr. Hirani specializes in functional & integrative medicine to treat chronic diseases at Rose Wellness Center in Oakton, VA.

REGISTER: AdrenalFatigueWebinar.Eventbrite.com

Tuesday, November 17 - 6:45 to 7:30 pm natural awakenings

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perfect for people working to overcome injuries,” says Juliet. She notes that while women are predominant in classes, the tide is turning a bit toward more gender equity. “Men that enter classes as skeptical come out sweating.” One recently earned his barre teaching certificate.

Benefits of Barre

Barre Your Way to Better Fitness

Ballet-Inspired Workouts Create Long and Lean Muscles

by Lynda Bassett

I

magine having a ballerina’s physique, grace, strength and flexibility. That’s the potential of barre.

“Barre is a combination of ballet, yoga and Pilates principles. We use small, isometric movements to temporarily fatigue muscles and make them long and lean. The so-called fatigue is what causes muscles to shake, and therefore, change,” explains Nadia Yokarini-Kotsonis, a certified barre instructor at Physique Fitness Studio, in Grove City, Ohio. Students use a ballet barre to support themselves while doing the exercises.

Yokarini-Kotsonis is among many former dancers that have embraced barre fitness. Trained in ballet, tap, contemporary and traditional dance in Athens, Greece, she discovered barre when she moved to the U.S. “I fell in love with how challenging it was and the effects and changes I saw in my body. I got certified a year later and have been teaching ever since. I’m still in love with practicing it, no matter how tired I might be beforehand,” she says.

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Rather than a cardiovascular regimen, “Barre is good for developing core strength. You gain overall flexibility, muscle strength, improved posture and range of motion,” says Lisa Juliet, West Coast regional director of the teacher certification program (Barre Certification.com).

Not Just for Dancers

While barre has had some U.S. presence since the 1950s, “It’s having a resurgence now,” says Charlene Causey, a certified natural health professional and ballet body barre instructor in Pueblo, Colorado.

Newfound interest began on both coasts and is quickly becoming a Midwest mainstay, according to Yokarini-Kotsonis, who says it’s one of the most popular classes she teaches, and other studios are following suit. She remarks, “Everyone wants to offer barre, and everyone wants to come to a class and see what it’s about.”

“Seniors love it because barre helps improve their balance. It’s also

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

“What makes this workout brilliant is that the classes are designed to fit the goals and ability levels of all participants. Each set of exercises provides options ranging from the beginner to the more advanced barre enthusiast.

Effective, yet safe, low-impact techniques provide ongoing challenges,” says Causey.

Those that regularly practice realize many positive effects. “Your body becomes long and lean, similar to a ballet dancer’s. You learn to stand tall and become stronger with each class,” says Yokarini-Kotsonis. However, don’t expect it to be easy. “Even when you do it every day, you’ll still find it extremely challenging,” she adds.

Most teachers individualize modifications for beginners. “I tell my students to do what they can. There’s no judgment here,” says Causey.

Many yoga teachers offer barre classes as a beneficial complement to other sports and activities such as running. “It supplements your other endeavors,” notes Causey. Today’s barre classes feature bare feet and typical workout wear, specialized equipment and props, contemporary music and of course, the ballet barre.

The whole experience is highly positive and upbeat, says Causey.

Most fitness experts would agree that it’s good to add variety to workouts, and trying something new adds spice to the mix. Plus, for those that keep at it, says Yokarini-Kotsonis, “Barre can be the fastest results-oriented program you can undergo. Expect to see a change in your body in a month if you attend three to four classes a week.”

Lynda Bassett is a freelance writer near Boston, MA. Connect at LyndaBassett@ gmail.com.

To try a Barre workout locally, see the ad for Barre Tone on page 32.

businessspotlight

Do You Dream in Organic Luxury?

A Spotlight on Savvy Rest

by Sam Hudgins

W

hen Michael Penny’s gift of memory foam pillows to his wife caused her to develop intense headaches, he decided to conduct some research. What he found was a frighteningly long list of chemicals that are typically used in the creation of mattresses and pillows.

Wanting to give his wife and others a healthier, potentially safer night’s sleep, Penny founded Savvy Rest.

Savvy Rest is a manufacturer and retailer of natural and organic mattresses, pillows and bedding. The manufacturer opened its first retail location in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2005. Since then, the company has opened Savvy Rest Natural Bedroom retail stores in Vienna, Virginia; Rockville, Maryland; and Berkeley, California. In 2012, the company took an unprecedented step to become employee-owned; Penny owns 51 percent and the employees own 49

percent. Currently, Savvy Rest products are also sold by more than 200 dealers in the United States and four in Canada.

The company is always looking for dealers with whom to partner, but operations manager Twila Ressler stresses they only choose companies who understand that Savvy Rest is “out to make an environment that is better and customers who are healthier and sleep better.” They also avoid dealers who use high-pressure sales tactics.

“We really believe our products sell themselves,” Ressler states.

The products sell themselves, in part, because many can be individually customized for each customer.

Most Savvy Rest pillows are made intentionally overstuffed so customers can remove precise amounts of fill to adjust the comfort for their shoulders and neck. The flagship mattress is designed with multiple, interchange-

able layers of natural latex; each can be soft, medium or firm. Customers choose the layers’ order and can even rearrange them after delivery.

Savvy Rest offers a 20-year warranty on most of its products, but what truly sets the company apart is their 90-day latex exchange program. If a customer is unhappy with the feel of their mattress, they have up to 90 days to exchange any layer for a different firmness until they find their perfect configuration. The latex that is returned is recycled or shredded for pet beds. Additionally, the company offers free mattress recycling. They will pick up old mattresses upon request when delivering customers’ new mattresses, then send them to a recycling facility that reclaims up to 97 percent of the materials.

The company is currently focusing on broadening its product line. At the end of October, they introduced a line of platform beds which are made from sustainably harvested Virginia maple.

By the end of the year the company will also be selling natural sofas and chairs.

Like other Savvy Rest products, these are made with organic textiles and natural latex foam, and without chemical flame retardants or toxic finishes.

Savvy Rest is both an environmentally and community-driven business. The company holds multiple independent certifications as evidence of its health and environmental focus, including GreenGuard GOLD, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) seal and the OEKOTEX Standard 100.

Savvy Rest is also a certified B Corporation. They offset carbon emissions by donating to the nonprofit CarbonFund.org and so far have sponsored the planting of more than 5,000 trees through continual support of American Forests’ Global Releaf program. Community outreach includes their ongoing Safe Sleep Pillows program, which gifts new organic pillows to women and children arriving in domestic violence shelters. Savvy Rest has also donated mattresses to Beds for Kids and Joy of Life foster homes.

To find a Savvy Rest retail store or dealer, visit SavvyRest.com. For specific questions, email Info@SavvyRest.com.

See ad, page 4.

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eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing, it has banned scores of toxic chemicals from makeup sold in EU countries.

Dangers in the Cosmetic Bag

Choose Safe and Healthy Natural Beauty Aids

by Kathleen Barnes

W

e all want to look and feel beautiful, often enhancing our best features with assistance from cosmetics. Yet many of us may not be aware of the toxic ingredients contained in products we’re using.

“When the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act was passed 77 years ago, it contained 112 pages of standards for food and drugs, and only one page for cosmetics,” says Connie Engel, Ph.D., science and education manager at the Breast Cancer Fund and its Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, in San Francisco.

While most cosmetic ingredients must be listed on product labels, sometimes their names are hard to recognize, many are toxic and some of the most dangerous ones may not even be listed. Labeled toxins commonly found in cosmetics include endocrine disruptors that can affect our developmental, reproductive, neurological and immune systems. Here are just a few:

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), also known as Teflon, is found in foundation, pressed powder, loose powder, bronzer, blush, eye shadow and mascara. It can even enhance the toxicity of other chemicals, according to Danish research published in the International Journal of Andrology, and due to its fluorine base, can disrupt iodine absorption, contributing to breast disease including cancer.

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and its cousin, hydroxytoluene (BHT),

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are common preservatives found in lip products, liquid makeup and moisturizers that the European Commission on Endocrine Disruption cites as interfering with hormone function. They’ve also been shown to cause kidney damage, according to research from Spain’s Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.

Formaldehyde in many forms, including quaternium-15, coal tar, benzene and mineral oils that are prohibited in the European Union and Japan, are classified as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

These examples represent the tip of the iceberg of toxic chemicals of concern commonly used in cosmetics.

They further range from allergens and substances that cause non-cancerous and cancerous tumors and organ toxicity to developmental and reproductive impairment, miscarriage and bioaccumulation leading to toxic overload when not excreted.

Fragrances don’t have to be included in label ingredient lists, constituting another major concern, explains Engel.

“Most cosmetics, even eye shadow, contain fragrance, and those fragrances can contain several dozen unlabeled ingredients, including hormone-disrupting phthalates.”

The European Union is the authoritative source on all of these issues.

Based on its CosIng (cosmetic ingredients) database accessed via ec.europa.

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

Safe and Healthy Alternatives Fortunately, safe alternatives are available to enhance our natural beauty.

“Become an educated consumer and read the list of ingredients,” advises Janice Cox, the Medford, Oregon, author of Natural Beauty at Home. “Fewer ingredients and organic components mean safer products.”

Better yet, we can make our own more natural beauty aids. “One advantage of making your own is that you’re in control. You know yourself and your skin and sensitivities,” says Cox. DIY products are easy if intense color isn’t a requirement. “The color many people want is hard to produce with kitchen ingredients,” Cox explains. “You can make clear mascara and eyebrow tamer with castor oil. It’s easy to make lip balms and maybe get a little color by adding berry juice or beet root powder.”

For those that want the look of highquality makeup without toxins, other good alternatives come into play, says Hollywood makeup artist Lina Hanson, author of Eco-Beautiful. “I had been working in the industry for several years before I discovered the toxic ingredients in makeup; I was shocked,” she says.

Equally unsettling, “I also learned that many of the ingredients allowed in the U.S. are banned in the European Union because of their toxicity.”

That knowledge launched Hanson’s quest to create safe, organic, beauty-enhancing products for women, celebrities and everyday people alike.

“So many people these days pay close attention to what they put in their bodies, but not everyone is as careful about what they put on their bodies,” she says. “I want people to understand that you don’t have to sacrifice beauty in going green.”

Hanson warns against so-called “natural” cosmetics that abuse the term and may include harmful preservatives and synthetic ingredients. She assures, “Any product labeled ‘USDA certified organic’ contains 100 percent organic ingredients.” Her book mentions numerous brands she recommends.

Beauty Bonus Tip Healthy, moisturized skin is essential to natural beauty, many experts agree, noting that younger women need to unclog pores to prevent acne. They don’t need much moisturizing, but skin generally becomes drier with age, making good moisturizers important. Cox recommends jojoba oil to effect glowing skin. Hanson likes coconut oil, although she recommends rubbing it in, removing makeup and then taking it off with a hot, wet towel.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (SafeCosmetics.org) has created a helpful app for iPhone and Android users at ThinkDirtyApp.com. Simply download it and scan a store item’s barcode to immediately access information on the product’s toxic ingredients, along with recommendations for healthier alternatives.

Kathleen Barnes is the author of many natural health books, including Food Is Medicine. Connect at Kathleen Barnes.com.

DIY Island Lip Gloss 1 tsp grated beeswax 1 tsp grated cocoa butter 1 tsp coconut oil 1 tsp macadamia or other nut oil 1 tsp light sesame oil 1 /8 tsp vitamin E oil Choose organic ingredients when possible. Melt ingredients together in a double boiler or microwave. Add a pinch of beetroot powder for color.

Stir well until all are mixed. Store in a small, clean container.

Recipe courtesy of Janice Cox, EcoBeauty

inspiration

Grateful for EVERYTHING Create an Attitude of Gratitude All Day Long

by Mary Lynn Ziemer

T

he secret to happiness and finding the enduring joy we all seek is Thanksgiving—the simple act of continually giving thanks. To realize wonderful positive outcomes, up to and including seeming miracles, do one thing: Show gratitude all day long. Seeing everything in a new light, through a refreshing prism of love and appreciation, imparts a deep inner well of peace, calm and joy, making us feel more alive.

We can feel that way every day, in every aspect of life, awaking each morning excited to create the day ahead and enthusiastic about each moment and then falling asleep at night embracing a profound feeling of gratitude for all the good we know and have. Happiness is contagious and becomes an upward spiral of joy naturally shared with others.

Start today by launching a daily gratitude journal. This single action, the simplest and quickest way to get results, will foster a habit geared to change everything forever. It fills up our love tank, sparks success and benefits everyone. To embrace better relationships, health, clarity, life and tangible and intangible wealth: n Set a daily time for journal writing. n Pick a handful of things that prompt gratitude that day. Perhaps begin with people that support you in some way.

Everything counts, from expressions of beauty to basic conveniences. Eventually the daily list will grow, generating the joy of gratitude at ever-higher levels. n It’s important to write with love and joy, because such feelings create your

world. Even if something’s a work in progress, like encouraging steps in a relationship, focus on what makes you feel good and want more of and you’ll start seeing more evidence of them. n Elaborate in detail about a particular thing that earns extra gratitude. This carries more benefits from intense feelings than creating a list. When we see how blessed we are with what we already have, it creates more of what we are grateful for, generating an endless cycle of gratitude. n Take notice of the surprises and little miracles that occur, and be sure to make note of them to evoke an even stronger level of awe and gratitude.

Robert Emmons, Ph.D., of the University of California-Davis, a leading authority in researching the science of gratitude and its impact on wellbeing, instructs his study participants, “Be aware of your feelings and how you ‘relish’ and ‘savor’ this gift in your imagination. Take the time to be especially aware of the depth of your gratitude.” In other words, don’t hurry through this exercise like a to-do list.

An all-day-long attitude of gratitude ramps up our awareness of life’s pleasures. It takes an already good life to a whole new zone of zest.

Mary Lynn Ziemer is a master of Advanced Life Concepts, certified life and business coach, motivational speaker and author, with more than 30 years as an entrepreneur and corporate executive at two Fortune 100 companies. Connect at LivingAJoyfulLifeNow.com.

natural awakenings

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naturalpet

Choosing the Perfect Pet Not Just Any Dog or Cat Will Do

by Sandra Murphy

T

he old line, “He followed me home, can we keep him?” used to get a kid a dog or cat of his own. In today’s homes, it’s not that easy. Choosing a pet is a personal choice not to be taken lightly nor made on another person’s behalf. A surprise pet is a bad idea.

Rather than gift a pet during the holidays or at any other time, give a coupon to be redeemed after extensive and careful consideration. Involve the whole family in listing pros and cons, deal breakers and must-haves. Lifestyle adjustments by everyone are to be expected, but pets shouldn’t make all the sacrifices. Available time and space, daily routines and costs all matter in determining the perfect pet.

Temperament

Account Coordinator for z11 Communications, public speaker and author Michael Holtz, of Knoxville, Tennessee, admits he would’ve fallen in love with any dog. His wife, Sarah, searched to find the one that would work best for them. Based on past experience, Sarah knew that she didn’t want a herding, massive, shedding or miniature pet. She was drawn to Labrador types and found Marley, a golden/basset mix rescue that moved in as Michael was undergoing cancer treatment.

“She’s calm, playful and wants to be near, but doesn’t smother, is stubborn, yet trainable, and mostly obedient,” Sarah says. “Plus, she’s content to nap or go on three-mile walks. Walking Marley helped Michael’s recovery after surgery. She was good with just sniffing the green off of a blade of grass until he was ready to head home.”

Size

Small dogs and those that need extensive grooming were on Melinda Carver’s no-adopt list. “I read books, visited 38

Washington, D.C.

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

websites, shelters, adopt-a-thons and rescue When a dog or is the human behind Chloe Kardoggian, a Chihuahua and puppy mill rescue, age 11, groups,” she says. “As a single person with a cat won’t do, try which she describes as “three pounds, two full-time job, I wanted a dog that would fit with my work, volunteer and exercise schedules.” something in a teeth, one giant tongue and an Instagram sensation.” Due to poor nutrition, mill dogs Riley, a bloodhound/Lab mix, fit the bill. tank—freshwater often lose their teeth as young adults, caus Shelter workers can project how large ing their tongues to hang out. She advoa dog will get when fully grown, as well as fish, lizards cates for older dogs and an adopt/don’t buy their temperament and other breed traits. or hamsters. policy. “With senior animals, you know Carver was cautioned that Riley was an acwhat you’re getting. They have personality,” tive animal, needed long walks and would says Herman. “With my work schedule, I wanted an older ultimately top 100 pounds. Now age 11, he’s a companpet, small and piddle-pad trained.” ionable 135 pounds. “I was surprised at how easy it was to change my routine to accommodate playtime, milelong walks and training. He’s laid back and gentle for his Take Two size,” comments Carver, a blog talk radio show host in Herbert Palmer, of Morris Plains, New Jersey, now with Green Parma, Ohio. the Grid Group, worked for a moving company when three

Danielle Nay, an expat from the UK, researched for two kittens showed up near the loading dock. A co-worker took years before choosing Freeway, her neighbor-friendly löwone. Not in the market for a cat, much less two, Palmer tried to chen. He’s a mid-size dog, big enough to be a manly comfind them good, safe homes. After five days, he realized, Lucky panion, but the right size for a high-rise apartment. “When and Day had a home—with him. “Sometimes we adopt them. his humans are busy, Freeway flings his own ball down the Many times they adopt us,” he confides. hall and then runs after it,” she says.

Falling in love doesn’t depend solely on what looks good on paper. Everyone deserves to find their “heart” pet— when that first exchanged look proclaims, “He’s mine.”

Not Quite Perfect The perfect pet doesn’t have to be perfect in looks or health. Dorie Herman, of Jersey City, New Jersey, a graph- Connect with Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@ mindspring.com. ic designer for Martha Stewart Living, in New York City,

More Factors to Consider n A yard isn’t a must, but dogs need regular exercise and socialization. n Adult children boomerang home after college or a divorce, often with pets. A new baby also alters a home’s equilibrium. Many hours away due to work, school activities, elder care and/or volunteering can lead to a bored pet that will produce its own entertainment, often to the family’s dismay. n Some pets are easily washable, while others need professional grooming. Daily brushing minimizes shedding. n Family members’ tolerance for pet drool and snoring counts. n A yearly wellness exam, required inoculations, a microchip and pet insurance add to the tab.

February 12 - 14, 2016 For one weekend, free yourself from the over-dependency of your electronic devices that pull you away from what is really important in your life.

Enjoy a fun and revitalizing weekend retreat customized just for you.

Experience activities such as meditation, hiking, painting, drumming, dance class, chi-gong, group discussions and more.

Join an experienced mindfulness team at Sevenoaks Retreat Center nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, just 90 minutes south of Washington DC, in scenic Madison VA.

Hit the REBOOT button of your life!

Register today: call 540-948-6544 sevenoaksretreat.org/event/mind-body-reboot/ Price is $395 for the weekend. Space is limited. natural awakenings

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Turn Your Passion Into a Business

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The Hidden Deficiency Having the proper amount of iodine in our system at all times is critical to overall health, yet the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that iodine deficiency is increasing drastically in light of an increasingly anemic national diet of unpronounceable additives and secret, unlabeled ingredients. This deficit now affects nearly three-quarters of the population.

Causes of Iodine Deficiency

Radiation

Almost everyone is routinely exposed to iodine-depleting radiation

Low-Sodium Diets

Overuse of zero-nutrient salt substitutes in foods leads to iodine depletion

Iodized Table Salt

Iodized salt may slowly lose its iodine content by exposure to air

Bromine

A toxic chemical found in baked goods overrides iodine's ability to aid thyroid

Iodine-Depleted Soil Poor farming techniques have led to declined levels of iodine in soil

A Growing Epidemic Symptoms range from extreme fatigue and weight gain to depression, carpal tunnel syndrome, high blood pressure, fibrocystic breasts and skin and hair problems. This lack of essential iodine can also cause infertility, joint pain, heart disease and stroke. Low iodine levels also have been associated with breast and thyroid cancers; and in children, intellectual disability, deafness, attention deficient hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and impaired growth, according to studies by Boston University and the French National Academy of Medicine.

What to Do The easy solution is taking the right kind of iodine in the right dosage to rebalance thyroid function and restore health to the whole body. natural awakenings November 2015 41

calendarofevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3 MUIH Webinar: Yoga Teacher to Yoga Therapist – 1-2pm. No matter how passionate or talented, very few people can create a full-time, long-term career as a yoga teacher. Learn about what it takes to become a yoga therapy practitioner and whether you’re ready for the transition. Free. Maryland University of Integrative Health, 7750 Montpelier Rd, Laurel, MD. Info: Events@MUIH.edu.

WEDNDESDAY, NOVEMBER 4 Exploring with SoulCollage – 12-2pm. Come join in a time of creativity and fun. Play with images using a transformative process of creating personal cards for tapping into your inner wisdom.

In a relaxed and supportive atmosphere, spend time choosing images and assembling collages. $30. Elise Lewis, Certified SoulCollage Facilitator, Bethesda, MD. Register: HollyMaeDesigns@ icloud.com. Info: SoulCollage.com/Elise-Lewis.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5 KLEEN City: Morning Yoga and Dance – 6-10pm. Unique morning yoga and music event catered to a healthy lifestyle seeking crowd.

KLEEN strives to promote an environment to enjoy yoga, dance and music in a new way. $20.

KLEEN City at Penn Social, 801 E St, NW. Register: Kleen.City.

One Common Unity—15-Year Anniversary Celebration – 6:30-9pm. This will be an evening of fun, food, music, youth performances and engaging entertainment. This is our time to reconnect and remember our deep roots and history. $50. One Common Unity at Josephine Butler Parks Center, 2437 15th St, NW. Register: OneCommonUnity. org. Info: OneCommonUnity@gmail.com.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6 Fall Community Meal Prep – 4:45-8pm. Join the YD family for an evening of service with DC Central Kitchen meal prep. We’ll be cutting, chopping and peeling food to feed the community.

Yoga District at DC Central Kitchen, 425 2nd St,

NW. Info: Clients.MindBodyOnline.com/Classic/ ws?Studioid=2070&stype=-8&sTG=11&sView= Day&sLoc=1&sTrn=100000200&Date=11/06/15.

Ashtanga Yoga Weekend Primary Series Asana Routine - 6-9pm. Ashtanga Yoga with Extra Spice - Saturday 12:30-3:30pm.Yin Yoga - Sunday 12:30-3:30pm. With Doug Swenson.

Don’t miss this opportunity to study with one of the world’s top instructors. Doug’s classes are invigorating, inspirational and heart-warming. $199/all 3 sessions or $69/single session. Buddha B Yoga Center, 1115 U St, Ste 202, NW. Info: BuddhaBYoga.com.

JourneyDance Girls and Mentors – 7:158:15pm. Girls age 7-plus and their mentors are invited to dance into their dreams. Come, unplug, let your bodies move, your spirits play and let it flow through a journey of music, movement and dance to (re)discover your natural intuitive movement. $30 (Families with 1 adult and up to 2 kids) or $40 (Families of 4 or more). Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown.

Register: Bit.ly/1JOsq4k. Info: LilOmm.com.

Vocal Toning - Vibration Meditation – 7:308:30pm. Amazingly simple, yet peacefully powerful. Close eyes and resonate vowel sounds with crystal bowl to release stress and balance sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

Very relaxing. $5 donation. Unity of Gaithersburg, 111 Central Ave, Gaithersburg, MD. Info: UnityofGaithersburg.org.

practical and powerful. You can tailor a simple practice to fit your lifestyle. Meditation will: calm stress and tension, improve mental clarity and lead to better health and wellness. Barre Tone Studio, 370 West Maple Ave, Unit 1, Vienna, VA. Register: Barre-Tone.com.

Reiki 1 Certificate Training – 12-4pm. Through Nov 8. Become Reiki I certified in two short days. No previous experience is necessary for Reiki I. This is an enjoyable training and gives you an understanding of Reiki and its benefits for you and those around you. This style of Reiki in this training is Usui Shiki Ryoho, lineage of Ms. Takata. The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Register: 301-986-1090 or Info@TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

Soups for the Season – 1-4pm. The feeling of joy and nourishment begins with the fragrance of a beautiful broth and carries through to the colorful feast in a bowl. $20 (suggested donation). Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.

Rocket to the Beats: Intermediate Rocket Flow Yoga with Live Music – 2-4pm. Come out and practice the empowering practice of intermediate Rocket Flow Yoga with Claudia to the instrumental live music beats of badass violinist, Julie Stoessel. $11.35. Yoga District, 1830 1st St, NW. Info: Clients.MindBodyOnline.com/Classic/ ws?Studioid=2070&stype=-8&sTG=11&sView= Day&sLoc=1&sTrn=100000965&Date=11/07/15.

Star Wars Family Yoga – 2:30-3:30pm. Families with kids 4 to 8 years of age are invited to learn the ways of the “Force” and use yoga poses to become AT-AT walkers, Chewbacca, Jabba the Hutt and other characters. Costumes welcome. No prior knowledge of Star Wars required. Reservation required. Please register by Nov 10. $30/family. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown.

Registration: Bit.ly/1VlUaWv. Info: LilOmm.com.

The Second/Sacral Chakra Workshop – 10am2pm. We’ll explore the second chakra, at the top of the pelvis, with gentle movement (Chakra tai chi), meditation (Yoga Nidra) and so much more.

Experiential and profound. $80. The Spectrum Center for Natural Medicine, 8555 16th St, Ste 402, Silver Spring, MD. Register: ShiraOzSinai. com/Classes.html. Info: 240-839-1661 or Info@ ShiraOzSinai.com.

Teaching Yoga to Moms and Babies – 5:308:30pm. This is an immersion-style training workshop for current yoga teachers who are interested in teaching prenatal or postnatal yoga.

It will give teachers an in depth training on the prenatal mother, childbirth education, anatomy and how we can teach safe, effective classes to mothers.

Please note, you do not need to be a RYT-200 teacher to participate. $100. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown. Registration: Bit.ly/1Gt9l6B. Info: LilOmm.com.

Learn How to Meditate Workshop – 12-1:30pm.

Meditation for busy people. Meditation is both

Crystal Power Grids – 6-7:30pm. Learn how to create power grids using commonly found crystals

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7

A Spiritual Healing & Yoga Center

• Initiation Yoga • Hatha & Tibetan Yoga Classes • Spiritual Conferences • Meditation & Initiation into Higher Consciousness • Yoga Training Certification 200-500 Hours • Monthly Day of the Goddess Gatherings Private Healings Include: Massage, Shiatsu, Acupressure, Subtle Energy Healing, Reflexology www.newfuturesocietycenter.com Savitri@newfuturesociety.com Savitri Bach, Director

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301-460-1417

Rockville, MD

Ready to Reclaim Your Life?

Organic Nutrient Dense Superfoods Non-GMO & No Chemicals Lose 5-20 Pounds In 10 Days Reset Your Metabolism Anti-Aging & Athletic Nutrition $50 Gift Coupon Let food be thy medicine and Money Back Guarantee medicine be thy food. - Hippocrates MyPurium.com/GreenEducation * BalancedBlood.com Kathy Shuey * KathyShuey@gmail.com * 703-581-5551

to focus and amplify your intentions to bring about the manifestation of your desires. $35. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 Understanding Forgiveness in Time for the Holidays – 10am-4pm. Delve deep into understanding various aspects of forgiveness and allow us to meditate and heal from the burdens we continue to carry from our past. $110.

NewGrowth Healing & Hypnosis at Bonita Woods Wellness Institute, 140 Little Falls St, Ste 111, Falls Church, VA. Register: EventBrite.com/e/ Understanding-Forgiveness-in-Time-for-theHolidays-Tickets-19027349314.

Usui Reiki Level I – 10am-4pm. Reiki is a Japanese technique of laying on of hands to promote relaxation, peace of mind, stress reduction and healing at all levels. Enhance your level of energy nutrition by learning to channel life force energy into your own body. $120. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Register: RisingPhoenixHC.com.

Children’s Sangha – 4:15-5:30pm. For 5-12-yearolds, accompanied by parents. The class provides young children with a Buddhist framework to explore their inner life, understand the causes of emotional stress and develop peace, wisdom and kindness. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Meal and a Movie – 6:15-8:30pm. Screening of Cock Fight, a 43-minute film about the harm big poultry corporations inflict on farmers, the environment, public health and animals. $10 for the dinner (the film is free). Hosted by Sister Eden Media and Food & Water Watch at Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring, 10309 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD. Register: Info@SisterEden.com or SisterEden.com.

Moms Up: Energetic Strength – 6:30-8:30pm.

Energy and time feel like scarce resources for moms. Learn how to self-care in a way that lifts your energy (and mood), revitalize yourSELF, your life and create a sense of abundance of energy, time and love in your life. $40/retreat or pre-register for all 4 for $120. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown. Register: Bit.ly/1hUBa1Y. Info: LilOmm.com.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9 Laughter Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Please join us for a playful and fun practice that has been

proven to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The session ends with a silent meditation. Free. Arlington Central Library auditorium, 1015 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA. Info: ArlingtonLaughterYoga@yahoo.com.

Why Is She Acting So Weird? – 6:30pm-8pm. This workshop will provide an opportunity to explore your relationships and develop tools to enhance your ability to communicate and manage them.

Free. Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.

MUIH Webinar: Careers in Coaching – 7-8pm.

Join us for this webinar and learn how well-educated health coaches are finding more career opportunities than ever before. Free. Maryland University of Integrative Health, 7750 Montpelier Rd, Laurel, MD. Info: Events@MUIH.edu.

Jivamukti Happy Hour Satsang – 7:30-8:45 pm.

With Lisa Pettinati. Join Jivamukti teachers and students to discuss the Focus of the Month as presented by Jivamukti co-founders, Sharon Gannon and David Life. FOM for November: Wildness.

Free. Buddha B Yoga Center, 1115 U St, Ste 202, NW. Info: BuddhaBYoga.com.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10 Conversations on Healing – 12-1pm. Join us to discuss what you can do to promote health and wellbeing while undergoing advanced medical treatment. Free. Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.

Statins: Do They Really Work – 7pm. More people are being prescribed statins for cholesterol elevation. Find out if they really work, what are the possible side effects and what are the alternatives. Neck, Back and Beyond, 10560 Main St, Ste 204, Fairfax, VA. Info: 703-865-5690 or NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12 MUIH Webinar: Five Exciting Jobs for Community Health Educators – 12-1pm. Learn how a degree in health promotion enables you to have tremendous impact on communities and organizations. This webinar looks at the exciting and varied work being done by five community health educators. Free. Maryland University of Integrative Health, 7750 Montpelier Rd, Laurel, MD. Info: Events@MUIH.edu.

Writing Your Truth – 6-8pm. While most of us do not think of ourselves as poets, in a safe space and with the guidance of a gifted facilitator, we

can unleash the poetry that resides within us. $15/ class or $25/series (suggested donation). Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13 Gut Health and Probiotics – Why They Are Important and How to Choose One – 1-2pm. A growing body of research shows that probiotics may help in preventing disease and promoting overall health. Learn more about these fascinating microorganisms. The Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine, 6829 Elm St, Ste 300, McLean, VA. Register: RSVP@KaplanClinic.com.

Info: KaplanClinic.com/Event/Gut-Health-and-Probiotics.

2nd Annual National Kids Yoga Conference – 5pm. Through Nov 15. The conference will bring together mental health professionals, yoga instructors, school administrators, educators and parents and provide in-depth knowledge on the positive impacts of yoga on children’s and teens’ everyday lives. YoKid at George Washington University Marvin Center, 800 21st St, NW. Register: Conference.YoKid.org.

Charity Social Hour – 5-9pm. A local Meetup group will host a charity social hour in honor of the MD/DC Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. $10 suggested donation. The MD/DC Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, location TBD. Info: KArion@TNC.org or Meetup.com/Second-Friday-Happy-Hour.

Sutras, Science and Psychology Series – 6:309:30pm. This workshop will help us understand how our practices help us as we re-shape these practices towards a recipe for more desirable living. This will be a led discussion using the sutras of Patanjali, combined with scientific findings, our practices and life experiences. Donations welcome. Yoga District, 1922 I St, NW. Info: YogaDistrict.com.

Teaching Mindfulness to Warriors – 6:309:30pm. Through Nov 14. Learn how to help members of the military, veteran, and first responder community to Armor Down with Mindfulness. A mind always set on threat can get stuck analyzing past events in order to anticipate future threats. Learn how to help the service member tame the hypervigilant mind with mindfulness. The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Register: 301-9861090 or Info@TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

Singles Sangha – 7-10pm. A welcoming community of people who gather to experience a shared connection with others who are, by choice or by circumstance, single at this time in their

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lives. All varieties and ages of single people are encouraged to join. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Restorative Yoga Class – 7:15-8:15pm. Relax, renew and restore in this all levels class.

Prenatal students welcome. $22/yogi. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown.

Register: Bit.ly/1MN9g3o. Info: LilOmm.com.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14

specialevent American Holistic Nurses Association Regional Conference

Regional conference for holistic nurses focusing on how self-care enhances patient care.

6 hours CNE. $150.

(Includes continental breakfast and lunch.)

November 14 • 9am-5pm.

Thanksgiving/Christmas Raw Food – 3-6pm.

Learn to prepare a complete 5-course raw dinner for the holidays: carrot/ginger soup, stuffing, cranberry sauce, the happy turkey, pumpkin pie with snow cream. All raw, gluten free, processed sugar free, lactose free and soy free. $60-90/ couple. Fairfax, VA. (Exact location TBA.) Info: 571-471-2891 or RawLivingDlight.com.

Autumn Harvest: Yoga, Qigong and Meditation – 4-7pm. With James Foulkes. Balance the Metal Element organs and meridians. $40 (plus tax).

Buddha B Yoga Center, 1115 U St, Ste 202, NW. Info: BuddhaBYoga.com.

Inversions for Everyone – 5:30-7:30pm. We will practice several inverted poses including handstand, headstand, forearm stand and shoulder stand and will learn how to set them up safely with creative modifications using blocks, bolsters and other props. $40. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown. Register: Bit.ly/1OxaXUE. Info: LilOmm.com.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15

American Holistic Nurses Association at Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center, 3800 Reservoir Rd, NW. Register: AHNA.org/cne. Info: 800-2578-2462.

Postpartum Strength and Recovery – 1-2:30pm.

This workshop will focus on rebuilding core strength as well as poses to relieve aching back, neck and shoulders after pregnancy. Babies welcome. $30/ person. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown. Register: Bit.ly/1KThUve. Info: LilOmm.com

4th Annual D.C. Kirtan Festival Benefit – 1-10pm. Bringing together D.C. chant leaders for one event to raise money for girls rescued from sex trafficking and build a rural school. $50 (Includes a vegan India dinner). BE Yoga and Gita’s Dream Kirtan at 1776, 2231 Crystal Dr, 10th Floor, Arlington, VA. Register: DCKirtanFest2015.bpt. me. Info: BEyogaYurt.com/DCKirtanFest.

IPATH Postural Alignment – 2:30-4pm. With Denese Cavanaugh. The iPATH method is an evidence-based, therapeutic program. It helps to increase spinal flexibility, range of motion, improve posture, optimize alignment and decrease back pain. $25 (plus tax). Buddha B Yoga Center, 1115 U St, Ste 202, NW. Info: BuddhaBYoga.com.

Exploring Forearm Balance: Intermediate Flow w/Focus on Inversions – 1:30-3:30pm. This class is for practitioners looking to break down forearm balance and the different muscle groups that support this inversion. Part flow class, part lecture and play. $22.69. Yoga District, 1830 1st St, NW. Info: Clients.MindBodyOnline.com/Classic/ ws?Studioid=2070&stype=-8&sTG=11&sView= Day&sLoc=1&sTrn=100000226&Date=11/14/15.

Beginner’s Yoga Workshop – 2:30-4:30pm. In this workshop, you will learn about the full system of yoga. We will learn the main eight poses and deeply relaxing the physical body as well as the central nervous system. $22.69. Yoga District, 1830 1st St, NW. Info: Clients.MindBodyOnline.com/Classic/ ws?Studioid=2070&stype=-8&sTG=11&sView=day &sLoc=1&sTrn=100000085&date=11/15/15.

Yin Yoga Workshop – 6:30-8:30pm. Enter into a deep meditative space in this two-hour practice inclusive of yin postures, pranayama, meditation and restorative poses. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown. Register: Bit.ly/1V3p6JP. Info: LilOmm.com.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16 Exploring with SoulCollage – 12-2pm. See Nov 4 for details. $30. Elise Lewis, Certified SoulCollage Facilitator, Bethesda, MD. Register: HollyMaeDesigns@icloud.com. Info: SoulCollage. com/Elise-Lewis.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18 MUIH Graduate Open House – 7-9pm. Distinct from other schools, MUIH delivers academic excellence with a focus on the interconnection of mind, body and spirit. Free. Maryland University of Integrative Health, 7750 Montpelier Rd, Laurel, MD. Info: Events@MUIH.edu.

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Creating a Healthy Relationship with Money – 7-9pm. Money coach Cindy Morgan-Jaffe talks about her own journey with money and how the stories and beliefs we carry influence our relationships with family, work and community. Plus practical advice on how to talk with kids about money. Holistic Moms Network Arlington/Alexandria chapter at Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, 4444 Arlington Blvd, Arlington, VA. Info: HolisicMomsArlAlex@ gmail.com or HolisticMomsArlAlex.blogspot.com.

MUIH Webinar: Getting Ready for Winter: Using Herbs to Tone Your Immunity System – 7-8pm. Now is the time to prepare for winter and the holiday season times when our immune systems are particularly vulnerable. Don’t miss learning about tried and tested immune tonics that are simple herbs and roots that can be readily prepared in the home. Free. Info: Events@MUIH.edu.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20 iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation – 6:45-7:45pm.

Join Shira Oz-Sinai for an inquiry into the mystery of meditation. No physical exercise involved, just an effortless and restorative awareness practice (sleeping is allowed). $25.

The Spectrum Center for Natural Medicine, 8555 16th St, Ste 402, Silver Spring, MD. Register: ShiraOzSinai.com/classes.html. Info: 240-8391661 or Info@ShiraOzSinai.com.

Partner Yoga and Massage – 7:15-8:45pm.

Connect with your partner through breath, yoga postures, shared meditation and supported relaxation. Nonverbal communication will facilitate closeness. All levels welcome. $50/pair. Lil Omm Yoga, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown.

Register: Bit.ly/1gKA3l5. Info: LilOmm.com.

Vocal Toning - Vibration Meditation – 7:308:30pm.See Nov 6 for details. $5 donation. Unity of Gaithersburg, 111 Central Ave, Gaithersburg, MD. Info: UnityofGaithersburg.org.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 Tree Planting with Casey Trees – 9am-12pm.

The MD/DC Chapter of The Nature Conservancy is helping out our friends at Casey Trees with a local tree planting in Washington, DC. Casey

1830 1st St, NW. Info: Clients.MindBodyOnline. com/Classic/ws?Studioid=2070&stype=-8&sTG =11&sView=Day&sLoc=1&sTrn=100000799& Date=12/05/15.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13 Healthy Gut Rebuilt with Homemade Probiotics – 3-6pm. For a healthy immune system, improve digestion/absorption/elimination, good intestinal flora is necessary. Learn how to prepare home probiotics: fermented sauerkraut, kimchi, rejuvelac (grain fermented milk) and almond yogurt. $60-99/ couple. Fairfax, VA. (Exact location TBA). Info: 571-471-2891 or RawLivingDlight.com.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18

Trees at Melvin Hazen Trail West, 3061 Sedgwick St, NW. Register: EventBrite.com/e/VolunteerMelvin-Hazen-West-Community-Tree-PlantingRegistration-18230265214?access=TheNatureCo nservancy. Info: Karion@TNC.org.

Fall Bazaar – 10am-3pm. The 47th annual Fall Bazaar at Washington Waldorf features free activities for kids, great selection of holiday gifts, delectable lunch and desserts, live music and more.

Washington Waldorf School, 4800 Sangamore Rd, Bethesda, MD. Info: WashintonWaldorf.org.

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – 12-3pm. With Harikirtana das. Explore the key elements of the yoga sutras including ethics, psychology, theology, austerity and self-realization. Yoga Alliance CE available for yoga teachers. $25 (plus tax). Buddha B Yoga Center, 1115 U St, Ste 202, NW. Info: BuddhaBYoga.com.

Craft Your Own Organic Spa Products – 2-3:30pm. Learn to craft your own spa products using natural ingredients. Head home with your own custom, aromatic soaks and scrubs. $60/person. Herban Lifestyle at BeClean Studio, 52 O St, NW. Register: HerbanLifeStyle.com/Product/Craft-YourOwn-Organic-Spa-Products-Workshop-Nov21-Washington-DC. Info: 202-321-2479 or Info@HerbanLifestyle.com.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28 2nd Annual Winter Holiday Market – 11am5pm. If you are looking for meaningful holiday gifts for the loved ones in your life then look no further. We’ve done all the work for you by bringing all the best jewelry, bath and body and more, to one place. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 D Prince William St, Manassas, VA. Info: RisingPhoenixHC.com.

plan ahead SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5 Looking Inward: Exploring Forward Folding – 3-5pm. In this workshop, we’ll look at foundational elements of folding seen in paschimottanasana and janu sirsasana that begin to unlock the hips, hamstrings and lower back. $22.69. Yoga District,

Festival of Lights and Holiday Bazaar – 5:308:30pm. An evening of joyous student performances honoring winter season celebrations. Featuring a Bazaar with vendors offering hand-made fair-trade pottery, jewelry, gifts and more. Free Admission and $60 for vendor table. Oneness-Family School, 6701 Wisconsin Ave, Chevy Chase, MD. Info: Contact Morgan Murray 301-652-7751 or RSVP@ OnenessFamily.org or OnenessFamilySchool.org.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21 Laughter Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Please join us for a playful and fun practice that has been proven to reduce stress and strengthen the immune system. The session ends with a silent meditation. Free. Arlington Central Library auditorium, 1015 N Quincy St, Arlington, VA. Info: ArlingtonLaughterYoga@yahoo.com.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6 Roots and Culture Tour: Traditional Food and Herbal Medicine Journey – Through Jan 13. The Roots and Culture Tour is an incredible opportunity for all those interested in sustainable and just local agriculture as well as traditional herbal medicine. Join us in the amazing Talamanca Region of Costa Rica. Registration and payment in full due by Dec 1. $1150 (shared room). Centro Ashé, Manzanillo, Costa Rica.

Register: 301-375-6082 or Info@CentroAshe.org.

Info: CentroAshe.org/Costa-Rica-Roots--CultureTour-Traditional-Food--Herbal-Medicine.html.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3 Flower Essence Practitioner Training – Through Feb 11. Centro Ashé is honored to host Flower Essence Practitioner and Community Herbalist Lupo Passero of Twin Star Herbs and Education for our first ever Flower Essence Practitioner Training. Join us in the abundant Talamanca region of Costa Rica for this in depth immersion into flower essences. $1675/person.

Centro Ashé hosts Lupo Passero of Twin Star Herbs and Education, Mazanillo, Costa Rica.

Register: 301-375-6082 or Info@CentroAshe.org.

Info: Centroashe.org/Tropical-Flower-EssencePractitioner-Training-in-Costa-Rica.html.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17 Family Herbal and Tropical Adventure – Through Feb 23. Join us with the whole family in tropical Costa Rica for an incredible week of breathtaking natural beauty while exploring grassroots approaches to herbalism and plant healing. This tour will bring you in contact with some of the most incredible depths of the Costa Rican jungles, as well as the beauty of the infamous coastlines. Registration and payment due by Dec 1. $1350 (shared room and does not include flight to Costa Rica). Molly Meehan of Centro Ashé and Lupo Passero of Twin Star Herbs and Education, Costa Rica. Register: 301-3756082 or Info@CentroAshe.org. Info: CentroAshe. org/Costa-Rica-Family-Herbal-Adventure.html.

SATURDAY, MAY 7

savethedate Greater Richmond Holistic Expo

Plans are underway for this great new event.

The 30,000-sq.-ft.-hall will showcase more than 165 exhibitors.

Henrico Hall Richmond Raceway Complex, 602 E Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA. Info: Steve at 804-503-7939.

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ongoingevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

sunday Sunday Morning Meditation Class – 10:30am12:30pm. With Hugh Byrne. An oasis in a busy week, including 30-minute guided meditations, a 10-minute walking meditation and 30-minute discussion. A miniretreat. Drop-ins welcome. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Grow Sprouts and Micro Greens in Your Home Year Round – 2:30-5:30pm. 4th Sun. Indoor growing: wheatgrass, sunflower, broccoli and more. $50 (includes handouts and kit). Raw Living D’Light, Fairfax, VA. Register: Luzy@RawLivingDLight.com.

monday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. A beautiful way to start your day, with a 30-minute meditation and optional 15-minute discussion following. Drop-ins welcome. A project of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington (IMCW). The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Therapeutic Yoga – 10:30-11:45am. Enjoy a greater sense of well-being and enhanced energy in our gentle yoga classes. Learn various yoga postures and techniques in progressive relaxation, breathing practices, and mediation. $10/class or $25/month (suggested donation). Smith Center for Healing the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Register: 202-483-8600. Info: SmithCenter.org/Calendar. .

tuesday

Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. See Mon for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown.

Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Calm Mom Coaching Circle – 10-11:30am.

Supported by your coach and alongside a group of like-minded moms, you will experience proven coaching tools and techniques to help you identify what fuels and triggers stress in your everyday life and help you develop calmer (less-stress) living habits. Please note: There are no drop-ins, pro-rating or refunds for missed sessions If childcare is needed, email Info@LilOmm.com. $225. Lil Omm Yoga IMCW Studio (3rd floor), 4708 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Tenleytown. Info: LilOmm.com.

Chair Yoga – 11:30am-12:30pm. You are invited to relax deeply as we move through a series of gentle seated and supported poses that promote self-care. $10/class or $25/month (suggested donation). Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202-4838600 or SmithCenter.org.

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Women’s Health and Empowerment Group – 2pm. As women, we serve a role as caretakers, often putting our own needs last. This class is about taking the time to care for ourselves and explore evidence-based, mind-body therapies to improve well-being. In community, we build a support network on trust and compassion.

This class is appropriate for women with health concerns. Donations accepted. The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Info: 301-986-1090 or Info@ TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

Awareness through Movement – 6-7pm. 1st and 2nd Tues. During the class, you are guided through a series of simple floor exercises, which have profound effects on your posture, breathing and movement capabilities. $10/class or $25/series (suggested donation). Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.

Food for Life: Kickstart Your Health Cooking Course – 6-8pm. Tues through Dec 8. Physicians Committee is offering a cooking course designed to help local residents lose weight and improve their health through proper diet and nutrition. Free.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, 5100 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 400, NW. Register: 202527-7314 or TKemp@PCRM.org.

wednesday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. See Mon for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown.

Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Outside the Lines: A Creative Art Studio – 10:30am-12:20pm. 1st and 3rd Wed. Facilitators will help reclaim art-making as a healing tool through guided creative projects. $10/session (suggested donation). Smith Center for Healing the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Register: 202-483-8600.

Info: SmithCenter.org/Calendar.

Therapeutic Yoga – 10:30-11:45am. See Mon for details. $10/class or $25/month (suggested donation). Smith Center for Healing the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Register: 202-483-8600. Info: SmithCenter.org/Calendar.

Wednesday Afternoon Rest and Restoration – 1-2pm. 2nd and 4th Wed. Join Shira Oz-Sinai for an afternoon of relaxation and restoration with a meditation practice that is effortless, easy, and profound. No experience necessary.

All props provided. $25. The Spectrum Center for Natural Medicine, 8555 16th St, Ste 402, Silver Spring, MD. Register: ShiraOzSinai. com/classes.html. Info: 240-839-1661 or Info@ ShiraOzSinai.com.

Chronic Pain Support Group – 1:30-3pm. A forum for individuals suffering with chronic pain and illness to share their struggles and strategies for staying as healthy and hopeful

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

as possible. The Pain Connection in conjunction with the Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine at The Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine, 6829 Elm St, Ste 300, McLean, VA. Info: KaplanClinic.com/Events/Month.

Drop in Meditation – 7:30-8:30pm. Free weekly drop-in meditation class led by Laura Parris, MTS. This class is for individuals who have a regular meditation practice (1 plus years of practice). The Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine, 6829 Elm St, Ste 300, McLean, VA. Info: 703-532-4892 or KaplanClinic.com/Classes-at-the-Kaplan-Center.

thursday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. See Mon for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: LivingMindfully.org.

Therapeutic Yoga – 10:30-11:45am. See Mon for details. $10/class or $25/month (suggested donation). Smith Center for Healing the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Register: 202-483-8600. Info: SmithCenter.org/Calendar.

Guided Meditation – 11-11:50am. Join us for a short discussion and guided meditation. Please arrive by 10 minutes after 11. 15. Bonita Woods Wellness Institute, 140 Little Falls St, Ste 111, Falls Church, VA. Info: BonitaWoods.org

friday Early Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. See Mon for details. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown.

Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

Move, Learn, Create – 11-12:15pm. Stretch your creative capacity, feel good, and connect with fellow participants. $10/session or $25/month (suggested donation). Featuring a variety of dance styles, the class is a well-paced and refreshing experience for all.

Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.

saturday YogAlign – 8:30-9:45am. Appropriate for beginner and intermediate students, features hatha yoga poses and variations taught in gently flowing sequences emphasizing the fundamentals of healthy alignment to develop strength, flexibility, focus and centeredness. $15/drop in class. Barre Tone Studio, 370 West Maple Ave, Unit 1, Vienna, VA. Register: Barre-Tone.com.

Grow Sprouts and Micro Greens in Your Home Year Round – 9:30am-12:30pm. 4th Sat. See Sun for details. $50 (includes handouts and kit). Raw Living D’Light, Fairfax, VA. Register: Luzy@ RawLivingDLight.com.

Respectful, Chemical -Free Beekeeping – 10am12pm. 1st Sat. New and experienced beekeepers enjoy learning our unique style of hive management that is based on respect for the honeybee. $50/ person (free for hiveshares and their guests). Azure B. LLC, 4730 Bicknell Rd, Marbury, MD. Register: AzureBLLC.com/#!Education/c6za. Info: 301-7432331 or Info@AzureBLLC.com.

communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Robin@NaturalAwakeningsDC.com to request our media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE JOÃO M. ALVAREZ, LICENSED ACUPUNCURIST

1010 Rockville Pike, Ste 305, Rockville, MD JMA.Acupuncture@yahoo.com 301-337-7115 • ElementWellness.net By combining acupuncture with Chinese herbal medicine, cupping, moxabustion and nutrition, João develops a comprehensive, individualized treatment strategy to promote optimal health. Major insurance accepted. See ad, page 43.

NECK BACK & BEYOND WELLNESS CENTER

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE NOVA CENTER FOR ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

4635 Chain Bridge Rd, Ste 100, McLean, VA 703-229-3106 NOVAAlternativeMed.com

Our holistic approach gets to the nexus of your pain and treats your pain’s cause, not just your symptoms. Dr. Sanford’s approach and treatment will greatly improve your quality of life. Specializing i n p e r i p h e r a l n e u r o p a t h y, chiropractic care, acupuncture, nutrition, physical therapy and functional medicine. See ad, page 11.

AROMATHERAPY

10560 Main St, Ste PH-1, Fairfax, VA 703-865-5690 NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com NeckBackAndBeyond.com

MOTHER’S NATURE STORE

Neck Back & Beyond offers chiropractic and naturopathic care, acupuncture, massage, colon hydrotherapy (colonics), reflexology, lymphatic drainage and more. lasting change to heal the mind, body and soul. Fitness, educational consultant and hypnotist. See ad, page 29.

Certified aromatherapist and herbalist offering lifestyle consultations and handmade products, including soaps, balms, and beard oils. Reach a better state of body and mind. See ad, page 24.

SHAWNA SNYDER Rose Wellness Center 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA Info@RoseWellness.com • RoseWellness.com 571-529-6699 Shawna Snyder is a licensed acupuncturist specializing in pain management. She effectively relieves pain by custom tailoring a comprehensive treatment plan to achieve optimal results. See ad, page 8.

DEBRITT EALEY

Rose Wellness Center 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 Info@RoseWellness.com • RoseWellness.com DeBritt Ealey specializes in the treatment of all forms of symptoms associated with allergies and sensitivities with the Advanced Allergy Therapeutics (AAT) therapy. See ad, page 8.

SAVVY REST NATURAL BEDROOM

258 Maple Ave East, Vienna and 12242 Rockville Pike, Rockville, 703-255-7040 (VA) or 301-770-7040 (MD) Maddie@SavvyRest.com • SRNB.com

Savvy Rest Natural Bedroom is the premier retailer of Savvy Rest organic mattresses and bedding, a Virginia manufacturer, and retailer of fine bedroom furniture. See ad, page 4.

BIRTH SUPPORT PEACEFUL EARTH, GRACEFUL BIRTH

202-297-2722 PeacefulEarthGracefulBirth@gmail.com PeacefulEarthGracefulBirth.com Birth and postpartum labor support services. Personal and group childbirth education classes as well as vaginal steaming in our office or your home.

BOTANICAL GARDENS MEADOWLARK BOTANICAL GARDENS

703-851-0087 Laina_Poulakos@hotmail.com MothersNatureStore.com

9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct, Vienna, VA 703-255-3631 KTomlinson@Nvrpa.org • Nvrpa.org

Wolf Trap in Vienna.

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, a public garden for all the senses, a place of peace and reflection. Near

CHIROPRACTOR

AUTISM CONSULTING

ASHDALE CHIROPRACTIC AND PHYSICAL THERAPY

ANNE MAITREPIERRE

301-461-2135 AMaitrepierreMoss@comcast.net Autism consultation and holistic wellness coaching from a veteran autism mom. Provides support for parents of children with autism, including those who have been newly diagnosed.

ALLERGY MANAGEMENT

BEDROOM FURNITURE

Dr. Craig Sanford, DC 12801 Darby Brooke Ct, Ste 120, Woodbridge, VA 703-583-1222 • AshdaleChiropractic.com Ashdale Chiropractic and Physical Therapy offers chiropractic care, acupuncture, peripheral neuropathy and physical medicine.

See ad, page 11.

BARRE BARRE TONE

370 Maple Ave West, Unit 1, Vienna, VA 703-242-TONE (8663) Barre-Tone.com Jazz up your routine and experience the latest trend in full-body workout. Barre Tone is ideal for those who want to sculpt, strengthen and increase flexibility, while enjoying the infusion of dance, aerobics with the benefits of the ballet barre at its core. Leave with renewed energy, a calmer spirit and a new passion for life. See ad, page 32.

When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost. ~Billy Graham

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NECK BACK & BEYOND WELLNESS CENTER

COUNSELING

10560 Main St, Ste PH-1, Fairfax, VA 703-865-5690 NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com NeckBackAndBeyond.com Neck Back & Beyond offers chiropractic and naturopathic care, acupuncture, massage, colon hydrotherapy (colonics), reflexology, lymphatic drainage and more. lasting change to heal the mind, body and soul. Fitness, educational consultant and hypnotist. See ad, page 29.

CHRONIC PAIN KAPLAN CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 6829 Elm St, Ste 300, McLean, VA 703-532-4892 2KaplanClinc.com

We offer patients suffering with chronic pain and illness an effective model of medical care, incorporating elements of conventional and alternative medicine. Our team provides an integrative approach that addresses root causes of an individual’s pain and illness, including problems of the mind and spirit that may be contributing to the disease process. See ad, page 5.

CLEANING MAID BRIGADE CAPITAL REGION

4813-A Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA 800-515-6243 Marketing@Maid-Brigade.com MaidBrigade.com

We are Green Clean Certified so you can have peace of mind that your home will be healthier for you, your pets and the environment.

See ad, page 15..

CONSULTING GRACE PRODUCTIONS

Grace Ogden, Principal 301-445-6771 • GraceProductions.co Grace Ogden leads this consulting and event production firm that supports progressive social change with an awareness of why spiritual principles and practices matter.

See ad, page 14.

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MARY KENDELL, MS, NP

Individual and Couples Therapy GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055 • GWICM.com YourSexualHealthMatters@gmail.com Evaluation, treatment, counseling, and education for all sexual health concerns. See ad, page 2.

NATALIE X. KORYTNYK, PHD

Individual & Couples Therapy GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055 • Gwcim.com With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Natalie Korytnyk is a psychologist with an expertise in relationship difficulties, anxiety, depression, work stress, eating disorders and selfesteem. See ad, page 2.

DENTISTRY MILES OF SMILES IMPLANT DENTISTRY

801 Wayne Ave, Ste G200, Silver Spring PureImplants@MilesofSmilesDental.net MilesofSmilesDental.net • 301-588-0768 Bioceramic Dental Implants are here replacing missing teeth. Now safer than ever. Our integrative approach addresses your body’s readiness for dental implants. We systematically test and optimize your immune system prior to implant placement. With 18 years’ experience in implant dentistry, Dr. Noumbissi developed the Natural & Keramik Koncept, a safe protocol for teeth replacement with metal-free ceramic implants coupled with naturally optimized and accelerated bone and gum healing to enhance your smile and improve your quality of life.

See ad, page 38.

DOULA THE DC DOULA

202-630-HOOK (4665) TheDCDoula@gmail.com • TheDCDoula.com Picture Plan for your future.

Birth and postpartum doula offering a variety of women’s wellness services.

We support birth with great confidence and help you welcome your new baby. See ad, page 26.

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

EDUCATION EMPOWERED LEARNING TRANSFORMATIONAL CENTER

8120 Woodmont Ave, Ste 150, Bethesda, MD 301-654-5919 Bethesda@ELTCenters.com ELTCenters.com Empowered Learning Tr a n s f o r m a t i o n Centers (ELTC) help people of all ages and ability achieve peak performance levels in the areas of learning, focus and attention. See ad, page 8.

WASHINGTON WALDORF SCHOOL 4800 Sangamore Rd, Bethesda, MD 301-229-6107 SSmith@WashingtonWaldorf.com WashingtonWaldorf.org

Washington Waldorf offers a holistic education that blends arts, movement, and practical skills with academics at every step. Pre-K-12. Imagine a better way to learn.

ENERGY HEALING LIZETTE AYALA Rose Wellness Center 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 Info@RoseWellness.com • RoseWellness.co Lizette Ayala, Energy Health Coach, specializes in teaching the art of self-healing and mind-body health, breaking energy draining patterns and reducing unproductive stress. See ad, page 8.

HEALING GATEWAY 877-534-5534 HealingGateway.com

Sherry Lynn Dmytrewycz invites you to enter into a healthier, unlimited life with an energy clearing for you, your space or your animals. Handson or distance sessions. See ad, page 51.

HEALTH EVENT PLANNING PAM SNYDER EVENTS, LLC 703-402-7223 PamSnyderEvents@gmail.com PamSnyderEvents.com

With over 25 years experience event planning, our concentration is in the area of Health and Wellness.

Whether you are interested in a high-energy full-scale conference or a small meeting/workshop, let us help plan your next health and wellness event.

HEALTHY PETS CHICO’S NATURAL PET DEPOT

6349 A Columbia Pike, Falls Church, VA 703-750-6675 Chicos@PetDepot.net • ChicosPetDepot.com Chico’s Pet Depot Holistic Pet Care is your neighborhood all natural, organic and holistic pet food, supplements and alternative remedies for all your pet needs. Unique and customized supplies catering to your special needs companion. Pet adoption, grooming, pet events and more. See ad, page 12.

WHOLE PET CENTRAL

Info@WholePetCentral.com WholePetCentral.com We are your one-stop destination for all things natural regarding your pet’s nutritional and grooming needs. Shop online or visit one of our stores locations in Rockville, MD, Herndon, VA or Ashburn, VA. See ad, page 18.

HERBS MOTHER’S NATURE STORE 703-851-0087 Laina_Poulakos@hotmail.com MothersNatureStore.com

Certified aromatherapist and herbalist offering lifestyle consultations and handmade products, including soaps, balms, and beard oils. Reach a better state of body and mind. See ad, page 24.

HOLISTIC PARENTING HOLISTIC MOMS NETWORK ARLINGTON/ALEXANDRIA CHAPTER 571-451-8273 HolisticMomsArlAlex@gmail.com HolisticMomsArlAlex.blogspot.com

A nonprofit resource for parents seeking support in their natural lifestyle choices. All chapters hold monthly meetings and most offer supplemental activities.

HOLISTIC PROMOTIONS EARTHLIGHT PROMOTIONS 703-401-9663 BeverlyNickerson@comcast.net EarthLightPromotions.com

Organizing and promoting holistic health conferences.

Marketing for holistic health practitioners. Facilitating local U.S. and abroad retreats to reconnect with nature, indigenous ancient wisdom and natural medicine. Non-GMO sustainably harvested super green food detoxification health coach. Green ecofriendly living health advocate. See ad, page 24

HOME ENVIRONMENT MIKHAIL SOGONOV, PH.D.

InSitu EcoTesting LLC GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055 • Sogonov@InSitu-ET.com Consulting company inspecting indoor environment for biological agents negatively affecting human health. Mainly focused on mold, also includes sewage contamination and pet and pest allergens.

See ad, page 2.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE SULTANA AFROOZ, DO

Rose Wellness Center 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com Info@RoseWellness.com Dr. Sultana Afrooz specializes in diagnosing and treating patients who have been chronically ill from effects of tick borne infection, mold toxicity, and environmental toxicity. See ad, page 8.

CASEY HEALTH INSTITUTE

800 South Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg 301-664-6464 KGill@CaseyHealth.org CaseyHealth.org

Casey Health offers primary care, acupuncture, chiropractic, naturopathy, yoga therapy, massage, behavioral health, wellness classes and health coaching all aimed at getting people healthy. See ad, page 3.

ANGELA GABRIEL, MSOM, LAC, CH GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055, 202-300-4981 Gwcim.com

Classical Chinese medicine, Japanese-style acupuncture, pain and stress management, chronic issues, family care, women’s health, pregnancy, children, Kiiko Matsumoto-style acupuncture, moxibustion, integrative medicine.

See ad, page 2.

GW CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 908 New Hampshire Ave, NW, DC 202-833-5055 • Gwcim.com

A clinic that effectively combines use of traditional and conventional evidence-based medical practices through a variety of complementary and alternative therapies and has many years of close collaboration with George Washington University Medical Center and a variety of physicians in most subspecialties. See ad, page 2.

SUSHMA HIRANI, MD

Rose Wellness Center 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 Info@RoseWellness.com RoseWellness.com Sushma Hirani, MD, specializes in functional and integrative medicine to treat chronic diseases.

She has a special interest in women’s health care, natural hormone balancing, and detoxification. See ad, page 8.

INDIGO INTEGRATIVE HEALTH CLINIC 1010 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 660, DC 202-298-9131 IndigoHealthClinic.com

The body has an innate ability to heal itself and achieve balance from everyday stressors through non-toxic, non-aggressive and highly effective modalities. See ad, page 3.

KAPLAN CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 6829 Elm St, Ste 300, McLean, VA 703-532-4892 2KaplanClinc.com

We offer patients suffering with chronic pain and illness an effective model of medical care, incorporating elements of conventional and alternative medicine. Our team provides an integrative approach that addresses root causes of an individual’s pain and illness, including problems of the mind and spirit that may be contributing to the disease process.

See ad, page 5.

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MIKHAIL KOGAN, MD

GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055 • Gwcim.com

Dr. Kogan is Medical Director of GW Center for Integrative Medicine where he provides integrative consultations and primary care. In addition, he does geriatric consultations at GW University Hospital and makes home visits to frail patients. See ad, page 2.

ROSE WELLNESS CENTER

2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 Info@RoseWellness.com • RoseWellness.com At Rose Wellness Center, we practice an integrative approach to medicine by combining the best of conventional and alternative medicine. Services include hormone balancing, acupuncture, allergy management (AAT), energy healing, specialty testing, and detoxification. See ad, page 8.

MIND-BODY THERAPY THE MINDFULNESS CENTER

301-986-1090 TheMindfulnessCenter@gmail.com TheMindfulnessCenter.org Empowering people to heal.

Embracing optimal wellness.

Mindfulness classes and services offered: yoga, meditation, tai chi, Nia, acupuncture, massage, Reiki, qigong, craniosacral, hypnosis and more. See ad, page 25.

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS MARIANNA LEDENAC, ND

Adult & Pediatric Naturopathic Medicine GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055 • Gwcim.com Dr. Ledenac is a Naturopathic Physician in family medicine caring for adults and children. She has a special focus in weight management (body composition improvement), nutritional assessments, pediatrics and women’s health including fertility care. See ad, page 2.

ILANA SEIDEL, MD

GW Center for Integrative Medicine 908 New Hampshire Ave, Ste 200 202-833-5055 IlanaSeidelmd@gmail.com GWCIM.com Dr. Ilana Seidel’s approach with her patients focuses on their whole health while incorporating her background in functional medicine, Heartmath, osteopathy, Reiki and integrative medicine. See ad, page 2.

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NUTRITION RAW LIVING D-LIGHT

571-471-2891 • Luzy@RawLivingDLight RawLivingDLight.com

AT EASE: TRAGER AND MASSAGE

Deep bodywork that uses rhythmic, wavelike movement to ease pain, joint and muscle tension, and release long-held uncomfortable movement and postural patterns. See ad, page 2.

ASK BABETTE AT NECK, BACK AND BEYOND

10560 Main St, Ste PH-1, Fairfax, VA 703-862-4612 • Info@AskBabette.com NeckBackAndBeyond.com Babette Lamarre, Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, offers individualized recommendations for what to eat/how to live for maximum health and happiness given your particular life situation.

See ad, page 29.

ORGANIC FOOD DELIVERY WINTERGREEN ORGANICS

ZanaZ@WintergreenOrganics.com WintergreenOrganics.com We are your gateway to local, organic and natural farmers. We are your online grocery store. Sign up, click on your food to add to your cart, get delivered. It’s that easy. Life is good and healthy.

See ad, page 38.

PERMACULTURE GROWING WILD, LLC

Stephen Trauger 540-550-2355 • PermaSteve@gmail.com GrowingWildPermaculture.com We help you design, build and maintain sustainable systems that integrate the following concepts: Swales, natural soil building strategies, ponds, grey water systems, food production, roof water catchment, gardens, composting and much more.

Alkaline foods to restore your health and nourish your body.

Microgreens and sprouts, foods for superior health. Classes, workshops and private consultation. Available for lectures and home growing consultations.

See ad, page 15.

MASSAGE

Lisa Bregman 202-686-7202 LisaBregman@yahoo.com

NUTRITIONAL THERAPY

NUTRITION EDUCATION JULIE WENDT

JWendt@GWCIM.com GWCIM.com

MEDITATION HUGH BYRNE, PHD Hugh-Byrne.com

Mindfulness-based counseling and meditation instruction. Dr. Byrne teaches classes, retreats, and workshops on Buddhism and meditation in the Washington, D.C. area and nationwide and provides individual counseling.

REIKI LUANN JACOBS, SLP/RMT

Reiki-Biofeedback Practitioner GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055 • Gwcim.com

My work as a Nutrition Educator is focused on working in partnership with individuals who want or need to implement changes to their diet and lifestyle in order to achieve optimal health See ad, page 2.

Luann provides treatments and trainings in the use of Reiki hands-on and biofeedback for self-care, and Reiki care of others. See ad, page 2.

Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value. ~Albert Einstein

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SPIRITUAL LIVING UNITY OF FAIRFAX

2854 Hunter Mill Rd, Oakton, VA 703-281-1767 • Admin@UnityOfFairfax.org UnityOfFairfax.org Unity of Fairfax offers a welcoming, environment to explore one’s own relationship with God in a community of like-minded individuals.

THERAPEUTIC YOGA LINDA LANG

GW Center for Integrative Medicine 202-833-5055 • TherapeuticYogaDC.com

VETERINARIAN - HOLISTIC HOLISTIC VETERINARY HEALING

Pema Choepel Mallu, DVM, CVA, M.Ac, L.Ac Kitty Raichura DVM, CVA 12627 Wisteria Dr, Ste C & D, Germantown 240-715-6570 HolisticVeterinaryHealing.com We offer integrative compassionate veterinary c a r e . We v i e w y o u r animal as a whole focusing on the root cause of dis-harmony for long-term healing. See ad, page 26.

VETERINARY HOLISTIC CARE 4820 Moorland Ln, Bethesda, MD 301-656-2882 Info@VHCdoc.com • VHCdoc.com

A highly experienced practitioner, certified in the medical, therapeutic arena of Cardiac Yoga. Specializing in chronic conditions and degenerative disease. Therapeutic yoga for special conditions and m e d i t a t i o n a r e o ff e r e d b y appointment with GW Center for Integrative Medicine. See ad, page 2.

A holisticveterinary clinic focused on keeping your pet healthy by promoting quality of life while providing excellent integrative medical care in an exceptional environment. See ad, page 17.

THERMOGRAPHY

YOGA BARRE

NECK BACK & BEYOND WELLNESS CENTER

10560 Main St, Ste PH-1, Fairfax, VA 703-865-5690 • NeckBackAndBeyond.com NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com

Neck Back & Beyond in Fairfax, VA, offers chiropractic and naturopathic care, acupuncture, massage, colon hydrotherapy (colonics), reflexology, lymphatic drainage, and thermography clinics. See ad, page 29.

BARRE TONE

370 Maple Avenue West Unit 1, Vienna, VA 703-242-TONE (8663) Barre-Tone.com Jazz up your routine and experience the latest trend in full-body workout. Barre Tone is ideal for those who want to sculpt, strengthen and increase flexibility, while enjoying the infusion of dance, aerobics with the benefits of the ballet barre at its core.

Leave with renewed energy, a calmer spirit and a new passion for life. See ad, page 32.

SUMONA YOGA COMPANY

Falls Church, VA 310-809-0418 YoginiDanceSumona@gmail.com YoginiDanceSumona.wix.com/sumonayoga Sumona Apsara Parii is a dedicated yoga teacher and Indian classical dancer. At present, Sumona is offering private instruction of yoga for women. See ad, page 29.

YOGA WITH NYA

Nya@YogaWithNya.com YogaWithNya.com Nya Alemayhu is a yoga instructor in Washington, D.C., dedicated to building community through sharing the practice of yoga. Nya offers private instruction and workplace yoga. See ad, page 18.

Y’S ELEMENTS

202-246-9592 YaelFlusberg@gmail.com • YaelFlusberg.com Experienced yoga therapist/coach available for group and individual sessions drawing from a deep well of creative, somatic and reflective methods to help you flourish. See ad, page 2.

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Degrees with Meaning for Careers with Purpose Health & Wellness Coaching Graduate Programs Enrolling January 2016 Maryland University of Integrative Health is one of the nation’s only accredited graduate schools with an academic and clinical focus on health and wellness. Here, the ability to be self-reflective and cultivate a healing presence is as critical to your academic success as competence in your chosen field.

MUIH also offers graduate programs in: Health Promotion | Nutrition and Integrative Health Herbal Medicine | Yoga Therapy | Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

Online, on campus, and weekend options available 52

Washington, D.C.

No GREs required muih.edu 800-735-2968

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com