Natural Awakenings, D.C. August 2019

E R F

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HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

Holistic Future-Proof Wild and Pet Helpers Parenting Wonderful Vets That Go Natural

Compassion in the Age of Technology

Foraging for Foodies

August 2019 | Washington, D.C. Edition | NaturalAwakeningsDC.com August 2019

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New discovery stops colds “It worked!” sinuses. Attorney Donna Blight had he exclaimed. a 2-day sinus headache. When her “The cold never CopperZap arrived, she tried it. “I am got going.” It shocked!” she said. “My head cleared, worked again no more headache, no more congestion.” every time. He Some users say copper stops nighthas not had a time stuffiness if used just before bed. single cold for 7 One man said, “Best sleep I’ve had in years.”

New research: Copper stops colds if used early. years since.

He asked Copper can also stop flu if used early cientists recently discovered a relatives and friends to try it. They said and for several days. Lab technicians way to kill viruses and bacteria. it worked for them, too, so he patented placed 25 million live flu viruses on a Now thousands of people CopperZap™ and put it on the market.

CopperZap. No viruses were found alive are using it to stop colds and flu.

Soon hundreds of people had tried it soon after.

Colds start when cold viruses get in and given feedback. Nearly 100% said Dr. Bill Keevil led one of the teams your nose. Viruses multiply fast. If you the copper stops colds if used within confirming the don’t stop them early, they spread in 3 hours after the first sign. Even up to discovery. He placed your airways and cause misery.

2 days, if they still get the cold it is millions of disease In hundreds of studies, EPA and unimilder than usual and they feel better. germs on copper. versity researchers have confirmed that Users wrote things like, “It “They started to die viruses and bacteria die almost instantly stopped my cold right away,” and “Is literally as soon as when touched by copper. it supposed to work that fast?” they touched the That’s why ancient Greeks and Egyp“What a wonderful thing,” wrote surface,” he said. tians used copper to purify water and Physician’s Assistant Julie. “No more People have even Dr. Bill Keevil: Copper quickly kills used copper on cold heal wounds. They didn’t know about colds for me!” cold viruses. viruses and bacteria, but now we do.

Pat McAllister, 70, received one sores and say it can Scientists say the high conductance for Christmas and called it “one of the completely prevent outbreaks. of copper disrupts the electrical balance best presents ever. This little jewel really The handle is curved and finely in a microbe cell and destroys the cell in works.” textured to improve contact. It kills seconds.

Now thousands of users have simply germs picked up on fingers and hands to Tests by the stopped getting colds. protect you and your family.

EPA (EnvironPeople often use Copper even kills deadly germs that mental Protection CopperZap preventivehave become resistant to antibiotics. If Agency) show ly. Frequent flier Karen you are near sick people, a moment of germs die fast Gauci used to get colds handling it may keep serious infection on copper. So after crowded flights. away. It may even save a life. some hospitals Though skeptical, she The EPA says copper still works tried copper for tried it several times a even when tarnished. It kills hundreds of touch surfaces day on travel days for 2 different disease germs so it can prevent Sinus trouble, stuffiness, cold sores. months. “Sixteen flights serious or even fatal illness. like faucets and doorknobs. This cut the spread of MRSA and not a sniffle!” she exclaimed.

CopperZap is made in the U.S. of and other illnesses by over half, and Businesswoman Rosaleen says when pure copper. It has a 90-day full money saved lives. people are sick around her she uses back guarantee when used as directed The strong scientific evidence gave CopperZap morning and night. “It saved to stop a cold. It is $69.95. Get $10 off inventor Doug Cornell an idea. When me last holidays,” she said. “The kids each CopperZap with code NATA11.

Go to www.CopperZap.com or call he felt a cold about to start he fashioned had colds going round and round, but toll-free 1-888-411-6114. a smooth copper probe and rubbed it not me.”

Buy once, use forever. gently in his nose for 60 seconds.

Some users say it also helps with

S

ADVERTORIAL August 2019

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letter from the publisher

Dear Friends, We’ve almost made it through the summer, and now back-to-school season is around the corner. This time of year can often feel demanding and stressful, so our goal at Natural Awakenings is to help you pause, slow down, recenter and find inspiration in the midst of life’s hectic pace.

As our children face the new school year, it’s an ideal time for parents to hit the reset button, taking stock of myriad challenges today’s children face. Meredith Montgomery confronts these head-on in “21st Century Parenting: Preparing Kids for the Future.” She offers insights into raising kind, resilient and resourceful kids in a world vastly different from the one we grew up in.

Every August, I would spend two weeks with my daughters at the same oceanfront cottage in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We all would pitch in with creating and preparing meals—creating a learning opportunity for everyone. While many people tend to think that most of the learning our children receive happens in school, every parent comes to the realization that the teachable moments, which instill good food choices in our children, can happen in many places.

Part of that learning equation is nourishing growing bodies as well as minds, and “Food Sleuth” Melinda Hemmelgarn tackles that component in “Feeding Healthy Habits: A 10-Step Guide.” Supporting school gardens, teaching kids cooking as a life skill and bonding with them in the process are steps on the road to opening their eyes to media manipulation and helping them overcome this “invisible parent” that tricks them into buying foods that are not good for their bodies or the Earth.

Adults and kids will find plenty of healthy activities and options in this month’s issue. Take a walk on the wild side with April Thompson’s “Wild and Wonderful: Foraging for Foodies” as your guide. Or take a cerebral spin with Marlaina Donato’s well-researched article about the positive impacts of bicycling on the brain: It can improve cognitive function, depression, chronic anxiety and other conditions boosted by happy neurotransmitters. Studies show benefits related to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other brain disorders, as well.

Our August spotlight shines on animals, too. Writer Julie Peterson interviews neurologist Aysha Akhtar, author of Our Symphony with Animals: On Health, Empathy and Our Shared Destinies, who weighs in on the biology of the human/animal bond. Julie also presents a helpful overview of the natural approach used by holistic veterinarians.

Even with school looming on the horizon—we still have a bit more summer to go. Enjoy these last hot weeks (because remember that fall will be here sooner than you think) and make more memories with family and friends—while nurturing your body, mind and spirit.

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

WASHINGTON, D.C. EDITION PUBLISHER Stephen Ellis

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robin Fillmore

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Natural Awakenings is a family of more than 70 healthy living magazines celebrating 25 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

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Contents 12 21ST CENTURY

15

PARENTING

Preparing Kids for the Future

15 VITAL NUTRIENTS

Necessary for a Child’s Development

16 BEYOND

SUSTAINABILITY

Regenerative Agriculture Takes Aim at Climate Change

18 FEEDING

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HEALTHY HABITS A 10-Step Guide for Helping Children Thrive

20 WILD AND WONDERFUL Foraging for Foodies

23 LOVING

OURSELVES MADLY

Practice Intentional Self-Love

24 TAKE A CEREBRAL SPIN Cycling for a Healthier Brain

26 GUT-BRAIN AXIS

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And its Effect on Health

28 VET CHECK

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Treating the Whole Pet

30 AYSHA AKHTAR ON Our Symphony With Animals

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 8 health briefs 10 global briefs 15 healthy dose 16 green living 18 healthy kids 20 conscious

eating 23 inspiration

24 fit body 26 leading edge 27 common good 28 natural pet 29 eco tip 30 wise words 31 resource guide 33 calendar August 2019

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news briefs

Celebrate and Learn at Women’s Health and Wellness Day

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omen’s Health and Wellness Day (WHWD), a project of ITR Physical Therapy, is a celebration of women’s bodies and an opportunity for education and empowerment.

This event will cover a wide range of wellness topics, including finding your voice, nutrition, meditation, yoga, post-partum management and pelvic health. WHWD will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on September 21, at the District Architecture Center, in D.C.

The mission of WHWD is to empower women through education. By the time women are in their 80s, more than 50 percent will have some sort of pelvic floor disorder. Currently, shame and isolation are commonly felt when women deal with pelvic and post-partum issues. WHWD aims to reduce the isolation women feel, help them claim their power and honor themselves, all while learning and growing in a safe, like-minded supportive community of women and truly caring healthcare providers.

This third annual WHWD will consist of three tracks: General Wellness, Movement and a Post-Partum, as well as free 15-minute private discovery sessions with ITR Physical Therapy. Come and enjoy this day where women can come together—to take care of each other in a sacred atmosphere of support, love and honoring every part of themselves.

Cost: $99. Location: 421 7th St. NW. For more information or to register, visit ITRPhysical Therapy.com/WHWD2019/. See ad, page 27.

Naturopathic Reiki Certification Offered in D.C.

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o combine the terms “naturopathic” and “reiki” is relatively unknown in the wider reiki world. Therefore, it may peak the curiosity of those who are already familiar with reiki, a form of energy medicine that raises the energy vibration of the recipient to provide relaxation and the enhances the body’s ability to heal itself.

Reiki Master Dr. Akua Gray, ND, and author of the Naturopathic Reiki I, II and III volume series, will be offering a free Naturopathic Reiki Level I Certification on August 17, as well as Reiki 2 on August 18. These trainings will be held at Dynamic Wellness, in D.C.

According to Gray, “Naturopathic Reiki is a form of energy medicine that relaxes the body, strengthens the mind, calms the emotions and brings balance to the spirit by raising the energy frequency of a person with the touch of love.” Reiki restores synergy and helps a wide range of ailments and stresses. For many who need the beauty of silence, a reiki session will calm the mind, expand inner awareness, enhance transformation and promote positive growth. It harmonizes and optimizes the body/mind processes by unlocking creativity, accelerating spiritual growth and it encourages positive change in one’s life.

Reiki is typically taught in three levels. Participants in this free certification class for level 1 are taught basic techniques for hands-on treatment for themselves and others. In Reiki 2, attendees will learn the essentials of therapy including, power symbols, mantras, chakra and crystal therapy and setting up a reiki business. Pre-registration for these courses is required.

Cost for Reiki 2: $199. Location: 401 H St., NE, Washington, D.C. For more information or to register, call 713-459-5208, email Akua@ALifeOfPeace.org or visit A-Life-Of-Peace. org/Reiki-Certification.

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BeBalanced Hormone Weight Loss Center Opening in Leesburg

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eBalanced Hormone Weight Loss Centers, a national franchise for women’s health, is celebrating the opening of its first Virginia location, in Leesburg. BeBalanced helps women who are facing hormone imbalances through an all-natural approach called Natural Hormone Balancing, which allows better sleep, improved mood, significant weight loss, assistance with PMS, menopausal symptoms and more.

The center is located between Tuscarora Mill Restaurant and Catoctin Circle at 221 Crescent Station Terrace, SE, in Leesburg.

Jan Benjamin is the local owner of BeBalanced. Along with her team, Benjamin helps women understand how daily stressors often build up from outside of an individual’s control. The center’s approach utilizes a unique hormone balancing system, pioneered as an alternative, non-medical approach to balancing female and stress hormones, while giving the body the building blocks to create vital hormones naturally and risk free.

To learn more, call the Leesburg center at 571-258-4782 or visit BeBalancedCenters.com.

Plan to Attend the New Year’s Jump in Belize

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oin Hawah Kasat for an exciting, fun-filled, rejuvenating New Year’s adventure to beautiful Belize.

Build your own schedule, explore with wild abandon and create connections to catapult you into the auspicious year of 2020. The retreat will be offered from December 29, 2019 to January 4, 2020.

The retreat will be held on South Water Caye—an idyllic, 15-acre, private island that sits atop a barrier reef. The retreat center is located directly on the beach—just a few steps away from worldclass snorkeling amongst coral and brightly colored fish.

Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy daily yoga, snorkeling, beach volleyball, kayaking and reading in beachside hammocks for hours on end. The island atmosphere is down-to-earth and unpretentious. Without frills (there are no cars or vehicles on the island), but with all the amenities for comfort—there’s no need to dress up for dinner, carry around a wallet, wear shoes, use an alarm clock or even remember when mealtimes are.

Start the new year by relaxing and enjoying the natural beauty of this island paradise.

Catch the cool trade winds from verandas positioned to see sunrise and sunset—and most importantly, simply play, laugh, connect and rejuvenate.

For more information or to register, visit Hawah.Us/Belize.

Connect, Network and Expand Your Knowledge of Herbalism

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he American Herbalists Guild (AHG) announces the 30th Annual Symposium for herbalists at all levels wishing to connect with the herbal community and expand their base of knowledge. The theme this year is From Plants to People: The Art & Science of Clinical Herbalism.

The Symposium will take place from October 10 to14, at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.

The event features keynote speaker, Dr. Christopher Hobbs, as well as more than 45 lectures, preand post-Symposium intensives and a Virtual Track with sessions ranging from beginning to advanced. A focused certificate track will also be available on Clinical Assessment in Herbal Practice.

Herbal practitioners, medical professionals, herb students and herbal newcomers will be able to delve into cutting-edge herbal research, learn from skilled botanists, take part in panel discussions and find out about leading companies in herbal products and education.

Location: 5701 Marinelli Rd., Rockville. For more information or to register, visit AmericanHerbalistsGuild. com/Symposium/Join-Us-30th-AnnualAHG-Symposium. Discounts are available for AHG members. To learn more, visit AmericanHerbalistsGuild.com.

See ad, page 25.

August 2019

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Eggs should only be a now and then thing, the latest research from Northwestern Medicine, in Chicago, indicates. The new study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, looked at pooled data on 29,615 U.S. racially and ethnically diverse adults with an average of more than 17 years of follow up. It found that for every 300 milligrams (mg) of dietary cholesterol eaten per day, risk of death from heart disease increases by 17 percent and mortality from any cause increases by 18 percent. One large egg has a whopping 186 mg of cholesterol in the yolk, and eating three to four eggs a week increases heart disease mortality by 6 percent and all-cause mortality by 8 percent. Frank Hu, M.D., at the Harvard School of Public Health, comments that low to moderate intake of eggs can be included as part of a healthy eating pattern, but they are not essential. Dietary cholesterol also comes from red meat, processed meat and high-fat dairy products such as butter and whipped cream.

Use Probiotics to Shed Pounds

At least one-third of early deaths could be prevented if people moved to a largely plant-based diet, prominent scientists from Harvard University Medical School have calculated. An international initiative, “Food in the Anthropocene,” published in the medical journal The Lancet, linked plant-based diets not only to improved health worldwide, but also to global sustainability.

The report advocates a diet high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts, and low in red meat, sugar and refined grains. “Unhealthy diets pose a greater risk to morbidity and mortality than does unsafe sex, and alcohol, drug and tobacco use combined,” it concludes.

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For the one-third of Americans struggling with obesity, new research on probiotics from the Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, in China, offers a promising approach. In a meta-review of 12 randomized, placebo-controlled studies that tested 821 obese and overweight people, probiotic supplementation was found to significantly reduce body weight, weight circumference and fat mass, and to improve cholesterol and glucose metabolism measures. Probiotics were administered in forms that included sachet, capsule, powder, kefir yogurt and fermented milk, in durations that ranged from eight to 24 weeks.

Daxiao Productions l/Shutterstock.com

Eat Plants to Live Longer

Montmorency tart cherries, first discovered

by Roman legionnaires along the Black Sea, have been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, according to scientists. Now a study from the UK’s University of Hertfordshire published in the Journal of Functional Foods has found that the cherries can mitigate factors that lead to metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases the risk of stroke, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Just two hours after being given cherries in the form of juice or capsules, subjects showed significantly decreased systolic blood pressure, and insulin levels were significantly lower after one and three hours compared to those given a placebo.

Dionisvera/Shutterstock.com

Take It Easy on the Eggs

Savor Cherries to Lower Metabolic Syndrome Risk

Evgeny Karandaevl/Shutterstock.com

health briefs

Trong Nguyen/Shutterstock.com

Quit Smoking to Avoid Rheumatoid Arthritis Stopping smoking has the long-term benefit of reducing the risk of developing seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by 37 percent over 30 years, say researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in Boston. The study was based on data from the 230,000 women that participated in two longitudinal Nurses’ Health Studies, and focused on the 969 women that developed seropositive RA. Risk began to go down about five years after women quit smoking and continued to decrease the longer they stayed non-smokers. Patients with seropositive RA generally have more severe disease manifestations, including joint deformities and disability.

Dean Drobot/Shutterstock.com

Walk or Run to Keep Blood Vessels and Brains Young Running novices that trained for six months and then ran their first marathon actually reversed the aging of major blood vessels—and older and slower people benefitted most, report researchers at University College London. The study of 139 healthy first-time marathon runners, ages 21 to 69, was presented at the 2019 European Society of Cardiology Congress. It found that those first-timers reduced their arterial age by four years and their stroke risk by 10 percent over their lifetime.

In another study presented at the Congress that was based on data from 605 heart failure patients, researchers reported that those walking the farthest in a six-minute test, indicating better fitness, were significantly less likely to have the cognitive impairment that afflicts 67 percent of patients with heart failure.

2019 CSA Season

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Coral Care

global briefs

Moon Rocks

Tectonic Activity Shakes Geologists Long considered to be geologically inactive, our 4.6billion-year-old moon is showing signs of tectonic activity via seismometers deployed between 1969 and 1972 during the NASA Apollo program. Although some “moonquakes” have been recorded near cliff-like fault scarps on the surface, they may be caused by the irregular gravitational effects of orbiting the more massive Earth or extreme temperature differences created by sunlight in the vacuum of space. Employing more sensitive equipment has been proposed for future missions to assist in choosing potential colonization sites.

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Climate change has inspired farmers to turn to regenerative agriculture, which pulls carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and stores it in their soil. Regenerative agriculture incorporates the practices of planting trees, cover cropping, no-till farming and rotational grazing. As the groundswell of support grows, 250 soil health bills have been introduced in state and federal legislatures in the last two years. At a U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee climate change hearing, Nebraska soybean farmer Matthew Rezac said that keeping soil healthy, not just reducing greenhouse gas emissions, was a key part of what farmers could do to cool a warming planet. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, the bills have different justifications, but they all focus on soil health. As disastrous floods and drought sweep away farmland, the idea that regenerative agriculture could make for more productive farming is gaining traction.

Fluorescent Findings

Artificial Light Tied to Inflammation Fluorescent lighting is one of the most common sources of artificial light, but new research from Texas State University suggests there may be unexpected consequences at the genetic level. Team member Ronald B. Walter says, “Over the past 60 years, we have increasingly relied on artificial light sources that emit much narrower wavelength spectrums than does the sun.

Yet, little research has been conducted to determine gene expression consequences, if any, from use of common artificial light sources.” Their findings, published in the online journal Genes, show increased inflammation in tissue and organs and increased immune response in the subject animals, regardless of whether the species is primarily active in the day or night.

koosen/Shutterstock.com

Farmers Responding to Climate Change

Critical habitat is threatened for 12 coral species in Florida, the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean, while all corals worldwide are experiencing dramatic declines due to the impacts of climate change, pollution and overfishing. The Center for Biological Diversity, a Tucson-based nonprofit focused on species protection, intends to file a lawsuit against the federal government for failing to protect coral habitat as required under the Endangered Species Act. Benefits of securing a critical habitat designation from the National Marine Fisheries Service include improved water quality throughout the coastal zone, limits on overfishing, protection of spawning grounds, reduced impact from development and dredging, and reduced human pressures on thousands of species that inhabit the reefs. Nearly 30 percent of all corals have already been lost to warming ocean temperatures and ocean acidification due to greenhouse gas pollution; scientists predict that the rest could be gone by the end of the century without help.

nd3000v/Shutterstock.com

Reefs to Get Their Day in Court

Hot Topic

Bagging It

Floating Solar

On Earth Day, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags in retail stores that goes into effect next March.

It’s estimated that New York uses 23 billion plastic bags every year, with 50 percent ending up in landfills and around cities and waterways. New York is the third state in which plastic bags are illegal, after California and Hawaii.

Solar panels currently generate only about 1 percent of our nation’s energy needs, but new research from the federal National Renewable Energy Laboratory shows that installation of “floatovoltaics”— floating, electricitygenerating photovoltaic panels—on only one-fourth of our manmade reservoirs would generate about 10 percent of U.S. energy needs without taking up valuable real estate.

Floatovoltaics cost less to install than traditional, landbased solar panels because there’s no need to clear land or treat soil, and research shows that the natural cooling effect of the water below can boost the solar panels’ power production by up to 22 percent. Of the approximately 100 current floatovoltaic installations, only seven are in the U.S., mostly at wineries in California and water treatment facilities. About 80 percent are in Japan, where limited land and roof space make water-based solar panels especially suitable.

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Bogdan Sonjachnyj f/Shutterstock.com

New York State Bans Plastic Bags

Bad Air

Pollution Harms Mental and Physical Health It’s well established that air pollution’s poisons and particles shorten lives, impair learning and increase risk for dementia. Now, a study published this spring in JAMA Psychiatry, which followed 2,232 children in Britain for 18 years, has found significant associations between exposure to air pollution and psychotic experiences during adolescence. Air pollution is believed to be responsible for 7 million deaths per year globally, according to the World Health Organization.

Copper Conflict

Bjoern Wylezich/Shutterstock.com

Opponents Fight Mine in Arizona Desert The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has reversed course without explanation, greenlighting the Rosemont copper mine proposed by Canadian mining company Hudbay Minerals in Arizona’s Santa Rita mountains, 30 miles from Tucson. The Corps approved Rosemont’s Clean Water Act permit this spring after recommending its denial more than two years earlier. Environmentalists, local leaders and indigenous people are suing over the violation of this environmentally sensitive habitat. The Tohono O’odham, Pascua Yaqui and Hopi tribes consider the land sacred. The Cienega Aquifer will be severely impacted by a conical pit a mile wide and up to 2,900 feet deep.

Tailings will cover miles of streams and trucks would haul an estimated 50 daily shipments of copper concentrate down the adjacent two-lane highway.

Catching Some Rays on the Water

Functional Medicine

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PARENTING Preparing Kids for the Future

by Meredith Montgomery

T

oday’s children have more opportunities to change the world than ever before. Teenagers are organizing global activism movements, LEGO lovers are mastering robotics and young entrepreneurs are launching successful businesses before they’re old enough to drive.

But for Mom and Dad, this fastpaced, technology-driven childhood looks drastically different from their own.

To help kids thrive, parents must learn to mindfully embrace today’s modern advances without losing sight of timeless virtues and skills such as kindness, creativity and critical thinking.

Finding Balance After-school hours used to be filled with outdoor free play in which kids independently developed their natural capabilities as self-learners and creative problemsolvers. The Children & Nature Network has reported that just 6 percent of children ages 9 to 13 play outside on their own.

Instead, stress and anxiety are on the rise in our competitive culture as many kids attempt to balance heavy homework loads with an overflowing schedule of extracurricular activities.

With the ability to connect to the world at our fingertips, Thomas Murray, director of innovation for Future Ready Schools, in Washington, D.C., notes that devices can also disconnect us from those right next to us. “It’s a massive struggle to find balance and mindfulness, but it’s vitally important. How often do we see an AP [advanced placement] kid that is falling apart emotionally? As parents, we need to recognize that kids have a lot on their plate—more than ever before.”

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Salt Lake City-based Courtney Carver, author of Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More, worries that parents are creating résumés for a life their children probably don’t want. On her BeMoreWithLess.com website, she focuses on living with less clutter, busyness and stress to simplify life and discover what really matters. “It’s challenging to maintain close connections when we’re overwhelmed with what’s in our inbox, or on Instagram or what the kids are looking at online,” she says.

On her own journey to practical minimalism, she gained a greater sense of presence with her daughter. “When you can pay attention to a conversation and not feel distracted and antsy, especially with young kids, that is everything,” says Carver.

Managing Technology The ubiquity of digital devices is a defining difference between today’s youth and that of their elders, making it difficult for parents to relate and know how to set boundaries.

As senior parenting editor at nonprofit Common Sense Media,

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

It’s a massive struggle to find balance and mindfulness, but it’s vitally important. How often do we see an AP [advanced placement] kid that is falling apart emotionally? ~Thomas Murray

Evgeny Atamanenko/Shutterstock.com

21 CENTURY st

Caroline Knorr helps parents make sense of what’s going on in their kids’ media lives.

“We can think of media as a ‘super peer’: When children are consuming it, they’re looking for cues on how to behave and what’s cool and what’s normal.” Parents need to be the intermediary so they can counterbalance the external messages with their own family’s values.

Today’s devices are persuasive and addictive. “As parents, we need to set boundaries, model good digital habits and help

Rido/Shutterstock.com

kids to self-regulate more—which is our ultimate goal,” Knorr says.

To raise good digital citizens, Richard Culatta, CEO of International Society for Technology in Education, in Arlington, Virginia, believes conversations about device use shouldn’t end with screen time limits and online safety. “Ask kids if their technology use is helping them be more engaged and find more meaning in the world or is it pulling them out of the world that they’re in,” he says. “Talk about how to use technology to improve the community around you, recognize true and false info, be involved in democratic processes and making your voice heard about issues you care about.”

Parents are often uncomfortable with their kids socializing digitally, but Culatta encourages the introduction of interactive media sooner rather than later, so they understand how to engage with the world online before they are old enough to have social media accounts. Geocaching, which uses GPS-enabled devices to treasure hunt, and citizen science apps provide family-friendly opportunities to engage in both outdoor activities and online communities.

“The majority of our kids will need these digital communication skills to be able to work with anyone at any time,” says Murray. He’s witnessed the impact of connecting classrooms around the world, observing, “When students learn to navigate time zones and language barriers to communicate and collaborate, they see that they can solve the world’s problems together.”

Raising Innovators “The world doesn’t care how much our children know; what the world cares about is what they do with what they know,” says Tony Wagner, senior research fellow at the Learning Policy Institute, an education research and policy nonprofit in Palo Alto, California. In his latest book, Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for The Innovation Era, he emphasizes the importance of creative problem-solving and the joy of discovery, especially as more jobs become automated. “We’re born with a temperament of creative problem solvers.

But then something happens. The longer

We need to create an intentional family culture where virtues like kindness and respect are talked about, modeled, upheld, celebrated and practiced in everyday life. ~Thomas Lickona kids are in school, the fewer questions they ask, the more they worry about getting the right answer and fewer and fewer think of themselves as creative in any way,” he says.

“Instead of listening and regurgitating, kids need to learn how to find and be a critical consumer of information,” says Murray. Fewer employers are asking for college transcripts—including Google—as they discover the disconnect between what students are taught and what innovative skills they actually need.

While most schools are slow to adapt to the modern needs of the future workforce, parents can proactively foster the entrepreneurial spirit and discourage a fear of failure at home by offering safe opportunities for risk-taking and independence. After speaking extensively with compelling young innovators around the world, Wagner discovered that their parents explicitly encouraged three things: play, passion and purpose.

Their children were provided with many opportunities to explore new interests, as well as to learn from their mistakes.

“The parents intuitively understood that more important than IQ is grit, perseverance and tenacity. You don’t develop that when Mom is yelling at you to practice; you develop it because you have a real interest.”

To create a culture of innovation, Murray encourages teachers and parents to get to know the interests, passions and strengths of today’s children “and prove to them every day that they matter.” When that interest blossoms into a passion, it can lead to a deeper sense of purpose and a desire to make a difference.

According to Wagner, this happens when parents and teachers instill one simple, but profound moral lesson, “We are not here on this Earth primarily and only to serve ourselves; we have some deep, profound obligation to give back and to serve others.”

PARENT RESOURCES

Common Sense Media (CommonSenseMedia.org) provides education and

advocacy to families to promote safe technology and media for children. They provide independent, age-based, media reviews for TV shows and movies. Each detailed review includes pertinent information for parents, plus talking points to foster critical thinking skills.

Let Grow (LetGrow.org) seeks to restore childhood resilience by pushing back on

overprotection, and shows concern that even with the best intentions, society has taught a generation to overestimate danger and underestimate their own ability to cope. Its programs work with schools and parents to give kids more of the independence to do the things their parents did on their own as children—bike to a friend’s house, make themselves a meal or simply play unsupervised in the front yard.

The Choose Love Movement (JesseLewisChooseLove.org) offers a free social

and emotional learning program for educators and parents. Students learn how to choose love in any circumstance, which helps them become more connected, resilient and empowered individuals.

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When you choose love, you transform how you see the world from a scary and anxiety-producing place to a loving and welcoming one. ~Scarlett Lewis

Teaching Kindness In a culture that is obsessed with selfies and threatened by cyberbullies, it’s a tough task for parents to teach compassion and kindness. “We need to create an intentional family culture where virtues

SLEEP BRACELET Wearers have experienced:

fueled the founding of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement to educate and encourage individuals to choose loving thoughts over angry ones. “Although we can’t always choose what happens to us, we can always choose how to respond,” she says. The evidence-based Choose Love Enrichment Program teaches children to live a life with courage and gratitude, practice forgiveness and be compassionate individuals.

While we don’t want to overwhelm kids with all the evils in the world, Lickona notes that it is valuable to make them aware of human suffering and how we can help. “Cultivate the belief that we’re all members of a single human family. Teach [them] that one of the most important ways to show gratitude for the blessings in our life is to give back.”

Meredith Montgomery publishes Natural Awakenings of Gulf Coast Alabama/ Mississippi (HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com).

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like kindness and respect are talked about, modeled, upheld, celebrated and practiced in everyday life. What we do over and over gradually shapes our character, until it becomes second nature— part of who we are,” says Thomas Lickona, Ph.D., a developmental psychologist and education professor emeritus at the State University of New York College at Cortland, and author of How to Raise Kind Kids: And Get Respect, Gratitude, and a Happier Family in the Bargain.

Sesame Workshop’s 2016 Kindness Study found that 70 percent of parents worry that the world is an unkind place for their kids, but Scarlett Lewis believes it’s all in our mind, saying, “When you choose love, you transform how you see the world from a scary and anxiety-producing place to a loving and welcoming one.”

After losing her 6-year-old son Jesse in the horrific Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, she attributed the tragedy to an angry thought in the mind of the shooter. Her compassion

fish, spinach, liver and other organ meats, legumes, red meat, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, turkey, broccoli, tofu, dark chocolate and black strap molasses. Try adding a small amount of black strap molasses in oatmeal to increase iron levels.

healthy dose

Vital Nutrients

Necessary for a Child’s Development

by Elizabeth McMillan

K

ids do not always eat what we want them to—or consume the foods that are the best for them. With so many “fad diets” in the press, it is hard for parents and caretakers to know what is best for our kids. All in all, it is important that children get all the vital nutrients they need for healthy development and growth.

Children’s nutrient deficiencies are unfortunately more common than one would think—even in our Western civilization. Severe deficiencies in these nutrients are rare, however, mild to moderate deficiencies can drastically impact a child’s health. There are four specific nutrients that are vital to children’s health and development that can be easily accessible through a whole foods diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Vitamin D is crucial for proper absorp-

tion of calcium and bone formation, but it is even more important for the immune system and the development of healthy brains. Vitamin D acts more like a hormone than a vitamin, because its production can be initiated when the sun hits the skin.

Children not exposed to sunlight or when copious amounts of sunscreen are applied might not be making enough vitamin D. The

earliest symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are bone and muscle soreness—which is sometimes thought of as growing pains.

Foods rich in vitamin D include cod liver oil, salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, fortified milks and cereals. Dietary sources are harder to metabolize into activated vitamin D, therefore, supplementation might be needed. Most children and adults can supplement with 400-4,000 IU per day, especially in the winter months. However, an easy blood test could determine an accurate blood level and the amount needed to supplement. Try to check the child’s IU values in winter and at the end of summer to see how much vitamin D is absorbed in the skin.

Iron is a mineral that allows oxygen to

be carried in the red blood cells. Without iron, oxygen cannot be transported. Iron deficiency anaemia is another common nutrient deficiency in children. The most common symptoms of iron deficiency include tiredness, pale skin, paleness around the nailbeds and eyelids, rapid heartbeats, irritability, dizziness, and at its highest, pica.

Pica is a condition where mammals eat non-food items like dirt.

Food sources of iron include shell-

B vitamins like B-6, B-12, folate, biotin, B-2 and B-3, among others are used throughout the body to maintain a strong immune system and optimal mental health.

Symptoms of B vitamin deficiency include nausea, abdominal pains, vomiting, loss of appetite, indigestion and constipation.

B vitamins are especially important for learning and retaining information. Often other medical conditions are diagnosed, and medications are prescribed, when the root cause of a child’s learning capability is a B vitamin deficiency. Foods containing the most B vitamins are salmon, all leafy green vegetables, liver and other organ meats, eggs, beef, oysters, clams, mussels, legumes, chicken and turkey, yogurt, nutritional yeast, brewer’s yeast, pork, trout and sunflower seeds. Sprinkle some nutritional yeast on veggies, or on movie night, popcorn for a cheesy vitamin B boost.

Zinc is another trace mineral that is often deficient in children. Zinc is used in more processes throughout the body than more popular minerals like calcium and magnesium. Zinc deficiency can lead to stunted growth, changes in pubescent hormones, and both poor immune health and wound healing. Zinc deficiency can be effortlessly treated through the diet with foods like lamb, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, grassfed beef, chickpeas, lentils, cocoa powder, cashews, kefir and yogurt, ricotta cheese, mushrooms, spinach, avocado, chicken and almonds.

With so many commercialized and pre-packaged foods geared towards children, it is easy for them to want to avoid real earthly made foods that are full of these vital nutrients. Just remember to push a real foods lifestyle first so that these vital nutrients are not missed.

Elizabeth McMillan, CNS, LDN, is a clinical nutritionist at the Rose Wellness Center, specializing in integrative health, nutrition and wellness. For more information, visit Rose Wellness.com. See ad, page 11.

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igorstevanovic/Shutterstock.com

green living

Beyond Sustainability Regenerative Agriculture Takes Aim at Climate Change

by Yvette C. Hammett

M

ost people have never heard of regenerative agriculture, but there’s plenty of talk about it in the scientific and farming communities, along with a growing consensus that regeneration is a desirable step beyond sustainability.

Those that are laser-focused on clean food and a better environment believe regenerative agriculture will not only result in healthier food, but could become a significant factor in reversing the dangerous effects of manmade climate change.

This centers on the idea that healthy soils anchor a healthy planet: They contain more carbon than all above-ground vegetation and regulate emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

“We have taken soils for granted for a long time. Nevertheless, soils are the foundation of food production and food security, supplying plants with nutrients, water and support for their roots,” according to the study “Status of the World’s Soil Resources,” by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. Most of the world’s soil resources, which also function as the planet’s largest water filter,

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are in fair, poor or very poor condition, the report states.

Tilling, erosion and chemicals all play significant roles in soil degradation.

Regenerative agriculture seeks to reverse that trend by focusing on inexpensive organic methods that minimize soil disturbance and feed its microbial diversity with the application of compost and compost teas. Cover crops, crop and livestock rotation and multistory agroforestry are all part of a whole-farm design that’s intended to rebuild the quantity and quality of topsoil, as well as increase biodiversity and watershed function.

“True regenerative organic agriculture can improve the environment, the communities, the economy, even the human spirit,” says Diana Martin, director of communications for the Rodale Institute, in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. Rodale, a leader in the organic movement, has been carrying the global torch for regenerative agriculture since the 1970s, when Bob Rodale, son of the institute’s founder, first began talking about it. “He said sustainability isn’t good enough. In the U.S., we are depleting our topsoil 10 times faster

Romolo Tavani/Shutterstock.com

than we are replenishing it. We only have the soil, we essentially expose a lot of the 60 years of farmable topsoil remaining,” carbon dioxide, which burns off carbon.” says Martin.

Cover crops can be planted right after

The institute is working with corpoharvesting a cash crop to help regenerate the rate brands in conducting a pilot project soil, adding nitrogen and organic matter, on farms around the world to certify food he says. “It is a long-term benefit, so a lot of as regenerative organic. It has three pillars farmers are hesitant. It takes a while to imthat were created with the help of the U.S. prove soil fertility through cover crop use.” It Department of Agriculture’s National Ordoesn’t cost much, but for a corn or soybean ganic Program: soil health; animal welfare; In the U.S., we are depleting farmer making almost no money right now, and social justice, the latter because people our topsoil 10 times faster than every expense matters. “The real things we want to know that workers are being treated are working on are more toward different we are replenishing it. We fairly, Martin says. cropping systems,” he says, in which farmonly have 60 years of farm- ers are growing perennial tree crops that

“In some ways, we felt the organic program could do more, so we introduced produce nuts and fruits, absorb carbon and able topsoil remaining. the regenerative organic certification. It is don’t require replanting or tilling. ~Diana Martin a new, high-bar label that is very holistic,”

There’s considerable interest in regensays Jeff Moyer, an expert in organic agrierative organic agriculture in Idaho, as many culture and the executive director at the Rodale Institute. The farmers there have already adopted no-till practices, says Sanford pilot phase involves 21 farms with connections to big brands Eigenbrode, a professor at the University of Idaho, who specializes like Patagonia, Lotus Foods and Dr. Bronner’s. “We needed in entomology, plant pathology and nematology. Farmers want to relationships with brands to make this a reality,” Moyer says. try to improve retention of soil carbon to both stabilize soils and Product should be rolling out by this fall. improve long-term productivity, he says. “There are economic and

“There’s kind of a broad umbrella of things going on,” says environmental advantages.”

Bruce Branham, a crop sciences professor with the University

of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “No-till farming certainly is Yvette C. Hammett is an environmental writer based in Valrico, a small step toward regenerative ag, because every time we till Florida. She can be contacted at YvetteHammett28@hotmail.com.

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we’re in control of the ingredients’ quality and flavor. Plus, cooking together creates parent-child bonding. Invite children to help plan and prepare family meals and school lunches. (Remember to slip a note inside a child’s lunch box with a few words of love and encouragement.)

wong yu liang/Shutterstock.com

healthy kids

5

Visit the library. From simple

children’s stories about food adventures to basic cookbooks, libraries open up a world of inspiration and culinary exploration. Find stories about seasonal foods to prepare with a child.

6

Feeding Healthy Habits

A 10-Step Guide for Helping Children Thrive

by Melinda Hemmelgarn

I

t’s not easy raising children in today’s media-saturated landscape. From TV and video games to internet and mobile devices, our kids are exposed to a steady stream of persuasive marketing messages promoting low-nutrient junk foods. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association warn that media’s pervasive influence over children’s food preferences increase their risk for poor nutrition, obesity and chronic diseases later in life.

Protecting children against marketing forces may seem like an uphill battle, but these strategies can help provide a solid foundation for good health.

1

Teach children to be media savvy. Andrea Curtis, Toronto-

based author of Eat This! How Fast-Food Marketing Gets You to Buy Junk (and how to fight back), says, “Kids don’t want to be duped.” By showing children how the food industry tricks them into buying foods that harm their bodies and the Earth, we can turn kids into food detectives that reject processed foods and sugary drinks.

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2

Feed children’s curiosity about where food comes from. Take

children to farmers’ markets and U-pick farms; organic growers reduce exposure to harmful pesticide residues. Kids that might turn up their noses at supermarket spinach tend to eat it in bunches when they’ve helped grow, harvest and prepare it. That’s the story behind Sylvia’s Spinach, a children’s book by Seattle-based author Katherine Pryor.

3

Introduce children to the rewards of gardening. Connie

Liakos, a registered dietitian based in Portland, Oregon, and the author of How to Teach Nutrition to Kids, recommends introducing children to the magic of planting seeds and the joy of caring for a garden—even if it’s simply a pot of herbs on a sunny windowsill or a small plot in a community garden.

4

Teach children how to cook.

Teresa Martin, a registered dietitian based in Bend, Oregon, says learning how to cook frees us from being “hostage to the food industry.” She believes cooking is such an essential life skill that we should be teaching it along with reading, writing and arithmetic in kindergarten. When we cook,

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

Prioritize family meals. Children

that eat with their families are better nourished, achieve greater academic success and are less likely to participate in risky behaviors. Family meals provide time to share values, teach manners and enjoy caring conversations. To foster peace and harmony at the table, Liakos advises families to “keep emotion out of eating, and allow children control over how much they eat.” Establish rules banning criticism, arguing and screens (TV, phones) during mealtime.

7

Reject dieting. Weighing, sham-

ing and putting children on restrictive diets is a recipe for developing eating disorders. Instead of stigmatizing children by calling them “obese”, Liakos emphasizes creating healthy eating and activity habits for the entire family. Children may overeat for many reasons, including stress or boredom. Pay attention to sudden weight gain, which could be an indication that something is wrong, she says.

8

Find or create a “tribe” of like-minded parents. Set up

play groups with parents that share similar values. Advocate together for improved school food policies, establish a school garden or plan group field trips.

9

Spend more time in nature.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends one hour of daily physical activity. Locate parks and hiking or biking trails to strengthen children’s innate love for their natural world. According to research at the University of Illinois, spending time

in nature also helps reduce symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

10

Protect children’s sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against TVs, computers and smartphones in children’s bedrooms. Children, depending on their age, need eight to12 hours of undisturbed sleep each night to support physical and mental health, and help prevent obesity.

Remember that our children are hungriest for parental time, love and support.

Melinda Hemmelgarn, the “Food Sleuth,” is an award-winning registered dietitian, writer, speaker and syndicated radio host based in Columbia, Missouri. Contact her at FoodSleuth@gmail.com.

Resources to Help Children Thrive Gardening Activities

KidsGardening.org/garden-activities.

Media Literacy

American Academy of Pediatrics: A Healthy Family Media Use Plan: HealthyChildren.org/mediauseplan.

Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood: Screen-free Activism: CommercialFreeChildhood.org.

Common Sense Media: CommonSenseMedia.org.

Eat This! How Fast-Food Marketing Gets You to Buy Junk (and how to fight back),

by Andrea Curtis: AndreaCurtis.ca.

Prevention Institute: Tinyurl.com/ StopJunkFoodMarketing.

Nutrition

NutritionForKids.com.

I’m Like, So Fat!: Helping Your Teen Make Healthy Choices about Eating and Exercise in a Weight-Obsessed World,

by Dianne Neumark-Sztainer.

Storybooks About Gardening, Cooking, Farms and Food

Review of farm-to-school children’s literature: Growing-Minds.org/childrens-literature.

Sylvia’s Spinach: KatherinePryor.com.

Nature Play

Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life, by Richard Louv: RichardLouv.com/books/vitamin-n.

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Wild and Wonderful Foraging for Foodies

by April Thompson

T

Wild plants, plants—particularly in here is such a thing as a free lunch, and terms of phytochemicals because they it awaits adventurand antioxidants. They also must take care of ous foragers in backyards, tend to be lower in sugar themselves, tend to and other simple carbs, and city parks, mountain be more nutritious meadows and even sidehigher in fiber.” walk cracks. From nutriPurslane, a wild than cultivated tious weeds and juicy bersucculent, has more plants—particularly ries to delicate, delicious omega-3s than any other in terms of flowers and refreshing leafy vegetable, says phytochemicals tree sap, wild, edible foods John Kallas, the Portabound in cities, suburbia land, Oregon, author of and antioxidants. and rural environments.

Edible Wild Plants: Wild ~Deane Jordan

Throughout most of Foods From Dirt to Plate. history, humans were foragers that relied on Mustard garlic, a common invasive plant, local plant knowledge for survival, as both is the most nutritious leafy green ever food and medicine. Today’s foragers are analyzed, says Kallas, who holds a Ph.D. reviving that ancestral tradition to improve in nutrition. “However, the real dietary diets, explore new flavors, develop kinship benefit of foraged plants is in their great with the environment, and simply indulge diversity, as each has a unique profile of in the joy and excitement of finding and phytochemicals. There is no such thing as preparing wild foods. a superfood, just superdiets,” he adds.

Wild Foods As ‘Superdiet’

Know Thy Plant

“There are many benefits to eating wild food,” says Deane Jordan, founder of EatTheWeeds. com, of Orlando, Florida. “Wild plants, because they must take care of themselves, tend to be more nutritious than cultivated

Rule number one of foraging is to be 100 percent sure of your identification 100 percent of the time, says Leda Meredith, the New York City author of The Forager’s Feast: How to Identify, Gather, and Prepare

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Wild Edibles. Foraging experts say the fear of wild plants is largely unfounded.

“The biggest misconception is that we are experimenting with unknowns,” says Kallas. “Today’s wild edibles are traditional foods from Native American or European cultures we have lost touch with.”

For example, European settlers brought with them dandelions, now considered a nuisance weed, as a source of food and medicine. All parts of it are edible, including flowers, roots and leaves, and have nutritional superpowers.

To assess a plant, Kallas adds, a forager must know three things about it: the part or parts that are edible, the stage of growth to gather it and how to prepare it. “Some plants have parts that are both edible and poisonous. Others can be toxic raw, but perfectly edible cooked,” he says.

Timing is everything, adds Meredith.

“A wild ingredient can be fantastic in one week, and incredibly bitter a week later, so it’s important to know when its prime season is.”

Kallas recommends staying away from highly trafficked roadsides and polluted areas. Given that many lawns and public areas are sprayed with herbicides, Sam Thayer, author of The Forager’s Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants, recommends not foraging in an area if it’s uncertain whether chemicals have been applied.

Environmental awareness includes understanding how foraging may positively or negatively affect the ecosystem, says Meredith. “Overharvesting can endanger future populations. But there is a ‘win-win’ way to forage, where I get fantastic food and the landscape is better for my having foraged, by clearing invasive plants around natives or planting seeds while collecting a local plant gone to seed.”

Thayer, of Bruce, Wisconsin, suggests collecting where species are abundant and thriving: “Fruit, for example, can be harvested limitlessly, as can wild invasives that disrupt the balance of the ecosystem and crowd out native species.”

Meal Preparation Vinegars, jams and cordials from wild fruits and flowers can be wonderful, but

DJTaylor/Shutterstock.com

conscious eating

require some patience for the payoff, yet many wild edibles can be eaten raw or lightly sautéed, requiring very little prep work. Thayer recommends sautéing wild greens with just a little soy sauce, vinegar and garlic.

Foraging builds confidence, powers of observation and connections to the natural world. The biggest benefit, says Thayer, may just be the fun of it. “You can experience food and flavors you cannot have any other way. A lot of these foods you cannot buy anywhere, and really, it’s better food than you can buy.”

Simply Wild: Forage Recipes Garlic Mustard Pesto on Crisp-Creamy Polenta Yields: 4 servings Leda Meredith, author of The Forager’s Feast: How to Identify, Gather, and Prepare Wild Edibles, says, “Wild food aficionados may roll their eyes when they see that I’m including this recipe because pesto is used as the go-to recipe for this plant so often that it’s become a cliché. But there’s a reason for that: it’s really, really good.

Connect with Washington, D.C. freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com.

Beginner’s Tips From Master Foragers

D

on’t try to learn foraging; just try to learn about one vegetable or fruit, says Sam Thayer. “Take it one plant at a time. It takes the intimidation out of it.”

Find a good local instructor that has a solid background in botany and other fundamentals of foraging, says John Kallas.

“Also, get some good books, and more than one, as each will offer different dimensions,” says the author and instructor.

Conquer the fear of Latin and learn the scientific names of plants, suggests Leda Meredith. As there may be several plants with the same common name, or one plant with many common names, knowing scientific names will help clear up potential confusion in identifying them.

You don’t have to go far to find food, says Deane Jordan. “In reality, there is often a greater selection around your neighborhood than in state parks.

In suburbia, you find native species, the edible weeds that come with agriculture, and also edible ornamentals.”

Bring the kids: They make fabulous foragers, says Meredith. “They learn superfast and it’s a way to pass cultural knowledge along and instill that food doesn’t come from a garden or a farm, but from photosynthesis and the Earth and the sun.”

Buttered Cattail Shoots With Peas and Mint Yields: 4 servings This is a riff on the traditional English springtime dish of lettuce wilted in butter with peas and mint. The pleasingly mild flavor of the cattail shoots stands in for the lettuce. Stick with just the whitest parts of the shoots for pure tenderness or include some of the pale green bits if you want a sturdier dish.

2 Tbsp unsalted butter 3 cups cattail shoots, chopped ½ cup water 1 cup fresh or frozen shelled peas (if frozen, defrost them first) 2 Tbsp fresh mint, minced Salt and freshly ground black pepper

“You can toss garlic mustard pesto with pasta, of course, but a spoonful added to soup just before serving is also wonderful, as is a smear of it on focaccia or toast. My favorite way to enjoy garlic mustard pesto is on pan-fried polenta that is crispy on the outside and creamy within.”

2 cups fresh garlic mustard leaves and tender stems 3 Tbsp walnuts or pine nuts, chopped 1 tsp garlic, minced (wild or cultivated) ¼ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 Tbsp butter 8 slices (½-inch-thick) cooked polenta Put the garlic mustard leaves, nuts and garlic into the blender or food processor.

Pulse until the leaves are chopped.

Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the cattail shoots and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the cattail shoots are tender and most of the water has evaporated.

Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring.

Remove from the heat and stir in the mint with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve warm.

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Add the cheese. With the motor running, add ½ cup of oil a little at a time until the mixture is well blended, but not completely smooth. (You want a bit of texture from the nuts and greens to remain.)

Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the polenta slices. (You can use the precooked polenta that comes out of a tube, or if you cooked some from scratch, spread it out ½-inch thick on a baking sheet and refrigerate until sliceable.)

Simple Supper Garlic Mustard Pasta Yields: 4 servings

This is a simple, but satisfying one-pot meal that comes together in about 20 minutes total. You can embellish the recipe with additional ingredients such as chorizo sausage or pine nuts, but it’s really not necessary. Sometimes simple is best.

1 lb penne pasta 1 lb garlic mustard leaves and shoots, washed and coarsely chopped (ideally, Don’t try to move the polenta slices until you’re using garlic mustard at the stage they’ve browned on the bottom side. You’ll where the stems are still tender and the know that’s happened when they dislodge flowers are either budding or just starting easily. Use a spatula to flip them over and to open) brown the other side.

4 garlic cloves, peeled 1 to 2 medium-hot red chili peppers Plate two slices per person, withNatural the garlicAwakenings DC (pepperoncini), stems and seeds removed NaturalAwakeningsDC.com mustard pesto spread on top. Serve hot or ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, at room temperature. divided (use your best as this is one of the Ad Proof for Natural Awakenings main flavors of the sauce) Tip: If you want to keep this pesto in the Salt to taste P: 202-505-4835 To: refrigerator for up to a week or in the ½ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, freshly Email: F: 703-652-3962 freezer for up to six months, blanch the grated (again, use the best you’ve got) garlic mustard greens in boiling water for Please sign your proof and complete following information: Freshlythe ground black pepper 20 seconds, then immediately run them (Ad is shown at actual size. See second page for larger ads.) under cold water or dip them in an ice Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the bath. Squeeze out as much water as you penne and set a timer for seven minutes.

Ad is approved: contact can, then proceed with the recipe.

This information and spelling is correct blanching step preventsAd theispesto from with changes indicated approved While the pasta is cooking, prep the other losing its bright green color and turning Ad is not approved – make changes indicated ingredients: wash and chop the garlic brown in cold storage.

Good food for free has been the holy grail of foragers since our ancestors first climbed down from the trees. ~Tristram Stuart

mustard, mince the garlic or put it through a garlic press, chop the chili peppers.

After seven minutes, add the garlic mustard to the pasta in the pot and cook until the pasta is al dente, usually about five minutes more.

Scoop out a ladleful of the pasta cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta and garlic mustard in a colander. Return the pot to the stove over low heat.

Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pot along with the garlic and chili pepper.

Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Return the reserved pasta cooking water and the drained pasta and garlic mustard greens back to the pot. Raise the heat to medium and cook, stirring, for a minute or two until the liquid is mostly evaporated or absorbed. Remove from the heat, then stir in the remaining olive oil and salt. (Go scant on the salt because the grated cheese you’ll be adding is salty.)

Serve hot with freshly grated cheese and freshly ground pepper.

Other wild edibles you can use in this recipe include any leafy greens, as well as the leaves of any wild garlic species.

Recipes and photos from The Forager’s Feast: How to Identify, Gather, and Prepare Wild Edibles. Reproduced by permission of The Countryman Press. All rights reserved.

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NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

LOVING OURSELVES MADLY Practice Intentional Self-Love

I

by Scott Stabile

t’s not enough to wish for more self-love. We must be intentional about creating it and commit to loving ourselves by practicing these habits every day.

Don’t believe our thoughts.

Our minds lie to us all the time, especially where our self-worth is concerned. The moment we become aware we are mentally abusing ourselves, we can refuse to believe these thoughts. The fact is, we are worthy and enough exactly as we are. Any thoughts that contradict this truth are lies. We must not go to war with our mind, but should definitely get in the habit of challenging our mind’s lies and not believing them when they run amok.

Replace self-abuse with self-love.

Not believing our crueler thoughts is step one.

Replacing them with kinder, more compassionate and loving thoughts is step two. When our minds call us ugly, we must sink into

our hearts and remind ourselves that we are beautiful, as we are.

When our minds insist we’re weak, we must declare our strength.

Every single thought and word that speaks to our worth is a powerful and sustaining reflection of self-love. Substitute self-abuse with love as often as possible and then watch our lives change in powerful ways.

Set boundaries and enforce them.

To love ourselves, we have to set clear boundaries with the people in our lives. State what works and what doesn’t work. If we don’t clearly speak our boundaries, people will trample them, and we’ll only have ourselves to blame. Boundaries show respect for all involved. A lack of boundaries will almost certainly lead to resentment.

Make time for happy places.

We all have places that tend to bring us peace and/or joy: a walk among the trees, curled up with a good book, coffee with a close friend.

Make time for these experiences. Every second we spend giving energy to the people, places and things that bring us joy is a second of dedicated self-love. It matters. Just as important, pay attention to the people, places and things that are depleting, that feel unhealthy and toxic, and give less energy to them. Knowing what to eliminate can be as impactful as knowing what to add.

How we love ourselves is our responsibility. The greater commitment we make to self-love, the greater chance we create of living a more peaceful, joyful and meaningful life.

Scott Stabile is the author of Big Love: The Power of Living with a Wide-Open Heart.

Learn more at ScottStabile.com.

Your Market is Our Readers. Let Us Introduce You to Them!

Contact us today to advertise in our next issue 202-505-3548 August 2019

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inspiration

fit body

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that cannot benefit from aerobic exercise, from Parkinson’s disease to Lou Gehrig’s disease,” says Laurence Kinsella, M.D., a neurologist at the SSM Health Medical Group, in Fenton, Missouri.

According to 2017 Canadian studies involving Parkinson’s patients, cycling improved motor function during a 12-week period. The results, published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, also show a marked improvement in gait.

Promising 2018 research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reveals cycling and other forms of aerobic exercise to be the most effective activity in slowing Alzheimer’s-related cognitive decline.

Build Stress Resistance

Take a Cerebral Spin Cycling for a Healthier Brain

H

by Marlaina Donato

opping on a serotonin, as well as brainThere is not one bicycle on a neurological disease derived neurotrophic beautiful day factor—BDNF—a protein that cannot benefit from that increases during aeroor taking a spin class at aerobic exercise, the gym offers proven bic exercise. Low levels of cardiovascular benefits BDNF have been linked to from Parkinson’s like lowering cholesterol obesity, excessive appetite, disease to Lou and blood pressure. Now, clinical depression, anxiety Gehrig’s disease. growing research shows and cognitive decline. Acthat it also packs a power- ~Laurence Kinsella, M.D. cording to a 2016 study by ful punch for brain health. the New York University

Aerobic exercise has been found to Langone Medical Center published in the have the greatest impact on cognitive abiljournal eLife, higher levels of BDNF help ity, and low-impact cycling leads the way. decrease symptoms of depression while David Conant-Norville, M.D., a Portland, improving memory function.

Oregon psychiatrist, recommends cycling

BDNF helps maintain brain health to help children challenged by attention and stimulates the growth of new neurons. deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Pedaling regularly can fire up brain cell production by at least twofold; cycling only 20 to 30 minutes a day can decrease symptoms of Depression and Memory depression—and might even prevent it.

“Cycling brings more oxygen and nutrients to the cells,” says Carmen Ferreira, owner of SunShine Barre Studio, in Rocky Point, Cycle for Alzheimer’s New York. “When we ride our bikes, our and Parkinson’s Diseases brains also increase their production of “For years, we’ve been touting the benefits proteins used for creating new brain cells.” of mental exercises for Alzheimer’s disease,

Cycling has been shown to significantly but physical exercise is also highly benefiboost the neurotransmitters dopamine and cial. There is not one neurological disease

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NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

In general, living a sedentary life sets up a hair-trigger stress response in the body, while forms of exercise like cycling help to regulate excessive levels of age-accelerating stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline.

Kinsella says, “Exercise like cycling makes us channel that part of the ancient brain that helped our ancestors run from a tiger, and when we engage the brain to run, chase or survive, the aging process slows down.”

Cycling can also be beneficial for people with fibromyalgia. Ferreira notes, “I have a few students with fibromyalgia who have reported having more energy, as well as better mood.”

Shorter Sessions, Better Results

While cycling can be a memory booster, it can also temporarily impair cognitive function if sessions are too intense or long. Kinsella recommends that his students work up to 75 percent of maximum heart rate. He also emphasizes

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~Carmen Ferreira common sense. “Strive for a reasonable pace, and by that, I mean ramping up your heart rate gradually over three weeks. Go slowly with beginning any vigorous exercise and accept that it will take months.” For Alzheimer’s patients, he recommends breaking a sweat with five, 30-minute sessions a week.

Ferreira also advises moderation.

“Do as much as your body allows—15, 20 or 45 minutes, the latter being the duration of a full-length class. Have clear communication with the instructor to help you reach your goals.”

Whether objectives are accomplished on an outdoor or stationary bike, it is important to be consistent. Kinsella suggests making it enjoyable. “You can get on your bike and watch your favorite television show for 30 minutes or more and get a good workout.”

Marlaina Donato is the author of Multidimensional Aromatherapy and several other books. She is also a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

American Herbalists Guild

30

th

Annual

Symposium

From P lants to People: The Art & Science of Clinical Herbalism

Featuring: Clinical Assessment in Herbal Practice

Keynote Speaker: Christopher Hobbs October 10 -14, 2019 – Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center – Bethesda, MD Registration opens

Now 2019

For more information or to register, please go to:

americanherbalistsguild.com August 2019

25

leading edge

The Gut-Brain Axis And its Effect on Health

by Allan Tomson

E

dgar Cayce first addressed the importance of the digestive system to overall health in post-industrialized America, in the 1920s. Eating a healthy diet was talked about prior to Cayce, but he was the first to connect it to specific disease conditions. He was also the first to talk about “leaky gut” and how it is connected to arthritis. Cayce talked quite a bit about how restrictions and blocks within the large intestine create forces that irritate the nervous system, and later cause pain syndromes.

Now, fast-forward 80 years and science has caught up to recognizing this most important role of the gut. For instance, it is now known that the large intestine has more than 1,000 different species of bacteria—and that the larger the diversity of these, the stronger and healthier you will be. This mimics nature where you find thriving wild plant areas that are completely diverse.

We can also appreciate the incredible 26

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absorptive surface area of the small intestine, which is said to equal the square footage of a tennis court.

The interface between the brain and the gut is crucial to health. The parasympathetic part of the Autonomic Nervous system is the main control of digestive functions—it is called the “rest and digest system.” When you sit to eat a meal, this part of the nervous system is most active.

The vagus nerve is the longest of the cranial nerves and is the main nerve of the Parasympathic NS—running from the base of the skull to the abdomen. The feedback loop goes like this: roughly 80 percent of signals travel from the intestines and related organs to the brain and 20 percent from brain to the gut. Information is relayed, such as the general health of the intestinal tissue and the level of triggering of the immune cells.

Remember that about 70 percent of all immune cells do their work in and around both the lungs and the digestive

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system. This is because these are the two areas in the body that are open to the environment and an increasingly toxic world.

If there is an imbalance in the gut between beneficial and harmful bacteria, the immune system is trying to dampen down this irritation. The brain gets these messages from the gut and, in turn, instructs it on what to do.

Here’s where the brilliance of the human body comes into play. The Greater Omentum is a wide flap of tissue that lies on the small intestine. It is attached, on the top, close to the rib cage and is completely unattached on the lower part. It is made up of mesenteric tissue and has quite a bit of fat and immune cells in it. When there is an infection or toxins inflaming the local tissue in the gut, the Greater Omentum will migrate from its central position over to the infection.

It has been known to wrap itself around a section of the intestine, covering it and letting loose a barrage of white blood cells to fight the infection—as if it has a brain of its own; an intelligence working with the intestine.

Clinically, all healthcare professions see patients with a lot of inflammation.

It frequently begins in the gut and then moves systemically. The two most common causes are stress and a diet consisting primarily of processed foods. The first thing a doctor should do is to quiet the gut by removing the foods that are irritating or are allergens. Fried foods are out.

The patient begins supplements that reduce inflammation and supports tissue healing in the gut. This can be a long process and requires patience and fortitude.

However, with the right guidance, complete healing can occur. Diet and lifestyle changes create significant healing.

Allan Tomson, DC, is the executive director of Neck Back & Beyond Healing Arts, an integrative wellness center in Fairfax, with a satellite office in Manassas. Tomson is a chiropractor and has skills and experience in functional medicine, visceral manipulation, CranioSacral Therapy and Cayce protocols.

To learn more on this topic, contact Dr. Tomson at 703-865-5690 or visit NeckBack AndBeyond.com. See ad, page 9.

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common good

A COMMON HEART SONG Whales Point the Way

J

by Mark Nepo

ust as whales are born with an instinct for the deep, we are born with an impulse toward creating a quality of life. No matter the type of work that leads us there, following that impulse is the destiny of each soul, so we search to find our medium through which aliveness can express itself. Following our instinct for the deep, we find each other.

In areas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, whales sing basically the same song, and when a new verse is added, they all incorporate it. As humans, we have a greater capacity to communicate, yet we resist adding to our common song.

Whales occupying the same geographical areas that may include large oceans tend to sing similar songs with local variations, but whales from other regions of the world will sing entirely different songs. Once united, though, they find a common pitch. The songs are constantly evolving over time, and old patterns are not repeated.

In essence, whales stay current, freshly updating their communications with each other. It’s a noble task for us all to emulate.

Most whales, especially humpbacks, compose patterns of sound that are strikingly resonant with human musical traditions.

What helps whales be such good communicators is that sound travels about four times faster in water than on land. Thus, it is profoundly easier to hear in the deep. Dwelling there, we have a better chance of staying current and hearing our common song.

When we follow our instinct for the deep, we discover our common song, which brings us alive. Through this unfolding, we make our contribution to the common good. From generation to generation, all that we learn and create adds to this living work of art we call a quality of life.

Adapted excerpt from More Together than Alone, by Mark Nepo.

Connect at MarkNepo.com and ThreeIntentions.com.

August 2019

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natural pet

VET CHECK Treating the Whole Pet

by Julie Peterson

A

bout 10 years ago, Kim Krouth’s dog, Buckeye, was suffering from severe allergy symptoms. The mixed-breed shepherd was licking and biting her paws until her toe pads were bleeding. “Our conventional vet prescribed steroids,” recalls Krouth. “It helped some, but also agitated Buckeye. When I found out that other side effects could include serious health problems, I didn’t want to put her at risk.”

The Madison, Wisconsin, animal lover headed to a holistic pet supply store to ask about alternative treatments for the dog’s allergies. She learned about herbal remedies, and was advised to take Buckeye to a holistic veterinarian. “Treating her holistically seemed like a better option than the side effects of treatment with drugs,” she says.

The holistic veterinarian recommended acupuncture. It helped, but the dog later became sensitive to the needles.

At that point, she was given homeopathic plant-based treatments that worked well with no side effects. Buckeye, now 15, has also received laser light therapy and spinal manipulation to help with mobility in her senior years.

The Holistic Difference

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202-505-4835 28

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Holistic veterinarians have been treating dogs, cats, chickens, livestock and exotic animals across the nation for some time, but many people aren’t entirely clear about how their approach—and their training— differs from a conventional vet. Both enter the profession after earning a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degree.

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Holistic practitioners can then choose to train in a variety of modalities, including acupuncture, herbs and physical rehabilitation, plus trigger point, megavitamin and stem cell therapies.

“Any method that is sufficiently different from conventional medicine requires extra training ... over a period of weeks, months or years,” says Nancy Scanlan, DVM, the executive director of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Foundation, in Mount Shasta, California.

Veterinarians, holistic or not, typically do the same initial examination of an animal, she says. From there, a holistic vet may look at additional areas or assess things in a slightly different way. “For example, someone trained in veterinary osteopathy or veterinary chiropractic would explore the range of motion of joints or the spine.”

In treatment, holistic DVMs use an integrative approach. The goal is to look at the animal as a whole and treat the underlying condition, rather than treating the symptoms. “Integrative medicine is about broadening our medical options, blending both conventional medical and holistic approaches. It focuses on client education and participation in the healing process of their pet,” says Danielle Becton, DVM, of Aloha Pet & Bird Hospital, in Indian Harbour Beach, Florida.

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Integrative medicine is about broadening our medical options, blending both conventional medical and holistic approaches.

It focuses on client education and participation in the healing process of their pet. ~Danielle Becton, DVM

Holistic veterinarians may also choose to use fewer conventional drugs and limited vaccinations. “Vaccine titers can be used to determine if a patient has adequate antibodies to a disease to create immunity,” says Becton. “If a pet is already immune, they may not need another vaccine booster that year.”

Becton and Scanlan agree that alternative treatments such as acupuncture, laser therapy or massage can be used in lieu of drugs for pain management. However, Scanlan does note that in an acute or emergency situation, many natural methods do not work fast enough, “and that is when holistic veterinarians are more likely to use drugs.”

Choosing a Holistic Veterinarian

Pet owners seek out holistic veterinarians for different reasons. In Krouth’s case, it was the unacceptable side effects to drugs that led her to explore other options. Becton points out that she gets clients looking for a more natural approach for their pets after they personally have had success with human integrative medicine.

However, it’s important that pets are treated by professionals that are trained to treat animals. People with holistic training for humans may not understand animal anatomy or physiology.

Ultimately, choosing a veterinarian is a personal decision, and seeing a beloved pet thrive is the best confirmation that it was the right one. “We are so glad that we still have Buckeye at this golden age, and believe it’s due to holistic care that she has lived a comfortable, long life,” says Krouth.

Julie Peterson lives in rural Wisconsin with her husband, dogs and chickens. She has contributed to Natural Awakenings for more than a decade. Contact her at JPtrsn22@att.net.

August is prime time for camping out in the woods or at a music festival. Communing with nature or enjoying the beat outdoors for extended periods can stress the environment—but with proper planning, it doesn’t have to.

The Association of Independent Festivals has launched its Take Your Tent Home campaign in the UK, according to Treehugger.com. The group is urging concertgoers to not discard their tents at venues and retailers to stop marketing camping gear as intended for single-use; festival organizers also have been asked to eliminate single-use cups, bottles and straws.

In America, MindBodyGreen.com reports that carbon credits are being offered to help offset trips to and from Lollapalooza, in Chicago, from August 1 to 4. Pickathon, taking place on the same days outside Portland, Oregon, will have a free bike parking lot, as well as a dedicated shuttle for cars, plus no single-use serving ware.

ChasingGreen.org advises campers to look for tents and related products made with recycled material and natural fibers like hemp, cotton, coconut husks and bamboo. Marmot, Lafuma, Sierra Designs and The North

Face all use recycled materials in making their tents, including coconut shells, polyester, water bottles, garment fabrics and factory yarn waste.

The website also suggests carpooling with family and friends, choosing a site that’s closer to home and packing light to reduce weight in the car, thus improving mileage. Also, if we bring trash into a campsite where there are no receptacles, leave with it. Don’t burn it in the fire, as that contributes to air pollution; instead, pack it up and dispose of it properly at home. Set up a method for collecting rainwater to use to wash dishes.

EcoWatch.com recommends bringing unbreakable, washable plates, cups, utensils and napkins, a small basin or bucket, sponge and biodegradable soap, and a bag to store items that are too dirty to reuse.

Stock up on batteries to power lights and lanterns or use solar power with a LuminAID light lamp. Follow the “leave no trace” motto: no litter, smoldering fire pits, ripped-up grass, crushed bushes or repositioned boulders. Stay on marked trails, never pick plants, flowers or berries, and never harm or disturb wildlife.

August 2019

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wise words

Aysha Akhtar on

Our Symphony With Animals

A

by Julie Peterson

s a neurologist, Dr. Aysha Akhtar wanted to acknowledge that medicine has largely overlooked our relationships with animals and their impact on our health. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and bullying, she gained strength and courage to change her situation after forming a deep bond with an abused dog. She found there were more stories like hers that explain how the health and happiness of humans and animals are interlaced.

After traveling to interview people whose lives have been profoundly influenced by animals, Akhtar used her experiences and those of others to demonstrate the science behind the intricate and mutually beneficial associations between humans and animals. The result is her book, Our Symphony with Animals: On Health, Empathy, and Our Shared Destinies. After time spent with homeless people, a former mobster, a Marine veteran, a serial killer, animal sanctuary workers and farmers, she relates what happens when people forge (or break) bonds with animals, and how the love we give them comes full circle back to us.

How do you explain that an untrained animal, like Sylvester, the abused dog you bonded with, can help a person heal and recover?

It’s the fact that the animal is not a human being. Animals help diffuse the human30

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generated pressure in our lives. If you treat an animal with kindness, that is the only thing that the animal will judge you by.

Animals don’t care about your past, your money, your mistakes in life— they have no preconceived notions about you.

Animals have a purity that helps us be our true selves without worrying about being judged.

What is the most memorable moment of your journey to discover more stories like your own?

It was a beautiful, warm, summer evening, and I was just sitting at an animal sanctuary with a pig named Ivy. She was such a sweet girl and such an emotional being, she reminded me of Sylvester. While Ivy was sleeping, I was listening to the sounds around me—ducks, chickens, cows, horses, dogs and nature. The sun was setting. I became immersed in the moment and felt a profound sense of connectedness. All the sounds came together for me like a Mozart symphony. I had never felt that kind of peace. It was beautiful.

What is the science behind the neurological and biological phenomena you describe in this interaction between humans and animals?

First, studies are emerging that suggest that the way we feel empathy toward each other is not very different from the way we feel

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empathy toward other animals. It appears that we may feel stronger empathy toward other animals because, like children, we see them as vulnerable.

Second, medical studies show that just being with animals provides measurable physiological changes within us, showing a boost to our well-being. For example, just being with a dog for five to 10 minutes can decrease blood pressure and stress hormones, and provide a long-term boost to cardiovascular health. It also leads to increases in positive neurochemicals like dopamine and oxytocin—the chemicals that make us feel happy.

What’s even more interesting, studies suggest that the same positive effects are also happening in the animal.

How did you come to believe that compassion for animals is the next step in the moral evolution of humans?

Animals are more on the radar of the current younger generation than they used to be. This means that empathy for animals is growing with each generation. Part of the reason is that there is a moral consciousness growing within our species. We are waking up to the fact that how we treat each other needs to be more ethical, and that includes animals.

We’re witnessing that the destruction of other species is causing the unraveling of ecosystems, and that is causing increases in things like mosquito-borne diseases. In other words, our disruption of other species is coming back to hurt us. Slowly, our collective consciousness is waking up to recognize that how we treat nonhumans affects us, as well.

If readers could learn just one thing from Symphony, what would you like it to be?

Go forward in life feeling a sense of empowerment and hope, recognizing that our well-being is very much tied in with the well-being of other animals.

Julie Peterson lives in rural Wisconsin with her husband, dogs and chickens, and has contributed to Natural Awakenings for more than a decade. Contact her at JPtrsn22@att.net.

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Neck Back & Beyond Wellness Center 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA 703-865-5690 • NeckBackAndBeyond.com ScippaAssociates.com We design interactive sessions for you and your staff to better understand the physical, mental and emotional costs of many common work management habits. Individual or team coaching for ongoing leadership, management and health development support to create the peak performance habits you need. See ad, page 9.

DENTAL – HOLISTIC DENTAL EXCELLENCE INTEGRATIVE CENTER

Dr. Sheri Salartash, DDS, FAGD, FICOI, FAAP Certified Holistic Mouth Doctor 3116 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, VA 703-745-5496 • DentalExcellenceVA.com Dr. Salartash offers comprehensive integrative care for the mouth, including general and preventative family dentistry, cosmetic smile design and implants, orthodontics and clear aligners, Chao Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation Therapy, mercury-safe removal, TMJ, sleep apnea and snoring treatment. From her green office, using sustainable practices and materials, Dr. Salartash treats both adults and children.

ESSENTIAL OILS PAM SNYDER

Neck Back & Beyond Wellness Center 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com 703-865-5690 • NeckBackAndBeyond.com Let us help you integrate the healing power of essential oils into your home and personal care routines. We offer free ongoing classes each month. Individual and group consultations are available by appointment. See ad, page 9.

HEALTH COACHING NATIONAL INTEGRATED HEALTH ASSOCIATES 5225 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 402, NW 202-237-7000 NICADC.com/Health-Programs/ Rejuvenation-Detoxification.html

Rejuvenation & Detoxification program provides guidance to restore balance and health with lifestyle tips on diet, hydration, digestion and internal cleansing and detoxification with integrative at-home and spa strategies. See ad, page 19.

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HOLISTIC NUTRITION ELIZABETH MCMILLAN, MS, CNS Rose Wellness Center 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com

Elizabeth McMillan is a boardcertified clinical nutritionist specializing in functional nutrition.

She believes in finding the root cause of a liments and cre at ing a personalized dietary plan to restore optimal wellness. Elizabeth specializes in diabetes, food sensitivities, gastrointestinal health, autoimmunity and metabolic syndrome issues. Call today to see how she can help. See ad, page 11.

HOMEOPATHY MICHAEL LISS

Rose Wellness Center 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com Michael Liss is a Doctor of Classical Homeopathy and an integrative health practitioner. He specializes in using homeopathy to help you find relief from various emotional and physical health problems including addictions, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, allergies, asthma, childhood ailments, migraines, hair and skin disorders, immune deficiencies and sinus disorders. See ad, page 11.

HYPNOSIS FREE YOURSELF HYPNOSIS Michelle DeStefano 301-744-0200 • FreeYourselfHypnosis.com FreeYourselfHypnosis@gmail.com Life strategies and techniques to rewrite the software of your mind and change the printout of your life—become stress-free, stop smoking, manage pain or lose weight. We work with PSTD, birthing, peak performance, PSYCH-K, Graphology, meditation and qigong. See ad, page 19.

HYPNOTHERAPIST DIANE RHODES HYPNOTHERAPY AND DREAM INTERPRETER

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE SUSHMA HIRANI, MD

Rose Wellness Center 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA Info@RoseWellness.com RoseWellness.com • 571-529-6699 Dr. Sushma Hirani uses an integrative approach to wellness, utilizing conventional medicine and evidence-based complementary therapies. She strives to treat the whole person and emphasiz es nut r it ion , preventive care and lifestyle changes. Dr. Hirani specializes in the treatment of chronic issues such as hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, menopause and women’s health issues.

Patients love her compassionate care and personalized attention. See ad, page 11.

INDIGO INTEGRATIVE HEALTH CLINIC The Waterfront Center 1010 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 660, NW 202-298-9131 • IndigoHealthClinic.com Facebook.com/Izzy Indigo

Are you living with a health problem which you aren’t sure how to handle? Give yourself the opportunity to describe your symptoms in detail, how those symptoms make you feel and how having them affects your life. With proper diagnosis and treatment, you can be restored to vibrant health. See ad, page 36.

ALEX LEON, MD

Integrative Family Physician Rose Wellness Center 2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com Dr. Alex Leon is a board-certified family physician specializing in integrative functional medicine to help restore and maintain your wellbeing. He has a special interest in men’s health care, chronic pain syndromes including mus c u loskelet a l problems, fibromyalgia, bioidentical hormone replacement for men and women, chronic conditions including hypothyroidism, gastrointestinal disorders and allergic disorders. He treats kids too. See ad, page 11.

Neck Back & Beyond Wellness Center 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com 703-865-5690 • NeckBackAndBeyond.com

NATIONAL INTEGRATED HEALTH ASSOCIATES

Diane Rhodes is a NGH-Certified Hypnotherapy Practitioner and a Certified Projective Dreamworker.

For five years, she has been using a client-centered approach to help people make positive behavior changes utilizing the powerful tool of hypnotherapy. She guides people to overcome issues such as: overweight, fears/anxiety, stress, chronic pain, difficulty sleeping, sadness/depression and lack of confidence, fear of public speaking, nail biting, poor academic/sports performance and clutter/hoarding. See ad, page 9.

The professional health team at NIHA is comprised of holistic medical physicians, biological dentists, naturopaths, a chiropractor and health professionals highly skilled in acupuncture, nutrition and other healing therapies. See ad, page 19.

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Washington, D.C.

5225 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 402, NW 202-237-7000 • NIHADC.com

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

ROSE WELLNESS CENTER

2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com Info@RoseWellness.com

Suffering from chronic pain, fatigue, allergies, stress?

Whatever your health challenges, Rose Wellness Center can help you get on the path to real wellness. We help identify hormone, metabolic, digestive, nutritional and food sensitivity issues to get to the root cause of your health problems, where true healing begins. Our services include digestive and women’s health programs, hormone balancing, acupuncture, Lyme treatment, homeopathy and thyroid management. See ad, page 11.

MEDITATION RISE WELL-BEING CENTER

11130 Sunrise Valley Dr., Ste 150, Reston, VA • Info@RiseWellBeing.Center 703-429-1509 • RiseWellBeing.com Looking for more peace and well-being in your life? Come nurture yourself and experience the inherent healing of nature.

Rise offers a relaxing indoor garden area, Mindful Movement, yoga, meditation and wellness classes, oneon-one sessions including reiki, and Healing Touch to give you the personalized attention you desire. Discover how good you can feel!

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE ​HOLISTIC HEALING NATUROPATHIC 1331 H St. NW, Ste 200, D.C. 717-728-4546 • DrSalotto.com

D r. T i m S a l o t t o o f f e r s naturopathic treatment for all your medical conditions, treating the cause and not just the symptoms. See ad, page 24.

ORGANIC PRODUCE - CSA SPIRAL PATH FARM

717-789-4433 • Csa@SpiralPathFarm.com SpiralPathFarm.com 100% USDA-certified organic all grown at our farm in southcentral Pennsylvania. Join for our weekly produce deliveries t h rou g h a C om mu n it y Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership. See ad, page 9.

POLARITY THERAPY NECK BACK & BEYOND WELLNESS CENTER

Janice M Johnson 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA NeckBackAndBeyond@gmail.com NeckBackAndBeyond.com • 703-865-5690 Allow me to join you in creating your own individualized treatment program, which provides a safe and supportive experience for your healing process, with Polarity Therapy and Swiss Bionic Solutions MRS 2000 (Magnetic Resonance Stimulation) pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF). See ad, page 9.

STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION ROSE WELLNESS CENTER

2944 Hunter Mill Rd, Ste 101, Oakton, VA 571-529-6699 • RoseWellness.com Rose Wellness Center for Integrative Medicine offers Thermography or Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI). This non-invasive diagnostic technique creates thermal images that are analyzed for abnormalities and early signs of disease. Thermal imaging is painless, non-invasive, does not involve any compression and emits no radiation. Call today to setup your scan. See ad, page 11.

STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION

MaxAlignment Bodywork Max Rosenberg, L.M.T. 240-893-6209 • Chevy Chase, DC MaxAlignmentDC.com

Structural Integration is a specialized fascial manipulation technique aimed toward realigning each segment of the body. It is an effective treatment for any form of chronic pain, misalignment, stubborn injury or trauma.

YOGA RISE WELL-BEING CENTER

11130 Sunrise Valley Dr., Ste 150, Reston, VA 703-429-1509 • RiseWellBeing.com Info@RiseWellBeing.Center Looking for more peace and well-being in your life? Come nurture yourself and experience the inherent healing of nature.

Rise offers a relaxing indoor garden area, Mindful Movement, yoga, meditation and wellness classes, oneon-one sessions including reiki, and Healing Touch to give you the personalized attention you desire. Discover how good you can feel!

ongoing calendar NOTE: All Calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email CalendarNADC@gmail.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please.

sunday

wednesday

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 mini-retreat. Drop-ins welcome. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

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.

Mindfulness in Recovery – 6:30-8pm. This group is open to new meditators and seasoned practitioners alike with a common interest in the intersection of Buddhist teachings and 12 Step recovery.

All 12 Steppers are welcome and we ask that participants have at least 90 days of continuous recovery and a working relationship with a home 12 Step recovery group be established before attending your first meeting. This group is not a replacement for our individual 12 Step programs. The Center for Mindful Living, 4708 Wisconsin Ave, Ste 200, NW, Tenleytown. Info: Living-Mindfully.org.

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.

Yoga Levels 1 & 2 – 12-1pm. This class is a strong, fun, medium-paced rhythmic flow. Students will learn to refine postures and move beyond limitations of the body and mind. Cost: $20 or Class Pass.

The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Info: TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

Yoga Nidra Meditation – 7:45-8:45pm. Join them for a relaxation practice that is intended to induce total physical, mental and emotional relaxation. Cost: $20 or Class Pass. The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Info: TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

thursday Sunrise Vinyasa Yoga – 6:30-7:30am. See Tues for details. The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Info: TheMindfulness Center.org.

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.

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.

tuesday Sunrise Vinyasa Yoga – 6:30-7:30am. Awaken your body, find balance and ease into your day with greater clarity, peace and mindfulness. Cost: $20 or Class Pass. The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Info: TheMindfulness Center.org.

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.

Music is the divine

way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart. ~Pablo Casals

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calendar of events NOTE: All Calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email CalendarNADC@gmail.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please.

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, AUGUST 7

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1 Behavior Change: Harnessing the Power of Procrastination – 6:30-8pm. With Julia Rowland.

It turns out that we procrastinate for a reason, possibly one that is deeply rooted in our emotions.

Come explore what keeps us from reaching our goals and learn more about yourself along the way.

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

Transcendental Meditation: A Tool for Improved Personal and Professional Relationships – 7:309pm. Discover how Transcendental Meditation, an easy to learn and easy to practice authentic meditation enriches interpersonal relationships (backed by over 400 peer-reviewed studies). Bethesda Transcendental Meditation Center, 5504 Edson Ln, Rockville, MD. Register: Bethesda@TM.org.

Info: TM.org.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 2 Weekend Meditation Retreat – 6:30-9:30pm. Thru Aug. 3, 12-5pm. Experiential in nature, you will explore and cultivate deeply restorative states that are profoundly healing to both mind and body. $160. The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Register: TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3 Healing through your Akashic Records – 1-5pm.

Akashic Records are vibrational information of every soul’s journey in physical form. Resolve recurring patterns, heal challenges and empower choices through a combined individual/group healing. $45. Rising Phoenix Holistic Center, 9028 Prince William St, Ste D, Manassas, VA. Register: 703-392-9200. Info: BillSanda@gmail.com.

Women’s New Moon Circle – 6-8pm. The new moon represents beginnings and it is a time for setting intentions for our dreams, goals and wishes. $40. The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Register: TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

MONDAY, AUGUST 5 Medical Qigong – 6-7pm. Bi-monthly. With Kevin Mutschler. This is an all-levels introduction to the practice of medical qigong. You will learn about the human energy system or subtle body through lecture movement and an energetic transmission and mediation. $10 (suggested donation).

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

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Washington, D.C.

Healing Through Dance – 6:30-8pm. With Lady Nwadike. Movement, expression, imagery and creativity can facilitate wellness. This class will practice techniques to help deal with tension, enhance relaxation and cope with medical procedures and physical limitations. All levels welcome. $15 (suggested donation). Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, 1632 U St, NW. Info: 202-483-8600 or SmithCenter.org.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9

special event Friday Night Candlelight Yoga Flow With Jessie Taylor. Join us for this flowing and invigorating candlelight vinyasa yoga class.

Open to all levels of experience who are ready to move and sweat. $20.

trol. Save a life. Must be at least 16 years old. Registration required. Patrick Henry Library, 101 Maple Ave E, Vienna, VA. Register: LibraryCalendar.

FairfaxCounty.Gov/Event/5167860.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 11 Pranayama Breathwork – 1-3pm. Learn the ancient art of pranayama practices to cultivate optimal well-being and the modern science of applying specific breathing practices for specific elements of health. Cost: $40. The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Info: TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13

special event 5 Signs Your Body is Giving You That You Are Stressed Out That You May Not Recognize Dr. Satcher will tell you about the latest scientific breakthroughs and methods that help you permanently and safely remove unwanted belly fat while quickly reclaiming your health, your youth and your life. Live webinar

Tuesday, August 13 • 7-8pm

Regenasyst Wellness and Health.

Register: Info@TreatYourselfToHealth.com.

Info: 703-454-9326 x0.

Friday, August 9 • 8-9:30pm

The Mindfulness Center 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Register: TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10

special event Hip Openers: A Yoga Workshop With Anie Turchi. Flow through a slow hipopening practice with awareness of the muscles being used in each pose to find more space within the body and mind. $40.

Saturday, August 10 • 12-2pm The Mindfulness Center 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Register: TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

Healing through your Akashic Records – 1-5pm.

See Aug 3 for description. $45. Intuitive Wellness Center, 8996 Burke Lake Rd, Ste L101, Burke, VA. Register: BillSanda@gmail.com.

Stop the Bleed – 1:30-4pm. Sponsored by Fairfax County CERT, this workshop empowers you to make a difference in a life-threatening emergency by teaching the basic techniques of bleeding con-

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

Essential Oils Class – 7pm. This is a great, low-key event to be introduced to essential oils or to continue to learn the endless amazing benefits of essential oils.

All in attendance entered in the nightly raffle. Free.

RSVP appreciated. Neck, Back & Beyond, 10195 Main St, Ste D, Fairfax, VA. RSVP: 703-865-5690 or NeckBacAandBeyond@gmail.com. Info: Neck BackAndBeyond.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14 Getting Out of Your Head – 6:30-8pm. With Varahi Kelsang. In this workshop we will explore and enjoy what our own body is expressing and creating through movement and dance. In the pro-

cess we release pent up energy and emotions in a lighthearted way. We can then enjoy the experience in each moment rather than thinking about it.

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

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17

special event Naturopathic Reiki I A free community Reiki 1 certification. Join Dr. Akua Gray for a morning to enhance your ability to relax and focus on self-care.

Pre-registration required. Free.

Saturday, August 17

A Life Of Peace Wellness Education Institute Dynamic Wellness, 401 H St, NW. Register: A-Life-of-Peace.org/Reiki-Certification.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 18

special event Naturopathic Reiki 2 The Essentials of Therapy is an advanced level of reiki that teaches wellness modalities including, power symbols, mantras, chakra and crystal therapy and setting up a reiki business. $199

Sunday, August 18

A Life Of Peace Wellness Education Institute Dynamic Wellness, 401 H St, NW. Register: A-Life-of-Peace.org/Reiki-Certification.

Yoga En Blanc – 10am. A unique, half-day, community-driven, outdoor yoga session where participants practice yoga while wearing white. Bringing people of diverse backgrounds who love yoga, good company and community through motivational talks, live music and conscious conversations. Participants are required to wear all-white attire. Location to be disclosed to participants 7 days prior to the event. Bikram Yoga Wellness. Info: Info@ BikramYogaWorks.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21 Yoga Nidra – 4:45-5:30pm. With Catherine Nelson. You are invited to rest while being guided into a state of deep relaxation, which can quiet the mind, relieve mental and physical stress, and guide you to come home to yourself. $10 (suggested donation).

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

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22 5 Signs Your Body is Giving You That You Are Stressed Out That You May Not Recognize – 6:30-7:30pm. See Aug 13 for description. Live webinar. Regenasyst Wellness and Health, live webinar. Register: Info@TreatYourselfToHealth.com.

Info: 703-454-9326 x0.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27 SoulCollage and the Road Ahead – 6-7:30pm.

With Theresa Walker. Enjoy community and creativity through guided exercises to learn how to read your collage images for self-care, wisdom, inner healing and fun. $20 (suggested donation).

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

SATURDAY, AUGUST 31 Women’s New Moon Circle – 6-8pm. See Aug 3 for description. $40. The Mindfulness Center, 4963 Elm St, Ste 100, Bethesda, MD. Register: TheMindfulnessCenter.org.

plan ahead MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 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.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

special event Illuminate Columbia Mind-Body-Spirit Arts Festival The finest local holistic wellness practitioners, products and amazing artisans. Try sample sessions; find crystals, jewelry, essential oils, spa products, gifts and art. Free workshops. $6 at the door or save $1 by purchasing online.

Saturday, September 14 • 11am-6pm Illuminate Festivals Ten Oaks Ballroom, 5000 Signal Bell Ln. Clarksville, MD. Info: IlluminateFestivals.com/Columbia

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

special event 3rd Annual Women’s Health and Wellness Day

A daylong event where you personalize your experience and choose your classes from any of our 3 series; General Wellness, Experiential or PostPartum. This event will cover a wide range of wellness topics, finding your voice, including nutrition, meditation, yoga, post-partum management and pelvic health. $99.

Saturday, September 21 • 8:30am-4:30pm

special event Introductory Course on the Bach Flower Remedies

Through September 22. This flower essence seminar introduces you to Dr. Bach’s simple system of healing, teaching how to use flower remedies to reduce stress, alleviate worry and improve selfconfidence and well-being. The program provides detailed information on each of Dr. Bach’s 38 remedies. Flower essences are energeticwater-infused remedies which are different from essential oils and aromatherapy. The seminar is approved for 12.5 continuing education units for several certification boards. $390.

Saturday, September 21 • 9am-5:30pm Rainbow Chi Energy Healing, Northern VA. Registration: Contact Barbara Binney at RainChi2014@gmail.com or RainbowChiHealing.com/Classes.

.THURSDAY,

OCTOBER 10

special event American Herbalists Guild 30th Annual Symposium Through Oct 14. The American Herbalists Guild is thrilled to present From Plants to People: The Art and Science of Clinical Herbalism. This year’s theme brings herbal practice from the intellectualism of plant life to the beauty of customizing that inherent wisdom to the individual.

Thursday, October 10 • 8am

American Herbalists Guild Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center 5701 Marinelli Rd, Rockville, MD. Register: AmericanHerablistsGuild.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29

special event The New Year’s Jump Wellness Retreat to Belize Through Jan 4. Join Hawah Kasat for an exciting, fun-filled, rejuvenating New Year’s adventure to beautiful Belize. Build your own schedule, explore with wild abandon and create connections to catapult you into the auspicious year of 2020. $1,695.

Sunday, December 29

South Water Caye, Island of Belize.

Register: Hawah.us/Belize.

Info: Everlutionary@gmail.com.

ITR Physical Therapy District Architecture Center, 21 7th St, NW. Register: Bit.ly/WHWD2019. Info: ITR PhysicalTherapy.com/WHWD2019.

August 2019

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Washington D.C.'s Finest

INTEGRATIVE HEALTH CARE OUR DOCTORS SPECIALIZE IN: Lyme Disease. We take a deeper look at your specific reaction to this most commonly misdiagnosed vector-borne illness in the United States and determine the best way for you to overcome this disease.

IV Therapy. An effective method of delivering vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants directly into your bloodstream that helps your nutrient levels rise, boosting your metabolism and energy.

Chronic Fatigue. We have accurate tests to determine your adrenal and hormone levels, and possible autoimmune conditions. We investigate why you are feeling exhausted and stressed and treat appropriately.

As Naturopathic Doctors, we help to reset your body by discovering the root cause of your problem and directing our efforts to correct the source—to get you well.

Food Sensitivities. Each person has a unique profile as to which foods can either hurt or heal the body. We help you define which foods are causing you chronic inflammation versus those that build your immune system.

Detoxification. Every day you are exposed to chemicals that can make you feel drained, moody and unable to concentrate. With our metabolic Indigo Detox Program, you could feel reenergized in just 7-28 days.

Suppressing symptoms without addressing the underlying cause can be more harmful than beneficial and end up costing you significantly more money.

As your partner in health, we find the best solution for you, targeting your condition while strengthening your immune system.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation

202-298-9131

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info@IndigoHealthClinic.com Learn more at IndigoHealthClinic.com Washington, D.C.

NaturalAwakeningsDC.com

SNEJANA SHARKAR, RND, FNP, ACNP

ISABEL SHARKAR, NMD

INDIGO INTEGRATIVE HEALTH CLINIC 1010 Wisconsin Ave. NW Suite #660 Washington, D.C. 20007

Our goal is to lead you back to thriving health WHAT OUR PATIENTS ARE SAYING: “This was a great experience with very personal and knowledgeable staff and doctor. I will definitely be returning for a follow up and recommend this clinic to anyone interested in getting to the bottom of their health issues. It was great to get looked at from a holistic approach rather then just masking the symptoms. “ ~RK “I’ve been to many doctors in my life and finally, Dr. Sharkar has actually helped me to improve my health. It has been the best investment I’ve ever made and I’m very happy to have such a great and caring doctor. The best part is that everything is natural and it actually works. “ ~ ES