Natural Awakenings Magazine October 2010 by Natural Awakenings Magazine ~ West Michigan

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET feel good live simply laugh more

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HEALTHY PLANET

WHAT WE NEED TO DO NOW

TRANSITION TOWNS Where Sustainable Living Is Real

WAYS TO GO

Bill McKibben On: How to Be a

CLIMATE

HERO

VEGAN Put More Plants on Your Plate

OCTOBER 2010 | West Michigan Edition | www.NaturalWestMichigan.com natural awakenings

October 2010

Naturopathy (Each year 600 hours)

Natural Health Educator ....................... 1st Year Natural Health Therapist...................... 2nd Year Natural Health Practitioner ................. 3rd Year Certified Naturopath .............................4th Year 4th Year Graduates are Eligible for Doctor of Naturopathy National Test and Title

Massage Therapy

Therapeutic Bodywork Practitioner ..1 Year

Holistic Labor Program Doula.......6 Months

All Classes Meet On Weekends Fri. 5 - 9 p.m., and Sat. & Sun. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Naturopaths - 1 per month • Massage - 2 per month

Individual Classes:

• Herbology • Aromatherapy • Nutrition • Live Food Preparation • Light Healing Touch • Reflexology • Homeopathy • And More!

15 Years of Excellence

503 E. Broadway • Mt. Pleasant, Michigan • (989) 773-1714 www.nite-mtp.com Mt. Pleasant is 90 minutes North East of Grand Rapids

West Michigan Edition NaturalWestMichigan.com Accredited by the American Naturopathic Medical Association

contents 11

11 ecobriefs

14 healthbriefs 18 healingways

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

20 consciouseating 32 healthykids 34 naturalpet 35 inspiration 36 greenliving

18 BETTER BREAST

HEALTH Make Prevention a Daily Habit

by Beth Davis

20 ON THE VEGAN TRAIL Why People Are Putting More Plants on Their Plates by Kristin Ohlson

22 CHIROPRACTIC CARE The Different Options Available

advertising & submissions

by Julie Hurley

How to Advertise

24 BE A CLIMATE HERO

To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 616-656-9232 or email: Publisher@ NaturalWestMichigan.com. Deadline for space reservation is the 12th of each month prior to publication.

News Briefs & article submissions Email articles to: Publisher@NaturalWestMichigan.com. Deadline for articles is the 5th of the month prior to publication. Submit News Briefs online at NaturalWestMichigan.com. Deadline for news briefs is the 12th of the month prior to publication.

calendar submissions Submit Calendar Events online at: NaturalWestMichigan.com. Calendar deadline is the 15th of the month prior to publication.

WHERE TO PICK UP NATURAL AWAKENINGS If you enjoyed this magazine and would like to know where you can pick up a free copy in your area, please contact us at 616656-9232 or email us at: publisher@NaturalWestMichigan.com

Act Up. Act Now.

by Bill McKibben

32 BE AFRAID,

BE VERY AFRAID... Learn How to Avoid The Real Goblins

by Melinda Hemmelgarn

34 PUMPKIN FOR PETS by Morieka V. Johnson

35 ECO-FILM PICKS

Movies With a Message Worth Watching

Beyond our full “carbon neutral” digital issue each month... Check us out and connect with us on Twitter & Facebook! Twitter — Find us at NaturallyWestMI Facebook — Find us at Natural Awakenings of West Michigan

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October 2010

letterfrompublishers

contact us Publishers Kyle & Amy Hass Editors S. Alison Chabonais Linda Sechrist Design & Production Interactive Media Design Scott Carvey

Printer Newsweb Natural Awakenings 484 Sunmeadow Dr. SE Grand Rapids, MI 49508 Phone: 616-656-9232 Publisher@NaturalWestMichigan.com

www.NaturalWestMichigan.com

Subscriptions are available by sending $30 (12 issues) to the above address. © 2010 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call for a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

Committed to Sustainability Natural Awakenings is locally owned and operated.

elcome to one of our favorite themes of the year: Environment. The care and wonders of Earth’s environment have always been a presence in our 11-year marriage, one I’ve lived with since childhood, when everything revolved around nature. I was always outside, playing in fields, climbing trees and riding my horse on every hidden trail I could find. Kyle and I did not grow up in today’s era of electronics, when television shows, computer screens and video games consume a big part of kids’ days. We had the good fortune of measuring our days by the sun, heading outdoors from the moment we woke up to the time we went to bed. Nature provided a world of entertainment, including made-up toys. Our playroom was infinitely grander than an extra room in the house where manmade toys clutter the shelves. When I was in junior high, my Grandmother took a cousin and me to Hawaii as a special Christmas present. That trip introduced Earth’s environment to me in a whole new light. Majestic 200-foot waterfalls, erupting volcanoes and a culture that’s close to nature opened my eyes anew. I’d never before seen dolphins and sea turtles in the wild, and all those beautiful, brightly colored fish! I was in awe that such beauty could exist. A girlhood quest to save marine animals emerged that week that would evolve into a lifelong pursuit. My mission became to learn about marine life. Beyond nature’s amazing variety, I also discovered the devastation of overfishing, ocean pollution and everything else the human race is doing to destroy our life-giving blue planet. I knew that I had to do something to fix it; now here I am, 25 years later, still fighting to save and protect this planet’s magnificent creatures. When Kyle came into my life, he willingly joined the fight with gusto. We live each day with a will to tread as lightly as possible on our Mother Earth. While far from perfect, every choice is a conscious one as we try to do well by her. Our Earth is such a miraculous place we can’t understand why everyone hasn’t wholeheartedly joined in the cause. It’s why we took responsibility for publishing this magazine in 2008, as a way to unite and educate caring stewards in our West Michigan community. Today, there is nothing else we’d rather do. We are blessed to be a part of this journey with you as together we make West Michigan a better, healthier place to live. Will you join us? If each of us each day does a little ecologically better than we did yesterday, we can make the difference so urgently needed in this country and the world. Thank you for all that you do for Mother Earth,

Natural Awakenings is printed on 100% recycled newsprint with soy based ink.

West Michigan Edition

Amy Hass NaturalWestMichigan.com

newsbriefs Parenthood ~ The Circus

f Shakespeare is right and all the world is a stage – then Parents must be the circus performers on it! Moms and Dads are expected to be perfect and use multiple skills of daring, balance and strength daily. This can be hilarious -- as with new parents trying to function without sleep, fond fathers coping with dainty daughters needing to be amused, or the Amazing Clinging Kid on the first day of school. However, as in a true circus,there are some death-defying, dangerous acts, too. Like having a heart-to-heart with a 13-year-old, and trying to dodge the knife-blades of adolescent anger thrown at your head! From bringing baby home to the sad-faced clown dealing with life minus his partner, the circus of Parenthood will make you laugh, will bring a tear to your eye, and will make you marvel at the miraculous feats that are performed around you every day by everyday people. This theatrical performance will be at the East Grand Rapids Performing Arts Center on Friday, November 5th. For more information contact Angie Walters, MA, PCD (DONA), Co-Founder, Volunteer Coordinator at 616-8281021 or visit www.momsbloom.org

Meniere’s Disease Research

ichael T. Burcon, DC started researching Meniere’s disease (MD) ten years ago after having three MD patients quickly recover from their vertigo under upper cervical specific chiropractic care. His papers have been published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research and the textbook, Upper Cervical Subluxation Complex, a Review of the Chiropractic and Medical Literature, by Kirk Ericksen in 2004. Dr. Burcon will give his paper, “Cervical Specific Protocol and Results for 300 Meniere’s Patients,” to the Sixth International Symposium on Meniere’s Disease in Kyoto, Japan on November 16. His Session Topic will be, “Novel treatment of inner ear diseases.” Patients typically get diagnosed with MD or TN in middle age. Their injuries most often occurred during high school or college years from a car accident, sports injury or a head

injury. Few patients list these old injuries on their doctor’s admission paper work. In fact, they have often forgotten about them, believing they were not hurt if they were not admitted to the hospital. Dr. Burcon has produced three Health Talk videos for GRTV. Copies of Health Talk are available free on DVD. For information on Dr. Burcon’s Meniere’s research, call 616-575-9990 or DrBurcon@yahoo.com, or visit MenieresResearch.com and BurconChiropractic.com. See ad page 29

Ayurveda & GuruRemedies

n India, philosophy and medicine have always gone hand-in-hand: epitomized by the traditional practice of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is our oldest healing system. The earliest texts are from the 6th century BCE but there is no doubt that the practice dates back even further. Ayurveda (ayus: longevity, vitality; veda: science) emphasizes a balanced, holistic approach to health and well being that modern medicine is only now slowly beginning to embrace. In the Ayurvedic approach: 1) the body cannot be cured without considering the relationship of the body and mind; 2) spirituality can never be separated from personal development; and 3) the spiritual well being of individuals promotes physical well being (Crawford, 1989). Arun Stanley Mathuram, the founder of Guru Remedies, was born into a south Indian family of deeply religious, visionary Ayurvedic healers. A keen student, Arun arrived in the United States to pursue graduate studies in Environmental Engineering. In America, Arun saw a great need for natural medicine and his thoughts turned to the many wonderful products originally formulated by his ancestors, South India’s legendary men of medicine, the Mathurams. Guru Salve is the first product introduced by Arun via GuruRemedies. The salve is an ayurvedic blend of natural ingredients, which provides deep, penetrating, and long lasting relief from muscle and joint pain associated with backaches, strains, sprains, and arthritis or rheumatism. It has also been proven effective in the alleviation of symptoms associated with nasal and chest congestion, cough, and fever. Visit www.gururemedies.com to learn more about the salve, Arun, his mission and GuruRemedies.

natural awakenings

October 2010

Organic Awakenings

ate 2008, Tarra Thompson, a single mother of one, began experiencing hair loss. She believed the loss was because of the harsh chemicals being used on her hair. After attending a ‘natural hair care’ seminar, her eyes were opened to the harm being done by putting harmful chemicals in and on our bodies. Since then, she has been transitioning to an organic eating and living lifestyle. After seeing the difference in the health of herself and her daughter, she became interested in sharing her journey in a blog as well as offering organic products to others. In her search for an ethical, earth-friendly home-business opportunity, she came across ONEgroup. ONEgroup offers the world’s first Certified Organic skincare, hair care, personal care, health care and cosmetic product line. Their product offering even includes a range of baby skincare products. As soon as Tarra found ONEgroup, she was instantly drawn to the vision and mission of the organization, and happy to make one more step towards ensuring she leaves a legacy she can be proud of. If you would like to follow Tarra on her journey – check out her blog. She will share her challenges, successes, and also provide reviews of some of her favorite organic food & products. If you’re interested in trying products from the ONEgroup organic product line, you may contact Tarra using the information listed below. Tarra’s blog can be found at www.thisislivingorganic.com. The ONEgroup product line is available at http://thisisliving. mionegroupcom

New Doggie Boutique Open in Grand Haven

ocally owned & operated Just Dogs Gourmet is downtown Grand Haven’s newest doggie boutique where their specialty... is in treats! These canine consumables are handmade and hand-cut from 100% all-natural, human quality ingredients that your dog will love, including real fruits and vegetables, parmesan and cheddar cheeses, bacon, and beef broth to just name a few. With more than 40 types and flavors of treats, including vitamin-enriched and wheat-free varieties, we have something

SHORELINE WOMEN’S CENTER

WATER BIRTHING Southwest Michigan’s only water birthing program.

Eva Fronk, CNM

Ask our midwives if Water Birth is for you! Contact: Shoreline Women’s Center 269.639.2720 Monday through Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Mercedes Moran, CNM

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for EVERY pooch. The treats are enriched with 38 different vitamins and minerals for muscle, joint, skin, coat and performance. Made in the USA from 100% human quality ingredients. Just Dogs Gourmet’s selection of fabulous doggie treats come in a variety of flavors and sizes including low fat and multiple flavors of vitamin enriched and wheat free treats. Join them on Facebook to view pics of customers, Harbor Humane Society’s Adopt-A-Thons and community news & updates. Just Dogs Gourmet, 107 Washington Ave, Grand Haven. 616-842-3647. FB: JustDogsGH

First Harvest Fest

topian Marketplace, located at 8832 Water Street in Montague, hosts its first Harvest Fest, Saturday, October 9 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Celebrate autumn’s bounty following White Lake’s Annual Pumpkin Festival. There will be a scarecrow contest (see their website for details), live music on the deck, local organic produce, including pumpkins, gourds and cornstalks. You will have the opportunity to ask local farmers about their organic gardening methods. Learn how to make soothing herbal teas. If you feel creative, make and take home a zesty bottle of herb vinegar. Utopian’s Kula Cafe will feature savory treats and samples. Kids will enjoy getting their faces painted, painting a pumpkin, or joining in a fun game of Hanging Apples (dry version of Bobbing for Apples). Enjoy live music on the deck featuring the creativity of Woodsong, a very special autumn treat for your senses. Enter to win festival prizes. If you have never been to Utopian Marketplace, this is your chance to check out their extensive selection of bulk organic foods, herbs and spices and their great variety of gluten-free and organic groceries. They even have a new beer and wine department. Sample natural soaps and lotions and browse through the unique fair-trade clothing, jewelry and gifts. Stroll through the award-winning garden and vote for your favorite scarecrow. Utopian Marketplace, 8832 Water St., Montague. 231-8949530. Open 7 days a week. www.UtopianMarketplace. com. See ad page 5

Renewal

Health

Holistic Health Counseling

We Specialize in: Cancer Coaching - support thru treatments, finding the best complimentary treatments, giving you the best chance of reversing the cancer growth, improving your quality of life and preventing a cancer recurrence Increasing Energy - you are only as old as you look, feel and perform

www.renewal2health.com cathy or amy (616) 217-2232

Weight Loss - excess weight increases your risk of all the major diseases Call or sign up online for a free 30 minute health consultation to discuss your unique situation and determine how we can help you reach your personal goals.

Manifestation of Intention

ony and Michele are excited to continue their training as yoga teachers, thus growing, learning, and being able to share these teachings within their community. In order to do so, they need the freedom and ability to travel and take time to study. New ownership is currently being sought for Satya Yoga Center, allowing them to do so. Prayers are strong for nurturing hands to entrust this three-year-old prospering business into, with hopes that they will be like-minded, and even more Tony and Michele importantly, connected to community. Satya Yoga Center is not closing nor do they need to sell. This is more of a manifestation of an intention set long ago to create a center of healing where all are welcome to rest, breathe and connect. Their belief is teachers must forever remain the student, and managing the Center has taken much of that time away. Tony and Michele are willing and excited to stay on both as teachers, as well as marketing / networking staff. If you are interested in ownership of the center, or know of someone who is, please contact them at 269-857-7289. Namaste! Satya Yoga Center, 3385 Blue Star Highway, Saugatuck. Contact Michele and Tony at 269-857-7289 or visit satyayogacenter. net. See ad page 16

Local Cloth Diaper Company Expanding

ootyful Baby Boutique, LLC has been selling modern cloth diapers from Allendale for two years. The company is an aunt-niece team of work-at-home-moms that developed their own patterns for functional, adorable cloth diapers that are as easy to use as

disposables. On October 1st, they will be launching an expanded website. The website will highlight the numerous health, economic and environmental benefits to choosing cloth diapers. The website will walk you through everything you will need to start using cloth diapers. Visit www.bootyfulbabyboutique.com or call 616-8921525 for more information. See ad page 33

New Drug-Free Approach to Learning & Behavior Problems

amilies in Michigan have an effective new option available for addressing behavior and learning problems in children and adolescents. Four staff members at the Horizons Developmental Remediation Center recently attended courses in the Rhythmic Movement Training (RMT) program. The RMT program helps integrate underlying reflexes and physical movements that create obstacles to learning, behavior regulation, communication, socialization, and more. These underlying issues often go unrecognized and untreated, leading to unfortunate misdiagnoses of conditions such as ADHD and behavior disorders. The clinicians at Horizons are now utilizing RMT to address a wide range of needs for children and adolescents. Horizons is proud to add this option to their service offerings for families committed to natural treatments for their children. Families interested in learning more about this exciting new treatment can call the Horizons office at 616-698-0306 or 800-324-1ASD. See ad page 19

Welcome Teresa Special

he Body Center in Holland would like to welcome Massage Therapist Teresa Piatek. Teresa is a 2004 graduate of Kalamazoo Center for The Healing Arts and previous owner of Healing Touch Therapeutic Massage in South Haven.

natural awakenings

October 2010

As an Integrated Body Massage Therapist, Teresa is educated in Cranial Sacral Therapy, Acupressure, MFR, Swedish, Trigger Point, Reflexology and Pregnancy Massage. Piatek is looking forward to this opportunity to work with her clients on their needs whether it is for relaxation or therapeutic purposes and to nurture the mind, body and spirit. The Body Center is running a “Welcome Teresa Special” for the month of October - enjoy 10% off any massage from Teresa. The Body Center, 650 Riley St, Ste A in Holland. Call 616-8342596 or visit thebodycenter.us. See ad page 33

Celestial Chakra’s

Become a Certified Laughter Leader™ in a 2-Day Workshop: “How to Create Therapeutic Laughter and Laughter Clubs”

LAUGH IT OUT! Enjoy the Healthful Benefits of Laughter and Help Others Do The Same! Thursday & Friday, November 4-5, 2010 Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, Michigan FACULTY: STEVE WILSON, PSYCHOLOGIST, CLL

Get the knowledge & skills to make people laugh through activities that reduce stress, lower blood pressure, alleviate pain and improve immune function. This life-changing workshop is open to everyone interested in bringing more laughter to life. For more information and to register: 1-800-NOW-LAFF(1-800-669-5233) www.WorldLaughterTour.com Tuition for the 2-day workshop is $349 per person. CEUs available for nurses, activity professionals and case managers.

This workshop is brought to you by Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Aquinas College and Saint Mary’s Health Care

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hakra is a concept referring to energy vortices which, according to traditional Indian medicine, are believed to exist in the surface of the etheric double of man. These “force centers” or rotating whorls of energy permeate from points within our physical body. They are considered the focal points for the reception and transmission of life force energies. “Celestial Chakra’s” is a series of paintings composed with the specific intention of stimulating the imagination toward how the symbols of the chakras might look like if they were formed within the creation of the cosmos. They were designed and painted by West Michigan artist Patrick Reiley to create a sense of awe and connection between us and the stars, a unity between our own creation and our link to the creation of the universe. Giclee, a fine art reproduction, is produced through a unique high quality archival printing process called Giclee, (pronounced “zhee clay”). It is a French word which means” to spray or spurt ink”. Among contemporary reproduction methods, the Giclee is unequaled in resolution, color saturation and contrast of tones. Giclee prints capture the quality and spirit of the original work of art as intended by the artist better and with higher quality than ever before. Printed with archival UltraChrome inks and archival enhanced matte photographic paper, we are able to produce long-lasting art prints that can remain in your family for generations. Two different sizes, horizontal and vertical, are available for

purchase starting at $29.95. Visit http://chakra-art.com/ to place your order today. Chakra-Art.com LLC, 727 Washington Ave., Grand Haven. Info@chakra-art.com

When Does a Challenge Become A Habit?

he Body by ViTM 90-Day Challenge provides the powerful combination of nutrition, support, education and community. The 90Day program gives you everything you need from products that produce results to meal plans and exercise trackers to help you customize a personal challenge to fit your lifestyle. Want to lose weight or get in shape? Imagine the power of an entire community to support you. For less than $2 per meal you can transform your body. The challenge provides an opportunity to win up to $100,000 in totals prizes awarded each year for the best health transformations. Join the Body by ViTM 90-Day Challenge. Changing lives every day. Body by ViTM is also looking for promoters who want to transform their Life, Health and Finances. Contact independent rep Sally at 616-293-4842 or visit www.3thenfree.bodybyvi.com for more information. See ad page 10

OPEN TO ALL! Cooking for Fun and Productivity

License not needed for Personal Production Robin Cunningham • P 616-301-4212 • robin@FacilityKitchens.com 501 Ottawa, Lowell, MI 49331 • www.FacilityKitchens.com

Connect: Your Wellness Community

isit the vendors at the West Michigan Spa and Wellness Expo on November 6th from 10:00am-4:00pm at Trillium Banquet Center, 17246 VanWagoner in Spring Lake. Products on hand will include: massage products, vitamins, anti-age products, homeopathy, spa products, household specialty, jewelry, purses, bath products, fitness, kitchenware, specialty food items, chocolate, candles and scents, weight loss products, alternative medicine and more. Free crafts for children, activities & more. Admission is free- accepting donations. Come as you are and leave rejuvenated. West Michigan Spa and Wellness Expo, spaandwellnessgr@yahoo.com or visit www.spaandwellnessexpo.blogspot.com or See ad page 44

FirST cLASS Free FOr new STUdenTS! See website for details

Ne w !

cLASS pAck AgeS nOw AvAiLAbLe ! Many Options Available to Fit Your Lifestyle Sign Up Today!

5270 Northland Drive NE | Grand Rapids, MI 49525 | 616-361-8580

www.expressionsofgraceyoga.com

natural awakenings

October 2010

World Laughter Tour

he World Laughter Tour is coming to Grand Rapids! Join psychologist and founder Steve Wilson in his acclaimed workshop, â&#x20AC;&#x153;How to Create Therapeutic Laughter and Laughter Clubsâ&#x20AC;? and become a Certified Laughter Leader (TM). Gain the knowledge and skills to make people laugh through activities that reduce stress, lower blood pressure, alleviate pain and improve immune functions. The Tour is the leader in training for therapeutic laughter and is a clearinghouse for information, ideas and news about healing with laughter and the role of emotions and attitudes in health and happiness. It helps people achieve their fullest potential by choosing enjoyable systematic, life-affirming, healthy self-care strategies. This life-changing workshop is open to everyone interested in bringing more laughter to life--teachers, social workers, psychologists, clergy and chaplains, coaches, human resources professionals, healing touch practitioners, nursing home workers and volunteers. A medical background is not required. CEUs are available for activity therapists, nurses and case managers. The event is offered by Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Aquinas

College and Saint Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health Care. It takes place at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids on Thursday and Friday, November 4-5, for $349 per person. For more information and to register, call 1-800-NOW-LAFF (1-800-669-5233) or visit www.WorldLaughterTour.com. See ad page 8

The Weight is Over

ver the past century, the American lifestyle has become increasingly sedentary. Simultaneously our foods have shifted from nutrient-rich whole foods to packaged and processed foods, loaded with refined sugars, white flours, and synthetic oils. Along with these shifts, obesity has increased to epidemic proportions in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control, between 1998 and 2006 alone, national obesity rates increased 37 percent, along with related increases in diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In response to these growing problems of poor nutrition and obesity, Zrii, a global leader in the health and wellness industry has developed an innovative weight management product: NutriiVeda. Created from the principals of Ayurveda, NutriiVeda combines a proprietary blend of seven Ayurvedic botanicals along with 22 vitamins and minerals, high quality protein, soluble fiber and essential amino acids. The ingredients in NutriiVeda have been shown to support fat metabolism, maintain normal blood sugar levels, curb appetite cravings and promote greater energy. M a n y o v e r- t h e - c o u n t e r w e i g h t management and protein shakes contain artificial ingredients, fillers and whey concentrates. NutriiVeda contains pure whey isolates, is casein free, gluten free, 99% lactose free and contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Potency and purity are foundational components to the formulation of all Zrii products, which are GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certified. Zrii products also meet some of the highest purity standards in the US and have a complete 30-day money back guarantee if you are not completely satisfied with the product or the results. To order NutriiVeda call Chad at 616-5818881 or email myzconnection@att.net. See ad on page 45

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

75th Anniversary The Wilderness Society Celebrates Nationwide Successes

Fresh from a major achievement in 2009, The Wilderness Society has not been resting on its laurels in this, its 75th year of striving to protect our nation’s public lands. Following last year’s passage of the largest land conservation bill in decades, permanently protecting 4 million acres in 11 states, it’s had more than a dozen wilderness bills in the works this year. Current campaigns tackle global warming, fossil fuel drilling in public lands and re-vegetating unused forest roads, as well as wilderness protection. They’re also initiating job programs to restore forests, rivers and grasslands that native species need to adapt to climate change. Take action at Wilderness.org.

Garbage Blight

Second Patch of Plastic Soup Spotted in Atlantic A rising tide of consumer plastics, jettisoned into the oceans via rivers, storm drains, sewage overflows and windstorms, is devastating the environment across the world, says Charles Moore, the ocean researcher credited with discovering a vast, plastics-infested area in the Pacific Ocean in 1997. Now, his Algalita Marine Research Foundation researchers have defined a second vortex of garbage in the Atlantic Ocean. The soup of confetti-like bits of plastics stretches over thousands of square miles of the western North Atlantic, with the densest concentrations between the latitudes of Virginia and Cuba, including the unique Sargasso Sea ecosystem. Sea Education Association (SEA) oceanography faculty member Kara Lavender Law, Ph.D., clarifies: “There’s no large patch, no solid mass of material. If it were an island, we could go get it. But we can’t; it’s a thin soup of plastic fragments.” SEA, in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, which has monitored the North Atlantic for 22 years, expects that several such areas exist in the world’s oceans. The plastic soup has essentially become a permanent part of the ecosystem, posing harm to the entire marine food chain. The only remedy is to halt the influx of consumer plastics by producing less of them and recycling them all. Public education is key.

Assaults Halted

Wolves Receive Endangered Species Protection Massive wolf hunts have been stopped in their tracks, thanks to a federal court ruling that has restored endangered species protection for these animals in Montana and Idaho. More than 500 wolves have been gunned down since the U.S. government stripped them of federal protection. “The ruling effectively returns all wolves in the Northern Rockies to the endangered species list,” confirms Peter Lehner, executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Rainforest Rescue Daily Computer Use Helps the Cause

Using a green search engine for holiday shopping and other online searches can turn daily Internet use into a give-back to nature. Forestle.org is an independent nonprofit that donates all profits from sponsored links to The Nature Conservancy’s Adopt an Acre program (more at Adopt.Nature.org). Together, Forestle home page visitors rescue thousands of square meters of rainforest every day. It has even partnered with Google.

Get the scoop on Green Party values and candidates. Visit gp.org/about.shtml and gp.org/candidates/index.php. natural awakenings

October 2010

Gene Escape

SHORELINE CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE Helping you balance your mind, body and spirit.

At Shoreline Center for Integrative Medicine, alternative therapies are used in conjunction with conventional medicine to achieve optimal health and healing. Our patient centered care is personally tailored for you to achieve your maximum health and wellness. We also offer laser hair removal, laser vein reduction and skin care services with a full line of La-Roche Posay products.

Lori Dotson, M.D. • Berti Ferree-Young, R.N. Shoreline Center for Integrative Medicine 950 S. Bailey Avenue South Haven, MI

Wild Roadside Canola Shows Herbicide Resistance of GM Cousins Across the United States, wild canola grows in asphalt cracks and along roadways; it’s been found that this weedy plant often survives herbicide applications. Scientists at the University of Arkansas recently discovered why: About 83 percent of the weedy canola they tested contained herbicide resistance genes from genetically modified (GM), cultivated canola. Globally, canola can interbreed with 40 different weed species, 25 percent of which are found in the United States. The findings raise questions about the regulation of herbicide- and pesticideresistant weeds and about how these plants might compete with others in the wild. Nature reports that GM crops have spread beyond cultivated land in several countries, including Canada, Japan, the UK and the United States.

269.639.2833 www.shch.org

Monday through Wednesday and Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Bioneer Heroes

Spotlight Recognizes Activists Protecting Our Coasts and Oceans

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. ~Epictetus

The Blue Frontier/Peter Benchley 2010 Hero of the Seas recognition was awarded to Cynthia Sarthou, executive director of the New Orleans-based Gulf Restoration Network (HealthyGulf.org), a frontline group dealing with the environmental effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This year’s winner is just one of 2,000 groups and agencies working on behalf of ocean and coastline conservation. Blue Frontier’s mission is to strengthen and help unify this solution-oriented marine conservation community. “As the Gulf disaster shows, we are all dependent on the ocean for protection, security and sustenance,” remarks David Helvarg, president of the Blue Frontier Campaign (BlueFront.org).

Guiding Light

South Pole Ozone Hole has Stabilized Ongoing monitoring by the British Antarctic Survey, which alerted the world to the hole in the protective ozone layer over the South Pole in 1985, has concluded that the hole has now stabilized. Thinning of the ozone that surrounds the Earth provided the first clear evidence that man could damage the global environment on a colossal scale. “It also provided the first case of concerted international action to counteract such an effect,” says Richard Stolarski, a research scientist with NASA, who has reviewed the history and science related to the phenomenon. Scientists had discovered that the accumulation of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) used in industrial solvents, refrigeration, air conditioning systems and aerosols were depleting the blanket of ozone that surrounds the Earth. Action by United Nations governments around the world led to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, effectively phasing out use of such chemicals. Today, scientists predict that, with continued care, Antarctic ozone levels will return to their 1950s levels by about 2080. 12

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ecobriefs Water Bubble

Two Reports Project Fresh Water Scarcity by 2030 A recent report by the World Economic Forum warns that half the world’s population will be affected by water shortages within 20 years. Unsustainable conditions are headed toward what the researchers term, “water bankruptcy,” that could incite a crisis greater than the current global financial downturn. Crops and people are in danger, as geopolitical conflicts are expected to rise due to dwindling water resources. During the 20th century, world population increased fourfold, but the amount of fresh water that it used increased nine times over. Already, 2.8 billion people live in areas of high water stress, according to the analysis. A concurring UN World Water Development Report adds that shortages are already beginning to constrain economic growth in areas as diverse as California, China, Australia, India and Indonesia. The Associated Press reports that the pivotal Ogallala Aquifer, in America’s Great Plains breadbasket, stretching from South Dakota to North Texas, continues to be drained at alarming rates, while the natural recharge rate is considered negligible.

er b m ove N g in n i Com

Media Switch

Digging Up Good News for a Change Even though we hear a lot about what’s going wrong with planet Earth, it’s good to know many things are going right. Good Dirt Radio, a volunteer-driven radio program based in Durango, Colorado, broadcasts inspiring stories about people working hard to bring about positive environmental change. The nonprofit show, founded in 2004 by producer Gary Lewin and co-hosted by Tom Bartels, airs free, five-minute segments about topics as varied as zero waste, do-it-yourself solar, cold frames, fair trade, farmers’ markets and economic sustainability. It reaches 1 to 2 million listeners of 40 radio stations in the U.S. Southwest; others tune in online. Bestselling environmentalist Paul Hawken says, “Their news programs inspire people to make informed choices, and that helps us all.”

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Eco-friendly Manufacturer Turns Trash into Cash TerraCycle’s award-winning entrepreneur, Tom Szaky, is turning conventional manufacturing on its head. The company now up-cycles consumer packaging waste into 186 products, available at retailers like Whole Foods Market, Petco, Home Depot, Walmart and Target. The National Geographic Channel’s Garbage Moguls, which debuted new episodes of the TerraCycle experience this summer, illustrates such transformations as cereal boxes into notebooks, newspapers into pencils, cookie wrappers into kites, and disposable pens into trash cans. Schools and community nonprofits collect the materials for payment through eco-friendly local fundraisers.

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October 2010

healthbriefs

Tidier House, Fitter Body

new study at Indiana University arents should ease up on antibactesuggests that rial soaps and wipes and perhaps how tidy allow their little ones a romp or two in we keep our the mud—or at least more of an acquain- home can also tance with everyday germs, suggests a indicate how fit Northwestern University long-term study. we are. That conExposure to germs in childhood, the clusion was based researchers observe, helps develop the on an examination of the immune system and may help prevent domestic habits of 998 urban Africancardiovascular and other diseases in Americans, ages 49 to 65, that found a adulthood. Such early exposure, they correlation between the interior condinote, promotes the body’s own ability tion, or cleanliness, of a participant’s to regulate inflammation, a root cause residence and their level of physical associated with many diseases. activity. Remarks researcher NiCole “Now, for the first time in the history of our species, our bodies are being Keith, “If you spend your day dusting, deprived of exposure to those everyday germs because we live in such a sanitary cleaning, doing laundry, you’re active.” environment,” explains lead author Thomas McDade, of Northwestern. “Think about the immune system as [one] that needs information from the environment to guide its development and function; if you live in a rich microbial environment, you get exposed to lots of germs, and that helps your immune system develop.”

Why People Need Germs

An Apple A Day

here’s truth in the adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Research published in the open access journal BMC Microbiology contributes to our understanding of why apples are good for us. Microbiologists from the National Food Institute at the Technical University of Denmark fed rats a diet rich in whole apples or apple juice, purée or pomace. Another group of lab animals was put on a control diet. The researchers then analyzed the animals’ digestive systems to see if eating apples had any impact on the amount of friendly bacteria in their gut. “We found that rats eating a diet high in pectin, a component of dietary fiber in apples, had increased amounts of certain bacteria that may improve intestinal health,” says co-researcher Andrea Wilcks. “It seems that when apples are eaten regularly and over a prolonged period of time, these bacteria help produce short-chain fatty acids that provide ideal pH conditions for ensuring a beneficial balance of microorganisms. They also produce a chemical called butyrate, which is an important fuel for the cells of the intestinal wall.” Ultimately, a healthy digestive tract translates into a stronger immune system. Source: BioMed Central, 2010

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Pesticides Can Contribute to ADHD

A team of scientists from the University of Montreal and Harvard University have discovered that exposure to organophosphate pesticides may be associated with increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Exposure to organophosphates, they report, might affect neural systems in ways that contribute to ADHD behaviors such as inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

How Sugar Feeds Cancer

esearchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah have uncovered new information about the notion that sugar “feeds” tumors. While it’s accepted that tumor cells use a lot more glucose (a simple sugar) than normal cells, the new study sheds light on how this process takes place and might be stopped. The researchers discovered that during both normal and cancerous cell growth, a cellular process takes place that involves both glucose and glutamine, a common amino acid found in many foods. Glucose and glutamine, both essential for cell growth, were thought to operate independently. This groundbreaking research now shows not only that they are interdependent, but that restricting glutamine works to stop the utilization of glucose. Essentially, if glutamine is absent, the cell is short-circuited, due to a lack of glucose; thus, it suggests a new way to halt the growth of tumor cells. The researchers hope that their findings will lead to more effective cancer treatment therapies.

School Nutrition Gets a Boost

ong-awaited child nutrition legislation known as the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act unanimously passed the Senate in August before moving on to the House, where passage is also expected. National child nutrition programs were set to expire September 30. Remarks Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, “Put simply, [the bill] will get junk food out of, and put more healthy food into, America’s schools.” The $4.5 billion, applied over the next decade, would enable school cafeterias to overhaul their menus and provide updated, healthier choices, supporters explain. News sources report that it would provide schools with their first increase in the costs of providing meals since 1973. The package would also establish new nutritional standards on all food offered on campuses—including items in vending machines. FreshVending.com has proven that it’s possible to mechanically vend more than 400 natural and organic foods that meet school nutrition requirements and corporate wellness initiatives. Current offerings include 100-percent juices, smoothies, fruits and vegetables.

Ginger Eases Muscle Pain

For centuries, ginger root has been used as a folk remedy for various ailments, including colds and upset stomachs. Now, researchers at the University of Georgia have found that daily ginger consumption also reduces muscle pain caused by exercise. Ginger that’s been heated, as by cooking, might even increase the root’s pain-relieving effects. natural awakenings

October 2010

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communityspotlight

by Julie Hurley

itch Coleman, owner and founder of White River Yoga, in Montague, had an interesting array of jobs prior to becoming a yoga instructor: high school English teacher, newspaper and wire service reporter, speechwriter for The American Dental Association, and advertising copywriter in Chicago. But after attending a series of yoga classes in 1989, he had a moment of clarity when he suddenly realized that his chronic back pain had disappeared. “I had a revelation,” said Coleman. “I thought, ‘there must be something to this yoga thing.’ I put it in the back of my mind, never thinking about making a career out of it.” Years later, after visiting the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, the largest yoga center in the U.S., located near Lennox, Massachusetts, his wife suggested that he begin teaching yoga. “I was 50 at the time and just seized on that,” said Coleman. “It ended up being the best decision of my life.” He went on to earn his teaching certificate in 2005. A native of Indiana, and resident of Chicago, Coleman bought a summer home in the Montague area in 1998. After several years of weekend vacationing, he finally moved to the area permanently in 2001. “The first teacher I had up here was Barb Badolati of the Muskegon Yoga Center,” said Coleman. “Pam Schaap of Lakeshore Yoga in Grand Haven mentored me, and helped me open my own studio.” Coleman started teaching at various locations in Whitehall and Montague, holding three classes a week. Within six months, he started offering classes at Lebanon Lutheran Church in Whitehall, and eventually moved all classes to the church, holding between eight and nine classes a week. “I got to the point where I couldn’t grow the business without a dedicated place to practice,” said Coleman. “I had maxed-out what the church had available.” After searching for space in both Whitehall and Montague, Coleman opened White River Yoga on Ferry St. in Montague, on Oct. 1, 2007. The studio offers both group classes, and private lessons, with a variety of teachers. In addition to his usual classes, Coleman offers free, one-hour yoga classes monthly from June to September, on the beach at Lake Michigan. “This town has changed a lot in the past 10 years,” said Coleman. “There are more good restaurants, and the bookstore next door was a big leap forward. The town has become much more tourist-friendly.” To the point, on the day of the interview with Coleman,

he reported 15 people in his class, and 11 of them were from out of town. Since opening White River Yoga, Coleman has personally taught nearly 9000 students. “I started keeping track of attendance, and decided to give away 10 free classes to every thousandth student,” said Coleman. “We’ll hit number 9000 sometime in late September.” In addition to yoga classes, White River Yoga also offers Pilates, Zumba and a class called Workin’ It, which is a fusion program that includes a challenging sculpting routine, body conditioning with weights, and a core-strengthening abdominal series. Coleman said the other instructors at his studio are essential to its success. Bette Rodewald and Carolyn McRoberts both teach yoga, Lou Ann Shaw teaches Zumba, and Kathleen Zickel teaches both Pilates and Workin’ It. Certified massage therapist and esthetician, Adrienne Clahassey, provides massage and skin care. In addition to the human instructors at White River Yoga, this story would be incomplete without a mention of Rosie, the Yoga Dog. She came to Coleman as a stray seven years ago, and has moved up in the world, acting as a greeter at the studio, and attending several yoga classes a week – she even has her own blog: yogadogblog.wordpress.com. Always keeping it light and fun, Coleman gets much joy from his work. “I go to work barefoot in bike shorts and a t-shirt,” said Coleman. “I just smile at the end of class when all my students are in relaxation. I miss it when I’m away from it. I hope to communicate that joy to my students.” He wants his students to know that he’s having fun. It frees them to have fun too. And, as Coleman says, “If it’s not fun for me, it’s not fun for them.” White River Yoga is located at 8724 Ferry Street in Montague. WhiteRiverYoga.com. See ad on page 16.

A married mother of two young children, Julie Hurley is a freelance writer with a strong interest in natural living and is the co-founder of M2 Quality Solutions: m2qualitysolutions.blogspot.com. Visit her blog at: ourlunch. blogspot.com. natural awakenings

October 2010

healingways

BETTER BREAST

HEALTH Make Prevention a Daily Habit by Beth Davis

The National Cancer Institute

Embrace Fish Oil or some women, the thought of breast cancer elicits fears related estimates that roughly one-third According to a recent report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevento body image, surgery and of all cancer deaths may be tion, women who regularly included mortality. It has likely affected every a fish oil supplement in their diet had woman in this country, either through diet-related. To help decrease a 32 percent reduced risk of breast the trauma of personal experience or cancer than those not taking the through another’s trials. a woman’s risk, The Cancer supplement. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), some 207,000 new Cure Foundation recommends Take Up Tea cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in U.S. women this year. adding foods containing cancer- Green tea, the most widely consumed Despite this staggering number, there beverage in the world, after water, is good news. The ACS also reports fighting properties, including fiber, reportedly contains the highest conthat after increasing for more than two centration of polyphenols, powerful seaweed and whole soy products. antioxidants that help fight off the free decades, the incidence rate of female radicals that scientists believe conbreast cancer recently has been detribute to the aging process, as well as creasing, by about 2 percent per year from 1999 to 2006, which may indicate that we are adopting the development of many health problems, including cancer. According to a new study led by Martha Shrubsole, an asmore effective prevention methods. sistant professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Here are some natural ways to keep breast tissue healthy. in Nashville, regular consumption of green tea may reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer by as much as 12 percent. Get a Move On Walk, run, swim or bike—just move. Studies show that exercise reduces the risk of breast cancer. Results of research The Power of Produce published in BMC Cancer found that women in the study Eat more fruits and vegetables. The American Institute of group who engaged in more than seven hours a week of Cancer Research lists the foods most likely to help decrease moderate-to-vigorous exercise for the last 10 years were 16 the risk of breast cancer. Superstar vegetables include all percent less likely to develop breast cancer than those who cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower); dark leafy greens (collards, kale, spinach); carwere inactive. 18

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rots; and tomatoes. Steam the vegetables or eat them raw to best preserve their cancer-fighting nutrients. Superstar fruits include citrus, berries and cherries.

monounsaturated fats like olive oil, as well as nuts and seeds; the latter also provide selenium, an important mineral in cancer protection, according to the British Journal of Cancer.

The Magic of Mushrooms Regularly include medicinal mushrooms at mealtime, especially the Japanese varieties maitake and shiitake. Studies have shown that maitake mushrooms, in particular, stimulate immune function and also inhibit tumor growth. In a study of more than 2,000 Chinese women, those who ate the most fresh mushrooms (10 grams or more a day) proved about two-thirds less likely to develop breast cancer than non-consumers.

Cut Chemical Exposure Certain chemicals, many of which are found in plastic, appear to interfere with the body’s hormonal balance and could harm breast tissue. To reduce exposure to chemicals such as Biphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, Marissa Weiss, a physician and president of BreastCancer.org, recommends using products that are made from glass, ceramic or stainless steel, instead.

Cut the Fat Ann Kulze, a medical doctor and author of Dr. Ann’s 10-Step Diet, says women should minimize consumption of omega-6 and saturated fats, avoid trans fats, and maximize intake of omega-3 fats, especially from oily fish such as tuna, salmon, sardines and mackerel. Kulze suggests that women consume

Avoid Long-Term Hormone Therapy The link between postmenopausal hormone therapy (PHT) and breast cancer has long been a subject of debate, and research results have been mixed. According to experts at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, it’s probably safe to take hormones for up to four to five years, although they recommend using the lowest dose possible. Of course, not using PHT to start with is a way to avoid raising this particular risk. Making such conscious daily life choices pays off today and in many tomorrows. Beth Davis is a contributing writer to Natural Awakenings magazines.

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October 2010

consciouseating Vegan advocates, who include celebrities like Alicia Silverstone, Tobey Maguire and Woody Harrelson, support a robust vegan infrastructure, with new cookbooks and gourmet recipes, hip new restaurants and an explosion of websites and chat rooms devoted to a plant-based lifestyle. Some omnivores doubt that people can be either healthy or satisfied without the nutrients and flavor of animal products. After all, didn’t we evolve from meat eaters? Yes, our hunter-gatherer forbears may have liked meat, explain some experts, but it comprised only a tiny part of their diet—those animals were hard to catch. Instead, early humans subsisted largely on wild vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Milk and cheese didn’t become a diet staple until 10,000 years ago, and then only in Europe. Author Virginia Messina, a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in public health, based in Port Townsend, Washington, says her research for the American Dietetic Association confirms that vegetarians overall have lower levels of bad cholesterol, less obesity and a lower incidence of both hypertension and colon cancer than meat-eaters. Vegans have even lower cholesterol and blood pressure than vegetarians who eat eggs and dairy. But eschewing animal products only leads to improved health if people follow some basic guidelines. Vegans must by Kristin Ohlson be sure to eat a variety of whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds—good sources of protein—as well as fruits and ased upon what he observed at a plantation in Hawaii vegetables. (Messina notes that the average person needs on his first job out of medical school, California physiabout 55 grams of protein a day, about half that ingested in cian John McDougall has eaten a vegan diet for 35 a typical America diet.) And, while plant diets are generally years. There, he cared for workers hailing from China, Japan, rich in iron, Messina notes that vegans need to make sure Korea and the Philippines, and quickly noticed that first-genthat the iron is well absorbed by eating a diet rich in vitamin eration immigrants didn’t have the diseases C—leafy greens, as well as citrus, peppers, he’d been trained to treat: no heart disease, The American Institute potatoes, melons and tomatoes. She reminds no diabetes, no cancer, no arthritis. However, vegans to get enough zinc in their diets with for Cancer Research he saw more evidence of these conditions nuts, seeds and seed butters like tahini. Some recommends avoiding with each succeeding generation, as the nutritionists suggest that vegans take a vitamin workers increasingly indulged in standard B12 supplement, as well as a calcium suppleprocessed meat and American fare. ment. eating no more than “My first-generation patients kept to the Vegans insist that giving up these animal 500 grams (18 ounces) products doesn’t mean giving up the pleadiet they had eaten in their home countries,” McDougall says. “They lived on rice and sures of food. Perhaps no vegan chef has of red meat a week, vegetables, with very little meat and no dairy. done more to convince skeptics than Isa the equivalent of six But, as their kids started to eat burgers and Chandra Moskowitz, with cookbooks like 3-ounce servings. shakes, the kids got fatter and sicker.” Vegan with a Vengeance, Veganomicon, and Accounts like this contribute to the fact Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. (She that today, as many as 8 million Americans say ~ Elaine Magee, WebMD.com also founded the Post Punk Kitchen vegan that they are vegetarians, according to a 2009 website with free recipes at theppk.com). Harris Interactive survey commissioned by The Vegetarian Many of her recipes take fewer than Resource Group. Of these, about a third are vegans, who 45 minutes to prepare, often from avoid meat, eggs and dairy products, as well as meat. inexpensive ingredients. “It’s Many choose a plant-based diet for better health; others, an economical way to eat,” because they believe it’s more humane and environshe says. “It’s the way poor mentally conscious. According to the Natural Marketpeople have always eaten.” ing Institute, as many as 30 percent of Americans say Certainly, it takes some they are trying to reduce their meat intake. retraining to adopt a vegan

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diet. Some people start by keeping meat portions to three or four ounces and going meatless one day each week, as author Michael Pollan recommends. But once people get the hang of preparing tasty, plant-based meals, they realize the breadth of the culinary experience. “The people who have been vegan for any length of time actually have a diet that’s substantially more diverse and interesting than the typical omnivore,” observes Erik Marcus, author of The Ultimate Vegan Guide: Compassionate Living Without Sacrifice. “You might think that your diet becomes more limited if you get rid of animal foods, but the opposite is actually true.”

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Defining Different Strokes It’s common for people to become quasi-vegetarians on the way to a way of eating that’s even more health- and planet-friendly. Here’s a look at various dietary practices. n Omnivore: eats both plant- and animal-based foods n Flexitarian: inclined to mostly eat vegetarian, but sometimes adds in meat n Vegetarian: eats no meat, including fish and shellfish, or any animal byproducts; also known as a lacto-ovo vegetarian (eats dairy and eggs) n Lacto-vegetarian: a vegetarian who eats dairy products, but not eggs n Ovo-vegetarian: a vegetarian who eats eggs, but not dairy products n Pescetarian: a vegetarian who eats fish (may also avoid factory-farmed fish) n Vegan: eats no meat, eggs or dairy, and no animal-derived ingredients, like gelatin, honey or whey; usually also excludes wearing and other uses of animal products, such as leather, wool, angora and cashmere n Raw: consists of only unprocessed vegan foods that have not been heated above 115° Fahrenheit n Macrobiotic: consumes unprocessed vegan foods and sometimes, fish; generally avoids refined oils, flours and sugars n Fruitarian: eats only plant foods that can be harvested without harming the plant Contributing sources: International Vegetarian Union; Vegetarian.About.com; VeggieVisitors.com

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natural awakenings

October 2010

The Different Options Available in Chiropractic Care C

hiropractic care has been around for over 100 years. Since being founded in the 1890s by Daniel David (DD) Palmer, a magnetic healer, over 200 different chiropractic techniques have evolved. Chiropractic care focuses on the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, specifically the spine, under the theory that vertebral subluxations, which are joint misalignments, interfere with the body’s ability to heal itself. Dr. Jimmy Kwok, D.C., of DC Chiropractic, says that the spine consists of 24 vertebrae and each vertebra is able to move to certain degree. When a vertebra is stuck or misaligned, it means that a bone is putting pressure on a nerve causing the body to go through process called dis-ease. A chiropractor corrects the subluxation using his or her hands, which is called a manual adjustment. During treatment, the patient can be lying on his stomach, side or back. When an adjustment is given, it might give off a “pop” sound. The “pop” sound is release of the air bubble that is trapped in the joint. Dr. Kwok also uses a less invasive technique, which involves a tool called the Activator. “The Activator is a spring-loaded instrument that helps to facilitate the adjustment of the spine using low force to help correct the subluxation,” he said. “With this technique, usually there is no sound other than the noise coming from the Activator itself. Both techniques are great correcting the subluxation, which gives the doctor more choices to help with the patient care.” Dr. Jared Halsey, D.C., of Halsey Family Chiropractic says that the instrument tends to be easier to the patient. “The instrument can be used on anyone, such as children, the elderly and pregnant women,” said Dr. Halsey. “For those people, manual adjustments may have to be modified. The technique used is usually person- or condition-dependant.” In addition to chiropractic care, Dr. Kwok also offers an individualized nutritional analysis utilizing Nutrition Response Testing®, a very precise and scientific technique to determine the patient’s nutritional needs. “Nutrition Response Testing is a study of how the different points on the surface of the body relate to the state of health and to the flow of energy in each and every organ and function of the body,” said Dr. Kwok. Dr. Andrew Schafer, D.C., of Schafer Chiropractic says that when a patient walks through his door, an exam is always going to happen. “Diagnosis has to happen and then the condition can be addressed,” he said. “Sometimes that condition requires an x-ray, but not always. We need to rule out fractures or dislocations.” In addition to chiropractic care, Schafer Chiropractic offers massage, Reiki, Chakra Balancing, Full Spectrum Light Therapy, among many other spa treatments. Along with these spa services, Schafer Chiropractic also offers a treatment called the Steamy Wonder, which is the only steam therapy equipment that keeps the head cool and the body supine - an important Ayurvedic requirements of the ideal steam bath. 22

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by Julie Hurley

“Today, most Western health practitioners are unfamiliar with the benefits of steam therapy as research in the West is very limited,” said Dr. Schafer. “Contrast that to Japan where steam bathing is recognized as an effective treatment for a wide variety of conditions-mild depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, nicotine addiction, hypertension, chronic pain, respiratory conditions, and cardiovascular disease.” Schafer Chiropractic’s philosophy is to try and do everything in their ability to decrease stress. “Stress always makes condition worse. If you take the stress away, it can make the condition better,” said Dr. Schafer. Local chiropractor Dr. Michael Burcon, D.C., of Burcon Chiropractic practices a technique called Upper Cervical Specific, which he calls an “old fashioned technique.” “It was a popular technique from the 1930s until the1960s and is now making a comeback,” said Dr. Burcon. “It’s based on the theory that vertical subluxations usually occur in the upper neck.” The technique was developed by BJ Palmer, son of DD. Together, they founded the first chiropractic college in Davenport, Iowa. Specializing in difficult cases, Dr. Burcon sees patients with Meniere’s disease, Trigeminal neuraglia and other one-sided neurological issues. He will be speaking at the Sixth International Symposium on Menieres’s Disease in Kyoto, Japan in November. He spends a minimum of 45 minutes with each patient on his or her medical history and believes in the healing power of touch with good intentions. Dr. Burcon says that people need to choose their chiropractic practitioner based on whom they are comfortable with and what technique works for them. “Depending on the patient, I personally recommend approximately six visits in the first month, and maybe once a month after that,” Dr. Burcon said. Dr. Burcon says that more than half of his patients come from more than 100 miles away. Seeing approximately 30 patients per day, Dr. Burcon says that his practice is “low volume.” He reports that 97 percent of his patients get his or her problem under control. Drs. Ronson Dykstra D.C. and Ronda VanderWall, D.C., of Dynamic Chiropractic, say that chiropractic care is a natural, drug- and surgery-free, hands-on approach to health care. A choice for millions of people, “chiropractic understands and respects the body’s natural

ability to heal and function on its own,” said Dr. Dykstra. When walking into the doors of Dynamic Chiropractic, a patient can feel safe, comfortable and welcomed. “Chiropractics have years of education and training both through book work and hands-on training,” said Dr. VanderWall. “The requirements to become a chiropractor are the same for medical school and on average perform 4,800 contact hours to obtain their chiropractic degree.” According to Drs. Dykstra and VanderWall, chiropractors diagnose injuries and other conditions of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. They also care for patients with decreased function, performance, or pain with symptoms including, but not limited to, back and neck pain, headaches, sciatica, joint pain, ear infections, allergies, asthma, colic and many more conditions. Chiropractic has also shown to improve postural abnormalities and a variety of other non-musculoskeletal conditions, all without the use of surgery or drugs. Chiropractic care can benefit people of all ages from infants, professional athletes to people over a hundred years old. Dr. McKenzie, D.C., of Great Lakes Family Chiropractic, says that chiropractors are not just experts on headaches, neck pain and back problems. “Chiropractors are experts on the body’s communication system, which we call the nervous system,” said Dr. McKenzie. “This system is so delicate and important that it is the only system we have that is completely encased in bone.” Admitting that the common misconception that chiropractors are simply bone doctors is a reasonable conclusion, however Dr. McKenzie explains that the chiropractor works with the body’s skeletal system to directly effect the nervous system. “If we as chiropractors can make neurological changes to the body through an adjustment, then the sky is the limit as to what health conditions can and will be affected.” Dr. McKenzie knows that there are many people out there with health challenges who could be helped by chiropractic but just do not know where to go. “There are so many individuals in our community who for one reason or another have a nervous system which has been compromised,” Dr. McKenzie said. “This is where we as chiropractors are experts, finding the cause and removing the interference so that the body can start to communicate properly and inevitably start functioning at a higher level - therefore regaining health.” In addition to the standard chiropractic exam and adjustments, Dr. Michael Dubiel D.C. of West Michigan Spine and Wellness uses other holistic methods to ensure the sound wellness of his patients. In what he calls an “interactive office” patients watch educational videos during active therapy, which loosens up the spine, before and after an adjustment. He also offers a full body detox and chelation with much success. Dr. Dubiel also has a massage therapist and a holistic nutritionist on staff and has plans to hold cooking classes in his full kitchen, and also to start serving homemade healthful soups to his patients during the cold and flu season. “These free samples of soup will help boost and super-charge your immune system,” said Dr. Dubiel. “During our cooking classes, we will teach people how to clean, prepare and cook healthy foods.” Right now, West Michigan Spine and Wellness is offering a free consultation and screening for a $20 donation to a local charity. For more information on this donation, please contact Dr. Dubiel at 616-530-9000. DC Chiropractic - See ad page 29 Halsey Chiropractic - See ad page 29 Schafer Chiropractic - See ad pages 7, 28, 45, 47 Burcon Chiropractic - See ad page 29 Dynamic Chiropractic - See ad page 45 Great Lakes Family Chiropractic - See ad page 31 West Michigan Spine and Wellness - See ad page 29

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natural awakenings

October 2010

BE A CLIMATE HERO Act up. Act now. by Bill McKibben

t any given moment, there are a thousand things going wrong in the world. If we were to list just major environmental problems alone we could go on for a long time, citing everything from toxic contaminants in our food to the scarcity of safe drinking water. This past summer, we all stared in horror at the slowly blackening Gulf of Mexico as the Deepwater Horizon oil slick spread on and below the water’s surface. Making such a list is such a depressing exercise that the temptation is to just walk away from the task. We might feel like a surgeon at a wartime field hospital, forced to do major triage. Where do we turn first? 24

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The half-good news is that our planet’s mounting environmental troubles aren’t isolated, individual casualties. If we can figure out what the keystone is, then we can collectively start to work to cure a bunch of the most pressing problems at once. By the same token, if we guess wrong, we can labor for years to correct a particular woe, only to have our hard work overwhelmed by the underlying infection. Based on the scientific evidence, I think it’s pretty clear that the most crucial of all the complex issues we face today revolve around the causeand-effect relationship of burning fossil fuels and the accelerating changes in Earth’s climate. In short: If we can’t

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deal with global warming, nothing else we do will really matter. To put it more positively: If we can remove the needle from our arm that feeds society’s addiction to petroleum products, many of our other troubles would begin to wane.

Signs of the Times Let’s start with the hard stuff: Global warming is the first crisis we’ve ever faced that has the potential to shake our civilization to its core. So far, human beings have burned enough coal, gas and oil to raise the temperature of the planet about one degree Fahrenheit. That’s already been enough to cause all manner of troubles:

n The Arctic icecap is melting, and quickly. By summer’s end in 2007, a record-setting year, the northernmost continent, which moderates air and water temperatures for the whole planet, contained 25 percent less ice than the year before. As of this writing, the 2010 melt was outpacing that of 2007. n The Earth’s hydrological cycles are undergoing a dramatic shift. Because warm air holds more water vapor than cold, the general atmosphere is about 5 percent moister than it was 40 years ago. This means more evaporation, hence more drought, in arid areas. But on the rest of a planet, where what goes up must come down—we’re witnessing extraordinary increases in flooding. This year, for example, we’ve seen record (and lethal) rainstorms in Tennessee, Oklahoma and Arkansas, just within the 1.5 percent of the planet’s surface comprised by the continental United States. n Overall, temperatures are rising to near unbearable levels as that single degree average increase on the thermometer reverberates in savage heat waves. This past spring, India experienced weeks of record temperatures that beat anything recorded since the British started measuring them in the early 1800s. Early this summer, seven nations smashed all-time temperature records. In Burma, the mercury set a new all-time record for Southeast Asia, at 118 degrees. In June, Pakistan went on to establish a new benchmark for the highest temperature ever recorded at any time, anywhere in Asia, of 129 degrees. All of this is due to a single degree of global temperature increase. The climatologists have warned us that if the United States, China and other countries don’t make a super-swift transition from the use of coal and oil, the world’s collective temperature will climb something like five degrees before the century is out. If one degree melts the Arctic icecap, we don’t want to see what five degrees looks like. So, that’s the bad news. Here’s the good news.

Alternate Scenario Let’s imagine we took the most signifi-

This year, China surpassed the United States as the world’s largest energy user, a status held for more than a century. Because China gets most of its electricity from coal, it’s also the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases as of 2007, yet the United States remains the world’s biggest oil consumer by a wide margin. We’re also by far the bigger energy consumer per capita, despite an overall 2.5 percent annual improvement in energy efficiency since 2000; the average American burns five times as much energy annually as the average Chinese citizen. ~ International Energy Agency

cant step we could to speed the worldwide transition off of fossil fuel. Let’s imagine that the U.S. Congress and the United Nations managed to agree on a national and international scheme to set stiff pricing on coal and oil that accurately reflects the damage these fossil fuels are wreaking in the atmosphere. If that happened, then many other things would follow. The most obvious is that we’d see lots more solar panels and wind turbines. Suddenly, anyone with a spreadsheet would be able to see that it no longer makes sense to invest in a coal-fired power plant. Anyone building a new apartment complex would immediately understand that it’s in his or her best interest to install solar hot water tubes on the roof. In China, the world leader in total energy use, yet also in renewable energies, 250 million people now get their hot water this way. But, such a simple and effective solution still has to fight against the force of economic gravity there, as elsewhere. As long as coal-fired electricity is absurdly cheap, renewable energy sources will stay marginal.

The effects of a widespread switch to clean and renewable energies wouldn’t be confined to the energy sector. Think about farming. We’ve spent half a century building a giant agro-industrial complex that runs entirely on fossil fuel. Yet author Michael Pollan recently calculated that it takes 10 calories of fossil energy to produce one calorie of food. Because that growing complex is a machine, not really a farm, the food it produces is terrible in terms of taste and nutrition, and includes toxic residues from pesticides, herbicides and chemically synthesized fertilizers. The ultimate irony is that we now devote the best farmland on the planet, the American Midwest, to growing highfructose corn syrup. It’s a prime culprit in our country’s diabetes epidemic. The ripple effect goes on and on. On the other hand, consider what would happen if the price of oil went up high enough that this nation could no longer afford to farm in the manner preferred by agribusiness behemoths? What would happen is that we’d need more Americans engaged in healthier farming, with human labor and ingenuity replacing some of the fossil fuel. That would increase yields per acre and also increase the quality of the foods we eat. Research studies reported by Jules Pretty, pro-vice-chancellor of the University of Essex, UK, in his book, Agri-Culture, have proved that small farms around the world are routinely as productive as agro-industrial lands, and that low-input farming, too, can feed the world with a wholesale switchover. Again, this is already starting to happen: Farmers’ markets continue to be the fastest growing part of our nation’s food economy; the last agricultural census found that the number of farms in the United States is increasing for the first time in a century-and-a-half. That’s good news and potentially great news, but small farming, co-ops and organic production will remain a small, marginal trend until the price of energy changes. The day that happens is the day that everyone finds their way to a local farmers’ market. Helpful changes roll out, from bus and train commutes replacing cars to the rising popularity of densely inhab-

natural awakenings

October 2010

ited urban blocks, as cul-de-sac suburbia loses its appeal. Local storefronts naturally get the nod over big box chain stores, too, and so on.

The Key to Change How do we make it happen? How do we change the price of energy, which is what almost every observer thinks is the only way we can make a real change in the physics and chemistry of the current global warming phenomenon, and make an effective difference in the short time allowed before the harmful consequences explode exponentially? If only everyday people could do it solely by making personal energy improvements around the house, at work and in their communities—through such steps as switching to more energyefficient light bulbs and riding our bikes to work. Such changes are good to do, of course, and it all helps, but we don’t have a century to turn around our global situation. Which means we also need to engage in… politics. We need to put the pressure on our leaders now to change the price of energy now. Remember—they’re getting plenty of pressure from lobbyists pocketing profits on the other side. Because of government subsidies and cartels, fossil fuel is the most profitable industry humans have ever engaged in; last year, Exxon Mobil Corporation made more money than any company in recorded history. That buys them a lot of power. We won’t be able to outspend them, so we will have to do what people have always done when they have found themselves needing to take charge of their future: We must build a movement. Politicians won’t change because scientists tell them we have a problem—they’ll change because enough people tell them they have to, or they’ll lose their jobs. Building just this kind of movement is entirely possible.

Citizen Action Plan Two years ago, a few concerned citizens joined me in launching 350.org, a wholly grassroots campaign that takes its name from a wonky scientific data 26

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Scientific data shows the ocean becoming more acidic at an unprecedented rate as surface waters continue to absorb approximately a third of manmade atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions. ~ National Research Council, Ocean Acidification, 2010

Global phytoplankton populations have dropped about 40 percent since 1950, and scientists believe that rising sea surface temperatures are to blame. The microscopic plants both form the foundation of the ocean’s food web and gobble up carbon dioxide to produce half of the world’s oxygen output. ~ Dalhousie University, Canada, Nature, 2010

point. NASA scientists led by James Hansen have published reams of data showing that, “Any value for carbon in the atmosphere greater than 350 parts per million [ppm] is not compatible with the planet on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted.” It sounds like an unpromising banner to rally people around—too serious and too depressing, because we’re already well past the 350 mark. The atmosphere is currently at 392 ppm carbon dioxide, which is why the Arctic is melting. So far, we’ve racked up some successes; in October 2009, we held an International Day of Action that created some 5,200 demonstrations in 181 countries. That’s a lot—in fact, CNN called it, “… the most widespread day of political action in the planet’s history.” Online images posted from those events banish wrong preconceptions

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people might have about who is and is not an environmentalist. Most of the rallies were orchestrated by poor, black, brown, Asian and young people, because that’s what most of the world is made up of. Six weeks later, at the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, 117 nations endorsed that 350 target, which was good; except that they were 117 poor and vulnerable nations, not the richest and most addicted to fossil fuels. So, we fight on. This October, we’re holding a 10/10/10 Global Work Party. It’s set to spread around the world, too, with people in thousands of communities doing something practical: putting solar panels on local schools, harvesting community gardens and planting mangroves along rising shorelines. In Auckland, New Zealand, they aim to repair every bicycle in every garage. The intention will be twofold. Point one is that bikes are good. Ditto solar panels. We need both in our communities. Point two acknowledges that we know we can’t solve climate change one bike path at a time. So we’re also intent on sending a strong political message to our leaders: If we can get to work, so can you. Right now. If I can climb up on the roof of the school to hammer in a solar panel, you can climb to the floor of the Senate and hammer out some helpful legislation. It’s time to shame our government and corporate leaders a little, and maybe inspire them, too. We all need to get to work addressing climate change right where we live, in our communities. We need to build towns and cities that make sense and create jobs for families. We also need to build a

world that works, because the best organic gardener on Earth won’t be able to cope with 30 straight days of rain, or a month with no rain at all, without helpful policies. That means resorting to politics, which is another way of saying that we must work together as people for better solutions to climate change than what we have now. It can be beautiful. If you don’t believe me, check out the pictures at 350.org.

I dare you.

Bill McKibben is the author, most recently, of the bestselling Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet. He’s the founder of 350.org, and a scholar in residence at Middlebury College in Vermont. The Boston Globe this year described him as “…probably the country’s leading environmentalist,” and Time called him “…the planet’s best green journalist.”

We the People Can Help Mother Earth Organizing a local action for 10/10/10 doesn’t need to be large or complicated; these acts are about community and solutions and sending a message to the world. Find ideas at 350.org, search People or nearby work parties. We understand that 10/10/10 is one important day of many in a long, universal (and beautiful) fight for a workable planet. Other groups doing great work include: Center for Biological Diversity (BiologicalDiversity.org) Energy Action Coalition (EnergyActionCoalition.org) Friends of the Earth (foe.org) Interfaith Power and Light (InterfaithPowerAndLight.org)

natural awakenings

October 2010

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God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “Thank you”? ~William A. Ward

natural awakenings

October 2010

communityspotlight

EcoTrek

FITNESS

by Kim Racette

n any number of local parks and urban areas, groups of “Trekkers” are getting a work-out. They are breathing in the fresh air as they stretch, scamper, and climb hills and bleachers. They would tell you though, that this is more than just an exercise class. When Nature is the gym, it’s like getting back to your childhood. “Remember the happy times as a kid, when we didn’t care about getting dirty, stomping through puddles, and it didn’t matter if your hair was a mess? We had fun, and you’ll get that feeling when you workout outside with EcoTrek Fitness,” explains Spring Lake resident and owner Cari Draft. An innovative exercise program she created in 2006, EcoTrek works both mind and body in unique outdoor group sessions, and has now grown into nine series throughout West Michigan plus one in West Virginia. Working in corporate communications at Meijer when her son Austin was born to her and her husband Jeff Elliott15 years ago, Draft found she wanted more flexibility in her schedule. After a brief stint as a free-lance graphic designer she decided to walk a totally different path. “I’ve always had an interest in health and fitness, and my focus shifted from design to fitness when I discovered I had a gift for helping other people get in shape,” she says. After becoming an ACE (American Council on Exercise) certified fitness trainer, she started Cari’s OneOnOne Fitness Training, working with individual clients in their homes and local gyms. In 2006 she created and developed EcoTrek Fitness, a series of 75 minute sessions that takes groups of people through outdoor areas-local parks, urban areas of the city,

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and the beaches of Lake Michigan-irregardless of the weather conditions. Draft attributes the success of both programs to her approach to health and wellness. “I do not recommend crash diets, unnecessary work-out gadgets or crazy sales pitches that include magic juices, or other such gimmicks,” she says. “You work hard; it pays off, bottom line.” Draft says that being skinny doesn’t necessarily mean a person is in good physical shape. “I had always been viewed as being in shape, but the truth is that being skinny without muscle tone does not equal fit,” she says. “I embraced the world of fitness and adopted a different lifestyle, and the past 10 years have been awesome. I have boundless energy, and its amazing how my body looks now that I take better care of it. My day includes strength training, stretching, and cardio exercise, and I love it when people think I am 10-15 years younger than I really am!” One of the keys to success for both fitness programs is that Draft takes care of all the thinking and planning for her clients. “When I plan the EcoTrek course for a session, it has to accomplish three things-strength training, stretching and improving cardio - for our participants,” she says. “I choreograph the route, and we’ll use hills, stairs, parking posts, bike racks, and any obstacles in the terrain. The course has to work for anywhere from 5-25 people, including those fresh off the couch all the way up to a Marathon Mary,” she explains. Back to the lessons learned in childhood, Draft says that all her people have to do is keep up with the group. “The beauty of EcoTrek is that

you don’t have to think about what you are doing, and make sure you are hitting all the muscle groups, and pushing yourself to the limit. We’ll do that all for you-all you have to do is follow the leader!” Avid Trekker TiAnna Nordlund has had an amazing weight loss experience while getting fit. “I was trying to lose some weight, and get in shape,” says Nordlund. She went to an EcoTrek Fitness session back in April with her co-worker Krystal Miller, and was at first intimidated by the work-out. “I didn’t go back for three weeks, but then realized that if these other women (and guys too!) could do it, so could I,” she says. Impressed by the results she saw, Nordlund attended another session, and now comes three times a week. “I was surprised at how my body adjusted to the work-outs after laying dormant for so many years,” says Nordlund. “Since I started EcoTrek I have lost 20 pounds, and 4 ½ inches off my waist!” With more energy, she has ran in two 5K races, even though she is not a runner. “I’m not all that fast, but I have finished,” she says with a laugh. “EcoTrek works for me because I like being outside, seeing various locations, and the workouts are always different. It’s not boring when you can chat with others, and I’ve made some new friends,” says Nordlund. She also thinks the accountability factor helps. “Exercising with a partner is good, and at the sessions there are always other people,” she explains. “I’ve had to step outside my comfort zone and do some new things, and it’s been like wow!” Draft suggests that children too need to be encouraged to get outside and active. “It is so important to get kids away from their computers and other technology,” she says. “Seeing the rise in childhood obesity, it’s up to the parents to provide them with outdoor opportunities.” She even has special rates for children, and for significant others who come along for a session. Encourages Draft, “EcoTrek is meeting at a park near you, come join us!” For more information on EcoTrek Fitness, or OneOnOne Fitness Training visit www. ecotrekfitness.com, or call Cari Draft direct at 616-291-2851. See ad page 19. Kim Racette is a freelance writer that contributes to Natural Awakenings Magazine.

natural awakenings

October 2010

healthykids

BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID... LEARN HOW TO AVOID THE REAL GOBLINS by Melinda Hemmelgarn

ur little ones, masquerading this month as ghosts and goblins, only look scary. What’s really frightening are the toxic chemicals lurking in our families’ food and water. Pregnant women, infants and children are most vulnerable, because expectant, young and growing bodies are less able to break down and excrete toxins. Halloween screams for a list of valid fears, plus strategies to keep our families safe. Pesticides: According to Charles Benbrook, Ph.D., chief scientist at the Boulder, Colorado-based Organic Center, more than 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the United States alone. More than half of the most widely applied pesticides are known endocrine disruptors, compounds that mimic natural hormones and interfere with normal development. At Beyond Pesticides’ annual meeting last spring, Indianapolis-based neonatologist Dr. Paul Winchester 32

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explained how pesticide exposure contributes to birth defects, autism, hyperactivity, diabetes, reduced fertility, obesity and cancer. It’s no wonder that the President’s Cancer Panel Report recommends choosing foods grown or produced without pesticides. Genetically Modified Foods: An estimated 70 percent of common processed foods lining supermarkets shelves, including Halloween candy, contain at least one genetically modified (GM) ingredient. Yet, genetically modified crops and foods (GMOs) have never been tested for long-term safety. Since the introduction of GM crops 13 years ago, Benbrook says pesticide use has increased by more than 300 million pounds. Because GM crops are designed to withstand pesticide spray, over time, weeds and pests naturally develop resistance, requiring more and stronger chemicals. Mercury Rising: Recent U.S. Geological Survey research found mercury contamination in every fish sampled from 291 streams nationwide. More surprising, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) found mercury in assorted

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products containing high fructose corn syrup, likely the result of the sweetener’s manufacturing process, says Renee Dufault, a former U.S. Food and Drug Administration health officer. David Wallinga, a medical doctor and director of the Food and Health program at IATP, says mercury is a toxic, heavy metal that harms brain development; no exposure level is considered safe. Plastic Poisons: Like pesticides, plastics can release endocrine disruptors such as bisphenol A (BPA) into food and water. Even more scary, “These compounds are biologically active at extremely low and previously undetected levels,” says University of Missouri biologist Frederick vom Saal. Food Dyes: The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that common food dyes can pose unnecessary risks for cancer, hyperactivity and allergies. Each year, approximately 15 million pounds of synthetic food dyes are added to foods that are heavily marketed to children.

It’s frightening to think of our children as guinea pigs for profit, isn’t it? Here’s how to keep family members safe: Buy Organic: Researchers at Washington State University found that switching children from a conventional to an organic diet resulted in a dramatic drop in pesticide exposure. By definition, organic foods cannot contain GMOs, synthetic pesticides, artificial hormones or antibiotics. Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D., a prominent ecologist and author of Living Downstream, says, “Organic food is really a bargain, when you consider the full cost to our children’s health and their environment.” Read Labels: Most nonorganic corn, soy, canola and sugar (processed from sugar beets, not cane) are genetically engineered, although an identifying label is not required. Common GMO ingredients include soy lecithin, corn starch and high fructose corn syrup. “Good” food advocates suggest that we call or write our favorite food manufacturers and tell them we won’t buy their products if they use GMO ingredients or artificial colors. Avoid Plastics: Always heat food in glass, lead-free ceramic, stainless steel or other non-reactive metal cookware (excludes most nonstick brands). Avoid House and Garden Chemicals: Banish bug sprays and lawn and garden chemicals in favor of more natural products. Check with Beyond Pesticides for suggested alternatives, at BeyondPesticides.org. Pass this Article on to Friends: Protect the neighborhood and beyond. Petition Legislators: Ask representatives to support H.R. 5820, the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act, at ewg.org/ actioncenter.

BANISHING THE CANDY MONSTER n When goblins come a-knocking, offer stickers, pencils, crayons or children’s party favors. n Host a haunted dinner party with a creepy twist: Serve guacamole (aka “frogs’ guts”), spaghetti with tomato sauce (“bloody brains”) and organic cranberry juice mixed with warm spiced cider (“Dracula’s blood”). Eat by candlelight or around a fire pit and howl at the moon. n Make up spooky stories.

n Emphasize the dress-up factor. Visit a secondhand store and create unique costumes, complete with homemade masks, face paint and hairdos. n Celebrate the season with true treats, like time with family and nature. Take a treasure hunt hike to search for leaves, feathers, rocks and seedpods. Decorate small pumpkins or gourds from the farmers’ market, dunk for organic apples, carve jack-olanterns and toast pumpkin seeds. Yum.

Melinda Hemmelgarn is a registered dietitian and award-winning writer and radio host based in Columbia, MO. Tune into “Food Sleuth” radio at kopn.org. Reach her at FoodSleuth@gmail.com. For more information visit: The Organic Center (Organic-Center.org); Pesticide Action Network of North America (panna.org); IATP Smart Guides (HealthObservatory.org). natural awakenings

October 2010

coverartist

naturalpet

Pumpkin for Pets by Morieka V. Johnson

Tranquility by Laura Tucker

ike kids who clamor for every tidbit in a candy store, Val Clows’ Great Danes have their choice of flavorful, high-quality dog kibble. But they still can’t wait to get their paws on new deliveries of pumpkin-based granola arriving at her Holistic for Pets shop in Sarasota, Florida. She reports that her two-legged customers enjoy eating the pumpkin product, too. “Everybody is looking for something tasty that’s low calorie and high fiber,” says Clows, smiling. Traditionally reserved for grocery store aisles, pumpkin is now showing up in pet stores, too, as human foodgrade animal treats, dried kibble and simple puréed goodness. A growing array of pet food products, from granola to dog biscuits, touts pumpkin for its vitamin A and fiber content. “We’ve been using pumpkin for a long, long time at our house,” remarks Clows. “But about two years ago, I started seeing pumpkin products labeled for pets, as well as pet treats that are pumpkin based. My dogs particularly love canned pumpkin, laced with a touch of cinnamon and ginger.” As with all good things, use pumpkin in moderation, suggests Dr. Jennifer Monroe, of Eagles Landing Veterinary Hospital, in McDonough, Georgia. “Pumpkin is good for pets with digestive issues, especially those on a hypoallergenic diet, because it doesn’t typically appear in pet foods,” she says. “But it’s best in small doses, in order to prevent weight gain.” The low-calorie

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gourd comes loaded with carbohydrates; one cup of puréed, canned pumpkin has as much as eight grams. Monroe observes that pumpkin has been a go-to item for pets with digestive issues since she was in veterinary school in the mid-1980s, primarily because it is a relatively inexpensive and readily available item. Bland, white rice is another popular home remedy for settling pets’ stomachs, she notes, but its high fiber content typically makes pumpkin the better choice. Before stocking up on pumpkin, Monroe recommends starting with prebiotic and probiotic products, which have been tested extensively for their health benefits. When diarrhea strikes, Veterinary Doctor Alice Martin, of Eagles Landing, says it’s best to consult a professional before attempting any home remedies. Monroe adds that cats with constipation need no more than one to two tablespoons of pumpkin per can of cat food. For dogs, the amount of pumpkin should be at least 10 percent of the day’s total caloric intake. As autumn temperatures drop and pumpkins become readily available, many pet owners prefer the all-natural, do-it-yourself approach. Monroe likes to grow and purée her garden pumpkins as a good-tasting aid to ensuring a happy, healthy home. Morieka V. Johnson is a freelance writer in Atlanta, GA. Reach her at Morieka@ gmail.com.

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Sand and walls were the mediums of choice for artist Laura Tucker when she was a wide-eyed toddler, taking in her world with wonderment and an evergrowing imagination. Family car trips as a youngster and teen found her busily sketching colored landscapes while nature’s creations and manmade scenes flashed before her hungry eyes. Today, Tucker’s commissioned and gallery art has evolved into two distinct types of painting: abstracts comprised of geometric shapes with bold, sharply defined lines; and sensuously colored images with evocative, fluid impressions. “My inspiration is ignited by nature and the peaceful place in my heart—from family, and what love brings,” the Fort Myers artist explains, “and by the wildlife and the colors I wake up to every day in subtropical Florida.” She painted Tranquility on a weekend trip to the Florida Keys. “I spent the day at the Turtle Research Hospital in Grassy Key, where the faces and soulful expressions of the turtles resonated with me. Tranquility is a state these turtles reach after rehabilitation and release back into the wild. It was also the state I reached while working through the entire painting.” To view more of Laura Tucker’s art, contact her at 570-236-7676 or Tuck13soccer@aol.com.

inspiration

ECO-FILM PICKS Movies with a Message Worth Watching

s movie-making technology has become less expensive and more accessible, eco-films have exploded onto the scene. While companies like National Geographic and Discovery Channel continue to contribute high-quality nature films, independent ecofilmmakers are also releasing inspired films almost by the day. Because most of these movies run less than 90 minutes, they have become sought-after teaching tools for family movie nights, school classrooms and readers looking for a break from books. It was a tough call, but after reviewing 50 standouts, Natural Awakenings picked five films highly favored for their clear message, entertainment value and motivating call to action. FOOD, INC.: Producers present the whole enchilada when it comes to understanding what we eat and the implications of our food choices. Beyond a plateful of facts, it’s also packed with entertaining graphics. The climax answers the inevitable viewer question: “This is an appalling situation, but what can I do about it?” Attention parents: There is a documentary-style scene showing mistreatment of an ailing cow to fast-forward through; otherwise, the coast is clear. (FoodIncMovie.com) TAPPED: Filmmakers tackle two significant issues facing the modern world: the emerging scarcity of water and the staggering quantity of plastic bottle waste. Images of the Texas-sized floating island of garbage in the middle of the Pacific Ocean will make us think seriously about kicking the bottled water habit for good. (TappedTheMovie.com)

A COMMUNITY OF GARDENERS: Anyone taking up the first lady’s call to home vegetable gardening will revel in this film’s portrayal of the many ways local gardens provide communities with gifts of food, knowledge, empowerment and reconciliation. A Community of Gardeners shows that local gardening is so much more than a labor-intensive solution to the

ills of the manufactured-food industry; it is also good for the soul. (Community OfGardeners.com) THE END OF THE LINE: Much as the eco-film standard bearer, An Inconvenient Truth, sounds the alert on global warming, The End of the Line reports on the troubled state of the rapid decline of the fish stocks that feed the world. Similarly, the film highlights how viewers’ everyday choices can stop contributing to the problem. (EndOfTheLine.com) FUEL: Civilization’s era of crude oil and other fossil fuels is rapidly coming to a close, while the future of energy has yet to be written. The replacement technologies for alternative sustainable energies are already understood, if not widely promoted. Many are ready to be put to work now and await only our adoption. Next-generation technologies also beckon. Fuel, a Hollywood-style documentary featuring such environmental spokespersons as Woody Harrelson and Sheryl Crow, proves that the future of energy is as much about imagination and creativity as it is about kilowatt-hours. (TheFuelFilm.com) Contributors include Michael Curran, health writer, and Michael D’Estries, film reviewer.

More Great Films Black Gold: A Film about Coffee and Trade on the economics of coffee BlackGoldMovie.com

Garbage Warrior on truly sustainable housing GarbageWarrior.com

Blue Gold: World Water Wars on the politics of water BlueGold-WorldWaterWars.com

King Corn on the great American corn diet KingCorn.net

Dirt! The Movie on the vital role of healthy soil DirtTheMovie.org

The Last Beekeeper on the global bee crisis PlanetGreen.Discovery.com

Dive! on American food waste DiveTheFilm.com

No Impact Man on implementing sustainable living NoImpactDoc.com

Everything’s Cool on environmentalism in politics EverythingsCool.org Flow on the world water crisis FlowTheFilm.com

Ripe for Change on the economics of agriculture CaliforniaDreamSeries.org/rfc.htm

natural awakenings

October 2010

greenliving

Transition Towns

network, led by individuals who are working to transform their own communities. While Berea is seeing its subdivisions expand and farmland disappear, one group of residents is making plans to help their community end its reliance on fossil fuels. Berea locals have a goal they’re by Tara Lohan calling “50 x 25.” By 2025, they aim to have the town using 50 percent less energy, deriving 50 percent of the it does use from local sources, More and more neighborhoods are making the transition energy procuring 50 percent of its food from farms and processors within 100 miles to a climate-friendly community. of town, and generating 50 percent of its gross domestic product from locally owned, independent businesses. he coastal town Transition Houston, Cities first began com The Transition Town Berea group of Lincoln City, holds monthly reskilling workshops to mitting to Kyoto Protocol in Houston, Texas, Oregon, has a lot help locals acquire the know-how to goals in 2005, through is working on a to lose if nothing is done grow their own food, weatherize their the U.S. Conference of about climate change. houses and install solar panels. Their Transition film series Mayors Climate Protection The town sits 11 feet projects help neighbors replant lawns with Rice University Agreement. Now, more above sea level, and unwith edibles and build raised vegetable than 1,000 cities in the checked climate change beds. They’ve also auctioned rain barand a Permablitz United States, the District could erode its beaches rels painted by local artists and orgaprogram of neighbor- of Columbia and Puerto or flood the town. nized a 100-Mile Potluck to celebrate Rico have signed on. Residents are taking hood permaculture local food and farmers. The community matters into their own climate movement goes workshops. hands. “We could ignore beyond government initia- Building a Future from it, let the federal governtives; it’s a cultural shift the Ground Up ment deal with it,” Mayor Lori Hollinginvolving people from tiny rural towns to The Transition Towns movement in sworth says. “We’re not willing to do major metropolitan areas. the United States is less than two that.” Last year, Lincoln City committed years old, but it came from the seeds to becoming carbon neutral, through The Heart of Climate Action of earlier re-localization efforts and renewable energy, energy efficiency other community climate groups and The fast-growing college town of Berea, and carbon offsets. nonprofits. Kentucky, is one of scores of U.S. com Communities like Lincoln City have A lecture on climate change may munities that have become Transition long been ahead of Congress and the not appeal to everyone, but advoTowns and formed a diffuse, grassroots White House on climate commitments.

Where Sustainable Living is Real

West Michigan Edition

NaturalWestMichigan.com

Residents of Berea, Kentucky, have a goal of “50 x 25.” By 2025, residents aim to have the town using 50 percent less energy, deriving 50 percent of the energy it uses from local sources, procuring 50 percent of its food from farms and processors within 100 miles

and telephone classes and events. Green building initiatives also are spreading, thanks in part to Architecture 2030, a nonprofit based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which calls for an immediate 50 percent reduction in fossil fuel consumption in new buildings and renovations, and sets a goal of carbonneutral design by 2030. The U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted the program in 2006. These communities hope they can lead the way toward the big changes we’ll need, both nationally and internationally, to respond to climate change. “Working at the

community level to build resilience is the strategy that has the most chance of success,” observes Olson. “It’s not going to take until our grandchildren’s generation to see if we’ve succeeded. I think in 10 years we’ll see if we’re going to have a chance.” For more information visit TransitionUS.org. Tara Lohan is a contributing writer to YES! Magazine, a senior editor at AlterNet and editor of the book, Water Consciousness.

of town, and generating 50 percent of its gross domestic product from locally owned, independent businesses.

cates find they can interest people in things like gardening, says Richard Olson, director of the Berea College Sustainability and Environmental Studies program. “We talk to them about heirloom seeds and what their grandparents grew and if they’d like to learn canning. We get them involved without even mentioning transition or sustainability.” Interest in climate-readiness is spreading: Austin, Texas, has an ambitious plan to make city facilities, vehicles and all other operations carbonneutral by 2020. Louisville, Colorado, now has a car share program. Charlottesville, Virginia, is creating a trail system for walking and biking to connect schools, parks and other public spaces. Greensburg, Kansas, a city of fewer than 2,000, was leveled by a tornado in May 2007. Residents have decided to rebuild as green as they can, requiring all city buildings to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED platinum rating for top-level environmentally friendly construction. They’ve also formed the group Greensburg GreenTown to increase public education about green living, make resources available at the library and distribute educational materials through online natural awakenings

October 2010

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natural awakenings

October 2010

calendarofevents Note: Visit www.NaturalWestMichigan.com for guidelines and to submit entries. All Calendar events must be submitted online by the 15th of the month prior to publication.

Friday, October 1

Monday, October 4

Trick or Treat: How to trick your body into weight loss while treating yourself right- Event conducted by Dr. Gabriel O’Brien, D.C. Event is FREE but advanced registration and a donation of a non-perishable food item is required. O’Brien Family Chiropractic Center. 1519 E. River Rd. Ste. B Muskegon. Call 231-744-6400 to register today! Going Upside Down & Loving It: Headstands6:30-8:30 pm. Exploring inversions can be fun and rewarding. These asanas are some of the most beneficial postures yoga has to offer. Add spark to your practice and see how easy it is! $20 Expressions of Grace Yoga, 5270 Northland Dr. NE, Grand Rapids. expressionsofgraceyoga. com, 616-361-8580.

Hand Drum Classes- A fun, easy hand drum class using the African djembe. Learn to play rhythms to fit into drum circles, bands or just to play on your own. Spirit Dreams. Grand Rapids. Call 616-285-5790 or email hickeyp@comcast. net to register. Spiritual Enlightenment Group - 6:30-8:00pm. Occurs monthly to share ideas, knowledge, and information about how to enhance our spiritual lives. Free Event. Naturopathic Community Center 503 E. Broadway, Mt. Pleasant. 989-7733636. http://www.nite-mtp.com/nccmain.htm

Saturday, October 2 Reiki I - Reiki is a wonderful hands on healing energy, perfect for yourself or others. Taught by Ken and Dana Gray of Subtle Energies. $75. Delton. More info visit reikiconnect.com. To register call Spirit Dreams 616-456-9889 or Dana at 800-260-4544. Spiritual Unity of Nations Conference: Preparing For A Positive 2012– 9:00am-5:00pm. 1-day conference featuring speakers from a variety of religious and spiritual backgrounds. S.U.N. is dedicated to world peace and sees the world as one family. Love Offering. Limited Seating. TheCopticCenter.org. Pre-Register by leaving a message at 616-531-1339. Product Launch Open House - 10:00am2:00pm. Bootyful Baby Boutique will be launching their All-in-Two diaper at EcoBuns in Holland. Meet the ladies behind the company, view the full product line, and enter to win a FREE diaper. 60 E Lakewood Blvd, Suite 60, Holland. bootyfulbabyboutique.com. Awaken the Healer in You- 1:00-5:30pm. This introduction to energy healing as taught by licensed trainer Nancy O’Donohue. Will teach you energy-healing tools you will be able to use immediately to invoke remarkable changes in your life. $40. Laketown Healing Arts, 3997 64th St., Holland. 269-929-6796. Women’s Ceremonial Sweat Lodge Retreat1:00-10:00pm. Potluck. Cleanse emotionally, physically, mentally & spiritually in a sweat lodge ceremony specifically designed by DINAH for women in a beautiful environment. $50. To find out more go to Awakenedpotentials.com and click on “WOMEN’S WISDOM RETREATS”. Limited to eight women. Greenville. 616 754-9672.

Sunday, October 3 Family Yoga- 2:30-4:00pm. Deepen the connection with those you love through playful movement and breathing. Enjoy the practice and take away ideas for yoga fun at home. With Marti Delong. Adults $15, Children $10. Expressions of Grace Yoga, 5270 Northland Dr. NE, Grand Rapids. expressionsofgraceyoga.com, 616-3618580.

West Michigan Edition

Tuesday, October 5 Wellness Lunch and Learn: Overcoming the Pain Barrier- 12:00pm. A licensed physical therapist from Health Motion Physical Therapy Services, Inc. will present on pain management. Bring your lunch and learn how to improve their health and wellness. Free. Grand Rapids Public Library, 111 Library St. NE, Grand Rapids. 616-988-5400. Trigger Point Massage- 6:00pm. Presented by Dr. Michael Kwast, DC, CSCS, participants will learn what a trigger point is, the causes, how to prevent them and get rid of them. 4150 East Beltline Suite #4 Grand Rapids. Seating is limited to the first 30 callers. RSVP today by calling 616-447-9888. The Wellness Forum- 6:30pm. Learn about nutritional myths and what kinds of foods keep us healthy and prevent disease. 830 Forest Hill Ave. Grand Rapids. Call 616-942-7907.

Wednesday, October 6 Fall Detoxification Class-7:00-8:30pm. 10/610/27. Led by Dr. Dan Gleason, this 4-week class covers how to safely detox and provide relief from digestive problems, headaches, joint pain, weight gain, allergies and rashes. $50. C3 Exchange, 225 E. Exchange, Spring Lake. 616-846-5410. Living Consciously- 6:30-7:30pm. Want to know more about what it means to ‘live consciously’? Come speak with coach, Shannon Elhart, to realize how you can accomplish a more peaceful, purposeful life. Space limited. Life Imagined, LLC. 222 South River Ave., Holland. Please RSVP 616-403-2120. Guided Meditation and Healing Circle- 7:008:00pm. Escape from stress and discover an inner world of calm, peace & joy through guided meditation, and energy healing from Healing in America-trained healers. $5. Holistic Care Approach. Grand Rapids. 269-929-6796. Posture and Pain Class- 7:30pm. Dr. Andrew Schafer DC would like to invite you to join his class on Posture, Health and Exercise. Most spinal conditions are related to poor posture. Reduce your back pain with his exercise and posture tips. Free admission. Champion Health and Fitness. Grand Rapids. 616-301-3000.

NaturalWestMichigan.com

Thursday, October 7 What in the World is Happening”: Presented by Carl Franklin- 7:00-9:00pm. 3 week course preparing for 2012 and the coming changes. Cost of each session is $15. Nature’s Spiritual Connections. 615 Lyon N.E. Grand Rapids. Call 616-929-4204 to pre-register. Guided Healing and Reiki Share - 7:00-9:30pm. For Reiki practitioners. Come, enjoy. Please bring a meditation cushion. Donation only. Haelen Holistic Treatments. 147 Diamond SE, Grand Rapids. 616-446-6906.

Friday, October 8 Finding Your Center: Women’s Fall Yoga Retreat- 10/8-10/10. Enjoy the autumn colors at this pristine wilderness resort. Come home to your center with: sunrise pranayama and meditation, morning and afternoon yoga, mindfulness meditation, and ayurvedic practices. $395 per person shared occupancy, $450 per person double. Barothy Lodge. Ludington. expressionsofgraceyoga.com, Call for details 616-361-8580. Rest, Restore, Renew- 6:00-8:00pm. Take time out of your busy schedule to slow down, get quiet and go within. Enjoy the deeply restful, regenerative gifts that restorative yoga has to offer. $30. Expressions of Grace Yoga, 5270 Northland Dr. NE, Grand Rapids. expressionsofgraceyoga. com, 616-361-8580. Restorative Yoga- 7:30-9:30pm. You’ll practice a unique sequence of poses, and use props to provide you with a completely supportive environment for total relaxation. Cascade Yoga Studio, 5060 Cascade Rd. Grand Rapids. 616-464-1610. Armenta Studio Zumba Party- 7:00-9:00pm. Celebrating our 7th Anniversary, we begin with this super fun ZUMBA Party. The best dancing tunes and of course, you will jam to awesome dancing moves. $10 Call to save a spot. Armenta Studio, 955 Wealthy St, Grand Rapids. 616-235-9642.

Saturday, October 9 Harvest Fest- 1:00-4:00pm. Enjoy autumn’s bounty and vote for your favorite scarecrow! Enjoy local organic produce, pumpkins and gourds. Sample our coffees and learn how to make delicious teas. Make and take home your own bottle of savory herb vinegar. Live music, cafe treats, prizes! Utopian Marketplace, 8832 Water St. Montague. 231-894-9530. WoodSong Acoustic Duo- 1:00-4:00pm. This wonderful contemporary folk/pop singing duo brings their blended harmonies to popular music spanning several decades. Enjoy them at Utopian Marketplace’s Harvest Fest. 8832 Water Street, Montague. 231-894-9530.

Sunday, October 10 Metaphysical Basics Level I Online- A beginner’s program for well-being and wisdom with Dana Glore-Gray. Normal price is $120.00 on sale for $75.00 for 6 weeks. This class includes: What is Metaphysics, Energy Basics, Elemental Energy, Color and Light, and Meditation Basics. Delton. Register online at reikiconnect.com. 269-671-4455. Eckankar-The Golden Heart- 10:00-11:00am. Monthly worship service. New location: Dominican Center at Marywood, 2025 East Fulton St. Grand Rapids. 616-752-8460.

A Course in Miracles Study/Discussion Group1:30-3:30pm. Group facilitated by Ray Farell. A copy of “A Course in Miracles” is necessary. Free will offering appreciated. We are a non-profit corp. Nature’s Spiritual Connections. 615 Lyon N.E. Grand Rapids. 616-929-4204. Inspiring Talk recorded by Mata Yogananda “The Way to Prosperity”- 2:40pm. Followed by silent prayer and Pure Meditation. Please arrive by 2:30pm. Free. Other days/times by arrangement. Homecooked meals available if reserved by Friday. Self Realization Meditation Healing Centre, 7187 Drumheller Rd, Bath. 517-641-6201. Hot Yoga- 4:00-5:15pm. Experience yoga in a challenging, invigorating and rejuvenating practice. Be prepared to sweat and receive amazing benefits. $12/person. Muskegon. MuskegonYoga.com to register.

Monday, October 11 Brown Bag Discussion Group- 12:00-2:00 pm for 3 weeks to discuss the “Crash Course.” The Crash Course looks at energy and the environment through the lens of the economy. Free. Register at tiny.cc/brownbag. Hastings Public Library 227 E State St, Hastings. 269-945-4263. Woman, Heal Yourself- 6:30-8:00pm. Explore meditation and visualization techniques to help alleviate the discomfort of PMS, menopause, and other health challenges related to the reproductive system. Guided by Dr. Ragini Pierce, D.C. $10. Must reserve seat. Angel Touch Family Chiropractic 4265 Grand Haven Rd. Muskegon. 231-798-0300. Could I Be Gluten Intolerant?- 7:00-8:30pm. Dr. Dan Gleason will discuss the symptoms of gluten intolerance and sensitivity. He will also review eating a gluten free diet. Blue Bird Cancer Retreat Center 917 Savidge, Suite 36, Spring Lake. 616-846-5410.

Thursday, October 14 DYSLEXIA/AIXELSYD- 6:30 pm. New Chapter Learning will provide a free informational seminar on the thinking style, learning differences, and gifts of the visual thinker. What are the characteristics of dyslexia, the root cause of dyslexia, and how the problem can be corrected? Grandville Middle School. Grandville. newchapterlearning.net. Call 616-534-1385 to pre-register. Awakened Women’s Support Group - 6:008:30pm. A safe, sacred support circle for women who want to apply their personal/ spiritual development knowledge into their day to day challenges. DINAH has been facilitating women’s circles for over two decades. $10 per meeting. Open Mind Store. Rockford. 616-754-9672. What in the World is Happening: Presented by Carl Franklin- 7:00-9:00pm. 3 week course preparing for 2012 and the coming changes. Cost of each session is $15. Nature’s Spiritual Connections. 615 Lyon N.E. Grand Rapids. Call 616-929-4204 to pre-register.

Saturday, October 16

7:00pm. How toxic are you? Find out and try an Ionic Foot Bath. They last 30 minutes. Registration is required for space is limited. $30. Contact Jodi to register or with questions. Minerva’s Hand, 106 W Savidge St, Spring Lake. 616-443-4225 or heavenlyhealings@yahoo.com. Essential Oil Basic Training I & II- 10:00am -12:00pm & 1:00pm-3:00pm. Learn basics of Essential Oils, the many benefits of the oils and much more. $10 in advance or $20 at the door per. Contact Jodi to register or with questions. Minerva’s Hand, 106 W Savidge St, Spring Lake. 616-443-4225 or heavenlyhealings@yahoo.com. Woman, Heal Yourself- 10:30am-12:00pm. Explore meditation and visualization techniques to help alleviate the discomfort of PMS, menopause, and other health challenges related to the reproductive system. Guided by Dr. Ragini Pierce, D.C. $10. Must reserve seat. Angel Touch Family Chiropractic 4265 Grand Haven Rd. Muskegon. 231-798-0300. The Yoga Studio- 2:00-4:00pm. The Menstrual Series w/ Kat McKinney. A workshop devoted to the needs of women during the menstrual cycle. General practice guidelines will be discussed and a restorative sequence instructed. Appropriate for experienced beginners and continuing students. $25. The Yoga Studio. Grand Rapids. 616 776-0836. Henna and Massage party- 4:00-7:00 pm. Henna art, massage, essential oils, and ionic footbath to fit any budget. Pamper yourself. Minerva’s Hand. Spring Lake. 616-915-9697.

C.A.R.E. Intensive Begins- 4-day NCBTMB and IACET (25 CE hr / 2.5 CEU) authorized training provides practical applied aromatherapy skills for the healing professionals and non-professionals in Bible Oils, Vitaflex, Chemistry, Raindrop Technique, Emotional Release. Instructor: Kathy Spohn, FCCI, oilsofold.abmp.com, oilsofold@ sbcglobal.net, 2219 28th Street SW, Wyoming. 616-261-0015 Sunday, October 17 Health by Nature- The right foods can help your An Anusara Yoga(tm) Workshop with Desiree immune system. With winter comes cold and flu Rumbaugh “Align with All That You Are”season. Learn simple steps to boost your immune 10:00am-12:30pm. All levels and 2:00-4:30pm system. Pre-registration is required. Boost your Intermediate. From the Heart Yoga Center. Grand immune system naturally ($15) (sign up with 2 or Rapids. Call 616-336-9642 to register. more friends & pay $10 each). Health by Nature, Partner Yoga & Thai Massage- 7:00-8:30pm. LLC. Holland. 616-566-0349. A fun and unique way to experience yoga & Private & Group Reading by Antoinette- massage with the support and connection of Tuesday, October 12 9:00am to 5:00pm. Cj’s Studio Salon 5286 your partner. No yoga or massage experience Essential Oil Basic Training I – 6:00-8:00pm. Plainfield Ave NE Grand Rapids. Call for an necessary. Muskegon Yoga Center. Muskegon. Come learn the basics of Essential Oils from the appointment 616-364-9191. MuskegonYoga.com to register. $35/couple. meaning of Therapeutic Grade, and the many Reiki III / Master Class- 9:00am-5:00pm. This benefits of the oils. $10 in advance or $20 at the door. Contact Jodi for advanced tickets or with class will enhance your ability as a practitioner Monday, October 18 questions. 4434 Knapp St NE, Grand Rapids. as well as give you the ability to teach Reiki. Jan Reiki Share Group- 5:30-7:30pm. For all Reiki 616-443-4225 or heavenlyhealings@yahoo.com. Atwood, Reiki Master /Teacher. 616-915-4144. students to share experiences and Reiki. No 801 Broadway Ave NW, Ste 436, Grand Rapids. Charge. Jan Atwood, Reiki Master/Teacher. 801 Wednesday, October 13 An Anusara Yoga(tm) Workshop with Desiree Broadway Ave NW, Ste 436, Grand Rapids. Dr. Michael Morea and Biogenesis present: Rumbaugh “Align with All That You Are”How to Achieve a Healthy Weight- 6:30 pm. 10:00am-12:30pm and 2:00-4:30pm. All levels. Tuesday, October 19 Learn about factors that increase body fat and the From the Heart Yoga Center. Grand Rapids. Call Lower your cholesterol naturally- Has your Dr. told many health problems related to it. Learn the keys 616-336-9642 to register. you that your cholesterol is high and that you need to successful weight loss. Start with this FREE Detoxifying Ionic Foot Baths- 10:00am – to follow a “special diet” with lots of restrictions? talk that is open to the public. Bring a friend! Fruitport. 231-865-7474. Guided Meditation, Prayer and Healing Circle- 7:00-8:00pm. Relax to guided meditation, and receive energy healing from local healers while church chaplains pray over your prayer requests. Donation. Unity Church on the If you, or your child have difficulties with reading, Lakeshore. Douglas. 269-857-8226. spelling or attention focus, there is finally real help! FREE Yoga Orientation for All Levels- 7:309:00pm. This Orientation is for everyone interested on learning the differences between various Yoga Styles and their foundations. Also, this will be a great opportunity to meet Heather Duffy, our new certified Yoga Instructor. FREE. Armenta Studio, PROVIDING FOCUS FOR THE VISUAL LEARNER 955 Wealthy St, Grand Rapids. 616-235-9642.

DYSLEXIA DYSLEXIA

www.newchapterlearning.net

(616) 534-1385

natural awakenings

October 2010

Learn which foods and supplements can help you to control your cholesterol naturally. $15. Health by Nature, LLC. Holland. 616-566-0349. The Wellness Forum- 7:00pm. Does Your Posture Make you look and feel old? No one wants to look old from being bent forward. Learn about the connection between posture and upper back pain and how this affects energy levels. Dr. Lynne Chadfield, D.O. 830 Forest Hill Ave. Grand Rapids. 616-942-7907. Upledger CranioSacral Study Group- 7:009:00 pm. Pre-requisite: Upledger CST I. Cost $5. Facilitated by Ellen Costantino. Held at Holistic Care Approach 3368 Beltline Ct. NE Grand Rapids. Contact Jamilah Tuuk for more information at jjfmassage@yahoo.com or 616-340-0543.

Wednesday, October 20 5 Things You Can Do Right Now To Be the Healthiest You’ve Ever Been- 6:30pm. Dr. Mike will teach the 5 nutritional supplements that EVERYONE should take, why losing weight should NOT be your main goal, and more. Limited seating. Morea Chiropractic Wellness Center. 388 N 3rd Ave, Ste L, Fruitport.

Thursday, October 21 Holistic Moms – 11:00 am–12:00pm. A support and information group for parents interested in raising happy, healthy and holistic kids in an environmentally friendly way. Free Event. Naturopathic Community Center 503 E. Broadway, Mt. Pleasant. 989-773-3636 - http:// www.nite-mtp.com/nccmain.htm. Mental Health Issues for Family Caregivers- 12:15 pm. The Fall Caregiver Resource Information Series provides talks for caregivers on a variety of topics. Cathy Brady from Pine Rest Christian Services will discuss Mental Health Issues for Family Caregivers. Free. Grand Rapids Public Library, 111 Library St. NE, Grand Rapids. 616-988-5400. Free MomsBloom volunteer training- 6:308:30pm. If you like helping moms with babies then this is the volunteer opportunity for you! Grand Rapids. Please call Angie at 616-4479788 for more information.

Friday, October 22 Nature’s Spiritual Connections: Connections Energy Share- 6:00-8:00pm. Join Ron Holder for an evening of shared conversation and table work. All energy healing modalities welcome. Free will offering always appreciated. We are a non-profit corp. Grand Rapids. 616-929-4204. Fire of Transformation Practice- 6:30-8:30pm. An invitation to light the inner fire of the heart, transform and reshape your practice, play your edge and develop flexibility and joy in community. Based on John Friend’s Eye of the Tiger Practice. Call for prerequisites. $18. Expressions of Grace Yoga, 5270 Northland Dr. NE, Grand Rapids. expressionsofgraceyoga.com, 616-361-8580.

Saturday, October 23 Holistic Fair- 10:00am-6:00pm. Sponsored by Coptic Fellowship International. Holistic and intuitive practitioners are providing personal services at the Coptic Center. Grand Rapids. For description of services and practitioners and to schedule appointments, visit TheCopticCenter. org or call 616-531-1339 or 800-704-2324.

West Michigan Edition

Reiki I & II Class – 10:00am-4:00pm. With Reiki Master Jodi Jenks. Become attuned to the Reiki energy, learn the history, basic hand positions and more. $225 includes $50 deposit for registration due a week prior. Contact Jodi to register or with questions. Minerva’s Hand, 106 W Savidge St, Spring Lake. 616-443-4225 or heavenlyhealings@yahoo.com. Shamanic Journeying I- 12:00-4:00pm. You will learn to journey to the upper and lower worlds to meet your power animals and teachers. Journeying boosts the immune system, energizes the spirit, and is unparalleled as a wisdom tool. With Paula Bojsen. Holland. 616-283-6339.

Sunday, October 24 A Course in Miracles study/discussion group1:30-3:30pm. Group facilitated by Ray Farell. A copy of “A Course in Miracles” is necessary. Free will offering appreciated. We are a non-profit corp. Nature’s Spiritual Connections. 615 Lyon N.E. Grand Rapids. 616-929-4204. Circle of Crones- 2:00-4:30pm. All women are invited to join the “Circle of Crones” to celebrate older women at the “Community Croning Ceremony”. Free Spirit Worship Center, 820 Monroe, NW, Suite 120 Grand Rapids. For more info contact Chris Belding, 616-887-7854 or belmor97@charter.net Inspiring Talk recorded by Mata Yogananda “God Via Meditation”- 2:40pm. Followed by silent prayer and Pure Meditation. Please arrive by 2:30pm. Free. Other days/times by arrangement. Home cooked meals available if reserved by Friday. Self Realization Meditation Healing Centre, 7187 Drumheller Rd, Bath. 517-641-6201.

Tuesday, October 26

development knowledge into their day to day challenges. DINAH has been facilitating women’s circles for over two decades.$10 per meeting. Open Mind Store. Rockford. 616-754-9672. Holistic Care Approach – 7:00-8:00 pm. What Difference Does Nutrition Make: Better Brains/Better Bodies. No Charge. We are a current advertiser. 3368 Beltline Ct NE Grand Rapids. 616-361-9221.

Saturday, October 30 From the Heart Yoga Center presents Shantala7:00pm. Benjy and Heather Wertheimer lead kirtan (sacred chanting) worldwide as the duo Shantala, with soul-stirring vocals, sacred lyrics and exotic instrumentation. $20 in advance $24 at the door. From the HeartYoga Center. Grand Rapids. 616-336-9642.

Sunday, October 31 Halloween Spirit Fair-10:00 am-5:00pm. We have folks in the areas of Tarot, Astrology, Palmistry, Numerology, and Psychic ability, also body and energy workers attending the fair. Sponsored by Subtle Energies. The Fair will be held at the Comfort Inn Hotel in Plainwell. More info at reikiconnect.com 269-671-4455.

Thursday, November 4 How to Create Therapeutic Laughter and Laughter Clubs Certification 2 Day Workshop - For $349, get the knowledge & skills to make people laugh through activities that reduce stress, lower blood pressure, alleviate pain & improve immune functions. CEUs available. Aquinas College, Grand Rapids. 1-800-NOW-LAFF or WorldLaughter Tour.com to register.

Friday, November 5

Parenthood-The Circus- 6:30pm with appetizers, Reduce ADD/ADHD symptoms naturally- drinks and pre-show entertainment. Show starts Learn how foods and supplements can reduce at 7:30pm. MomsBloom will be chronicling the ADD/ADHD symptoms without relying on adventure of parenthood. East Grand Rapids severely restricted diets. Re-think your child’s Performing Arts Center, 2211 Lake Drive SE, Grand diet. Pre-registration is required. $15. Health by Rapids. For more info contact Angie Walters at 616447-9788 or visit www.momsbloom.org for tickets. Nature, LLC. Holland. 616-566-0349. Fibromyalgia- 6:00pm. Are you suffering GotAncestors? Annual Seminar: Are They Who from: fatigue, depression, continued aches and You Think They Are?- Featuring Michelle Obama’s pains, and sleeplessness? Workshop participants Roots Researcher Megan Smolenyak. Friday is $15. will gain an understanding of the causes of the Seminar Registration is $49 for Saturday only or $59 syndrome and learn non-drug solutions. Presented for the two-day program if registered by October 8th. by Dr. Michael Kwast, DC, CSCS 4150 East Prince Conference Center. Grand Rapids. Online Beltline Suite #4 Grand Rapids. Seating is registration at gotancestors.com. limited to the first 30 callers. Call 616-447-9888. Saturday, November 6 Essential Oil Basic Training II – 6:00-8:00pm. Learn basics of Essential Oils, the many benefits West Michigan Spa & Wellness Expo- 10:00amof the oils and much more. $10 in advance or $20 4:00pm. Come as you are and leave rejuvenated. at the door per. $10 in advance or $20 at the door. Admission free - donations for Love INC. Tri-Cities Contact Jodi for advanced tickets or with questions. accepted at the Door. Community Event - free to 4434 Knapp St NE, Grand Rapids. 616-443-4225 all. Vendors wanted. Email - spaandwellnessgr@ yahoo.com or call 616-405-9060. Trillium Banquet or heavenlyhealings@yahoo.com. Center, 17246 VanWagoner, Spring Lake. Chinese Acupressure Face Lift Class- 6:308:00pm. Learn this natural beauty technique that Asian women have been using for centuries. Daily routine improves elasticity and tone of your skin. Save The Date Events $40 bring a friend and it is $35 each. Lisa W. Lee’s Must be submitted online each month at International Wellness Office. Spring Lake. To NaturalWestMichigan.com. Events priced $80 or register call 616-634-2714 or irvc88@gmail.com above require a corresponding display ad. There Thursday, October 28 is a $45 charge per listing, up to 50 words. If you are a current advertiser, distribution site or nonAwakened Women’s Support Group - 6:008:30pm. A safe, sacred support circle for women profit you may use this listing in place of one of who want to apply their personal/ spiritual your free listings for a $25 charge.

NaturalWestMichigan.com

S AVE T H E D ATE

ongoingevents Note: Visit www.NaturalWestMichigan.com for guidelines and to submit entries. Events must be re-submitted each month by the 15th of the month. Events subject to change, please call ahead.

All Month Long Fresh and Healthy Asian Grocery Destination -First-time customers receive 10% off your $20 or higher purchase. Asian Delight Marketplace, 4463 Breton Rd, Grand Rapids. 616-827-1828

Sunday C3Exchange, Inclusive Spiritual Community: Awakenings- 9:00am. Chants, meditation, prayer. No experience necessary. Come as you are. C3Exchange, Inclusive Spiritual Community, 225 E. Exchange Street, Spring Lake. 616-8421985. c3exchange.org. C3Exchange, Inclusive Spiritual Community: Main Gathering- 10:00am. Progressive spiritual teaching with music, meditation, discussion and children’s program. C3Exchange, Inclusive Spiritual Community, 225 E. Exchange Street, Spring Lake. 616-842-1985. c3exchange.org. Unity Church of Peace - 10:00am. Celebrating God’s presence in human nature. Offering uplifting messages that are spiritual without being religious. Youth programs & Nursery. 6025 Ada Drive SE, Ada. 616-682-7812. www.unitychurchofpeace.org. Free Spirit Worship Center –10:00am. Fill in the blank: “I am a _____? Well then COME ON, YOU’RE INVITED! Worship is informal and petfriendly. 820 Monroe Ave NW, Ste. 120. Grand Rapids. 616 791-8828. FREE Yoga for Beginners / Intermediates: 2:00-3:15pm. A practice geared towards beginners offering modifications and benefits of all poses. Learn yogic breathing techniques practiced for ages. All levels are welcome. Donations also welcome. Satya Yoga Center. Saugatuck. 269-857-7289. The Coptic Center Sunday Series – 6:00pm. An ongoing series of inspirational speakers, centering and the piano music of Karen Lauck as we explore Universal Truths. TheCopticCenter.org. Love Offering. The Coptic Center, 0-381 Lake Michigan Dr NW, Grand Rapids. 616-531-1339.

Monday 50% Off BioMeridian Assessments- State-ofthe-art profiling and tracking of all 58 meridians in the body with take-home color-coded charts to assess health progress. Call for an appointment. Grand Rapids. 616-365-9176. Yoga-Beginning- 9:00am. This is where you start. Learn the basic poses, strengthen, breath awareness and relax. For more information visit SmilingLotusYoga.com or call Smiling Lotus Yoga, 103 E. Ludington Ave, Ludington. 231-852-0849. Half Priced Yoga Day!- Community Yoga for All Levels at 6:00pm, followed by Yoga Nidra at 7:30pm (“Yogic Sleep & Guided Meditations”). $5 each class. On-going. Satya Yoga Center. Saugatuck. 269-857-7289. Intermediate Hatha Yoga with Mitch Coleman – 6:15-7:30pm. Drop-ins welcome.

Visit WhiteRiverYoga.com for more information. Classes meet at White River Yoga Studio, 8724 Ferry St. Montague. 231-740-6662. Kripalu Yoga with Marro Spehar - 7:30pm. Gentle/Moderate. Drop-ins welcome. For more details visit our website at sevayoga.net. Seva Yoga Studio, 2213 Wealthy Ste 220, East Grand Rapids. 616-458-2541 4 weeks to a healthier family- Healthy habits can have a dramatic affect on your family’s lives. Learn how simple changes in your family’s approach to life can yield big dividends. Pre-registration is required. $40. Holland. 616-566-0349.

Tuesday Hatha Flow with Jane Donnelly- 9:00am. Hatha flow offers a gentle pace of yoga postures and sun salutations, integrating breathing, short meditation, and basic philosophy. All levels. Center of Unlimited Possibilities. Spring Lake. 616-842-0264. Meditation Workshop- 9:30-11:00am. Learn the basics of meditation including posture, breathing, visualizations, sacred space, use of mala beads and mantras, intuition. Four consecutive weeks. $75. Life Imagined, LLC., Holland. Call Shannon for details. lifeimaginedllc.com 616-403-2120. Hot Yoga- 5:45pm. Ashtanga primary series of poses, linked by vinyasa (flowing movement) and synchronized with the breath to produce intense internal heat and purifying sweat. Classes are vigorous and challenging bring a towel. $10-$16 per class. Seva Yoga LLC. East Grand Rapids. 616-458-2541. Seva Yoga with Jill- 6:30pm. Learn how to breathe into the body and create a balance of effort and ease. Practice movements with increased body awareness to build strength, balance and flexibility. All levels welcome. $10-16 per class. Seva Yoga LLC. East Grand Rapids. 616-458-2541. Free Natural Health and Cooking Classes 6:30pm. For a schedule of classes, please call 989-773-3636 or stop in at the Naturopathic Community Center. Free Event. E. Broadway, Mt. Pleasant. http://www.nite-mtp.com/ nccmain.htm A Course In Miracles (A.C.I.M.)- 7:00-8:30pm. ACIM study groups can be joined at any time. Attend when you can. They are conducted on an experiential basis, which enables you to fit right in whichever day you come. Unity Church of Peace. Ada. Gentle Hatha Yoga with Mitch Coleman- 7:459:00am & 9:15-10:30am. Drop-ins welcome. Visit WhiteRiverYoga.com for more information. Classes meet at White River Yoga Studio, 8724 Ferry St. Montague. 231-740-6662.

Wednesday 50% Off BioMeridian Assessments- State-ofthe-art profiling and tracking of all 58 meridians in the body with take-home color-coded charts to assess health progress. Call for an appointment. Grand Rapids. 616-365-9176. A Course In Miracles (A.C.I.M.)- 9:30-11:00 am. ACIM study groups can be joined at any time. Attend

when you can. They are conducted on an experiential basis, which enables you to fit right in whichever day you come. Unity Church of Peace. Ada. Knit Wit Wednesdays- 10:00-11:30am. Bring your latest knitting project with you to Minty Keen, where you can drink tea and create a new cozy creation among friends. Free. Minty Keen, 125 Ottawa NW Suite 170 Grand Rapids. Visit mintykeen.com or 616-889-4157. Kripalu Yoga with Marro Spehar - 10:30amGentle. 7:30pm- Gentle/Moderate. Drop-ins welcome. For details visit sevayoga.net. Seva Yoga Studio, 2213 Wealthy Ste 220, East Grand Rapids. 616-458-2541. Yoga 101 with Jane Donnelly- 6:00pm. Learn alignment along with new ways to open the body through breathing. This class will teach you the foundation of basic yoga poses and philosophy. Center of Unlimited Possibilities. Spring Lake. 616-842-0264. Zen Meditation Group- 6:30-7:30pm. Everyone welcome from beginners to experienced practitioners. New to meditation? Arrive ten minutes early for a brief introduction. $5 suggested donation. Naturopathic Community Center 503 E. Broadway, Mt. Pleasant. 989-486-5782. Fall Detoxification Class- 7:00-8:30pm. Join The Gleason Center’s 4 week Fall Detoxification Class led by Dr. Dan Gleason. Benefits of the program include relief from digestive problems, joint pain, allergies, rashes, and fatigue to name a few. $50 plus cost of supplements. C3Exchange, 225 E. Exchange, Spring Lake. 616-846-5410. Shambhala Meditation Group of Grand Rapids7:30-9:00pm. Sitting and walking meditation in the Tibetan style with book study afterwards. Beginner’s welcome. Instructions provided. Free. 52 E Beltline, Grand Rapids. 616-452-2115. Grand Rapids Buddhist Meditation- 7:30pm. For group sitting and walking meditation in the Buddhist tradition, followed by book study. Sacred Space, 58 E. Beltline, Grand Rapids. FREE. For further info, contact Barb Howard, bbh1015@ comcast.net or 616-452-2115.

Thursday Dancing on the Ball- 5:00-6:00pm. Move to the musical beat of Middle Eastern, Bollywood and African rhythms. A unique dance class with joints pampered and treated with special care. $60. Grand Rapids. Register at 616-235-9642. Complete Yoga- 6:00-7:30pm. Join Michele for a full yoga practice of pranayama, theory, vinyasa, holdings, benefits of postures and more. All levels are welcome, although geared towards Intermediate / advanced students. $15. On-going. Satya Yoga Center. Saugatuck. 269-857-7289. Advanced Hatha Yoga with Mitch Coleman – 6:15-7:30pm. Drop-ins welcome. Visit WhiteRiverYoga.com for more information. Classes meet at White River Yoga Studio, 8724 Ferry St. Montague. 231-740-6662. Meditation Workshop- 6:30-8:30pm. Learn the basics of meditation including posture, breathing, visualizations, sacred space, use of mala beads and mantras, intuition. Four consecutive weeks. $75. Life Imagined, LLC., Holland. Call Shannon for details. lifeimaginedllc.com 616-403-2120.

natural awakenings

October 2010

Friday

classifieds

Yoga-Intermediate – 9:00am. Learn the basics. Holding poses longer and moving deeper into your practice and awareness of the core. For more information visit SmilingLotusYoga.com or call Smiling Lotus Yoga, 103 E. Ludington Ave, Ludington. 231-852-0849. Tai Chi w/ Debby- 9:30am. Gentle Flowing Movements that encourage relaxation and internal detoxification. Perfect for everyone, all techniques are done standing. $12. Laketown Healing Arts, 3997 64th St, Holland. laketownhealingarts.com. 616335-2137. Happy Hour Yoga -5:45pm. Come decompress after your work week. This intermediate class will start your weekend with laughter in your heart, steadiness in your body, and optimism in your mind. Cascade Yoga Studio 5060 Cascade Rd. Cascade. 616-464-1610. Kripalu Yoga with Marro Spehar - 7:00pm. Gentle/Moderate. Drop-ins welcome. For details visit sevayoga.net. Seva Yoga Studio, 2213 Wealthy Ste 220, East Grand Rapids. 616-458-2541.

Saturday Gentle Hatha Yoga with Mitch Coleman – 9:0010:15am & 10:30-11:45am. Drop-ins welcome. Visit WhiteRiverYoga.com for more information. Classes meet at White River Yoga Studio, 8724 Ferry St. Montague. 231-740-6662. Sweetwater Local Foods Market- 9:00am1:00pm. Indoors at Hackley Health at the Lakes, Harvey St. 1/2 Mile South of Lakes Mall. Exit US 31 at Pontaluna Rd. Muskegon. Vinyasa Yoga w/ Anna- 9:00am. Energizing vinyasa flow, learn to connect movement w i t h b r e a t h . B eg i n n e r s w e l c o m e . $ 1 2 . L a k e t ow n H e a l i n g A r t s , 3 9 9 7 6 4 t h S t , Holland. laketownhealingarts.com. 616335-2137. Hatha Flow with Jane Donnelly- 9:00am. Hatha flow offers a gentle pace of yoga postures and sun salutations, integrating breathing, short meditation, and basic philosophy. All levels. Center of Unlimited Possibilities. Spring Lake. 616-842-0264.

To place a Classified Listing: Email listing to Publisher@NaturalWestMichigan.com. Must be received by the 15th of the month prior to publication. $1.00 per word; must be pre-paid.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Full Time Ad Sales Rep – Natural Awakenings is now accepting resumes for full commission Sales Reps in select lakeshore and Grand Rapids territories. Strong organizational skills, sales and computer/database experience. We’re positive people looking for positive associates. Flexible schedule with great earning potential. Email cover letter and resume to publisher@ naturalwestmichigan.com Wanted: Massage Therapist - balanced, experienced and mature. Can do deep tissue massage and energy work required. Alternative healthcare center located in Muskegon. Email resume to sacredflames@rocketmail.com

FOR SALE Log Cabin Home - 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bath on Campau Kettle Lake in Caledonia. Plenty of storage in the new 4 Stall Garage. Asking $175,000. Located at 8810 66th Street SE in Caledonia. Call for details 616-292-6762. House, Barn & 7 acre Farm on Lowell schools bus line. 2,500 sq. ft. Rustic cedar sided New England saltbox with cedar sided 2-story barn. 4-bedrooms, 2 ½ baths. Large country kitchen with island and walk-in brick fireplace, wide pine plank floors, wood ceilings & beams. Living/ family room has large stone fireplace $289,000. Call 616-443-8446.

OPPORTUNITIES Facility Kitchens is Open to All for “Summer Canning 2010”! Not only is this commercial kitchen establishment for the licensed professional food producer to “Grow Your food Business.” -Anyone wishing to Can the harvest of the season is welcome from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm beginning September 16th; reservations are suggested. This extends through the season for $8. per hour. Call Robin for more details or other available times: 616-301-4212 and visit www.FacilityKitchens.com! CURRENTLY PUBLISHING NATURAL AWAKENINGS MAGAZINES - For sale in Austin, TX; Manhattan, NY; Pensacola, FL; Southwest VA and Ventura/Santa Barbara, CA. Call for details 239-530-1377.

PRODUCTS “Clearline” Herbal Formulas. www.FutureBodySciences.com 231-652-3171 or gloriaebc@ sbcglobal.net. Newaygo, MI.

VOLUNTEER WORK WANTED My name is Sheraton Darling, I attend Lake Michigan College and I am looking for some volunteer work. I live in the South Haven area and my major is in Pre-Law. I truly enjoy helping people and learning new things. Other interests include filing, office work, organizing, decorating, reading and visiting the sick and elderly. Contact me at 269-377-8384 or darlingsheraton@ yahoo.com

616-566-0349 karen@yourhealthbynature.com

West Michigan Edition

NaturalWestMichigan.com

thenaturaldirectory

CLOTH DIAPERS BOOTYFUL BABY BOUTIQUE, LLC

...connecting you to the leaders in natural health and green living in West Michigan. To find out how you can be included in The Natural Directory log-on to www. NaturalWestMichigan.com/advertising.

ACUPUNCTURE SAMIR RAJANI, MD

Medical Acupuncturist mmpc Internal Medicine 890 S. Washington, Ste. 130 Holland: 616-396-1907 www.mmpc.com Medical acupuncture can be an effective treatment for many chronic conditions, including pain, fatigue, depression and anxiety. Samir Rajani, MD is certified in medical acupuncture and practices at mmpc Internal Medicine.

ALTERNATIVE HEALTH PRACTITIONER OUT of THE BLUE INC

Nancy Despres RN, MBE 351 Cummings NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49534 616-453-4215 www.OutoftheBlueInc.net *UPDATED* Out of the Blue helps find alternative ways for achieving optimal health through the use of homeopathy, enzyme therapy nutritional supplements & hair mineral analysis. Now carrying homeopathic Hcg drops for weight loss.

AYURVEDA LOSE WEIGHT NATURALLY

Chad : 616-581-8881 myzconnection@att.net Order online at: myzconnection.myzrii.com Replace a meal for $2.75/day: 30-grams fiber, 20-Grams protein, 100% essential vitamins, 153 calories. Pure whey protein isolates, Casein-Free, Gluten-Free, 99% Lactose-Free. Natural botanicals rid body of fat & toxins.

BODYWORK WHOLISTIC KINESIOLOGY HEALTH SERVICES, LLC Barbara Zvirzdinis, WK, CMT 616-581-3885 www.WKHealthServices.com

Certified Massage Therapist offering Therapeutic & LaStone Massage. Certified Wholistic Kinesiologist, Reconnection Healing Practitioner, Certified Herbalist, Certified Acutonics Practitioner, Certified Reflexologist, and a Certified Matrix Energetics Practitioner. See ad, page 10.

Allendale, Michigan 616-892-1525 www.bootyfulbabyboutique.com

BUILDING/CONSTRUCTION DLH CONCEPTS

Kyle Hass Licensed Residential Home Builder hasskyle@gmail.com 616-299-5815 Locally owned and operated. Specializing in building custom livable and affordable new homes that are Energy Efficient and utilize Green Building practices. Unmatched efficiencies and uncompromising quality.

CHIROPRACTIC CARE DYNAMIC FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC

Dr. Ronson Dykstra & Dr. Ronda VanderWall 4072 Chicago Drive, Grandville 616-531-6050 Family owned and operated in the heart of downtown Grandville, Dynamic Family Chiropractic focuses on lifestyle improvements through living a maximized life. A safe and natural approach to health through the combination of exercise, nutrition, detoxification and chiropractic care.

SCHAFER CHIROPRACTIC AND HEALING SPA

Dr. Andrew Schafer 1801 Breton SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506 616-301-3000 Treating musculoskeletal conditions, and specializing in back pain, sciatica neck pain, and headaches. Also offering physical therapy, massage therapy, and postural awareness. Most insurances accepted. Breton Village area. www. grchirospa.com. See ad page 7.

CLEANING SERVICE NATURAL HOME CLEANING SERVICE, LLC

Effective, Environmentally Friendly Results Sherri Geysbeek 616-887-1504 Residential and Commercial Green Cleaning. Bonded and Insured. Serving all of West Michigan. info@ cleanednatural.com

Modern cloth diapers that are proudly made in Michigan. A healthy choice for your baby, your wallet and our Earth. We love to help parents make the switch! See ad page 33.

COLON HYDROTHERAPY HARMONY â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;N HEALTH Mary De Lange, CCT., CMT. 1003 Maryland Av., N.E. Grand Rapids 616-456-5033 www.harmonynhealth.net

Certified therapist since 1991 offering colon therapy in a sterile and professional environment. Using a holistic approach colonics relieve constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloat, poor digestion, back pain, body odor and more. See ad page 21.

THE BODY CENTER-HOLLAND Marcella Clark, CMMT, CCHT 650 Riley Street , Ste A Holland, MI 49424 616-834-2596

Gentle, effective and professional colon cleansing designed to drop toxin levels and improve nutrient absorption. Get relief from bloating and constipation, fatigue and arthritis pain. Warm, secure environment. www. TheBodyCenter.us. See ad page 33.

TRICIA E. GOSLING

Holistic Care Approach 3368 Beltline Ct NE 616-481-9074 Offering an advanced clientcentered dimension of colonics: gentle, safe and effective. Eliminate toxins and enhance well-being. 15 years of experience. Also offering Quantum Biofeedback sessions. I-ACT certified Instructor.

COUNSELING JANICE DE LANGE, PH.D

1514 Wealthy St. SE Ste 260, Grand Rapids 616-451-3008 JDelange06@yahoo.com www.janicedelange.com A mind-body-spirit approach for trauma and abuse recovery, PTSD, low sense of self-worth, panic & phobias, anxiety, depression, relationships. EMDR & Energy interventions.

natural awakenings

October 2010

DENTISTRY / HOLISTIC DENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER

Dr. Kevin P. Flood DDS 4990 Cascade Rd SE, Grand Rapids 616-974-4990 www.FloodTheDentist.com Comprehensive Holistic Dental Services – Amalgam Removal & Replacement. Bio-Compatible, metal-free materials, LowDose Digital X-Rays, Gentle Anesthesia. See ad page 48.

NEW CHAPTER LEARNING

Sandra McPhall Licensed Davis Dyslexia Correction Provider 616-534-1385 www.newchapterlearning.net Providing the Davis Dyslexia Correction® Program that has grown to be the most widely used program in the world correcting approximately 20,000 dyslexics per year with a 97% success rate. See ad page 41.

ENERGY HEALING Beth Cosmos Grand Rapids: 616-648-3354 www.Ama-Deusenergy.com Ama Deus healing energy method is a hand mediated technique aligned with love. The energy helps to enhance one’s own and others growth and awareness or physical and emotional healing. See ad page 31.

MATRIX ENERGETICS

Barbara Zvirzdinis, WK, CMT 616-581-3885 www.WKHealthServices.com Matrix Energetics is a system used to heal, transform and create new possibilities in your life. Using principles of quantum physics and subtle energy Matrix Energetics helps you to shift into a more balanced state. See ad page 10.

ESSENTIAL OILS

830 Forest Hill Ave Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-942-7907 www.WellnessForum.com

Educational programs for personal health improvement - Workplace wellness programs Wellness Forum Foundation focused on school nutrition and children’s health National conferences.

HEALTH FOOD STORES Joel D. Manning, CNC®, Owner 7493 Cottonwood Drive, Jenison 616-667-1346 Affordable, natural ap-proach to better health. Certified nutritional consultant. 20 years experience. Offering select high quality vitamins and nutritional supplements. Weight loss, cleansing, sports nutrition and more! Senior discounts.

HEALTH HUTT

Grand Haven - 616-846-3026 Muskegon - 231-739-1568 North Muskegon - 231-744-0852 www.HealthHutt.net Natural & organic foods, vitamins & herbs, sports nutrition, gluten free foods, books, natural body care and more. Open 7 days a week. See ad, page 27.

UTOPIAN MARKETPLACE

Clara Vander Zouwen 616-698-6148 www.NaturalHealth4Today.com Offering Be Young therapeutic essential oils, MASAJI whole food drink, Organic meal replacement shakes, and Mineral make-up. Services: Ionic detoxing foot baths, Physical and Emotional balancing, biofeedback readings.

West Michigan Edition

HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER

AFFORDABLE NUTRITION

AMA DEUS®

Jodi Jenks - Reiki Master 4434 Knapp St NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 www.heavenlyhealings.org I am a Reiki Master that also does Essential Oil therapies including Raindrop Therapy, Emotional Clearing and Spiritual Journey work. Call or email for appointments or questions, 616-443-4225 or heavenlyhealings@ yahoo.com. See ad page 9.

THE WELLNESS FORUM

DYSLEXIA

BE YOUNG ESSENTIAL OILS

HEAVENLY HEALINGS HOLISTIC HEALTH SERVICES

8832 Water St., Montague 231-894-9530 www.UtopianMarketplace.com

Our friendly, knowledgeable staff provides a personalized shopping experience. We have a large selection of gluten-free foods, clothing, jewelry, herbs, supplements, local foods, gifts and more. Open Mic events every month. See ad, page 5.

NaturalWestMichigan.com

HOLISTIC HEALTH CENTERS THE HEALING CENTER

352 S. Lincoln Ave, Lakeview 989-352-6500 www.TheHealingCenterOfLakeview.com Naturopathic / Holistic Practitioners. Licensed Physician Assistant, Certified Natural Health Professionals. Private consultations. Counseling & Classes. Blood typing, acupressure, emotional release, iridology, homeopathy and more. See ad, page 15.

HOMEOPATHY BOB HUTTINGA

352 S. Lincoln Ave, Lakeview 989-352-6500 www.TheHealingCenterOfLakeview.com A Physician assistant since 1976, specializing in naturopathic and homeopathic care. Also, certified Silva Method instructor. See ad, page 15.

HYPNOTHERAPY Branden Wilson, BAS, CHT, CPNLP Certified Hypnotherapist, American Board of Hypnotherapy Certified Practitioner NLP, Society of NLP 616-560-1482 branden.wilson@gmail.com

Your phobia gone in an hour or less or its FREE. Eliminate unwanted habits and compulsions. Resolve inner conflicts, change your limiting beliefs, and achieve your goals. Transform guilt, shame, and grief.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE SHORELINE CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE

South Haven Community Hospital 950 S. Bailey Ave. South Haven, MI 49090 269-639-2833 Alternative therapies are used in conjunction with conventional medicine to balance your mind, body and spirit. We also offer laser hair removal, laser vein reduction and skin care services. See ad page 12.

KINESIOLOGY WHOLISTIC KINESIOLOGY HEALTH SERVICES, LLC Barbara Zvirzdinis, WK, CMT 616-581-3885 www.WKHealthServices.com

Certified Wholistic Kinesiologist, Certified Massage Therapist, Reconnection Healing Practitioner, Certified Herbalist, Certified Acutonics Practitioner, Certified Reflexologist, and a Certified Matrix Energetics Practitioner. Specializing in muscle testing, massage, energy medicine, nutritional counseling, lectures and classes. See ad page 10.

MASSAGE THERAPY SCHAFER CHIROPRACTIC AND HEALING SPA

Sheri Beth Schafer, CMT, Reiki Master 1801 Breton SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506 616-301-3000 We have multiple certified massage therapists offering relaxation (Swedish), deep tissue massage, and medical massage. We also offer Reiki, chakra balancing, and Ayurvedic bodywork. Breton Village area. www.grchirospa.com. See ad pages 7 & 28.

MIDWIFERY BIRTH SONG MIDWIFERY SERVICES Yolanda Visser CM, CPM Grand Rapids 616-458-8144 www.BirthSongGR.com

Homebirth services since 1982. Committed to facilitating natural birth, bonding, strengthening the family, informed active participation, and lending dignity to women through their birthing experience.

FULL CIRCLE MIDWIFERY SERVICE, INC. Patrice Bobier CM, CPM Hesperia - 231-861-2234 www.FullCircleMidwifery.com

In private practice since 1982 - specializing in homebirth. Over 1200 births attended. Offering midwifery care that maintains a family-centered safe birth experience. Empowering women to stay healthy during pregnancy, give birth naturally and parent in the best ways.

HOME BIRTH PARTNERS, LLC

Susan Wente, CNM, Dr. PH 231-652-3247 www.HomeBirthworks.com This regions only Certified Nurse Midwife with 32 years experience – over 3000 births attended. Providing pre-natal, home and hospital births and postpartum care. Gynecological and Doula services available.

REIKI HAELEN HOLISTIC TREATMENTS

Connie Jean Cunningham www.haelenholistic.com 616-446-6906 Certified Usui Reiki Master and Karuna ® Reiki. Offering professional reiki treatments, classes, personal instruction and guidance. Specialized treatment areas include chemotherapy support, PTSD, phantom limb pain, stress, and spiritual expansion.

SPIRITUAL TRAVEL BARBARA LEE, PILGRIM SPIRIT TOURS

barbaralee13@gmail.com 616-502-2078 www.pilgrimspirittours.com Pilgrim Spirit Tours is offering a Tibet/Yunnan/Minority Cultures Pilgrimage April 12 - 28, 2011. Cost is $4960 excluding international airfare. Minimum 6 Maximum 12 participants. $100 refundable deposit to secure your spot.

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN CENTER EDEN ENVIRONMENTS

Denise Hopkins, AIA, LEED AP 401 Hall St. SW Suite 231 Grand Rapids 616-956-5000 www.EdenEnvironments.com

REIKI HAUS

Enrich your home and work environment with beautiful, healthy, sustainable design and products. Architecture, interior and landscape design, flooring, paint, cabinets, counters, furniture, accessories. Styled by nature, designed to nurture.

Paula Bojsen Holland: 616-392-1138 www.ReikiHaus.com Offering quality Reiki classes & treatments at affordable prices. Certified Usui Reiki Master Teacher & Gendai Reiki Shihan. All levels, Reiki Master classes and Gendai Reiki Gokukaiden. Learn pure Japanese Reiki.

RETREAT CENTER THE LEAVEN CENTER

Lyons, Michigan 989-855-2606 www.leaven.org A place of beauty on the banks of the Grand River where you can find rest and nourishment for your body and spirit. Offering workshops, retreats, and rental space year-round.

SCHOOL/EDUCATION NATUROPATHIC INSTITUTE OF THERAPIES & EDUCATION

503 E. Broadway St Mt. Pleasant, MI. 48858 989-773-1714 www.nite-mtp.com Educational Programs: Natural Health 1-4 Years, Birth Assistant 6 Months (1 weekend per month), Massage Therapy 1 Year (2 weekends per month), Individual Classes available. 15 years of excellence. See ad page 2.

RENEWAL 2 HEALTH Liberating the Body’s Miracles

Cathy Whitener CHC/ Amy Remijn MA LLCP 616-217-2232 www.Renewal2Health.com Considering a career in nutrition & health? Become a certified health coach. Institute for Integrative Nutrition is the largest US health school. Contact for info and a $500 tuition discount. See ad page 6.

WATERBIRTH SHORELINE’S WOMEN’S CENTER AT SOUTH HAVEN COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

Eva Fronk, CNM and Mercedes Moran, CNM 950 S. Bailey Ave. South Haven, MI 49090 269-639-2720 Offering the only water birthing program in Southwest Michigan. Our Certified Nurse Midwives assist the mother during water birth delivery, in collaboration & consultation with our obstetricians. Call today to learn more. See ad page 6.

WOMENS RETREATS & GROUPS AWAKENED POTENTIALS FOR WOMEN

Daina (DINAH) Puodziunas Enchanted Lake ~ 35 miles NE of Grand Rapids 616-754-9672 www.Awakenedpotentials.com www.Midlifefairygodmothers.com Providing everything a woman needs to nurture her true spirit and re-enchant her soul since 1988. Solitude In Nature & Women’s Wisdom Retreats at Enchanted Lake. Local Midlife Re~Enchantment, Groups, phone coaching & tele-classes.

natural awakenings

October 2010

West Michigan Edition

NaturalWestMichigan.com